By Our Own Hand
By Brianna Austin
ne down, one to go” was the headline in the New York Blade Newspaper. The article proclaimed that with the recent signing of SONDA (Sexual Orientation Non-Discrimination Act) that the new agenda for ESPA (Empire State Pride Agenda), who played a major role in obtaining the support to pass the 39 year old SONDA bill, is “building a rainbow-like coalition with like minded groups representing Hispanics, blacks, Jews, women, labor unions and even sympathetic Catholics”. At the same time they say they plan to “work with transgender advocacy organizations to do what it can to further GENDA, the “Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act.” As SONDA moved closer to reality after 39 years, there was a push to add language to include gender expression, something the gay community resisted for years, which sparked debate, accusations and division among the gay and transgender community.
But there has always been resentment against the gay community by transgender advocates. They charge that it was Sylvia Rivera (the life-long TG civil right advocate) and others who were there at Stonewall to start the gay rights movement in 1969, only to be cast aside later. A friend once stated at her show “we started a riot and you all got rights, how did that happen?” And of late there are articles about infighting amongst the gay community itself, as sighted by the discrimination article by David Noh entitled “Boiling Rice”, or Richard Goldstein’s article in the Village Voice where he refers to the “haves and have-nots.” Editor of the NY Blade, Steve Weinstein suggests, “this is not acceptable.”
While the gay community tries to close the gaps between the “wealthy white” and the “gay minorities” and the transgender advocates struggle to find the footing to push their own agenda, I am left wondering; is there really a broad transgender community at all? Excerpts from the Webster Dictionary says a community is a “unified body of individuals, people with common interests living in a particular area, a group of people with a common characteristic or interest living together within a larger society, a body of persons of common and especially professional interests scattered through a larger society.”
Certainly we can say that we meet some of those definitions, but the words “unity” and “together” stand out - are we really unified and together? So maybe the question should be are we a focused, unified and potent community? I think the answer to that is no.
This is not to disrespect the work by those who have and are dedicated to moving a TG agenda forward - for they have my deepest respect. But where are the troops? Where’s the backup? Just like in the business world where success comes from an idea that is converted into commerce, so too the agenda needs emotional capital to grow and blossom. – otherwise, it is just ideology - lingering.
The gay community may argue among themselves, however, they have at least a core group that is unified and potent. They have an agenda, an action plan, and are willing to commit their time, learn the political landscape, and direct their financial resources to making each other stronger. By demographics they one of the most powerful and loyal consumer groups on the planet Did anyone forget that we live in a capitalist free market society - demographics do matter.
People who share gender expression do not necessarily share the same life style; the same interests or even to the same goals. To that end, what makes a community? Doesn’t there have to be some collective commitment, even if just in ideology? Transsexuals in many cases openly ridicule and look down on the occasional cross dresser, to what end I can’t imagine. Does that make them feel better? And the cross dressers can at times be completely unaffected by the state of gender expression policy, because many don’t really engage themselves outside the local CD party. But yet, they will complain when not treated fairly by TSs or gays when they enter one of their clubs because they need somewhere to go, and that’s not right either. I have, and do know many transsexuals and cross dressers. They each have their own burden and pain - and in that should find some allegiance to each other. They may be worlds apart, but it is the simple discrimination against their right of expression that they share a common bond.
Society doesn’t understand us, the media makes of us what is ever best for the morning headline, and though the effort is under way we still have a great deal of educating to do -- and not just to the mainstream - but ourselves as well. Crossdressers need to help out, if even in small ways, unrevealing ways – because it is those living the life that are forging the social climate of acceptance that you enjoy.
Transgender people have gained some ground in discrimination and other civil rights in recent years through the will of a dedicated few and a helping hand of the gay community - who may or may not owe us something. But until such time that transgender people can organize the TG masses, it will continue to be a slow uphill climb and subject to the attention we can get from other communities. Some of the TG advocates are working towards that end by building outside coalitions, political alliances and working to shape real and obtainable goals. And as important and essential as good policy, is the acceptance of others, which will come from a combination of policy, and the way we represent ourselves. We should learn from the gay community before us and stop our own infighting amongst TS, CD, drag queens and TG. How can anyone show us acceptance and tolerance if we can’t do it between each other?
If we do not continue to educate the mainstream, develop a real and strong community base - we will continue to be less than a community and resigned to remaining the wayward stepchildren of the gay community, begging for the scraps of other people’s agenda.
As always, be happy, be safe, and think pretty.
By Our Own HandBy Brianna Austin
|
| ne down, one to go” was the headline in the New York Blade Newspaper. The article proclaimed that with the recent signing of SONDA (Sexual Orientation Non-Discrimination Act) that the new agenda for ESPA (Empire State Pride Agenda), who played a major role in obtaining the support to pass the 39 year old SONDA bill, is “building a rainbow-like coalition with like minded groups representing Hispanics, blacks, Jews, women, labor unions and even sympathetic Catholics”. At the same time they say they plan to “work with transgender advocacy organizations to do what it can to further GENDA, the “Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act.” As SONDA moved closer to reality after 39 years, there was a push to add language to include gender expression, something the gay community resisted for years, which sparked debate, accusations and division among the gay and transgender community. But there has always been resentment against the gay community by transgender advocates. They charge that it was Sylvia Rivera (the life-long TG civil right advocate) and others who were there at Stonewall to start the gay rights movement in 1969, only to be cast aside later. A friend once stated at her show “we started a riot and you all got rights, how did that happen?” And of late there are articles about infighting amongst the gay community itself, as sighted by the discrimination article by David Noh entitled “Boiling Rice”, or Richard Goldstein’s article in the Village Voice where he refers to the “haves and have-nots.” Editor of the NY Blade, Steve Weinstein suggests, “this is not acceptable.” While the gay community tries to close the gaps between the “wealthy white” and the “gay minorities” and the transgender advocates struggle to find the footing to push their own agenda, I am left wondering; is there really a broad transgender community at all? Excerpts from the Webster Dictionary says a community is a “unified body of individuals, people with common interests living in a particular area, a group of people with a common characteristic or interest living together within a larger society, a body of persons of common and especially professional interests scattered through a larger society.” Certainly we can say that we meet some of those definitions, but the words “unity” and “together” stand out - are we really unified and together? So maybe the question should be are we a focused, unified and potent community? I think the answer to that is no. The gay community may argue among themselves, however, they have at least a core group that is unified and potent. They have an agenda, an action plan, and are willing to commit their time, learn the political landscape, and direct their financial resources to making each other stronger. By demographics they one of the most powerful and loyal consumer groups on the planet Did anyone forget that we live in a capitalist free market society - demographics do matter. People who share gender expression do not necessarily share the same life style; the same interests or even to the same goals. To that end, what makes a community? Doesn’t there have to be some collective commitment, even if just in ideology? Transsexuals in many cases openly ridicule and look down on the occasional cross dresser, to what end I can’t imagine. Does that make them feel better? And the cross dressers can at times be completely unaffected by the state of gender expression policy, because many don’t really engage themselves outside the local CD party. But yet, they will complain when not treated fairly by TSs or gays when they enter one of their clubs because they need somewhere to go, and that’s not right either. I have, and do know many transsexuals and cross dressers. They each have their own burden and pain - and in that should find some allegiance to each other. They may be worlds apart, but it is the simple discrimination against their right of expression that they share a common bond. Society doesn’t understand us, the media makes of us what is ever best for the morning headline, and though the effort is under way we still have a great deal of educating to do -- and not just to the mainstream - but ourselves as well. Crossdressers need to help out, if even in small ways, unrevealing ways – because it is those living the life that are forging the social climate of acceptance that you enjoy. Transgender people have gained some ground in discrimination and other civil rights in recent years through the will of a dedicated few and a helping hand of the gay community - who may or may not owe us something. But until such time that transgender people can organize the TG masses, it will continue to be a slow uphill climb and subject to the attention we can get from other communities. Some of the TG advocates are working towards that end by building outside coalitions, political alliances and working to shape real and obtainable goals. And as important and essential as good policy, is the acceptance of others, which will come from a combination of policy, and the way we represent ourselves. We should learn from the gay community before us and stop our own infighting amongst TS, CD, drag queens and TG. How can anyone show us acceptance and tolerance if we can’t do it between each other? If we do not continue to educate the mainstream, develop a real and strong community base - we will continue to be less than a community and resigned to remaining the wayward stepchildren of the gay community, begging for the scraps of other people’s agenda. As always, be happy, be safe, and think pretty. |