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My existence is political
Dec. 30th, 2009 01:29 pmWhen it comes to sexual orientation, one's love is political. To go out in public, hand in hand with a lover of the same apparent sex, is subversive and a political act. It is a defiant statement that you will not allow your love to be treated as less than different-sex love. To get married with a person of the same sex is a further act of defiance against society, claiming the right to be equal with different-sex couples in the eyes of the world. Doing these things can be dangerous in some environments, inciting bigots to violence and anger.
But when it comes to mundane things like going shopping at the grocery store, climbing down at the climbing gym, or simply using the bathroom, you're not being political. To the rest of the world, you're just another woman or man, a person that is going about their life, with few, if any, thought given to your sexual orientation. Even the most bigoted person in the world is likely not going to care if you're picking apples from the same section of the grocery store as them, because they probably have no idea that you're not straight.
But for a transgender person, this is not true. Transgender people face invalidation of their genders in practically everything we do. For us, the simple act of going shopping for groceries is a dangerous, subversive act that may incite violence and anger in bigots. To simply use the restroom is risky business. What if I'm outted as trans? What if someone finds out? What if they deny me my gender identification? For something like shopping, the worst you might get is harassment. But for restroom use, or worse, locker room use at the gym, being read as trans can have the consequence of getting your banned from the facility or business that you are in. It can result in legal actions being taken against you. And it can absolutely result in physical violence.
For the transgender person, one's entire life is an act of defiance against societal norms. It's a political, subversive act, denying deeply held ideas about gender and demanding the right to be equal with others of one's gender identity.
I just read about blogger Jeremy Hooper and his partner getting married and having Martha Stewart's Wedding magazine cover their wedding. And I'm definitely happy for the couple and happy that GLB folks have made another step into being treated as ordinary by the mainstream.
But at the same time, I find myself wishing for a moment like that in my life, for my community. What will true and full acceptance of transgender people look like? What will the little steps on the way there be? The journey is starting, with transgender characters popping up on TV more and more, and more people coming out of the closet, with more and more activity going on breaking the stereotypes and showing trans people as ordinary. But it's only just beginning, and has a long way to go yet.
Unlike cisgender GLB folks, some transgender people can never "turn it off" and look normal. What will the acceptance of such people look like? What will the day look like when even the passable trans people no longer have to fear being "found out?" When we can all be open about ourselves or just experience our mundane lives without worrying that it might result in getting fired, murdered, or worse.
I'd like to see that sort of thing in a magazine some day.
But when it comes to mundane things like going shopping at the grocery store, climbing down at the climbing gym, or simply using the bathroom, you're not being political. To the rest of the world, you're just another woman or man, a person that is going about their life, with few, if any, thought given to your sexual orientation. Even the most bigoted person in the world is likely not going to care if you're picking apples from the same section of the grocery store as them, because they probably have no idea that you're not straight.
But for a transgender person, this is not true. Transgender people face invalidation of their genders in practically everything we do. For us, the simple act of going shopping for groceries is a dangerous, subversive act that may incite violence and anger in bigots. To simply use the restroom is risky business. What if I'm outted as trans? What if someone finds out? What if they deny me my gender identification? For something like shopping, the worst you might get is harassment. But for restroom use, or worse, locker room use at the gym, being read as trans can have the consequence of getting your banned from the facility or business that you are in. It can result in legal actions being taken against you. And it can absolutely result in physical violence.
For the transgender person, one's entire life is an act of defiance against societal norms. It's a political, subversive act, denying deeply held ideas about gender and demanding the right to be equal with others of one's gender identity.
I just read about blogger Jeremy Hooper and his partner getting married and having Martha Stewart's Wedding magazine cover their wedding. And I'm definitely happy for the couple and happy that GLB folks have made another step into being treated as ordinary by the mainstream.
But at the same time, I find myself wishing for a moment like that in my life, for my community. What will true and full acceptance of transgender people look like? What will the little steps on the way there be? The journey is starting, with transgender characters popping up on TV more and more, and more people coming out of the closet, with more and more activity going on breaking the stereotypes and showing trans people as ordinary. But it's only just beginning, and has a long way to go yet.
Unlike cisgender GLB folks, some transgender people can never "turn it off" and look normal. What will the acceptance of such people look like? What will the day look like when even the passable trans people no longer have to fear being "found out?" When we can all be open about ourselves or just experience our mundane lives without worrying that it might result in getting fired, murdered, or worse.
I'd like to see that sort of thing in a magazine some day.
