I keep on hearing people in the transcommunity question why they should support Marriage Equality, that it does not affect them, so why care? And my answer to them is that it affects us greatly, we do not want a definition of a Man and Women. Think about it, right now we are flying under the radar, if you are married before you transition and stay married afterward then you are now in a same sex marriage! I know of some who have done that and up until last year there was no definition of marriage, now there is and their marriage just became invalid.
The other question is how are they going to define a Man and a Woman? Any way they do it someone in our community, to put it bluntly, is screwed. Would it be by gender assigned at birth ( I would like that since I would still be able to marry a woman. )? Would it be what is on your Birth Certificate ( Here in Connecticut we can get the Birth Certificate changed once we have surgery, not amended but actually changed and the old one is sealed. I wouldn’t like that because that would mean I can only marry a man. )? Would it be by chromosomes ( What would happen to all the XX male and XY females [ Yes, there are people who are XX male and XY females Google it! ] or for that matter what about a intersexed person? )? However they define it someone in our community is going to be affected.
All your points are well taken and I'd like to add another if I may. In answer to the question, "If it doesn't affect me, why should I care?" Because it is right to use one's voice against oppression, regardless of whose rights are being addressed. We are all imprisoned by oppression, whether we are active participants, victims or silent bystanders. It is our responsibility to stand and work together. By the same token, if the only people working for transgender rights are transgender people, equality, education, acceptance and understanding will never come.
ReplyDeleteMary, what you say is so true. We all must work together, it is simply a matter of Human Rights and Equality. It is not Gay Rights or Trans Rights but Human Rights and once we recognize that, we will be able to speak with one voice.
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