Helen Boyd on her blog en|Gender asks the question why is trans-rights “the civil rights issue of our time”.
When I go to schools for the Stonewall Speakers we usually just have trans-speakers because when they had LGBT speakers we got asked all the questions. It was like “Oh gays…we know all about them, we want to hear from the trans-speakers.” I think one of the reasons is that gay men and lesbian women are focusing on marriage and it is the trans-community that is fighting for the anti-discrimination laws. The gays and lesbians have narrowed down to one issue while we are working towards employment, housing, public accommodation and credit protections not just for trans-people but for everyone.
Another reason I think is that we are more “out” than ever before. We are more visible, when a gay or lesbian walks down the street no one knows that they are gay or lesbian, but when some of us walk people know that we are trans. Back in the 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s it was all about assimilation, blending into society… see we are just like the girl or boy next door.
Back then the medical profession required us to pass and we had to be straight. It wasn’t until the late 90s that the medical professionals started to realize that we came in all shapes and sizes and orientations. That is how we got the reputation of saying anything to get our hormones and surgery, when a doctor asked a trans-woman who she was attracted to she would men and get her hormones; however, if she said to women she would be denied hormones (There are still some therapists out there who believe that we are just gay men in denial).
I think another reason is the internet; back when trans-people my age were growing up many of us had no idea what all this was about, I thought the world would end if anyone found out about “my little secret”. We were isolated from one another, but now all you have to type “transgender” in you get over a 30 million hits. As a result kids are coming out because they see other kids have successfully transitioned.
The media has also changed its tune. In the past we were portrayed as the deranged killer (Psycho & Dressed to Kill) or as the comic relief (Milton Berle & Flip Wilson) or the raging drag queens on talk shows (Jerry Springer), now we are played for the most part in a positive light on TV dramas and on talk shows.
Lastly, I think the public is curious and want to understand why we are trans. I think they can understand why someone is gay or lesbian but they wonder why we feel like we do.
What are your thoughts? Leave a comment or a link to your blog on why you think is the reason trans is so popular.
When I go to schools for the Stonewall Speakers we usually just have trans-speakers because when they had LGBT speakers we got asked all the questions. It was like “Oh gays…we know all about them, we want to hear from the trans-speakers.” I think one of the reasons is that gay men and lesbian women are focusing on marriage and it is the trans-community that is fighting for the anti-discrimination laws. The gays and lesbians have narrowed down to one issue while we are working towards employment, housing, public accommodation and credit protections not just for trans-people but for everyone.
Another reason I think is that we are more “out” than ever before. We are more visible, when a gay or lesbian walks down the street no one knows that they are gay or lesbian, but when some of us walk people know that we are trans. Back in the 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s it was all about assimilation, blending into society… see we are just like the girl or boy next door.
Back then the medical profession required us to pass and we had to be straight. It wasn’t until the late 90s that the medical professionals started to realize that we came in all shapes and sizes and orientations. That is how we got the reputation of saying anything to get our hormones and surgery, when a doctor asked a trans-woman who she was attracted to she would men and get her hormones; however, if she said to women she would be denied hormones (There are still some therapists out there who believe that we are just gay men in denial).
I think another reason is the internet; back when trans-people my age were growing up many of us had no idea what all this was about, I thought the world would end if anyone found out about “my little secret”. We were isolated from one another, but now all you have to type “transgender” in you get over a 30 million hits. As a result kids are coming out because they see other kids have successfully transitioned.
The media has also changed its tune. In the past we were portrayed as the deranged killer (Psycho & Dressed to Kill) or as the comic relief (Milton Berle & Flip Wilson) or the raging drag queens on talk shows (Jerry Springer), now we are played for the most part in a positive light on TV dramas and on talk shows.
Lastly, I think the public is curious and want to understand why we are trans. I think they can understand why someone is gay or lesbian but they wonder why we feel like we do.
What are your thoughts? Leave a comment or a link to your blog on why you think is the reason trans is so popular.
No comments:
Post a Comment