Okay, here is my two cents.
There is a lot of lateral hostility within our community… I’m transgender* you are not… I’m more transgender than you… and on and on.
There are many exclusionists in our community and they usually draw the line under them, drag queens are looked down on by crossdresser, transsexuals look down on crossdresser, post-op transsexuals look down at pre-op transsexuals, and those that can integrate into society look down at those who cannot and call them “men in a dress.” Some transgender people think I am not a “true” transsexual because I haven’t hocked my house to have surgery even though I have been living full time for almost seven years.
So why is this? Why do they want to separate themselves from other people they see as being below them?
The origins of lateral hostility have its roots in our internalized shame as we worked to overcome our own feeling of inadequacy; we transfer that guilt to other people that we see as being below us… I am not like “those” drag queens. We cannot attack those who oppress us so we distance ourselves from those that we see as being below us and oppress them. It is also caused by internalized homophobia/transphobia, our fear of being labeled as gay, transsexuals’ fear of being “just a crossdresser,” and post-op transsexuals who can integrate into society fear being seen as a transsexual.
Another part of the problem is the way the media looks at us. When the media covers a pride event what photos do you see in the newspaper or on TV? Usually it is the flamboyant drag queens or the six foot seven crossdresser, and not the trans-woman who is integrated into society.
We also lump together those that we feel as being below us. Ru Paul is one person, and he is not the “Drag Community” (even though he thinks he is). But we demonize the whole drag community because of him. I am a firm believer that you hate that what you don’t know; so here is a homework assignment for you this Pride month. Get to know a drag queen. That’s it nothing more.
*My definition of transgender is anyone who crosses the gender norm. That transgender is a spectrum from drag queens/kings to post op transsexuals.
There is a lot of lateral hostility within our community… I’m transgender* you are not… I’m more transgender than you… and on and on.
There are many exclusionists in our community and they usually draw the line under them, drag queens are looked down on by crossdresser, transsexuals look down on crossdresser, post-op transsexuals look down at pre-op transsexuals, and those that can integrate into society look down at those who cannot and call them “men in a dress.” Some transgender people think I am not a “true” transsexual because I haven’t hocked my house to have surgery even though I have been living full time for almost seven years.
So why is this? Why do they want to separate themselves from other people they see as being below them?
The origins of lateral hostility have its roots in our internalized shame as we worked to overcome our own feeling of inadequacy; we transfer that guilt to other people that we see as being below us… I am not like “those” drag queens. We cannot attack those who oppress us so we distance ourselves from those that we see as being below us and oppress them. It is also caused by internalized homophobia/transphobia, our fear of being labeled as gay, transsexuals’ fear of being “just a crossdresser,” and post-op transsexuals who can integrate into society fear being seen as a transsexual.
Another part of the problem is the way the media looks at us. When the media covers a pride event what photos do you see in the newspaper or on TV? Usually it is the flamboyant drag queens or the six foot seven crossdresser, and not the trans-woman who is integrated into society.
We also lump together those that we feel as being below us. Ru Paul is one person, and he is not the “Drag Community” (even though he thinks he is). But we demonize the whole drag community because of him. I am a firm believer that you hate that what you don’t know; so here is a homework assignment for you this Pride month. Get to know a drag queen. That’s it nothing more.
*My definition of transgender is anyone who crosses the gender norm. That transgender is a spectrum from drag queens/kings to post op transsexuals.
Hear, Hear, I don't think I could agree with you more!
ReplyDeleteLeann
very well stated Diana!
ReplyDelete