We see marches all around the country to end racism and discrimination. But it seems to be okay to oppress us.
One of Pennsylvania's most popular fairs is apologizing after a dunk-tank promotion led to accusations of transphobiaABC NewsBy Michael Rubinkam Associated PressJuly 21, 2020Many of the attacks against Pennsylvania’s health secretary have little to do with the way she has handled the statewide response to the coronavirus pandemic.As a transgender woman, Dr. Rachel Levine has been subjected to a stream of mockery and abuse on social media and elsewhere. Every time she goes on camera to update the public and implore Pennsylvanians to wear masks, wash their hands and “stay calm, stay alert and stay safe," ugly comments and memes follow.
But it gets worst…
Over the weekend, one of the state's most popular fairs — the 165-year-old Bloomsburg Fair — found itself in hot water after posting a photo of a man in a dunk tank who had donned a blond wig, floral-print dress and glasses. The dunk tank was part of a weekend carnival held on the fairgrounds to benefit the region's volunteer fire departments.“Dr. Levine? Thank you you were a hit and raised a lot of money for the local fire companies. Wonder why so many were trying to dunk you,” said the Bloomsburg Fair Association’s post, which included a smiley-face emoji.
So what did the fair do about it?
In a written statement, the fair said that Levine’s likeness was used to raise money for fire departments whose fundraising has been hampered by COVID-19, and had nothing to do with her gender identity. The statement pointed out she’s a public figure.Fair officials subsequently held a news conference Tuesday and apologized, saying they meant no harm.“A fellow dressed up in a dress to get people to throw balls at the dunk tank to raise money. It turned into where people thought we were offending Dr. Rachel Levine, and that was no intention at all,” said Fair President Randy Karschner.
Oh we didn’t mean no harm… yeah right.
You knew what they were doing and you didn’t think belittle and humiliating someone wasn’t wrong until you got caught.
Then we have this public humiliation by the Trump administration.
If a person's "biological sex" is not apparent based on observation, staff at women's-only shelters are allowed to ask for proof.Business InsiderBy Rhea MahbubaniJuly 20, 2020A proposed rule from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) tells homeless shelters to use people's physical attributes — rather than their self-identified gender — to decide whether the homeless should be housed among men or women.[…]Now, the rule allows workers at federally funded homeless shelters to rely on "factors such as height, the presence (but not the absence) of facial hair, the presence of an Adam's apple, and other physical characteristics which, when considered together, are indicative of a person's biological sex."Staff members at women's shelters may determine whether to admit someone based on visual appearance, according to Vox. If the woman's gender is unclear based on her appearance, shelter workers are permitted to seek proof of her sex before granting her housing. People who are turned away may be forced to go to a men's shelter, according to Vox.
Lets stop and think for a moment what they are really saying.
First we don’t care that we are embarrassing cis-women who don’t look feminine enough. Can you imagine if you were that cis-woman who has to prove your gender because you are too tall or a butch looking woman how you would feel?
Second they are saying if you are a trans woman and you can pass come on in! But if you are a homeless trans woman and you cannot afford electrolysis or go on hormones or FFS or a tracheal shave… stay out! Trans women who need homeless shelters are the people least likely to be able to afford medical intervention or be able to afford to change their legal documents but are most likely not able to pass in society. They are the ones that face the most discrimination.
Lastly what they are doing is sexual stereotyping… a woman should look a certain way and we are to be the judge. In Bostock v. Clayton County, Georgia the Supreme Court said according to JD Supra that “sex” is…
In the 60-plus page decision penned by Justice Gorsuch, the Court focused on what it called the “necessary” and “undisguisable” role that sex plays when employers make decisions on the basis of an employee’s homosexuality or transgender status. The Court explained that “an employer who fires an individual for being homosexual or transgender fires that person for traits or actions it would not have questioned in members of a different sex.” The Court further wrote that “homosexuality and transgender status are inextricably bound up with sex. Not because homosexuality or transgender status are related to sex in some vague sense or because discrimination on these bases has some disparate impact on one sex or another, but because to discriminate on these grounds requires an employer to intentionally treat individual employees differently because of their sex.” Accordingly, Bostock makes clear that an employment decision made on the basis of an employee’s homosexuality or transgender status is an employment decision made on the basis of an employee’s sex and is thereby prohibited by Title VII.
So the HUD ruling flies in the face of the Supreme Court, what could be more sexual stereotyping than telling homeless shelters to look for Adams apples, or a deep voice.
On my trips to and from Ohio, I often stop in Bloomsburg to gas up and get something to eat. After the Bloomsburg Fair episode, I assure you I will never get off of I-80 in Bloomsburg again!
ReplyDeletewelcome to Trump's America. I am not certain there is a quick cure for this problem of ignorance and hate.
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