Is transition consistent with transfeminist opposition to gendered power? Also, too, perhaps the world would be a better place if all humans were blobs.
So glad to see you are persevering, surviving, and writing! You are well read and well said! The ribbon analogy has stuck with me since reading your piece. Thank you and greatly appreciated!
I'm reminded of when my daughter was starting her transition, I told her, "There are lots of different ways to be a girl. Wear dresses, makeup, etc. if you want, but it's not required." Because, yeah, this whole idea that trans people have to perform their gender to some kind of perfect ideal is fucking stupid and we should push back on it as hard as possible.
I have come to believe that social taboos, including deviation from socially mandated gender expression, exist solely to keep those in power insulated from the discomfort of challenges to their views. As such, any resistance to norms or taboos is going to be uncomfortable for anyone who believes they have something to lose from a social restructuring. That’s too bad. However, it puts us all in the same huge-ass boat, since the disenfranchised understand social discomfort too. But as you say CD, if you are in the hurt-boat because I am living the life as I choose, and I am in the hurt-boat because you are physically assaulting me, there is something very goddamned wrong with that boat!
The people in power are overwhelmingly the people who have ALWAYS been in power, and it seems to me those people will wipe out the earth before we discover how to do this any other way. Sorry.
Anyway, this is all to say, no human is perfect. Resist! Resist in whatever way you can, in whatever way that means for you. I don’t inflict harm if I can help it, but I’m sure as hell not gonna keep insulating the status quo of the people who do.
Could we please stop saying "gender binary" and instead say "gender spectrum"? That way it's peachy keen for someone to be FtM or MtF and still not negatively enforce a gender binary.
Personally I consider the whole complex web of concepts called "gender" harmful. Doesn't mean I want to force anyone to change how they deal with gender, I just use words. I believe and have written occasionally that MtF and FtM trans people are re-enforcing the gender binary. I appreciate that you're saying here it is a fine question to critically ask. The difference between "part of the problem" and "to blame for the problem" is extremely important. Yes, binary re-enforcing trans people are part of the problem, but no more than everyone else (And arguably less so on average), and there are way too few of them for them to be relevant.
I'm not sure if I am expressing myself well here. I do not mean to offend, so if I do offend someone, please explain how so I can learn.
One of the reasons I read about life from the perspective of another person is to get some scripts, some talking points. Thanks for walking me through some important things that I'd not thought about yet.
Ta, Crip Dyke. I hope you are healing well and quickly from that devastating injury. On this first day of Pride Month (my birthday is a Sunday this year, so the NYC Pride Parade will happen on my birthday), I shall say what I always say: Trans Rights are Human Rights. Nothing less and nothing else than complete equality for all will do, ever. I have been an ally since I first met trans people as a teen, and I shall remain an ally for the rest of my life.
I’m a 77 yr old woman, (cisgender?) I understand ( in a limited way, of course) and abhor the tyranny of binary gender norms. There are many of us, and I thought you’d like to hear from one. 😊✌🏻
Thank you! Of course binary gender norms affect cis folks - that is, of course, their primary purpose. I am happy to hear from you, and I hope you have a great day.
Well, I want to say, Thank you. And leave a link to a song that may--or may not--express something connected. Although it's not explicitly about gender oppression, it is about oppression.
Ooh, I really, really love the lyricist. Probably Daniel Kahn himself, but whoever wrote the words to that song is amazing.
I also like the music, but it's a style of music that I find best when listened to an hour a week or less. The thing is, though, is that the reason for that is that the music is jarring, and in this case that's SUPER appropriate to the topic, allowing an unpopular and uncomfortable musical choice to elevate the art.
Frankly, the Jewish and Eastern European roots of the music are their own kind of reference and reminder as well. On so many levels it's a perfect song.
Aloha CD,
So glad to see you are persevering, surviving, and writing! You are well read and well said! The ribbon analogy has stuck with me since reading your piece. Thank you and greatly appreciated!
I'm reminded of when my daughter was starting her transition, I told her, "There are lots of different ways to be a girl. Wear dresses, makeup, etc. if you want, but it's not required." Because, yeah, this whole idea that trans people have to perform their gender to some kind of perfect ideal is fucking stupid and we should push back on it as hard as possible.
I have come to believe that social taboos, including deviation from socially mandated gender expression, exist solely to keep those in power insulated from the discomfort of challenges to their views. As such, any resistance to norms or taboos is going to be uncomfortable for anyone who believes they have something to lose from a social restructuring. That’s too bad. However, it puts us all in the same huge-ass boat, since the disenfranchised understand social discomfort too. But as you say CD, if you are in the hurt-boat because I am living the life as I choose, and I am in the hurt-boat because you are physically assaulting me, there is something very goddamned wrong with that boat!
The people in power are overwhelmingly the people who have ALWAYS been in power, and it seems to me those people will wipe out the earth before we discover how to do this any other way. Sorry.
Anyway, this is all to say, no human is perfect. Resist! Resist in whatever way you can, in whatever way that means for you. I don’t inflict harm if I can help it, but I’m sure as hell not gonna keep insulating the status quo of the people who do.
Could we please stop saying "gender binary" and instead say "gender spectrum"? That way it's peachy keen for someone to be FtM or MtF and still not negatively enforce a gender binary.
Personally I consider the whole complex web of concepts called "gender" harmful. Doesn't mean I want to force anyone to change how they deal with gender, I just use words. I believe and have written occasionally that MtF and FtM trans people are re-enforcing the gender binary. I appreciate that you're saying here it is a fine question to critically ask. The difference between "part of the problem" and "to blame for the problem" is extremely important. Yes, binary re-enforcing trans people are part of the problem, but no more than everyone else (And arguably less so on average), and there are way too few of them for them to be relevant.
I'm not sure if I am expressing myself well here. I do not mean to offend, so if I do offend someone, please explain how so I can learn.
One of the reasons I read about life from the perspective of another person is to get some scripts, some talking points. Thanks for walking me through some important things that I'd not thought about yet.
Ta, Crip Dyke. I hope you are healing well and quickly from that devastating injury. On this first day of Pride Month (my birthday is a Sunday this year, so the NYC Pride Parade will happen on my birthday), I shall say what I always say: Trans Rights are Human Rights. Nothing less and nothing else than complete equality for all will do, ever. I have been an ally since I first met trans people as a teen, and I shall remain an ally for the rest of my life.
'Trans rights are Human Rights'
100%
I always wonder what it means when a piece gets likes but no one has anything to say.
What Elderly John said.
I’m a 77 yr old woman, (cisgender?) I understand ( in a limited way, of course) and abhor the tyranny of binary gender norms. There are many of us, and I thought you’d like to hear from one. 😊✌🏻
Thank you! Of course binary gender norms affect cis folks - that is, of course, their primary purpose. I am happy to hear from you, and I hope you have a great day.
Might be too complex for one reading. It challenges a lot of attitudes and not everyone is up for a full scale self-analysis.
Good thoughts.
That you said it really well?
Well, I want to say, Thank you. And leave a link to a song that may--or may not--express something connected. Although it's not explicitly about gender oppression, it is about oppression.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFu0o8NB5Io
Ooh, I really, really love the lyricist. Probably Daniel Kahn himself, but whoever wrote the words to that song is amazing.
I also like the music, but it's a style of music that I find best when listened to an hour a week or less. The thing is, though, is that the reason for that is that the music is jarring, and in this case that's SUPER appropriate to the topic, allowing an unpopular and uncomfortable musical choice to elevate the art.
Frankly, the Jewish and Eastern European roots of the music are their own kind of reference and reminder as well. On so many levels it's a perfect song.
Glad you liked it. DK and the Painted Bird are in heavy rotation in my life.