Quick Hit: Trans in the Red States
In the November issue of The American Prospect, Jeremy Bearer-Friend and Daniel Redman report on the trans-rights movement in between the coasts:
Many would view the politically red heart of the country as a harsh, unwelcoming, and vaguely dangerous place for the transgender community. When we think of states like Nebraska and Wyoming, we don't think of M.J. -- we think of people like Brandon Teena and Matthew Shepard, both killed in vicious, nationally publicized hate crimes. But the truth of the matter is far more interesting, inspiring, and instructive. Away from the coasts and the urban havens, a vibrant transgender-rights movement is slowly emerging across the mountain and plains states. Through increased visibility, community building, legislative outreach, and face-to-face public education in churches, schools, and neighborhoods, trans people are building a foundation for equality in some of the nation's most conservative regions.
And Emily Douglas has a sidebar on the mainstream gay-rights movement's slow evolution on transgender issues.
Read 'em both.
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Just a quick thought- this kinda gels with that I saw in The Atlantic last month. Please be kind if I use incorrect terms.
They had a piece on 'opposite-gendered' children. There were two interesting points: most of the 'opposite' children grew up to be dichotomously-gendered and gay, rather than trans-gendered. The authors also noticed incredible homophobia from parents who largely accepted the idea of a "boy/girl born in the wrong body". I wonder if red state (read: social conservative) greater acceptance of transpeople is predicated upon reinforcement of dichotomous gender.
Sorry if that's a little off-topic!
There is a certain amount of "well, they don't conform to their BIOLOGY, but they might still conform to GENDER ROLES" that is exemplified by policies in Iran where getting gender reassignment is more accepted than being homosexual. However, particularly among feminist trans people, I think it is far less about rejection of homosexuality or adjusting to fit in with societal, dichotomous gender roles, but an honesty with and acceptance of themselves.
I forgot... As for the parents, it is difficult sometimes to express and understand the gender dysphoria one feels to oneself, much less to explain it to a parent, or for someone who has never felt how you feel what it's like. I think for any parent to jump to a conclusion and assign their child as trans or gay or whatever is probably not wise. Let the kid explore themselves and the answer will come in time.
I'm talking about the far-from-feminist people... it's a very interesting intersection of what people accept and what they refuse to accept.
The kids in the article I read were irrepressibly gender-nonconforming; boys who cried over having a penis, girls who went berserk if they were referred to as "she". Progressive doctors encouraged parents to allow their sons to wear dresses and call them by feminine names or allow their daughters to cut off their hair and use the men's bathroom.
The problem was exactly as you describe it; children think of gender in the concrete terms of physical sex. The research showed that once these kids grew up, most of them turned out to be gay- which, I suspect, meant that they learned that feminine/masculine is not the same as male/female.
I wonder if those parents (who made comments expressing disgust about homosexuality but allowed their children to 'pass' as their non-biological sex) accepted their children's homosexuality in the end.
Yes there are queer people and queer activists away from the coasts. How nice of them to notice.
I live in Springfield, MO. We had a transgender lady run for congress here, TWICE! The first time she ran as a Republican and got thousands of votes.
Google or Youtube Midge Potts. She's a great friend to the community and all around foxy lady. ;)
This serious and smart coverage in a mainstream liberal magazine like the Prospect is good news - especially when coverage in major news media continues to be so generally cringe-worthy.
First, forgive me, but I get a bit confused when talking about trans people. I believe you are supposed to refer to them as the gender they identify as, rather than the gender that corresponds to their biological sex, correct? That's what I'm going to do in this post, anyway.
I was very excited yesterday because I picked up the student newspaper at the University of Louisville and the front page article was about the trans acceptance movement on campus. It also told the story of a trans woman who is bravely living as she wants to live, despite an appalling and I'm sure very devastating lack of support and outright hostility on the part of her family, who are from Eastern Kentucky. I was impressed to read in the paper about the support she has found on our campus and in our community (Louisville is in a blue county, one of two in this red, red state.) And what was really great to me was to see the excitement of one of my classmates, another openly trans woman, when she came into German this morning with the school paper and announced to everyone, "Look, there's an article about transgendered people! I have copies you guys, so read this!" And while not everyone was supportive, a lot of people in class were. It just made me happy to see the acceptance on campus.
I'm talking about the far-from-feminist people... it's a very interesting intersection of what people accept and what they refuse to accept.
The kids in the article I read were irrepressibly gender-nonconforming; boys who cried over having a penis, girls who went berserk if they were referred to as "she". Progressive doctors encouraged parents to allow their sons to wear dresses and call them by feminine names or allow their daughters to cut off their hair and use the men's bathroom.
The problem was exactly as you describe it; children think of gender in the concrete terms of physical sex. The research showed that once these kids grew up, most of them turned out to be gay- which, I suspect, meant that they learned that feminine/masculine is not the same as male/female.
I wonder if those parents (who made comments expressing disgust about homosexuality but allowed their children to 'pass' as their non-biological sex) accepted their children's homosexuality in the end.