Justin Vivian Bond sure hit the nail on the head here. While I'm the first to admit that some of the backlash has been given a self-inflicted opening by extremist activists' chimerical demands, conservatives -- already furious by the gains gays and lesbians have made -- were going to look for new ways to denigrate LGBT people no matter what. And now we're seeing just how far they're willing to go. Brace yourself, gang.
Showing posts with label transgenders. Show all posts
Showing posts with label transgenders. Show all posts
Monday, March 06, 2023
Monday, January 25, 2021
Too Clever by Halfwit
I had to unfollow a beloved singer/songwriter last year because her LGBTQ+ activism had become disturbingly cartoonish. So when I saw she ignored President Biden’s lift on the trans military ban, I couldn't resist trolling her about it, knowing she wouldn't disappoint -- and boy did she not.
While I know she and others like her are well-meaning, as a gay man who came of age at the height of the AIDS crisis and legalized discrimination it’s rather infuriating watching supposed activists refuse to take yes for an answer.
Although she is not young, she is new to queer activism -- and from my experience, this has become the new norm. Note to Gen Y and others with this mindset: You're not helping. You may feel good in your little echo chamber, but you've taken yourself out of the political process. (10 points for using imperialism, though.)
P.S. You better believe this and Biden's other trans executive order meant something -- the right is going nuts.
Here's a piece based in reality by my friend Tim Teeman. Read HERE.
Tuesday, December 01, 2020
The Problem With Mixed Pronouns
Answer: It's a trap.
As I said earlier, I'm thrilled for Elliot Page and anyone who comes to terms with who they are. But the mixed "he/they" pronouns don't feel like an attempt to respect people's gender identity. By deliberately conflating things and having multiple answers to one question, it's more like a cudgel to beat people over the head with so certain segments of the LGBTQ population can feel aggrieved for reasons that are that aren't entirely clear to me.
I have no empirical data to support this. But based on 30-plus years of LGBTQ activism and journalism, my observation has been that it is predominantly the young white middle class (and above) segment of the TQ community that thrives on needless confrontation with a largely accepting public that is merely confused by their make-stuff-up-as-we-go-along approach that defies common sense: "How dare you get my pronouns [that are intentionally obtuse] wrong, you're TRANSPHOBIC!"; "You embrace transgender people? Well excuse me, I'm not a man OR a woman ... I'm BOTH [but intermittently only want to be thought of or referred to as one]!" Many of them seem to have twistedly romanticized ACT UP and the gay-rights struggle of yesteryear so can't take yes for an answer. Meanwhile, many poorer people and trans POC are actually struggling to get by and are often fighting for their lives. Point me to a trans woman of color concerned about not being called "they."
If I were transgender -- or "transsexual," as many of the old-school folks like to be called but aren't allowed to because their wishes apparently don't matter -- I would be livid about the current batch of gender warriors. It took two generations for the general public to "get" that you call a transgender man a man/him/sir and a transgender woman a woman/her/miss/ma'am. Now that's all been obliterated in the name of, what, preciousness?
UPDATE: Several commenters seem to be missing my point. OF COURSE we should all address people as they wish to be addressed. But by stating your pronouns are "he/they" -- one male, one nonbinary -- it is creating a boobytrap that is impossible not to fall into:
INCORRECT: He asked if I had ever heard of him.
CORRECT: He asked if I had ever heard of them.
Try to have a conversation much less write an article with these illogical constraints. It's not only unreasonable, it's obnoxious. If you're a transman then I am more than happy to address you as he/him -- just like every other man on the planet.
Friday, August 14, 2020
On the Rag, Vol. 619
A weekly look at what's making news in the gay magazines:
HotSpots: Outshine Film Fest goes virtual week #1
Metro Weekly: LGBTQ comic treasure Leslie Jordan on life, religion, the pandemic, and the perils of his very Southern accent
Dallas Voice: Kamala Harris makes history
Q Salt Lake: Utah-raised trans man competes in ‘The Titan Games’
Georgia Voice: Examining the pandemic's impact on local businesses
San Francisco Bay Times: Proud to represent California Congressional District 11 with a vote for Biden/Harris, by Robert Camacho
Metrosource Minis: Catching up with fashion designer Mass Luciano
Friday, July 03, 2020
On the Rag, Vol. 613
A weekly look at what's making news in the gay magazines:
HotSpots: What's hot during quarantine?
Dallas Voice: Taking Pride back to its roots
Get Out!: Anthony Catanzaro brings the heat
Georgia Voice: Enjoy some reader and staff pet photos!
Adelante: Mauricio Gomez is Rio handsome
Tuesday, June 30, 2020
Black Trans Lives (Also) Matter
Isabella Grullón Paz and Maggie Astor unpack a lot in the piece "Black Trans Women Seek More Space in the Movement They Helped Start" in The New York Times over the weekend, which points out that transgender women of color were leaders in LGBTQ activism before, during and after the uprising at the Stonewall Inn 51 years ago, but were never put at the center of the movement they helped start.
Cops killing black people is an entirely different thing than trans people being murdered by fellow citizens, which is the scenario in the vast majority of those cases. One is state-sanctioned racially-motivated abuse of power while the other is general criminality. (The difference is at the heart of #BlackLivesMatter.) So I don’t see the intersectionality of the two without opening the door to the idiotic and illogical "what about black-on-black crime?" argument, when everyday crimes occur by all sorts of civilians against other civilians.
In some if not most cases the trans murders may be motivated by LGBT hate. But in those situations that are properly handled, they are already being addressed for their particular heinousness, at least in states that bother to care about LGBT people, with hate-crimes laws. (These aren't LGB hate-crime laws.) Pushing for inclusive hate-crime laws in the remaining states would be a start on that front.
By all measures, it seems black trans lives are not "mattering" as they rightfully should because of ongoing societal injustices against black people in general (housing, employment, wages, benefits, access to health care and even the overall bad relationship with law enforcement) as well as LGBT discrimination -- not homicidal police brutality.
Words and messages matter. It seems odd to try to co-op or "riff" off an important movement, one that half the country don't quite understand to begin with. It may sound good. But is conflating worth it for a catchy slogan? Or am I giving people who don't get any of this too much credit?
Friday, June 19, 2020
On the Rag, Vol. 611
A weekly look at what's making news in the gay magazines:
HotSpots: Father’s Day gift guide
Georgia Voice: Sharing Black Lives Matter stories
Q Salt Lake: Black Trans Lives Matter
Ambush: Spotlight on Pride
Lavender: Embracing diversity, fostering change
Saturday, June 13, 2020
Buck Angel: 'It Is Transphobic to Say Biology Doesn't Exist'
Trans rights are human rights. But before you get too worked up about or pat yourself on the back too hard for disagreeing with J.K. Rowling's comments on transgender people, try to remember this: Science and many trans people agree with her, including trailblazing tennis player Dr. Renee Richards and porn performer and activist Buck Angel. As Buck points out, how does one transition from one sex to the other if sexes do not exist?
Yes, both Rowling and fellow target Martina Navratilova have (eventually) said some things that have been tone-deaf, at best. But nearly all of the statements have been made in defense of being unfairly excoriated for things they said that were certainly reasonable, from questioning fairness in sports to offering support for a fired researcher. Sorry, but I would imagine if I were a celebrated queer sports icon or beloved LGBTQ ally author it would make me incredibly grumpy and defensive too if I were immediately afforded zero good will after voicing an opinion that wasn’t 100 percent in line with the latest Gen Z dogma.
Instead, every activist, blogger, celebrity and social-media user had to pile on to make sure the world knows they get it. (How’s that for giving someone the benefit of the doubt?) Yet something else entirely has been completely missed here.
From HERE.
As Buck and others have made clear, being trans is not a one-size-fits-all proposition. Some take hormones, some don’t. Some undergo surgery, some don’t. The variations are endless. And I think we can agree that most trans people have enough challenges without the rest of us gay guys, however well-meaning, cismansplaining to them how they should think about themselves. (Sorry to single you out, wonderful Mr. Takei.)
And then there is the issue of knowing when to pick your battles. The Trump administration just stripped trans people of vital health-care rights but Dumbledore’s creator, who has zero policy influence, is the devil? Consider this: If it makes you a so-called “trans exclusionary radical feminist” to call people who menstruate “women” -- which Rowling only did to troll people for ripping her so hard for sticking up for that sacked scientist -- then I guess Gloria Steinem is also a TERF. (Some men CAN get pregnant, after all. How DARE she exclude transmen from her feminism?) Talk about not being able to see who your true enemies are. 🙄
P.S. This is what a sweet and loving friend of mine, an LGBTQ ally if ever I knew one, had to say about the topic. How do you think it would be received if she were rich and famous?
To sum up: It’s complicated. When I think about what defines our “born female” existence, it’s things like getting your period/PMS, dealing with birth control, recalling the first time you were sexually harassed (for me, it was a creepy dude at an office where I was temping when I was 19 - later found out he was the dad of a schoolmate, ewww). Also whether/when to have children. If I had not experienced any of those things, my female identity would be very different. But I am fully supportive of however people choose to define themselves. You go, girl/boy/man/woman/non-binary person!
Thursday, February 20, 2020
Song of the Day: 'Survivor' by Cindy Bullens
Although this is exactly from my peak musical era, I only just discovered singer/songwriter Cindy Bullens via Jake Fogelnest's must-follow Instagram account, where he wrote about finding a copy of the 1979 album "Steal the Night" for $2.99 at a used-record store. I'm in love! Bullens's brand of power pop -- sounds kind of like a happier Holly Beth Vincent -- is so far up my alley I feel I'm making up for lost time each time I put her music on. After diving deep into her back catalogue -- which includes eight solo LPs and two with the Refugees -- I then learned that Bullens has since transitioned from Cindy to Cidny, and is preparing to release an album inspired by his journey. (I got an early copy; more on that TK.)
Until then, Cid wrote a great piece for the Daily Beast in 2012 that details his rather fascinating life, which includes touring with Elton John (as his "girlfriend"); working with Bob Dylan; the Wrecking Crew; three contributions to the "Grease" soundtrack; a lavender wedding that produced two daughters, one of whom died tragically young; and writing and performing a one-man show that led him to the love of his life. Hope you enjoy this flashback as much as I do ...
And look at this photo!
And look at this photo!
Bullens's first single.
A sweet chat with Dick Clark.
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