Hey everyone, It has been rough being trans lately hasn't it? It seems every time something trans related comes on the news the same sort of crap you only deal with in youtube comments sections is just freaking everywhere. So I just wanted to say I love all y'all. Hope you all are finding ways to get through all of it. What good is going on in your lives? I might be able to go back to school for both my masters soon, fingers crossed! My GPA was kind of lousy (2.5, partly cause I took insane amounts of credits) but I have a lot working for me getting in on a waiver ---------- Post added 13th Jun 2015 at 04:18 PM ---------- Also thoughts on Caitlyn's transition (we all love you too Caitlyn!) or people trying to relate that NAACP story to us, and just how to deal when these things happen.
I know what you mean. Sometimes I start to wish there were less awareness. But I think people on the other end of the debate are panicking. They see society becoming a little more accepting of us, and most of them aren't prepared for a serious discussion. Overall, I think Caitlyn Jenner's presence in the public eye will be beneficial. Raising awareness is good, if annoying at times. I just hope it doesn't stop there. I'd like to see people understand that the trans community is very diverse. Yes, there's the wealthy celebrity who makes the cover of Vanity Fair, but there are so many others as well. I spent a lot of time thinking about the NAACP incident (probably more than I should have). I decided that, when I say that I'm white, I'm making a statement about my ancestry. When I say I'm a woman, I'm making a statement about my identity. I know race and gender are both a lot more complicated than that, but I think it's a good starting place. It's also important to remember that Dolezal lied about her personal history. Life's been a bit rough lately, but my family will get to go to Disney World soon. That should be fun.
As draining as it can be to see all of the coverage, it has helped people around me understand being transgender more than they did before. A greater level of understand can go a long way when it comes to how we are treated and looked at by society. I totally agree with this. Many people that are making this "transracial" argument are not looking at the fact that she lied about her entire personal history. She even lied about who her father is. The whole situation is pretty crazy really..
Things have been rough for me lately too, but I'm trying my best to get through it. The NAACP thing has been really annoying for me. I feel like more people have been taking trans issues seriously that were uninformed before, but I worry that all the comparisons between transgender and "transracial" people will push it back. I'm especially worried that my mom might read that stuff, she's supportive but she's said stuff in the past about how "if people can identify as another gender, what's to stop people from identifying as animals" so I feel like she doesn't really understand or take it seriously.
Thanks for the kind words, Jess, here comes your love boomerang (cue to Miles Davis :music Yes, it's true being trans was all over the news. I'm the same opinion as Brad, visibility is good. Granted we were bound to get negative reactions, but that was to be expected at this stage. Let them process it, digest it, remember this has been something hidden through all mankind's history, at least in the western civilization. A few of them will get there, and with time they will be more and more, changes in society never happen overnight. I'm not very optimistic about the speed, but to move forwards, even if it is a tiny step, is better than staying on the same mindset. About the woman in question... Reading a particular comment about her triggered me. I won't reproduce it here, 'cause I'm sure nobody feels like dancing conga right now. It was a very unfortunate coincidence that both issues were exposed to the news at the same time, and only natural that folks will rush to compare them. Oh, here is pretty quiet, no major changes : Work, transphobic coworkers, looking for a new job, being consumed by consumerism, going after LPIC, getting angry with myself for procrastinating too much, looking for a girlfriend even if I'm broke, looking forward to join the gym soon and finally get into martial arts... And looking forward to see more films with Ava Gardner. Congrats about going after your masters, that is something to really be proud of, hopefully you'll get there soon
Fortunately for me and my kinsmen, all this stuff is so centered around American culture that it barely touches Sweden. I'm happy for my own sake, but it's still a difficult thing to go through and it pains me to know it's even more difficult for others. I have it pretty easy by comparison.
I can't watch tv or social media right now... It has a bit of positivity as well as a lot of negativity. Considering I'm not out at work, I'm not out 100%, and that's a wound that isn't healing yet, so anything I see about Caitlyn Jenner or the like triggers me. Yes, it has been rough recently.
I think a lot of you had great ways of looking at things. I am glad the visibility band aid is being ripped off, but equally glad when there's places like this to deal with how slowly and for a lot of us painfully it's being pulled. Stay strong and positive everyone! Or when you can't, drop the BS and be real here. That's how I do it anyway.
It's a little annoying because now kids at school are saying I'm a dumbass for "thinking I'm not what I was born with" because now they understand transgender people from what the media says and they think I've come down with a case of GID *annoyed rolling eyes face* because the media loves the phrase "a woman trapped in a man's body" or vice versa and to me, if I was a cis kid who didn't have a clue and everyone was saying that's what being transgender is like, I'd think we're nuts too. And the NAACP thing is just annoying that we're compared to that. Good thing school is out for me now though.
I heard about Caitlyn's transition. Good for her Glad that we trans people are getting some positive representation. I didn't know that people were comparing that lady from the NAACP to transgender people, though. That really sucks.
