January 6, 2010 8:00 AM GMT
Thanx Marsha for directing me to this link, Nikki beat me to the punch.....LOl
This is a encouraging development, and gives the Transgendered community more creditability, but we must keep the struggle going.
I was involved with another lady here in Michigan back starting to 01 when Melissa Robinson was running for Mayor of Lansing, she failed but during that time we were staging a demonstration in Lansing when a trans girl was murdered, and we renamed the demonstration in honor of her name Nikki Nicholas. A very touching march with her parents leading the group. There were interviews and television coverage and that murder showed the need for respect, with the same rights as everyone else. ( her murder is still unsolved ) I gave a few statements, but the one question that a reporter asked me was" what did we want" now I know he thought I was going to be asking for some type of special treatment, but I just stated " we just want what rights everyone else has " Then in a separate statement to the LGBT in MI was that " we have to start respecting ourselves before others will respect us". Now I know things have come a long way but the inner squabbling that goes on among us has gotten better, we all know about this, no need to go there, but we have to stick together, We are the ones that have to make the difference. ,So the struggle goes on, I do know from being around the block a few times, things are better. You can read about the above and Melissa below, for she ran for mayor of Idaho last year also.
http://en.wikipedia.org/w[...]obinson
http://www.huffingtonpost[...]62.html
Just some added info, in case some wonder here, I did march dressed in my everyday women clothes style, I can do that...... I have done some kewl things for a T in this area, I dress over the top but I get people to talk and ask questions and got very well known, this is Nite time stuff. I am not ringing my own bell here, it's about educating people. I have spoke at the graduating Psychology class for Eastern Michigan U. concerning transgendered people, that class said they learned more in that two hours than through the whole class, now that educating people from the heart. I also supplied Wayne State with info about us. Where am I going with this, each person we make contact with, we leave an impression, it is not just by high profile people, it's up to us all, I know there are others on the front line, that is where it counts, being respectful.
Now I have to make a decision again, do I want to get reengaged in this again, that professor has called me several times, It just hurt me to say no. I just got tired a few years ago and just disappeared during that time, I have started doing some things again but I am just get tired easily now, this is where age does make a difference.
I hope I did not get off topic but I don't think so, I thought this needed to be in this thread, I do not get offended easily about comments if I got out of line on this topic ...Huggs...Tammy
January 6, 2010 11:03 AM GMT
Marsha, xxXxx you fell for it, I was and did say I was being obtuse,, if people want to take a person seriously, of course they should look the part.. Which is more or less what I said in have you been read, thread. Yours was a tongue in cheek post, so my query to you was tongue in cheek. I concur with everything you said tho, just bringing you out, lol.
If she was a genetic girl one would still expect her to appear with decorum and dressed for the part, why should a TS be any different, being different genderwise does not give a person the right of passage to be outragously different to what is percieved as normal to be taken seriously and respected.
A good example of if you have the gumption and use your brain, do the walk and talk the talk anything can be acomplished.
Hugs Cristine.
January 6, 2010 11:31 AM GMT
I don't know if you read any of the comments on the news feed, but it was the usual hatred stuff from the bigots. Most of whom probably j**k off to trannies on the web and wouldn't have known that this woman was anything else if she hadn't made it clear in the first place! Idiots, every one of them. (Why do I always assume that they are uneducated 'white trash')?
Marsha, loved your first comments! lol
Nikki
January 6, 2010 11:49 AM GMT
Nikki.
Biggotry and ignorance are not soley related to white trash, There are the ignorant even amongst the so called well educated.
and is not confined to colour creed or breeding. White trash for example will graffiti ''Geezerbird'' accross your wheelie bin or garage doors. The Religous will belittle you in public by calling you an abomination and perversion of everything holy, just the better educated use more sophisticated slurs and insults, but they are just as mean and ignorant and hurt the same, probably more so, ignorance in the uneducated, you can respond with typical tosser, etc. but the more educated make it seem more poignant their views having more credence and impact.
Cristine
January 6, 2010 12:17 PM GMT
I know it's not only 'white trash Chris, it can come from any social class, but in my experience at least the educated tend to deal with things much better, as do woman for that fact. Others resort to that old standby of 1950's sci-fi - 'I don't understand it, therefore I have to attack it'.
The downside of the educated classes is that they may hold positions to prevent us from being protected by approppriate legislation, although that is much better than it once was.
Nikki
January 6, 2010 1:43 PM GMT
No I did not fall for it Cris, I knew immediately your comment was tongue in cheek but I decided to go a different direction because as you probably already know, this is one of my biggest pet peeve topics. If I hadn't seen it in the real world with my own eyes and talked to others face to face, I might have a different opinion. But I do see it with my own eyes, almost weekly, and the comments I hear are truly sad. Simple enough, there are those who want to be taken seriously and apparently those who just don't care. All the variations "transgender" covers is difficult enough for us to discuss here at TW. The public has even a harder time understanding transgender and finds it easier to just lump things together. That is also why I don't like being associated with the LGBT. Our community sends out so many mixed signals to society no wonder progress is slow.
It was mentioned in this thread why Amanda Simpson's gender ever needed to be brought up in the first place. In a perfect world it wouldn't, but for the real world we need people like Amanda Simpson to show society the other side of transgender. I have two TS friends who are respected medical doctors, most of society doesn't know they exist. Another gal I see almost weekly thinks she is "eye candy". She just doesn't understand she might be eye candy to a select few, but it is not the flavor very many in society like. And that sour flavor is getting associated with the rest of us.
Tammy mentioned her previous involvement being an activist for our community and how things have progressed but there is further to go. I am very thankful for gals like her who recognize the need to educate the public about who we really are. Tammy mentioned the "What do you want?" question, and if you follow the bigoted comments to most news stories, they believe we want special treatment like Tammy said. I think those of us who live fulltime and just want to blend in and go on with our lives don't see a need for special treatment, just equal treatment. But the gal dressing like a street hooker, eye candy, whatever you want to call that look, is in my book asking for special treatment if she seriously believes society should accept that behavior at ALL TIMES. I want to reiterate there is a proper time and place for various activity. I am not condemning over the top CD/TV or gay drag queen behavior.
Just more of my rambling opinion, lol.
Hugs,
Marsha
January 6, 2010 2:18 PM GMT
Marsha.
I said exactly the same in the ''Do people look at you in the street'' thread, I will probably get crucified for it as well,
We are both thinking the same. Don't complain if you get unwanted attention by being outragous, it applies to TS, GG and guys as well.
I'm off to do some grocery shopping now, jeans ugg boots and a hoody. Boring aint I,
Cristine
January 7, 2010 12:51 AM GMT
I think this is great news! - to make it really great is when it isn't even considered news. But one step at a time!
Jeri