Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Setting a Few Things Straight

I was reading Ashley Love's account of her time at the GLAAD Media Awards, and a few thoughts occurred to me.  It is important to keep the focus on the real issues.  Gender fascists like "Cristan" Williams, and "Autumn" Sandeen basically try to present "transgender" as an objective fact, obfuscating the very real truth that it is actually a socio-political movement that is basically a rebellion against the norms of society.  Further, they try to obscure the fact that transsexualism is a subjective medical condition that exists apart from both political and social viewpoints.

Transgender has increasingly become about things like gender deconstruction.  Now, as a transsexual, I see the very idea of gender deconstruction as basically an attack on the reality of my condition.  It simply does not fit with my experiences.  I do not share the political and social ideology that has brought some to that point of view, and to be quite blunt, I think it is pure crap.  So, why would I remotely wish to be subsumed into such a movement?  And yet, this is exactly what the gender fascists demand that I must accept.  Their view is, you are transgender because, well, because we say you are transgender.  

The problem, again, is transgender is not an objective concept.  It is an identity.  For example a person might be a certain race (an objective fact) they might also identify with a specific culture associated with that race (highly subjective).   Transsexualism is a medical condition, an objective fact.  Transgender is an identify, which is subjective.  A person can be a transsexual and identify as transgender.  But a person is not automatically transgender, just because they are a transsexual.  

Of course, this is highly objectionable to people like Mr. WIlliams, and Mr. Sandeen.  They cannot abide the idea that someone who is transsexual (something neither actually is) might not accept the label of transgender.  They are both at odds with society as a whole, engaging in a sort of bizarre gender rebellion, that they expect others to join.  The rather odd thing is, it is apparent that they do not even realize just how totally obnoxious and distasteful they are to a lot of people.  Nor do I think they care. 

No, in spite of what Mr. Williams' wishes to claim, the movement to separate transsexualism from transgender continues, and is, perhaps, stronger than ever.

8 comments:

flow said...

can you add a 'like' button to your pages?
i haven't anything to add to what you've said. you've said it well. I could re-word it as:

TS is a treatable medical condition
TG is a social role issue

and agree with you and appreciate ytour continued writining, but a LIKE button would be a lot easier!

Cosmic Queen said...

So is there a cure for the medical condition trassexualism? Are people who have surgery cured? I mean HIV is a treatable medical condition. Cancer is a treatable medical condition? Is there a treatment that will cure how trans people feel about themselves? I mean hormones help? Surgery can help, but I see that so many people who have surgery still feel like trans people? Then I see that line being drawn in the sand."I've had surgery so I'm more female than you?" It just seems if the treatment worked there would be no line in the sand because these "New Females" would not even consider themselves still part of the Trans Movement. I mean its cool to use a string of 50cent words to make a point but these are legit medical questions? This opinion of transsexualism is popular. I must say I agree with the medical condition part, but I also see the danger in being labeled a treatable condition. So I ask they my above questions not be looked at as only an opposition to your point a view, but that you think about what I am asking.

Just Jennifer said...

I will look into adding a like button. I am not sure whether I can, or not. I know they updated some of the features, so I will see...

Just Jennifer said...

Yes, of course there is a cure. I have had absolutely zero desire to change my sex since I completed my transition. Now, are people who have had surgery cured? That is a more complex question. Not everyone who has surgery was a transsexual to begin with. So, no, surgery does not cure them, and in fact makes their situation much worse. I can offer a number of such examples, including some well know transgender leaders who clearly did not benefit from surgery.

And I believe you miss the big point. I don't consider myself part of the Trans Movement. I really don't appreciate the efforts of some to force me under their imaginary umbrella. And the danger is in not properly screening people before surgery. Sadly, there are some surgeons who have set such low standards that they will take pretty much anyone. They do not require much more than a letter or two from some quack who will rubber stamp anyone who asks for surgery, and who has the money to pay.

Cosmic Queen said...

So question if you are not part of the trans community why are you still speaking on our behalf? You said you have no desire to be placed under and imaginary umbrella. yet you obviously still feel as if being a Trans woman is an important part of your identity. If you didn't we would not be having this conversation. As far as the quack is concerned. the quack has a medical degree, and doctors like him decide every so often what proper treatments should be taken to "Treat" or "Cure" ailments in the DSM5 every 5 yrs or so I believe. Just recently they removed Gay as being a treatable condition which further research has shown different brain wave patterns as well as hormone distribution that supports there being Gay. If you recall part of the so called cure was electric shock therapy! Rememeber when you are sick, doctors try to cure you. "Trassexualism" as you all put it. Is in fact a birth defect I agree, but what does that mean? Does that mean we need be to fixed or cured? Can we be fixed or cured. Your reply was I feel no need to transition now that you have had surgery. WHich brings me to the point of it being about transition. I am a Transwoman and me being who I am is not about transition. Its about not feeling like a complete person. Not being able to fully enjoy being a full complete female. Knowing and understanding that although I feel like I should be able to do certain things with my body. I cannot because a woman I maybe but female I am not.If your surgery cured this, perhaps it should be the perscribed treatment, but I have been on hormones since I was 17, I live, work, and pass as a woman everyday of my life unless I tell otherwise. Yet even I know I am who I am and the only way to grow with this is to find balance between my soul and body. What you and others are preposing is harmful and untrue, and the evidence to this, is the fact that your fully transitioned and still a part of this community.

Just Jennifer said...

Wow! Talk about someone completely misunderstanding the written word....

No, I do not presume to speak for the "Trans Community." I claim no membership in said imaginary community, and I am NOT a "Trans" anything. I am a woman, period. No modifier, no qualification, nothing other than a woman.

Now, the truth is, there has been far more "success" with people being "cured" of being gay than there has been with people being "cured" of being transsexual. There has, in fact, never been a valid example of someone who is actually transsexual, as opposed to some other condition, having their gender identity changed to match their birth sex. There are people who may, for a period, imagine that they are transsexual, who might change their mind, but that is a totally different phenomena. On the other hand, despite all the denial, there have been well documented cases of people who have changed their sexual orientation through treatment. That is not politically correct to point out, and the I would agree that some of the the methods often used are cruel, and in many cases potentially dangerous. But it has happened. And in many, though by no means anywhere near all of such cases, the person returns to being gay. And part of this may well be cases of people who are actually bisexual. But no, other than complete transition, there is no cure for transsexualism.

Now, if you really are a transsexual, as opposed to something else, you will have a desire to be correct, normal, etc. Transsexuals do not choose to be as they are, unlike those who are crossdressers, gender queers, etc.

Clearly you are not actually a transsexual. You are a classic transvestite, albeit one full time. Your identity is clearly as a "woman with a penis." I'm sorry, but I don't see that as being transsexual at all. And no, I am not a part of the community, if only because I want no connection with men who wish to pretend to be "women with penises," something that actually does not remotely exist in reality. Instead, they are simply men pretending to be women.

Kelly said...

I don't know why you have to take issue with Cristan and the like. Inclusionism is not about gender deconstruction - it's about granting rights to everybody. Your separatist views endanger the rights of pre-op TS, who are the majority of TS.

The days of SRS-based separatism is going to end soon. The reality is that some post-SRS TS are autogynephilic and are self-identifying as such, and inclusionists are ready to use that to discredit your silly idea that those who have had SRS are always 'real transwomen' whilst others are not. Read This Website to find out more.

A lesson you should learn: If any kind of separatism is to even have some credibility, it cannot be based on SRS. Even Harry Benjamin said that SRS does not 'change sex'.

Just Jennifer said...

"I don't know why you have to take issue with Cristan and the like. Inclusionism is not about gender deconstruction - it's about granting rights to everybody. Your separatist views endanger the rights of pre-op TS, who are the majority of TS."

Actually, your statements show how little you understand about what I have said. First off, the reason I take issue with Mr. Williams is his dogged determination to force the label "transgender" on people who do not wish to be identified that way. That is not "inclusionism," that is a denial of identity. Second, my views do nothing to endanger the rights of pre-op transsexuals. You know, I was once a pre-op myself.

"The days of SRS-based separatism is going to end soon. The reality is that some post-SRS TS are autogynephilic and are self-identifying as such, and inclusionists are ready to use that to discredit your silly idea that those who have had SRS are always 'real transwomen' whilst others are not."

Oh my, but you really haven't a clue, now do you. First off, autogynephiles are not remotely transsexuals. They are just a form of hyper-crossdresser. They are men who are just a bit too carried away with their little hobby. Oh please, do try to use them to discredit me. I will enjoy that so very much. And second, you really have to be kidding. I am not a transwoman, real or otherwise. I am a woman, period. A "transwoman" is an oxymoron.

Sorry, but if you really want to argue that women have penises, that is your issue.