article "internal transphobia"

Links234

http://gendertrust.wordpress.com/2010/06/06/internal-transphobia/

this really isn't a happy read, but still worth reading

Frei

That is pretty sad, I don't understand people that go out of their way to insult anyone for their appearance, don't they have anything better to do? I do think though that the more visible trans people are in public, the more people will be forced to come to terms with their bigotries. That woman was brave to put up with that crap every day, I wouldn't be thick skinned enough for it.

On a happier note there is a visibly trans woman working in a place near where I live, which is great because people see her every day, and I think that is important. Something small like that can make a difference in people's views.

Freiheit

Very sad...depends a lot on the area I suppose.....times are changing,however slowly.....fear of change I think, people are even afraid of new buildings and new neighbours here....

Links234

something that this has got me thinking about is my own internalized transphobia. And I have come to understand I do have transphobia in the most literal sense of the word, a fear of transgender people, and that's something I need to be conscious of.

When I went to my first trans support group recently, I was terrified beyond words. I met an absolutely wonderful woman there who had nothing but advice and support for me and couldn't have been any nicer, but initially I was indimidated and afraid of her. this wasn't the first time I've met other trans people of course, and I was never afraid like this before. so what was it? I was afraid of being judged, because this was the first time I would have ever have come face to face with someone trans while openly identifing as trans myself. I've come across some trans people online who can be quite mean spirited and love playing the "more trans than you" card towards those who are just starting out their transitions, and it's that kind of judgment that I was so scared of.

I am somewhat transphobic in a way and I have to deal with that.

MultiUmm

What a terribly sad story .. Truly upset me, and I'm usually not moved by things that easily.

Trans people are so far back in terms of society accepting them. How people treat them is reminiscent to how gays were treated in the past. :mad: Jesus christ, if someone went around harassing a gay or bi person like that they'd surely get in trouble??

My heart goes out to transgender people who have to deal with **** from ignoramuses on a daily basis. I hope things will change for the better soon for them.

Links234

MultiUmm wrote: »

Trans people are so far back in terms of society accepting them.

Trans people are about 20 years behind LGB people in terms of acceptance and rights, but to tell you the truth, I think there's a shift in direction and opinions happening.

when you'd see a transgender person on TV before, most of the time it would just be a typical male actor in a wig and a dress, or some ridiculous staged show like Jerry Springer and you never get the impression of what a real transgender person is like. trans persons would never be taken seriously, and almost always they are stereotyped in roles of deceivers, out to trick people, or psychopaths with multiple personalities and that still happens a lot today. take for example the film Peacock: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPEzcAG4E5s

But now I think trans people are often being taken a lot more seriously and are given a voice. Something I've been following with great interest is the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, or ENDA, in America. And on a topic that effects trans people the most, the media are giving a voice to those trans people more than ever and actually showing who these people really are.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0ib9aFClNA

or instead of trans women being played by a male actor, there's actress Candis Cayne on the show Dirty Sexy Money. Or Isis King on America's Top Model

I think that Lydia Foy's victory here in Ireland was a great thing

Yes, things are still pretty bad, people still have horrible stereotypes in their mind about trans people and it's still very much entrenched that it's a mental illness, but attitudes are changing, slowly but surely.

Ericka89

Links234 wrote: »

Trans people are about 20 years behind LGB people in terms of acceptance and rights, but to tell you the truth, I think there's a shift in direction and opinions happening.

when you'd see a transgender person on TV before, most of the time it would just be a typical male actor in a wig and a dress, or some ridiculous staged show like Jerry Springer and you never get the impression of what a real transgender person is like. trans persons would never be taken seriously, and almost always they are stereotyped in roles of deceivers, out to trick people, or psychopaths with multiple personalities and that still happens a lot today. take for example the film Peacock: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPEzcAG4E5s

But now I think trans people are often being taken a lot more seriously and are given a voice. Something I've been following with great interest is the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, or ENDA, in America. And on a topic that effects trans people the most, the media are giving a voice to those trans people more than ever and actually showing who these people really are.


or instead of trans women being played by a male actor, there's actress Candis Cayne on the show Dirty Sexy Money. Or Isis King on America's Top Model

I think that Lydia Foy's victory here in Ireland was a great thing

Yes, things are still pretty bad, people still have horrible stereotypes in their mind about trans people and it's still very much entrenched that it's a mental illness, but attitudes are changing, slowly but surely.

I agree with ya transgenderism if anything is moving forward, becoming more accepted and I think people will realise it at younger ages in the future and nobody will care!

But that link that you posted in the original post was devastatingly moving. My youngest sister (when she had the physical appearance of a boy) came out not long after her 18th birthday, about 2 months ago. My parents had an absolute freaker! They started saying their 'son' was an abomination. I was a little surprised, but I completely felt for her and accepted her, I then had to let her move in with in my flat until the parents even came close to terms with what she was going for she cried for so long, I felt her pain so much and helped her seek support from people who know what she's going through. Last month she started HRT and began buying and wearing girls clothes (and wearing mine :rolleyes:). My point is, is that parents should be educated on transgenderism and homosexuality so they don't have a freaker when they realise their son/daughter is 'different' from what they thought. My parents tried to blame me saying that I shouldn't have played with 'him' so much when we were younger. After she came out, word spread quickly and she's told me she's been harassed a few times too. The most appalling one I heard was a lad coming up to her and saying "When you become a woman will you ride me". I felt like finding the guy and knocking him clean out!

Oh and by the way, the first time I saw a transgender on TV was on 'The Morning Show' It was an interview with Kim Petras. Oh and another thing is that people with Multiple-Personality disorders aren't 'Psychopaths'(with the exception of a few). My brother has schizophrenia and he wouldn't hurt a fly, It just gets annoying the way his opinion is easily changed and he act different from people without the disorder. Most Schizophrenics are more inclined to do harm to themselves as opposed to others. Yes, I've a far from 'normal' family, but I love them all at the end of the day and I think me and my siblings will support each other no matter what.

Freiheit

yes a lot of the earlier media developed stereotypes were crude, as were many early gay and even Irish stereotypes(presented as chimpanzee like in some 19th/early 20th century British newspapers). I had at least 2, maybe 3 walk out occasions from my family and wasn't sure if I'd be back......Still deeply unsure as to how I'd cope living where I am now........

Links234

Ericka89 wrote: »

Oh and another thing is that people with Multiple-Personality disorders aren't 'Psychopaths'(with the exception of a few). My brother has schizophrenia and he wouldn't hurt a fly, It just gets annoying the way his opinion is easily changed and he act different from people without the disorder. Most Schizophrenics are more inclined to do harm to themselves as opposed to others. Yes, I've a far from 'normal' family, but I love them all at the end of the day and I think me and my siblings will support each other no matter what.

Hey Ericka, I really didn't mean to imply that people with schizophrenia are psychopaths. When I said transgender people are stereotyped as psychopaths with multiple personalities, I meant like in films like Pyscho, Color of Night, Dressed To Kill, Sleepaway Camp or In Dreams.

deirdre_dub

Ericka89 wrote: »

My youngest sister (when she had the physical appearance of a boy) came out not long after her 18th birthday, about 2 months ago. My parents had an absolute freaker! [...] I felt her pain so much and helped her seek support from people who know what she's going through. Last month she started HRT and began buying and wearing girls clothes (and wearing mine :rolleyes:).

I was moved by your story, and by the love you obviously have for your sister. I wish the two of you the very best.

My brother has schizophrenia and he wouldn't hurt a fly [...] Most Schizophrenics are more inclined to do harm to themselves as opposed to others.

Make that the three of you!

Take care. xxx