Hello Debra, I recently discovered trans pianist Sara Davis Buechner, who pre-trans was very in demand, but afterwards lost bookings with major orchestras in the U.S. Fortunately, Canada then welcomed her, and in this article, Edmonton in particular:
@ Parnassus (Jim) -- Thanks for the links to that great article and video! Yay Canada and Edmonton! Although these days, Maple MAGAs under the influence of internet hate are advocating oppressive measures against trans kids to prevent access to puberty blockers until age 18 (when their benefits are too late). We have such horrible legislation now in Alberta, shielded from court challenge by use of the "notwithstanding clause" of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. But the fight continues!
@ Ms. Moon -- Your support of your son and his family and friends is an example to haters everywhere of how transpeople should be loved and accepted. Every transperson I've met or known over the years has been an exemplary person on a profound journey that the rest of us would be wise to learn from.
That's what the GOP does - find a culture war they can all get behind like a disenfranchise group they can keep down while they rob us blind and start multiple wars for their military industrial friends. That is what they have done to Trans people.
Trans Rights are Human Rights! I love the picture of the Unicorn and the BabyCorn. This old dyke will protect trans kids (and adults) whenever, wherever, whyever, however, whoever, whatever. Always.
We just hired a new person who is trans and one of my co-workers freaked out because they also identify as they/them. A co-worker started a chat with me:
"What do I call them???" "Howsabout by their name??" "I just don't understand transgender people and according to the Bible ..." "Please find me the anti-trans passages in the Bible but for the time being, you don't have to understand you just have to be kind. I mean, it's like I don't understand transphobic Bible thumpers and yet I'm kind to you."
It was hard enough realizing I was lesbian back in the 80s as a teen, young adult, and young professional. Whenever an employer found out I had a woman partner, advancement ended, and then the job would end within 5 years. Now at 62, I still do not publicly proclaim it (because it's nobody's business). I'm not hiding, but I'm not advertising either. Sort of an open secret. I do not understand trans because I do not walk in their shoes. But I know how discrimination feels. That's more than enough for me to support transgender rights. I lose nothing by making room for someone else....but what if I gain something‽
@ Bob -- Exactly! Everyone deserves to be treated with respect and kindness in the workplace. You don't have to accept or agree with everything about a coworker or colleague. Or client or customer, for that matter.
Fear and ignorance causes so much harm in society. It must be awful to wake up everyday, look in a mirror and KNOW you're in the wrong body. Denying puberty blockers to trans kids is just plain cruel. And if an 18 year old is old enough to vote or be drafted into the military, then they're old enough to make decisions about their own bodies with medical professionals!
These are great. I just heard about a high school here in New Hampshire that's in trouble for discrimination because they have been letting trans kids use the bathroom of their choice. I guess that's the new discrimination.
As a percentage of any society they are very few in number so why are morons like Trump afraid of them? They are just trying to be who they are and what the hell is wrong with that?
@ Yorkshire Pudding -- MAGA scapegoats transpeople precisely because they are such a small minority. MAGA sees them as weak and unable to fight back. Bullies always look for the most vulnerable to pick on. That's why it is so critically important for Allies to stand up for the trans community and demonstrate that transpeople do in fact have strong support among family and friends.
I'm now getting around to your previous post because I wanted to add something. Uppity negress hinted at the problem. I don't know what the situation is like in Canada, but here in Europe there have been some high-profile court cases involving alleged (!) trans men fighting to be placed in a women's prison. One of the men was a rapist fom UK, another a neo-Nazi from Austria who wanted to provoke the courts. And there are a few other similar cases.
(Unfortunately, the articles are only available in German, but you can paste the links into Google Translate, and the articles will be translated.)
There are also problems with transgender people who have male bodies and are fighting for the right to go to women's saunas. (In most European countries, it's customary to go to the sauna naked. And there are mixed saunas where the male-female issue doesn't arise.)
If we're talking about trans people who have undergone surgery, I assume no one has a problem with that—but I think women who go to a women-only sauna don't want to see a male body there (regardless of what kind of soul this person has)... I'm sure it's the same in women's prisons.
So, unfortunately, there's a lot of abuse going on—and in my opinion, primarily by cis men who want to denigrate trans people and create uncertainty.
But as long as there aren't clear legal regulations, it's difficult to distinguish genuinely transgender people from those faking it... There's definitely still a lot to do and reconsider here, and I'm afraid it will be a while before people who are truly trans can feel equal...
@ Rostrose (Traude) -- Yes, there are always a few individuals who will try to "game" or abuse any system of rights. The best way to decide those situations is simply to handle them on a case-by-case basis as exceptions to the general rule, not to make the general rule unfair to everyone else in that situation as a way of controlling the few who seek to unfairly benefit from it. In other words, the answer is not to ban all transgender people from public spaces or institutions which otherwise should be available to them.
41 comments:
I agree with RK Russell. Also, the amount of ignorant people is astounding. Trans women are women.
That last... perfect and correct.
...amen to the last one!!!
Trans women ARE women!
Trans men ARE men!
Trans power!
I care more about the content of their character, than the content of their pants.
All so obvious yet cis people want to argue the point. As if they're the gold standard against which everything must be judged and found wanting. Nah.
Love these, especially the one from the uppity negress. It's perfect.
People, we are all just people!
Hello Debra, I recently discovered trans pianist Sara Davis Buechner, who pre-trans was very in demand, but afterwards lost bookings with major orchestras in the U.S. Fortunately, Canada then welcomed her, and in this article, Edmonton in particular:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/transgender-pianist-shunned-in-u-s-gets-encore-in-edmonton-1.2668923
So the United States' loss was Canada's gain.
There are many of her recordings on Youtube, or try this link for a stunning Presto from a Haydn sonata:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUzK-unjltY
--Jim
I love and honor my trans son and all of the beautiful transpeople he has introduced into my life whom I adore.
@ Parnassus (Jim) -- Thanks for the links to that great article and video! Yay Canada and Edmonton! Although these days, Maple MAGAs under the influence of internet hate are advocating oppressive measures against trans kids to prevent access to puberty blockers until age 18 (when their benefits are too late). We have such horrible legislation now in Alberta, shielded from court challenge by use of the "notwithstanding clause" of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. But the fight continues!
@ Ms. Moon -- Your support of your son and his family and friends is an example to haters everywhere of how transpeople should be loved and accepted. Every transperson I've met or known over the years has been an exemplary person on a profound journey that the rest of us would be wise to learn from.
Amen to all of these.
That's what the GOP does - find a culture war they can all get behind like a disenfranchise group they can keep down while they rob us blind and start multiple wars for their military industrial friends. That is what they have done to Trans people.
Love the joined hands one!
Notice there isn't much said about trans *men*....
@ whkattk -- I agree but I can only post the memes I find and most of them were about trans women or general in nature.
Trans Rights are Human Rights!
I love the picture of the Unicorn and the BabyCorn. This old dyke will protect trans kids (and adults) whenever, wherever, whyever, however, whoever, whatever. Always.
The fight goes on, Debra.
Another prop for RK Russell!
We just hired a new person who is trans and one of my co-workers freaked out because they also identify as they/them. A co-worker started a chat with me:
"What do I call them???"
"Howsabout by their name??"
"I just don't understand transgender people and according to the Bible ..."
"Please find me the anti-trans passages in the Bible but for the time being, you don't have to understand you just have to be kind. I mean, it's like I don't understand transphobic Bible thumpers and yet I'm kind to you."
It was hard enough realizing I was lesbian back in the 80s as a teen, young adult, and young professional. Whenever an employer found out I had a woman partner, advancement ended, and then the job would end within 5 years.
Now at 62, I still do not publicly proclaim it (because it's nobody's business). I'm not hiding, but I'm not advertising either. Sort of an open secret.
I do not understand trans because I do not walk in their shoes. But I know how discrimination feels. That's more than enough for me to support transgender rights.
I lose nothing by making room for someone else....but what if I gain something‽
Yay!
Happy Transgender Day of Visibility!
There’s no LGBTQ without that T.
And that’s Tea!
XOXO
@ Bob -- Exactly! Everyone deserves to be treated with respect and kindness in the workplace. You don't have to accept or agree with everything about a coworker or colleague. Or client or customer, for that matter.
@ Anonymous -- Right on! That's the attitude everyone should have! Thanks for sharing your wisdom here.
Fear and ignorance causes so much harm in society. It must be awful to wake up everyday, look in a mirror and KNOW you're in the wrong body. Denying puberty blockers to trans kids is just plain cruel. And if an 18 year old is old enough to vote or be drafted into the military, then they're old enough to make decisions about their own bodies with medical professionals!
These are great. I just heard about a high school here in New Hampshire that's in trouble for discrimination because they have been letting trans kids use the bathroom of their choice. I guess that's the new discrimination.
As a percentage of any society they are very few in number so why are morons like Trump afraid of them? They are just trying to be who they are and what the hell is wrong with that?
@ Yorkshire Pudding -- MAGA scapegoats transpeople precisely because they are such a small minority. MAGA sees them as weak and unable to fight back. Bullies always look for the most vulnerable to pick on. That's why it is so critically important for Allies to stand up for the trans community and demonstrate that transpeople do in fact have strong support among family and friends.
This is powerful
Trans women ARE women!
Trans men ARE men!
Trans power!
My state pass a ridicules bathroom bill.
We stand in solidarity with our trans brothers and sisters.
This is very true.
This makes me wonder what bigotry the notwithstanding clause will be used for next? Sigh.
I just don't understand the fear some people have on this subject, we are all people no matter how we dress and live.
Happy celebrations to transgender friends!
I totally agree with you
I am afraid of Nazis. I must know. I am German...
Dear Debra,
I'm now getting around to your previous post because I wanted to add something. Uppity negress hinted at the problem. I don't know what the situation is like in Canada, but here in Europe there have been some high-profile court cases involving alleged (!) trans men fighting to be placed in a women's prison. One of the men was a rapist fom UK, another a neo-Nazi from Austria who wanted to provoke the courts.
And there are a few other similar cases.
(Unfortunately, the articles are only available in German, but you can paste the links into Google Translate, and the articles will be translated.)
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fall_Isla_Bryson
https://www.derstandard.at/story/3100000291101/aufregung-um-fall-waltraud-vom-mann-zur-frau-um-ins-frauengefaengnis-zu-kommen
There are also problems with transgender people who have male bodies and are fighting for the right to go to women's saunas. (In most European countries, it's customary to go to the sauna naked. And there are mixed saunas where the male-female issue doesn't arise.)
If we're talking about trans people who have undergone surgery, I assume no one has a problem with that—but I think women who go to a women-only sauna don't want to see a male body there (regardless of what kind of soul this person has)... I'm sure it's the same in women's prisons.
So, unfortunately, there's a lot of abuse going on—and in my opinion, primarily by cis men who want to denigrate trans people and create uncertainty.
But as long as there aren't clear legal regulations, it's difficult to distinguish genuinely transgender people from those faking it...
There's definitely still a lot to do and reconsider here, and I'm afraid it will be a while before people who are truly trans can feel equal...
Hugs from here, Traude
@ Rostrose (Traude) -- Yes, there are always a few individuals who will try to "game" or abuse any system of rights. The best way to decide those situations is simply to handle them on a case-by-case basis as exceptions to the general rule, not to make the general rule unfair to everyone else in that situation as a way of controlling the few who seek to unfairly benefit from it. In other words, the answer is not to ban all transgender people from public spaces or institutions which otherwise should be available to them.
The last one is so true and says it all.
There are so many great comments here, that I feel there is nothing I can add, except well done!
Truly a brilliant post.
Both uppity-negress and the one before on trans women are powerful messages. Trans rights ARE human rights.
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