Wednesday, February 04, 2009

Myths

One of the results of being a gender variant person is that many of the myths perpetrated upon us have been greatly erroneous. The medical, legal, and religious establishments have been proven wrong about who we are. This may not be a profound comment but it demonstrates that gender variant people are making marks about the perceptions people have about us.

It's amazing how little people know about how we live. If I were to share to people why I crossdress, I'm sure some would hold on to the idea that we are perverted. I have attended a few events where I was the only transgender person. Each time I was able to share how transgender people have long been at the forefront of the liberation movement. I also shared that while we have differences, we share much in common with each other. This is what bothers me about HRC and other groups where the 'T' is just window dressing.

Myth busting is something that has to be done if the public's perception of gender variant people is going to be changed. Those groups would seek to discriminate against us must be confronted. I'm pleased to see that people of color are taking the lead in this because they are ignored by many mainstream lgbt organizations. Most of the transgender deaths are women of color.

Transgender people have existed throughout history. I have been researching quite a bit about it and am preparing essays on the subject. I'm tired of the perception that we're just interested in sex. We are vibrant, creative, and productive people who have contributed much to the improvement of life through the centuries. It's time that society acknowledges that.

1 comment:

Tim said...

Hey, Genevieve! I've given a lot of thought to the hurdles trangender people have to clear in order to come into their full selves. And I can think of no other life challenge more daunting. The enormous courage and honesty it requires--both to oneself and with others--leaves me in awe.

That's also why I'm not surprised that trangender people have always been among the first to lead fights against unjust barriers and to break through boundaries in other areas of life. The bravery and determination they develop as they rise into their true beings are blessings to us all.