I think people should be allowed to be what they want to be.
In return, we should also respect one's decision whether or not they want to get involved in understanding our needs.
As long as the two dont intervene one's freedom to do a thing within the limit.
One of my dear friends shared the difficulty of the transgender community--- difficulty would be an understatement. The courage, energy and effort to express themselves in a world that taboos difference and does not appreciate the possibilities, the similarities, and the greater truths, is amazing..
We do well to learn more about one another and how we are in best service to our community and world. Good for you, for your excellent blogworks and philosophy of fairness!!
Your last paragraph really sums it up well. It's that model of embracing diversity that makes what transgender community is there possible, and sometimes robust in existance.
I have hope for more transgender people embracing our differences over time.
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The good neighbor looks beyond the external accidents and discerns those inner qualities that make all men human and, therefore, brothers.
--Martin Luther King Jr.
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I'm grateful for your blog and glad you're back to posting.
The simple answer to all of this would be for those who identify as transgender to acknowledge that not everyone does, and to indicate this when they refer to the "transgender community." That would settle the matter once and for all.
In another words, speak in terms of "those who identify as transgender" instead of assuming that people are automatically included. That would make things a lot more peaceful.
I think that's a really good point, Jennifer. Community is an inclusive concept, but not a coercive one. For example, there are those who would classify me as part of the Aryan race, but I want no part of such a classification and I have the right to opt out. Transsexual identity is different from transgender identity, and the difference is important to recognize. Personally, I consider myself transsexual rather than transgender.
However, as "transgender" is a term of general usage that is intended to convey gender variance, I do include myself in that community as well as the gay community.
I learned of the term "gender variant" from the former administrator of Mermaids, a group working with gender variant children in the UK. This seems to be a broad, general, inclusive term, and the one I now use most often when speaking of us. I know that someone will be offended by this, but I am reminded of a story I read in Readers' Digest many years ago.
A teacher asked a young girl if she preferred to be known as African-American, Black or Negro. And, the little girl said to her, "Would you just call me, Mary, please?" There's a message there.
You hit the nail on the head on the diversity in our community. Unfortunately, the infighting is a fact of life.
Thanks for writing and staying involved in politics for our community. It takes a lot of strength, commitment and courage to do what you are doing.
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