(no subject)

[sophiaserpentia]

Recently mzmartipants and merlot_winters have commented on the accusation of "trans-jacking" of rights legislation like ENDA, by insisting on inclusion of protection for transpeople.

The argument is that we (transpeople) are holding back gays and lesbians from having rights or protections that they could have right now, by insisting on having our rights too.

See, this is precisely what the bigots want: infighting like this, that damages our coalition. They don't want the anger to be focused where it actually belongs: on the people who are actually firing queer people, and kicking us out of our homes, and beating and murdering us. They want to see us fighting one another, excluding one another, selling each other out. It weakens us, and makes us easier prey. We have to keep our anger and energy focused right where it belongs.

The exclusion game is a slippery slope. It was not so long ago that there was a strong current of self-policing within the queer rights movement, when everyone who did not look straight enough was encouraged to act more "mainstream," the argument being that we will win acceptance more quickly if we keep leathermen and drag queens and butch dykes out of the gay pride parades. There seems to be less of this in recent years as awareness has finally spread that it was just a way for us to do the bigots' job for them, and besides, they are going to hate us no matter how much we look like them.

Accusations of "trans-jacking" are just the same -- encouraging us to do their job for them.

To claim that the "gay rights movement" is being "trans-jacked" or held hostage is to overlook the fact that we've been right there with the gays and lesbians all along. Is it "trans-jacking" to point out that transpeople were there at the Stonewall riots?

Arguments like those of Chris Crain belie the political reality that there is strength in numbers. It belies the reality that transpeople have supported HRC and other queer rights groups with money, energy, sweat, and tears. And it sends the message to bigots that we can be separated and made to sell out one another -- a message we send at our own peril.

I wonder what Chris Crain would say in response to Matt Foreman, who played a significant role in passing gay and lesbian employment protection rights in New York state, only to regret the role he played in excluding transpeople?

I wonder what Chris Crain would say to evidence that a full 37% of gay, lesbian, and bisexual people are left unprotected by gay rights laws that exclude transpeople?

Comments

[ladyteal.livejournal.com]

What the hell?!?! This reminds me of the suffragists who argued that they couldn't fight for black women's right to vote ... because it might make it so that white women wouldn;t be able to get the vote either.

Or the early second-wave feminists who wanted to fight for "women's rights", but somehow managed to exclude lesbians, poor women and women of color from their groups.

[sophiaserpentia.livejournal.com]

Yes, exactly, a lot of this went on in the second wave movement, and between the suffragists and abolitionists as well.

[gramina.livejournal.com]

Precisely. Thank you for saying this so clearly!

[contentlove.livejournal.com]

It was not so long ago that there was a strong current of self-policing within the queer rights movement,

Not so long ago is right. This came up at the last Gay Pride parade in Austin, a couple of years ago. I'll be if we had a parade today, once again, there would be the looks of disapproval for the freak contingent. I say fuck' em.

[sophiaserpentia.livejournal.com]

It seems like it's been a few years since i heard this argument taken up with much vigor. Pride is more of an institution now (and i suppose it makes little difference to wonder who in the community is being "accepted" or not when 100,000+ people show up for your parade). It still rears its head, though, i'm sure.

[contentlove.livejournal.com]

It seems like it's been a few years since i heard this argument taken up with much vigor.

Yeah, at this point it's been pretty much co-opted by the people who argue that all visible protests against the war are useless because "only the freaks come out." No matter if they're Izod wearing yuppies with their babies in a Prada stroller. You know how it is...you protest, that makes you a freak so, QED, only freaks protest.

[riverheart.livejournal.com]

The same thing is happening to GLBT folks overall within the ranks of the Democrats, and has been since the November 2004 election. "Oh, you should just wait; your rights are a hot button, and you'll have to learn to be patient."

Sheesh.

Those of us who care about civil rights need to stand together, and not let or force anyone to take a back seat.

[sophiaserpentia.livejournal.com]

Except that, of course, there have always been bis and trannies in the gay community -- always. These communities have never been separate.

[sophiaserpentia.livejournal.com]

Heh. My response to that has always been, "I *have* made up my mind, thank you. I like men, i like women, and i like people in between."

[sophiaserpentia.livejournal.com]

Pansexual. I am basically pansexual, but i still use the word bisexual because men and women do different things for me, sexually and emotionally... they are not interchangeable for me.