How accepting is the Gay community towards Transsexuals?

[tsmandy]

Hi Stephen,

This is a really difficult question to address. There are no short and easy answers to this question, rather a collegiate thesis could be written on the topic.

What is the overall gay community? Is it the most visible aspect of queerness? IE white, wealthy, privileged people in all aspects save for sexuality? Working class dykes? Gay men of color in their 50's? Rural, urban, First world, third world?

If we were to narrow the scope of discussion to the United States (what I'm most familiar with in terms of gay communities) it would still be a difficult question to address. For years the Human Rights campaign came under fire for ignoring transgendered people as part of the queer community, and in recent years has taken some conciliatory steps. The Iconic Michigan Womens music festival (and smaller gatherings of gay women like Women Writes in Atlanta) has taken an open stance barring trans women from attendance. But at the same time a lot of mainstream gay people have taken part in the transgendered day of remembrance, various Stonewall activities, Camp Trans (protesting the exclusion of trans-women from Mich fest) and vigils protesting and mourning the murders of Trans women like Gwen Arujo and others around the country.

Many gay health clinics such as Callum Lorde in NYC, the Mazzoni Center in Philadelphia, William Way in Boston, Outside In in Portland, and so on.,.. have taken some serious steps to recognize the special needs the trans community faces.

And yet at the same time, we remain a largely invisible part of the overall gay and lesbian community. Perhaps this is because trans people like queer people of color, or much more likely to face significant barriers to employment and health care acess, and thus find our needs in direct contrast to those of wealthier gays who have a very different perspectives on "minority status".

Really this is just the introduction to what could be a very long (perhaps eye opening for many) and complicated discussion on the global "gay community".

xoxo
Mandy

[eggbert]

Just a minor correction, the William Way center is in Philadelphia. I worked with Bill in the 70's. He was a great guy.

[BeardedOne]

Ooh! Hotbox topic! :shock:

My experience, limited as it is, has shown that the queer agenda and that of the TG/TS/IS communities are often very far afield on what they want/are working for.

TS, in the overall view of the LGBT "community", seem to have a sort of diplomatic "straight" status. After all, they are 'gurls' who like men (Generally) so why should they be subject to any of the trials, tribulations, and occassional triumphs of the queer socio-political agenda?


Camp Trans (protesting the exclusion of trans-women from Mich fest)

It's been years since I read up on that. What's the progress? I speak as one of the "odd men out" at the last Sisterfire in Marlboro, MD. :? I know that Michigan is on private property and not subject to the basic civil rights statutes.

To boil it down: It took them thirty years to deal with sexuality (Stonewall, 1969), now you want to throw gender at them?

[Kriss]

Transsexuals really don't belong in the LGB community. Being lesbian, gay or bisexual deals with sexual orientation. Being transgendered deals with sexual identity.
Mystique

True.

[peggygee]

In as much as we have allies in the heterosexual community,
one could say that we would have allies in the gay community.

There are those that support our causes and interests, but for
the most part I feel that they often do not have our best interests
at heart.

Society tends to lump us all together as the lines of the gender variant
with the cross dresser, transvestite, genderqueer, and the androgynous,
blurring the image with the truly transgendered in the eyes of mainstream
society.

We have vicariously benefited from some of their victories, and we
bolster their ranks.

But for the most part, I do not feel that the Gay community accepts
or embraces us under the GLBT umbrella.

[tsmandy]

Now, in talking to a few very close friends of mine, we thought of something rather significant. Transsexuals really don't belong in the LGB community. Being lesbian, gay or bisexual deals with sexual orientation. Being transgendered deals with sexual identity. Sure in certain ways we many have similarities, but we as transsexuals do deserve our own organizations, separate from that of the LGB. I'm going to assume, T's were added to the bunch in light of what could be considered, the sexuality aspects (CDs and TVs). In many cases, CDs and TVs are more of the fetish aspect, which deals with sexuality.
Mystique

I think this is definitely true for some trans people, and not true for others. I think there are many trans people who are Lesbian, Gay, or Bi and thus have an identity as Transsexuals and as Queer people. Being trans doesn't automatically make one Queer, but for many trans (MTF and FTM) people there is a need to have a queer existence. And this is why I say that it is very diffcult to talk about "the gay community". I think it varies by location, history, etc...

For me, I have many overlapping aspects of my identity as a trans woman and as a bisexual woman. I live the reality of being trans and all that comes with it, and I also live the reality of having a lesbian partner. I have found a very loving and supportive family (in the broad sense of the term) that connects around people being who they are and loving who they please. When I've been having a rough time some of the strongest support and greatest love I've received has been from Gay men (who had no interest in messing around with any kind of girl) and from Lesbian non trans women (who had no intention of messing around with a trans woman) but ultimately see a solidarity with another queer person.

Take the example of Mich fest and camp trans. For the last 20 years or so the Michigan Womyns music festival has been an integral part of feminist and dyke communities. Trans women are denied entrance, and a women born women only policy is enacted. Then a counter festival is started by Trans women, populated now mostly by dykes and Trans men who see Trans dykes as an important part of womens community. And thats just a small example of how contradictory and varied a small sector of the "gay community" responds to TS people.

[signupjustforthis]

Well, lets be self critical too. There are some transsexuals who don't like gay men or don't approve of homosexuality.


I think the gay community is more understanding to us than the heterosexual community. Or maybe I am wrong? But I think they are doing a fairly good job trying to include transsexuals in the past few years.