Quote:
Originally Posted by Vicki Richter
I am going to argue a few points. The reason gay guys can have a happy relationship is because in most cases they aren't sex workers. It isn't a societal stigma. As I said before, TS outside of the industry have often had happy healthy relationships. This removes jealousy and a whole variety of human emotions which can take place.
I hate hearing, "society isn't ready". I also hate hearing that girls can't do anything but sex work. Get an education and there are companies who want you to work for them because you help them fill certain quota's which show they hire a diverse workforce. The fact is, most sex workers I know have no desire to get out of that work. Why should they? What other job can girls (or almost anyone) pull down $5-$10k on a good week for doing something which sometimes is fun. I know girls in their 40's still escorting and doing pretty well. Someday that drops off and it's a good idea to have a backup plan beforehand.
Maybe society isn't ready for the big baratone, chip on their shoulder, unpassable, angry transsexual to come into the workforce demanding instant acceptance and equality. However, graciousness can go a long way. I don't knock anyone for doing sex work. It's great work for making money quickly which can finance surgery - which can greatly enhance the quality of life for a TS. It can also finance formal education. I don't think you see a lot of people with bachelors degrees pan handling.
Anyway, the discussion is whether TS can have a happy relationship, and I say, of course. However, any sex worker, TS or otherwise are in for a long difficult road if that is a goal.
I respectfully disagree, Vicki.
I am not knocking sex workers at all. In fact, I'm all for legalization of it...it would end much of the misery, stigma, and sickness related to it.
And while you may hate hearing "society isn't ready", it's not. In fact in your first paragraph above you made very clear what my main point is. Society accepts gay men and women as they are part of the normal machinations of it. Every single person out there knows or works with someone who is gay. On the flip side, not every single person out there knows a transsexual. So, when they go to the porn store, or the internet, or look at escort ads, many times this is their only contact with transsexuals.
So, yeah, society isn't ready to open its doors because their main point of reference for transsexuals is porn and sex work. Now, if it was politicians, activists, scientists, actively creative people that were the transsexuals (and there are many who are these things) people saw all the time, it would go a long way towards making society ready to accept.
Again, not knocking sex work or porn...all for it. But where's the balance? Where?