Cool to be Trans?
As a culture I wonder sometimes if we will ever reach the cultural pizzazz of the gay culture or are we doomed to be boring. Will there ever be the equivalent of the Trans Housewives of Columbus, Ohio on the thousand channels of boring television?
Before you all want to medicate me again, let me give you some examples of where this is coming from.
When I was beginning to really explore the world, I did run into the occasional "trans-groupie". Normally this person was a young 20 something female. She just had to talk to me. It's not important to explore the whys now, I can only say the phenomenon doesn't happen with me much anymore. I'm just a trans girl in the world.
On occasion I have mentioned the "Bravo" television network which has to be the "gayest" effort since "Logo" The network has more than it's fair share of male gay shows as well as the occasional lesbian effort mixed in (Tabitha). As I always do, I was wondering where the transgender show was? Then I knew-we weren't getting discriminated against-we are boring!
Our lives are different and compelling. We are fighting to be accepted and to be extended basic human liberties. We are fighting to build or maintain quality lives. Our suicide rate is ridiculously high and we can't get a job. Worse still, some people think it's OK to hurt us physically.
The entertainment flair of the gay community just isn't there and our stories are still too heavy for light viewing. Change is happening as more and more of us decide to come out and be role models and not go stealth but still:
If one of us does hit the mainstream such as serious transsexual actress Laverne Cox (above) what entertainment chance does she have to overcome the ignorant flamer Rue Paul and his merry band of drag queens?
Bottom line is we have a very serious battle going on to define even where we pee. I guess the occasional wide eyed groupie asking where I bought my purse and the Bravo television show are going to have to wait.
Before you all want to medicate me again, let me give you some examples of where this is coming from.
When I was beginning to really explore the world, I did run into the occasional "trans-groupie". Normally this person was a young 20 something female. She just had to talk to me. It's not important to explore the whys now, I can only say the phenomenon doesn't happen with me much anymore. I'm just a trans girl in the world.
On occasion I have mentioned the "Bravo" television network which has to be the "gayest" effort since "Logo" The network has more than it's fair share of male gay shows as well as the occasional lesbian effort mixed in (Tabitha). As I always do, I was wondering where the transgender show was? Then I knew-we weren't getting discriminated against-we are boring!
Our lives are different and compelling. We are fighting to be accepted and to be extended basic human liberties. We are fighting to build or maintain quality lives. Our suicide rate is ridiculously high and we can't get a job. Worse still, some people think it's OK to hurt us physically.The entertainment flair of the gay community just isn't there and our stories are still too heavy for light viewing. Change is happening as more and more of us decide to come out and be role models and not go stealth but still:
If one of us does hit the mainstream such as serious transsexual actress Laverne Cox (above) what entertainment chance does she have to overcome the ignorant flamer Rue Paul and his merry band of drag queens?
Bottom line is we have a very serious battle going on to define even where we pee. I guess the occasional wide eyed groupie asking where I bought my purse and the Bravo television show are going to have to wait.
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