I thought I would pass this along to you in hopes you could give it your thoughts in your blog.
Lately, I have stopped using the t-word with respect to people who are transgender. The t-word I have stopped using is not the pejorative that might come to mind. It is the word transition. For much of my eight years of teaching about what it means to be transgender, I was inadvertently teaching something I have come to understand creates a different understanding than the one I was trying to create. I talked about my transition. It made sense to me at the time. Today, I have come to know that I did not transition. I certainly did not go from being male to being female. I simply began to uncover the female who had been there all the time.
Lately, I have stopped using the t-word with respect to people who are transgender. The t-word I have stopped using is not the pejorative that might come to mind. It is the word transition. For much of my eight years of teaching about what it means to be transgender, I was inadvertently teaching something I have come to understand creates a different understanding than the one I was trying to create. I talked about my transition. It made sense to me at the time. Today, I have come to know that I did not transition. I certainly did not go from being male to being female. I simply began to uncover the female who had been there all the time.
First-Shelle lles, (above) thanks for your thoughts and I am going to break down certain excerpts to comment on and show to everyone here in Cyrsti's Condo.
Dropping the "transition" term does make all the sense in the world and actually easier to explain once you get someone's attention. Gender is simply what the world sees and the world never saw the true me-until now. No transition to it and possibly another great subject to bring up in June to Simmons College. Back to Shelle lles:
"Transition involves going from one thing, to something different. Psychologically, in spite of the intended meaning, this is processed as going from male to female. The word says one thing, but the mind hears something totally different. The idea that I have gone from male to female is psychologically reinforced, and no one actually realizes what just happened.
My "transition" was a transition of presentation. It was not a transition of identity. Yes, I did have medical intervention, but that is not necessarily part of the transgender experience. Taking hormones and having surgery did not make me more of a woman. They did not transition me."
I TOTALLY agree with Shelle lles last paragraph (and have for a long time!)
Last but not least:
"Transition? No, I didn't do that. I simply stepped off a stage, leaving behind a costume that never fit, and revealed my authentic self to the world. I revealed my previously hidden truth. That's a better word. Truth. Now, there's a t-word I can get behind."
Shelle
As I wrote earlier, there is more substance to the comment she sent me which we will get to later!!!! Also, to visit her blog-go here!
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