Showing posts with label transgender privilege. Show all posts
Showing posts with label transgender privilege. Show all posts

Thursday, February 6, 2014

Privilege

In our last meeting here in Crysti's Condo, I briefly touched on the idea of being privileged to be in a spot in my life when I can pursue my feminine transition with HRT.  To combine that idea with more of the comments I am receiving from my "What's in a Name" post, quite possibly, I should take a bit more time to be greatful.

Of course I realize how many of you for whatever reason can't even begin to explore a mtf transition, even it only means the freedom to cross dress when you want.  Been there, did it and I understand. Plus, my partner is fond of telling me to not forget how rare it is to have a chance to restart a new life without taking the radical path of dying.  Of course, I hear it from her when I'm having my frequent moments of thinking I should be farther along with my HRT or I take a thumping in public, so I deserve it.

Then there is the boring conversation about gender privilege, even to the point of transgender privilege. I have always been a believer in privilege is in the mind of the beholder and what the beholder decides to do with it - except in the area of male versus female security in the world.  Plus "me thinks" I didn't embark on this transgender path because of choice or all the "kicks and giggles" it would provide. So I am privileged to be here at all including choosing a name as Pat commented on:

My two cents, for what it is really worth after decades of inflation, is that on first reflection we tend to not appreciate what a gift it is to name ourselves. When I first joined Tri-ess I had to come up with a femme name and chose my initials and a simple last name. I had the option to pick a femme version of my guy name but thought that was cutting things too close to home. Years later when I started to become active on the internet I added Scales as a surname.

Or Mandy, who commented on name privilege "in flux":


How about those of us with names which are currently known as female. Not like a "boy named Sue." More like Lynn, Tracy, Dana, Shannon, Leslie, and so on. My given name, while not one of those examples, is in that category. As a male child, I absolutely hated it (and the many problems it caused me.) But, like that mythical "Boy named Sue," I survived. And now, times have changed. It seems to fit my androgynous appearance nicely. And I already have an appropriately-girly name on my ID (even though it reads "M", not "F")! If I ever do transition, it may just save me a bit of the "administrivia aggravation."

And finally there was Paula:


Sometimes I wonder if everyone had a choice of what name they would use if we would have less Johns and Claires and more Emeralds and Elvises

Thanks ladies it's a privilege to quote you!

Intimidating Women

Library of Congress  image from  UnSplash. During my life, surprisingly so, I have encountered many intimating cis-women.  Probably the most...