Dear World-Changers,
Please watch the YouTube video I created, “Considering Gender – Alternative Perspectives”, and share it with anyone you like. It is public. I would like the video to make an impact, but I am not sure yet how to make it more noticeable or get more views. If you have comments about the video, please provide them on the YouTube page, and I will read them.
I worked really hard on this, and I hope it makes people think.
Thank you!
Posted in Carmen Bradley
Carmen Bradley
ILS 252
Final Project Post
In order to create a sustainable society, people must live and work sustainably with each other. Unfortunately, because of human nature, there are many assumptions, judgments, and misunderstandings in daily life which inhibit effective communication and the resilience of social systems to maintain cohesiveness. In American society, unfair discrimination occurs for a myriad of reasons, overtly, clandestinely, or even subconsciously. In order to combat discrimination and address social marginalization, for the betterment of society, I encourage each person to accept differences, seek education to promote understanding, and work collectively to encourage harmony within social groups. This endeavor has been a lifelong process for me. I would like to change the world by promoting awareness of transgender, genderqueer, and gender variant individuals; working to oppose discrimination against them; collecting their stories in order to preserve their experiences; and sharing my own experiences, so that those with little to no exposure to people with nonconforming gender identities will become aware of the complexity and diversity of gender.
According to the Human Rights Campaign Foundation and data collected by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, at least 15 transgender Americans are killed per year as a result of hate-based attacks, not including the incidents which are not reported because of misrepresentation, discrimination, or apprehension of police authorities. The organization explains, “Transgender people are frequently mistrustful of local law enforcement authorities because they often lack training and understanding of transgender people”. Because transgender people do not align with traditional notions of the gender binary (an idea which separates gender into two distinct categories: female and male) these individuals face severe degrees of discrimination and hardship in daily life, employment, and healthcare, as a result of personal expression. As members of a minority culture, transgender people often form social groups and alliances for mutual moral support; in this camaraderie, commonalities provide a place to “belong”.
A prevalent example of social alliance for transgender people and for people who do not align with traditional conceptions of sexual orientation (e.g., heterosexuality as the norm) is the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer (LGBTQ) community. Many cities and college campuses have organized community centers which cater to the needs and concerns of LGBTQ people; many locales choose different versions of the acronym, to promote inclusivity of marginalized identities. These areas, set aside for people who may be harassed for their identities, are labeled as “safe spaces” for all people who identify as any of the adjectives in LGBTQ, or who wish to be allies for LGBTQ people.
Unfortunately, this terminology inaccurately portrays transgender people as inherently similar to or identical to people with lesbian, gay, and bisexual identities. The “umbrella” nature of the acronym, LGBTQ, is a fallacy of convenience: it represents an attempt to aggregate identities which do not correspond to the heterosexual majority into a single unit. As a result, this term fails to appreciate the distinction of “gender identity,” which plays a major role in the transgender experience. Furthermore, people who identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual often maintain gender identities which align with traditional conceptions (e.g., people born in female bodies identity as female; people born in male bodies identify as male). The University of Texas-Austin’s Gender and Sexuality Center explains that people who do not identify as transgender can be termed “cisgender” (from the Latin preposition, cis, or “on this side”, the opposite of the preposition, trans, “across, on that side”), as a way to refer to the majority group without belittling the minority group; use of such terms as “non-transgender”, “normal”, or “regular” definitely reflect the overarching, often unseen effect of cisgender privilege. Because the terms lesbian, gay, and bisexual all refer to sexual orientation, and the term transgender refers to gender identity, the combination of these terms often marginalizes transgender people. Due to the widespread assumption of acceptance and tolerance for transgender people by all members of the umbrella-acronym community, any discrimination perpetrated by lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, or even transgender people against transgender people, either willingly or inadvertently, may escape the notice of both academia and general society. Likewise, invisible discrimination can create unnecessary tension and hostility.
Transgender people may or may not identify inside the traditionally prevalent binaries of female/male and heterosexual/homosexual identities. In the study, “Negotiating the Binary: Identity and Social Justice for Bisexual and Transgender Individuals,” researchers Catherine Cashore and Teresa Tuason of the University of North Florida-Jacksonville explain that, while some transgender individuals live according to the gender binary (that is, by presenting fully-female or fully-male identities) many transgender people do not conform to simplified, binary methods of socialization. Because the people who fall outside the binary are so difficult to define, label, and “understand” from the perspective of binary thinkers, they become marginalized, losing access to community resources and supportive networks. Because the article deconstructs the conglomeration of LGBTQ people into the same umbrella-acronym, it is crucial to my project objectives. The researchers assert:
“The binary system has such a hold upon society that individuals who are bisexual or transgender often experience discrimination from both without and within the LGBT community. According to Watts’ (2004, p. 259) definition of oppression as “the unjust exercise of power by one group over another in a way that creates and sustains social inequity,” it is undeniable that bisexual and transgender individuals experience oppression, unfortunately, and possibly inadvertently, from both the LGBT and straight communities.” (377)
Furthermore, “research shows that both bisexual and transgender identities have been invalidated and considered to be transition phases rather than stable identities” (Cashore and Tuason 377).
Discrimination against transgender people permeates the LGBTQ community. In the study, “Transgender as Ingroup or Outgroup? Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Viewers Respond to a Transgender Character in Daytime Television”, researcher Eleanor Morrison of the University of Southern California-Los Angeles gauges the viewpoints of lesbian, gay, and bisexual viewers (as well as what Morrison calls “non-LGB” viewers) of the soap opera, “All My Children”, in response to Zarf/Zoe, “the first representation of a transitioning transgender character on broadcast television (Associated Press, 2006)” (651). In the surveys, Morrison finds, “discomfort might be tied to the relationship between [lesbian “All My Children” character] Bianca and Zoe, which…was met with significantly more disapproval by the LGB viewers than non-LGB viewers” (656). The attitudes toward this relationship from the viewers’ standpoint are crucial, because “in late 2000, AMC’s Bianca Montgomery became the first long-term character in soaps to be revealed as gay (Harrington, 2003b), and was later involved in the first same-sex kiss on daytime television” (651).
The article correlates directly to my project, because the author discusses issues of conflict within the LGBTQ community against transgender individuals who are sometimes viewed as “stepping on the turf” of LGB people, so to speak. Certain lesbian, hyper-feminist women view transgender women as “tainting” purely female space with maleness, regardless of their gender identity. “As Cooper and Trebra (2006) put it, ‘transgendered folk have become the new pariahs in the lesbian community’ (p. 158), a phenomenon based in what Pattatucci Aragón (2006) refers to as ‘homonormativity’ (p. 9)” (Morrison 652).
Transgender Americans fall prey to misconceptions and misrepresentations within the sphere of legal issues, and are often unaware of their own rights. The LGBTQ-focused legal specialist organization, Lambda Legal, maintains an online database of “fact sheets”, among which “Busting Common Myths about Transgender Rights” stands out as relevant to my project. This resource helps to frame the problem of anti-transgender discrimination, for the transgender audience and for other audiences who need to learn more about transgender issues, such as the aggregate LGBTQ community and the general public. As discussed in this fact sheet, unfortunately, some jurisdictions choose to annul marriages based on a person’s gender transition status. “Transgender people should remember that the issuance of a marriage license is not a guarantee that the validity of their marriage will never be challenged in the future.” To promote transgender self-education, Lambda Legal claims:
“In general, people do not have a single “legal sex.” Instead most of us have a patchwork of documents and records — driver’s licenses, birth certificates, passports, Social Security records — each bearing a sex designation. Those designations sometimes conflict with each other.”
Lambda Legal further supports my project objectives with its useful list of gender-transition entitlements in the 50 states. Extensive awareness of actual legal realities for transgender people is crucial in order to advocate against ignorance, discrimination, and corruption.
Transgender Americans face extreme forms of discrimination in the workplace. In the National Transgender Discrimination Survey of November, 2009, the activist organizations, National Center for Transgender Equality and National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, state that “ninety-seven percent (97%) [of transgender Americans surveyed] have experienced mistreatment, harassment, or discrimination on the job including: invasion of privacy, verbal abuse, and physical or sexual assault.” Furthermore, “twenty-six percent (26%) [of transgender Americans surveyed] lost their jobs because they are transgender.” These findings bring a crucial perspective to the issue of anti-transgender discrimination, because they quantify just how much real-life people are affected by the problem.
The Humans Rights Campaign also provides insight regarding the public opinion of transgender issues:
According to a 2002 poll commissioned by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, 61 percent of Americans believe that the country needs laws to protect transgender people from discrimination. However, 57 percent incorrectly believe that transgender people already are legally protected from being fired because of their gender identity and expression. In fact, the vast majority of jurisdictions in America still lack legal prohibitions on gender identity discrimination in the workplace.
These figures shed light on favorable sentiments among the American public but also reveal misconceptions about the legal system.
Several instances of anti-transgender violence and discrimination prove that transgender people are endangered because of their identities. As discussed by the HRC, John Lotter and Tom Nissen of Falls City, Nebraska, raped and assaulted 21-year-old Brandon Teena, who identified as transgender, after discovering that he was biologically female. When the perpetrators were not arrested, they later murdered Teena and two other friends living with Teena. The sheriff supposedly referred to Teena as “it” and is believed to have ignored the case report prior to the murders. Robert Eads of Georgia, who died from cervical cancer, was denied medical treatment by twenty different doctors because he was transgender. Since the murder of the transgender woman, Hugo Cesar “Bibi” Barajas, at a Houston LGBTQ club, the Texas Gender Advocacy & Information Network has verified the murders of six additional transgender women in the Houston area since 1999.
The International Transgender Day of Remembrance, first observed in 1999, is held each year, on November 20, to commemorate the lives lost during the previous year due to gender-based violence. Since the inception of the event, the Transgender Day of Remembrance coordinators have compiled a detailed list of over 600 murders of gender-nonconforming people around the world. It is truly tragic that many attacks are not even reported, and media organizations often refer to deceased persons using discriminatory language, inappropriate names, or incorrect gender pronouns; this treatment perpetuates their marginalization and threatens the preservation of their unique identities as human beings.
Works Cited:
Cashore, Catherine, and Teresa G. Tuason. “Negotiating the Binary: Identity and Social Justice for Bisexual and Transgender Individuals.” Journal of Gay & Lesbian Social Services 21.4 (2009): 374-401. Web. 23 Nov 2011. <http://ezproxy.library.wisc.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct =true&db=aph&AN=49232850&site=ehost-live>.
Frequently Asked Questions – Transgender Issues. University of Texas at Austin Division of Diversity and Community Engagement Gender and Sexuality Center, 08 Jun 2010. Web. 23 Nov 2011. <http://www.utexas.edu/diversity/ddce/gsc/faqtransgender.php>.
“How Do Transgender People Suffer from Discrimination?” Human Rights Campaign Issues. Human Rights Campaign, 2011. Web. 23 Nov 2011. <http://www.hrc.org/issues/1508.htm#Reference3>.
Morrison, Eleanor G.(2010) “Transgender as Ingroup or Outgroup? Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Viewers Respond to a Transgender Character in Daytime Television”, Journal of Homosexuality, 57: 5, 650 — 665. Web. 23 Nov 2011. <http://ezproxy.library.wisc.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct =true&db=aph&AN=50318988&site=ehost-live>.
“National Transgender Discrimination Survey.”Preliminary Findings – November 2009. National Center for Transgender Equality; National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, Nov 2009. Web. 23 Nov 2011. <http://transequality.org/Resources/NCTE_prelim_survey_econ.pdf>.
“Nothing but the Truth: Busting Common Myths about Transgender Rights.” Lambda Legal Fact Sheets. Lambda Legal, 14 Dec 2007. Web. 23 Nov 2011. <http://www.lambdalegal.org/our-work/publications/facts-backgrounds/nothing-but-the- truth.html>.
St. Pierre, Ethan. “International Transgender Day of Remembrance.” 02 Sep 2011. Web. 23 Nov 2011. <http://www.transgenderdor.org/>
___________
As part of my project, I distributed a survey, to gauge people’s opinions about gender identity, gender roles, the social treatment of transgender individuals and people who do not conform to traditional gender conventions, legal issues, discrimination, gender labels, and medical issues. Unfortunately, my sample was limited to only 28 respondents. Despite this setback, I can still apply the data to make observations. I understand that the sample was limited to only people I know or people in my academic community, but I would like to share the results for the purposes of this project.
Of the 28 total respondents:
Of the 1596 total survey questions:
Here is the overview of the questions, with the average response rate for each one, along with any comments written on individual surveys by respondents. Any blank answers were not averaged into the total for each question. I did not take my own survey; the individual comments were not written by me, but by survey respondents.
Average: 3.2
This question was left blank 1 time.
Average: 3.7
Average: 2.4
Average: 1.6
Average: 1.4
Average: 3.1
Average: 3.8
This question was left blank 1 time.
Individual Comment: “If only. Gay marriage needs to be approved.”
Average: 2.3
Average: 4.3
Average: 4.5
Average: 2.6
Average: 4.1
Average: 1.8
Average: 2.5
Average: 4.4
Average: 3.1
Individual Comment: “I’m a hell of a lot more than just a woman.”
Average: 4.7
This question was left blank 2 times.
Average: 1.5
Average: 4.7
This question was left blank 1 time.
Average: 4.1
Individual Comment: “Assuming we should treat men and women differently.”
Average: 3.9
This question was left blank 1 time.
Individual Comment: “I don’t know the laws.”
Individual Comment: “I’m not familiar with it.”
Average: 4.8
Average: 2.4
This question was left blank 2 times.
Average: 4.0
Individual Comment: “I don’t quite understand the question.”
Average: 1.9
Average: 3.9
Average: 2.3
Average: 4.0
This question was left blank 2 times.
Individual Comment: “Again, shouldn’t we all be treated equally?”
Average: 4.6
Average: 1.8
This question was left blank 1 time.
Average: 4.8
This question was left blank 1 time.
Average: 2.6
This question was left blank 2 times.
Individual Comment: “Not familiar.”
Average: 1.8
This question was left blank 1 time.
Individual Comment: “Mental health.”
Average: 4.0
This question was left blank 1 time.
Individual Comment: “Not paid by tax payers.”
Average: 2.8
This question was left blank 9 times.
Individual Comment: “?”
Individual Comment: “Depends on the treatment.”
Average: 2.7
This question was left blank 1 time.
(Individual Comment placed somewhere between 35 and 36: “It’s a matter of choice.”)
Average: 2.9
This question was left blank 1 time.
Individual Comment: “This won’t/can’t happen till gay marriage is approved.”
Average: 1.6
This question was left blank 1 time.
Average: 4.2
This question was left blank 1 time.
Individual Comment: “They ARE allowed.”
Average: 4.3
This question was left blank 1 time.
Average: 2.9
This question was left blank 1 time.
Average: 4.0
This question was left blank 1 time.
Individual Comment: “They ARE allowed.”
Average: 4.3
This question was left blank 1 time.
Average: 2.2
This question was left blank 1 time.
Individual Comment: “Body types differ.”
Average: 2.0
This question was left blank 1 time.
Average: 1.7
This question was left blank 1 time.
Average: 4.2
This question was left blank 1 time.
Individual Comment: “Transgender identity is ok, but it’s not a priority. There’s a lot of other stuff we have to fix first. However you look at it, it’s not a norm. While we should eliminate discrimination against transgenders, there are larger groups being discriminated against.”
Average: 1.3
This question was left blank 1 time.
Individual Comment: “(both)”
Average: 4.3
This question was left blank 1 time.
Average: 2.8
This question was left blank 1 time.
Average: 1.6
This question was left blank 1 time.
Average: 4.7
This question was left blank 1 time.
Average: 4.0
This question was left blank 1 time.
Average: 2.3
This question was left blank 1 time.
Average: 4.7
This question was left blank 2 times.
Average: 3.6
This question was left blank 1 time.
Individual Comment: “It takes a little bit to get past biological gender.”
Individual Comment: “Rarely.”
Individual Comment: “Not sure.”
Average: 4.2
This question was left blank 1 time.
Further Individual Respondent Comments:
“People who identify as transgender or have gender identity disorder need more anti-discrimination laws in place.”
“Good luck with your survey!”
“I feel like a lot of these questions are repeated.”
“A lot of these questions were very redundant. Men and women are allowed to wear whatever they please. It’s a matter of acceptance. Also, I think it’s about education. I have very little knowledge about transgender etc. I’m totally willing to accept a person’s gender identity. I just need to get used to it.”
“Interesting survey! I believe a person should be who/what they want to be, even if that means being a different gender. We only live one life.”
Despite the small sample size, I feel that the survey yielded interesting results. Notably, several respondents were neutral concerning the present state of legal issues, or indicated unfamiliarity with legal issues. Comments throughout the survey provide an insight into respondents’ opinions.
Unfortunately, there were various problems with the survey. Several respondents answered “strongly agree” to questions which were diametrically opposed, leading me to wonder if I phrased these questions in a way that made them ambiguous. Perhaps some respondents changed their minds during the course of the survey, or actually agreed to both questions in a pair. I am hoping that no respondents circled random answers. If more comments had been provided, perhaps it would have been easier to understand why certain respondents replied in certain ways. Certain subjects were repeated in different questions, to address issues from multiple angles. Nevertheless, wording is always a difficulty when constructing a survey.
The most difficult area of the survey in terms of wording seemed to be questions 33 through 36. From my experience, several people believe that viewing transgender identity as a mental or medical disorder creates further stigmatization for transgender people, while others believe that viewing transgender identity as a mental or medical disorder essentially reflects a transgender person’s discontinuity between their sex assigned at birth and their gender identity. Furthermore, the status of gender identity disorder in medical practice is a key factor in matters of physical, mental, and psychiatric healthcare. Question 34’s inclusion of the phrase “fair treatment” may have been inappropriate, since different people have different standards of what is “fair”. Question 35 was left blank nine times; perhaps it was a confusing question. The treatment of transgender patients has been a controversial issue for years, and different physicians have responded in different ways concerning transgender patients. Question 36 focuses on the “need” for treatment, which may have been ambiguously worded.
I would like to ordinate the survey responses to gauge which questions received the strongest disagreement, agreement, or were more neutral.
Questions Marked Between 1.0 and 2.0:
4. At least one person in my family identifies as transgender, transsexual, gender-queer, “two-spirited,” or otherwise does not identify as only “female” or “male”.
5. Certain colors of clothing are only appropriate for men to wear.
13. Certain careers are only appropriate for men.
18. Certain colors of clothing are only appropriate for women to wear.
25. Certain forms of clothing are only appropriate for men to wear.
30. Sexual/gender reassignment surgery is wrong.
33. A transgender identity represents a medical disorder.
38. People should only wear clothes assigned to their physical sex.
45. Transgender people negatively affect traditional values.
46. It is inappropriate for women to wear men’s clothes.
48. Makeup and cosmetics are only appropriate for use by men.
51. Certain careers are only appropriate for women.
Questions Marked Between 2.1 and 3.0:
3. Makeup and cosmetics are only appropriate for use by women.
8. It is inappropriate for men to wear women’s clothes.
11. In the workplace, transgender Americans should be treated as the gender which corresponds with their biological sex.
14. There are only two genders: “female” and “male”.
23. “Gender” is the same as “gender identity”.
27. Gender identity is static; it never changes.
32. The rights of transgender Americans are currently protected by the United States legal system.
35. If patients deserve medical treatment, treatment should reinforce the gender identity of the person’s biological, assigned sex.
36. People with transgender identities do not need special medical treatment to address gender identity issues.
37. In marriage court, transgender Americans should be treated as the gender which corresponds with their biological sex.
41. At least one of my acquaintances identifies as transgender, transsexual, gender-queer, “two-spirited,” or otherwise does not identify as only “female” or “male”.
44. Certain forms of clothing are only appropriate for women to wear.
50. A person’s gender pronoun (s/he, his, hers, him, her, etc.) is based on their biological, assigned sex.
54. People who identify as transgender should be treated as the gender that corresponds with their biological sex.
Questions Marked Between 3.1 and 3.9:
1. People in American society “act out”, “present”, or “express” their gender in accordance with their physical sex.
2. Gender identity can change as people age.
6. My gender expression defines who I am.
7. In marriage court, transgender Americans should be treated as the gender with which they personally identify.
16. My biological, assigned sex defines who I am.
21. The United States legal system does not include adequate protections for transgender Americans.
26. I have witnessed discrimination within my community which I perceive to be based on gender.
56. I am aware of, or use, gender-inclusive pronouns.
Questions Marked Between 4.0 and 5.0:
9. Transgender people face inappropriate discrimination because of their identities.
10. Some people in American society identify as a gender different from their biological, assigned sex.
12. People should be allowed to choose their own personal gender pronouns.
15. Discrimination based on gender identity is a current problem.
17. Transgender Americans are as qualified to fulfill civic duties as non-transgender Americans.
19. Transgender Americans are as qualified in the workforce as non-transgender Americans.
20. People who identify as transgender should be treated as the gender with which they personally identify.
22. Women should be allowed to wear any color clothing they choose.
24. My gender expression is important to me.
28. In the workplace, transgender Americans should be treated as the gender with which they personally identify.
29. Most or all of my family identifies as only “female” or “male”.
31. Men should be allowed to wear any color clothing they choose.
34. People with transgender identities deserve fair medical treatment to address gender identity issues.
39. People should be allowed to use makeup and cosmetics regardless of gender.
40. If someone I knew wanted to undergo sexual/gender reassignment surgery, I would support this person throughout the process.
42. Men should be allowed to shop in the Women’s clothing department and wear women’s clothes.
43. Most or all of my acquaintances identify as only “female” or “male”.
47. It is important to recognize transgender issues under the United States legal system.
49. People should be allowed to seek sexual/gender reassignment surgery if they do not identify with the sex assigned to them at birth.
52. Anyone should be allowed to wear any color clothing they choose.
53. People should not be restricted to gendered clothing labels which correspond to their biological sex when choosing clothes to wear.
55. People should be allowed to choose careers regardless of gender.
57. Women should be allowed to shop in the Men’s clothing department and wear men’s clothes.
_______________
In addition to the survey, for my project, I would like to share the stories of people I have met who identify as transgender, genderqueer, outside the gender binary, or outside conventional gender roles. Over the course of the semester (and throughout my general life experience) I have spoken with many people who want their stories to be heard, known, and respected by community members, and especially people who have had little to no exposure to gender identity marginalization issues. Since this project involves changing the world, I would like to change the world in some small way by bringing attention to these people’s stories, challenges, and experiences. For the purposes of this post, I will list the key points I learned, while respecting the privacy of those involved by keeping them anonymous.
Lessons Learned from Stories of Gender Marginalization:
People who identify as transgender, gender-fluid, genderqueer, two-spirit, bigender, or any nonconventional gender identity are not weird or crazy. They are human beings trying to stake a claim to identity in the one life they have. They live, laugh, love, work, dream, and have feelings like human beings.
Many transgender people hide their feelings of gender identity for years or decades, until they gather the courage to express themselves. Fears of rejection or being misunderstood often lead these people to try ineffectively to “pass” as cisgender, heterosexual, homosexual, or as an identity which does not risk exposing themselves as transgender. For many transgender people, “gender transition” (involving but not necessarily including or limited to changes in gender presentation, gender expression, physical adaptations, names, gender pronouns, and legal documents) does not occur until the age of 30-50, or even later. Some who transition late in life have children, as well.
Transgender people often face discrimination, discomfort, or violence when they must present a legal ID, birth certificate, or other document which does not ostensibly match with their gender presentation in the perception of the legal authority. According to Lambda Legal, “In general, people do not have a single ‘legal sex.’ Instead most of us have a patchwork of documents and records — driver’s licenses, birth certificates, passports, Social Security records — each bearing a sex designation. Those designations sometimes conflict with each other.” Transgender individuals often struggle for the right to change the sex designations on these legal documents.
In daily life, transgender individuals and those who express gender unconventionally often face intolerance and oppression, instigated by people who refuse to respect their gender identities, or who single them out as weird, crazy, or perverted. I have heard countless stories and personally experienced countless instances of mistreatment, where a person was mis-gendered, bound by a name assigned at birth which did not respect their gender identity, or openly attacked, verbally and/or physically, due to their gender presentation, gender transition status, or physical anatomy. Transgender people of color face several layers of discrimination and marginalization due to being members of various minority cultures at once.
Transgender and gender-nonconforming people are often bullied, murdered, assaulted, or raped because of their identities. Certain jurisdictions will automatically require transgender individuals to be listed in the Sex Offender Registry for using a restroom that reflects their gender identity. People who are perceived as using the “wrong” restroom often face violent attacks, from verbal assault, to physical beating, to murder.
Suicidal ideations, suicide, and self-destructive behavior are prevalent among transgender people, due to extreme depression, low self-esteem, feelings of loneliness, discrimination, or an inability to make the physical body “match” the gender identity, often referred to as gender dysphoria. Transgender and gender-nonconforming people often lose the support of family, friends, and coworkers when they announce their decision to transition, or show signs of being gender-nonconforming. As a result, they may become homeless, unemployed, and socially isolated.
Many gender-nonconforming people are mistreated by their own families, who anchor to their sex assigned at birth and cannot understand or will not understand their gender identity and expression. Because of this anchoring, they may be chronically mis-gendered, stigmatized, stereotyped, belittled, or attacked.
Transgender people who are struggling to make ends meet may turn to sex work, and thus face higher risks of HIV and other STIs, as well as violence. Discrimination against transgender individuals by medical practitioners has been very prevalent; thankfully, hospitals and clinics may instigate training procedures and seminars on how to treat transgender patients fairly.
Various people do not identify as female or male, but both, neither, or something else entirely. A friend of mine, college age, was approached by a small child with the question, “Are you a boy or a girl?” The child began to list stereotypes, and my friend answered, “No.” No, my friend is not a boy or a girl. My friend uses gender-inclusive pronouns that combine words like “she” and “he” into “ze” (pronounced ZEE), or “her” and “him”, “hers” and “his” into “hir” (pronounced as “here” or “hear”). Sometimes, the pronouns, “they, them, and theirs” are useful for referring to someone without placing them in the gender binary.
Gendered clothing can play a role in gender expression, but gender identity does not always correspond with or determine sexual orientation. Furthermore, many people identify as cross-dressers, and wish to be respected for their gender expression. For example, a transgender woman may identity as pansexual, bisexual, heterosexual, lesbian, or something else along the spectrum of sexuality. A transgender man may identity as gay, bisexual, pansexual, heterosexual, or something else along the spectrum. A cisgender man (who was assigned male at birth and identifies as male) may express his gender identity as a cross-dresser by wearing exclusively “women’s” clothing, or mixing gender presentations. A cisgender female (who was assigned female at birth and identifies as female) may express her gender identity as a cross-dresser by wearing exclusively “men’s” clothing, or mixing gender presentations. Many people do not want any labels for their sexual orientation or gender identity. They may prefer to blend genders, “blur” socially constructed gender stereotypes, or express uniquely personal gender identities. Sometimes, there may be no label to describe someone’s identity, or labels may be fluid. This expression of someone’s personal identity should be respected, not shamed.
Gender identity is extremely personal, and represents just one aspect of a person’s life. No one should have to die or suffer because of how they feel about their gender. Every person has the human right to express gender identity and be respected for it. No one should suffer mistreatment or violence on the basis of gender identity.
_______________
In closing, I would like to provide some helpful links to resources on transgender issues, legal issues, and how to be an effective ally. I have also created a video, and uploaded it to YouTube to be shared with the public.
_______________
Advocacy:
http://tjlp.org/alliespage3.html
Standards of Care:
http://gidreform.wordpress.com/2011/09/
Blogs:
www.transpeoplespeak.tumblr.com
http://www.danoah.com/2011/11/im-christian-unless-youre-gay.html (an amazing blog post about marginalization in general)
Transgender Day of Remembrance Memorial:
http://www.transgenderdor.org/
http://www.glaad.org/blog/us-secretary-labor-issues-statement-transgender-day-remembrance
Legal Resources:
Lambda Legal Toolkit with Glossary:
http://www.lambdalegal.org/publications/bending-the-mold
National Transgender Discrimination Survey:
Posted in Carmen Bradley
Carmen Bradley
ILS 252
November 23, 2011
Introduction: Sustainable Interactions: A Gender Advocacy Project to Address Social Marginalization
In order to create a sustainable society, people must live and work sustainably with each other. Unfortunately, because of human nature, there are many assumptions, judgments, and misunderstandings in daily life which inhibit effective communication and the resilience of social systems to maintain cohesiveness. In American society, unfair discrimination occurs for a myriad of reasons, overtly, clandestinely, or even subconsciously. In order to combat discrimination and address social marginalization, for the betterment of society, I encourage each person to accept differences, seek education to promote understanding, and work collectively to encourage harmony within social groups. This endeavor has been a lifelong process for me. I would like to change the world by promoting awareness of transgender, genderqueer, and gender variant individuals; working to oppose discrimination against them; collecting their stories in order to preserve their experiences; and sharing my own experiences, so that those with little to no exposure to people with nonconforming gender identities will become aware of the complexity and diversity of gender.
According to the Human Rights Campaign Foundation and data collected by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, at least 15 transgender Americans are killed per year as a result of hate-based attacks, not including the incidents which are not reported because of misrepresentation, discrimination, or apprehension of police authorities. The organization explains, “Transgender people are frequently mistrustful of local law enforcement authorities because they often lack training and understanding of transgender people”. Because transgender people do not align with traditional notions of the gender binary (an idea which separates gender into two distinct categories: female and male) these individuals face severe degrees of discrimination and hardship in daily life, employment, and healthcare, as a result of personal expression. As members of a minority culture, transgender people often form social groups and alliances for mutual moral support; in this camaraderie, commonalities provide a place to “belong”.
A prevalent example of social alliance for transgender people and for people who do not align with traditional conceptions of sexual orientation (e.g., heterosexuality as the norm) is the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer (LGBTQ) community. Many cities and college campuses have organized community centers which cater to the needs and concerns of LGBTQ people; many locales choose different versions of the acronym, to promote inclusivity of marginalized identities. These areas, set aside for people who may be harassed for their identities, are labeled as “safe spaces” for all people who identify as any of the adjectives in LGBTQ, or who wish to be allies for LGBTQ people.
Unfortunately, this terminology inaccurately portrays transgender people as inherently similar to or identical to people with lesbian, gay, and bisexual identities. The “umbrella” nature of the acronym, LGBTQ, is a fallacy of convenience: it represents an attempt to aggregate identities which do not correspond to the heterosexual majority into a single unit. As a result, this term fails to appreciate the distinction of “gender identity,” which plays a major role in the transgender experience. Furthermore, people who identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual often maintain gender identities which align with traditional conceptions (e.g., people born in female bodies identity as female; people born in male bodies identify as male). The University of Texas-Austin’s Gender and Sexuality Center explains that people who do not identify as transgender can be termed “cisgender” (from the Latin preposition, cis, or “on this side”, the opposite of the preposition, trans, “across, on that side”), as a way to refer to the majority group without belittling the minority group; use of such terms as “non-transgender”, “normal”, or “regular” definitely reflect the overarching, often unseen effect of cisgender privilege. Because the terms lesbian, gay, and bisexual all refer to sexual orientation, and the term transgender refers to gender identity, the combination of these terms often marginalizes transgender people. Due to the widespread assumption of acceptance and tolerance for transgender people by all members of the umbrella-acronym community, any discrimination perpetrated by lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, or even transgender people against transgender people, either willingly or inadvertently, may escape the notice of both academia and general society. Likewise, invisible discrimination can create unnecessary tension and hostility.
Transgender people may or may not identify inside the traditionally prevalent binaries of female/male and heterosexual/homosexual identities. In the study, “Negotiating the Binary: Identity and Social Justice for Bisexual and Transgender Individuals,” researchers Catherine Cashore and Teresa Tuason of the University of North Florida-Jacksonville explain that, while some transgender individuals live according to the gender binary (that is, by presenting fully-female or fully-male identities) many transgender people do not conform to simplified, binary methods of socialization. Because the people who fall outside the binary are so difficult to define, label, and “understand” from the perspective of binary thinkers, they become marginalized, losing access to community resources and supportive networks. Because the article deconstructs the conglomeration of LGBTQ people into the same umbrella-acronym, it is crucial to my project objectives. The researchers assert:
“The binary system has such a hold upon society that individuals who are bisexual or transgender often experience discrimination from both without and within the LGBT community. According to Watts’ (2004, p. 259) definition of oppression as “the unjust exercise of power by one group over another in a way that creates and sustains social inequity,” it is undeniable that bisexual and transgender individuals experience oppression, unfortunately, and possibly inadvertently, from both the LGBT and straight communities” (377).
Furthermore, “research shows that both bisexual and transgender identities have been invalidated and considered to be transition phases rather than stable identities” (Cashore and Tuason 377).
Discrimination against transgender people permeates the LGBTQ community. In the study, “Transgender as Ingroup or Outgroup? Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Viewers Respond to a Transgender Character in Daytime Television”, researcher Eleanor Morrison of the University of Southern California-Los Angeles gauges the viewpoints of lesbian, gay, and bisexual viewers (as well as what Morrison calls “non-LGB” viewers) of the soap opera, “All My Children”, in response to Zarf/Zoe, “the first representation of a transitioning transgender character on broadcast television (Associated Press, 2006)” (651). In the surveys, Morrison finds, “discomfort might be tied to the relationship between [lesbian “All My Children” character] Bianca and Zoe, which…was met with significantly more disapproval by the LGB viewers than non-LGB viewers” (656). The attitudes toward this relationship from the viewers’ standpoint are crucial, because “in late 2000, AMC’s Bianca Montgomery became the first long-term character in soaps to be revealed as gay (Harrington, 2003b), and was later involved in the first same-sex kiss on daytime television” (651).
The article correlates directly to my project, because the author discusses issues of conflict within the LGBTQ community against transgender individuals who are sometimes viewed as “stepping on the turf” of LGB people, so to speak. Certain lesbian, hyper-feminist women view transgender women as “tainting” purely female space with maleness, regardless of their gender identity. “As Cooper and Trebra (2006) put it, ‘transgendered folk have become the new pariahs in the lesbian community’ (p. 158), a phenomenon based in what Pattatucci Aragón (2006) refers to as ‘homonormativity’ (p. 9)” (Morrison 652).
Transgender Americans fall prey to misconceptions and misrepresentations within the sphere of legal issues, and are often unaware of their own rights. The LGBTQ-focused legal specialist organization, Lambda Legal, maintains an online database of “fact sheets”, among which “Busting Common Myths about Transgender Rights” stands out as relevant to my project. This resource helps to frame the problem of anti-transgender discrimination, for the transgender audience and for other audiences who need to learn more about transgender issues, such as the aggregate LGBTQ community and the general public. As discussed in this fact sheet, unfortunately, some jurisdictions choose to annul marriages based on a person’s gender transition status. “Transgender people should remember that the issuance of a marriage license is not a guarantee that the validity of their marriage will never be challenged in the future.” To promote transgender self-education, Lambda Legal claims:
“In general, people do not have a single “legal sex.” Instead most of us have a patchwork of documents and records — driver’s licenses, birth certificates, passports, Social Security records — each bearing a sex designation. Those designations sometimes conflict with each other.”
Lambda Legal further supports my project objectives with its useful list of gender-transition entitlements in the 50 states. Extensive awareness of actual legal realities for transgender people is crucial in order to advocate against ignorance, discrimination, and corruption.
Transgender Americans face extreme forms of discrimination in the workplace. In the National Transgender Discrimination Survey of November, 2009, the activist organizations, National Center for Transgender Equality and National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, state that “ninety-seven percent (97%) [of transgender Americans surveyed] have experienced mistreatment, harassment, or discrimination on the job including: invasion of privacy, verbal abuse, and physical or sexual assault.” Furthermore, “twenty-six percent (26%) [of transgender Americans surveyed] lost their jobs because they are transgender.” These findings bring a crucial perspective to the issue of anti-transgender discrimination, because they quantify just how much real-life people are affected by the problem.
The Humans Rights Campaign also provides insight regarding the public opinion of transgender issues:
“According to a 2002 poll commissioned by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, 61 percent of Americans believe that the country needs laws to protect transgender people from discrimination. However, 57 percent incorrectly believe that transgender people already are legally protected from being fired because of their gender identity and expression. In fact, the vast majority of jurisdictions in America still lack legal prohibitions on gender identity discrimination in the workplace.”
These figures shed light on favorable sentiments among the American public, but also reveal misconceptions about the legal system.
Several instances of anti-transgender violence and discrimination prove that transgender people are endangered because of their identities. As discussed by the HRC, John Lotter and Tom Nissen of Falls City, Nebraska, raped and assaulted 21-year-old Brandon Teena, who identified as transgender, after discovering that he was biologically female. When the perpetrators were not arrested, they later murdered Teena and two other friends living with Teena. The sheriff supposedly referred to Teena as “it” and is believed to have ignored the case report prior to the murders. Robert Eads of Georgia, who died from cervical cancer, was denied medical treatment by twenty different doctors because he was transgender. Since the murder of the transgender woman, Hugo Cesar “Bibi” Barajas, at a Houston LGBTQ club, the Texas Gender Advocacy & Information Network has verified the murders of six additional transgender women in the Houston area since 1999.
The International Transgender Day of Remembrance, first observed in 1999, is held each year, on November 20, to commemorate the lives lost during the previous year due to gender-based violence. Since the inception of the event, the Transgender Day of Remembrance coordinators have compiled a detailed list of over 600 murders of gender-nonconforming people around the world. It is truly tragic that many attacks are not even reported, and media organizations often refer to deceased persons using discriminatory language, inappropriate names, or incorrect gender pronouns; this treatment perpetuates their marginalization and threatens the preservation of their unique identities as human beings.
For my project, I have worked to collect information, stories, resources, opinions, and perspectives related to gender advocacy, which will be compiled into a comprehensive guidebook for mass distribution, in order to promote education and awareness of these issues. I have also created a movie, which I would like to share with as many people as possible, and I have constructed my own survey, to be distributed in class, in order to gauge awareness and public opinion regarding these issues. It is my hope that, by synthesizing this information and making it available, I will spark positive change in the community and provide a basis for sustainable human interaction through acceptance, understanding, tolerance, and harmonious cohesion. Finally, perhaps outside of the bounds of class, I am in the process of publishing a book or books of poetry which I have written, to allow people to vicariously experience my feelings as a transgender person, in order to broaden their perspectives.
Works Cited:
Cashore, Catherine, and Teresa G. Tuason. “Negotiating the Binary: Identity and Social Justice for Bisexual and Transgender Individuals.” Journal of Gay & Lesbian Social Services 21.4 (2009): 374-401. Web. 23 Nov 2011. <http://ezproxy.library.wisc.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=49232850&site=ehost-live>.
Frequently Asked Questions – Transgender Issues. University of Texas at Austin Division of Diversity and Community Engagement Gender and Sexuality Center, 08 Jun 2010. Web. 23 Nov 2011. <http://www.utexas.edu/diversity/ddce/gsc/faqtransgender.php>.
“How Do Transgender People Suffer from Discrimination?” Human Rights Campaign Issues. Human Rights Campaign, 2011. Web. 23 Nov 2011. <http://www.hrc.org/issues/1508.htm#Reference3>.
Morrison, Eleanor G.(2010) “Transgender as Ingroup or Outgroup? Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Viewers Respond to a Transgender Character in Daytime Television”, Journal of Homosexuality, 57: 5, 650 — 665. Web. 23 Nov 2011. <http://ezproxy.library.wisc.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=50318988&site=ehost-live>.
“National Transgender Discrimination Survey.”Preliminary Findings – November 2009. National Center for Transgender Equality; National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, Nov 2009. Web. 23 Nov 2011. <http://transequality.org/Resources/NCTE_prelim_survey_econ.pdf>.
“Nothing but the Truth: Busting Common Myths about Transgender Rights.” Lambda Legal Fact Sheets. Lambda Legal, 14 Dec 2007. Web. 23 Nov 2011. <http://www.lambdalegal.org/our-work/publications/facts-backgrounds/nothing-but-the-truth.html>.
St. Pierre, Ethan. “International Transgender Day of Remembrance.” 02 Sep 2011. Web. 23 Nov 2011. <http://www.transgenderdor.org/>
Posted in Carmen Bradley
Dear class,
For anyone who is doing a project involving sustainable energy or alternatives to fossil fuels, David JC MacKay, a Physics professor at Cambridge, has written a helpful book called Sustainable Energy – Without the Hot Air. The book is freely available for educational purposes online at www.withouthotair.com . MacKay explains various forms of energy use (wind, solar, hydroelectric, etc.) and the implications of their use, as well as various factors which expend energy (such as technology and food supply systems). I hope this resource can help people with their project research. Please take a look.
Good luck,
Carmen
Posted in Carmen Bradley
Tagged energy, fossil fuels, hydroelectric, renewable, solar, wind
One of the ways in which people change the world is by disseminating knowledge, advocating for education, and sharing experience, with the goal of finding solutions to problems, while helping others find solutions as well. In my opinion, one issue in the field of sustainability, which may or may not be overlooked, is social sustainability in terms of human interaction. For my project, I would like to focus on issues of personal identity and social stigmas, which challenge people on a daily basis. I would like to highlight the problem of social marginalization, and also ways in which members of marginalized communities knowingly or unknowingly use their status to marginalize others. Specifically, I want to promote awareness and advocacy for transgender and gender-nonconforming people, while educating myself in the process.
At this point, I have considered several options to make an impact from my research, and I am having difficulty in choosing the best way to go about this. However, for the time being, I would like to propose, create, implement, and/or maintain an online blog which addresses the challenges of social marginalization, while documenting my personal experience as a transgender individual. Through the venue of this blog, I want to synthesize findings from past and current academic research, provide links to community advocacy systems, and impart stories of human experience, to make these resources available to those in need of support. The blog will serve as a way to share my insights, incorporate the insights of others, and create new solutions through emergence in the system.
I am brainstorming the layout/content of the blog as follows:
It is challenging to find a way to convey this sort of information to the public, because it is so controversial. If a blog has too many constraints, I may opt for a pamphlet, a book, or some other forms of media. Perhaps I can plan a presentation.
Posted in Carmen Bradley
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ILS 252 improves your world 