and now, the moment you've all been waiting for:

[bearsir]

Call For Submissions
GENDER OUTLAWS: THE NEXT GENERATION
Kate Bornstein & S Bear Bergman, edsDeadline: 1 September 2009

Comments

[fall_of_sophia]

:( is the use of the word "trannies" really necessary/appropriate? the use of it has really gone over the edge in "radical" spheres to the point that cis queers think it's just fine to call us that.

[bearsir]

Hey, would you like to write about that? I hear some people are putting together an anthology...

[fall_of_sophia]

A friend has already written about it much better than I could have.

http://takesupspace.wordpress.com/2008/11/10/tranny-and-subversivism-re-reclaiming-tranny-or-not-part-1/
http://takesupspace.wordpress.com/2009/01/08/tranny-cis-women-re-reclaiming-tranny-or-not-part-2/

[kynn]

In the meanwhile, until the book gets written about and published, can you please update your post and call for submissions?

Because we're talking about your use of the term. And it's not cool.

[bearsir]

I hear that you don't care for it. On the other hand, Kate and I do. Certainly for me, it's part of the identity I claim (I won't presume to speak for Kate

No, I won't be supporting this

[kynn]

I had previously retweeted the call for submissions, but based on the way you answered here? I am now going to advise my friends against submitting to your "trannies" anthology.

Re: No, I won't be supporting this

[innerlife_]

Same. As a trans woman I wish folks who are not trans women would stop trying to adopt / reclaim / further normalize this icky term's use, particularly when it comes to cis people using it.

Disappointing.

Re: No, I won't be supporting this

[einsideout]

I'm not a trans woman, but yes, this. It's disappointing.

[boi_xen]

Re: No, I won't be supporting this

[kynn]

Oddly enough, I don't feel empowered.

But thanks for the condescending lecture -- nothing like THAT to empower someone!

Re: No, I won't be supporting this

[hanaurimusume]

word.

Re: No, I won't be supporting this

[shemale]

a word misused in an unintentionally hilarious way, even!

Re: No, I won't be supporting this

[crashtestcase]

I find it really interesting that many of the folks defending this term are on the masculine spectrum of things when traditionally, it has largely been trans women affected by this term.

Which inspires me to write a piece about privilege in the trans male community and all the ways I see it continuing to hurt people in the trans female community.

But, not sure if I'll be submitting it to this anthology because I have similar issues with people trying to "reclaim" a word that has been so hurtful to me and people in our community.

Re: No, I won't be supporting this

[shemale]

Ha, "co-optation" is right: "To take or assume for one's own use; appropriate" from one dictionary, or "take over, appropriate [a style co-opted by advertisers]" from another.

It's appropriation, and fuck your "feeling empowered" for reclaiming it when it wasn't yours to "reclaim" in the first place. "Empowering" like gay cis men "reclaiming" the phrase "bulldyke."

Re: No, I won't be supporting this

[ambidextrous87]

"Empowering" like gay cis men "reclaiming" the phrase "bulldyke."
That is one of the best ways I have ever seen this boiled down to one sentence. Can I please have your permission to use this line when next I need to??

Re: No, I won't be supporting this

[shemale]

Thanks.
Of course :)