We're All Sisters and Brothers in the End. It Would Be Nice If People Acted Like It 🌈
Life's been, uh, life-like, and I don't think I've marked a birthday or anything else in a punctual manner lately. (Sorry, guys. ❤️) True to (recent) form, a few weeks ago I missed the International Transgender Day of Visibility. In light of HB 1475* which was passed last week by overwhelming majority in Florida's State House of Representatives (a bit of legislation that has the distinction of being both transphobic and misogynistic, cheers, and potentially classist as well for the hat trick), I figured this was a good time to redress that failure on my part.
Dear trans-siblings: you're seen. You're heard. And you aren't in this alone.
Sending warm, fluffy and most excellent hugs. - xox - Ginger.
In honour of the (belated) occasion, I thought I'd signal boost Theatre Battery's "Lego Harry Potter and the Transgender Witch - a queer fan fiction parody adventure made in the pandemic by unemployed theater people." It demonstrates some truly impressive production skills and may be the best lego fanwork I've ever seen. (Honestly, it kills me to see something made with this much skill and love with that few likes.)
Caveat for my corner of HP fandom: as they explain, it was created in direct response to JK Rowling's "harmful anti-trans views expressed this last year", which means our trio and Ginny unfortunately make a rather wretched showing (understandably given what they're trying to convey, but for a fan of the stories, it's nevertheless something of a hurdle to these works and a pity). So yes, it's somewhat OOC, but then how many OOC Snape-fics have we all read? (Hmm? 😉) It helps to try to let go of "your" characters and see theirs as something distinct. Additionally, poor trans Quincy has a rough time of it (also a real pity, but sadly authentic), but she's a determined little witch who begins to come into her own as of the second installment. (In that I found it was similar to some of the things Hermione endured in canon, except we never really see it from her POV which obviously makes for easier viewing / reading. In many respects, Quincy is this story's Hermione, complete with S.P.E.W. counterpart.)
Quincy's problem with Harry in a nutshell? He's "a jock, and he wants to be a cop." (Yeah, I lol-ed. 😆) I loved her posters and her choice of faculty advisor (not creepy at all, heh), and she really rocks a set of wings (the Yule Ball! Probably my favourite instalment). Daphne Greengrass would be so jealous... 😉 (<- artwork by the ever lovely mywitch)
Because it isn't super clear on youtube (I do so love a good TOC), here the links to the chapters of Lego Harry Potter and the Transgender Witch thus far:
1. Year One, Part One (Cos)
2. Year One, Part Two (CoS - the Forbidden Forest)
3. Year Two (PoA - the werewolf)
4. Year Three (GoF - the Yule Ball)
5. Year Four (OotP Quincy vs. Umbridge)
* Some RW nitty gritty, if that's your jam. A few notes on HB 1475, because I'm a firm believer in arguing about / discussing objective reality. Four talking points should you find yourself in need of them...
1) It's been widely circulated that school officials would conduct the exams; while all too believable (Ffs, Florida!), this is rubbish. The girls' healthcare providers would be required to provide a signed statement. (That doesn't make the bill less hurtful, but potentially somewhat less harmful; there's no need to make this appear worse than it already is. On the other hand, line 57 lacks necessary precision; that rarely ends well.)
2) As it isn't required of everyone (and why not, exactly?), it all but guarantees a vulnerable and impressionable demographic that disproportionately battles with body image issues would find itself subjected to still more assaults on that front. (Remember your years as a teenage girl, anyone? Joy of joys.) Heavens help you if you don't conform to traditional ideals, this would make you more of a target. (Just what society needed.)
3) How do they guarantee less privileged students can even afford the required examinations in order to be permitted to take part in sports, and without such provisions (to be clear: there are none), isn't this inherently yet another form of economic / class gatekeeping?
4) While in absolute fairness arguments can be made that transwomen and -girls >> presumably << have some advantages over their cis counterparts in competition (relevant science on actual trans athletes (as opposed to transwomen in general) is thin, as are longer term studies, and medicine is wicked complicated, yo), if you have any doubt as to the transphobic nature of this legislation, then ask why it bans participation as opposed to attempting to regulate competition, and that in a more differentiated manner? (Or why the focus is on endogenously produced hormones (given hormone therapy makes the crucial impact on haemoglobin (key in endurance sports) within as little as four months). Or why something like this needs to be regulated as a law, for that matter.)
We can do better, people, and we really should. Be a mensch, folks, be kinder to one another. There's not enough love in the world. 🌈 ❤️
Dear trans-siblings: you're seen. You're heard. And you aren't in this alone.
Sending warm, fluffy and most excellent hugs. - xox - Ginger.
Click to viewIn honour of the (belated) occasion, I thought I'd signal boost Theatre Battery's "Lego Harry Potter and the Transgender Witch - a queer fan fiction parody adventure made in the pandemic by unemployed theater people." It demonstrates some truly impressive production skills and may be the best lego fanwork I've ever seen. (Honestly, it kills me to see something made with this much skill and love with that few likes.)
Caveat for my corner of HP fandom: as they explain, it was created in direct response to JK Rowling's "harmful anti-trans views expressed this last year", which means our trio and Ginny unfortunately make a rather wretched showing (understandably given what they're trying to convey, but for a fan of the stories, it's nevertheless something of a hurdle to these works and a pity). So yes, it's somewhat OOC, but then how many OOC Snape-fics have we all read? (Hmm? 😉) It helps to try to let go of "your" characters and see theirs as something distinct. Additionally, poor trans Quincy has a rough time of it (also a real pity, but sadly authentic), but she's a determined little witch who begins to come into her own as of the second installment. (In that I found it was similar to some of the things Hermione endured in canon, except we never really see it from her POV which obviously makes for easier viewing / reading. In many respects, Quincy is this story's Hermione, complete with S.P.E.W. counterpart.)
Quincy's problem with Harry in a nutshell? He's "a jock, and he wants to be a cop." (Yeah, I lol-ed. 😆) I loved her posters and her choice of faculty advisor (not creepy at all, heh), and she really rocks a set of wings (the Yule Ball! Probably my favourite instalment). Daphne Greengrass would be so jealous... 😉 (<- artwork by the ever lovely mywitch)
Because it isn't super clear on youtube (I do so love a good TOC), here the links to the chapters of Lego Harry Potter and the Transgender Witch thus far:
1. Year One, Part One (Cos)
2. Year One, Part Two (CoS - the Forbidden Forest)
3. Year Two (PoA - the werewolf)
4. Year Three (GoF - the Yule Ball)
5. Year Four (OotP Quincy vs. Umbridge)
* Some RW nitty gritty, if that's your jam. A few notes on HB 1475, because I'm a firm believer in arguing about / discussing objective reality. Four talking points should you find yourself in need of them...
1) It's been widely circulated that school officials would conduct the exams; while all too believable (Ffs, Florida!), this is rubbish. The girls' healthcare providers would be required to provide a signed statement. (That doesn't make the bill less hurtful, but potentially somewhat less harmful; there's no need to make this appear worse than it already is. On the other hand, line 57 lacks necessary precision; that rarely ends well.)
2) As it isn't required of everyone (and why not, exactly?), it all but guarantees a vulnerable and impressionable demographic that disproportionately battles with body image issues would find itself subjected to still more assaults on that front. (Remember your years as a teenage girl, anyone? Joy of joys.) Heavens help you if you don't conform to traditional ideals, this would make you more of a target. (Just what society needed.)
3) How do they guarantee less privileged students can even afford the required examinations in order to be permitted to take part in sports, and without such provisions (to be clear: there are none), isn't this inherently yet another form of economic / class gatekeeping?
4) While in absolute fairness arguments can be made that transwomen and -girls >> presumably << have some advantages over their cis counterparts in competition (relevant science on actual trans athletes (as opposed to transwomen in general) is thin, as are longer term studies, and medicine is wicked complicated, yo), if you have any doubt as to the transphobic nature of this legislation, then ask why it bans participation as opposed to attempting to regulate competition, and that in a more differentiated manner? (Or why the focus is on endogenously produced hormones (given hormone therapy makes the crucial impact on haemoglobin (key in endurance sports) within as little as four months). Or why something like this needs to be regulated as a law, for that matter.)
We can do better, people, and we really should. Be a mensch, folks, be kinder to one another. There's not enough love in the world. 🌈 ❤️