calling people by their right names
I'd better preface this by saying that I love the deleted XMFC scene where Charles shows Angel an image of Erik in a dress. I especially love "you've never looked more beautiful, darling."
However. Even though Fassbender said it first, using names like "Traneto" or "Transneto" or any other variation thereof is not okay. Fassbender is a delightful and extraordinarily handsome man, but apparently he's not knowledgeable about trans* issues. Wearing drag != being trans. Being shown as wearing drag by your telepathic boyfriend best pal, against your knowledge and will? Also != being trans. [NOTE: Please see my ETA for more about the context of Fassbender's remark.]
Trans* people are real. So are people who enjoy wearing drag. The conflation of drag and trans*-ness hurts people in both categories by erasing their identities.
So, could we all use the right names? Even when we're being silly and squeeing and having fun? That way no one gets hurt and everyone gets to have fun.
Including trans* people like me.
ETA: Fassbender's comment, if I'm remembering correctly now, was made in the context of talking about the superpower to change one's sex at will. It wasn't made in relation to the Erik-in-a-dress scene. While I think the term "Traneto" is still faily and offensive (it's waaaaaaay to close to "tranny" for comfort), at least when Fassbender used it, it was in a context of sex/gender identity and not just crossdressing.
ETA2: A couple of folks have brought up the possibility that those fandom people using the words Traneto/Transneto are actually referring to "transvestite" rather than "transgendered" or "transsexual." It's certainly possible, but (a) it's still a conflation of identities (doing drag != being a transvestite != being transgendered/transsexual), and (b) is "transvestite" all that common of a term anymore? It's not one I hear often unless I'm watching Eddie Izzard, and it's definitely not the interpretation that came into my mind on hearing Traneto/Transneto.
Crossposted at Dreamwidth (
comments); you can comment here or there.
However. Even though Fassbender said it first, using names like "Traneto" or "Transneto" or any other variation thereof is not okay. Fassbender is a delightful and extraordinarily handsome man, but apparently he's not knowledgeable about trans* issues. Wearing drag != being trans. Being shown as wearing drag by your telepathic boyfriend best pal, against your knowledge and will? Also != being trans. [NOTE: Please see my ETA for more about the context of Fassbender's remark.]
Trans* people are real. So are people who enjoy wearing drag. The conflation of drag and trans*-ness hurts people in both categories by erasing their identities.
So, could we all use the right names? Even when we're being silly and squeeing and having fun? That way no one gets hurt and everyone gets to have fun.
Including trans* people like me.
ETA: Fassbender's comment, if I'm remembering correctly now, was made in the context of talking about the superpower to change one's sex at will. It wasn't made in relation to the Erik-in-a-dress scene. While I think the term "Traneto" is still faily and offensive (it's waaaaaaay to close to "tranny" for comfort), at least when Fassbender used it, it was in a context of sex/gender identity and not just crossdressing.
ETA2: A couple of folks have brought up the possibility that those fandom people using the words Traneto/Transneto are actually referring to "transvestite" rather than "transgendered" or "transsexual." It's certainly possible, but (a) it's still a conflation of identities (doing drag != being a transvestite != being transgendered/transsexual), and (b) is "transvestite" all that common of a term anymore? It's not one I hear often unless I'm watching Eddie Izzard, and it's definitely not the interpretation that came into my mind on hearing Traneto/Transneto.
Crossposted at Dreamwidth (
comments); you can comment here or there.