On fic preferences, queer shit, and politics (also semi-queer)
Things I'm not particularly into right now: always-a-girl AUs (except for that awesome Bob Bryar one that's named after an ani song).
The problem I have with the word 'tranny' is this:
My cisgender friend used it the other day -- not in an insulting manner or anything, but the word literally turns my stomach just on its own. There is so much hatefulness wrapped up in the use of that word, not just in the past but now, the way it is used in everyday language. It hits very close to... everything. How assaulted I feel everyday by mainstream portrayals of trans people. I've told her before that I don't like it and I told her again this time and she just got sooooo upset at me. She told me that this friend and that friend that we both know use it, and that we're all queers here and that she thought the word was "one of those words that have been reclaimed." The problem with that, of course, is that she is in no position to reclaim it -- she's not trans. It isn't hers to reclaim. Yes she is queer, but she doesn't have the experience of a) either having that word negatively attributed to her or fearing that it will be or b) experiencing the shame and guilt of being a 'tranny' in this society.
It just. If you're trans - use it, own it, whatever. Take that power away from those who would use that word to oppress you/us. It needs to be done, and there is all kinds of fabulousness to that. But if you aren't then know that you damn well cannot reclaim it anymore than a man can reclaim 'bitch' or 'cunt' or a white person can reclaim racial slurs. Or at least, that's how I feel about it. Well, that, and hearing it coming from someone who isn't trans really does feel like a bit like being punched in the face sometimes.
If you're curious, a bunch of awesome people commented more about it here a couple days ago.
Meta recs, or: Better Late Than Never
On Sarah Palin as VP:
trollprincess's 'Why I dislike McCain's VP pick...'
and hegemony's 'Ahh, finally'
Excerpt: In summation, welcome to the age of identity politics: the personal is political, the political is now sponsored by Coke, MTV, and the National Enquirer. Fuck the issues. Fuck the belief. Vote with your vagina, with your skin color, with your old age, with your christian faith. Welcome to the thunder-dome of power spheres. And be careful to prioritize your identities, because there can only be one on top.
On St. Paul* as a police state:
smashfantastic and wishforhome's initial responses are both informative and awesome (here and here, respectively)
and together with alex51324's 'Serious RL Post: Is The Whole World Watching' provide a pretty good overview of the whole [intensely worrying] situation.
Also I love you all and I'm sorry about being so slow getting back to comments on my last post -- things have been a little crazy here. *hands*
*Thanks, losers, for letting me know I typo'd that so horribly. ;D I'm so embarrassed.
The problem I have with the word 'tranny' is this:
My cisgender friend used it the other day -- not in an insulting manner or anything, but the word literally turns my stomach just on its own. There is so much hatefulness wrapped up in the use of that word, not just in the past but now, the way it is used in everyday language. It hits very close to... everything. How assaulted I feel everyday by mainstream portrayals of trans people. I've told her before that I don't like it and I told her again this time and she just got sooooo upset at me. She told me that this friend and that friend that we both know use it, and that we're all queers here and that she thought the word was "one of those words that have been reclaimed." The problem with that, of course, is that she is in no position to reclaim it -- she's not trans. It isn't hers to reclaim. Yes she is queer, but she doesn't have the experience of a) either having that word negatively attributed to her or fearing that it will be or b) experiencing the shame and guilt of being a 'tranny' in this society.
It just. If you're trans - use it, own it, whatever. Take that power away from those who would use that word to oppress you/us. It needs to be done, and there is all kinds of fabulousness to that. But if you aren't then know that you damn well cannot reclaim it anymore than a man can reclaim 'bitch' or 'cunt' or a white person can reclaim racial slurs. Or at least, that's how I feel about it. Well, that, and hearing it coming from someone who isn't trans really does feel like a bit like being punched in the face sometimes.
If you're curious, a bunch of awesome people commented more about it here a couple days ago.
Meta recs, or: Better Late Than Never
On Sarah Palin as VP:
trollprincess's 'Why I dislike McCain's VP pick...'
and hegemony's 'Ahh, finally'
Excerpt: In summation, welcome to the age of identity politics: the personal is political, the political is now sponsored by Coke, MTV, and the National Enquirer. Fuck the issues. Fuck the belief. Vote with your vagina, with your skin color, with your old age, with your christian faith. Welcome to the thunder-dome of power spheres. And be careful to prioritize your identities, because there can only be one on top.
On St. Paul* as a police state:
smashfantastic and wishforhome's initial responses are both informative and awesome (here and here, respectively)
and together with alex51324's 'Serious RL Post: Is The Whole World Watching' provide a pretty good overview of the whole [intensely worrying] situation.
Also I love you all and I'm sorry about being so slow getting back to comments on my last post -- things have been a little crazy here. *hands*
*Thanks, losers, for letting me know I typo'd that so horribly. ;D I'm so embarrassed.