Solidarity Within The LGBT Movement

[phoenixvtam]

I don't feel this one qualifies as "controversial", but I'll perfectly willing to tag it if a mod asks me to.

Despite its high profile, the cause of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender rights continues to stand out as the one major area of civil rights in which relatively little progress has been made. Fanatical

Comments

[phoenixvtam]

The argument that it's ethical to help yourself first or to help as many people as possible is valid, but only when you also satisfy the prerequisite that you're not hurting other people along the way. In other words, ethically speaking I don't have an obligation to help you, but I do have an obligation not to harm you.

The "gay rights first/only" approach DOES directly harm transgendered people, so it's unethical.

[wavilyem]

Forgive me for asking, but how does passing a non-trans inclusive law actively harm trans people? If youre implying that passing such a law would delay securing protections based on gender identity, I suppose that could indirectly harm us. But what about genderqueer people -- they still wouldn't be fully protected even with an "inclusive" ENDA because they'd still be forced to dress in line with a convential gender at many jobs. So by your logic we shouldn't leave behind the genderqueer community either. In fact, we can't even ethically pass any law that doesn't give full rights to every oppressed minority group because queer rights would set back other groups as well and that wouldn't be ethical.

[christinemax]

I agree, as a board member of a LGBT advocacy group I have to remind the Gays and Lesbians that we matter too. For example we are deciding on how terminology to use on publication( whether LGBT, LGBTQQIA, Gender and Sexual Minorities or something different) and some one said I personally just say Gay and Lesbian. I think thoughts like that underscore the notion that many gays feel like they are just fighting for "gay" rights or they simply or unaware of the similarities and solidarity with the trans community. I don't think the person that said it meant anything by it, but it did bother me a bit.

[phoenixvtam]

I'm convinced that the hardcore trans-exclusion types are fully aware of the actual history of the LGBT movement. They're just practicing historical revisionism in an attempt to justify their selfishness.

The "rank and file" types are probably unaware of it, though, and they're really the ones that this piece is aimed at.

[phoenixvtam]

There's a few more arguments I can throw in, but I decided to focus on just refuting the pro-Frank case for now.

[ironmysandwich]

The way I see it, it's completely illogical to leave trans people out of any effort to gain rights for sexual minorities because transgender issues encompass gay/lesbian issues.

Being sexually attracted to women is a masculine role in our society. Therefore, when a woman is sexually attracted to other women (ie- lesbian or bisexual woman), she's breaking gender norms no matter how femme she is. The entire queer movement is bonded together by the simple fact that, one way or another, we're all breaking society's expectations of us based on our assigned gender. We just do it in different ways.

It makes sense to me that we should be fighting for gender freedom first and foremost because when that has been gained, freedom to love regardless of gender has also been gained. It flat out doesn't make sense to me why we're going about it so backwards.

[phoenixvtam]

In principle I certainly agree with you; in practice, the fact that there are more gays than transpeople tends to push the LGBT movement into a very unhealthy "gay rights first and foremost" mentality.

[ironmysandwich]

Agreed, but I think this is only the case because many "mainstream" gay people refuse to see their orientation as a matter of gender. If they did, it would be impossible to have more gay people than trans people because gay people would fall under the loose trans umbrella. I feel this would be a much more beneficial and healthy way to view things.

Thank you.

[jan_can_too]

As a parent of a transgender kid, I truly appreciate your intelligence, insight, and breadth of vision.

Re: Thank you.

[phoenixvtam]

Awwwwwwwww! That's one of the nicest things anyone's ever said to me.

Re: Thank you.

[jan_can_too]

Hey, it's true. Keep up your good work.

:) js

Re: Thank you.

[phoenixvtam]

Only one problem. I'm way too young to have insight! Since when was I a mature adult????! NOOOOOOOOO!

*flees to Never-Never Land*