12/8/11

In the days of Bosom Buddies I was called a Hippyfreak Commie, Faggot

I grew up during the 60' and 70's during and just after Vietnam. As a youth I was able to wear my hair long and wear women's clothing because I looked like the war protesters. People just assumed I was a hippy. And since my political views were in line with that, it was a fit. I was also able to be bi sexual because just as it is today, sexual orientation is not a attribute openly discernible unless one is comfortable putting it on display.

But those who were closest to me, those who delighted in my discomfort, some of my family members who knew better and foes alike used to call me hippy commie freak, fag. Yes faggot. because in those days that's what society viewed all gender variant people as. A fag, a poof. Of no worth.


Sorry for the Audio Lag.

And I was happy with that because as harmful as the word faggot is it meant they recognized my gender was somehow different from how they were. So I remained quietly acquiescent to the defamation. Because then the very ides of living and especially working authentically was absurd. So outrageously absurd a network capitalized on gender diversity by making a comedy series about it, Bosom Buddies.

The outrageous situational "comedy" of Bosom Buddies was indisputably accepted as representative of what would happen if anyone dared to present in a gender not congruent with the one on there birth certificate.

Back then transgender people were isolated by shear numbers being less than 1% of the population and with no Internet to connect. No social media to present our agenda. But times have changed thanks to society's awakening to diversity.

However there is one man of consequence who is still living in the days of Bosom Buddy . One man who unrepentantly laughs at our suffering. A man would be perfectly happy seeing those Bosom Buddies days return.

That man is Paul Lee, president of ABC.

In fact, without anything to suggest otherwise, Paul Lee hopes for a return to those days when in hopelessness we turned to alcohol and drugs for escape. Back to the days when our lives became so unlivable we had no option to go out clumsily dressed as the woman who we KNEW we were only to face ridicule, ostracisation, violence and even death.

Back to the days when finding work as our true selves was simply absurd but as demanded by our souls, our only choice.

Not any more MR Paul Lee. We are no longer silent victims. And as the Huffington Post article stated you will probably continue ignore our outcry. In fact, you are probably basking in the attention your pitiful mockery of gender diverse is receiving. But in the long run you will be remembered as a bully and bigot you truly are.

Please sign the Petition ABC Do Not Air Work It

12/5/11

Video: Transgender Woman Tazed in The Crotch After Cops See Her Driver License With Male Name



"Ms Fantelli said the ranger allegedly first accused some in her group of taking nude pictures in the desert and demanded everyone's IDs.
The 43-year-old said once the ranger saw her license - which still has her registered as a man - everything changed.
She told News10: 'He actually looked me straight in the eye and says, "You used to be a guy", and I said, "Yes, I did". There was no way around it. I could see it in his eyes. He wanted to tase me.

Full story at News 10

12/4/11

ABC president laughs as he learns "Work It" will Spill Transgender Blood

'Work It' makes a mockery of transgender peoples struggles in the work place and empowers those with dormant transphobia to act on those urges with violence.
It reinforces the biased stereotypical misogynistic social constructs that transsexuals are not "real" people and therefore of no worth.

Plot Summary: "Looking for a job in today's economy can be a real drag. Take Lee Standish (Ben Koldyke), one-time breadwinner and current unemployment statistic. After being laid off, Lee will do anything it takes to support his family – even if it means (allowing himself to be so degraded as to) putting on a skirt and heels." The GLBTQ Encyclopedia defines
" continuing treatment of transvestism as comedy--including what can be called the "transvestite plot," wherein a heterosexual character must temporarily cross-dress in accordance with a narrative contrivance, only to be happily unmasked at the conclusion--may be seen today as, by turns, quaint or coy, playful or conservative, potentially subversive or ultimately homophobic transphobic. Corrective strike by me.

Our lives are a struggle. When we have what others consider less desirable jobs we are allowed to glide along, sometimes.

I'll never forget one haters sentiments when he said "I don't care if a tranny is working as a cashier if his line is moving faster I'll get in it". But let us get a more desirable job as I have, and the real hate begins. Everyday, viciously and without mercy. Its not comedy, it's tragic.

Any transgender person who has sat and waited in a doctors office will confirm the sales end of the pharmaceutical companies is sexualized to a almost comical extent. The woman who enter the doctors offices peddling there wares are almost always forced into hyper feminized costumes making this programs concept offensive and marginalizing to cisgender woman as well.

Transgender people have until recently have been forced to buy hormones instead of proper medical care on the internet. At best we were treated by the good graces of a empathizing doctor. We often feel compelled to remain silent even when office staffs were abusive because the reality is there might be only a couple doctors with hundreds of miles willing to treat us.

Insulting is the core message of 'Work It'. It that takes a 'real macho man' to teach transsexuals how to be a woman. This is the same meme that excuses rapists in South Africa when they 'cure' lesbians.





In a recent survey of transgender New Yorkers the
Times Union reports "74 percent of adults said they had been harassed or mistreated on the job and 75 percent of students in grades K-12 reported being bullied or tormented. Thirty-five percent of the kids said they had been physically assault."
Clearly, our decapitated bodies bodies are no more a laughing matter than the lynching of black people.

The President of ABC could give a fuck less if his shows contribute to our murders as long as they make him laugh. Digital Spy reports that ABC president Paul Lee: 'I make no excuses for Work It'

To this man the chaotic dysfunctional Monty Python serves as a role model for cultivating social consciousness! Is he even fit to serve as president of ABC?

Add you name at the petition site.com/1/ABC-NO-WORK-IT/ and lets raise our voices so he can't ignore us any longer!

UNREPENTANT MURDERER Our blood will be on your hands Paul Lee. Do not air this travesty. If it truly is in your contract to produce one 'cross dressing show a year' why don't you lead ABC to the very pinnacle of broadcasting and pick up Gun Hill Road

That I could guarantee you would be a smash hit and if done tastefully might even make you and I both 'cackle', cry, shout for joy and wait impatiently for the next episode!

ABC president laughs as he learns "Work It" will Spill Transgender Blood

'Work It' makes a mockery of transgender peoples struggles in the work place and empowers those with dormant transphobia to act on those urges with violence.
It reinforces the biased stereotypical misogynistic social constructs that transsexuals are not "real" people and therefore of no worth.

Plot Summary: "Looking for a job in today's economy can be a real drag. Take Lee Standish (Ben Koldyke), one-time breadwinner and current unemployment statistic. After being laid off, Lee will do anything it takes to support his family – even if it means (allowing himself to be so degraded as to) putting on a skirt and heels." The GLBTQ Encyclopedia defines
" continuing treatment of transvestism as comedy--including what can be called the "transvestite plot," wherein a heterosexual character must temporarily cross-dress in accordance with a narrative contrivance, only to be happily unmasked at the conclusion--may be seen today as, by turns, quaint or coy, playful or conservative, potentially subversive or ultimately homophobic transphobic. Corrective strike by me.

Our lives are a struggle. When we have what others consider less desirable jobs we are allowed to glide along, sometimes.

I'll never forget one haters sentiments when he said "I don't care if a tranny is working as a cashier if his line is moving faster I'll get in it". But let us get a more desirable job as I have, and the real hate begins. Everyday, viciously and without mercy. Its not comedy, it's tragic.

Any transgender person who has sat and waited in a doctors office will confirm the sales end of the pharmaceutical companies is sexualized to a almost comical extent. The woman who enter the doctors offices peddling there wares are almost always forced into hyper feminized costumes making this programs concept offensive and marginalizing to cisgender woman as well.

Transgender people have until recently have been forced to buy hormones instead of proper medical care on the internet. At best we were treated by the good graces of a empathizing doctor. We often feel compelled to remain silent even when office staffs were abusive because the reality is there might be only a couple doctors with hundreds of miles willing to treat us.

Insulting is the core message of 'Work It'. It that takes a 'real macho man' to teach transsexuals how to be a woman. This is the same meme that excuses rapists in South Africa when they 'cure' lesbians.





In a recent survey of transgender New Yorkers the
Times Union reports "74 percent of adults said they had been harassed or mistreated on the job and 75 percent of students in grades K-12 reported being bullied or tormented. Thirty-five percent of the kids said they had been physically assault."
Clearly, our decapitated bodies bodies are no more a laughing matter than the lynching of black people.

The President of ABC could give a fuck less if his shows contribute to our murders as long as they make him laugh. Digital Spy reports that ABC president Paul Lee: 'I make no excuses for Work It'
To this man the chaotic dysfunctional Monty Python serves as a role model for cultivating social consciousness! Is he even fit to serve as president of ABC?

UNREPENTANT MURDERER Our blood will be on your hands Paul Lee. Do not air this travesty.

12/3/11

Take off your Hat Kelli, It's not in the spirit of Christmas

Not in the spirit of Christmas. Those words floored me after hearing them from management at the Walmart I work at. Apparently a 'couple' of customers had complained about my hat. But whats 'wrong' with it? Well, I decorated as invited to do and printed the words in pink lettering "Santa's Transgender Helper". As you can see from my picture taken on a much better day, the lettering is faint and the whole message is impossible to read unless I wanted someone to.

I had only shared the message with a few friends, a couple of my supervisors who appeared to enjoy it.

But what made me cry is to think people are so very hateful and disdainful of the true meaning of Christmas as to use it as a weapon. This hat was my celebration of my love for our store and our customers. A coming out if you will.

Not in the spirit of Christmas? I beg to differ. Truly I do. I believe love, acceptance of diversity and a desire to be at peace with the earth is what Jesus Christ taught and died for.

I threw my hat out after hearing those words and left cursing this hate filled pathetic town. But after a couple good cries I began to put things into context. I was hired at this store in 2009 and that was a huge deal. People came from near and far to gawk at me and sometimes to hate on me. But gradually I became more comfortable with the town and I sincerely believed it was mutual.

Be it as it may all this drama doesn't change this: My hat has everything to do with the spirit of Christmas, the one forgotten by so many. Love, hope and peace on earth.

Merry Christmas Mansfield Texas.