By Melody Griffiths
It's just a fact of life transsexuals have had to deal with, like anyone else who is "different". But, it appears to me, things seem to be changing, and there's hope.
We're becoming "cool".
Smirk if you will -- but, either I'm over-optimistic or it's the case. But, look at popular media lately -- just off of the top of my head, we've had:
"Boys and Girls -- The Pet Shop Boys"
This dance song seems very gay/trans friendly -- although it carries no real message, the lyrics go something like: "Girls who are boys, who love boys, who like girls, who do girls like they're boys and do boys like they're girls... They might just be someone you really love."
My cousin knew that song by heart -- and believe it or not it was perhaps at least a small factor in his ability to accept me. The power of music.
"Are you a boy or a girl... -- Universal Drag (?)"
As of this writing I'm not sure of the artist who does this song, but the lyrics appear to be about the singer confused about "gender blending" -- "I thought I was straight, but now I'm not so sure, are you a boy or a girl?"
This song appears to have found it's way onto the local radio alot lately as well.
Priscilla -- Queen of the Desert
I don't think much needs to be said about this movies somewhat positive portrayal of a transsexual, albeit a comedy, it's very sympathetic.
I Like It Like That
This is the first real comedy-ish movie I've seen with a central transsexual character where transsexuality was _not_ the main focus of the movie. The general plot revolves around a hispanic couple in the inner city, and the woman's sister is a pre-op transsexual.
The treatment of the TS in the movie is very heartening -- aside from the transsexual's parents, everyone else seems to accept her fairly well -- the sister treating her as her sister, and so on. Very good show of acceptance in such a harsh community setting.
Chicago Hope
The episodes featuring the TS on this show were rather well done, and recieved rather wide viewing -- and portrayed a rather positive view of transsexuals.
Maury Povich, etc...
Even the talk-shows, who at one point generally treated us as circus- freaks, now seem to be preaching acceptance of us. I've seen Maury Povich poll on a number of occasions on the side of gays/lesbians/transsexuals, and even Jerry Springer has stated that if it's what we feel we have to do, we should be free to do it.
Times are a-changing.
Now, I've seen first-hand the effects of this kind of media coverage, I have quite a few friends in the under 23 catagory, and they've all been *really* cool with me, and I owe alot of it to the recent positive portrayals of our situations. And, for a teenager, this is a big pill to swallow too. But the world is starting to teach itself that we're OK.
And, hopefully not in the too far future we'll be able to walk down the street without fear of harrasment from kids -- but although it's already started, it's going to take time.