Transgendered Like Me
By Desiree Corley
I am transgendered.
Originally, I wanted to write an article that called to attention the
fact that feminism and transgenderism had similar goals, and battles to
be won together, that the gay and lesbian community shared these goals
as well. But, then I realized something. We're all transgendered.
What does that mean??? For the purpose of this article, let's take a
general view, with transgendered meaning to transcend the gender that
society assigns us. Western societies, American society specifically,
cherishes the dichotomy of the sexes, that men are aggressive, strong,
with no show of outward emotions, and women are sensitive, emotional,
irrational. Men are breadwinners and fighters while women are mothers
and wives. Men don't cry, women talk too much. Popular books such as Men are
from Mars, Women are from Venus drive home the 'fact' that these differences
are essential, and biological. We are so different, that we might as well be
from different planets, speaking different languages! Any deviation from
these 'norms' must be a freak occurrence or caused by a mental deficiency,
and should be ignored.
Those who we usually think of being transgendered, transsexuals and
crossdressers, typify what our society fears most: the shattering of
their ideas about gender. Transsexuals dare to challenge the idea that
gender is biological, that your born genitalia defines what your goals
and dreams should be. We're even more frightened by those who do not try hide
their transsexuality, who talk freely of their past as the opposite sex, who
speak of their identity as a transsexual as much as being a woman or man.
Then you have those damn crossdressers! How dare straight men enjoy
being feminine and defying one of the main mandates given to them by
society, "No Sissy Stuff!!!!" Men aren’t supposed to wish to be
flamboyant, to be beautiful, to be expressive, to be emotional, to be
nurturing…to enjoy women’s work! Crossdressers are stigmatized not just
for deviating from the norm, but for choosing the traits and identify of an
inferior creature, a woman.
However, there are more people who transgendered. Men who love other
men. Women who love other women. Women and men who love both. Men who
refuse to like sports, to fight, to kill. Women who refuse to be
passive, to always be cheery, to be abused. Men who are emotional, who
are nurturing, who are stay at home Dads, who spend more time with their
families, than at the office. Women who hate house work, who are CEOs, who
are aggressive, who take charge, who dare to demand to be treated as a human
being. This list goes on and on. I bet you are on the list, I know I am.
The fight for transgendered rights is not just about for the right to
walk around in frilly clothes, or to be accepted in the gender you are
instead of assigned. It’s about the ending of hurtful stereotypes used
for oppression and discrimination. The fight is not just done by IFGE or
GenderPac on Capitol Hill, it’s done in your workplace and your home, in how
you treat others, how you raise your children. It’s the example you set for
others. The end of stigmatization of gender expression beings with us.
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