Debbie raises an interesting point in the "What happened in Largo tonight thread". Rather than take that thread off topic I am starting this one.
Does Tri-Ess need to take a stand in the fights for Trans rights?
I am of two minds on this. On the one side there is no doubt that the trans community needs its own individul voice to go along with the GLBT push. We need to have a visible face rather than just having the GLBT lobby speak for us. Tri-ess is in the best position to fo this. It is the largest and moist visible trans orginization. Their argument that this is a TS rather than CD issue is out of touch with alot of their members. I have attended meetings with two different groups in separate states. Both groups had a good number of members that were pushing the TS boundries. So I dont buy that argument.
On the other side, I think Tri-ess needs to stick with what it is doing. Being a first step in a Cd's journey out of the closet. Yes it is a bigger closet like Debbie says, but it is our first chance to be with other like ourselves in person. First I think we must realise our foray into the whole rights movement will be different from gays and lesbians. We are different. We can do this alone and all by ourselves. Gays and lesbians need partners. ( yes having friends and partners is great, but not a necessity) We have wives and children who we risk losing by coming out. So we are much deeper in the closet than the gay population was. Forums like this give us our first taste of the sisterhood we share and let us know we are not alone, Tri-ess gives many their first experience outside of their homes. Just look at how many members wont show their faces here. These meeting gives them a place to feel comfortable showing themselves to others and learning in person how to improve themselves. Activist groups tend to push boundries in ways that make the more closeted skittish. In my opinion one of the gay rights movement biggest mistake was forced outings. With our lower needs and greater risks this could kill us. Imagine someone using this forum to gain information and then outing all that they could. This place would be emty with deleted accounts within days. We need the extra safety till we as a group become more comfortable with ourselves. Again I say Tri-Ess provides a componant of this.
This is my opinion on this. I am curioius what the rest of you have to think.