Variants of transgendered women

[Melissa A.]

I wasn't going to reply, here...the entire premise of the original post seemed to be an exercise in obvious, with no interesting theme or explanation to go along with it. But it did start a conversation that many of us have had before, and that I have at times found pretty interesting. And I thought your second post was much better and more usable than your original one, Linda. I guess I can understand, on one level, the oft-repeated ambivalence for "labels". It sounds good, anyway, I guess that's why so many repeat it so often. But then I snap out of it. Things like real prejudice and bigotry aside, we use language to describe what we see. It helps a little to say. "that's a cat, and that's a dog". Language is also a somewhat useful tool for describing our own state of being. Like Human being. Or being happy. Or being John Malkovich. I'm, unfortunately, not a born woman, but a transsexual woman. That's a fact that I cannot escape. For my purposes and feelings, it's simply "woman", but that's a whole other conversation... I have no desire to be confused with a drag queen or a transvestite. Drag queens and transvestites can be wonderful, fun people, with as much legitimacy within our created community as I. Heck, some of my closest friends describe themselves as genderqueer and the like! (hooo-did I really just say that?? Sorry!) But I'm not them. Nor do I really have anything in common with gays and lesbians, outside of a seething hatred for injustice, violence and unfairness. Terms can divide, undoubtabley, and maybe they make some feel unfairly "labeled". But words describe. They can divide, and also bring together. "Transgender" is a political term that to me, doesn't really describe anything but a community of gender-variant people, many quite different from the others. Useful because there is more strength in numbers, hence our affiliation with LGB, although sexual orientation has zero in common with identity. There is nothing wrong, to me, in pointing out that many of us are different and have different motivation for what we do. So go ahead and label me, baby. Just make sure you get it right! At least make an attempt, or you may have one pissed off bitch on your hands.

Hugs,

Melissa