Dear Sir or Ma’am,
I writing this because I’m part of a community, and an activist for, those who are continually forgotten or legislated against in this country. This community is called Transgendered. Yes, those of us who have Gender Identities that don’t match our Birth records.
I’m doing this because I am one example of the most extreme versions of this community: I was born with all of the parts. I have ovaries, a uterus, a sewn-up vagina, and a man-made penis. My “role” in Life was determined by people that never asked me who I saw myself as. I didn’t get to state my preferences. I got “assigned”.
Now I’m living my life as I should have… as myself and female.
I’m also doing this because I believe the values that our Founders enshrined in our Constitution and the Bill of Rights. I believe each and every citizen of this Country is endowed with Rights to be who and what they are. There is no middle ground on this. These are our rights as Human Beings under our country’s Constitution and our Bill of Rights. This is the gift of the Founders to each and everyone of us. I respect their work greatly. It is why I can wake up everyday… and can know that I live in the greatest country on the planet.
To support my belief in this country and the reasons for our kind of Culture, I gave 9+ tears of my life to the Military. I’m am very skilled in Physics, Chemistry, Fluid Flow Dynamics, Geology, History and Anthropology. I became everything that was asked of us decades ago. We were asked to become the best and the brightest. I lived up to that, not just because I had interests, but because I believed in our Nation. My Homeland asked for this and I felt that I could not ignore the call.
Now, there are two Bills floating through Congress concerning citizens such as myself.
The bills are labeled as ENDA, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act. One is H.R. 3685 (covering only the LGB folks), the other is H.R. 3686 which covers us Trans folks. Both of these bills deal only with employment issues. Originally both were covered under H.R. 2015, but certain interests didn’t want my kind in the bill.) Right now, institutionalized discrimination is a hurdle that these bills must pass, but the one that deals with Trans folks has the worst chance of passing.
More is needed: like housing issues, and safety in Public. You see, coming out as Gay or Lesbian involves only who you sleep with. There is no L, G or B on your I.D.s. Unless you announce it to the world, nobody really notices, but for a Trans person, we change our clothing, gender and our names. We must, by the criteria of the Benjamin Standards, live in our chosen gender for at least a year, and that means employment and housing discrimination. During what we call Transition we cannot hide. Every one can see what we are doing, and we get hurt.
That’s the danger for our folk: there are so many people out there that cannot accept our Realities. Religionists curse us, others just think we are freaks or child-molesters. Using the restroom in public can be a horrible adventure. Getting pulled over for a traffic infraction can make things even worse. Much of this boils down to intolerance of the “different”, or a lack of education concerning Biological realities. (More info on the biological situation and history, is here. I’m rewriting my site right now so this will have to suffice.)
Many of my sisters work in the biggest corporations in the country… some work for companies that are involved in National Security, many are engineers and others are in the financial markets. The bulk of us just work “normal” jobs. Our community is valued for it’s intelligence and tenacity. When one has to survive and become under the B/S Societal norms, you’ve got to be the best. (Many of our kind never make their 30th B’Day.)
I have been hurt because of being Trans in the Past, but that hasn’t been the case for several years. I am here in New Orleans, a very tolerant place, and my partner and I own our home. We have good friends, and no they aren’t all LGBT folks. We live up to my statement of years ago; “Prove who we are, and what we are not”. That has earned us respect.
To heal the wound of Gender Identity, we have had to become ourselves, and that means understanding what it means to be Human. Our little tribe is usually kind and thoughtful. We work our tushes off to just BE in the face of ignorance-based discrimination. It’s all that we can do.
In summary, what I’m asking you for is to come to an understanding of Trans folk, and maybe let your Congresspeople know that we do need protections against prejudice and hate. To speak out when some people condemn us. To not be afraid of us. “Only Humans cry… only Humans sing and laugh and bleed and dream”. That’s exactly what my tribe does.
We are not a threat, but we are being threatened. Please think about this. It’s the Human thing to do.
Be Blessed!
Morwen Madrigal,
The GentillyGirl
I’m lovin’ you. Yer on da’Ladder too.
Comment by New Orleans News Ladder — February 9, 2008 @ 10:45 pm
dang, when will folks accept folks for what they are human beings
Comment by rawdawgbuffalo — February 10, 2008 @ 3:35 pm
Right fucking on.
This is something that needs broader notice as well.
I will be making some calls about both resolutions, and writing letters as well.
It is utter bullshit that they are afraid to legislate human rights.
D.
Comment by Diane W — February 10, 2008 @ 9:20 pm
These bills won’t be up for a vote anytime soon, and even if they passed, the Chimp In Chief will veto them.
What a handful of us, who are not involved in National (and funded? Orgs), are working on the issue as a start for 111th Session.
But any and all help is greatly appreciated.
Namaste!
Comment by Morwen Madrigal — February 11, 2008 @ 12:18 am
Yeah, why is it we have to ask permission for anything HUMANE, like being ourselves…??? As a Witch, I should be able to perform ritual as I choose in my space, or with friends at their spaces and not have to worry about people telling me I am a devil-worshipper and that I don’t have a right to do so and that they can do ill to me at will.
Why is it that people (yes, far-righticons, real, HUMAN people!!!) have to fight for their rights to be WHO they ARE??? Why does that get peoples’ knickers in a twist???
To them, I say: Mind your own beeswax, follow the tenets put forth by that feller Jesus Christ (which I have no beef with), and just love thy neighbor and quit trying to boss everybody around when it is obviously none of your concern!!! If someone is gay/straight/bi-sexual/transgendered/atheist/pagan/FSM-worshipper/non-Abrahamic faith/different color…so what? If it doesn’t hurt you, move along. There are far more perverts that are involved w/the far-right religio-nazis (and those pervs are the ‘bad’ ones preying on children and animals) than anywhere else. The pervs on the rest of the sides are (from what I have seen) mutual and consensual and of majority age – where I have NO problems at all. The far-right closet cases that are so buried in their self-loathing, fear of ‘the other’, fear of actually living their lives as they wish to – they are so wretchedly hostile and downright deadly to those that have fought the fight to be themselves and live openly. Their fear breeds hatred and that fear is WRONG!!!
I have a brain, I LIKE to think, it makes me very sad and despairing of the human race many times, but I try to make good of the bad. Thinking is my friend. Being a sheeple, not so much…but it does wonders for small egos needing a power trip (i.e. heads of these megalithic churches/xtian jihadists) to have folks follow them because otherwise they might have to think for themselves…ouch, that hurts my noggin’.
Blessings All!!!
Elspeth
Comment by Elspeth R — February 11, 2008 @ 1:26 pm
Elspeth, sister?
Don’t lose it over this kind of shit. I’ve been an activist for many issues over the last 30+ years, and the only way I remained sane was to look at things day by day.
Idiots are just that: idiots.
We can’t change them in a day and night… it takes time, resolve and love, (and self-medication, trust me.). In the meantime, all the good folks can really do is to survive, prosper and make connections with like-minded folks.
The enemy’s world is closed, denying anything outside of the box. Our world, the other, stands there with arms outstretched welcoming those who see a different world: open, accepting, egalitarian and willing to create the New.
This is NOT about a “village”, it’s about a Culture. The seeds of the coming Culture were sowed 40 years ago. The harvest should be a few years coming.
Keep seeing the Good within the Bad.
Namaste!
Comment by Morwen Madrigal — February 13, 2008 @ 5:35 am