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Being part of Gay Male Hollywood Doesn’t Give You a Free Pass to Defame Transsexual Women!
by Ashley Love | Article Date: 07/15/2010 4:20 PM
Media Advocates Giving National Equality to Transsexual & Transgender People (MAGNET) is hosting a panel discussion tonight entitled ‘Women Demanding Change Now: The Dehumanization of Transsexual Women through the Gay Male Hollywood Lens’
MAGNET, an anti-defamation organization for trans people, is very alarmed with the pattern of gay male Hollywood continuing to make stigmatizing portrayals of transsexual women in a way that harms, rather then help. The panel seeks to explore solutions to build authentic unity and trust within LGBT community. Topics that will be highlighted are the mental and physical violence incited by messages in film and TV, influential gay men getting away with producing stigmatizing, over the top & unkind images of transsexual women, Gay Inc. and some transgender activists co-opting the medical condition transsexualism and Hollywood’s fetish with inaccurately depicting transsexual women as “drag queens”/ “caricatures of femininity.”
Many images of transsexual women in the media are dangerous propaganda that mis-educates the public and assaults transsexual women. Ironically, many of the same messages that Gay Male Hollywood depicts of transsexual women are the exact same messages that the religious far right concocts of transsexual women to alienate them from mainstream society. As the LGBT movement evolves, now is the time more then ever for the LGBT community to nurture and uplift each other, not “oppress our own.”
The panel will feature community activists, journalists, TV.film producers, a professor and trans leaders.
The event is today, July 15th- 7-9:30pm Plummer Park Community Center, Room#6. 7377 Santa Monica Blvd.(Cross street is Martel) West Hollywood, CA 90046.
Some of the panelists include Arianna Davis, Talia Bettcher, PHD, Cary Harrison & Matt Palazollo and will be moderated by Ashley Love (an organizer with MAGNET).
MAGNET is an anti-defamation organization dedicated to educating the media about transsexual and transgender issues, as well as pushing for more authentic and positive portrayals of trans people in the media.
For more info:
MAGNET WEBSITE: www.TheMAGNETSource.blogspot.com
Comments
I've never been happy
in lumping transgenderism/transsexualism in with gay and lesbian movements, unless the TG/TS individuals feel themselves to be gay or lesbian.
I may be splitting hairs but I see gender identity as separate from sexuality, although each may inform or influence the other. In the same way, I don't see those who live full time in their preferred role as cross-dressing.
I appreciate that in banding with larger groups to campaign against prejudice generally is a good thing, but infighting through prejudices within the groups is detrimental to all. The best way to reduce prejudice is education, so I applaud this effort.
Angharad
Angharad
Examples?
"Many images of transsexual women in the media are dangerous propaganda that mis-educates the public and assaults transsexual women."
It would have given the announcement some more credibility if it had included some examples of "dangerous propaganda".
Mr. Ram
The Less Educated Among Us
The less educated among us want to lump us in with pedophiles too. My sister-in-law insinuated in the beginning that I was a danger to my nephew. I have never been so sick to my stomach and so angry as I was when she implied that, but that is another erroneous idea that is out there.
We have folks in the community at large who are well-meaning
but misinformed, who perpetuate stereotypes such as positing that transsexualism arises from the trauma of rape or molestation. Since "he" was treated like a "girl" it follows that he wants to be come one. Decisions to confirm rather than change gender become capricious whims precipitated by the loss of a testicle or a kick to the groin. And vicious attacks by stereotyped jocks or gangs become the ONLY impetus toward surgery. This is what many of the general public believe, and it does no good whatsoever for these assumptive myths to be presented in stories, since it reinforces the misinformation.
It hurts to see the testimony of Jengrl, because it is all too common. Gender and sexual preference get all mixed up with minimal facts and fill-in-the-blank misrepresentations, and we again become pariahs simply for who we are. Sad.