tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-132590940508437285.post6321978753546114630..comments2023-05-28T03:51:51.296-07:00Comments on Trans Forming Media (TFM): A Trans Man Speaks Out Against The Trans Men Who Appropriate The "T Word" Despite The Women The Slur Is Usually Thrown AtUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-132590940508437285.post-78124807298056344642011-03-04T04:55:19.258-08:002011-03-04T04:55:19.258-08:00I would like to thank you all for the education I ...I would like to thank you all for the education I have received from this page. Until now, I always thought that it was simply a short-hand slang, and even cute (I suppose it's the "y ending" that does it for me), & that any insult came strictly from the context of its use. Luckily, it has also never occurred to me to use it (& therefore I will have no awkward mental training to do!!), because I always call people by the gender they prefer. As a cisgendered person, I suppose I may never understand why someone would feel s/he must refer to him/herself as "transgendered", but far be it for me to ever say that s/he shouldn't! <br /><br />I can assure you that, from now on, I will be listening more carefully to those around me, & make corrections where appropriate!Iron Chef Kosher!https://www.blogger.com/profile/09038646928071099417noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-132590940508437285.post-78138809987895776922011-02-05T23:28:18.581-08:002011-02-05T23:28:18.581-08:00I'm FTM. I've been called t-word. Most of ...I'm FTM. I've been called t-word. Most of the FTMs I know, especially those who are out at school, are called it on a daily basis, some even before they were out. I understand the complications with FTMs reclaiming the word, since when used not towards trans people its insulting to trans women, not men, but I think it's a unfair to say that people never use it against FTMs.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-132590940508437285.post-42223533578875055912010-11-19T16:27:04.151-08:002010-11-19T16:27:04.151-08:00My transmale boyfriend was bullied and this dick-w...My transmale boyfriend was bullied and this dick-wad wrote, "silly tranny, dicks are for kids." on his desk at school. MANY transmen get called the word. It's not only the transwomen of the community. Hell, I've been called "tranny" as well and I'm an extremely stealth transman. It just goes to show how ignorant people can be in this world.Reynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-132590940508437285.post-4879366157375113022010-11-19T12:07:16.745-08:002010-11-19T12:07:16.745-08:00Oops! Looks like I forgot to hit post...
My comme...Oops! Looks like I forgot to hit post...<br /><br />My comment was that I hoping that we can be compassionate as we talk about the usage of the "T" word. Most folks I know are not using it to hurt anyone. And, yes it would be ideal for "ALL" of us to know the histories of the cultures we belong to and move into and mostly we don't. <br /><br />I think it might be interesting to have a campaign that asks for a change away from using the word tranny, and move towards something more unifying/connecting for all folks who identify as Trans.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-132590940508437285.post-33656377839772125992010-11-17T00:39:25.713-08:002010-11-17T00:39:25.713-08:00"It sickens me as a transman, assigned female..."It sickens me as a transman, assigned female at birth and socialized as such, that some of my brothers are so callous and apathetic towards women's issues, causes and lives. Did they forget what it is like to walk through this world as female?" ~ yeah that. i agree. <br /><br />no matter how much i feel more identified as male i will never forget my female history and i respect the experiences i went through as a female-bodied person. i also find it despicable that any transman would treat a woman with misogyny and cruelty. i have vowed to be the best man i can be in my future and to me, that means treating my precious sisters how they deserve to be treated, whether they be cis or transwomen.Φhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10482737170828937475noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-132590940508437285.post-36700308754026651702010-11-16T19:41:36.271-08:002010-11-16T19:41:36.271-08:00I don't know if my reply is just going to make...I don't know if my reply is just going to make people angry but... <br /><br />I think that in an odd way this usage came about because a lot of FTM and genderqueer people want to use that word... almost to remind people that they are also transgendered people who are discriminated against? That they are part of the transgender community and all of it's history. I think if you look at the people who say it, they're going to be people who really aren't always very included in our community.<br /> For example, I know alot of gay (or even straight) FTMs that will jokingly call each other f*ggots. And while that word wasn't originally meant to hurt us (in the end to hateful people we're just d*kes)in our new life we are treated like 'f*ggots' and called such too. And it gives you a strange sense of belonging to a community that (vehemently actually in the gay male case) excludes you. And f*ggot is definitely a word that is used when hateful things are being done to you; I know I certainly flinch when someone screams it at me! I think it's a way of sharing those painful moments, and trying to get over that horrible feeling of being treated that way. But there is also a feeling (or a shared knowledge) that the belonging to the group that excludes you even in your shared pain... isn't real, and you're almost being a little bit ironic. <br /><br />I think young FTMs and gender queer people have a sense of themselves as being treated like freaks, and as sexual fetish objects (we actually are... like a lot you know, especially by men attracted to us), so when they heard a word with such a harsh history they feel like than can appropriate it to their, actually very lonely and harsh, current reality. I don't think it's meant to be intentionally harmful, or that they realize it 'doesn't apply to them.'<br />I've only ever heard tra**y used in a deragatory (sp?) sense, even when talking about one's self. I think it's really a somewhat misguided coping mechanism for having no place that you really belong... kind of like hurting yourself for attention... <br />I think most will stop saying it if they're asked, but then there will always be those that want to rebel.. because well... they want to rebel as soon as you lay down any kind of rules about what they call themselves. Again, what is somewhat a reaction years and years of being completely ignored or bullied into pre-defined identities...<br /> <br />If it matters to you, I am a gay FTM and I'm 24, have been transitioned 6 years. I do consider myself a feminist, am very connected to my past as a woman and women in generally, and I vocally and publically do not stand for sexism even on an everyday basis. Yet I think I've still probably used the word tra**y before, not thinking about it as if it only applied to the women and no one on the other end or in between. I thought it just referred to people who aren't treated well by the outside world for being a transsexual... And I have a feeling that's what other people consider it to. <br /><br />I definitely appreciate being told about it's offensiveness. I don't actually get to meet with many trans-people, especially women, and will try to think harder about the words I use and what they mean to everyone.<br /> <br />I just wanted to say where I think the usage comes from... basically from a lack of unity in our community... And a way of trying to belong to a community that pretty much excludes you from it's 'history'Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-132590940508437285.post-26296734664736827012010-11-16T17:19:49.078-08:002010-11-16T17:19:49.078-08:00Thank you Ashley, for posting this article.
When ...Thank you Ashley, for posting this article.<br /><br />When I first saw the Musto blog post I was rather annoyed. As you no doubt guessed from my comment post in his blog.<br /><br />But then it got me thinking.<br />...<br />And whether we reclaim the term for ourselves or not, it will always be a pejorative.<br /><br />Think of when we use it even amongst ourselves. We tend to use it in a very self-mocking way.<br /><br />You know, things like "Don't fuck with the tranny" and the like.<br /><br />That then leads to other thought processes. Like "How bad has the societal subjugation of our collective psyche been that on some level we are buying into this bullshit".<br /><br />Has our sense of self worth, on some very deep level, been battered so badly that we still look at ourselves filtered through the lens of those who would persecute us? While it seems to me that all human beings require external validation, why is it we seem to require more validation than many other societal groups? What is it about the transsexual experience that promulgates self hatred as much as the hatred we receive from the bigots?<br /><br />We seem to have associated the word "tranny" with freak on some level.<br /><br />And yes, there are those in the community that wear that label as a badge of pride. A badge of honour in some ways. Which is their right. They have earned that right the hard way. By surviving. And they are throwing that notion right back into the teeth of our persecutors.<br /><br />"Yes, I'm different. Yes, I'm unusual. So fucking what?"<br /><br />But I, like many within the community find it very insulting when others try to co-opt the term, and then figure by overusing it, it will take away the hurt and the insult. By making the term meaningless in a societal context.<br /><br />It doesn't, and it never will. At least for me.<br /><br />And unfortunately those that co-opt it tend to have an agenda of their own that usually doesn't match ours. In my view, the tendency is to further marginalize us for their own reasons. By using the T word, they are in effect, demonizing us as the bastard children of the LGB community to make it easier for them to advance their own platforms. And while they are doing that, they give us that condescending pat on the head, telling us they will help us with our issues later - once their own agenda is completely satisfied. And maybe not even then.<br /><br />An example, you say?<br /><br />Sure.<br /><br />I live in Canada. I was at a conference. And this is exactly what I was told at one point.<br /><br />"Yeah, we just about disbanded the LGBT caucus after same sex marriage was passed. We figured we were done. That there was nothing else to work on."<br /><br />Uh-huh. Sure. Nothing else. Nothing like maybe the same human rights and dignity that the rest of you are afforded under the law. <br /><br />Nope, nothing to see here folks, move along. Nothing to see here.See More<br />16 hours ago ·Katenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-132590940508437285.post-21740351422782477902010-11-16T13:53:28.748-08:002010-11-16T13:53:28.748-08:00I appreciate this conversation. I'm not one to...I appreciate this conversation. I'm not one to use the word Tranny, and I've never heard a rebuttle to it before. In fact in my communities both in NY and here in SF, I've heard both sisters and brothers use it just like the words Dyke and Fag are used and embraced. <br /><br />I have no interest in offending anyone and will certainly refrain from using the word Tranny. <br /><br />And, then there's what's culture and something about turning some words on it's head and using them with power - and that doesn't work everywhere. In fact I was shocked to have people who might be described as hardcore, stone butches, deny being butch and hating the term when spoken by a group of drag kings on a visit to NY in the 90s. And, this was a particular group of women and since I don't want to offend anyone I don't make assumptions about how people want to be referred to as. <br /><br />And ignorant generalities or terms used, which I can be sometimes guilty of, are generally easily corrected. Having patience and compassion with each other is totally key. <br /><br />For example, saying that "The Black Community" can use the N word with each other, is a pretty ignorant statement. And for the sake of this topic I won't get into all of the reasons why. <br /><br />I'd just say general statements don't serve anyone accept maybe this one, and I do have one that I use a lot and live by: We all have the right to self-identify, we all have the right to be treated fairly and justly and we all want to be respected.<br /><br />Please keep the conversations going!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-132590940508437285.post-17487865307429184582010-11-16T07:33:47.367-08:002010-11-16T07:33:47.367-08:00I personally find the T word offensive, but I unde...I personally find the T word offensive, but I understand that I can only control what I say and do and not what others say and do. I know in my heart and mind that a "tranny" is in a vehicle...I on the other hand am simply a human being.Jim Hnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-132590940508437285.post-78316956639834320962010-11-15T23:41:47.743-08:002010-11-15T23:41:47.743-08:00I have yet to hear anyone of us here in the transm...I have yet to hear anyone of us here in the transman community in the mid-south use that word to identify ourselves as Transmen. Recently a Transwoman ran for mayor in our small town here. I heard that derogatory word used more than one time to describe her by the cis community. It was being used as a hurtful slur against her. It was disheartening as I guess I saw our small liberal artist enclave as much more open and accepting of people for their diversity of beingness. And no, she didn't win the election. I am transitioning before their very eyes, god only knows what they say behind my back. <br /><br />We need to stand behind our sisters, period...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-132590940508437285.post-9437467083528286382010-11-15T17:46:02.397-08:002010-11-15T17:46:02.397-08:00Here is an awesome photo I used for my "Self-...Here is an awesome photo I used for my "Self-Worth Project". I just started it a month ago and already it has grown to 4,500 on facebook. The models name is Aydin Kennedy and he is an amazing human being, and more of a man to me than most men I have met. <br /><br />www.selfworthproject.com .<br /><br />The link to his photo:<br />http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=111340612265532&set=a.102456436487283.3548.102384489827811#!/photo.php?fbid=109451422454451&set=a.102456436487283.3548.102384489827811&pid=64563&id=102384489827811Tommy Coreyhttp://www.selfworthproject.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-132590940508437285.post-76413567802631137122010-11-15T13:32:33.635-08:002010-11-15T13:32:33.635-08:00What a fantastic blog (I'm going to post it ev...What a fantastic blog (I'm going to post it everywhere I can), I agree wholeheartedly. I never understood why certain people tried to use this effectively as a pet term for each other when all it does is actually allows people to apparently 'validly' abuse us.<br /><br />As a response of my own just weeks ago I created the page I have included in this comment (click my name). It would be great to get as many 'likes' as possible to send it to the top of google searches for this horrid word!<br /><br />Emma<br />www.tranny-is-derogatory.comEmma Baileyhttp://www.tranny-is-derogatory.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-132590940508437285.post-23935904046589380422010-11-15T09:21:37.493-08:002010-11-15T09:21:37.493-08:00I'm actually one of the many transmen that tri...I'm actually one of the many transmen that tried to "reclaim" the word. I guess maybe it was a bit ignorant and insensitive on my part. I knew only vaguely of its origins, but didn't see the harm in using it, much like the black community will use the N word with eachother but it's offensive if anyone else calls them that. That's how I saw it anyway.<br /><br />Anyway, out of respect for my female sisters, I won't use the word anymore as it's not my place to do so. I suppose I'll have to find a new word then.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-132590940508437285.post-41702606566410455752010-11-15T01:20:47.788-08:002010-11-15T01:20:47.788-08:00I am a transman and was actually called that once ...I am a transman and was actually called that once as a slur and hate-speech. It shocked me to no end!! I agree with Nathaniel, have we - as transmen - forgotten what it was like to walk in the female world?? I have run into transmen who seem to want to emulate cismen in manner, speech, etc. It makes me sick!! I am who I am, I do not need to copy or emulate anyone!! I can be a man and not denigrate women - trans or cisgender.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-132590940508437285.post-17095340051461784062010-11-14T20:15:28.256-08:002010-11-14T20:15:28.256-08:00In my experience on the east coast I have never he...In my experience on the east coast I have never heard any transman use the T word for himself, to "reclaim" it or otherwise, and to the best of my knowledge I have never once heard that word used except as a pejorative term for tranwomen. Honestly I cannot imagine why any transman would feel justified in taking the offensive liberty of "reclaiming" a word that has not been used against us. If I hear anyone use that word in my presence I will vehemently object. <br /><br />At this point in time, I consider the T word to be nothing less than hate speech. It is used to defame, degrade and offend, to try to diminish someone's humanity and dignity, to objectify, and to incite threat and violence toward transwomen.<br /><br />I can believe that there might be a time in the distant future when transwomen might want to reclaim that word for themselves in order to defuse any power it has to insult, as have other groups once they experience a substantial sense of strength and safety in the world to do so, but that should be a time of their choosing, no one else's. <br /><br />Also, not all slurs are "reclaimable", and this might be one of them. Some prove to be indefinately unredeemable, having been used in the context of extreme violence and murder, as the T word has been.<br /><br />I hope others will also take a public stand against the use of this hate speech.Jay Kalliohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09486942159306377180noreply@blogger.com