By Paula Gaikowski
First the good news, the House passed the Equality Act, a bill that would extend basic rights to the LGBTQ community. It just needs to get past the Senate with 60 votes where I am sure it’s in for a fight. Ironically the overwhelming majority of Americans are in favor of the law (many assume that LGBTQ already have these protections).
If you walk down the hallway in the Capitol, you will see the transgender flag proudly displayed in front of the office of Congresswoman Marie Newman. The congresswoman put it there in support of her 20-year-old transgender daughter.
Now for the bad news, Congresswoman Marjorie Greene reacted to the flag by posting a transphobic sign meant to appeal to people’s fears and prejudices in the culture war that the GOP stokes daily in their only hope of gaining the electorate.
The sign she posted reads, “There are only two genders, Trust the science.”
There are so many things wrong with that statement besides just being hurtful and hateful.
1. Gender is a social construct, not biological. Ironically, after denigrating science when it comes to climate change and the pandemic, Greene uses science as a tool, although incorrectly.
2. Greene probably was referring to biological sex. However, it is scientifically evident that intersex persons exist. A common argument amongst transphobic people is that you are either XX or XY chromosomed and that defines your sex and gender absolutely. Intersex persons are much more common than one would think. Here’s a list of famous intersexed persons.
3. Her statement that there are only two genders is also incorrect. Let us not forgot the non-binary members of our community. Our culture has predominately recognized two genders, male and female and that Ms. Greene, is where most of us transgender persons struggle. We struggle with being the wrong biological sex and along with our biology, we are assigned a social gender. Gender and sex are two different things and transgender persons struggle with both.
All of this illustrates how far we have come in the battle for transgender rights, but also how far we must go. When I think back to my 20’s, the idea that a congressperson would plant the transgender flag on Capitol Hill and be advocating for her transgender daughter was a distant dream. Add to it the fact that being transgender is no longer a tabloid curiosity, but common in all our communities.
Wherever you are in your journey, whether closeted or transitioned, remember not to be afraid to advocate for our community. It’s time to speak up and defend transgender people by showing our support. We can object to rude jokes and stereotypes, correct persons misconceptions and support gay and transgender colleagues. We need to take a stand and show acceptance and support for transgender persons and make transphobic behavior socially unacceptable.
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| Wearing London Times |
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| Mateusz Jakubiec femulated Lene Nystrøm Rasted (Aqua) on Polish television's Twoja Twarz Brzmi Znajomo. You can view this femulation on YouTube. |
"Trust the science", says the lemming who swears by science as interpreted by Q, whatever or whomever that alphabet letter is -- or isn't.
ReplyDeleteTogether we can win this battle!
ReplyDeleteHOW MANY MORE BOGEYMEN? (BOGEY-PERSONS [?])
ReplyDeleteThank you Paula for a great column.
Marjorie Taylor Greene is a quaint, 'late to the party' Trump wannabee. Her rantings and ravings are merely re-hashed, old-hash of a fading party line of "Let the Democrats bring forth a legitimate issue so 'we' can find, (with the aid of our well paid, yet morally bankrupt, psychological consultants) a BOGEYMAN TROPE' inside the argument and then wail 'oh, woe' we are all going to burn in the deepest depths of HELL for all eternity.... Be scared! Vote conservative!
Here in NC, the 'Bathroom Bill' was a convenient, negative conservative reaction to the need for social clarification of a legitimate social need. If this specific issue had not come forth, the next social issue-regardless of social value- would have been a just as convenient target.
The idea is to incite the quaint bible thumping, Southern art of 'holier than thou--righteous indignation' toward 'the other'.
This behavior is a tradition here in the formerly impoverished southern states, as it was the only thing of 'value' the individuals possessed.
The problem is the conservatives are running out of BOGEYMEN.
This week, progressives got blamed for BANNING:
Mr. Potato Head
Dr. Suess Books
The BIG LIE is there was NO GOVERNMENT INTERVENTION! These decisions were done inside of CORPORATIONS who owned the brands/franchises involved, who could do as they so wished.
No 'gubment' intervention.
https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/02/politics/cancel-culture-potato-head-muppets-dr-seuss/index.html
If this is the best they got......
Velma
Well said Velma the "Culture Wars" are running out of steam with the next generation.
ReplyDeleteThey are not going to win votes with anti abortion, anti trans, anti gay, anti environment, and anti gun safety, anti minimum wage, anti health care.