Starting a Revolution

The only way to start marching forward, moving toward progress is to be united in solidarity for the cause. There are many ways to accomplish this, and any measurable effort made by anyone counts toward the goal. It's time for everyone to get involved with the community to the best of their ability. Positive public representation is needed; many more transwomen must become visible in society.

Before we can take our message to the world, it needs to first be determined exactly what is "the cause"? Who are we and what do we represent? And who are we not? We come from all walks of life, all around the world, what is the glue that holds us together? Before we can "represent", we have to decide who and what we are representing. What is our position? What defines us? Without this, we can't even begin any strategic directed movement because we ourselves don't know where we're going.

The movement must begin with the formation of guiding principles that proponents of the movement can support (manifesto, mission, principle, doctrine, directives, etc). Solidarity can only come with a solid definition of purpose. There is a need to redefine transwomen, and differentiate you as a distinct group apart from the other groups who may resemble or impersonate you.

There are at least three points I think need to be strongly promoted:

1) Transwomen love women and femininity

If the women of the world could see how much you support us, how could we not embrace you? The reality is, we have no idea that you even exist! You are like Peter Pan to us. Visible groups who crossdress (ie: drag queens) do not love us, and in some ways they are ridiculing us. Other groups (ie: shemale pornstars) are abusing our feminine charms and demeaning the image of women. You are the opposite of those groups in the sense that you actually LOVE us! You respect us, you strive to do credit to our image and support our causes. We don't know about your special kind because you are mostly closeted. I was floored at the discovery of you, like finding some windfall stash of rare diamonds that no one else knows about.

2) Transgenderism is not a sexual orientation

While I applaud the effort of the gay/lesbian/bisexual movement to include transgenderism, in some ways the GLBT movement has promoted the view the TG is a sexual orientation. Even the most free-spirited liberal people out there might not realize this critical point of distinction. We need to erase the notion that conclusions can be drawn about sexual orientation based on gender identity. No such relationship exists, as TG people come in every type of orientation that ordinary people do.

3) Transgenderism is neither a mental disorder nor a fetish

Psychologists are working from the premise that only the above two choices are possible. The transperson who is happy and comfortable with their duality is not recognized. No one has properly defined the duality as a gift, which to those who can freely express themselves, it is. The pain/grief of the duality is often only a result of social repression and negative external consequences, not the duality itself. If you were able to just be yourselves, many of you would rejoice and celebrate your duality as a gift.

Originally posted in response to: http://genderevolve.blogspot.com/2005/08/roll-call.html