Queer Notes: Come to the Trans March and all our boats will rise!
Recently, I have been pushing on some of my straight progressive brothers and sisters about transgender issues. And about queer inclusion issues generally.
I'm always ready to walk a precinct for rent control, for public power, or walk a picket line for my brothers and sisters in the Labor movement.
And all our boats will rise when we do these things.
What I have been trying to make some of my straight progressive brothers and sisters understand is that they need to do more than say just say they support us. When 70% of my trans brothers and sisters are unemployed because of bigotry and stigma, I cannot wait. We cannot wait.
And all our boats will rise when we do these things.
Truth be told, some of my gay and lesbian brothers and sisters are not perfect in this regard either. Not every gay man is as willing as Mark Leno to advocate for us like he has. Plenty of my best friends could do alot more. Some parrot the words, but when push comes to shove, they don't have your back.
And truth be told, I could do a lot more. And I will.
When I first came out as transgender, the first line I heard was, “We will do it next year. Wait until next year.” Typically, it goes like this. Some piece of legislation has to pass this year and it is really, really important to my gay and lesbian brothers and sisters that this legislation pass and transgender inclusion or a piece of transgender legislation is a hindrance to the legislative effort or it just isn't our priority. Because, well you know, um, well you know. So wait until next year.
And all our boats sink when we do these things.
Someone recently told me we are all in the same boat and we have to work together. Well, yes. And no. Some people have better, more powerful boats than others. And if we only ride in your boat, we will always be waiting for next year. We will always be walking on the picket line, but we will never have jobs. We will always be walking precincts for rent control, but we won’t get an apartment because who wants to rent to a trannie? And well, we will have public power but no healthcare.
And really, the irony is that trans inclusion in laws that protect lesbians and gays really strengthen protections for everyone. If you are a butch lesbian or a feminine gay man, until recently, you could be fired for your gender expression. Because of Mark Leno’s bill prohibiting gender identity discrimination in housing and employement, we are all safer from discrimination, straight, gay or trans.
You don’t have to be transgender to care about transgender issues. Many of us are happy to spend time with you explaining and sometimes, in fact most times, folks in the trans community will disagree about what we should be explaining. And isn’t that great that we disagree. But mostly, we will know that you care if you listen.
Come to the Trans March and all our boats will rise!
Stand Proud, Spread Love!
SanFranciscoSentinel.com Photo by PAT MURPHY
First Annual Transgender March, 2004
Next week is Pride. Struggling with our pride is an interesting challenge. More later on that. But for now, let me invite everyone to the Second Annual Trans March. I know many of you weren’t there last year, so set a precedent. Come to the march. Last year there were close to 2000 people. Join us. Sam Davis, a trans march organizer, sent out this announcement:
We are calling for this march to demonstrate that we are a significant and growing portion of the lgbtiq community; to increase our visibility and presence in the tgiqlb community and the overall community at large; to encourage more trans and gender-variant people to come out; to build connections among ftm, mtf, bayot, crossdressers, sadhin, hijra, transvestites, bantut, drag queens, drag kings, mahu, transsexuals, bakla, travesti, genderqueers, kathoey, two spirit,intersex and those with other labels for themselves and no labels for themselves, those who see gender as having more than two options, and those who live between the existing options; to support one another as a community, through all of our struggles; to speak out against violence, hate, transphobia, and the oppression of any and all of us under the existing social structure; and to be fabulous and powerful in the company of others that are fabulous and powerful.
Dress up, show up, bring signs, speak out, and be what happens!
*** Performing in Dolores Park 3-7 pm: ***
Please pass this on to any groups, lists, or individuals who might be interested.
Special Thanks to Trans March Sponsoring Partners:
Assemblyman Mark Leno; Supervisor Bevan Dufty; Jimmer Cassiol, Mayor's LGBT Liason; Good Vibrations; SF LGBT Pride; SF LGBT Community Center; Dyke March; National Gay and Lesbian Task Force; National Center for Transgender Equality; Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence; FTM International; TGSF; San Francisco Transgender Empowerment Advocacy and Mentorship; CUAV; SEIU Local 790 - Health Care Division; Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club; Harvey Milk LGBT Democratic Club; John Newsome/ And Castro for All; Jay Shaeffer; Robert Haaland; and Tranny Talk
And here are a few of my favorite things....
Gwen Araujo's family speaks at Dolores Park
SanFranciscoSentinel.com Photo by PAT MURPHY
People gathering in the park before the March last year
SanFranciscoSentinel.com Photo by PAT MURPHY
SEIU Local 790 was at the March
Joan Roughgarden, Professor and community activist
SanFranciscoSentinel.com Photo by PAT MURPHY
Commissioner and Trans hero, Cecilia Chung and Sister Lolita
Our Boats will rise
Altar for Gwen
I'm always ready to walk a precinct for rent control, for public power, or walk a picket line for my brothers and sisters in the Labor movement.
And all our boats will rise when we do these things.
What I have been trying to make some of my straight progressive brothers and sisters understand is that they need to do more than say just say they support us. When 70% of my trans brothers and sisters are unemployed because of bigotry and stigma, I cannot wait. We cannot wait.
And all our boats will rise when we do these things.
Truth be told, some of my gay and lesbian brothers and sisters are not perfect in this regard either. Not every gay man is as willing as Mark Leno to advocate for us like he has. Plenty of my best friends could do alot more. Some parrot the words, but when push comes to shove, they don't have your back.
And truth be told, I could do a lot more. And I will.
When I first came out as transgender, the first line I heard was, “We will do it next year. Wait until next year.” Typically, it goes like this. Some piece of legislation has to pass this year and it is really, really important to my gay and lesbian brothers and sisters that this legislation pass and transgender inclusion or a piece of transgender legislation is a hindrance to the legislative effort or it just isn't our priority. Because, well you know, um, well you know. So wait until next year.
And all our boats sink when we do these things.
Someone recently told me we are all in the same boat and we have to work together. Well, yes. And no. Some people have better, more powerful boats than others. And if we only ride in your boat, we will always be waiting for next year. We will always be walking on the picket line, but we will never have jobs. We will always be walking precincts for rent control, but we won’t get an apartment because who wants to rent to a trannie? And well, we will have public power but no healthcare.
And really, the irony is that trans inclusion in laws that protect lesbians and gays really strengthen protections for everyone. If you are a butch lesbian or a feminine gay man, until recently, you could be fired for your gender expression. Because of Mark Leno’s bill prohibiting gender identity discrimination in housing and employement, we are all safer from discrimination, straight, gay or trans.
You don’t have to be transgender to care about transgender issues. Many of us are happy to spend time with you explaining and sometimes, in fact most times, folks in the trans community will disagree about what we should be explaining. And isn’t that great that we disagree. But mostly, we will know that you care if you listen.
Come to the Trans March and all our boats will rise!
Stand Proud, Spread Love!
SanFranciscoSentinel.com Photo by PAT MURPHY
First Annual Transgender March, 2004
Next week is Pride. Struggling with our pride is an interesting challenge. More later on that. But for now, let me invite everyone to the Second Annual Trans March. I know many of you weren’t there last year, so set a precedent. Come to the march. Last year there were close to 2000 people. Join us. Sam Davis, a trans march organizer, sent out this announcement:
Date & Time: 2005-06-24 3:00 PM
Location: Dolores Park
*** Trans March! ***
Friday June 24th, the Friday before Pride, 7 pm March.
3 pm - 7 pm Speakers and Performers
Dolores Park, Dolores and 19th Street
Calling all transfolks, friends, allies and admirers!
We are calling for this march to demonstrate that we are a significant and growing portion of the lgbtiq community; to increase our visibility and presence in the tgiqlb community and the overall community at large; to encourage more trans and gender-variant people to come out; to build connections among ftm, mtf, bayot, crossdressers, sadhin, hijra, transvestites, bantut, drag queens, drag kings, mahu, transsexuals, bakla, travesti, genderqueers, kathoey, two spirit,intersex and those with other labels for themselves and no labels for themselves, those who see gender as having more than two options, and those who live between the existing options; to support one another as a community, through all of our struggles; to speak out against violence, hate, transphobia, and the oppression of any and all of us under the existing social structure; and to be fabulous and powerful in the company of others that are fabulous and powerful.
Dress up, show up, bring signs, speak out, and be what happens!
*** Performing in Dolores Park 3-7 pm: ***
7PM: TRANS PRIDE TAKES IT TO THE STREETS
Please pass this on to any groups, lists, or individuals who might be interested.
Special Thanks to Trans March Sponsoring Partners:
Assemblyman Mark Leno; Supervisor Bevan Dufty; Jimmer Cassiol, Mayor's LGBT Liason; Good Vibrations; SF LGBT Pride; SF LGBT Community Center; Dyke March; National Gay and Lesbian Task Force; National Center for Transgender Equality; Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence; FTM International; TGSF; San Francisco Transgender Empowerment Advocacy and Mentorship; CUAV; SEIU Local 790 - Health Care Division; Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club; Harvey Milk LGBT Democratic Club; John Newsome/ And Castro for All; Jay Shaeffer; Robert Haaland; and Tranny Talk
And here are a few of my favorite things....
Gwen Araujo's family speaks at Dolores Park
SanFranciscoSentinel.com Photo by PAT MURPHY
People gathering in the park before the March last year
SanFranciscoSentinel.com Photo by PAT MURPHY
SEIU Local 790 was at the March
Joan Roughgarden, Professor and community activist
SanFranciscoSentinel.com Photo by PAT MURPHY
Commissioner and Trans hero, Cecilia Chung and Sister Lolita
Our Boats will rise
Altar for Gwen
1 Comments:
I'm not sure exactly what I should say. I guess I should say what I feel about transexuals, I guess thats the right term. I have friends that are gay, bisexual, and lesbian. I was brought up to believe that it was a sin to be gay. I believe that there are people who love differently and then there are people who were just accidently born in the wrong bodies. I think that if people stop being afraid of transexuals and learn that they're just as normal as we are then we wouldnt have all these crimes against someone or a group of people beating and killing transexuals. I've never or I dont think that I have ever met anyone who is transexual. But I think that if I did I would probably just act as if they were anyone else. I wouldnt hate them or turn against them just because they were different. This world needs to learn that being different is what makes everyone unique. Does it really matter what they're sex is? Or what sex it is that people would like to become? Everyone just needs to learn how to live with these changes. Who knows if in maybe 5 or 10 years or maybe more that the idea of transexuals will be just an idea. Even if people do learn to live with transexuals being in their town, their city and their state. There is always going to be something else that people will find to discriminate against. The world needs to learn how to live with change. Because the world, whether people want it to or not, is changing. Their just gonna have to deal with it!
Jennifer Wiley
Elizabeth City, N.C.
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