I’d Ask You To GO But We Never Invited You Anyway

Another day, another attack on Bruce Jenner.

And this time from a magazine that prides itself on being for the LGBTQ community. Oh excuse me, for the lesbian community. I have come to expect ignorance and transphobia from the heteronormative and cis world; it always hits me harder when I see ignorance and hate coming from gay media. Transgender people, much like Black women, are often left out of the battles they fight for the hardest. For how many years did transgender people walk in PRIDE parades while having to be silent? How often are Black women left out of feminist conversations and recognition?

Let me be clear with my words: Transgender people are no more the punchline of jokes than lesbian, gay, or bisexuals. While I understand that the media is set up in this country for us all to be onlookers to celebrities and makes us feel entitled to knowing all of their secrets. There is a difference between knowing what whiskey George Clooney prefers, or say Kanye’s favorite designer of the moment or what leaf Gwyneth prefers to use this week as garnish to her spring salad. And hunting into someone’s gender or sexuality. The reason that there are so many LGBT suicides is because when we are silent we are bullied and when we are out we are bullied. There is no safe space. You are doing nothing more than being a bully when you feed into Bruce Jenner’s is he or isn’t she. If I see any posts on my timeline I will not only delete you but first deliver you a soliloquy fueled with such passion, anger, and pride that it will not only make your head spin but render you absolutely silent. The same silence that too many of us have to suffer with every day. 

How dare a gay publication make a mockery of someones struggle? By calling Bruce, Belinda there is complete lack of empathy and compassion, instead there is transphobia coated in humor. How disgusting.

I would call for a boycott of GO Magazine, but as they are a free publication run by dinosaurs who have become completely out of touch with the young queer community, I understand that is completely unnecessary. Much like the Chick Fil A’s and Rick Santorums of the world I will let the ignorance guide their already sinking ship directly into the iceberg of educated acceptance and humanity.

The transgender community has representation. We have allies. And we are better than being belittled on the Internet for means of cheap copy and horrible content. The words that you type online stay there forever. And while in your small community you may be affirmed or upheld for you hatred, those outside of your circles look at you with disgust.

If Bruce is trans and comes out I hope that if (s)he than chooses to change their name it is accepted and loved the way that (s)he and every other trans person deserves. How dare you take that away from someone.

A platform of power is a horrible thing to waste. It is a shame that GO Magazine has chosen to do so.

Same Love

So a few weeks ago, I posted this amazing video calling out for gay marriage. As we all know, the rap world has never been known as a place where gay people were made to feel accepted; this song shatters that perception in one fell swoop. What it also does is simply, clearly, and beautify make a statement about gay marriage and equality in general.

Nothing else is currently summing up how ridiculously happy I am about last nights election results. Press play. And listen along whilst you read.

Gay marriage passed in every state it was up for vote in.
EVERY. FUCKING. STATE.

We also elected the FIRST lesbian member of the senate. Oh and marijuana was legalized in Washington and Colorado. Every rape smack talking douche bag got beaten. And. AND. AND Obama was like Mittens please.

We are living in a time of such change, of such momentum. We are rewriting history. Right now. All of us are are in this amazing position to DO SOMETHING to make real change happen. Breathe that in friends. All around us our country is changing. And it is changing for the better. It is no longer hard to imagine that in a few years gay marriage will not have the pretext “gay” in front of it. I will be able to have kids with my spouse and not think a damn thing about it. We will have rights. They will have rights. And we will be seen as equals. I have never loved the taste of my tears more then right now.

Joe Biden sees transgender rights as a thing. As in he cares. As in on the vice president of The United States of America’s agenda is making sure trans people have equal rights. LIKE WHAT? And our president cares about women’s rights as if he had ovaries himself. Do you get this? Do you see what is going on all around you? Liberation. Acceptance. Politicians not acting like asshats, whose only focus is making money and bettering their friends. New generations will be born and be welcomed to a country that as a majority accepts them for who they are. Who they were born as. Who knows if I was born gay. Who cares. I was born into a world that would both turn its back on me and hold me close. If you aren’t gay, don’t say that this fight for equality isn’t yours. It is yours. Any form of oppression should be up for battle by everyone and anyone who has a heart;who knows that no one should have to face hate because of who they can not help but be. Your voice should never be stifled. Who you love should never be put into question by anyone else.

I know better than to think that everyone is on the bandwagon of unicorns, glitter and rainbows. But so much of the fucking country is. And that is worth celebrating about.

Like.
We did it.

No One Ever Likes Wearing Mittens

So the election is finally upon us, and like ITS TIME TO VOTE I can no longer assume that anyone is dumb enough to vote for Mitt Romney, mainly because when I think about how close the polls are I actually want to gay vomit.

I’m not quite sure if glitter would come out but I am sure if glitter was what I puked it would be the saddest glitter that has ever been gay spewed. We’re talking the comic sans of glitter people. OBAMA HAS TO WIN. Like seriously. Think of all of the shit that would happen if Romney wins. Heart warming shit like:

– Large tax cuts for the wealthy;
– Large deficits since the tax cuts will not be paid for (and the math won’t add up)
– Cuts in funding for the social safety net;
– A large scale repeal of government regulation on the banks with little or no protection for consumers;
– A down turn in the economy since we would go back to the policies of George W. Bush;
– the country being run like Bain Capital
– Women who wanted abortions being forced to choose between having the baby against her will, or having illegal abortions in unsanitary conditions;
-A repeat of conditions like Katrina the next time a natural disaster strikes since Romney would have turned over responsibility to the states and private industry;
-An increase in the number of the uninsured since the Affordable Care Act will be repealed;
-Many Americans being denied insurance coverage because they have pre-existing conditions (again because of the repeal of the Affordable Care Act);
-A private rather than public medicare system (with many seniors lacking basic health care since they were unable to afford healthcare due to the increased costs under the voucher system);
-One or more conservative justices joining Scalia, Alito, Thomas, and Roberts;
-A deterioration in our relationship with other nations since President Romney would lack any diplomatic skill;
-The likelihood that we would have been involved in one or more wars abroad
-An increase in funding to defense contractors;
-No effort to try to stop global warming.

Via Daily Kos

Oh and NO GAY MARRIAGE.

Think about it like this: If Mitt Romney wins this election and then is re-elected for another term there will be no gay marriage for at LEAST 8 years. Woman will lose the right of abortion, AND a good number of women will also lose the support of Planned Parenthood for any and all health issues BECAUSE Mittens doesn’t think Planned Parenthood should exist BECAUSE Mittens actually hates women. Gays and women actually. Oh and immigrants. And poor people. And unions. And all other minorities except for that minority that is the 1%. He loves that minority.
Also if you’re any other branch of the LGBT tree expect a serious “I don’t give a fuck attitude” coming your way over the next 4 years. Trans rights under The Romney administration? Shut. Your. Atheist. Mouth.

So you need to get out and vote. And maybe yell at all of your friends to do so as well. And maybe just stand outside of polling centers and yell up at the sky. Do a rain dance (actually no in hindsight don’t you dare do that)
Do this instead:

And remember:

Plus like for real. Obama is adorable. You can’t even deny it. LOOK AT THAT FACE.

NOW VOTE.

I’m Just Tryna Pee

You see two bathrooms. I see a very big decision. If you’re a man you enter the “Mens” room. If you’re a woman you enter the “Womens” room. But what if you are neither, what if you used to be one and now are the other? Where do you go? There is one sign that I love seeing more than anything else in this world.

Simple right? A sign that allows both sexes inside. If you’re trans or genderqueer a sign like this is literally life changing. Their is an extreme fear that lives inside of me on a night where I know I am going out. Going out to establishments that aren’t necessarily gay or particularly aware of the needs of an individual who is gender neutral or who has changed genders. I usually postpone going to the bathroom for as long as possible, although it has become very clear to me that in a world of straight people I can easily pass as a man and therefore have no problems entering mens restrooms. When I do enter mens rooms though there are many fears that run through my mind:
1. I am alone in a room with drunk men how do I blend in?
2. If any altercation were to happen who is to say that I would be safe and who is to say that management would give a fuck.
3. Will there be a stall?
4. Will that stall have toilet paper?
The list goes on and on and on and on and on and…you get the point.

Usually in this pretty gay friendly city I can find compassion and places where I don’t feel like I’m being judged. Usually. There have been more occasions than I can count where my gender or non gender has gotten me and those who’ve I’ve been with into some very hostile situations. Heres the thing though. I won’t back down. I do not feel comfortable in women’s bathrooms. I feel just as uncomfortable in men’s rooms. I am also very conscious of how others perceve me. In a straight world I am a man. Therefore my presence in a woman’s room causes uproarious response. My presence in a men’s restroom usually goes without a word. Even when a man has recognized that I am fermale bodied they’ve joked with me and been (thus far) extremely cool with it. It’s very funny that in my experience women have been more hostile and have lacked any form of understanding of who I am. I seriously do not get it. Nor am I trying to. I am simply trying to pee in peace. I do not want to get beat up, yelled at, questioned, or otherwise berated. I want to fucking use the toilet.

Last night I was screamed at by a bouncer of one of my favorite “straight” bars. In the past he has told me that I had every right to use the woman’s room and that I was being disrespectful by using the mens bathroom. Disrespectful to who I asked? I am simply trying not to have my ass beat. I tried explaining to him by situation but his ears were mute. Last night after entering the bar I made my way to the mens bathroom, and when I got out I was screamed at. I was told that if I ever entered the men’s restroom again I would be refused entry to the bar. I was told that by entering the mens room I was taking advantage and disrespecting the establishment. I do not see myself as a female. I do not see myself as a male. I see myself as a paying consumer who as a paying consumer would like to use the establishments restrooms. Of course as simple as this looks on paper in real life looks like a big old pile of shit (sorry for that reference in all of this bathroom speak). But seriously. SERIOUSLY.

My biggest problem at venues has always been bouncers. ALWAYS. Everyone has problems with bouncers. They are on ego trips higher than any of us could properly grasp. Meatheads with the power to turn away the rich, beautiful, black, white or ugly. They have the ultimate power into ruining your night. They also have the ultimate power in ensuring whether or not you are allowed to ever re enter an establishment. Awesome. Yeah ok not all bouncers are assholes yada yada blah blah blah most of them are, it’s true deal with it. I’m not apologizing for that generalization.

The fact that I could be screamed at for using a bathroom is beyond me. How many of us have been to gay bars? (all hands up) Now most gay bars have bathrooms that are for all to use. Girls, boys, queens, fairies, twinks…. WE ALL PEE TOGETHER and with no issues. No problems. No disrespect. Why? Because we  get it. Ever been to the dressing rooms at Patricia Fields? Unisex and open. No clothing sex wars go down. No disrespect. NO PROBLEM.

I rarely get stupid angry. But I am. Like stupid. Blinding light. Flashes of Madonna vs. Lady Gaga hell angry. I am a person. Not just a gender. My choice to ignore gender has opened the flood gates into allowing other people to essentially pick on me. You can not deny me entry because I did not pee in the bathroom that YOU think I should have gone into.

You best believe that I’m taking some form of action. I want to go out. I want to have fun. I want to be able to go to a bathroom and not be berated by meathead bouncers. Das. It.