I identify as… A transman, fag, feminine guy, person, geek.
As far as third-person pronouns go, … He/him. People who know me from before slip up, and that’s okay. But if you use female pronouns to purposefully aggravate me, I’m probably gonna be pissed.
I’m attracted to… Tattoos, piercings, goths, guys, BDSM stuff, dominance. Someone who won’t run away.
When people talk about me, I want them to… Realize that I’m just like them, just like any other person. Just because you know I’m trans does not give you the right to ask what’s in my pants. Or anyone I’m dating.
I want people to understand… That everyone should be treated equal. Just because I’m not the same as everyone else doesn’t mean it’s okay to try and hurt me, or anyone else.
About Zack Laine
I keep a blog where I try to help non-trans folk understand the journey that so many of us undertake. And to help fellow transpeople see the individual things I’ve been through during transition. I figure if I can help educate more people, we’ll have more help. My goal is to help make the world a more understanding place for those of us who don’t follow the assigned gender path. It’s also used for random queer stuff I decide to write about. =P *ends random self promotion*
Zanele Muholi
Miss D’vine I, from the series, Miss D’vine (2007)
Courtesy of the Artist and Michael Stevenson, Cape Town
In this and other similar series’ of photographs, I give young black queens and drag artists a visual voice in the cultural landscape of post-apartheid South Africa. Born in Kae Mogogole in Pretoria, Miss D’vine adores Ru Paul, and wishes to perform abroad one day. She hangs around with her mentor, La Rochelle, and like-minded friends, in her Hillbrow flat. She is part of a drag queens’ and artists’ movement that aims to bend the political attitudes of a ‘less than’ democratic society. These photographs examine how gender-queer identities and bodies are shaped by – but also resist, through their very existence – dominant notions of what it means to be black and feminine. – Zanele Muholi
A very open invitation to supporters and dissenters to talk about the existence of intersex individuals. This vlogger has over 1,500 videos, many of which touch on gender, trans, hormones, and bodies.
I identify as… A clean and dirty poly cub bear boi boy mister mincer pansy daddy fag
As far as third-person pronouns go, … He, thanks
I’m attracted to… Empowered Femme women who stand in their own gorgeous light, who know how to trans-speak and want to worship me hard, and empowered Butch, Tranny, GenderQueers boys or Daddies who will either keep me in line or bend over…
My primary partner (a super strong, soccer playing blonde haired kiwi who pushes and pulls me just right) gets first dibs though…
When people talk about me, I want them to… Speak with integrity, not gossip. My gender (or lack thereof) shapes me but isn’t all of me. I try earnestly to be honest and genuine but as a human I fail to be perfect most days ;) so go easy…
I want people to understand… Gender is fluid and a social construct built on a black and white frame that doesn’t even exist… so there!
You’ve heard of internalized homophobia? Sometimes I think I have internalized genderphobia.
Today I was out shopping with my mum and I realised that the negative, niggling thoughts in my head about “wearing men’s clothes when I’m a woman” weren’t emanating from her; they were coming from me. In fact, my mum was even looking around the men’s department for other things for me to try! She didn’t utter one plea for me to wear feminine clothing.
Here I was thinking I was all open-minded and forward-thinking and unprejudiced, and that my desires to be accepted for who I am were justified, when really I was the one being negative. How disconcerting!
You can call me… Brendle (my chosen feminine version of my given name, Brendan)
I identify as… Antigender. You say gender-fluid? I say my gender evaporated into a gas and escaped into space sometime during college. Under my exterior I am a mischievous postmodern genderpunk from an alternate reality with no gender-specific pronouns, no societal misunderstandings, and no fucking laws. Before you bust out that label-maker and apply what is tantamount to a slur to me, why don’t you try to get to know me first?
As far as third-person pronouns go, … Brendle or Ulysses. If you have to call me anything at all that isn’t my name, call me Ulysses. But only after you’ve read it.
I’m attracted to… Baristas, bookworms, teachers, librarians, writers, scholars, readers, guys who almost (but not totally) get away with dressing up like Tina Fey, and all other knowledge-seekers. You don’t read books? You don’t even show up on my sexual radar.
When people talk about me, I want them to… Look at me in the eyes for who I am. I’m usually holding a stack of books over my privates for a reason. Check out my wit, my jokes, my body language, my posing style. I’m a PERSON!!!
I want people to understand… What matters in life doesn’t lie between your legs, it’s your mind. The body? The sex? It’s all just chocolate, and you can find a new bar.
About Brendle
I’m 23 and in college. Battling the norm and taking it day by day. Born male, now not so sure I fall in any category I’ve ever heard of. Nowadays when I’m asked about my gender, I say “I’ll give you two guesses and they’ll both be wrong.”
Andrea’s words are beautiful. I would quote one of her poems, but it’s hard to pick just one fragment! In the past I’ve transcribed these two poems on my blog. I don’t mean to self-promote my site, but I know that transcriptions are important to people who can’t hear or who can’t understand spoken English (I had a hard time understanding these poems at first — Andrea speaks really fast!). So here are the links to the transcriptions for the videos above: Swingset and Andrew.
Yesterday, a little kid pointed to me and said “Boy!” I love how toddlers can be more aware of the gender we intend to be. Most grown-ups pay more attention to the gender we’re supposed to be.
I identify as… queer. floating around in the spectrum somewhere. still getting used to myself and realizing why i felt out of place in my adolescence.
As far as third-person pronouns go, … it used to bother me when someone called me sir/he/him but i’m over it. i think female pronouns are less weird to me. maybe i’m just used to it.
I’m attracted to… genderqueers/andros/trannies, mostly ftms but not always the case. it depends. i think i’m attracted to individual people, doesn’t matter what specific gender. it’s less likely to be male but not out of the question. it’s complicated.
When people talk about me, I want them to… see that i am a generous, kind, intelligent and funny person.
I want people to understand… people are people, no matter what gender, sexual preference, race, religion. everyone deserves respect, compassion and all human rights.
I identify as… queer and genderqueer, but mostly as me.
As far as third-person pronouns go, … I’m all for using the singular “they” in everyday conversation, but right now I prefer no pronouns in regard to myself.
I’m attracted to… people. Usually fairly androgynous people.
When people talk about me, I want them to… be respectful.
I want people to understand… that I am legitimate and what I feel is real.
About Hannah
My name is Hannah. My drag name is Akiva. My burlesque name is Akiva Virtuoso of the Glaciers. I’ve played the violin for 12 years. I’ve been a vegetarian for 9 years. I’m co-founding a drag troupe in my town. I’m graduating college in June (yikes!). I’m queer. I’m genderqueer. I don’t mind having a female body but I wish it was more androgynous. I’m a writer. I’m shy and quiet.
Hey Everyone! I’m in Chicago right now — just helped out with the fabulous BlogHer 2009 conference — and I met a woman who’s story brought me to tears. Her name’s Jen, she lives in the Chicago area, and she has a transgender daughter who is five years old.
This child, despite being raised as a boy, has insisted since her fourth birthday that she is a girl. It took some time for everyone to catch up, but as of a month ago, this child’s gender is being recognized within her family, and she’s being loved dearly for who she is.
She’s lonely, though. She’s about to start school, and many of her friends have stopped playing with her. She wants to know that she’s not the only one like herself, and her mother is searching for her community.
Jen’s aware of the Gender Spectrum conference coming up in Seattle on September 4th — and they’ll probably go — but it’s neither close enough nor soon enough.
If anyone can help connect this family to the community it needs (meeting another young transgender girl in Chicago would be phenomenal, but I’m sure there are also other friends to be had), please email me (sarah at genderfork dot com) or reach out to Jen directly at ecochicorganizer.com.
Thank you.
Love,
Sarah
Posted by Sarah Dopp on July 26th, 2009 at 08:57 am
