International Transgender Day of Visibility - Διεθνης Μερα Τρανς.. αμ.. τετοιας;

So, apparently today is International Transgender Day of Visibility.

Since to me that day means nothing (because I have to talk and explain and advocate about trans issues *every* day of my life) I'll just say this:

Before you make the mistake of offending someone with your questions and comments, pause and think. That's a universal thing that goes without saying, it applies to all. But it's a constant problem trans people face, people's ignorance.

Respect the identity of a trans person. Respect them, don't ask questions about "real" names. Their real name is the name they will give you. Use their preferred pronouns. Don’t ask them questions you wouldn’t ask people you don’t know (which means NO genital questions, no bathroom, no sex questions). Don't abuse them verbally and/or physically because you can't understand them. Pay attention and learn. As you ought to do with anything that you don't know about.

Thank you.

Ok, σημερα βλεπω ότι είναι η Διεθνης Μερα Τρανς (αμ… πώς  το λενε τωρα αυτό; Το «ορατοτητας» και «επιγνωσης» δεν είναι σωστα…). Τελος παντων, σημερα είναι μια ακομα παγκοσμια μερα για να θυμαστε ότι υπαρχουν τρανς ατομα. Για μενα αυτή η μερα δεν σημαινει τιποτα (γιατι πρεπει να μιλαω και να εξηγω κάθε μερα) οποτε θα πω μονο αυτό:

Πριν κανετε το λαθος να προσβαλλετε καποιον με τις ερωτησεις σας και τα σχολια, σταματηστε και σκεφτειτε. Αυτό είναι κατι αδιαμφισβητητο που ισχυει γενικα για ολους. Αλλα είναι ένα συνεχες προβλημα για τους τρανς ανθρωπους, το ότι ο κοσμος δεν ξερει.

Να σεβεστε την ταυτοτητα των αλλων. Να τους σεβεστε, να μην ρωτατε για το «κανονικο» τους ονομα, το ονομα που σας λενε είναι το κανονικο τους. Να χρησιμοποιειτε τις αντωνυμιες που προτιμουν, στο φυλο που σας εχουν πει. Μην τους ρωτατε πραγματα που δεν θα ρωτουσατε καποιον που δεν ξερετε (όχι ερωτησεις για τα γεννητικα τος οργανα, όχι ερωτησεις για το ποια τουαλετα χρησιμοποιουν, όχι ερωτησις για το πώ κανουν σεξ).Μην τους παρενοχλειτε, λεκτικα και/ή σωματικα επειδη δεν τους καταλαβενετε. Δωστε προσοχη σε ο,τι σας λενε και μαθετε από αυτό. Όπως οφειλετε να κανετε για το οτιδηποτε που δεν κατεχετε ως αντικειμενο.

Σας ευχαριστω.

Transphobia online by LGBTqia people: an incident

I stumbled upon a blog, while looking about FtM trans stuff.
The blog was about people’s stories about why they didn’t transition.
So the post I was reading was about T (testosterone) and its effects. I knew about most of the things written in there but, as I was reading, the language was getting more and more… off putting.

The post was written kinda like “you may know this about T, but I’ll tell you THE TRUTH!”. I won't link it because it was rude and verbally abusive, so were the comments.

One thing that unsettled me was that it claimed that T wont make a FtM person’s voice deeper, but rather make them sound like a little person (it even said “midget”) of either gender. The sources the post indicated were “lots of people on YouTube say so”.

The language continued getting more and more.. unkind, claiming that bio males have a pungent body odour and urine and that there’s a “generic trans male type” (chubby and apparently unattractive). Also apparently, people on T want cock in their mouths to prove their masculinity and also feel the urge to rape women.

Eventually, I realized this wasn’t a blog for FtMs that refused to transition, but rather a butch lesbian/tomboy blog. They claimed that doctors “make” transmen transition and take T and they said that people shouldn’t be jumping on the “trans bandwagon”.

Also, I browsed the comments, where I saw this little gem:

It’s sad but true. I think being “Trans” has become a fad over the last few years, and people are infecting eachother, especially over the internet. Of course the medical world is happy to have willing test subjects to see what the long-term effects of testosterone on the female body will be. I guess I feel sorry for most of them (FTM’s) who will never be men, no matter how much they kid themselves now.

I haven’t read anything more transphobic written by an LGBTqia person ever.

Trans people, I dont know why people may have a problem with us, but if you are reading something that’s written like this, I suggest you close the site immediately. These people are not your friends and they are NOT offering you advice.


PS./disclaimer: I have NOTHING against butch les people or tomboys or ANYONE. But NOONE has the right to tell me I’ll never be a man. NO ONE.

PPS. I owe you a post about the things I've been doing since I left Greece^^; Need to get organized to write that :)

PPPS. Wanna link that on tumblr? Here's a handy link:  http://harrysaxonpm.tumblr.com/post/57828629016/transphobia-online-by-lgbtqia-people-an-incident