In The 21st Century Transphobia Grows Unchecked

Human rights and equality extend to all (June Prompt for PRIDE)

I think it’s really important that ‘PRIDE’ is done with great joy and, well, pride this year. I know the parades and such are important every year, but in both the UK and the USA the amazing progress made towards love and acceptance for all over the preceding years has, in the last handful begun to be rolled backwards. Forced backwards into fear — and towards that dreaded Closet — by the rise of Right Wing, Fascistic beliefs and the politics of oppression and hatred of the Other.

Transgender people have particularly been targeted and exposed to many acts with violent and bigoted intent.

In my country. Hm. In the country where I live. Yes, let’s go with that, I don’t feel much like laying claim to a country which is becoming more and more isolationist, nationalistic, backward, prejudiced, bigoted and hateful (all of which has been government sanctioned in one way or another!)

Back on track though. In the UK, there has been an rapid resurgence of anti-transgender feeling and action.

One person who has been very much in the public conscience and children’s — and adults — hearts for decades now; someone who actually has a voice which wields a heavy influence upon her adoring public is of course J.K. Rowling. Ms J.K. in all of her infinite ‘wisdom’ (I wish you could see me rolling my eyes through this writing. Perhaps you can feel it in my tone…), decided it was her place to wade into the murky depths of the so-called ‘trangender issue’.

Excuse me while I just take another aside to address this terminology here: ‘transgender issue’.

What we have here, essentially, is a bunch of aggressive, usually white, cisgender TERFs (Trans Exclusionary Radical Feminists), who basically want to argue that Women’s Rights should NOT be Intersectional. To them, transgender women are an ‘issue’ because they want to have rights too. Somehow, to this particular brand of feminist, a transgender woman will always be a threat, always be a man, lurking in wait to do women harm, an undercover agent if you will, (for the Patriarchy). Always ready to use physical force and rape to reassert power and dominance over women. A ‘penis in a dress’. I truly dislike even writing this turgid pile of horse shit to criticise it. I genuinely feel like I need to shower.

None of this sounds even remotely sane and reasonable to me — and believe me, I’ve been misused, raped and abused by enough men to have a healthy awareness of the dangers they can pose. Yet, I have also known such a plethora of men who have defied the patriarchal model of masculine supremacy. Men both cis and trans who have been soft, kind, strong, supportive, protective, nurturing — and better people than many of the women I have known.

Plus, in all the arguments presented in this theoretical war against transwomen, transmen somehow seem to be discounted. In the continuing opposition to transgender women being able to use women’s toilets (rest/bath/powder rooms) and the insistence that they use the gents or just stay home out of sight, I’ve personally never heard any mention of what that means in the reverse. What happens when transgender men have to use the ladies because they were assigned female at birth? I’ll leave you to imagine the ensuing cacophonous scene if you will.

There is no ‘transgender issue’ — in the sense that people holding theoretical debates; or stamping their feet and bleating about ‘erasure of women’ if someone uses a phrase like ‘person who has given birth’ or ‘people who menstruate’ (in order to be inclusive of transgender men) — want us to believe.

All that we actually have, are people who have an issue with transgender people. That’s the sad truth of the matter.

Returning to J.K. Rowling, which I genuinely try not to these days: She of ‘Harry Potter’ fame, who has more latterly also become well known as Robert Galbraith, the penname she uses to write adult crime novels (the ‘Strike’ series). She, who has in recent years been making a name for herself for a whole new, much less palatable, transphobic reason.

I don’t want to give her any more of my essay than that, to be honest. I don’t want to quote directly any of the things she has written. What I am going to do is link to an article which gives a detailed account of all her various statements on this matter. I’ve chosen this article because it’s author has also gathered together some words in support of transgender people from the main young actors who starred in the ‘Harry Potter’ films — Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint (and more).

Just as an example of the kind of thinking and writing I do want to highlight, here’s what Daniel Radcliffe had to say (released via The Trevor Project with whom he works on a regular basis):

“I realize that certain press outlets will probably want to paint this as in-fighting between J.K. Rowling and myself,” he said, “but that is really not what this is about, nor is it what’s important right now. While Jo is unquestionably responsible for the course my life has taken, as someone who has been honored to work with and continues to contribute to The Trevor Project for the last decade, and just as a human being, I feel compelled to say something at this moment. Transgender women are women. Any statement to the contrary erases the identity and dignity of transgender people and goes against all advice given by professional health care associations who have far more expertise on this subject matter than either Jo or I. According to The Trevor Project, 78% of transgender and nonbinary youth reported being the subject of discrimination due to their gender identity. It’s clear that we need to do more to support transgender and nonbinary people, not invalidate their identities, and not cause further harm.” — A Complete Breakdown of the J.K. Rowling Transgender-Comments Controversy | Glamour

Meanwhile, over the pond, the American Right Wing Fascists are spending a great deal of THEIR energy on ‘protesting’ against Drag Queen Story Hour, typically hosted in a library or book shop. They claim that these demonstrations of bullying, threat and intimidation — often undertaken whilst wearing military-style ‘combat’ clothing and masks, while carrying large, massively powerful weaponry (like the AR-15 now seeming favoured by those perpetrating mass shootings eg. the incident remembered on it’s anniversary recently at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas) — are a necessary reaction to children being exposed to obscenity and groomed by the [they allege] paedophilic Left Wing.

Obviously this is quite the stretch, given that the intent of the events is to read age appropriate books to children — in the hope of encouraging them to read more themselves, thus (hopefully) improving both the children’s lives and the traffic and sales for the places hosting.

A perfect example of a win-win situation as far as I can see!

So, I guess that — in their warped, twisted and brainwashed minds — these ‘protestors’ are considering the Queens themselves to be the ‘obscenity’? Why? (No really….) Are these people — who are giving their time to do an extremely Good Thing — not merely wearing a costume?

Plus it’s an event for kids, I highly doubt the performers are rocking up wearing their most scandalously provocative outfits! In fact I’d hazard a guess that some of the (cisgender) women in attendance with their children have been showing more skin!

To some extent, all clothing is costumery. For drag queens a little more so, because they are usually dressed in a somewhat exaggerated way for a performance on a stage and/or in front of cameras. For transgender people on the other hand, their clothing is no more costume than any average person on the street, because they are simply dressing for everyday activities in a way which expresses their true selves and their own personality.

Just as you or I would do. Just as we all do.

For we are all just people trying our best in this life are we not? Transwomen, they’re women. Transmen are men. Unless they’re non-binary, gender queer, gender fluid, gender critical….. We are all worthy of the same respect and love.

Let’s leave it at that and move on.

The Prompt

We all need to have pride in our identity. We should all celebrate ourselves — and each other. For so long, in so many places still, LGBTQIA+ people have been unable to express their true selves. In the UK and the USA, we had got to the point where at least PRIDE parades could be held safely and people could enjoy expressing themselves, LOUD AND PROUD. Now that sense of relative safety is beginning to disappear again.

So for PRIDE MONTH: I would like to see some submissions which show pride — in yourselves if you identify within the LGBTQIA+ community; in a friend, family member or famous person (past or present) if you are straight/cis/ally or obviously if you are LGBTQIA+ and would prefer/be more comfortable with that option. REMEMBER: BE VIGILANT — DO NOT OUT ANYONE.

Finally, what I want to do next is provide some links to other pieces I’ve recently enjoyed reading on similar ground.

First, here on Counter Arts, two pieces by Laura Halls and one regarding book bans from Janice Harayda:

Then, more from Laura and the marvellous James Finn, taking you to the entirely worth visiting publication Prism&Pen (have a good look round while you’re there):

And an example of celebrating an author, written by Lara Buonocore:

Plus this slice of history from C.S. Voll:

If you want to know more about drag story hour go to one of these:

Thank you for reading. Hopefully you are leaving with some food for thought. Please do put those thoughts down into a piece of writing for us!

Reece Beckett — Marc Barham — Jess the Avocado — Carlos Garbiras — Will Hull — Arthur Dewson — Jackie Olsen — Amanda Laughtland — Raine Lore — Chuck Haacker — Janice Harayda — Dr Victoria Powell — Allie Funk — Jeff Hayward — Kaylin Hamilton — Caroline Mellor — Ben Ulansey — Aaron Paulson — Molly Willett — Niall Stewart — Patrick O'Connor — Greyson Ferguson — Sarah Marie — Mira G. Eliodora — and of course anyone else I haven’t tagged is welcome to send a response!

Looking forward to reading your submissions. Stay safe. Stay well. With love — Sadie