Monday, March 03, 2008

I'm Glad I'm Not Like You

As I wrote about back in January, I have a hater and agent provocateur that it seems like has made it her mission in life to post contrary and negative comments on just about any thread I initiate on the Bilerico Project.

As many of you may already be aware of, I was honored to be invited to join it as a contributor earlier this year.

On a recent post of mine called 'I'm Pissed Off', the hater posted a comment totally unrelated to the topic in which she stated that I and Monica Helms, another activist she has Hateraid for, wasn't like her.

Gee, in my case was it my photo that clued you in to that profound revelation?

Once again we have the whiny, exclusionary, borderline delusional rants of WWBT's polluting the Internet. They are hating on people who have put themselves out there to do the work of advancing civil rights coverage for all GLBT people. They turn intelligent, thoughtful discourse into a WWE wrestling match. The WWBT's are not only making asses of themselves, they are proving themselves to be the transgender equivalents of Ann Coulter.

But the WWBT's are right about one thing: I'm not like you.

I'm a proud African-American transwoman who is descended from the survivors of the Middle Passage. I'm a Phenomenal Transwoman who like her biosisters is proud of her heritage, cognizant of her history and revels in the fact that she can take her place amongst some of the most beautiful and intelligent women in the world.

I'm a proud African-American transwoman who is also a third generation Texan. I come from women who make history, start and build organizations and work to solve problems sometimes at great risk to their own safety or comfort level, not passively sit on their butts behind a computer terminal, incorrectly spout and misinterpret feminist theory and snipe at everybody that doesn't agree with them.

As the late Rep. Barbara Jordan, one of my heroines and a fellow Houstonian said when she accepted the NAACP's Spingarn medal in 1992, "It is a burden of Black people that we have to do more than just talk."

When I didn't see people like myself represented in the early national transgender leadership ten years ago, I and others got involved so that my people's issues would be part of the general transgender community conversation. We also wanted our transkids to see people standing up for transgender rights that reflected their cultural heritage as well. When the transgender community was resistant to or indifferent to having us in their spaces, organizations or conferences, we created our own.

I'm glad I'm not like you. I revel in every chocolate brown curve of my body. I love not only the quiet strength and intelligence of my transsistahs and transbrothas, I love the variety of skin tones me and my transpeeps have from vanilla creme to the deepest darkest ebony hue. I love the way we can wear anything from jeans to couture and rock it with the confidence of supermodels strutting the runways.

One thing I pray for is not only gracefully aging, but that I continue to have the same thirst for knowledge that I've had since childhood. I pray I continue to keep an open mind, not let the madness of a few narrow minded people discourage me from fighting for everyone's civil rights, be willing to seek out young people who have different spins on issues that will expand and add flexibility to my views, and continue to be a positive influence on mine and the next generation of transgender people.

I also pray that I don't turn into a bitter, exclusionary, self-hating, selfish shrew like some of you WWBT's have become.

I'm glad I'm not like you, and I thank God every day for that fact.

34 comments:

TC said...

I love you so much for saying this.

LDR said...

The folks at Bilerico are making themselves look bad by permitting that "hater" to post there. I for one don't enjoy visiting their site, mostly because of her.

You're absolutely right Monica -- be proud that you're not like her.

MonicaH said...

Idr,
You'll be happy to know that Bil banned her today for sending him a hateful E-mail. Check out what he posted.

Monica Roberts said...

Good.
She and her WWBT friends need Jesus

LDR said...

monica roberts - they sure need something!

monicah - thanks for letting me know. Did he ban her because of that email, or was it her showing her true colors after he banned her? Either way, they're better off without her.

She seems to belong to a group of people who insist that they're not really trans. Which is fine, except that they have no right to insult people who do identify as trans. And somehow they keep hanging around the trans community . . . like a love/hate sort of thing.

I do feel kind of sorry for her. But if I were a moderator somewhere, I'd ban her too.

Anonymous said...

Perhaps Monica
You should judge not lest ye be judged.

Your need to always frame thing in a black verses white paradigm clearly shows you have issues of your own.
Liz Whitecloud

Monica Roberts said...

Perhaps Monica
You should judge not lest ye be judged.

Your need to always frame thing in a black verses white paradigm clearly shows you have issues of your own.
Liz Whitecloud


ROTFLMAO...

Liz, the Black-White paradigm predates the founding of this country and permeates everything in American society.

Buy a vowel and get a clue that the GLBT community isn't immune to it either.

Unknown said...

Liz,

The only way to NOT see the racism that permeates this society is to be willfully blind. I’m about as W.A.S.P. as they come and I notice racism and white male privilege in action around me all the time.

Monica is not being racist; she is just describing the world around her.

To go back to the subject of the post, why do the WWBT’s hand around trans blog’s and organizations if they dislike us so much? If we have done nothing for them or have even hurt them b our activism where are their organizations fighting for their rights? I’ve seen this fight flare up every few years since I came out as Gender Queer and got involved and it bores me to tears. Thankfully Monica has been her usual eloquent self and put all this in it’s proper perspective.

Polar said...

My irritations with the WBT outlook is:
1: to win, politically, it is necessary to build alliances, and severance of a segment of the community is a step backwards, and
2: I feel that transpeople have an obligation to teach those who come after them, just as you received guidance from others before you.
I've heard too many WBTs state that "I did it myself, I lost everything, and every other TS should lose everything and struggle, too." I find that bunk. I'm working politically with the goal that people may transition without the expectation or necessity of losing everything. If you don't like that, too bad, I'm doing it anyway - and so are Monica and many others.

Anonymous said...

In answer to your points Polar;
1. WBT have already won the political fight. The trans gender political fight is on some fronts not a fight at all. Take employment discrimination for instance. Unless you live in Montana you live in what is known as an "at will" state. this means your employer can fire you and she doesn't have to give you a reason for your firing. If there is no reason given then you have to prove discrimination.

WBT have won this round by conforming to what society expects of men and women in the workplace.

WBT people help those who help themselves. There are many WBT involved in a large support network quietly doing the work of supporting and helping their own.

Liz Whitecloud

MonicaH said...

AirMonica,
I posted this article om my blog as well. www.monicahelms.com/blog

SeaMonica

MonicaH said...

Liz,
You have specific proof with links? I find what you say very hard to believe. Proof, please.

Just Jennifer said...

"My irritations with the WBT outlook is:
1: to win, politically, it is necessary to build alliances, and severance of a segment of the community is a step backwards, and
2: I feel that transpeople have an obligation to teach those who come after them, just as you received guidance from others before you.
I've heard too many WBTs state that "I did it myself, I lost everything, and every other TS should lose everything and struggle, too." I find that bunk. I'm working politically with the goal that people may transition without the expectation or necessity of losing everything. If you don't like that, too bad, I'm doing it anyway - and so are Monica and many others.


Well Polar, you are certainly entitled to be as irritated as you wish, but beyond that, tough. First off, the community is, at best, an illusion. There is no real community. There is a bunch of diverse behaviors that some people try to force into a community, but they fail miserably. I'm sorry if you don't some of us declining to be a part of your little club, but again, TOUGH!

Second, what do you think gives you the right to dictate to anyone what their obligations are? Most of the people who lose stuff are people who probably have no real business transitioning in the first place. When someone has had a successful career as a male, and they suddenly decide to chuck it all to go full time with their little hobby of crossdressing, or worse, they suddenly decide at the age of 45 that crossdressing is a turn on, so they will transition and do it full time, then they really do need serious therapy that does NOT include hormones and surgery. But, that is beside the point. No, one should not be fired for being a transsexual, or even transgender, but the way some act, they are not helping the cause.

What the so-called activists need to realize is that they are NOT helping. In many cases, they make things far worse than they have to be. But they are too hung up on their egos to figure that out.

MonicaH said...

Lisa, you stated: "WBT have already won the political fight." I would like to know what you mean by this and I would like to see the proof of what it is you mean. You sound confident, so here's your chance to educate.

Then you said, "Take employment discrimination for instance. Unless you live in Montana you live in what is known as an 'at will' state. this means your employer can fire you and she doesn't have to give you a reason for your firing. If there is no reason given then you have to prove discrimination.

WBT have won this round by conforming to what society expects of men and women in the workplace."

Can you be clearer on what you mean by this and what are the examples that prove your point.

You ended with, "WBT people help those who help themselves. There are many WBT involved in a large support network quietly doing the work of supporting and helping their own." Who are these people and how "large" is large? Where can one go to see this "large" group.

To paraphrase and old saying, "Proof talks. Bullshit walks."

TC said...

Liz claims that forty-nine US states practice "at-will employment". Nonsense. Here's the Wikipedia article on at-will employment - you'll see that there's a lot more than the one single exception she claims.

MonicaH said...

States that have local efforts by transgender and transsexual people are: CA, HI, OR, WA, NV, AZ, NM, CO, TX, IL, IN, IO, MN, WI, MI, OH, NY, PA, NJ, DE, MD, DC, VA, WV, VT, CT, RI, MA, ME, NH, FL, GA, TN, KY, NC, SC, AL, LA, AR, MO. So your statement, "So i ask why are the Tee Gee's not working at the state level to fix this issue" is baseless. It only proves you have no idea what you are talking about.

MonicaH said...

Thank you, tc. I also want to know what "at will employment states" have to do with the price of chee in tiena. It proves nothing.

Anonymous said...

By the way Monicah
when are you going to learn that calling us haters because we don't agree with you destroys your credibility and shows your intolerance of people who think differently then you do.

Liz Whitecloud

Stassa said...

Oh by the way, everyone, "Liz Whitecloud" is Sue Ann Robins. Satan told me.

He thought you should know.

Anonymous said...

Stassa if that is your real name.
what brand of weed are you smoking?

MonicaH said...

LIZ,
I see, as I suspected, you didn't have proof for your statements of what HBS-like people have done to make the lives of transsexual better. Instead, you shifted into attack mode.

And, when I pointed out all the states that have local TG/TS groups who are working in those states on local issues, you realized that you screwed up.

The people who read this blog have been given absolute proof that not only can you not back up what you say with proof without becoming nasty, but you make statements that have no bases in truth. See how easy it was to discredit you with well placed questions?

Mark Twain once said, “It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt.” Thank you for removing all doubt for us.

Stassa said...

Yeah, Sue. Nobody -nobody- else writes "borne" to mean "born." Your signature posting style (whiny, bad syntax, spelling and grammar) stands out and you always speak the same ole words. You comment on Monica's post about you. You use a blogger id that is not connected to a blog. And you hang out with the same ole Jennifer as always. Also, you pretend to be Native American yet again. I thought I'd wait for you to pretend to be intersex yet again, but I had far more serious stuff to spend my time on (like, pick my nose.)

Oh and- I googled "Liz Whitecloud". If you're such an advocate of WBT rights, where's your internet presence, before your comements on this post?

Liz- iiiis -Suerooo-bins!! Liz- iiiis -Suerooo-bins!! Liz- iiiis -Suerooo-bins!! Liz- iiiis -Suerooo-bins!! Nya nya nya!!!

Stassa said...

Oh and, since you ask, I only ever smoke the bestest Ganja® Here, have a smoke ring: . o O ( )

Monica Roberts said...

And My question to all you WWBT's is this.

If you're allegedly so suceesful, why don't we have federal civil rights coverage since you've been doing sooooo much work to help the community get there?

You peeps were the reason we adopted the 'trasngender' label in the first place. Many of you made the accurate argument in the early 90's that our community shouldn't be described by a medical term.

Now you're flat out tripping.

Anonymous said...

Monicah
We do not need civil rights protection. we are female from our birth certificate forward. We can marry we are in every way female in the eyes of society and government.

Your civil rights issue is not our problem.


LiZ

Anonymous said...

Stassa
I guess that explains it.
Lay off the dope, go find an NA meeting.

Stassa said...

My God, Sue, I'm bowled over by the unrestrained power of your argument. What a tour de force! Dear lord!

Monica Roberts said...

ROTFLMAO

The WWBT's are so blinded by their bitterness and delusional disconnection from society they can't even tell the difference between me and Monica Helms.

If you don't care about us and 'our' civil rights are not you problem (typical selfish attitude)
then why even post comments on this blog?

Don't you WWBT's have your own little separate white dominated transworld you want to build without us around?

Why don't you scurry off to Idaho and find some like minded miltia members to help you build it?

We'll be busy building a multicultural coalition, doing the heavy lifing of advocating for civil rights for all and killing your selfish Religious reichesque legislation the minute you dare introduce it, and laughing at you WWBT's.

Polar said...

Liz said...

Monicah
We do not need civil rights protection. we are female from our birth certificate forward. We can marry we are in every way female in the eyes of society and government.

Your civil rights issue is not our problem.

LiZ

Ever heard of the Real ID Act, Liz/Sue? You may have changed your birth certificate, but don't be shocked if your state of birth still has your original name on its records, with your new name as a notation - that is how most states do it. A new pilot program is underway to digitize all 50 state birth certificate records and make them available for instant reference at all 50 states' drivers license offices. Remember I told you this when they ask you when you had your surgery.

Social Security doesn't ever erase your original name. Your Social Security records on SSA's computer will show the date you changed your name.

At least one of your 3 credit reports will probably have your original name, or may even have your "new" name notated as an AKA.

I bet a noted community activist once that, if I had her social, I could have her original name and gender. Took me 15 minutes on a dialup connection 12 years ago.

Don't be so confident that you're safe, unless you want to be the test case for DOMA. The Littleton and Gardiner decisions say you're not legally a woman, and if discovered, you can bet they would be invoked. Christie Lee Littleton and J'Noel Gardiner didn't think anyone would ever know, either.

I'm glad you have a good life, but your attitude strikes me as being one of "I got mine, screw all the rest of you." I don't find that a valid, fair, Christian, or socially acceptable attitude - in fact, it is the attitude that drives street gangs, historically totalitarian dictatorships, Religious Reich megachurches, and the fascists that work for Blackwater.

I work with too many people who are in various points in transition, and it is true that some probably shouldn't transition. I never will. But I know a good number of transitioned TSs, most postsurgical, who aren't going to be supermodels at any point in their remaining lives. Inability to pass does not make anyone who is a TS, any less a TS than you - and they should be able to get jobs and keep them through transition without fear of discrimination. As I see it, under the present regime and set of rules, nobody's safe. And until everyone is safe, including you, I will continue activism, whether you and your ABT friends (figure out the abbreviation for yourself)like it or not. While I am at it, I will also work for those who need to transition, those who crossdress, and friends and families of T people, for they need protection too.

What the (I apologize in advance for the unfortunate use of this word, Monica) FUCK are you doing posting your bullshit to a transgender list, anyway? Shouldn't you be showing your toy poodles at the dog show with the rest of the filthy rich high-society hoitytoities?

Monica Roberts said...

Whwn you White Whiners Born Transsexual learn how to argue your points without insulting people like the rest of us in polite society do, then I'll consider keeping your comedic opinions up on my blog.

This is TransGriot, not a forum for your whiny, insulting, and robotically predictable rants.

If you want to post your opinions somewhere, then start your own blog and see if you can get 600 hits a day on it or parlay it into various writing assingments.

Anonymous said...

You can't handle it can you every time I post somelthing you deliete it because you don't want to be exposed as the racist you are.

using racial slurs against white people and i am not even white.

I can't believe you are such a racist. full of hate
your the hater your the one who hates white folk.


you shame Martin Luther King.

your filthy i feel like i have to take a shower after i read every one of your disgusting hate filled posts.

your a pox on Black America.

give it up.


LiZ

MonicaH said...

Living in Georgia, I have seen so many times white racists bigots being confronted by what they would call an "uppity n---" and as soon as the African American person confronts them with their own hate, they scream "Racists." Seems Liz has learned well from her KKK brothers.

Liz, in Gainesville, GA, the Sears is having their annual white sale. The sheets already have the eye holes sewn in. Only ten per customer.

Polar said...

Yeah, Liz, Monica R's such a racist. So much of a racist that she'd split a home with a couple white people. So racist that she'd be a bridesmaid in a white guy's wedding party (mine).
We've taken so many road trips together, I can't count now. Not to mention that I accompanied her to a relative's funeral in Houston.

As stated before, I am as hopelessly
pale as Edgar Winter.

There is a big difference between being proud of one's heritage, and being racist. Monica is justly proud of her family and her heritage - I've met them, and they are intelligent, classy people.

Of course, if you want to continue to post stupidity, as you've done here consistantly, then I'll point out that Monica R will probably continue to punch the delete button. When the drugs you're on wear off, find something non-transgender to post to, 'cause nobody I know wants to read your uninformed, politically ignorant, greedy crap.

delux said...

Monica, I had seen your posts about haters but I didnt realize the that batshit crazy was *this* extensive!

a 'pox'? Heffa please.

Speaking on behalf of myself (and therefore, of course, All Black People In America), I am here to say that I am PROUD of Monica, her activism, and her truthtelling.