TransGriot Note: I was sent the link to this anti-transgender blog posting entitled Transgenders Are Not Like Blacks which comes courtesy of Bob Parks. I posted it to Transsistahs-Transbrothas to get their reactions, and it resulted in this comment to his blog from Alexis that is awaiting moderation on his site. I thought this needed to be seen by my TransGriot readers as well. I'll post my own thoughts on this later.
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TransGriot Guest Column
by Alexis Whitman
I consider myself to be a moderate. I am Black, 27 years-old, and I am a transgender woman. I would like to point out that I do not, nor do any of my close friends, look like whores when we go to work. I am a manager with over 300 people under my umbrella and I do my job with class. I come from a strong heritage and I am very proud of my roots. I was educated at a prominent HBCU and I do not vote for candidates because they have a "D" beside their name.
I would like to say that the only reason protections have to be extended is because there are those that prey upon others. I believe integration is the worst thing to happen to Black people in America. We once had a strong sense of community and self-worth. The only problem with segregation was the fact that opportunities were not equal. Let's talk about equality.
It's not right to terminate the employment of someone based solely on race. So why then should it be allowed to terminated someone based solely on gender identity or presentation? Companies have dress codes and if an employee falls outside of those bounds, the employee should be disciplined accordingly. Someone who is a high-performer should be looked at as just that. Race should not be a determining factor, nor should gender or sexual orientation.
Please do not get gender and sexual orientation confused. I am a woman and I date men. I am straight. The only thing is that my body was incongruous with my mind. That has now been corrected and I function without issue in society. Hormones worked for me and they work for everyone. I would never wish for anyone to have to go through the internal anguish and self-loathing that we transgender people do.
I do not say that the struggle for gay people is the same as the struggle that Blacks endured. I do say the struggles have their similarities. Civil rights for all should not be a problem. I cannot understand why some Black people are very quick to disavow transgender people. I have done no harm to anyone; I only want to live my life and blend in.
I might add that I blend in very well. I stand five-feet-seven inches tall (model height). I have a beautiful dark complexion. I wear a size zero. And, I command the attention of men in a room when I enter. Oh, and I don't have to wear a micro-mini skirt to do so. My looks shouldn't be the major factor as to whether or not I have to worry about being terminated.
I only want to live my life and pursue happiness. It is the premise of the preamble to the Constitution--need I remind all the strict constructionists out there. It must be noted that our Founding Fathers wrote:
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."
The only reason our laws have to protect people is because the citizens of our country cannot seem to do the moral and just thing of allowing people to have Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.
Update: Bob ended up inviting Alexis as a guest on his November 12 radio podcast show. Here's the link to it.
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