Saturday, April 19, 2014

Stop Yelling From The Porch

TransGriot note:  Proud to put up another guest post from Fallon Fox 

@jokestress @calpernia @TheAdvocateMag @huffpostgay Please stop yelling at us from the porch. It's hot out here, and the sun is beating on us hardcore. Yes, that ladle you're holding that's dripping with water sure does look good. But, I'd rather die than come up there. I'd rather die than not be respected like the other minorities in the world.

The porch is a very nice place to be I'm sure. And I'm sure it's nice and cool inside the house no? But, what do we have to do to get in that place? Oh, that's right, be made fun of. And release our ability to fight back when others keep theirs. I will not be coming up there with you. I'll toil out here with my sisters. One day the plantation will be overthrown. And where will that leave you?

**Warning - I must now spell out the slur words in text to use as examples in order for it to be clear what I say, and educate about these horrible words.**

Again, 'tranny' and 'shemale' are slurs. I won't stand by while my sisters and I are repeatedly disrespected by minorities outside of us. I won't sit back and allow any ethnicity outside of blacks, to attempt to joke around with the word 'nigger' at blacks expense without a fight.

I won't sit back and allow cisgender people outside of trans identity, to attempt to joke around with the word 'shemale' at trans women's expense without a fight.

This next question is important for the both of you. Would you be okay with ANY other ethnicity joking around with the word 'nigger' on TV in the way Ru Paul did?

Scenario- A Cuban rap artist holds a TV show. He has other Cuban rap artists come on the show, then tell those rappers to pick which rap artist in ANY ethnicity or a "nigger", depending on the partial photo presented.

All good fun, right? Nothing should be said to the entities that host their show?  It should be laughed off? Blacks who complain and demand that, should be removed should grow a thicker skin?

And free speech? Free speech is recognized by the government. Yes, you can say anything you want. However, there are real world consequences between citizens and businesses - when they say things within government protections of free speech.

Consider these three scenarios: 1- You want to come to my store and buy something? Great! But, don't call me a 'nigger'. Don't call me a 'shemale' either. Or you will be bounced. I don't have to let you stay in my store if you do. Why is that? 1- If I own a store, and my employee makes the unfortunate mistake of cracking jokes in front of customers by using 'shemale' or 'nigger', I can reprimand them, or fire them. Why is that?

2- If I own a business, and I myself make jokes in front of customers saying the word 'nigger' or 'shemale' I don't get fired. However, I will most likely lose business. Why is that? Perhaps it could be because we do have freedom of speech from a governmental standpoint. Which I applaud and love. It keeps our government in check, and is needed. But, outside of that, as Americans we govern ourselves in this regards.

Question for Calpernia Adams, Andrea James, the entities of The Advocate @TheAdvocateMag, Huffpostgay @huffpostgay: Can a politician joke around with the words 'nigger' or 'shemale' and keep their job? Would you say they should be able to keep their job on the grounds of free speech? If yes why? If no why?

As American people we have the power to vote our politicians out of office or impeach them for infractions of slur speech like this. And that is a good thing. Yes, you have freedom of speech; we all do. You will not prosecuted you for slur speech. THAT IS WHAT FREEDOM OF SPEECH IS. But, you do not have 100% free speech without the repercussions of people in your everyday life. That goes for businesses too. That is correct, that is right, that is needed. As the public need to keep businesses in check in this regards. Calpernia and Andrea, we will keep you in check. We will keep RuPaul in check. We will keep LOGO in check.

LOGO is a business. Ru Paul is an employee. The customers complained about his language at work in a work setting referring to derogatory language linked to its customers. They complained about this (repeatedly). Finally he was reprimanded. Do not attack @ChristinaKahrl. Do not attack those working hard to uplift our trans minority to a positive place in the minds of Americans. Do you love those who poke at us, their emotions of wanting to get that out of themselves, more than your own people?

Again, stay off of the porch.

We are valuable people. As valuable as Blacks, Gays, Asians, Native Americans, the disabled, et cetera . Stop treating us as if we are lesser human beings.  Have respect for your people, and have some respect for yourself. And I don't say that out of hatred. I say that because I truly, deeply, care about my people.


***If you are still unclear of my stance at this point I suggest you read the following link.*** http://transgriot.blogspot.com/2014/04/overpolicing-language-seriously.html?m=1

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