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[bianca-curlworld]

EC Post: Instructive Art

For my blog project, I wrote about Trans Latinxs and their relationships to families of origin. Of course I found information about conflicts and tensions that occur when a Trans Latinx comes out to their family of origin. However, I also found a decent amount of family members, specifically mothers and sisters, who eventually or immediately accepted and embraced their Trans family members and even got involved in organizations to help promote awareness and fight for Trans rights in their communities. Through this piece, I wanted to portray the feeling that it is possible to be accepted by the Trans and Latinx communities not separately, but existing as both identities always in both communities. This is why I painted the Trans flag in the form of a zarape (this is how my abuelita says it, but also known as “zerape”, “sarape”, “serape”, or even “saltillo” in some places) a traditional Mexican blanket which is also used as a ”gaban” (not going to translate/explain references anymore, si no sabes, just google it) similar to a “rebozo”. The zarape to me in itself symbolized a fusion of, or more so adaptation out of survival, of indigenous art and “tilmas” with Spanish influences. This seemed perfect because I wanted a visual representation of the blending of Trans and Latinx identities, so I used the patterns and colors of the Transgender flag in a zarape style. I used the silhouettes of a parental figure and a child figure to symbolize family. It was difficult to choose what symbol I wanted to represent family because there is really no general family formula and I did not want to stereotype the family structure. However, I did focus on family of origin for my project so I chose some sort of parental/guardian figure and some sort of child figure. Overall, I hope that when people view my piece, they get a positive sense of a Trans Latinx identity that can include love and support from families of origin. 

[ef-gws294-blog]

I really like this. First off, I love that this looks like the house chair blanket that every Hispanic family (at least my own, personal and extended) has! I think this was a really good way to tie in both the colors of the transgender flag in with the Hispanic American culture. I also loved your topic. I think a lot of lgbtqa activism that talks to/about Hispanic families either talks down to or talks at them about the need for acceptance. And while I agree that there should be a message of acceptance I also think that research like this needs attention too. The not all Hispanic families cut off their children if they identify as gender variant. I like how this research shows that ther is a potential for support networks witihn the community and I think that the research you did was important in telling that story.

[bianca-curlworld]

EC Post: Black Trans Lives Matter 

This video was about an event that was held in Chicago surrounding Black Trans Lives Matter and featured activists Cece Mcdonald and Monica James. The event was sponsored by a variety of organizations that surround issues facing communities of color, specifically Queer communities of color. Each woman spoke about their experiences with police and how this became a catalyst for their activism. They spoke about what they feel is going well with the movement and what isn’t as well as where they hope the movement will go. See them speak here: https://youtu.be/TEr9q7594tA 

Three things that I took away from their speeches were: 

1. Get involved where you can. Monica James spoke about the movement being a broad one with many different facets to the issues that Trans and communities of color face. Therefore, there are many things that one can do to help reach equity. For example, while she is fighting for prison abolition, someone else may be holding healing spaces, or workshops about getting jobs, etc. 

2. The concept of being an activist when you are going through rough times. Cece Mcdonald explained how it felt to become an activist in a movement, when she was just trying to figure out her own situation. She was like “how the hell can I be a leader and I’m trying to take care of myself”. During this time she was experiencing homelessness, incarceration, etc. The moment she decided to fight was when she noticed that she’s not fighting this alone. Community brings strength, so when one person stands up, likely 10 others will that are thinking the same thing.

3. Inter-sectionality: we need to worry about everyone, not just the people experiencing the same marginalization as us. We need to think about the ways we hold privilege as well as the way that we don’t. We need to open ourselves up and not assume that we have learned everything that we need to know about social justice and activism. Lastly, we need to learn about each other not just so we can accept each other, but so we can love each other and embrace eachothers’ “beauty”, as these ladies put it.

[ef-gws294-blog]

I spoke about similar themes in my reflection as well. I think the topic of intersectionality was a major theme of this conference. Both speakers talked passionately about the need for activism and doing so even when its difficult because that is when its most important. Intersectionality, as both you and they pointed out, is extremely important to activist work. Part of activism is being willing to learn and reincorporate that knowledge into helping others. Being open and willing to listen to people of all walks of life is going to put you in the best position to help to the best of your capabilities. And another part of being open is the acceptance of self and of others, as you pointed out, and I don’t think that this conversation is discussed enough within the activist community. 

[ef-gws294-blog]

Event Post: Her Story

HerStory is a Youtube series that follows the story of Violet, Paige and Allie in Los Angeles. Violet is a transgender women who is new in town, Allie was looking to write an article about transgender women in the city and introduced herself to Violet and struck up a friendship. Paige, an attorney with a focus on advocacy is a friend to Violet and is a strong voice of reason throughout the series. The series addresses many issues within the transgender through the power of personal narrative, discussing sex work, abuse, passing, transgender rights, inclusion in the lgbtqa community and relationships with cis individuals. I very much enjoyed this web-series and will be on the lookout for another season.

I think something noteworthy was the event itself. Something I love about UIC, especially GWS events, is the level of diversity. There seemed to be a lot of different kinds of people across the gender variant spectrum, and I think that created a welcoming environment right from the start. I think the way that this story spoke about issues within the transgender community was extremely effective. The way the film gave personal narratives allowed insight into issues of transgender sex work and abuse that I don’t feel I was exposed to before. And it was done in a very approachable way, by having Violet tell her story, not shown. I also think that HerStory being written by, starring in, and set done by transgender and gender variant people is as much a political statement as the film itself. Work like this shows the diversity of talent in the media/film industry, not that it didn’t exist, but that exceptional peoples talents are underutilized.

[translatinx-familia]

Post 6: The Role Latinx Mothers in Queer Family Acceptance

When researching the topic of family experiences among Trans and gender variant Latinxs I came across an interesting phenomenon. It seems that Latinx cisfemale relatives play an important role in affirming the identities of trans Latinxs. Latinx mothers specifically were not only more likely to accept and embrace their trans children but also educate other family members. This is important because it explores the intersections of gender variance, being female identified, and race in regards to conceptions of gender. 

A study about familial acceptance/rejection among Transwomen of color showed that “Mothers, grandmothers, and other female relatives were more likely to be described by Transwomen as accepting,” (Bimbi et.al., 2009). This was in stark contrast to the reactions from male relatives, as fathers, brothers, grandfathers were often less supportive. (Bimbi, et.al.,2009). The study was an even mix of Black and Latinx Transwomen and showcased the different reactions family members had to their gender identity. 

Female relatives of both Black and Latinx Transwomen did not just accept their daughters, but they actively supported and celebrated them even when other family members did not. One participant said, “My mother, she was there for me … Then when I told my father, it was a big issue, because he’s a religious person … He put me out, but my mom, she had another place [for me] to go,” (Bimbi et.al., 2009). In this instance a mother went out of her way against her husband’s wishes to help support her Trans daughter. Another participant talks about her mom as her biggest supporter, “My mother’s my best friend. She buys me panties and bras… my aunt, nephews and niece … they accept me to the fullest. They see me the way I want to see myself, which is [as] a female”, (Bimbi et.al., 2009). 

Most of the data about cisfemale relatives acceptance of Trans and gender variant Latinxs was collected from the perspective of the Trans Latinxs themselves. There was not too much written about their perspective or process in understanding their Trans relatives. One short Youtube documentary about Gay and Trans Latinxs, “Tal Como Somos/Just as We Are”, includes the relationship that Gabby, a Transwoman, has with her mom. (Jrv4utube, 2008) Gabby says, “My mom knew. Maybe unconsciously, she knew. About my sexual orientation. She just didn’t want to accept it,” (Jrv4utube, 2008). Gabi explains how at first her mom did not understand and even kicked her out of the house; but when Gabi came back fully presenting as a woman, she accepted that this is who she really was. Gabi’s mom says, “I had never seen anything like this in my family. I talked to Gabi and he said, ‘Mommy, this is how I am. I am like this’”, (Jrv4utube, 2008). Gabi’s mom had little knowledge as to what being Transgender meant, but after some time and realization that this was her daughter’s identity, she accepted. She says, “You know, there comes a moment where one has to accept it, accept things the way they are” (Jrv4utube, 2008).

Another resource that I found showcasing Latinx mothers’ acceptance and involvement in their Queer children’s identities was the “Tres Gotas de agua” (Three drops of water) short series released by the Somos Familia organization. This short series documents the thoughts of three immigrant Latinas about their Queer children and their advice to other Latinx parents with Queer children and to the Latinx community in general. With these mothers, there seemed to be very little resistance to the identities at the time of their children’s coming out. (Somosfamilia1, 2011) They seemed to not only accept their children as Queer, but to celebrate them and advocate for them. Susana says about her Lesbian daughter, “Why should I limit her or treat her as an inferior being? Because of a sexual difference?”. (Somosfamilia1, 2011) On the last question she makes a face and scoffs as if the idea of rejecting her child based on their queerness was the most ridiculous thing she has ever heard. Further, she talks about the importance of Queer Latinx feeling supported by their families and communities as she describes her own experience with her daugher, “She had a right, and we had an obligation to make her feel good”. (Somosfamilia1, 2011)

Overall, it is important to recognize the significance of Latinx communities and families’ support for Queer Latinxs. Some Queer Latinx may face neglect, rejection, and even hostility by their parents. However, this is not every family’s case. Also, Latinx mothers and other cisfemale relatives seem to play an important role in affirming the identities of Queer Latinxs and in advocating for them to other family members and to the rest of the Latinx community. This is important work that is done out of love, humility, and understanding and so it must not be overlooked. 

Works Cited

Bimbi, David S., Joline A. Koken, and Jeffrey T. Parsons. “Experiences of Familial Acceptance–Rejection among Transwomen of Color.” Journal of Family Psychology 23.6 (2009): 853. Print.

jrv4utube. “Tal Como Somos/Just As We Are – Gay and Trans Latinos.” Youtube.com. March 25th, 2008 2008. Web. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyIrPFntrqM>.

Somosfamilia1. “Tres Gotas de Agua.” Youtube.com. April 26, 2011 2011. Web. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLtHcbmvjAg>.

[ef-gws294-blog]

I think that research and narratives like this are very important. There is a tendency in the advocacy community to talk down to the Hispanic communities and families. I don’t know exactly all the reasons why this happens but I know that I’ve seen it happen personally. However, I think that studies like this, that show what Hispanic communities are doing right in regards to their support of the transgender folks in their families and communities are important. To stop talking down to people there needs to be a recognition of what is being done well. And one of those things is that the women in these families support and affirm their transgender youths to the best of their abilities and utilize their networks in order to do so. I think research like this not only shows latinx individuals that their families can potentially be support systems but this also shows the larger trans youth activism communities that the Hispanic family discourse produced may not be accurate.

[transimmigrantdetainees-blog]

Post 3 **TRIGGER WARNING - Violence & Sexual Assault**

WORKS CITED:

Anderson, Laurel. “Punishing the Innocent: How the Classification of Male-to-Female Transgender Individuals in Immigration Detention Constitutes Illegal Punishment Under the Fifth Amendment.” Berkeley Journal of Gender, Law & Justice 25.1 (2010): 1. Web.

“Trans Migrations: Exploring Life at the Intersection of Transgender Identity and Immigration.” Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity 1.2 (2014): 170-80. Web.

[ef-gws294-blog]

I think that this is a very real very pressing issue that is not getting the attention it should. These statistics and facts show that their is a discrepancy between what the system should be and what the reality is. American detention centers are an issue of contention across the board in regards to most people in the system. However, as little attention there is to U.S detention centers, I think there is even less discussion of trans folks in the system. Again I think this speaks to the idea of advocacy and identity politics; if we’re going to talk about an issue who should be in the spotlight and whose narratives should be pushed back and ignored, even by activists. Dialogue surrounding immigration to the United States is so nuanced and layered, having said that I don’t think there is any benefit to ignoring statistics like this or trans immigrant narratives. Transgender issues within the detention and immigration conversation should be both acknowledged and addressed.

[gws294rhetoricofsexwork]

See the full series here. ( https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCw2Mg0PoxZkAHAzDiabWr9A )

[fourth post] Her Story: Subverting the Victimhood Narrative

I have written elsewhere on Her Story, specifically highlighting its portrayal of transgender community and intersectional identities. On those elements themselves, I suggest the entire series to my friends. For this post, I want to investigate one such plot arc in particular. In this episode, we find out about Violet’s history with sex work. Although it is not explicitly mentioned whether she still engages in sex work, her narrative covers many different interactions and relationships. Violet’s narrative is especially valuable because the writers, producers and actors of the Her Story series are all transgender persons.

This in mind, let’s take a closer look at Violet’s narrative. When asked why she is with Mark, she speaks about being new a city and entering into sex work out of financial need. Despite initial feelings of validation, her life quickly spirals out of control, and she speaks about developing a drug addiction. From this situation, Mark enters her life as a regular customer and takes her in. This mirrors, though not exactly, Julia Robert’s role in Pretty Woman. The idea that being a sex worker is inherently the role of a victim in need of rescue, usually from a male client is pervasive in sex work literature produced by the external gaze. It is all meekly reminiscent of the white savior complex.

However, Her Story subverts the Pretty Woman trope in a subtle way. The film is often described as a modern Cinderella story, where Richard Gere enacts Robert’s character’s metaphor about being saved by a knight in shining armor. What is different in Her Story, however, is a lack of a happily-ever-afer: instead of saving Violet from some phantasmal life of destitution, Mark is an abusive partner, violently isolating Violet, locking her in a tower instead of setting her free. In a certain sense, Mark’s betrayal represents the destructive nature of the Pretty Woman narrative.

Her Story’s subversion of the forced victimhood narrative demonstrates how dangerous it is. By insisting on a false pretense that all sex workers need saving, an activist can do significant, material harm. Instead of plastering the media with Richard Gere, man-in-shining-armor, we need to be promoting transgender persons and their own narratives as the foundation to build their own activism. We see that Violet’s recovery is not ultimately rooted in Mark’s intervention, but rather in her belonging in and building of her fellow transgender community. Our coalitions should be built for our communities, not paternalistically in spite of them.

[ef-gws294-blog]

I think that this is a really interesting way to approach this story arc in HerStory. In narrative terms it very realistically subverts the Pretty Woman narrative, that ‘being saved’ from sex work isn’t always a realistic solution and comes with its own potential pitfalls. I think that how it was written into the story is also significant. The fact that trans folks were part of every level of this production adds agency and validity to this narrative. I think that the way that it was produced was also significant. There is a tendency for media especially film, to add shock value in order to prove an issue is serious. There could have been sex work flashbacks or very long very violence scenes of abuse in HerStory, however, the story relied on narrative in order to get these points across and show the audience a reality. The way that HerStory used rhetoric in order to raise issues of trans sex work, ‘saving’ sex workers, and abuse in trans relationships was meaningful without being exploitative. 

[bfgws294-blog]

Reflection Blog

When I first began researching Fashion in the Transgender Community, I had no idea where it would lead me. I have often been victim to the comfort of yoga pants and hoodies. One friend once described my fashion from going to “Martini’s After Work” to “Single Mom”. To some extent we all like to own nice things, things that we like. This is Fashion! A way to identify each other… “Single Mom”, Martini’s After Work”, or “Trendy”. Fashion is how we express who we are, what we like, and our ideals. This topic is important to discuss when exploring the Transgender Social Movement.

Fashion has helped social movements in the past. The 60′s Gender Equality Movement is one that particularly comes to mind when examining its impact on Fashion. Through my research I learned about new up and coming Transgender Models, Androgynous Designers,  Past Transgender Models and their hurdles, and the changes currently happening. Not only did my Final Blog Project make me explore Fashion, it made me explorer the issues that face diverse communities.

While researching Transgender Models I began to watch television interviews and even Andreja Pejic’s Ted Talk. These interviews, and quotes that I read, gave me an in depth perspective in the struggles of Transgender Models. I can honestly say that I do see the world differently. By the end of the Ted Talk I understood why Andreja was in the Fashion Industry. It was not only because she was a beautiful woman but it was also her expressing her intellect, showing the world who she is, and inspiring others to be themselves. She is putting herself under the scrutiny of shallow media and a public that may not understand. The confidence that this displays is inspirational to me, even though I am not gender variant, I too can admire her.

[ef-gws294-blog]

I think that your topic is very relevant. In your project you discuss not only how fashion has changed, but how it works to change boundaries. And one of those boundaries has been the incorporation of transgender models. Although this has come with its own hurdles, not only hiring issues but problems in regard to pay. I think your reaction to Andreja and her presence in both the fashion world as well as becoming a public figure is how I feel as well. Sometimes it takes individuals paving new ground in an industry in order for change to occur. I think that fashion especially plays an important role in our culture as well as what kinds of culture gets produced and I think your blog project has really examined this connection.

[ef-gws294-blog]

Extra Credit Post 2 - Black Trans Lives Matter Video

This Chicago Panel was designed to discusses the issues of transgender people of color (because as Monica James discussed, this is also a problem faced by gender variant other people of color) specifically the trans-misogyny, institutional racism and its resulting systemic violence. The panel had two primary speakers, CeCe McDonald who was previously charged with murder for defending herself against her attacker, and then had to navigate the prison system. The other primary speaker was Monica James who has been targeted multiple times by police, and has fought locally and internationally against violence and abuse exhibited towards trans women of color. 

The panel had two primary themes, intersections of oppression and activism. CeCe McDonald a lot about how systems of oppressions make black trans lives vulnerable to violence and how there are a lot of people are forgotten and disregarded because a discussion on intersectional oppression would be ‘too complicated’ do dissect. What she was really trying to emphasize to the audience was that these lives are worthy of a movement, and worthy of being protected and advocated for (by both inside and outside the community itself) on a larger scale than the individual. Monica James discussed the need for activism, and how this meant that many people of all different kinds of skillets needed to be involved in order to create large changes. She also discussed how ‘activism’ also need to me ‘advocating’. She talked about how black and poc trans individuals needed to be involved in the systems of change, that means both in the social activism as well as governmental changes. There needs to be a demand for these voices to be the ones involved in these conversations because its the only way meaningful change will happen. 

The first thing I think I took away from this panel was that the language you use for advocacy is important. Its very easy for people that have been studying and researching and advocating for years to slip into statistics and very technical speech. And while I think there is a place for this I also think that when you’re trying to address the public in order to engage with them you need to speak in an understandable vernacular, which I think the members of this panel really made a point to do. 

I also think that CeCe discussed something that I personally grapple with. She discussed how while she was in prison, she was receiving letters of encouragement but also letters asking her to become a leader and an activist. She spoke at the panel how she didn’t know at first how she could use her voice for activism when she was still trying to advocate for herself in a very immediate way. It was when she realized that she wasn’t advocating alone, even when she felt she was, that activism became her path. I really appreciated knowing about her transition to activism. 

I also really appreciated how black trans women were the primary speakers of this panel. I think that there is a lot of value in the people being affected by something also being the voices that speak out. I think that their personal narratives only added to the political narratives both CeCe and Monica were discussing.  

[hedonde-blog]

7th Post: Reflection

What have I learnt this semester? A lot. I’ve learned about theory, community building and organization. The beginning of the semester supplied me with multiple frameworks of understanding gender per se, and applying such a definition to describe what might be transgender. Although I am still on the fence about a consistent, analytical or “logical” definition of transgender, I feel that this is part of the game. Social institutions are generally assumed as natural and biological, and as such resist logocentric underpinning. That being said, such an exploration of Stryker, Wilchinss and Bornstein have giving me excellent vocabulary not only to describe transgender phenomena, but also to apply them to the field of rhetoric.

Besides purely linguistic work, this course has taught me much about the coalition building necessary for activism to help alleviate material circumstances. Particularly striking to me was Spade’s article on the whitewashing of narratives of victimhood. By critically examining the role of sympathy in remembrance ritual, we saw how sympathy disarms rather than calls to arms. It is a good reminder to step away from weepy pathos-centric rhetorical arguments when remembering otherwise is necessary. De-subjugating knowledge and relearning the public history seems to be necessary in moving forward.

[bonnie-gws-294-blog]

I find it interesting that you are “still on the fence about a consistent, analytical or ‘logical’ definition of transgender” because I am too! One might assume that after an entire semester of a trans studies course, that is something we would be able to come up with, but that is not the case. For me, this course has gotten me to realize that there is no single way to define transgender. Just as much, there is no way to define male, female, man, woman, etc. I think that as certain parts of society continue to work to break down the walls of strict identities, these terms continue to lose meaning. Very interesting reflection! 

[ef-gws294-blog]

I agree with whats been said here about not having an official academic definition of transgender. I think its an interesting way to discuss this lack of concrete definition. That this is part of the way these discussions happen. To create an academic definition, especially so early in its academic study would be to stagnate the discussion in a way that it is not in social settings or through public discourse. I also agree with your reflections on the first few readings of the course. Although they did not provide the definitive language that I might have liked, and are used to in other fields of study, they were very useful in providing a framework and providing the language that we can use in dialogue like this.  

[perpetualnightowl]

7th Post: Reflection 

What did I learn this semester? That is a surprisingly big question, and one that doesn’t have a simple answer. I went into this class thinking I’d learn more terminology, history, and current events surrounding the topic of gender variance. And although I did learn things around that I’ve learned a lot of important cultural and societal issues that go beyond gender. When we think of issues and rights of trans, gender variant, or non-binary individuals we usually have a western image of transition (usually white transition) and basic rights. And all of that is important (looking at you North Carolina), so many intersectional inequalities aren’t looked at. I think the images I used are a good representation of something important I took away from this class. There is this cultural erasure and appropriation in regards to gender. We are molded to look at gender a certain way that others are disregarded or impacted by this view. The two-spirit people and Mahu had their respective cultures stripped from then and as they rebuild Western views on gender are imposed on their terms. Certain words don’t translate and things don’t line-up and that’s okay, we need to start undoing the damage done and be more accepting and inclusive. 

Erasure is also something that will extend and be taken away (poor choice of words) from this class. From readings and blog projects I now have an understanding of the extent of the injustices of inaccurate trans narratives and a lack of trans agency. Whether it’s retelling of history, the narratives of trans people of color or the treatment of sex workers trans voices aren’t present. Let me rephrase that, those trans individuals who are experiencing injustices voice’s aren’t heard. Instead those unrelated or who aren’t directly affected get the platform. Given all the recent events and fact that trans/gender variant rights haven’t come to fruition my knowledge will only continue to grow. As long as we all view the world through an intersectional lens our knowledge will only extend. We have to be educated on the issues and educate others to enact change. 

-Michael 

Photo Credits Here

[ef-gws294-blog]

I wrote something very similar to what you spoke about at the beginning of your reflection about feminism. I think that there is a tendency for feminism to take a very narrow approach. To only include a very streamlined idea of feminism, that ends up excluding a lot of people. An inclusive intersectional approach would look at the inclusion of transgender, and gender-variant people much more than it does at this time.

I liked your discussion on cultural appropriation in regards to gender. I don;t think this is discussed nearly enough. There is a certain way that this happens, and certain words cannot really be translated into another language or another culture and they really shouldn’t be. I think that this line of conversation should be made more public and engaged with more often than it is at this point.

[ef-gws294-blog]

Post 7: Course Reflection

What I’ve learned from GWS 294 is how to engage in a dialogue respectfully. Because gender-identity, how we engage with it (how we talk about it and the terms we use) changes over time, I think one of the most useful skills I’m taking from this course is the ability to talk about gender in an open, honest, and informative way.

I don’t think I was as attuned to the issues that exist within the gender variant community as I was with the feminist community. I think this class has reinforced for me the idea that feminism as a movement needs to be more open to dialogue with its communities. That kind of engagement would encourage more productive coalitions, which I think is still a struggle for the movement. And I think that I will continue to increase my knowledge of this area of study by seeking out more conversations and more lines of communication concerning these topics.

[queerchillona-blog]

Gender Variant Event : Her Story

I was able to attend the Her Story event and really enjoyed myself. I wasn’t able to stay for the panel portion of the event but I got to watch the whole series with a community of people. A link to the event is found here.

I actually had a great experience at the Her Story event. I was surrounded by a great community of people. Her Story is a six episode web series that follows the lives queer and trans woman and how they navigated through relationships. I really enjoyed the characters Page and Violet.The web series promotes a realistic representation of trans women and actually included trans women actresses. I also really liked that the web series incorporated issues that affect trans women. I enjoyed each and every episode and when the series ended, it left me wanting more.

The web series covered sexuality and how gender does not equate to sexuality. The character, Violet, thought she was straight, but found herself exploring her sexuality and forming a relationship with Allie. Her Story also touched upon sex work industry, to be specific, escort services. Violet had been an escort when she was in New York and the man she was living with had been one of her regulars. In class we discussed gender variant people getting into the sex work industry because of lack of financial opportunities,poverty,homelessness,etc. Violence was also portrayed in the web series; trans misogynist violence and interpersonal violence. There was a lot of trans misogyny from a cis lesbian character named Lisa. Lisa used harmful slurs, outed Page, and used trans misogynist rhetoric to claim that trans women shouldn’t be allowed in women’s shelters.

[ef-gws294-blog]

I really like how you’re approaching this analysis. You not only address some of the plot points to the story, but also examine how this relates to the large scale; of what issues this story showed that exist within the lives of transgender people. I think it was interesting, how the story approached issues of violence and sex work. This story in particular didn’t feel the need to use visual violence or sex work in order to show the impact of it. This approach still allows the viewer to understand with and connect with characters who have experienced these events, without having to see, the potentially triggering, visuals within the film. 

[gp528-blog]

HerStory Viewing and Panel

The event was a viewing of the episodes of the series “Herstory.” Each episode was approximately 10 minutes long and it was followed by a Q & A with the cast (who we did not would be there!) with questions from the moderator, S followed by questions from the audience. The episodes revolved around the dating lives of trans and queer women and their relationships with one another. I absolutely loved the event. The episodes first and foremost, were well-written and had wonderful acting. I found myself in disbelief when it ended because I wanted there to be more. In all honesty the only thing I can say that I disliked was the fact that I felt it was not long enough. All the women were so thoughtful in their responses and it felt like a very loving and caring environment and it was apparent that they all held a deep respect for one another.

Jen stated that the show was developed via trans talent. In what she described as a “top to bottom” structure, the majority of the people working on the film from the director to the sound editors to some of the composers were trans. This is an important instance of “by us for us” at work. As Jen said, there is no shortage of trans talent. Someone in the audience also asked about the inclusion of gender non-conforming people and they stated that when the material can be introduced organically then they will be but they emphasized the importance of sharing one’s own experiences so anyone who has a story to tell may tell it. There was also the discussion of disclosure and when and where one may draw the line. There may be some individuals who may identify as somewhere on the spectrum and feel no particular way about being misgendered but others, as Jen revealed, may read themselves differently depending who they are with. 

[ef-gws294-blog]

I’m glad you seemed to enjoy the event! I think that what the panel was talking about with a ‘top to bottom’ structure for these mini-films is an interesting way to approach doing this film. I think that by using a structure like this, that not only focuses on a particular topic, but also uses that ideology of inclusion in who production hires is a great way to say that talent in this industry comes in all packages. I also think that that discussion about disclosure and where that line is drawn is an important conversation that I don’t think is talked about enough

[queendqgws294-blog]

Gender Variant Latin@s

The article “Eliding trans Latino/a queer experiences in US LGBT History” by Tim Retzloff is about two influential gender variant Latinos; Jose Sarria and Sylvia Rivera. Jose Sarria is more commonly known for being the “first open homosexual in the country to run for elective office” (145), and Sylvia Rivera is known for being part of the Stonewall riots and for organizing STAR (Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries). Both very influential Latinos in the LGBT community, however their Latino identity has been erased from the media and their representation. For Sarria, he chooses to identify as Spanish decent so he himself rejects the Latino identity. Rivera even though widely recognized as Latina, that part of her identity is omitted from history. Overall, the article is about how certain identities are not represented because they don’t fit nation-state view of how things should be, and thus excluding certain groups of people because they don’t fit in.

I think this reading stood out the most to me because it discussed Latinos that influenced the LGBTQ community and how they are represented because sometimes we are omitted from history. Latinos are a huge part of the United States, me being one, and we are left out of a lot of things because we are not white and this article does a good job analyzing that.  I think that the impact this article had on me was that I felt included, that my identity as a Latina has value and that my people contribute to the world, and specifically to the LGBTQ Community. I hope other readers can see outside what the media represents on an individual and they can value different aspects of someones identity and not just one part. 

Retzloff, Tim. “Eliding trans Latino/a queer experience in US LGBT History: José Sarria and Sylvia Rivera reexamined.” CENTRO Journal 19.1 (2007): 141-161. Academic Search Complete. Web. 6 Jan. 2016.

[ef-gws294-blog]

I think that the link that you had to this article was an important one. There is a tendency to ignore the histories of people of color, specifically Latinos. I think that there is a huge struggle for people to not only find their own histories but to be able to see themselves in it. This article was one of those marker moments, where there is an open discussion of what it means to identify with the Latino community, how this effects public perception, and what contributions were made from this community. I agree with you that media representation is an important aspect to this struggle you described above. 

[mezcalconcafe-blog]

4th Post: A Course Reading 

Eli Clare’s “Resisting Shame: Making Our Bodies Home” talks about the shame that people feel on their bodies, especially trans, gender non-conforming, and people with disabilities. Trans people often feel shame when it comes to their bodies and as a result they tend to look at their “trans-ness [as] a birth defect,” (459). Framing trans identity as a disability not only pathologizes trans identity but it also erases disability as an actual issue. Clare also discusses how trans people describing their “trans-ness” as a defect and claiming that they want the same health benefits as people with disabilities is problematic because once again it ignores the issues that people with disabilities face and erases the fact that they also endure inequality in the healthcare system.

I felt a connection to Clare’s article because the feeling of shame is central to a lot of issues. Clare mentions trans identity and disability, but it is also central to issues of sexuality and race. Getting at the root of why people feel shamed in their bodies can help to unravel and expose systems of oppression. This article helped to explain other reasons for the health disparities in gender variant people and how a lot of it is rooted in shame and how that affects mental health. This article also did a great job of highlighting how comparing trans identities to disabilities is problematic and it should be a take away from this article.

Link to article, click here.

[ef-gws294-blog]

I think that your personal connection to the piece was a good way to connect to the article. I think that is a strong link between arguments between the larger GWS community and the transgender community. There is a difference between the shame we feel as individuals and the shame that entire populations are guided into feeling. Looking at the article by looking through the lens’ of oppression that create shame is a good way at both politicizing the issue (in terms of the ‘disibility’ parallel argument) as well as creating a personal link to the issue of body shame and identity.  

[ef-gws294-blog]

“[r]epresentation of queer death are instrumental to how a nexus of state and non-state institutions, individuals, human rights discourses, civilizational discourses, diasporas, and media work together to produce, represent, and manage queer lives and deaths according to national and transnational conventions of citizenship” (Shakhsari 566).

Sima Shakhsari’s Shuttling Between Bodies and Borders discusses the transnational forces (state, political, organizational and individual) during the ‘war on terror’ that construct both the lives and deaths of queer people. The article discusses the story of Naz, an Iranian trans-woman who fled her country to seek refugee status and received a placement in Canada. Mark Bingham, a white wealthy openly gay American man, who was killed on 9/11 while stopping United Flight 93 from reaching the White House was lauded as a hero after his death as well as an icon. Ayaz Marhoundi and Mohamad Asgari, who were hanged in Iran, were publicized by international media as being sentenced to death because of their sexual orientation and fueled judgements towards the “barbarity… [of] the Islamo-facists in Iran” (573).

I think that the argument both the argument and the stories that Shakhsari tries to unpack in this piece are very oversimplified, but more specifically the individuals whose stories they use within the piece. The argument that Shakhsari is presenting relies heavily on the analysis of Naz’s, Bingham’s, Marhoundi and Asgari’s. However, the author only gives a short blurb about their stories and the media response/narriative formulation. With more information, the ‘connect the dots’ argument the author was trying to lead the reader to would have been clearer and more credible.

That being said, I think that this work has a lot of value. I feel as though I made a personal connection to this reading because it analysis the global political landscape and its relationship to queer bodies in a way I wish it was more often noted. It’s very easy to hear a gripping story (as all of the examples Shakhsari gave were) and get swept away with the narrative that’s being sold. A world where the West is the haven of liberal ideals and where people are not only willing to flee their countries for that ‘freedom’ (as was Naz’s narrative), but willing to die for them (as Bingham was). Where people in other countries die because of that lack of ‘freedom’ (as was the case with Marhoundi and Asgari). The article pointed to both political forces for these narratives, like the ‘war on terror’ pushing for narratives that justify war based on reasons of ‘morality’, because , “violence against queers in Iran… incit[es] the masculine protectorship of the First World and the need to rescue the victimized queer Iranian” (573).

The way queer bodies are represented, both in life and in death are important. The problem isn’t only with how wrong it is to take a life/death and condense it into a snapshot and spin that snapshot to sell a story. This is an unfortunate reality to the way a non-public persons death is handled should it ever gain media attention. There is also a problem with the victim/hero complexes these individuals’ stories were personified into for mass consumption, again to sell a particular narrative of us vs. them, but this is also not the most pressing issue. The problem is most pressingly, that there is not enough out there in the public eye concerning queer narratives in the global context. Because of this gap in information there is a void in public understanding. This means that the queer bodies that are lifted into the spotlight are even more important, the way that their stories are handled and reproduced are even more important because there are so few. This fact, that these stories hold such weight because of their scarcity, means that the other problems that surrounded these narratives mentioned above become even more of a problem.

This layered problem that the article addresses is one that should make an impact on the way people consume narratives about queer and gender variant people. I think there is a complacency in media/state sponsored media consumption that isn’t questioned as much as it should be. As a student, especially as a student of political science, I think that this question of narrative in relation to the contemporary/current history of queer and gender variant bodies is too important to not discuss.  

 Link to Article:

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/12784237/GWS%20294%20Spring%202016/Shakhsari%20-%20Shuttling%20between%20Bodies%20and%20Borders.pdf

All credit for photo goes to Qantara.de

[queerchillona-blog]

Trans Health Panel

I found the Trans Health Panel to be extremely interesting and I was excited to see such a diverse panel.I found my experience to be positive and I felt lucky to be able to attend it. The panel attempted to address the different issues regarding health care for gender variant people. Topics ranged from accessibility, training medical staff to be culturally sensitive, to even self-care. I like how there was definitely more discussion regarding health care outside of surgeries, one of the biggest topic was hormones and their accessibility. More information on the panel can be found here: http://gws294spring2016.tumblr.com/post/139123420134/healthpanel

1. I learned that Cook County Hospital offered some services to trans youth through Dr. Margot Bell. I had no idea that a hospital that’s so close to UIC is trying to provide health care for gender variant people. Dr. Bell strives to make hormones more accessible to trans youth of color and she mentioned during the panel that since she opened the clinic, the purchase of hormones from the internet/different countries has significantly decreased. 

2. Caprice also mentioned that when we use medical terminology when we speak to under served gender variant people, we alienate them.In order to make health care accessible to gender variant people, we need to address the language issue. Health care providers need to make sure that their patients understand the information they’re getting or figuring out a way to explain things in a way their patients would fully understand. Not everyone has the same educational or even language background.

3. Something else I learned from the panel was that regardless of Campus Care at UIC covering gender affirming surgery/other services, it still does not make them accessible. Shay had mentioned that they had tried accessing those services and found it to be difficult. They mentioned that there’s no infrastructure to allow access to those services. Just having the services covered does not make them accessible if people still have to jump through hurdles to even get an appointment.

photo cred: http://www.glaad.org/blog/federal-employees-will-now-have-access-transgender-healthcare

[ef-gws294-blog]

I agree with the second argument you made about medical terminology. Caprice did make the argument that by using medical terms when speaking to gender variant people or even the public there is a tendency to alienate. Healthcare needs to be accessible to those trying to access it and using understandable language is part of that accessibility that I don’t think a lot of people/healthcare professionals address.