Did They Say Tranny?

The teachings act not so much as an introduction to a new body of knowledge, but more like memory triggers into the dynamics and understandings of a larger field of consciousness in which we all participate.
- Karen Berggren, Circle of Shaman

This is now a third-hand evaluation, Jamiegotagun published in her blog entry Much Ado... that there is a positive spin recognized in Alexandra Billing's blog about the movie Ticked Off Trannies with Knives. Alexandra, who got an advance copy, was impressed that the characters reacted more like women would in a similar situation. There is also a moment that celebrates the transgender status of these women as living between.

The problem is that "tranny" is perceived as a derogatory term filled with stereotypes of mindless sex objects. Any woman reading that would say, "Duh. Welcome to womanhood." There was a time they were regarded as "just a girl," considered worthy only for sex and children. Many men took pleasure in the "conquest." It was so prevalent, it was recorded in our literature. I even remember a time as a child when being called "like a girl" meant you were worthless. As long as women stayed silent in the closet, they had to suffer under it's implications.

Then somewhere along the line, they reclaimed the term "girl." They knew who they were, and when women and girls gradually and fearlessly entered the public spotlight, a few men took notice. And the reclamation proceeded, not so much as a conscious action, but stepping out of the shadow.

In 1969, gay men were also stigmatized by the word, "gay." Starting in the Stonewall riot, when a number of drag queens protested the police raids, gay men began to fearlessly come out of the closet, accepting all the dimensions of themselves. And a few open minded people noticed. Today, gay is a term of celebration of identity and those who would put them back in the closet have had to back off to the term "homosexual."

If "tranny" is derogatory, it's in our power to reclaim it. The women's movement and the gay movement have show us the path. Instead of attacking those who use the term "tranny," we can reclaim it, imbue it with power, and show the world that trannies are men and women, politicians, engineers, scientists, neighbors and friends. We can show that "trannies" have learned how to accept themselves in the face of tremendous struggles with who they are.

And we can't do any of this hiding. Some of us blend in so well to our target gender it is easy to hide. For others, our frame, height or some other feature gives us away. These people have no choice but to represent the true face of transgender people. "

For anyone who complains about the current status of the term, I'm sorry to tell you that reclamation can't be done hiding in the closet, whether it's pre-transition anxiety or "living in stealth."

As a friend of mine told me, "We need to get out their and show our faces. Let the people see how we really are." I would go one step further: "Let them understand us."

It was a tough road to accept, but I do. I'm tranny. Big deal.

Hugs and God Bless,
Sophie