Lately there has been a lot of internal conflict within the LGBT community-the topic of transgender, it's place in LGBT, and how it should be handled. Lately with the talk and belief in a "gender spectrum" and inclusion has not got some facets of the transgender community, but also has had effects on the rest of the gay, lesbian, and bisexual communities as well.
Back in 2019 at a pride event in London, a small group of pro-feminist lesbians called "Get the L Out" made an unauthorized protest during the parade. The protest was over trans inclusion, and how it could have negative effects on the lesbian community since lesbians could face being made to interact with biological men claiming to be female in areas like locker rooms and changing areas. The reason for the protest was because of the idea of gender being "assigned" to someone at birth and the rather loose terms of what is trans has indeed cause a rise in people claiming they are trans and the opposite of their birth gender, but do not go through any reassignment surgery to fix the issue. The group "Get the L Out" was met with hostility by the members of UK's trans community and allies, and have even been called TERFs (trans exclusionary radical feminists), received death and rape threats; and even had their private info leaked online.
Over here in the states, another group called "Drop the T" formed that is in opposition of the trans community. This group was formed by members of the gay, lesbian, and bisexual communities not out of bigotry towards trans people, but because of harassment and bigotry from some facets of the trans community. Their reason for dropping the T is due to harassment and threats at them from the trans community over the fact that won't make adjustments to their sexual orientation to include trans people. Even some trans people have expressed thoughts on leaving the trans community over all of the harassment and pushing from their fellow trans and their supporters.
Dispite being for trans rights, I can see the reason behind these groups. Lately the definition of gender from the trans community has become very murky. Some trans people even state that gender is nothing more than a social construct forced upon us by the conservative system. Since some facets of the transgender community like to believe that gender is an abstract thing, then sexual orientation should be that abstract. They think that if they were born one gender and feel the opposite gender, then they should be loved by those who are attracted to same genders. However sexual orientation doesn't quite work that way. More often when a gay like myself says that we're attracted to men, we are speaking on a biological sense. Our bodies and brains are wired to seek out to mate with and form relationships with other men. It is the same for lesbians, and bisexual people are biologically attracted to both sexes yet may prefer one over the other. Some facets of the trans community seem to not understand this, and thus lash out and harass gays and lesbians when we turn them away, even if they had transitioned. Saying "I identify as a man!" doesn't really count in this scenario. You may identify as a man, and get the change to look like a man, however biologically speaking you are still a woman. If a gay guy says that he's not into you, he's not being a bigot. He's just saying that dispite the changes you still don't attract him. Something is amiss. The same can be said with lesbians. Being a dude and claiming to be female doesn't mean that a lesbian has to date you. Even if you make the change and are sporting a new set of boobs and a brand new kitty, lesbians still are not obligated to date or sleep with you.
Another point that both Drop the T and Get the L Out also mention is trans and areas where some level of undress may occur, like locker rooms and changing rooms. For example if you are a transgender woman in pre-op, a womens locker room isn't for you sadly. Sure you may claim female, however dispite you saying otherwise a penis isn't female. Also some people within the trans community seem to have forgotten that humans are capable of lying. This could lead to some pervert claiming they are trans female, then waltzing their way into a women's bathroom or locker room and assaulting other women. If you think this is unlikely, there has been an incident where a convicted rapist in a men's prison requested to be moved to a women's prison because they claimed to identify as female and felt unsafe. They were then moved to a women's prison, where they then raped several female inmates with the first two weeks.
The two LGB groups along with some trans people and children's advocaticy groups have also pointed out the connection between the fringe ideals of gender coming from facets of the transgender community and the rise in use of puberty blockers on young children. For the clueless, puberty blockers are a form of medication that interferes with hormones and slows or prevents puberty from taking place in the body. In the past it was recommended for teens who suffered with gender desphoria so they could halt the changes of puberty until they fully decided they were the opposite gender and can go on with gender reassignment procedures. However due to the spreading belief that gender is a social construct and that young children know that are one gender in the body of the other gender, puberty blockers are being prescribed to kids as young as four years old! I personally do not agree with this. When I was four, I could bearly tie my own shoes and made split decisions on things all the time. What makes anyone think that a little four year old, that can be lead into agreeing with anything if told nicely, would already know that they're trans?! Also it's still debatable on if puberty blockers are even safe on children as young as four since their bodies are still developing.
Could all of this lead in a split between LGB and the T? It's likely if things continue on this path. If the split does happen soon, the the unity would have been short lived in a history standpoint. The trans community wasn't incorporated into the whole until 1988. If things were to split now, it would mean that the trans community has only been a part of LGBT for 33 years.
What are your thoughts on the whole issue? Please feel free to leave your comments below.
| Viewed: |
10 times |
| Added: |
2 years, 9 months ago
22 Jul 2021 15:08 CEST
|
|
|
