Monday Open Post – 20th Anniversary of the ADA
Feminists With Disability (FWD) has a couple of posts:
(Quick Hit) The Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) at 20
Disability and Work: Equal Pay is a Disability Rights Issue
On Feministe:
On Rape and Deception – comments get problematic, so be warned
Guest Poster Tasha Fierce writes on The Coming Race War – also some problematic comments
Where Are Are My Keys I Lost My Phone – A few weeks old, but worth reading
Feminism 101: Your Underdog Lovelorn Romantic May Be My Rapist
Genderbitch:
No – Another post about the Israeli woman charging an Arab man with rape because she thought he was Jewish when she had sex with him. There’s a lot of nuance in this, so go read it.
And this week, two videos:
Conversation between a trans woman and a cis woman about the cis woman’s decision to attend MWMF. If anyone wants to write a transcription, that’d be brilliant. I’d do it, but my short term memory hates me and would make me listen to each sentence six times. Jayinchicago transcribed it in the comments. Thank you!
Joan Jett and the Blackhearts – I Love Rock and Roll
Kitty cat blog.
http://catatar.com/
Thanks for the link to flipfloppingjoy. That’s one of the best blog posts I’ve read in a while.
sebastianbound
26 Jul 10 at 3:00 pm
I’m just happy I was reading enough blogs to have a decent list of links this time.
And yes, totally agreed about FFJ.
Lisa Harney
26 Jul 10 at 3:02 pm
I am lol’ing at this bit from the conversation video:
“I believe that I can support you, but also support people who hate you.”
“I’m not sure if that is true”
“As a queer woman who dates men I am used to complex dualities of identity, so I know that I can understand both sides of this complicated issue”
squirrel
26 Jul 10 at 3:20 pm
Yeah, that exchange is why I posted it.
Lisa Harney
26 Jul 10 at 3:24 pm
I transcribed the animated video:
brown bear, white bear (or are they cats?)
brown bear: i want to talk to you about why you’ve decided to go to Michigan this year.
white bear: i go to Michigan because I am a woman who likes women.
bb: the festival organizers are openly hostile to transsexual women.
i know; i am a transsexual woman. i know–i thought we were friends.
wb: but I go to michigan because i am a woman.
bb: don’t you feel bad patronizing this organization?
wb: no.
bb: Do you understand I’m not allowed to go because they do not think I am a woman?
wb: I don’t care.
bb: doesn’t that go against everything you say you believe in?
wb: I don’t care.
bb: you always talk about how women should feel accepted no matter what their body looks like.
wb: would you like to come to a party at my house?
bb: not really.
wb: would you like to cut my hair before the party tonight? I will pay you of course.
bb: ok, i will cut your hair. my rate is $100.
wb: but i only have $20.
bb: my rate is $100.
wb: but there will be lots of cute Facebook photos that you can use to advertise your services.
bb: my rate is $100.
wb: but we are friends.
bb: ok, just because we are friends, I will charge you $20.
wb: great. it is at 8 o’clock. if you could bring cupcakes, that would be great.
bb: I don’t know if you are really hearing what I am trying to say.
wb: why don’t you go to Camp Trans? we can wave at each other from across the street.
bb: because there are too many men there, and I’m a lesbian.
wb: what kind of cupcakes do you want to bring?
bb: I don’t have time to come to your party–I have to work at my minimum wage job, so I can put myself through City College.
wb: I’ll sign you up for red velvet. It is a fundraiser so I can go to MichFest. The tickets are very expensive.
bb: why are you going to hang out with people who hate transsexual women?
wb: I am trying to plan my party. Why can’t you ever just relax and have a party sometimes? Let’s just enjoy some femme solidarity.
bb: do you know what solidarity means?
wb: I have the word “solidarity” tattooed on my ankle.
bb: if you are my friend, why don’t you have my back?
wb: i believe i can support you, but also people who hate you.
bb: I am not sure if that is true.
wb: as a queer woman who dates men, I am used to complex dualities of identity. so i know I can understand both sides of this complicated issue.
bb: this issue is not complicated.
wb: it is a difficult debate to have every year. it makes me tired.
bb: for me this is about my whole life, not some stupid music festival full of bigots.
wb: I need to go take a bubble bath. I can’t wait to see you at the party tonight.
bb: I am not coming to your party–
wb: I am really counting on community support.
bb: why do you want your community to support hatred and exclusion?
wb: I need you to bring red velvet cupcakes to the party tonight. I know you love to bake.
bb: WHY are we friends again???
wb: we met because I had to interview you for my final project at Sarah Lawrence.
bb: I hope you got an “A”.
wb: At Sarah Lawrence, we don’t get grades because grades are a part of the patriarchy.
wb: Ok! Ok that you for this discussion about a difficult topic. I am lucky to have you as a friend so you can remind me how to be a better person.
[end scene]
jayinchicago
26 Jul 10 at 3:45 pm
Another Xtranormal trans video.
Lisa Harney
27 Jul 10 at 12:33 am
I’ve just declared war (of sorts) against cis people.
z
27 Jul 10 at 1:19 am
This is my first comment on anybodies blogs… like ever.
Please tell me that the transcript that I just read is a snark, or irony or something that doesn’t make me lose what little faith I have left in cisgendered feminists?
Em
27 Jul 10 at 1:43 am
It’s snark, but I do know trans women who have had very similar conversations.
Not all cis feminists talk like that.
Lisa Harney
27 Jul 10 at 1:48 am
I’ve had similar conversations myself and considerably worse (which I won’t go into for trigger reasons) but generally even the worst bigots get embarrassed or angry when basic logic pops it’s rodentine head up.
Em
27 Jul 10 at 2:10 am
Oh, yeah.
I mean conversations covering that ground, but the xtranormal videos seem to always involve snark vs. total obliviousness. Everyone seems to write them that way or I’ve just not looked for other plots.
Lisa Harney
27 Jul 10 at 2:11 am
Total obliviousness being the normal mode… yeah.
Fail by numbers.
And I don’t (by choice) stray far enough into ‘enemy territory’ to learn how things are from ‘their’ side.
I have plenty of friends who are one flavor or another of feminist, but generally if they’re my friends (and conversely friends of mine) then they tend to get that generalizing, decentering, and othering is potentially pretty shit.
Em
27 Jul 10 at 2:22 am
the shakesville piece was really stirring. a close friend went through something very similar- particularly with strangers assisting a stalker-ex.
I see a connection there to grapevine disclosure of trans status/history/identity. when a trans person discloses to someone and says “please keep this confidential between us”… then the other party proceeds to determine who is “safe” to tell and who is not. there was a line in the shakesville post or comments about how you can’t get consent second-hand.. or something.. anyhow it got me thinking.
I’d also never given any thought to public proposals… though I also haven’t been party to any
MHS
27 Jul 10 at 6:51 am
Wow all these videos are so excellent. I’m really proud of trans people right now–I know that sounds insipid, but I don’t know how else to phrase it.
jayinchicago
27 Jul 10 at 8:03 am
I don’t think the video was snarky, just too uncomfortably realistic in many ways-especially the part about working for minimum wage and going to a community college.
Amanda in the South Bay
27 Jul 10 at 2:51 pm
ooh, great links!
random: a couple of weeks ago, my partner and i went on a walk and ended up at a lovely lookout. the view! (map of where the photo was taken – we were standing just north of the little reservoir and looking northeast.)
nix
27 Jul 10 at 10:10 pm