More bad news for transfolk

Clippings from news sources involving fashion freedom and other gender equality issues.
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Ralph
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More bad news for transfolk

Post by Ralph »

Here we go again. After battling countless fake stories about a dude dressed as a woman to do something pervy in a public facility, it looks like somebody has gone and done it for real:
http://transadvocate.com/breaking-due-t ... _18798.htm

Now, we all know this doesn't "prove" anything about men who wear dresses, men who identify as women, post-op transsexuals, or anyone else who doesn't fit into the neat binary sexes and gender roles we're assigned at birth. It's really just a story about a voyeur who got into a changing room and took some photos of a female in a state of partial nudity.

But the fact that he chose to do so while dressed in "women's clothing" (no detail on what that means) sets whatever minuscule progress has been made towards acceptance back a few decades. I'll bet you a pound of taffeta he's not trans-anything, was just using the clothes to reduce suspicion while he made his approach. And he didn't even gain access to an exclusively women-only changing room; it was a unisex changing area. The real problem with the setup is not the gender policies at Target, but the fact that their changing rooms are designed AT ALL in such a way that anyone, of any sex, wearing any type of clothing, can reach over a wall and get pictures.

But Joe Sixpack isn't going to see that. Joe Sixpack is going to say this proves that men who wear dresses are perverts and should all be rounded up and sent to NASCAR for reeducation. The more stuff like this happens, the more likely it is that any one of us who goes out in a skirt is going to get a beatin' courtesy of Joe Sixpack.

Thanks for nothing, moron.
Ralph!
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Pdxfashionpioneer
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Re: More bad news for transfolk

Post by Pdxfashionpioneer »

Don't be disheartened Ralph, most people seem to take our skirting entirely in stride with the exception of women who compliment us on our shapely legs or the quality of our fashion choices. Negative responses are rare.

I try to stay up on the news and this is the first I have heard of this incident.
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Social norms aren't changed by Congress or Parliament; they're changed by a sufficient number of people ignoring the existing ones and publicly practicing new ones.
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crfriend
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Re: More bad news for transfolk

Post by crfriend »

Pdxfashionpioneer wrote:Don't be disheartened Ralph, most people seem to take our skirting entirely in stride with the exception of women who compliment us on our shapely legs or the quality of our fashion choices. Negative responses are rare.
I've only very rarely had negative responses, and precisely one of those could have descended into violence. The few in the former category I either ignored or stared the detractor down; in the latter case, I defused the situation as best I could and gracefully extricated myself from the surroundings (This was an entirely good idea as I later learnt that the guy in question wasn't just boozed up, but had also been popping powerful painkillers as well -- a bad combination.).

Mostly, I come in for some fairly high praise from a wide swathe of folks. Some of that is appreciation of my sense of style and some of it is for my sense of daring and having the guts to be myself. All of which are good.
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Mugs-n-such
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Re: More bad news for transfolk

Post by Mugs-n-such »

crfriend wrote:
Pdxfashionpioneer wrote:Don't be disheartened Ralph, most people seem to take our skirting entirely in stride with the exception of women who compliment us on our shapely legs or the quality of our fashion choices. Negative responses are rare.
I've only very rarely had negative responses, and precisely one of those could have descended into violence. The few in the former category I either ignored or stared the detractor down; in the latter case, I defused the situation as best I could and gracefully extricated myself from the surroundings (This was an entirely good idea as I later learnt that the guy in question wasn't just boozed up, but had also been popping powerful painkillers as well -- a bad combination.).

Mostly, I come in for some fairly high praise from a wide swathe of folks. Some of that is appreciation of my sense of style and some of it is for my sense of daring and having the guts to be myself. All of which are good.
I'm glad you got out of that situation. I rarely have negative encounters myself (usually a faintly disapproving look) although while I was emerging from my car at a Dillon's parking lot, one young kid gave me a bad look and for a minute I thought he was going to head towards me for a confrontation but he didn't. Anyway glad you extricated yourself from what would not have been a good event!
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moonshadow
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Re: More bad news for transfolk

Post by moonshadow »

I wouldn't sweat it Ralph. I've come to the conclusion that everyone's mind is basically made up on where they stand on everything. So the transphobic and male skirt haters out there have hated loooooong before this story and they'll continue to hate loooooong after... probably for the rest of their life. Opinions and ideals generally change only with changing generations. On other words, minds don't change... generations do.

Those who don't have an issue with men in skirts or trans-people will see right through this as just an isolated incident from some random nut job.

To put it even more simply: I don't expect any major blow back from this. Just the usual sneers and stares and angry redneck grumble... but then again.... we've always had that, and we always will. This incident really makes no difference at all.
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moonshadow
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Re: More bad news for transfolk

Post by moonshadow »

moonshadow wrote: minds don't change... generations do
Side note: While at the Indianapolis Zoo, there was some kind of field trip of small children or something going on. There was a group of about, I'd say maybe 30 kids (maybe aged 10 or so). As I prepared to walk into the garden area, all of the children were in single file exiting. Almost every single one of those children stared at me as they walked by in my blue Macabi and butterfly shirt in utter amazement (maybe a bit of confusion). Some may go home and ask their parents about what they saw, and I'm sure they will get a variety of answers... but one thing is for sure... that image of a man in a skirt will be burned in their mind for life.
moonshadow wrote: minds don't change... generations do
And that's why I believe it was the most important "outing" of all. I'm going to quit wasting my time on adults who know everything. Not to sound cliche, but I can see now why people say "children are our future".... grown ups are nothing but a waste of time... ! :lol:

Always wave at kids when you pass them in a skirt. Smile, and be kind. Try to bring a smile to their face. Let them see that we are not monsters. They're the only hope we have.
-Andrea
The old hillbilly from the coal fields of the Appalachian mountains currently living like there's no tomorrow on the west coast.
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Fred in Skirts
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Re: More bad news for transfolk

Post by Fred in Skirts »

moonshadow wrote:Always wave at kids when you pass them in a skirt. Smile, and be kind. Try to bring a smile to their face. Let them see that we are not monsters. They're the only hope we have.


I have to say a big Amen to that! Kids are the hope of even having a future.

Fred :kiltdance:
"It is better to be hated for what you are than be loved for what you are not" Andre Gide: 1869 - 1951
Always be yourself because the people that matter don’t mind and the ones that mind don’t matter.
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