Pdxfashionpioneer wrote:Like it or not Carl, one of the things I learned in that workshop on transgenderism at my last workplace made it crystal clear that we fall under the umbrella term of "transgendered."
I have come to realize that this is true as I have learned more on the subject of transgender issues thanks in part to the bathroom wars. In my own personal situation, I have come to accept that I do have somewhat of a feminine side, to the point of being 50/50, not only in dress, but in overall behavior.
However, moving deeper into that study, I have reached the
opinion that gender is one of those things that
humanity literally made up as it went along, so I generally try not to worry about what category I fall in. When it's all said and done,
I am me.
However, I am conflicted somewhat still, because on principle, I am bothered that this doesn't seem to apply to women. Women need no special protections from the transgender lobby to wear trousers, or engage in other masculine practices at the workplace such as cutting hair very short, not wearing makeup, wearing ties, etc. Women generally don't have to worry about being hassled at businesses and rejected on the grounds of "religious freedom". Nobody thinks a woman who acts like a man is lesbian.... well okay, I take that back, they might, but
isn't it interesting how being a lesbian seems to be more accepted in society than being a gay man?
It's like no matter what women do, they can't go wrong! Men on the other hand get the screws put to them at every corner. Note the bathroom wars: With some minor exceptions here and there, most of the issue surrounded M2F trans-women who wanted to use the women's room, not so much F2M trans-men who wanted to use the men's room. The men's room generally is open for all. Again, I know there have been some exceptions, most notably around here, the teenage trans-boy here in Virginia who lost a court case regarding his desire to be treated as a boy. I have to admit, I was surprised that the court didn't back him, seeing as how he started life as a female, was a underage teenager, and STILL didn't get his way!
But I'm a thousand percent certain that if this was a matter of a M2F trans-girl, she wouldn't have made it near as far.
When the modern feminist movement got started, they considered it the high point of feminism to shed the skirts and start wearing men's power suits. They stood atop their hill and shouted to the masses "
I am woman - hear me roar!", and we had
BETTER regard them as full blown
WOMAN... proud and true
or else!
Now we come around to some men wanted to explore their less masculine side, some even going so far as to wear skirts, dresses, and other items commonly associated with women and no, we can't just be men, we have to be woman wannabes.
Why can't we just be who we are without all the pigeonholing?
Again, I don't have a personal problem being labeled as gender-fluid, which falls under the transgender umbrella. However I'm not sure how holding the notion that any man who does anything feminine is suddenly transgender is going to help us win over otherwise "manly men" who might want to try out a skirt, and may keep our numbers pretty low.
Just as women feminized trousers, men need to masculinize skirts.
Interesting side note: Firefox has "feminized" built in spell check (no red squiggly) however masculinize apparently isn't even a word!
That's what I'm saying, that's what I'm talking about! It's like nobody is even considering that skirts, dresses, heels, tights, etc CAN be a masculine item!
