Ask the Transperson

[limey]

Me as well?


Sent by thought transference

[infinite monkey]

Originally Posted by Sundae

~snip~
Mum still talks about some of the ladies she knew when she worked in the Ambulance Service as "the lesbians".
Such and such happened when she was on a certain shift with Sandra ("you know, one of the lesbians")
~snip~

My mom used to give me messages like this: "Ummmmmmm...Scott called...IS HE THE GAY??!!" "Well, God, mom, I don't know if he's the gay...that's a lot of pressure on just one guy. He has to do the parade all by himself! 'I'm here! I'm queer!...I guess I'm the only one.' "

--Margaret Cho

[Sundae]

Sorry, Limey.
You are one of the main reasons she's more polite on the phone these days.
I have talked you up in terms of how sensible, responsible and accomplished you are. Which you are. But because she was brought up in a time when people like her knew their place, she's a little intimidated.

A couple of months back I had a call which turned out just to be a marketing call. But she stage-whispered to me, "I think it might be [Limey]".
She's stopped telling my callers to piss off.
I'd like to think it's in case it's you.

Or maybe she's just scared you won't take me off her hands once a year if she annoys you!

[Sundae]

Originally Posted by infinite monkey

My mom used to give me messages like this: "Ummmmmmm...Scott called...IS HE THE GAY??!!" "Well, God, mom, I don't know if he's the gay...that's a lot of pressure on just one guy. He has to do the parade all by himself! 'I'm here! I'm queer!...I guess I'm the only one.'

--Margaret Cho

Big gay haggis.

[Sheldonrs]

Originally Posted by Sundae

Big gay haggis.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/200...ntology-prop-8

[DanaC]

Originally Posted by Sundae

Big gay haggis.

Always fun on Burn's night.








What?

[Pamela]

Sundae, I identify as female too.

Trouble is, to most people, I am NOT just a girl because I say so. I'm that (insert derogatory slang term here). We tend to hang out in bunches when we go out for many reasons, protection is one of them. Many times, we are used as a joke or as comic relief. To a lot of men, we're just some kind of exotic treat for their oversexed libido. But we're rarely "just women" unless we have "passed" read: fooled them.

We have insider terms too. Our own language even. "cis" anything is simply a way to refer to anyone or anything that is not part of our world. It is not derogatory at all. I meant no offense.

Labels, however much we hate them, are an inevitable part of the human experience.

[Sheldonrs]

http://www.cnn.com/2014/01/15/living...html?hpt=hp_c3

[DanaC]

Oh, Pam, I wasn't offended. I just dislike the term. I'm not in the least bit offended by someone using it about me.

I just think it's an ugly word/prefix. Kind of clinical and reductive (obviously - that's the point of labels :p). Truly though, I'm not sure there's a better word to use in a conversation that necessarily draws a distinction between the two different experiences of gender.

[Pamela]

Thanks Sheldon but I was thinking more like this:

[wolf]

Re: what not to say ...

I have a standard remark for M-to-F ...

"So, when you started the hormones did you lose the ability to parallel park?" Usually breaks the ice pretty effectively.

Don't try this at home. I'm an experienced mental health professional.

On a more serious note ... a while back at work we admitted a Transgendered patient. I was told that I would be handling the admission because I have displayed cultural competence. Yes. Those words were used.

[slang]

Originally Posted by wolf

...because I have displayed cultural competence.

Hmm. Do they know you lean conservative?

[limey]

Is that relevant if she has displayed "cultural competence" (by which I understand, among other things, tolerance).

[Sundae]

Wolves are generally lean in the Winter.
Not sure about Wolfs.

[Pamela]

We do seem to cause conundrums and consternation no matter where we go.

So much fuss over a little thing like a penis that no one even SEES!