Rhi’s Comments (group member since Nov 12, 2011)

Rhi’s comments from the Q&A with Rhi Etzweiler group.

Oh wow! Thanks so much for sharing this, Morg. It looks like I've got another one to add to my TBR pile. Not that it isn't already teetering Jenga-style and threatening to fall over.

Sarasaya wrote: "Hello! :)
Um... sorry, I just wanted to know if I can link this post to my m/m Italia group.
I would like to share this informations with them, it could help a lot.

Thank you for this discussion...."

@Sarasaya Please help yourself, feel free to link to or share whatever you'd like. This isn't about controlling the conversation, it's about sharing information and creating some visibility that will hopefully lead to understanding and tolerance.

LOL @Lisa. Okay, perhaps I should have worded that as, "not everyone will think to ask"...

Andrej Pejic, for those who don't know:



This is Balian Buschbaum:

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This is not an attempt to start posting porn in the group. These are here as an example of how gendernormative stereotypes, biological determinism, and the expectations of conformity are damaging, limiting, and wrong.

And just for reference: Andrej is not biologically female; Balian is a transman.

Catching Up With Andrej Pejic


11.14.2011

By William Van Meter

A conversation with Out100 honoree Andrej Pejic on his philosophy of modeling and why he won’t get a boner for a photoshoot.

Out: The press highlights you as an intersection of many things, including a man who can walk in women’s shows (and is super comfortable with it) and Croat/Serb or Australian. How do you define yourself? Is it even along this spectrum?

Pejic: Define, refine, constrict, package, and sell… No thank you. I would like to live in a world where your gender, nationality, sexual orientation, and, above all, financial status didn’t affect the opportunities you are given in life, the way you’re treated by others, and your overall freedom. In a world like that, I wouldn’t be given such a complex definition.

Out:Most people would think that the world of male modeling would be populated by a huge number of gay guys, which in reality is not true. What is it like for you backstage working at a men’s show?

Pejic: The male modeling industry is like the army, very straight but very gay. Most male models have girlfriends, but backstage, when no one is looking, they like to pinch me. Working with them is fun—I have a lot of male model friends.

Out: Advertising is such a barometer of what the mass market deems acceptable, and you’ve made a major stab into the mainstream with advertisements for Marc by Marc Jacobs and Gaultier. Do you think it’s harder for you to book advertisements as opposed to other male models?

Pejic: Well, the media has definitely jumped on the bandwagon. The people, it seems, are coming on fast, now we’re just waiting for the clients to catch up. The truth is I have to work twice as hard to be taken as seriously as the top girls. I understand that it will take time for me to prove that I’m actually a good model once you look past the media hype and the uniqueness of my looks. But hey, I’m not the first that has had to fight.

Out: You seem pretty fearless in your career, easily doing men’s and women’s and—to be a bit crude—having the balls to wear a skirt or dress (and wear it well). Is there anything that has been demanded of you at a shoot that you’ve said no to?

Pejic: My philosophy is “take it and work it!” No matter what! Although, I have been asked to get aroused for a shot. I declined. I like to serve beauty, not porn.

Out: Everyone is going nuts about you meeting the queen and wearing a Versace skirt to do it. How’d you pick your outfit?

Pejic: I was tempted to wear a suit, like a nice fitted tuxedo, but it didn’t work out in the end. So I went for a ’90s Sharon Stone-inspired look. And the hair added some youth to the situation. The palace was beautiful—I felt right at home. And let’s face it, we all love a good Queen.

Source: out.com

@Lisa: I have absolutely no issue with this thread being a Q&A space. I'm sure you won't be the only one with questions, and not everyone will be brave enough to speak up and ask.

It's just block-copied from the sources, really. But I hope having it available here will help. I guess even if it only helps one person, that's enough for me.

I welcome anyone else to share resources, links, or articles either here or on my tumblr, All Things Trans.

For those of you who are coming here and wondering what all the fuss is about, why these trans people are so upset, are running away, hiding, and not stepping up:

While large strides have been made in terms of GLB equality in recent years, the same cannot be said for TQ individuals' rights and interests:


"Gender Identity Disorder (GID) was entered into the American Psychological Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) in 1980, then called Transsexualism. The category was renamed Gender Identity Disorder in 1994 (sometimes called Gender Dysphoria). GID classifies transgenderism and all other atypical gender identities as a mental illness. Transvestic Fetishism (TF) is the diagnostic category in the DSM of cross-dressing, usually heterosexual, males. It is considered a sexual fetish and paraphilia. Depending on sources, it may or may not be portrayed as a potentially dangerous sexual deviancy that will escalate to violent behavior. Diagnosing atypical gender identity makes a statement that there is something inherently wrong with queer gender and it needs to be 'fixed.' GID is applied not only to adults but also to children and is often used as a method of anticipating homosexuality in adulthood. "Treatment" of gender-variant people is determined by the Harry Benjamin Standards of Care (commonly called The Standards of Care). These 'standards' limit people's freedom of choice and agency and are applied in heteronormative ways and pathologize normal behavior." (Stringer, 2007)

It is the above definition, for instance, that prevents trans individuals from serving in the US Armed Forces, because those with "mental disorders" are disqualified from service. Get the low-down on the latest efforts for psychiatric reform here at Gender Identity Disorder Reform Advocates whose subtext reads because our identities are not disordered.

The content on the Academic Transgender Studies Website is two years old, but covers a broad range of related subject matters, including theoretical perspectives, various perceptions of transgenders in cultures spanning the globe, and a breakdown of contemporary trans* issues in the US -- including activism, health, and strategies for reducing phobia.

An exhaustive list of detailed terms and definitions can also be found here along with a list of related links for specific subject matters if you wish more in-depth content.

T-Vox also has some educational content, though most of what's there is geared toward resources not focused on awareness but assistance.

Why do transgender people need legal protections?

Transgender people (in Massachusetts) face high levels of discrimination and violence because of widespread prejudice and the assumption that transgender people are "outside" of the law's protections. This bill amends both non-discrimination laws and hates crime laws in order to comprehensively make clear that transgender individuals have equal protection under the law.
The baseline rates of discrimination against transgender people are consistently high. A review of six studies conducted between 1996 and 2006, in cities and regions on both coasts and the Midwest, showed the following ranges for experiences of discrimination based on gender identity(1):

13%-56% of transgender people had been fired
13%-47% had been denied employment
22%-31% had been harassed, either verbally or physically, in the workplace


(1) Badgett, M.V., Lau, Sears, and Ho. Bias in the Workplace: Consistent Evidence of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Discrimination. Los Angeles: The Williams Institute. June 2007.

Gender Identity vs. Sexuality

Gender Identity vs. Sexuality

Often people confuse gender identity with sexual orientation, for instance, thinking that a trans person's sexual orientation is defined by their assigned gender, not their true identity (eg. thinking an MtoF with a male partner is a gay man, or that an FtoM with a male partner is a straight woman). Myths about trans people and gay people have been used to pit our communities against each other.

Lesbian/bisexual women are told that they "just wish they were men" and trans people are told "you're just gay/lesbian". In asserting who we really are, and correcting people about their assumptions, we must be clear that we all deserve respect. (eg. "No, I'm not a lesbian, because I'm not a woman, although if I were a lesbian, I would be proud!" or "No, I don't 'want to be a man', but if I were a transsexual, I would be proud!")

Gender identity is about who we are, on our own. Sexual orientation is about who we relate to sexually and/or romantically. Trans people, like everyone else, come from all different sexual orientations, as well as economic classes, ethnicities, and abilities. In the past, some medical professionals working with transsexual people have insisted that transition includes the alignment of "proper" sexual orientation; for example, trans women were supposed to be with men, and trans men were supposed to be with women. It was seen as a success when a transsexual completed a heterosexual partnership, because this meant that they were fulfilling their proper gender role. Queer trans people have been debunking the myth of the superiority of heterosexuality within our communities and with the medical professionals who work with us.

Some people (trans and non-trans) don't use terms like gay, bisexual or heterosexual to describe themselves because these categories seem to be based on a two-gender system that they don't fit into or believe in; for this or other reasons they may not identify with the as-yet-defined labels, or may use terms such as queer or pansexual. The term “queer” is also used generally to refer to any lgbt people.

From the Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition, a few definitions:

A person's Gender Identity is how someone identifies his/her own gender -- a person's inner sense of 'being' male or female. Most people, but not all, have a gender identity of 'man' or 'woman' which is also consistent with their assigned sex at birth. There are some people who feel their assigned sex at birth is not consistent with their own gender identity.

A person's Gender Expression refers to how a person expresses their gender identity, or the cues people use to identify another person's gender. This can include clothing, mannerisms, makeup, behavior, speech patterns, and more. There are some in society whose gender expression does not conform to traditional gender stereotypes what men or women should look or act.

Transgender is an umbrella term for people who transition from one gender to another and/or people who defy social expectations of how they should look, act, or identify based on their birth sex. This can include a range of people including: male-to-female (MTF) or female-to-male (FTM) transsexual people and, more generally, anyone whose gender identity or expression differs from conventional expectations of masculinity or femininity. Some transgender people experience their gender identity as incongruent with anatomical sex at birth.

Traditional Gender Stereotypes: Culturally defined code of acceptable behavior for men and women. Men/boys are to exhibit masculine gender presentation, behaviors, and social roles and women/girls are to exhibit feminine gender presentation, behaviors, and social roles.

From Trans Alliance Society, a thesis paper accessible in PDF format for download. Titled "Redefining Gender & Sex: Educating for Trans, Transgender, & Intersexual Access & Inclusion to Sexual Assault Centers & Transition Houses" -- please don't let the title throw you off. Chapter One is about "Transgressions of Gender & Sex in 'Women-Only' Spaces" and challenges the concepts and application of biological determinism.

:P

No, Morg, you got it right. Lisa- yes it would be easier from your computer the first time. Basically, a tumblr works like a normal blog, but it also gives you the ability to "reblog" content from persons you follow who share your interest. The number of "notes" on a given post is how many times the content has been "liked" or reblogged by various users. So the blog is mine, but the content is not. The other nice thing about it is that the structure allows others to submit content for posting onto a specific blog, so the number of contributors is limitless.

Hopes this makes it easier to understand what you're seeing!

Hmm. I wonder what the result would be, draping me in your ego? *lol* Might be dangerous. I could feasibly take over the world....

Nice thing about a pseudonym... I can sit here and agree with you, while actually I'm sitting here laughing and rolling my eyes thinking, "it's not about me, it's about the books..."

I have zero ego. *shrugs* Black and Jhez are the awesome ones, I'm just the muse-slave. ;)

Well. We cannot have that! *lol*
Everyone needs to be aware of the awesomeness that is Black =D

I'm glad you like it. Feel free to submit any content you think fits the subject matter for the tumblr. I welcome any assistance in that regard, as it's intended to be a venue for expression and awareness, visibility. To promote understanding, and hopefully tolerance.

Because really, I see two scenarios for readers of BTB. One segment will go in blind and come out the other end wanting the content of this tumblr for some further education and clarity, and the other segment will go in with eyes open and come out wanting to promote the visibility so that we can all live in something like Black's world.