Transgender Grammar

[Guest Amanda L Richards]

Hi Charlie,

I had an English professor in college, with a doctorate in English. She was born and raised in London, and went to the finest British schools. In class when she spoke you knew that she was a proper lady with high standards, however!, the very first of our English lessons started out with.

"The English language is a garbage language, it wasn't meant to be a national tongue, it was used primarily by shippers of old, and was a language for shipping only, like code, but for some reason it became a national language.

It is the only language in the world that has gone through multiple transformations in one century alone, and is continuing to do so." It has no basic rules of continuity that will last beyond one generation......"

So the only thing that I count on when speaking English is make sure that I know the correct version in the time it is being spoken, even from group to group, definitions, and intentions can change.

I think that with the transgender community, it is going through growing pains and beginning to find it's own way to refer to it self as a whole.

That is just what I think. Hope that's ok

Amanda LR

[Sally]

Well even if it's not OK, it is what you think. I happen to agree so let's all get together and push really hard for Gender Gifted!

It's worth a try, isn't it?

Think how much more positive a sound when you first come out to someone.

"You are my very best friend so I wanted you to be the first to know that I am Gender Gifted and will soon begin to transition to my true self."

So much less threatening than "Transsexual".

Just my thought.

Love ya,

Extremely Gender Gifted Sally

[Guest CharlieRose]

Hi Charlie,

I had an English professor in college, with a doctorate in English. She was born and raised in London, and went to the finest British schools. In class when she spoke you knew that she was a proper lady with high standards, however!, the very first of our English lessons started out with.

"The English language is a garbage language, it wasn't meant to be a national tongue, it was used primarily by shippers of old, and was a language for shipping only, like code, but for some reason it became a national language.

It is the only language in the world that has gone through multiple transformations in one century alone, and is continuing to do so." It has no basic rules of continuity that will last beyond one generation......"

So the only thing that I count on when speaking English is make sure that I know the correct version in the time it is being spoken, even from group to group, definitions, and intentions can change.

I think that with the transgender community, it is going through growing pains and beginning to find it's own way to refer to it self as a whole.

That is just what I think. Hope that's ok

Amanda LR

No, it's definitely NOT okay! Just kidding.

You make quite a few good points. I suppose it's a silly thing to worry about anyways, but I pay attention to these sorts of things, especially when they sort of rub me the wrong way.

And Sally, I've noticed you trying to spread around the "gender gifted" thing. I wouldn't say that, though. Maybe it's just because I'm adolescent and currently trying really hard to transition with virtually no support from anyone I know, it's like none of them care, sort of, but I don't think of this as a gift. Maybe it's pessimistic, but even though I've learned some things from my time as a female, I would gladly hand them over just to live a normal life. Why do you prefer that term, besides the reason you mentioned?

[Guest]

Transgender definitions. I don't like labels either but sometimes they are needed especially in diagnosis'.

http://www.lauras-playground.com/transgender_terminology.htm

Laura

[Guest Evan_J]

Laissez les bon temp roulez!

Laissez les bon temp roulez!

<--Is always compelled to holler it whenever he hears it

....lawd this girl done gon' and started talkin about crawfish boils......

And I hate to ruin the high positivity and all that but.....

Well even if it's not OK, it is what you think. I happen to agree so let's all get together and push really hard for Gender Gifted!

It's worth a try, isn't it?

Think how much more positive a sound when you first come out to someone.

"You are my very best friend so I wanted you to be the first to know that I am Gender Gifted and will soon begin to transition to my true self."

So much less threatening than "Transsexual".

Just my thought.

Love ya,

Extremely Gender Gifted Sally

you really are pushing it aren't you Sally? lol

Even I can't buy that one. But then I'm the pragmatic element.

[Sally]

And Sally, I've noticed you trying to spread around the "gender gifted" thing. I wouldn't say that, though. Maybe it's just because I'm adolescent and currently trying really hard to transition with virtually no support from anyone I know, it's like none of them care, sort of, but I don't think of this as a gift. Maybe it's pessimistic, but even though I've learned some things from my time as a female, I would gladly hand them over just to live a normal life. Why do you prefer that term, besides the reason you mentioned?

Would you prefer Gender Challenged? (no alliteration)

Everybody else gets to choose what they want to be called for political correctness. No one is handicapped anymore - they are physically challenged (sounds nicer), not retarded, but special, I would just prefer something that doesn't automatically place a sexual image in their minds before you can even start to explain.

We are fighting against an erroneous image that is being perpetuated through the main word itself. Is it any wonder that people identify them selfs as Gay Men and Lesbians rather than homosexuals - that just sounds better.

I have much less of a problem with the condition itself than I do with trying to explain it to someone who has shut down the instant that the word was spoken. Maybe it's just my age group and the repression that we were brought up with, but transsexual has such a powerful negative image associated with it for people my age and older that I just don't like using it.

It's kind of like why Adolf is not such a popular name any more and when was the last time you found a Pontius Pilot in the phone book?

Sorry, Sally will now step down and store the soap box in the utility room where it is within easy reach.

Love ya,

Sally

[Guest Evan_J]

Keep that soapbox out, we ain't done

Would you prefer Gender Challenged? (no alliteration)

Its not that I don't think the phrase gives a more positive spin. I do. Its not that I don't think as a group we're under a "negative light" when presented wtih a lot of the banners/labels we historically have been. Again, I agree. However, I just don't realisticaly see someone being able, during the act of coming out, (spouse, mother, family) to say "wow, isn't this great, I'm gifted" and not be taken as a fruitloop who isnt registering the seriousness of the statement. Truthfully , if someone came out to me like that I would be tempted to think they were a little "off" for not realizing how potentially "damaging" or affecting such a determination could be. It isn't to say that being trans is negative but rather to acknowledge that the world is not going to send you a baloon and card and congratulate you.

I think the party would be better served to find a more moderate delivery.

Just my opinion.

[Guest Kelly Ann]

A little know fact is that a certain Sally...whom is know and loved dearly by one and all...was ignanomiously dumped on the cutting-room floor during the editing of the first full length animated film Fantastical...not only did she star in the dance routine being incredibly svelte at that young age but she played all the instruments. The song was...St. James Infirmary and documented in song and dance her transition to the beautiful vision she has grown into. There are copies, rumor has it, that trade for amazing sums through cash-only trans----actions. Strangely no person has ever been able to produce a copy of it...so another gypsy mystery remains unsolved by Kojack...and I am left in this dusty vault looking for the meaning of Life, The Universe....and EVERYTHING, Kelly Ann

[Sally]

I am definitely open to suggestions, but I would like to remind all of you younger people here that each successful movement has been achieved along with better or more sensitive nomenclature.

Do you remember when they separated the accelerated class, the ones left in the regular classes felt cheated and they experimented with other names and sometimes colors, everything remained the same but when they found an acceptable label no one complained about which class they were in.

Before the Civil Rights Movement the most used term was colored (I always wondered what the water looked like that came out of the 'colored' fountain as compared to that from the 'white' fountain - which wasn't white at all it was clear!) that needed to be changed.

Mexicans have become Latinos or Hispanics and this incorporates all of the Spanish Speaking Countries of Origin.

I would just like a new term that wouldn't carry all of the old weight with it. Maybe we should have a contest, whoever comes up with the best new name for transsexual gets his or her SRS paid for by Evan! (Putting Evan into the I'll come up with a better one mode.)

I think that living a life in two genders can be considered a gift if you realize that your experiences allow you to see both sides so much clearer than single gendered people. You can look at it as a curse or a blessing - it is just a matter of how you want to feel, happy or miserable. I'll take happy.

That's the last time that I will mention this because I seem to be the only one bothered by it,

Sally

[Guest Evan_J]

Maybe we should have a contest, whoever comes up with the best new name for transsexual gets his or her SRS paid for by Evan! (Putting Evan into the I'll come up with a better one mode.)

lol I'm sorry, I'm not laughing at the topic, I'm laughing at the challenge. No...I take that back....I'm laughing with the challenge. I still love you

But I do agree that Gender Gifted is a great expression, just not ....."buyable" in that one context; coming out. However, I can easily see it being used in almost any other situation. And it could just be me being a killjoy, I just can't see people worrying about you and you're all "but its a gift". Even if there (and we hope this happens....) comes a day that you are protected the world over as a transperson and guaranteed your human rights officially etc., much like your example with race, there will still be people who "don't prefer their sister marrying the trans guy" or "I accept that they have the right to work here just like me, but that doesn't mean I have to have them as a personal friend." Even with all of the improvements and changes and whatever else with regards to civil rights there is (and honestly will likely always be, just as much as some people have personal feelings about people of different faiths, or poliltical parties) still an "affect", or social actuality inherent in the state of belonging to any non-majority ethnic group. That would -in that "perfect and evolved" transgendered future- likely be the case for transgendered people as well. Basically, what I'm saying is, even on its very best day, to be trans will not be "the same" as being cisgendered socially. It can become much better than it is, but it will never be "the same". (Kind of like that hamburger never being a cheeseburger?) And for that, there is a certain level of at least "sobriety" (but not "negativity" or "gravity") that family members especially are going to (I think) almost "demand" since you still will be altering their "optimum" expections for your life in their eyes to "something other".

How do we "soberly" and yet with the air of dignity express that when we need to make people aware of it ? I dunno. "Gender Realization"?

That's the last time that I will mention this because I seem to be the only one bothered by it,

Sally

....you can't....I just answered you back

[Sally]

Oh yeah!

I can even eat just one Lay's Potato Chip (bag - family size).

I'm just trying to brighten up my little corner of the world and let some fresh air in,

Can I change the world overnight ? Not so far, but does that mean that I quite trying?

No Don Quixote had nothing on me, I started tilting at windmills in the first grade. An art teacher told as to make a drawing of an Autumn scene and gave us our 8 1/2 x 11 inch art paper then she gave us another piece and told us to draw a house - now cut the first picture to fit in the window. I refused to do it and when asked why by the principal I answered, "If she had wanted it in the window I would have drawn it to fit in the window - I didn't and I'm not cutting up a perfectly good drawing because she gae bad instructions."

So has any one seen Sergio Panza, I have battles to fight and I have lost my Squire.

Sally, the Woman of LaMancha

[Guest Evan_J]

Oh yeah!

I can even eat just one Lay's Potato Chip (bag - family size).

An art teacher told as to make a drawing of an Autumn scene and gave us our 8 1/2 x 11 inch art paper then she gave us another piece and told us to draw a house - now cut the first picture to fit in the window. I refused to do it and when asked why by the principal I answered, "If she had wanted it in the window I would have drawn it to fit in the window - I didn't and I'm not cutting up a perfectly good drawing because she gae bad instructions."

I actually can't decide which one of those make you more extraordinary LOL

....but I'm still sending you out with a safety foil

[Sally]

I actually can't decide which one of those make you more extraordinary LOL

....but I'm still sending you out with a safety foil

Ok, I did appear on stage in a one act play in junior hi waving one of my grandfather's fencing foils, once!

But really Evan those two don't even represent the tip of the ice berg as to what makes me so extraordinary.

"Touche'!"

Love ya,

The Extraordinary Sally