Request For Input

[Guest Kenna Dixon]

I've been asked to give a talk and moderate a Q&A session at Seminole State College on March 27.

It will be part of the school's ALLY program for LGBT students and hosted by the Unity Gay/Straight Alliance. I met with that group once before, but this event will be on a grander scale - advertised and made available to anyone who wants to attend. They asked to use my book cover as part of the promotion (to give me some credibility, I suppose).

They want me to tailor my presentation to the ways in which the faculty and student body can be supportive of transgender individuals. Any suggestions you can offer along those lines will be much appreciated. As a very late bloomer who never had to struggle in the public eye, I don't have real life experience with discrimination.

[Charlize]

Kenna, I think one of the things that affects us all is being misgendered in pronoun or name use. I still cringe when sir comes out. I've had people who are normally nice seemingly refuse to use my new name or pronoun. We all make mistakes but each time it hurts. When i visited the GLBT center of my old school few of the kids were fully transitioned. Gender markers were at best hard to establish. I had to ask "what pronoun" you prefer. I think that is an important thing to stress.

Hugs,

Charlize

[Carolyn Marie]

This is a great opportunity, Kenna. I'm sure you're going to do a fantastic job. If you wish, I can send you a Powerpoint presentation I've used, and you can take from it whatever ideas you like. Just PM me your e-mail address.

There are many examples from our members of how they have been supported, or not, by friends and colleagues and fellow students. Those kinds of real world examples I think will work really well for you talk.

HUGS

Carolyn Marie

[VickySGV]

We are people, ordinary people, making the best we can of our lives which have a wrinkle in them that 99.8%+/- of the population does not have. We have recently been credibly placed within the range of human normal as far as behavior and development go.

We are NOT oddities to be stared at with horror, and are not a danger to society. We ARE the gender we present, please accept us as face value and do not try to find ways to assess us as a different gender. Our remaining birth male or birth female body configurations are not relevant to the person you must interact with in a teaching / scholastic environment. If my name badge or a class roster page says I have a female (male) name, please use the appropriate pronouns for me that go with my name.

Above all else, respect me as a person who came into your class room, or your seminar as someone who wants or needs to take your class, give me a chance to learn what you can teach the same as all your students. I intend to respect you as a teacher and authority for your subject matter, and intend to honor you as my fellow human being,

Put aside your own prejudices and outmoded information about Trans* people, and that way we can teach you about lives that can now work and enjoy life better than ever before.

[Guest KimberlyF]

Much like it's almost impossible to tell a joke that someone somewhere for some reason finds offensive, I'd guess a one size fits all plan on how to deal with people in any minority group would be almost impossible to find that doesn't do the same.

All I ask is for people to try to treat each other with respect, and all of the little details can be worked out.

I'd rather be misgendered with no malice than correctly gendered through gritted teeth and then laughed about when I turn my back.

[Guest Kenna Dixon]

I'd rather be misgendered with no malice than correctly gendered through gritted teeth and then laughed about when I turn my back.

That's a very good point. My own friends sometimes slip up, and it's certainly not done to offend or hurt me.

[gennee]

Good luck with your presentation. Kenna.