I will agree that every woman, trans or not, should be encouraged to look at how they are fitting in with or giving into patriarchy.

But, saying…
“It’s diving head first, WILLINGLY…verifying the rad fems argument. That isn’t surviving it, it’s sucking the patriarchy’s cock.”

sounds almost like what I’ve heard coming from the mouths of radfems. One of the things that drives me crazy about many radfems - even the ones who claim not to be transphobic - is that they blame women for the choices that they make to get by in a patriarchal society. I’ve heard the old “women who wear lipstick are willing slaves to the patriarchy and therefore are our enemies” schtick enough to make me throw up. Their statements come very close to those made by right-wing extremists, who blame women for their own rapes because they dared to wear short skirts.

Please, let’s critique the positions that Calpernia Addams and others take, but your statement comes very close to slut-shaming, which is something I cannot tolerate.

It’s diving head first, WILLINGLY…verifying the rad fems argument. That isn’t surviving it, it’s sucking the patriarchy’s cock.

and regarding the invite, i wasn’t aware that they had been invited. shame on me - i’m not up on all things politic as i probably should. so yeah, in that case, i’d say they do have a responsibility.

Regardless, the Stepford Wife stereotype AC and AJ sell and espouse (to the exclusion and condescention of others… do a search of gender queer in her forums) isn’t something I feel the need to attain. Your mileage my vary.

As far as Heart goes, she ain’t typical.

“Ya know all those lesbian separatists that bitch about transwomen riding the patriarchal wave of what a woman should be? AJ and CA are two good examples of people that hawk that shit.”
right. as if even many of these lesbian separatists don’t ride that same wave. ever see a picture of heart? long blonde hair. just like teh menz like it. ever see her shoes? heels. every time. no, lesbian separatists bitch about trans women because they believe us to be men, and they hate us just like they hate men. funny i never hear them bitch about regular women riding the patriarchal wave of what a woman should be. apparently, only trans women are responsible for that. apparently, just like we’re all responsible to further trans legislation :\

Pumping. She’s admitted to having it done, and doesn’t advocate against it. If you search her forums, you’ll find it.

As far as being fired, it doesn’t matter how thin, or pretty your tranny ass is. Pretty transwomen get fired too. And you think Andrea James or Calpernia Addams are doing anything to further trans legislation? They were at the Presidential Forum. Check out Deep Stealth’s blog to see how they covered it….

I’ll save you two seconds…

LOOK AT ME, LOOK WHO I’M HANGING OUT WITH.

“i will say that many people on her boards love and admire her, and pay her money for the goods and services she offers.”

You could say the same about Kate Moss too. *insert cosmetic shill model here* I left her board after I realized most people on it had a Stepford wife view of what being a transwoman is. That’s something I’ll never be, no matter how many surgeries I have, or how thin I become.

Ya know all those lesbian separatists that bitch about transwomen riding the patriarchal wave of what a woman should be? AJ and CA are two good examples of people that hawk that shit. Personally, I want no part of it.

i’d argue that people need to see *all* people as human beings. and frankly, that’s an uphill battle. not one i’m willing to opt out of, but i do get tired of fighting now and again. and unlike you, i have to give a shit what regular people think of me, since i have to work with them, and for them, and they determine if and when i’ll get a raise, and whether or not i get to keep my job.

as far as legislation and illegal open hatred go, well, tell that to the company who i worked for 14 years, and who had my position “eliminated due to a corporate restructure” soon after i transitioned. illegal or no, they fired my tranny ass faster than you can say “sex change”.

i’m not sure about the unhealthy practices you speak of - i don’t remember cali saying anything about that, though admittedly, i don’t read and/or hear everything she says. but i have posted on her message boards, and read her blog. i’d be interested to see any links that you might have. i will say that many people on her boards love and admire her, and pay her money for the goods and services she offers.

Nexy, this is where you and I part company. People need to see both as human beings, passing and nonpassing transsexuals. I don’t give two fucking shits what “regular” people think of me. You seem to have an assumption that education will cure these people of their hate. I disagree. I’ll stand with Bayard Rustin on this one.

“Our job is not to get those people who dislike us to love us. Nor was our aim in the civil rights movement to get prejudiced white people to love us. Our aim was to try to create the kind of America, legislatively, morally, and psychologically, such that even though some whites continued to hate us, they could not openly manifest that hate. That’s our job today: to control the extent to which people can publicly manifest anti gay sentiment.”
“as far as role models are concerned, as individuals, we get to pick them. as a community, well, in many cases they are chosen for us.”

Not I. I will not pander, I will not be a sheep, I will be a shepherd. If people want to follow someone who advocates unsafe and unhealthy practices, so be it, but I will not follow.

on the one hand, a movie like this depicts trans women as “normal” looking - the antithesis of the dreaded “man in a dress”, that causes regular people to ban us from their bathrooms and workplaces. so perhaps “regular” people (if they happen to see this movie) will realize that we’re just like them.

on the other hand, it further erases transwomen who do not fit the patriarchal female norms. then again, so does almost every movie ever made, as they erase cisgender women who don’t fit those norms. again, unless they’re “jolly”.

frankly, as a movie that could possibly be seen by the masses, i’d support it (though admittedly, conservative people are hardly going to be watching “the vagina monologues”, no less “the making of the vagina monologues”). i think it could work toward making the idea of transwomen less threatening. unless you’re a guy who happens to hit on one of the few of us who pass, and end up screaming, running away, and vomiting in the bathroom :\

as far as role models are concerned, as individuals, we get to pick them. as a community, well, in many cases they are chosen for us. like it or not, calpernia and andrea are out there, admired by many people, trans and even otherwise. though i’ll be honest, i never purchased any of their goods or services, with one exception - i own a dvd of soldiers girl. i loved it, and was in tears for most of it.