This video shows five women from fairly diverse backgrounds discussing transgenderism. Basically the conversation revolves how they feel about ‘little boys wearing dresses’, what they would do with their own children, and what they feel is ‘right’. It is interesting to see the emotion that is raised in this conversation. It would also be interesting to see such a conversation between five men. A friend of mine in a lesbian relationship just had a baby girl. She told me that she was suprised at how many people still sent ‘pink’ gifts.
Every person who bucks the polarized gender system, is taking an active role in freeing the minds of slaves. People who refuse to open their minds to anything outside of the comfortable gender binary privilege in which they live; these people are slaves to cultural programming that is archaic. The program needs to change. These people need to change. They need a push. So push baby, push.
It just struck me that in the last few days I’ve been looking at a lot of Australian performers. Here’s what happened:
Yesterday, I got a little mezmered with The Veronicas (Jess and Lisa Orgliasso) – twin rockers from down under after Crystal mentioned them over at Auto-Straddle (Crystal is the Australian connection that hooked up with music columnist (NY connection) Stef in a tag-team debut (which I think is a musicology that is working fantastic) at Auto-Straddle.
I haven’t delved deep into The Veronicas repertoire yet – but, I took in their album “Hook Me Up” (2008)yesterday & I really like Track 5 - “I Can’t Stay Away”. From that track and the album in general I get:
1.) Sarah Mclaughlin sounding vocal harmonies which Sarah would do herself, but in this case it’s how the twins harmonize – imagine Sarah suddenly getting a little tough and snarly with electrobeats and,
2.) Sound engineering like The Matrix record production team from LA, which was the main ingredient in the sound for Avril Lavigne’s debut “Let Go” (the story behind the evolution of Avril’s sound is interesting – makin’ hit records is complicated.)
The Veronicas also have a great YouTube page – I watched their clip of the two of them in Paris… they are def fun to watch.
Well, I’ll break for now, from this AU experience I’m having, but just to note, so I don’t forget – There is Portia de Rossi and the maybe-ness of “Arrested Development” the movie, season one of Better Off Ted that I just downloaded (I watched the beginning of the pilot and love it already) Also, I want to know why Portia has a gaggle of followers on twitter and Ellen has like 400 ?? I don’t get that – so I’ll be figuring that out.
I kinda liked the Bertie Blackman “Thump“ video (AU artist, of course.) There is was another one called Fast Bitch with the S&M thang going on that kinda turned me off them – like the girl is chained to a tree and being abused etc and then she goes off and gets a sword and becomes the avenger. I know the S&M angle on it, and it’s all understood and no adult is going to take it too seriously (it’s a pretty bad video), but the visuals of a woman being chained to a tree and (threatened at least), with abuse are a no-no in my books. Not the kind of stuff to put out there when you’re direct marketing at teens. If this seems innocuous, think of young girls with abuse and low self esteem problems who are affected by images like that – I’m not saying there is a direct link, but it is an overall media effect that is negative towards women, that contributes to this.
And I need to comment on Little Birdy (AU) crazy fun video impression of Carrie (in Beautiful To Me) and the one for Summarize is this mix of 60′s motifs and Addicted To Love – like model clones on the bed – then a really cool one called Brother.
Then there’s Anna Torv playing Olivia in “Fringe” and the pseudo kiss she has with the stripper. It’s actually a lesbo experience she has that is simulated in her mind by ‘highly sophisticated’ means. And come to think of it, that’s not the total angle that I’m after here, what struck me is where John Noble (plays Walter Bishop), describes her in a documentary - (thx - Dorothy Surrenders )
“She’s this strong woman with a vulnerability that you see occasionally, I dunno, it’s tantalizing.”
…and I just stopped watching the little doc clip there and I thought, “Isn’t that really what’s going on in the media – this ‘post-feminist powerful woman’ image that is everywhere? Now the men can actually handle a woman being intelligent, strong, tough even – as long as she has that vulnerable girl lingering just below the surface. This isn’t nearly a strong enough example of what I’m describing, but the men in this clip dance around the idea of what Anna brings to the project etc. – and it’s just John Noble who slips up… I’d like to see the outtakes with some real Freudian slips.. anyway – Of course ‘it’s tantalizing’ John – WTF, isn’t that just feeding your S&M fantasies?? (dude, wake up and face the truth – all of you for that matter) And then the episode where Anna’s character has pseudo sex with a female stripper – isn’t that just more of the ever growing Mainstream Lesbian Sugar Flavoring for men’s fantasies? Whateva, why am I talking about this – it’s just obvious stuff right? Sure, it’s the obvious accepted mainstream subliminal culture that programs everyone – but’ that’s obvious too right, and ACCEPTABLE. Not for me it ain’t.
Hollywood has convinced the world that it is the mask we love, and the truth – what is underneath is still there waiting for us. All the archetypes, all the stereotypes, that pose women in the submissive role for men’s convenience.
Anyway, that’s as far as I’ll go with my AU escapade – but I do want to delve into this a little more… maybe next episode. Peace - B.
ps – Here’s track one from The Veronicas ‘Hook Me Up’
Every person who bucks the polarized gender system, is taking an active role in freeing the minds of slaves. People who refuse to open their minds to anything outside of the comfortable gender binary privilege in which they live; these people are slaves to cultural programming that is archaic. The program needs to change. These people need to change. They need a push. So push baby, push.
Ok, well I’m not going to go on about the DSM-V, but since I am diagnosed under version IV, I am seriously concerned about the outcome of the version V. I don’t know how much say we have in the matter really. When people get together on the web and make a petition with some signatures, does it really matter? I question that.
Anyway, we owe it to ourselves to “know this stuff” as I said in the headline – I’ve looked at various paraphilia over the years, and they are very complex subjects, conditions, even to the so-called experts.
The DSM-V is all about labelling, diagnosis and treatment – that also means the outcomes of the new version will dictate any medical coverage that maybe brought into being, or get taken away in the future.
If you haven’t already done so, you should also research Blanchard / Zucker, two of the main players on the ‘other’ team. Best place to start is Lynn Conway’s site.
'Bitesize' - SF punk band (Steve "Speed" LeFevre: drums, Julia Serano: gtr/vox, Leslie Harrison: bass/vox)
It’s cool accidentally running into this interview: I wasn’t really searching for Julia specifically about anything, I just got the notion to search for my sexuality / gender type and plugged in transgender dyke. This interview post came up #2 on google for that search.
The cool part is that Julia Serano has been a big support and influence on my thinking. I would say she gave me some of the language to describe who I am and how I feel. I remember laying in bed reading her book, Whipping Girl – A Transsexual Woman on Sexism and the Scapegoating Of Femininity and constantly grabbing the pen and paper to make notes. It was like being given courage – being armed with the language of my truth. Things I felt inside that were never corroborated, confirmed by an outside source – were right there in black and white. I cried, felt elated, felt like I was holding this sacred grail book in my hands.
I feel very strong about the fact that being a transwoman doesn’t have to include being femme, yet it seems that the majority default to that position, and there is certainly the pressure to conform to that standard. In the beginning I felt forced into be femme. I went through quite a rigmarole* (a long and complicated and confusing procedure – yes, definitely the right word) in my attempt at adopting a more femme persona and look, and always felt I wasn’t making it, and felt awful for that. I still struggle with my image / persona etc. but I know more about myself – that I am more butch/dyke/tomboy than femme, and Julia helped me find that out.
I’m also curious about women who are in the middle somewhere between butch and femme. I find that I wander that middle ground sometimes but just kind of naturally go more toward butch.
Thursday, March 12, 2009 - Bitesize reuinited at the Eagle Tavern - San Francisco along with Ex-Boyfriends + Control-R. (photo from X-Bf website)
Anyway, the point is that Julia opens dialogues in that area and it’s been great for me. I hope someone happens along that gets introduced and turned on to her writing. http://www.juliaserano.com
Here’s the intro to the interview:
Author, activist, slam poet, facilitator, blogger, singer and scientist … and there’s enough in print and online for even a faraway South African to make researching you a full-time job – where on earth do you get the time and energy? Well, I’m kind of naturally hyperactive I suppose. Plus I often have insomnia, which really helps create extra time (although it’s not so helpful with regards to energy). I should also say that while I do or have done all of the things you mentioned, I don’t do them all at the same time. Being a scientist is my day job. These days most of my time outside of that goes toward writing, which is both a creative outlet for me, but also a form of activism (as I primarily write about trans issues and perspectives). I still sometimes perform slam poetry and music, but not as much as I used to.
