The butt of the joke.
Misgendered and dead-named. On the phone or in person never fails to sting. I want to scream and I can't.
I've joked with others about my transition and sexuality. I'm the one who sets the narrative within the content of humor. What hurts is when others do it with harm as the intent. There are many comedians who have made a lot of money poking fun at minorities and under represented folks.
Telling jokes about or calling transgender and nonbinary people derogatory names is not being humorous or sarcastic. It's hate speech. Mankind has been doing it for all of it's existence. Instead of focusing on our differences as avenues of awareness to be explored Mankind has used our differences to promote fear.
There's was a wonderful sense of relief when I came out to myself and to the world as a whole. Being truthful to self is as important to a person as regular medical visits. At the age of 13 I had a sense that I wasn't like other boys. I had no words for how I felt.
How does one explain that to one's parents? To be honest to family and friends? Being told that walking "that" way or talking "that" way meant you were a sissy or worse. Teaching people to fear is what most control schemes do.
Skin color, sexuality, ethnicity, gender. gender identity, mental health, economic status among other differences are used on a daily basis to promote fear. The human species is as diverse as any other creature on the planet. And yet some how we've become fearful of each others differences.
I'm pretty sure that getting the majority of people on Earth to embrace diversity is a near impossibility. How to stop this behavior within the species? I haven't a clue. The nearest I've come to any kind of solution is within myself.
Wishing kindness and compassion for all....
With love.
Mariposa
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1 comment:
I share your feelings Mariposa! You very eloquently and succinctly highlighted what many transgender people have felt all their lives. And jokes and misgendering are very painful realities that we unfortunately must face on a sometimes daily basis. Over my short but continuing transition journey, I have seen a lot of positive change. But the nagging realty is that there are too many who feel we are not valid as humans.The best way for us to change this is to live our lives “in the limelight” so-to-speak. We must stand up for ourselves and live our lives as the best people we can be. You, Mariposa, are a shining light in this regard!
Ah the teenage years. . . An awakening for me for sure, and a confusing and frustrating time too. There were no languages for me to express what I was feeling inside, to explain to parents and friends that I was different. I chose a path of hiding, fearing the outcome of discovery. But I could only hold it in for so long. Hopefully I am part of a dying generation of people who grew up in fear of revealing their true selves.
Andie
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