Blog - The Transamorous Network

July 13, 2018July 13, 2018

Hollywood trans snubbing…is it over?

Despite a lot of hubbub about transgender characters not being represented in film some are making it quite nicely in Hollywood thank you very much.

Now, before anyone sends hate mail our way, NOTE THAT WE ALWAYS focus on the positive here at The Transamorous Network because, we know, when you aren’t focusing on the positive YOU ARE PART OF THE PROBLEM NOT THE SOLUTION.

Focusing on the problem seems like the way to go because it agitates and gives the activists something to do while the natural progression of “it’s always getting better” takes care of….making things better. We love a recent tweet we saw (today actually) that speaks volumes:

So when you’re fighting against some injustice, you’re just causing more of that injustice to happen. Just like if you push against someone, they dig in their heels.

So we are super-stoked to give massive props and congrats to Canadian Actress Cassandra James for her role playing a trans character in the iconic and legendary Soap Opera General Hospital. It’s a massive accomplishment and we are eager for her to represent the community is a positive way. We also are eager to see even more good trans actors and actresses get Hollywood roles in the future.

In the meantime, Cassandra is in good company. In our Facebook Live Show IN YOUR FACE, we noted Alexandra Billings playing the role of a judge in the Amazon series Goliath alongside Billy Bob Thornton. A convincing portrayal, we must add (way to go Alexandra. You nailed the role). What’s particularly of note here is Alexandra’s status as a transperson played no part in her character’s role. That’s nice, because we recently were talking about transgender people playing straight roles or at least roles where their transness is irrelevant. To see Alexandra playing a judge (a major part of the show) was refreshing.

Screen Shot 2018-07-13 at 11.14.59 AM.jpg — Alexandra Billings via Instagram

So, despite what people are compalining about, there is progress being made. There is always room to go, of course. There is forever room to grow. That’s what makes life the thrilling ride that it is.

But to claim that no progress is being made is only participating in the problem. Not acknowledging the progress evident. We know if everyone focused their energies on what’s going right – in every aspect of life – we wouldn’t have the polarized society we have in America, including the rancor we see between cis and trans, but we also know that variety/diversity is the spice of life. And that diversity includes diversity of life experience.

Way to go humanity!

July 10, 2018June 7, 2018

Complicit in your own self-self-mutilization?

bimo mentara patriarchy.jpg

Bell hooks (born Gloria Jean Watkins) is an African-American author, feminist, and social activist. Her writing has focused on the interconnectivity of race, class, and gender and their ability to produce and perpetuate systems of oppression and domination.

In a recent interview on The Transamorous Network Podcast, due out soon, we talked about the power of the patriarchy, its viciousness and its vile effect….

Not on women.

On men.

What does this have to do with trans attraction?

A lot. The shame you feel being trans-attracted rests deep in the vileness of the patriarchy. Like the quote says: patriarchy’s first violent act is within men.

Something to think about. Some questions to help you:

Why do you keep thinking you’re gay because you find trans women attractive?
Why are you asserting your straightness in online dating ads and other communiques about your interest in trans women?
What are you afraid of in owning your trans-attraction?
What do you have to lose if you do own your attraction to these beautiful people?
Is what you have to lose really so valuable that you are willing to tolerate being less than, expressing less than all you are?

All of this is definitely worth thinking about. Contact us if you need someone to talk with about this.

July 6, 2018

Diana Tourjeé nails it:

Nice Twitter.

June 19, 2018June 19, 2018

Fear and loathing creates more fear and loathing

Screen Shot 2018-06-12 at 10.51.49 AM.jpg Remy was a star last week.

Portland Community College’s (PCC) art department, invited her to critique a highly controversial sculpture. I attended for moral support.

Controversy surrounded the work because, apparently, it was created by a cisgender woman. And PCC’s transgender community…well actually, apparently two community members…were not happy with it.

The artist’s work was not only displayed in the college’s art gallery, it won an award.

Both accomplishments attested to the work’s technical quality. But its subject matter was significantly disturbing…to some.

The artwork was of a transgender woman. The sculpture depicted the subject in repose, her legs crossed. Between her legs a disproportionately HUGE penis (IMO) laying flaccid against her thigh.

We were told (although we couldn’t see it) that the “ball sack” was squeezed between her legs from the back.

This piece pissed off two transgender community members and perhaps a small number of non-trans community members for a couple reasons. According to those present, the artwork exploited “trans ness”, was “cultural appropriation” and left at least one transgender woman feeling “exposed” in the PCC community, causing her to have panic attacks among other intense feelings.

Another student, not a trans community member, was nonetheless upset because the artist, amidst the controversy, changed her explanation about the work. This student felt the artist didn’t stand by or acknowledge the work’s controversial nature. She thus disrespected the community through her naive understanding of the transgender community and issues surrounding it.

During the event we attended, the artist did seem visibly upset by the controversy, and also expressed extreme regret for the outcome. I’ll get to in a future post. She did allude to her own ambiguity around her gender, suggesting her artwork was an extension of that.

I intend to interview her in a subsequent post. There’s a lot to unpack around the flap that generated around this bronze work.

This post is about teeing up the subject. I don’t want to try to explain all that happened because so much did happen and there is a TON to explore about that. So in my next post, I’ll bring more to light.

But what I will say here is the exchange offered a glimpse into all kinds of opinions people have about the controversial topic that is “trans ness.”

And it’s really fascinating.

June 12, 2018June 6, 2018

Be thoughtful about Pride Month

Chris Johnson WHAT STORIES — Photo by Chris Johnson

Seems every minority has a month. The LGBTQ community is no exception. This month is Pride.

An interesting factoid about Pride: it was spearheaded by the transgender community. Pride sprung from the Stonewall Riots. A major figure at Stonewall was Marsha P. Johnson, a well-known black transwoman in the community. Her and other transgender people were primarily responsible for sowing the seeds which became pride festivals celebrated across the country.

But that’s not really the real interesting factoid. The really interesting factoid is that while gay, lesbian and bisexuals primarily benefit from Pride awareness, those same communities once rejected transgender people from their ranks.

To some degree they still do. Despite this, we see a tremendous upsurge of transgender awareness. I think that’s exceptional. Trans people will not be held back. They represent a leading edge of what it means to be human and humanity is wanting to express itself in ALL ways.

Regardless how others think about transgender people and the people who love them, Pride offers a reminder for transgender people and those who find transgender people attractive to check your stories. What is it you’re thinking about who and what you are? Are your stories positive? Are they uplifting? They better be if you’re wanting what you want.

Your stories about you, about the world, about everything are determining your life experience. This month, take a moment to reflect on what you’re thinking, sharing, tweeting, reposting, reading.

It makes all the difference in the only world that matters: yours.