September 28, 2010
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The T In LGBT
So much attention is focused on the “L,” G” and “B” that the “T” is often ignored or cast aside
Results of a six month study of 6,450 transgender people by the National Center for Transgender Equality and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force.
* 97% say they have experienced harassment or mistreatment at work.
* 47% say they have been fired, denied a promotion, or not hired because of their transgender identity
* 26% say they lost their jobs because they are transgender
* 19% said they are or have been homeless
* 15% live on $10,000 or less (double the general population)
* 13% say they are unemployed
Comments (35)
I really have a hard time wrapping my mind around the “T.” However, I am not one to discriminate.
Hooray T! =)
Yay T!
. I really really wish this entry hadn’t had to be written. I’m crying now, as I ready myself for my work. I’m so lucky I can pass, and that I work for a company that doesn’t care that I’m trans. I’m so so lucky.
i was inches away from transitioning (about to get my first dose of T) when i realized that i’m fine with my body, even if it feels a bit weird. I couldnt give up who i was even though i felt the need to. I stayed female and i’m glad i did, even though sometimes i regret it.
i just think that if you are transgender you are bascially saying that god made a mistake and you have to fix it.god doesnt make mistakes and even if he did he wouldnt need humans to fix them
@rebekah1191 - This is not targeted at either you or Kristen. Just a question of who decides our gender. Does God take responsibility for the equipment we are born with, or is it an accident?
I have grown up believing that God never makes mistakes, but we do. I have a transgendered cousin. He is in his 60′s now. He had the surgery, and she wishes that she had not done it, now. How do I consider this matter, then, if there were problems, it was taken care of, and now there is regret? My conclusion has been that it is better to stay as we are, and realize our individual likes/dislikes, strengths/weaknesses, feelings being valid. Then act appropriately. It is possible that something happens to the baby in formation where the baby is born with the wrong sexual apparatus becoming prominent. That is a genuine problem that needs a fix psychologically, or anatomically. But one should not be in a rush to make physical changes. Sometimes it is NOT for the better.
@pb49r - question for you….what about a hermaphrodite people who are born with both organs? What about people who the world tends to look at as women or men and then it is found out that they have XXY?
Where do you place them?
I met a transgendered person not too long ago at work. She was rather friendly. <3
@pb49r - From what I’ve read, regret in these types of situations is rare, and is primarily due to medical issues that arise. By no means am I saying it couldn’t happen, but I think most people are happy.
@rebekah1191 - And there you have it. God doesn’t make mistakes (my idea of god is a little different from the Christian god, but that’s beside the point). But who says being transgendered is a mistake? Maybe God makes transgendered people on purpose, because society tends to think so much in boxes. Guarantee you Eve wasn’t running around in pink frilly dresses, and I don’t think there was football for Adam to watch.
Those statistics are alarming. Why can’t everyone just love everyone?
Kristen, thank you for posting this.
@Kristenmomof3 - I was going to ask the same thing. While I believe some of the stuff as she does, I know in regards to people who can’t help the way they are there’s a whole different legal set and stuff for them. I’m not familiar with it at all of course as it’s something rare.
oh woops i was going to respond with that for rebekkah not pb49r
awww. those facts and figures break my heart. that anybody should be harrassed, lose employment, etc. just heart wrenching. i still struggle with understanding T (transgendered) more than any of the others, but i would much rather love and accept them as , than add to their suffering.
i just had an odd thought. it just occured to me how much judgement you and i will probably receive just trying to be friends with others who are “different”. they will probably wonder if we are transgendered or gay or whatever b/c this reminds me of how ppl treated me when they saw me being friends with Mark, how ppl questioned my faith, my character/integrity. not understanding how God has blessed you and I with Mark and vice versa.
wow, total paradigm shift! was not Jesus judged for who He hung out with too. this isnt even about whether or not something is right or wrong, but how people are treated.
Thanks for bringing up this important point. It’s really true, you’re right! It will be more and more accepted and there will be more and more T … it’s very important!
@YouTOme - Totally right!
@pb49r - It’s attitudes like that one which lead to the ongoing discrimination.
The problem with these statistics, is I highly doubt they came out and said “hey, we’re firing you for being T” or whatever. They can’t, unless they’re asking to be sued. It’s all based on thinking and with this economy… come on, people are fired every day and not told why.
* 97% say they have experienced harassment or mistreatment at work. Well… who hasn’t? Honestly, now. Who hasn’t.
* 47% say they have been fired, denied a promotion, or not hired because of their transgender identity Is this the only reason? Or is it because they’re not the person the employer is looking for? Or perhaps, just perhaps, there was someone more qualified?
* 26% say they lost their jobs because they are transgender How do they know this?
* 19% said they are or have been homeless Well, so have I, and I’m straight, and not even in the legal adult world. So has my friend. He is straight. He lived in the woods for two months.
* 15% live on $10,000 or less (double the general population) I lived on that, too, I am straight. My mother AND I lived on that. One time, we were fortunate to make $1000 a month. Then back down to $500 we went.
* 13% say they are unemployed Well, a shit tonne of people are unemployed at the moment.
I don’t want to be the antagonist here, because I can sympathise with them to some extent [as for a while, I thought I was...] but at the same time, I think they put toooooo much emphasis on their sexuality, when these things are striking everyone. And you have to remember, we, as humans, have an ego, think we’re ‘more qualified’ and ‘less stupid’ than other people. Don’t deny it, we just do. No clue why. But I think they’re putting waaaay too much emphasis on their gender, and not enough on themselves as, well, people, when there are a million explanations for why these things are happening. And 13% is incredibly low, when all is considered. Middle of a recession…? And let’s put that together… that 13% unemployed would make 13% of the group that is making $10000 or less. 2% have jobs and are making $10000, meaning, they’re getting fed up the a.
Yes, the stats are pretty awful. But there are a million explanations beyond “being trans”. And no, I am not denying they get discriminated against. I know they do.
@Diva_Jyoti - You mean, warning people not to run straight into the surgery? Had someone offered to change me a year ago, I would have said yes. I would have deeply regretted it, too.
It’s a decision that seriously must be weighed, as with most decisions–people choosing not to weigh them properly, on the right scales, they tend to be the people who regret their actions.
@nanoJAM - Let me give you the exact part that bothers me. It’s below. You will note (or should note, because that’s what it says) that he says “stay how you are and act appropriately.”
Judgmental, preachy, moralistic, ill-advised in the sense that he has made a persons decision for them, as if he knows best. Irritating, and I disagree.
It’s like sending people to “gay therapy” and trying to convert them to straight people. Stupid, judgmental, and won’t work anyway.
Here is what I disagreed with, specifically:
My conclusion has been that it is better to stay as we are, and realize our individual likes/dislikes, strengths/weaknesses, feelings being valid. Then act appropriately
basically he’s just saying “shut up and cope.” I do not agree.
@Diva_Jyoti - Correction: he is implying that. Or, better, you read it that way. How did I read it? “My conclusion has been that it is better to [temporarily, longer than a few years, but temporarily nonetheless] stay as [our natural sex], and realise our individual [opinions], [faults], with feelings being valid [with intelligent insightful thoughts]. Then act appropriately [on what you decide is truth].” I read it completely innocent.
I, however, would be the kind of person to say “shut up and cope”. Life ain’t fair. As a pessimist, I basically say “shut up and cope” to anyone, doesn’t matter who you are. And stupid and judgmental? Some people honestly are ‘just confused’, for a severe lack of a better phrase. I am a misogynist. Female. And a misogynist. I hated my own skin. I thought hating my own skin = transgender. A year earlier, I would have taken a transgender operation without a question.
Now? No. No. Now I wouldn’t. I would have regretted it immensely.
So he’s right. Not everyone is what they think they are. He’s also right that you should really, really weigh your thoughts and decisions extremely carefully before doing something rash and as huge as that. I have no feminine streak in my bones. I am a female by sex only. I am unempathetic and crude, a pervert. I thought I was. I’m not. It depends.
i’m going to watch these later. sounds very interesting.
see, i have an issue with transgenderism. i don’t understand how you can psychologically /feel/ male or female. i’m biologically female but i don’t feel that way. i don’t feel male either. i’ve fiddled with saying i feel both or i feel none. truth is, i don’t care what genitalia i’d have (i’d be fine with a penis and a vagina, in fact, i’m thinking about presenting that way in the future sometimes, as a guy, just ’cause). perhaps that goes with the fact that i’m pan. but psychologically, emotionally, in the mind…i have no idea how i could feel like a girl. or a guy. what does a girl feel like? i don’t understand. i wish some transgendered/transsexual person would explain to me.
@nanoJAM - I told @pb49r - that I disagreed with him.
You asked why, I took a moment and told you.
that doesn’t mean I have time or desire to argue or debate you on this.
However you feel about what he said, take it up with him.
I’m not reading all this, maybe you ought to check and see if someone’s going to debate you before you spend that much time writing all that out.
@veronika_grey - I’d say it’s probably similar to how does it feel to be black, white, asian, indian, or whatever.
maybe some people are hyper aware of their race, some are oblivious, some in between.
I doubt it can be explained fully unless you’re there, and unless it’s a topic that is especially close to your heart in terms of how you see your own essence.
but certainly you can empathize anyway, right? or no?
@Diva_Jyoti - i actually never thought about comparing gender to sex. interesting. now that i think of it…well, i don’t really notice that i’m white, just that i’m european. but that has more to do with culture and behaviour i think…i’m not sure if i would see myself differently if i were black or asian…probably, because of my background…interesting.
oh, i can definitely empathize. i just…don’t understand that part. i understand the physical part of wanting this or that genitalia, but not the damn psychological part.
oh, also. speaking of this subject, you should definitely watch ‘boys don’t cry’. it is FUCKING. INCREDIBLE. go watch it. go. now. and if you’ve watched it already, go watch it again.
@veronika_grey - Thanks for the suggestion, I’ll do it!
@nanoJAM -
I didn’t bother to read but the first few sentences you wrote, but google is your friend.
http://employment.findlaw.com/employment/employment-employee-discrimination-harassment/employment-employee-gay-lesbian-discrimination/
@TheDeadWhale - Okay. That doesn’t answer my question: how do they know that was the reason?
@Diva_Jyoti - And I told you I felt you read it wrong in your bias. But hey, if you want to, y’know, pull the wool over your own eyes, I can’t stop you.
@rebekah1191 - I’m sorry, but I respectfully disagree. I am genuinely interested, though, in why you think being transgendered is a person saying God made a mistake and that person has to fix it.
Instead of taking that viewpoint, why not take a more positive and accepting one, like saying trans people are the gender they feel they are? They just have a unique way of getting there.
@prettynpink628 - I LOVE your take on transgenderism and God!
This is very touching. I don’t pretend to understand transgenderism and feeling thus since I am a cisgender female and therefore can’t understand. I can try, and maybe I can empathize and sympathize and sort of get it, to a limited extent. But that’s just not in my realm of total understanding. I fully admit that. But I do wish for transgender people the same thing I wish for everyone else – that they find happiness in their own skin, in whatever form, fashion or gender that that takes. That’s a basic human need, desire and right.
@LovesTwo - Why, thanks. I’m a firm believer that everything, and I mean everything, happens for a reason.
@LovesTwo - because god made them a girl or aboy and when they change their sex they are insulting god.
Thank you for sharing these videos and what an awful struggle these folks have in becoming who they really are. My heart goes out to them all.
People are people, no matter what and we are all walking the path of being. We all need to put down the weapons of curelity, esepcially our words that cut each other to the heart, and start accepting and carign about each other.
@Kristenmomof3 -If someone is born with both sex’s apparatus, I definitely believe that they need to decide to live as female or male, and seek appropriate surgery, if that is affordable. Otherwise there will be continuing confusion (I think).
@YouTOme - Jesus was judged for who he hung out with (it is not the well but the sick who need the physician), yet he was doing right.
I really cannot believe in a God who “makes” someone homosexual, or transgendered, or even the child born with both male and female sexual features. But those feelings, and physical realities, do happen. I doubt that any of us do not have some area of brokenness within our nature. We all need a Savior. That’s where I stand.
I just read a survey that said on an average homosexuals live to about 40 years old.
@rebekah1191 - Okay, that makes sense. I still respectfully disagree but I understand better now what you’re saying. Thank you!