Just Add Hormones Summary

Anne Tagonist’s zine, Unapologetic #3, goes over the trans-misogyny that is prevalent in the feminist and transgender rights movements. The author visited feminist and transgender scenes around the country that have been gaining momentum in recent years. When Anne visited each scene she witnessed rampant trans-misogyny, where trans-women were not accepted because of their inability to pass as female, and unproven theories that trans-women may be violent. These same meetings and organizers were much more accepting of the trans-men who came to the events. Female to male transgendered individuals were accepted because if the did not pass as a man they were still seen as a “dyke”. The example that Anne gives about an organizer banning a trans-woman,

Most don’t explicitly look into the complexity of a transgender person’s life and all the questions or problems one might face: Do I use the men’s or the women’s bathroom? Is it appropriate to use this locker room? Those are only two of the many questions a transgender person might run into on a daily basis because of how others would see the situation, how the people who may have a sneaking suspicion that the woman they saw go into the ladies’ bathroom isn’t actually female by their definition, or how it could also seem strange to see that same person go into the mens’ bathroom. These all lead to dysphoria in any person’s situation in public places due to the fact that many choose to taunt or mock the person; however, with the help of Title IX these questions could start to vanish from the thoughts of many transgender students which Blad exemplifies with a quote in her article:

Fifty years ago, nobody could ever have imagined how widely accepted transgender individuals would be in modern times. Countries all around the world had only ever known about the social distinction between men and women, which is known as ‘masculinity vs. Femininity’. However, now it is much more complex than that; as transgender and gender confused individuals are more widely accepted, it has become more of a case of sex vs. gender. “Sex is the biologically based distinction between men and women centring on sexual organs, while gender is the social and cultural rendering of masculinity and femininity.” (Oakley, 1972) And even though transgenders are accepted into society they still face inequalities such as not being accepted into a particular community, ostracised by families and friends,

Serano recalls her own experiences of being sexualized to shed light on how trans identities are sexualized. The story points out how a person’s transition from one gender to another, or being trans itself can be viewed as sexual solicitation, rather than a result of their own identity (Serano 257). The sexualization of trans people is based on a societal viewpoint that centers itself around male heterosexuality, as Serano expounds:

A large issue facing trans women today is the violence perpetrated against them. In 2003, fourteen murders of trans people were recorded in the U.S, most of them being trans women and people of color. (Bettcher, p. 280) By mid-October of 2015, twenty-one trans women, who were also mostly women of color, were murdered in the United States, and this number exceeds the amount of trans murders in 2014. (Wilkinson, “You Know What Time It Is”) It is important to remember that these are only recorded instances that do not count the murders that went unreported. The amount of these murders is increasing as more years pass. This violence is rooted in the idea of trans women are seen as deceivers due to the vulva-vagina-uterus anatomy being seen as the “normal” anatomy of a woman. This is explained in Talia Mae Bettcher’s “Evil Deceivers and Make-Believers”, as she outlines the “rhetoric of deception” throughout the article. In the article, she states “frequently connected to this appearance-reality contrast is the view that genitalia are the essential determinants of sex.” (Bettcher, p.281) Because of this, trans women are put in a double-bind to either “disclose ‘who one is’ and come out as a pretender or masquerader, or refuse to disclose (be a deceiver) and run the risk of forced disclosure, the effect of which is exposure as a liar.”(Bettcher, p. 283) The normalization of this anatomy being linked to femaleness puts added pressure on trans women to “prove” themselves, or else be

In a world moving advancing with near instantaneous publication worldwide the fringe edges of society have become more visible. One group of people that has had the spotlight shined on them is those suffering from gender dysphoria–persons who are not comfortable living in the bodies that they are born with and are often referred to as transsexual. As of 2010, there was an estimated population of less than 1,000 of these fringe members of our society incarcerated in state and federal facilities. (Brown)

Grossman, Arnold H. Anthony R. D’Augelli. “Transgender Youth: Invisible and Vulnerable.” Journal of Homosexuality. Vol. 51, No. 1 (2006): pages 111-128. Web. 25 June 2015. Arnold H. Grossman, a professor of Applied Psychology at New York University, and Anthony R. D’Augelli, professor of Human Development at Pennsylvania State University, did a study of Transgender youth from ages 15 to 21. The study was designed to determine the factors that affect the youth, who either identify as transgender or their gender does not fit the normal gender descriptions. Focus groups were used as nonthreatening environment to examine the youths’ social and emotional experiences. The study not only provided insight on their emotional and social experiences but

A review of McKibben, Sarah (January 2016) Charting a Course to Transgender Inclusion, Education Update, volume 58, number 1, pages 2-3,15 reviewed by John A. Kelley. Also found online: http://www.ascd.org/publications/newsletters/education-update/jan16/vol58/num01/Charting-a-Course-to-Transgender-Inclusion.aspx

For transgender individuals whose gender identities may be visibly different from the norm, there are questions and assumptions from other people about their gender identities in their daily lives (Serano, 2013). For example, during childhood and young adult life, Green (2013), a transsexual male, was constantly judged and questioned by others based on his lack of physical femininity and “inappropriate behaviors” for a female. Additionally, in a male-dominated society, trans women become victims of trans-misogyny, which is defined as a trans person being ridiculed for their expression of femininity (Serano, 2013), because it is inconceivable that a male “inheriting male privilege [would] ‘choose’ to be female instead” (2013, p. 445). Thus, trans women are subjected to violence (Stryker, 2013) and stereotypes (Serano, 2013). During the 1960s, trans women working the Tenderloin district of San Francisco were abused by the police (Stryker, 2013). Transgender women were arrested on suspicion of prostitution, humiliated in front of other prisoners, and placed in men’s jails, where transgender women were susceptible to physical harm including assault, rape, and murder (2013). In the media, trans women are often depicted as sex workers and objectified when they pursue medical transitioning

Kailey, M. (2005). Just Add Hormones: An insider’s guide to the transsexual experience. Boston, MA: Beacon Press.

Next, Trans people, in general, feel victimized when they are judged, shunned, humiliated and excluded from women-only places because they think that they will feel accepted if they look passable to society. “Denying trans women access to spaces for women can be incredibly isolating, perpetuating the mental health struggles that plague members of the trans community''(Sophia Banks, CBC News, 2017, ‘Banning Trans Women From Women-Only Facilities Punishes Them For The Sins Of Others’). Trans women should receive the same treatment/rights as ordinary women should because trans women should be included in women-only spaces and should feel accepted just as ordinary women

It seems just that simple, right? Well, actually not so much. The amount of trans genders joining our world today is increasing, but is still making it hard for society to accept. Trans genders may be changing for their selves and for their happiness, but it is going to impact their lives and society as a whole in a very negative way. “Research suggests that transgender people face high levels of discrimination in society, which may contribute to their disproportionate risk for poor health” (Miller, Grollman, 2015). This change of gender is only making society feel uneasy, which is making them act out of character when a trans is around

This article by Rupert Read concerns a debate in which the acceptability of trans-females demanding their acceptance as women is questioned. Although trans-females believe that they deserve the right to label their gender for themselves, it is problematic because someone with male genitals simply stating that they are female hardly makes them so. Read makes the argument that it is irrational for those who wish to belong to a certain group that they aren’t already a part of to instantly belong to it just by stating they are or wanting to be. This raises concern within feminism as to whether or not trans-females should be truly considered females due to the fact that they don’t have experiences that other women do such as periods or menopause.

After discussing what the discrimination against transgender people is, the article offers a look into the side of those who support laws to protect the rights of transgenders and those who oppose those same laws, giving the audience plenty of insight into both sides of the issue. Lastly, the article concludes with how the transgender community faces everyday challenges that are sure to continue through time

In a lot of places around the world more and more people are coming out as “Transgender.” The term transgender means that the person’s gender identity does not correspond with the gender they were assigned as having at birth. From personally having a transgender boyfriend I have since realized that these people experience a lot of discrimination in and from society. Many people simply just do not understand what the term transgender means and they see it as someone just “wants to be a man” or “wants to be a woman.” While there may be people who present it this way, it is more so that the individual just “feels” different, and “feels” as if they are “in the wrong body.” Some people experience this feeling at a young age as my boyfriend did in his elementary age. We live in a world who put these people down for being who they truly are, and no human being wants or needs that.