Russia Anti-Gay Law
This article talks about how Russia is going to apply its anti-gay propaganda law, something I've been wondering about since I heard the law went into effect. Like most laws in any country, it sounds as if this propaganda law will be interpreted to suit the needs (and wishes) of the Russian Government.
For example:
The International Olympic Committee has reminded athletes that "no kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda is permitted in any Olympic sites." Athletes will be free to express their opinions at news conferences, however, according to IOC President Thomas Bach.
Sochi organizers initially took issue with Bach, but then backed off.
President Vladimir Putin has assured gays that they will be welcome in Sochi but only if they "leave the kids alone." Dmitry Kozak, the deputy prime minister overseeing the games, repeated that message Thursday.
As it stands, I find it hard to have any respect for the Olympic committee or any gay athletes associated with the Sochi games. But I'm reserving my opinions until after the games. Maybe something good will happen, as so many US athletes have claimed...as a result of them going to Russia and showing Russia who they are. It could also turn out that after the Sochi games the gay hate in Russia will not only continue as is, but get even worse. The US athletes will return to their privileged lives and pretend they were never there. And right now I'm taking names for the future so no one forgets about this travesty of human rights, and how human rights were put on the back burner to make way for a commercial event like the Olympics in the year 2014.
You can read more here.
Gabourey Sidibe's in Deep Shit
Again.
Before I get into what happened with Gabourey Sidibe, I'd like to remind readers that I've posted on this topic before...whether or not the word "tranny" should be used. I don't use it. I do support those who don't think it should be used. But I also understand...I "get"...that some people within gay culture not only use the word "tranny" all the time, but it's not by any means offensive to them. And this includes some transgender people. (But not all.)
But the difference here is that Gabourey Sidibe is not transgender and not gay (as far as I know) and she use the word "tranny" MANY times during the Arsenio Hall show as if it meant nothing to her, and she's ruffled more than a few proverbial feathers as a result.
Gabourey Sidibe: There was a bar that we would frequent and every time we'd go, when we were leaving every single time there was always like a gang of cops arresting trannies.
Audience: [Laughter]
Sidibe: Specifically trannies.
Arsenio Hall: Yeah…
Sidibe: And I don't know what goes on with trannies but that tranny on tranny crime needs to stop!
Arsenio Hall and audience: [Laughter]
Sidibe [chuckling]: It is tearing our nation apart!
She clearly didn't mean harm, not with intent or literal harm. However, as a public figure should she have known better? Should she have realized that in using the word "tranny" she's defeating the purpose of her entire conversation? Or is it just becoming too PC and we expect too much from public figures these days? I don't know. All I know is that I tread with care at all times.
Frankly, I just think she didn't know any better and now she does. I also think she could use a few acting lessons so she learns how to stop dropping those sentences in every part she plays. Seriously. She made it this far. Take a course. Improve yourself while you're zipping around in that private jet. One of the things that comes with this kind of celebrity is responsibility. And it's her job to figure out what to say or not to say in public so she doesn't offend people. I know that's not always possible. But this one was pretty simple if you have a basic clue.
I also don't like the fact that transgender people are put into the spotlight like this, on TV, as if they are part of a sideshow for the amusement of celebrities. And since Ryan Murphy has taken every liberty there is with social injustice on American Horror: Coven, you'd think his cast would have a basic idea when it comes to representing what he's been sneaking into his storylines all season.
We're only allowed just so many free passes in life before the truth is revealed.
You can read more here.
Showing posts with label tranny as a word. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tranny as a word. Show all posts
Thursday, February 6, 2014
Monday, December 16, 2013
Free:Littlest Christmas Tree; Gay New Hope; Tranny Word
Date Drug New Hope
Tony pointed this one out to me early this morning. Evidently, there was a date drugger at a gay bar in New Hope, PA (where I live) and security cameras captured his image in what looks to me like a gay bar on the outskirts of town called, The Raven. (Been there many times.) There was also an alleged credit card/identity theft fraud incident. According to this article, both victim and suspect went back to the victim's residence...where they were "socializing."
“Drugged Acquaintance Date – Theft & Credit Card Fraud
“An adult male victim met the pictured male suspect at a known gay bar at 2:30 p.m. on Friday, 11-22-2013. Victim invited the suspect to his residence to continue socializing. When victim uses the bathroom, the suspect “freshens” the victim’s alcoholic beverage, whereupon the victim loses consciousness for approx. 5 hours. Victim awaken nauseous to find the suspect has stolen his wallet, $150 USC, assorted credit cards, and 2 out of sequence blank bank checks.
I love the way they call it "socializing." So proper and neat (smile).
You can read more here.
Free: The Littlest Christmas Tree
My holiday novella, The Littlest Christmas Tree, is now up for free at the following venues. I don't have all the links, but I'll update as they come in.
Here's a link to the blurb, and a short excerpt. The novella is 21,000 words in length.
I'm doing this as a little holiday present for readers who always remain faithful all year long. This is the second book in the Second Chance series and I'll be putting future titles in the series up throughout 2014 for .99.
On Smashwords.
Update: On Allromanceebooks.com
At Rainbow Book Reviews: Link
Update #2...The book will be up on Amazon for .99. I wish I could have done this for free, but Amazon will not allow this unless I sign an exclusive for three months and then the book will only be up for free on Amazon for five days, and I can't put it up for free anywhere else without breach of contract with Amazon. Here's the Amazon link. Why am I disclosing this? I think readers should know.
Tranny Word
When I spotted this article I was prepared to take a completely different approach to it. But after I read it I couldn't ignore this even if I tried. It's an interview with a Brooklyn drag performer, Babes Trust, and one of the most interesting things in the interview I read is how Trust thinks of the word "Tranny."
This is the question about Tranny as a word:
Some transgender people are critical of drag performers using the word "tranny." What are your thoughts about it?
Here's how Babes Trust answered:
I have issues around this wider idea of community; such as the gay "community," the trans "community" -- we are not a generalized generic community or binary. Although we share some basic values, we are many different communities with varying values, speech, meanings, codes and languages.
Tranny means different things to different people. Do I know some people who feel more comfortable with explaining their gender and sexuality as "tranny"? Yes. Its that okay?
By one "community" effectively silencing and oppressing another to "not say" certain words or be so untrusting of people that you believe that everything comes from a place of violence, is sad.
If someone identifies as "tranny," the people who attack the term as offensive are oppressing the people who have a valid claim over the term.
I agree with Trust, and I find people like that not only oppressive, but bullies.
The reason I find this so interesting is that I once came across a comment thread on romance book review web site best known for its incivility where someone went berserk in a politically correct rampage about how offensive the word "Tranny" is, and frankly I didn't get that at the time and I still don't get it now. In full disclosure, ever since then I've been terrified to use the word myself for fear of being politically incorrect...or offending someone without realizing it.
However, the word "Tranny" is one I've heard all my life in certain LGBT circles, and I've never heard it used in a derogatory way. So my point with this is I think Babes Trust makes a highly valid point in being so candid, and those who think they know it all about gay culture don't even get the tip of what gay culture is really all about. And the only thing that really offends me most as a gay man is when people who aren't gay start telling me how to be gay.
You can read more of the interview here. Babes Trust is no one's fool, and it's been a long time since I've read such sharp, intelligent answers. It also shows how Brooklyn is up and coming as its own hot spot.
Tony pointed this one out to me early this morning. Evidently, there was a date drugger at a gay bar in New Hope, PA (where I live) and security cameras captured his image in what looks to me like a gay bar on the outskirts of town called, The Raven. (Been there many times.) There was also an alleged credit card/identity theft fraud incident. According to this article, both victim and suspect went back to the victim's residence...where they were "socializing."
“Drugged Acquaintance Date – Theft & Credit Card Fraud
“An adult male victim met the pictured male suspect at a known gay bar at 2:30 p.m. on Friday, 11-22-2013. Victim invited the suspect to his residence to continue socializing. When victim uses the bathroom, the suspect “freshens” the victim’s alcoholic beverage, whereupon the victim loses consciousness for approx. 5 hours. Victim awaken nauseous to find the suspect has stolen his wallet, $150 USC, assorted credit cards, and 2 out of sequence blank bank checks.
I love the way they call it "socializing." So proper and neat (smile).
You can read more here.
Free: The Littlest Christmas Tree
My holiday novella, The Littlest Christmas Tree, is now up for free at the following venues. I don't have all the links, but I'll update as they come in.
Here's a link to the blurb, and a short excerpt. The novella is 21,000 words in length.
I'm doing this as a little holiday present for readers who always remain faithful all year long. This is the second book in the Second Chance series and I'll be putting future titles in the series up throughout 2014 for .99.
On Smashwords.
Update: On Allromanceebooks.com
At Rainbow Book Reviews: Link
Update #2...The book will be up on Amazon for .99. I wish I could have done this for free, but Amazon will not allow this unless I sign an exclusive for three months and then the book will only be up for free on Amazon for five days, and I can't put it up for free anywhere else without breach of contract with Amazon. Here's the Amazon link. Why am I disclosing this? I think readers should know.
Tranny Word
When I spotted this article I was prepared to take a completely different approach to it. But after I read it I couldn't ignore this even if I tried. It's an interview with a Brooklyn drag performer, Babes Trust, and one of the most interesting things in the interview I read is how Trust thinks of the word "Tranny."
This is the question about Tranny as a word:
Some transgender people are critical of drag performers using the word "tranny." What are your thoughts about it?
Here's how Babes Trust answered:
I have issues around this wider idea of community; such as the gay "community," the trans "community" -- we are not a generalized generic community or binary. Although we share some basic values, we are many different communities with varying values, speech, meanings, codes and languages.
Tranny means different things to different people. Do I know some people who feel more comfortable with explaining their gender and sexuality as "tranny"? Yes. Its that okay?
By one "community" effectively silencing and oppressing another to "not say" certain words or be so untrusting of people that you believe that everything comes from a place of violence, is sad.
If someone identifies as "tranny," the people who attack the term as offensive are oppressing the people who have a valid claim over the term.
I agree with Trust, and I find people like that not only oppressive, but bullies.
The reason I find this so interesting is that I once came across a comment thread on romance book review web site best known for its incivility where someone went berserk in a politically correct rampage about how offensive the word "Tranny" is, and frankly I didn't get that at the time and I still don't get it now. In full disclosure, ever since then I've been terrified to use the word myself for fear of being politically incorrect...or offending someone without realizing it.
However, the word "Tranny" is one I've heard all my life in certain LGBT circles, and I've never heard it used in a derogatory way. So my point with this is I think Babes Trust makes a highly valid point in being so candid, and those who think they know it all about gay culture don't even get the tip of what gay culture is really all about. And the only thing that really offends me most as a gay man is when people who aren't gay start telling me how to be gay.
You can read more of the interview here. Babes Trust is no one's fool, and it's been a long time since I've read such sharp, intelligent answers. It also shows how Brooklyn is up and coming as its own hot spot.
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