In a message dated 9/2/00 1:57:28 PM Pacific Daylight Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:
<< I don't understand what "trans-gender" means. I believe this is the same
thing that we've been talking about on another list where a child may be
born
with >>
Persons born with ambiguous genitalia are referred to as intersexed. There
are (no surprise) many many issues regarding "corrective" surgery on
intersexed infants. Such measures buy into dominant gender structures, can
reduce sexual functionality, are done without the person's consent (as the
person is a baby), and can cause great confusion and pain if the child grows
up and chafes (sp?) against the gender that was selected at birth. Expecting
parents are not educated about the prevalence of ambiguous genitalia, and are
frequently pressured into gender assignment surgery by the "experts" without
full information.
As to the term transgendered: I have usually seen transgendered used as an
umbrella term for: persons who are born one sex but seek to live as another
sex, either with or without surgery; persons who consider themselves neither
male nor female; persons who cross-dress; and various other "gender bending"
identities. However, recently I met a transgendered activist who was making
a distinction between persons who are transgendered and persons who
cross-dress, but I'm not sure that such a distinction that is universally
embraced.
I have seen many cross-over issues between disability issues and transgender
issues. In no particular order: insurance coverage; access to public
accommodations (think restrooms); employment discrimination; the need for
reasonable accommodation; the need for the acceptance and accommodation of
"real" differences -- in other words, the need for a more radical
substantive, as opposed to formal, equality; fear and stigma; is "disability"
a label to be embraced or rejected? (see GID debates, and also HIV as
disability); "passing" . . .
Hmm, I've run out of ideas, but those are a few.
Claudia
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