McKinney Kidnapping Ignored By Media

Had it not been for twitter, I doubt that I would even have been aware that Cynthia McKinney was held hostage in Israel after attempting to deliver aid and supplies to the Palestinians.  There has been a resounding silence on this issue as CNN, MSNBC and other mainstream media sources rush to give us the latest news on the death of Michael Jackson.

Jackson was truly an iconic figure, however the man is dead and Cynthia is alive. His memorial is receiving massive coverage and the announcement that his body would be present was considered breaking news. Even Palin’s resignation has garnered more media and internet attention.  Though McKinney is safely back on US soil, her wellbeing during her ordeal was of little concern.

As celebrities and media personnel rush to speak about the ways in which Michael Jackson transcended race, the erasure of the plight of McKinney proves that race and gender continue to divide the country.  

Her mission was righteous and her intentions good, yet it matters not because the world places very little value on the bodies of Black women.   "If Israel fears for its security because Gaza's children have crayons then not only has Israel lost its last shred of legitimacy, but Israel must be declared a failed state," McKinney said.

Despite her accomplishments McKinney cannot escape the legacy of her mothers womb.  The media has gone to great lengths to paint her as radical, wild and untameable. One may not always agree with her methods or her arguments, but the reduction of her to  an almost animal like caricature over the course of years allowed her detainment to be deemed unimportant.

Imagine if a white male politician had been held captive by a foreign country.  Regardless of what we considered about the impetus for the detainment, his value would be enough for this to be heavily reported in the media.   Israel may be considered a friendly state, however the welfare of an American citizen should take precedence in this situation.  There was not even been a strongly worded statement on her behalf demanding her release. 

Her action was a response to Obama call to action on behalf of the Palestinian people and his silence was her reward. 

"State Department and White House officials have not effected our release or taken a strong public stance to condemn the illegal actions of the Israeli Navy of enforcing a blockade of humanitarian assistance to the Palestinians of Gaza, a blockade that has been condemned by President Obama," McKinney said in a statement posted on the Green Party's Web site last week.

McKinney is a Black woman and therefore the desire to identify with her is minimal.  No matter how successful a person of color becomes, few white people would change places with them because a Black identity is still considered less than.  People can congratulate themselves on being able to recognize the talent or skill of a person like Michael Jackson or Queen Latifah but when it comes right down to it; if our safety, health or happiness is an issue, it is irrelevant because we are all considered disposable bodies.

Heroes Adds Lesbian Love

The sitcom Heroes started off with an amazing first season.  Each episode was climatic leaving viewers enthralled. Since that point, it has steadily declined with only the most devoted fans continuing to follow the series.  Racialicious  has kept a running discussion of the shows mystical usages of bodies of color.  Race is an issue that Heroes continues to flounder with.

Heroes is desperate to repeat the success of the first season and apparently has decided to give Claire the character played by Hayden Panettiere, a female love interest.  Depending upon how audiences react to the sudden change from the incestuous interaction between her and Peter to this new called desire to participate in the love that dare not speak its name, Panettiere might very well find herself involved in a full fledged affair.

In most cases I would be very excited with the fact that a mainstream television employing LGBT characters within their storyline because it lends credence to the concept of all bodies being deserving of equal representation.  In fact, the more TBLG characters are shown in the media interacting with heterosexual characters and leading their lives; the easier it will be for society to accept the the fact that the BLTG community are no different.

I cannot say that I hold the same sort of hopes for the latest plot twist in Heroes.  It seems evident that the producers are going for the titillation factor, considering that this is  an attempt to raise ratings.   Heaven forbid a lesbian relationship exist on television because <gasp > women actually engage in sexual relationships for pleasure and not to be a visual fluffer for some guy who wants to get off.

Even if they somehow manage to normalize this relationship, the impetus for its creation will always render it a form of exploitation.  The idea that GLBT relationships can be affirmed when it suits the needs of heterosexuals only maintains the power imbalance.  Heterosexuals should not be able to decide when expression of lesbian love is appropriate, when little to no such disciplining occurs between men and women. 

How often has it been said that people are fine with homosexuality unless it is being flaunted?  In this one statement alone, we can decipher the degree to which certain acts immediately come under censure, not because they are morally problematic but by whom the act is performed by. Deciding to advance the storyline only if it is well received by viewers means once again the LGBT community is waiting upon the acceptance of heterosexuals.

When one considers the repeated failure of Heroes to treat its characters of color with respect, I don’t hold much hope for the addition of a gay identity being treated as anything other than a sideshow.  In this instance it may be necessary to save the cheerleader to save the world from its desire to perpetuate a hierarchy of bodies. 

It’s Little People Not Midget

Those that walk through the world with privilege have always had the ability to name regardless of how the marginalized group feels about said label.  In recent years people that have bodies that have historically been considered spoiled identities, have been very vocal about publicly rejecting labels that are harmful. The trans community have rejected “tranny”, and the differently abled have rejected terms like lame. 

The Little People of America are attempting to get the word midget declared a slur.  They are currently petitioning the FCC, after a particularly insulting episode of The Celebrity Apprentice.

During the episode of Celebrity Apprentice which aired on the NBC network, April 05, 2009 at 9 pm EST, people with a form of dwarfism (Little People) received a tremendous amount of ridicule and humiliation. NBC decided to air a program which continuously mentioned the word “Midget” by many of the cast members. The word “Midget is considered and recognized by Little People of America (www.lpaonline.org) as highly offensive and obscene to the dwarfism community.

During the program one of the cast members mentions “the word midget could be considered offensive to the Executives” and “ I think the appropriate phraseology would be Little People these days” bringing it to the attention of those responsible for editing and broadcasting the show. Yet it continued to be used throughout the show and used in the final title (Jesse James and the Midgets) of a viral video produced by the cast members.

Another of the cast members says: “They know that people point and laugh at them and they are comfortable within themselves and they have fun right back”, informing the general public that it is acceptable to ridicule a person with this difference or disability.

The cast member Hershel Walker says: “What about if we use little people and let them wash themselves in ALL detergent in the bathtub…and you hang them out to dry” (Portraying people of short stature more as an object rather than people).

Response: Joan Rivers “HANG THEM OUT TO DRY!”

Response: Clint Black “I don’t know…I mean…I am trying to envision how we hang them.

Response: Joan Rivers “Well…I have a terrace. We can hang them out on my terrace.”

The above content is mentioned in the program along with the 12 times during the program the word “Midget” was used with every attempt to humiliate people of short statured and those involved.

As is so often the case those with privilege have decided that it is acceptable to make a mockery of someone’s life.   It is not funny or amusing to use a term that is hateful and “other” for the sake of profits.  No matter how accustomed one becomes to being considered a second class citizen, it still hurts to walk through this world with the knowledge that you are devalued as a person.

Like any other stigmatized group Dwarves are subject to discrimination in hiring, violence and public ridicule.  Those of us that are of “normal” stature have a long history of infantilizing Dwarves to promote our undeserved privilege.   Even taking the time to learn some basic 101 knowledge regarding terminology or life experience is often deemed unnecessary because it is not deemed necessary to have a conversation that is not centered on dominant bodies.

According to The Little People of America, “midget is the term used for a proportionate dwarf. However, the term has fallen into disfavour and is considered offensive by most people of short stature. The term dates back to 1865, the height of the "freak show" era, and was generally applied only to short-statured persons who were displayed for public amusement, which is why it is considered so unacceptable today.”

Little People are not being to sensitive when they demand that the term “midget” cease to be used and yet this was continually  the complaint that I read in the commentary on this issue from average sized bodies.   It was often based in a rejection of what is deemed “PC” speech and no acknowledgement was given to the cost that such demeaning language can have on Little People.

Whether it is tranny, nigger, lame, faggot, dyke or midget, what cannot be denied is that these terms exist only to mark difference for the purposes of expressing power coercively.  It is not difficult to refrain from using such language and an insistence on perpetuating behaviour even after becoming aware that said terms are highly offensive, is not only rude; it is an expression of privilege.

Patriotism Denied The African Canadian/American Experience

Yesterday Monica of TransGriot, Allison McCarthy (my favourite Gus) and I, sat down with Matt of Bastard Logic to discuss the ways which patriotism and national identity are denied to Blacks in Canada and the  US.   It was quite the conversation. Not to worry if you missed it,  you can still catch it here.

What Becomes of Michael Jackson’s Children?

I have a new post up at Global Comment

Prior to the revelation of a will, Kathryn and Joe Jackson filed for custody of Michael Jacksons three children. When the will was filed, it was discovered that Michael Jackson directed his mother Kathryn to take custody of his children. The will further stated that were she to predecease him or be unable to fulfill the role of guardian, that he wished his children to be raised by his lifelong friend Diana Ross. Despite being one of nine children, it is particularly telling that he made no such endorsement of either his siblings or his father Joe Jackson.

The Jacksons were the little family from Indiana that rose from obscurity under the steel will of Joe Jackson. Today we are in the awe of the musical legacy left behind by their greatest star – Michael. In this time of mourning we are left to consider the cost of the gift that he left us with.

Michael paid for celebrity by sacrificing his childhood. He put his feelings to music in the song “Childhood”:

People say I’m not okay
‘Cause I love such elementary things…
It’s been my fate to compensate,
for the Childhood
I’ve never known…

Have you seen my Childhood?
I’m searching for that wonder in my youth
Like pirates in adventurous dreams,
Of conquest and kings on the throne…

Before you judge me, try hard to love me,
Look within your heart then ask,
Have you seen my Childhood?

The loss of his childhood would haunt Michel to his dying day. It was a sacrifice that his father Joe Jackson felt was necessary. Joe has enjoyed the role of patriarch and the second-hand fame he has achieved through his children. When BET held a tribute to Michael, Joe was the only family member in attendance.

Joe Jackson has taken every opportunity to raise his public status. When asked what the next step was by Don Lemon of CNN on the red carpet, he immediately began to speak about a record label he was attempting to promote, rather than discussing funeral plans for his son or the future of his grandchildren. He claims that he took the opportunity to promote his record company because that is what Michael would have wanted him to do. He further stated that he was crying on the inside. Each person deals with grief differently; however, it is quite incomprehensible that a loving parent would so easily cast aside the death of a child to promote a business venture.

Michael was a success in spite of Joe and not because of him. When one examines the life that Michael led, it is clear that it was filled with issues stemming from a very troubled childhood. What is ‘Neverland” but a palace dedicated to loss and suffering in the guise of play and whimsy? If Joe’s so-called methods were great, why did Michael feel the need to dedicate millions of dollars to attempting to escape his father? Why did Michael state that even as an adult the sight of Joe was enough to make him vomit?

Finish Reading Here

Kill A Gay Man Serve 1 Year In Prison

In May of 2007, Sean William Kennedy was walking back to his car when he was attacked and murdered by Stephen Andrew Moller.  As he beat him to death he repeatedly uttered anti gay slurs. 

Moller… originally was charged with murder and faced the possibility of life in prison until Greenville County’s chief prosecutor offered the alternate involuntary manslaughter charge after a grand jury found "no malicious intent." The lesser charges carry a maximum sentence of five years.

Of course in his defence, his family claimed that alcohol was the reason that the murder occurred in the first place.  It was even suggested that a prison sentence could “hurt him”, he was after all supporting his nine month old daughter at the time of sentencing.  This  man that stood over Kennedys brain dead body and said, “You tell your faggot friend that when he wakes up he owes me $500 for my broken hand.”

If the facts of the case don’t make you sick, how about the fact that Moller only served one year for the death of  Sean William Kennedy. In fact he was released one week early. He was given credit for the 7 months he served pre-trial and then three years of his five year sentence was suspended.  South Carolina has no hate crimes law.

The end result is that Sean’s mother received an automated message notifying her that the murderer of her son was being released.  So callously has this case been treated that they could not even be bother to personally notify this grieving mother. 

Sean is dead because his hand accidentally brushed against Moller’s face.   Alcohol is absolutely no excuse.   Moller always had the potential to be violent. Sean was 20 years old when he died. No one will ever know what he could have offered the world because his light was taken from this world far too soon.

Sean’s mother Elke Kennedy said in a release. “He should have served every single day of the already short sentence, instead he was released from prison today, one week early. Where is the justice?”

Moller’s light penalty in the death of Sean is more evidence that some bodies continue to be undervalued in the justice system.   It is imperative for a hate crimes bill to be passed to help stem the violence that is often aimed at the GLBT community.  Moller would have received a heavier sentence had he abused an animal. 

It’s been more than ten years since the death of Matthew Shepard and the GLBT community must still live in fear that their lives could be cut short because someone is determined to uphold their heterosexual privilege.  Justice is not blind as long as this kind of travesty is allowed to continue.

When marginalized bodies are targeted for violence, their murders are either not seriously investigated, or the penalty given to the assailant affirms that their lives are understood to be valueless.; this is true whether the victim is a sex trade worker, GLBT, or of color. 

We don’t live in a society in which all bodies matter and the criminal justice system daily reaffirms the prejudices that we have built.  How many more must meet their end because we have decided that any deviation from the so-called norm renders one valueless?  We readily tolerate hate speech without acknowledging that it leads to deaths like that suffered by Shepard and Kennedy. 

Hate speech is where crimes like this start.   The moment we begin to “other” a group, we are laying the groundwork for them to be understood as less than.  When a group or individual is deemed spoiled, historically they have been targeted for marginalization and even violence that leads to death based in the idea that they are not like everyone else. 

If we are to seek equality and justice crimes against marginalized groups must be prosecuted as the hate crimes that they are.  We must end our tolerance for language that demeans an individual based in race, gender or sexuality.  We have given much lip service to circulating the myth that we are an advanced society and yet so many of our actions reveal that we really have not advanced very far from the days when Nero fiddled while Rome burned.  Each time we fail to speak out we are tacitly approving the violence and vicious hate speech we claim to detest.  Last year Kennedy was murdered and tomorrow it may be you. 

 

 

 

 

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Masturbation: Good Girls Do Touch Themselves

Over the past year I have occasionally blogged about masturbation because I believe that it is a subject that women really go to great lengths to avoid talking about.  We seem to have no problem discussing men pleasing themselves and in fact we expect such behaviour, however when it comes to women masturbating there is a great silence.

Female masturbation continues to be taboo because women that are sexual are often disciplined in our culture.  Even when we have sex within what are considered socially approved relationships, sex is something that is constructed as a burden, rather than a desire or a right. 

We claim that we are so very liberated, however  female sexuality is very much controlled by patriarchy.  This is not about the celebration of raunch culture but about  honouring the parts of us that are sexual.  Masturbation is about getting in touch with our sexual side and understanding our bodies. 

For it to be successful you need to free your mind of all of the inhibitions that we have normalized and fixate on what feels good.  As a womanist/feminist I will play mentally with ideas that don’t necessarily align with my political beliefs in terms of gender relations, however when explored in this vein because they originate from me rather than being the result of a power imbalance in a sexual relationship, they take on a different connotation.  In my fantasy my sexual partner may say or do something that in a real world experience I would have found threatening however because it is just a fantasy, I am safely able to work through ideas.

After experiencing a sexual assault, masturbation can be a way to reclaim sexuality and the body.  Touching oneself is a way nurturing and self comfort.  It is not often that we think of masturbation along these lines and this is due in part to the fact that we have constructed sex as a dirty filthy act. 

Even when one is in a committed sexual relationship it is very important that masturbation continue to occur on a regular basis.  Whether it is an act we share with a partner or engage in by ourselves it encourages one to fantasize and explore personal limitations. 

Last night I wanted to find out whether or not it was possible for me to achieve an orgasm without touching my vagina.  I played with my breasts and let my mind go.  Until this moment I really bought into the idea that even though the brain is the largest sexual organ, that my vagina was central to my sexual urges and desires.  I learned that my whole body is and can be an erogenous zone. There is no shame in this activity, and instead  I view it as another step in the journey of self discovery.

What have you learned about yourself through masturbation and how does this knowledge empower you?  When was the first/last time you masturbated.  As women these are conversations we need to have openly if female sexuality is ever going to move beyond the virgin/whore dichotomy to one that affirms it as a positive expression of self love.

Palin Resigns

On Friday July 03, Sarah Palin publicly declared her intention to resign. Palin first grabbed the international spotlight when she was tapped by John McCain to become his running mate in the 2008 election. She was the second woman selected to run for the vice presidential position and the first Republican woman. At the time she had an extremely high approval rating in Alaska but was not well known in the lower 48 states. Upon announcement of her selection, the media began a massive hunt to discover who she was and what she stood for.

Palin rapidly became a household name and much of it was based on her political faux pas. Her inability to discuss the Bush doctrine or name a major magazine or newspaper upon which she depended for news quickly became a ratings gift to Saturday Night live who parodied her public missteps weekly. Palin became the comedic gift that kept on giving.

Though McCain was the nominee for president his popularity paled in comparison to hers, and attendance at her rallies routinely outshined his. With her supposed “folksy charm”, she sold conservatives with her anti woman, jingoist, and racist message. Feminists found themselves in the untenable position of having to defend her, despite her clearly anti-woman stance as sexist rhetoric was used to discredit her.

Even after losing the election, Palin’s name continued to circulate as she engaged in a war with bloggers and the so-called liberal media. Throughout her political career, Palin has surrounded herself with cronies and was unaccustomed to being unable to spin the news in her favour. Though clearly desirous of continuing the fame that she received as a vice presidential nominee, Palin clearly believed and continues to assert her right to be above criticism.

It is easy to question the intelligence of Sarah Palin after hearing statements like, “I can see Russia from my house”; however, one must remember that to become the governor of a state requires a degree of intelligence and political savvy. Palin may not have been ready for the “big game”, when she received the tap from John McCain but that does not mean that she is not capable of making the changes required to converse intellectually about the pressing issues of our day.

In her resignation speech Palin stated:

“As I thought about this announcement, that I wouldn't run for re-election, and what that means for Alaska, I thought about, well, how much fun some governors have as lame ducks. They maybe travel around their state, travel to other states, maybe take their overseas international trade missions, so many politicians do that, and then I thought: That's what's wrong—many just accept that lame duck status, and they hit the road, they draw a paycheck, and they kinda milk it? And I'm not gonna put Alaskans through that.”

One would have to be completely naive to believe that her overwhelming desire to spare Alaskans is what encouraged her to resign the post of Governor. It is more likely that she realized that even though being a Governor of a state provided her with a platform, the fact that Alaska is so far removed from the lower forty-eight states would create difficulty for her in terms of transportation on the campaign trail.

Palin has not declared a desire to run for president but her ambition is clear to any who have watched her political career rise since she received the nod from John McCain. Palin has already started working on raising money and as Obama’s election made clear, proper financing is absolutely necessary to win a presidential election. By resigning the post of Governor, she will be able to travel more freely and raise capital.

Though she regularly attacked Obama on his experience, her lack of knowledge clearly hampered her political ambitions and despite being taught Republican talking points, more is required to successfully launch a national campaign. Palin is going to need time and experience and this can be acquired by giving paid speeches across the nation where she will face tough questions from those not disciplined by party moors.

If Sarah Palin is to be a successful candidate in 2012, she needs to appeal to more than the Christian Conservative section of the Republican Party; she will need time to craft an image that has a broader appeal. Palin has much work ahead of her to become a legitimate candidate and this cannot have escaped the notice of her handlers.

When Sarah Palin made the announcement that she was resigning, she offered no real explanation. She did not even bother to cite a desire to spend more time with her family, which is a very common reason given by those who choose to leave behind public or time consuming careers; thus leaving the explanation open for conjecture. I suspect that Palin very much wants the public to discuss her reasons. The more that she is a subject of conversation, the more she will appear as a legitimate possible choice.

In the coming months the reason behind her sudden departure will make itself apparent. I suspect it will begin with a glaring announcement of her intention to seek the office of the president of the United States. Palin has yet to acquire the polish of a seasoned politician, however she is certainly shrewd and barring any hidden political scandal that we are not aware of, this decision was certainly aimed at advancing her political ambitions. It will be interesting to see how she chooses to explain her lack of commitment i.e the inability to finish one term as governor while seeking the nation’s top job.

Sunday Shame: Partying and My Long Lost Youth

On July 11, I will be turning 30 yet again.  It has become a great joke between family and friends.  At the rate that I am “aging”, I will  be younger than my little brother.  Things have changed a lot since the days of crawling home at 6am and being dull enough to believe that drinking rum and cokes and brown cows was a good idea.  Yeah, that was a mistake I will never make again.  I don’t think my stomach has ever forgiven me for that disaster.

I used to be able to party with the best of them.  I remember partying all night, getting two hours sleep and showing up to work somewhat coherent.  In my drunken haze I was queen of the Karaoke mike and mistress of the dance floor.  Even though American liquor is really  watered down, we would cross the border to party because the bars were open later. 

Now that I am the mother of two, Mayhem successfully using the potty is what gets me going.  How does one go from dancing to Closer to God in cheap shoes and gravity defying bra to howling at the moon on ladies night in the garage?  No you didn’t read that last sentence wrong.  In the Niagara region as women age, we retreat from the bars and except for the occasional cougar night we end up partying in the garage.

There you have it…On the very rare occasion that I am free of parental responsibility, I’m off to a garage to drink cheap wine and sing Bitch by Meredith Brooks at the top of my lungs.  Looking back I realize how much life has changed as the unhusband and I now have garage envy.

I am ashamed to admit it but we are now discussing how to pimp out our garage for the sake of an adult retreat.  We have envisioned a wood burning stove, a poker table and a half decent stereo system. How do you know that you are getting old…when you get excited about partying in your garage.

Alright your turn…time to reveal signs of aging, bad drinking stories, or how you plan to spend your impending midlife crises. 

Drop It Like It’s Hot

Thanks everyone for another great week of conversation.    We seem to have an uptick in trolls this week.  I can tell you that I had to ban more than the usual amount.  It must mean that the conversations here are challenging to some.

In honour of Canada Day and Independence Day we will be doing a show on patriotism on Sunday at 8pm est.  Our guest will be Matt of the award winning Bastard Logic.  You can access the show through Blogtalk Radio

Below you will find links to some great posts I came across this week.  Please show these bloggers some love and check them out.  When you are through don’t forget to drop it like it’s hot and leave your link behind in the comment section.

“Black or white”, “East or West” are not racially or culturally exhaustive.

The pervasiveness of slut shaming

Talking To My Six Year Old Daughter About Death (and Life)

The Stoning of Soraya M.: A Review

Is The Media Or Gay Community To Blame For LGBT Activists Of Color Being Invisible?

Debra Lee’s Circus, The BET Awards

I Am Not Pro-Death: Adventures Of A Gen X Uterus

Asian Women: Rape And Hate Crimes

The Audacity of Spirit: Lessons from a New Modern Woman

40% of ethnic minority women in UK live in poverty - FAWCETT

Big, black booties “intrigues” Jezebel readership

Dr. Boyce: Three Dumb Things About “Reverse Discrimination”

The Appreciation or Depreciation of Michael Jackson

Racism’s Hidden Toll

The Future of Humanity is White and Male (Again)

Another Historic Meeting, Another Melanin Free Transgender Contingent

This is a guest post from the ever fabulous Monica of TransGriot

i went nuclear last year when there was a historic committee hearing on transgender issues and not one African-American transgender person was invited to participate.

There was another historic gathering of importance to GLBT people that took place on Monday. It was in the wake of the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots that took place June 28, 1969.

This time the host was none other than the POTUS, and it took place in the building at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue that my ancestors helped construct with their unpaid labour.

So did the white transgender community learn its lesson from last year and make sure in the twelve transgender people that were selected to be there, there was some African-American representation?

Nope.

As usual, the white transgender community was well represented on the transman and transwoman side, and Latino Diego Sanchez was there in his new role as Rep. Barney Frank's chief legislative aide. The NCTE folks were present and we even had one former NTACer in Kathy Padilla there.

But if y'all think I'm not gonna light your asses for making the same dumb ass mistake you made 365 days ago, y'all don't know me very well do you?

This was supposed to be a commemoration of Stonewall, and Miss Major, one of the few African-American transpeople left who are Stonewall veterans is still alive and well.

Why wasn't she there? Come to think of it, there were people in the trans community such as Vanessa Edwards Foster and Marti Abernathey who busted their derrieres in swing states like Ohio and Indiana to help get President Obama elected.

Washington DC itself is 61% African-American, which translates to Chocolate City having chocolate flavoured transpeople. Where were they?
I also have to ask the question who put the list together this time or had input for it, knowing that you'll shunt the blame to the Obama White House for the 'oversight'?

And what pisses me and many African-American transpeople off even more about this dissing is the bitter irony that we weren't invited to an event that an African-American president we helped to elect called to celebrate an event and a movement we helped jump off.

You know, I and the African-American transgender community are beyond sick and tired of being sick and tired of the frequency of these 'oversights', the weak excuses that freely flow from white transpeople and their gay-lesbian allies trying to justify them, and the empty promises that flow from their lying lips that they'll do a better job next time to fix the problem.

It's obvious you don't want to fix the problem. You want to keep perpetuating the impression that this is a whites only movement.

If that's not the case, prove me wrong. But it's hard to not overlook the fact that the two major historical media events involving transpeople in the capital that was built with slave labour have had a glaring lack of African American transgender representation.

The ossifying impression of a whites only trans movement are also not helped by these oversights and trans movement leadership ranks that are as lily white as the Republican Party.

And what infuriates me and many African-American transpeople off even more about this dissing is the bitter irony that we weren't invited to an event that an African-American president we helped elect called to celebrate a historic event and a movement we helped jump off 40 years ago.

I wonder what the African-American president and first lady's thoughts were as they perused a so-called diverse group of transgender people that didn't have anyone of their ethnic background represented?

Once again, you vanilla flavoured privileged peeps have demonstrated your utter lack of ignorance, respect and regard for your so called African descended transgender 'allies'.

It results once again in a situation in which another historic meeting takes place that has a melanin free transgender contingent.

Will you people ever learn? Obviously not, and neither does it seem you care to either.

Is Jenny Sanford a Feminist Hero?

I have a new post up at Global Comment

Unlike other western politicians, American legislators are expected to lead lives of sexual purity. When they step outside of their marital vows, it triggers a feeding frenzy in which members of the press and public line up to consume their pound of flesh. Mark Sanford is the latest politician to allow his genitalia heart make his decisions for him.  He was in a prime position to be the front man to the now-rudderless Republican Party, until recent events changed everything.

There really is nothing new or shocking about Sanford’s story. Each day, countless people are unfaithful; according to The Monogamy Myth by Peggy Vaughan, statistics show that approximately 60% of husbands and 40% of wives will have an affair at some time in their marriage. Today, it is often more shocking to find that a husband is not a lecher. The only real twist to this drama is the reaction of Jenny Sanford, Mark’s wife.

When Mark Sanford made his predictable atonement plea, he was standing in front of the cameras by himself. Jenny Sanford seems to have declined to take on the role of long-suffering wife awaiting the return of her fickle lover. Dina Matos McGreevy, Hillary Rodham Clinton and Elizabeth Edwards all stood by their men, allowing the public to feed off of their grief like suckling pigs. Edwards and McGreevy even went as far as to write tell-all books, just in case somehow, in all of the public commentary and accusations, you missed essential points of their rise to public martyrdom.

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The Convenience Of “Super Crip”

Since coming out as having a disability, the posts that I have written have served as a way to organize my thoughts.  I can only speak from an experiential point of view, as I have never done any real disability studies.   I have been trying to understand how this identity intersects with the others that are encoded to my body.  Now that there are more visible signs of my condition like the scooter and the cane, how people react is very different. 

Today I had a doctors appointment and to treat myself I decided to pop into Timmys and grab an ice cap; sinful I know, but what the hell.  As I was trying to manoeuvre my way in, the woman in front of me closed the door in my face.  At first I thought this very well may have happened whether or not I was in my scooter because people can be rude on any occasion. 

As I waited at the counter to be served, I noticed how people seemed to do their best to avoid me, as though I had some communicable disease.  One parent went as far as to pull his child away from me.  I was extremely aware of how different I was.  I knew without doubt that the elephant in the room was not my gender or my race, even though I was the only black person in Timmys at the time.

When I was ready to leave, people practically did back flips to help me, even though I was more than capable of negotiating the doorway by myself.  As they were “helping” me, I noticed that quite a few of them felt that it was appropriate to pat me on the shoulder after I said thank you, as though I was some dog that had returned a ball in a game of fetch.  Ok what the hell is up with that? 

Why would you randomly think that it is okay to touch a stranger because you had the good manners to hold a door?  This is not the first time that I have noticed the assumption of the right to touch.  It seems paternalistic and it feels insulting.  On one hand my body is disturbing because it is not like the so-called “normal people”; therefore , giving rise to revulsion and on the other, the pity that passes for empathy is palatable.

When I am out and about on my scooter, I am not thinking about the fact that I cannot walk great distances; I am enjoying the weather and the moment like everyone else.  Sometimes, I might even be inwardly laughing about the fact that my scooter not only facilitates mobility, it allows me to move at a far greater speed than the average walker. My scooter allows me to participate in most of the things I would like to do access permitting. It is only an unwieldy appendage to those who have never had the misfortune of being trapped in their home.

When I take my children to the park, I am more than able to keep up with them, in fact being on a scooter means that I will be able to reach them faster than someone who is walking or running and yet if I move to go after them, someone is quick to tell me to rest and that they can do it for me.  I am quite certain that pushing the accelerator button on my scooter to get it to move 20 feet will not exhaust me.   

I appreciate every single time that I have been helped when I needed it and this applies to the time before I became disabled as well.  However, I cannot help but feel irritated with those who believe that they are helping when it is clearly not necessary.  This does not come out of a desire to be a good person; in fact to me, it seems to originate out a desire to infantilize me.  Not being able to walk great distances does not mean I am completely incapable.  I think I would just like to be asked whether or not I need help; rather, than someone insisting on doing something for me because my scooter supposedly renders me incapable. How difficult is it to utter the words, do you need help?  Disability does not necessarily mean incapable; it may simply mean doing things differently.

I have learned that to the able bodied my disability means helplessness unless it requires a real concession on their part.  If it is a matter of holding the door, even when an automatic door opener is available, the list of volunteers is usually quite long.  If it means displaying patience to allow me to move at my own pace suddenly the empathy disappears.  If my disability requires a real show of patience it is almost certain that it will be deemed time for me to play “super crip”. Though I think that I would make a very cool super hero, (what with the long dred locks and all) how I negotiate my limitations should be up to me and not subject to the desires of those of have become accustomed to having the world tailored to them.

My needs are very simple. Don’t assume you have the right touch me and don’t assume that your help is needed.  My life may be different than yours but that does not mean that I don’t have the right to go about my business like everyone else.

Watermelon For Breasts Oh The Originality

The manufacturers Peshtera angered women’s groups in Bulgaria when they created this ad for their beverage.  The accompanying tag line is as follows:  'the watermelon season is here'. 

"You can't walk down the street now without some a**hole shouting, 'Hey - nice watermelons' and trying to see if they are ripe," a spokeswoman said.

"The advert encourages sexism and is causing women real harm and humiliation," said one woman.

It is quite easy to see why this advertisement has been considered humiliating.  It reduces women to parts and then encourages men to think that we are as available as fresh produce.  The tagline further encourages open season on women.

There is nothing clever or original in this ad.  Using women to sell products based in sexism and misogyny, has been standard fare of the advertising industry for decades.  They seem more than willing to turn a blind eye to effects of such lines of thought.  

This kind of reduction is exactly what encourages rape, domestic abuse, sexual harassment etc.  It is specifically because women are viewed as secondary to men that our lives are understood to be disposable.

Troll after troll has come to this blog in an attempt to educate me on the ways in which I am wrong to demand equality and respect.  Make me a sandwich bitch is the most common deleted comment on this blog.  It is all in good fun, until someone gets hurt right?

The point is that someone gets hurt every single day.  Even as a write this, somewhere a woman is being assaulted because some man believes he has the right to her body.  Somewhere someone is engaging in apologism because patriarchy refuses to own the results of its actions.  It might be easy for some to look at this and say no big deal, but that is only because they have chosen to ignore the links between debasement and violence.

Not A Mommy Blogger

Eight years ago I became a mother to a beautiful healthy little boy.  Not a day goes by that he does not make me smile.  Four and a half years later I became the mother of yet another gorgeous son.  Today as I try very hard to balance my needs against my competing responsibilities, the one thing that I am sure of is that motherhood is not easy.

Since starting my own blog I have had the pleasure to converse with many wonderful women that are both professionals, bloggers and mothers.  Octagalore from Astarte’s Circus never fails to challenge my assumptions and leave me deep in thought.  Tammy, of What Tammy Said overwhelms me with her brilliance, and BFP, of Flip Flopping Joy humbles me with her passion.  These women come from completely different backgrounds and yet we are all united by the shared experience of motherhood.

Each day we awake to different struggles, sorrows, and joys.  Each of us has a  unique voice and yet the one thing I am certain of after reading and interacting with these women, is that motherhood is an essential part of our lives.  Our blogs cover various topics and we are determined to examine the world around us from the multiple lenses of class, race, gender.  We do not speak with a unified voice and yet we are all mothers.

Mommy blogging has become a cottage industry.  As these women speak endlessly about their children and the challenges that comes from trying to mother in a world where women are expected to be perfect at all times; hawking the occasional diaper genie or changing pad can lead to very big bucks.  Dooce is one of the most popular blogs on the internet and is so successful it now supports a family. 

I guess what I am basically saying is that it does not matter that you may have spent hours walking the floor with a colicky infant, changed diapers until you thought your arms would fall off, or learned the lyrics to to the opening theme of Franklin; unless you are willing to follow the script your motherhood will not be acknowledged in the online sphere.  The highly coveted title of mommy blogger belongs to those that continually post about their little angels. 

You see, once you have given birth your every waking thought must be about your little angel if you are to be understood as a “real mommy”.  If you are not pondering how to get the puke stain out of your angels favourite shirt or wondering how you can hide the vegetables in dinner you are not doing your due diligence and the mommy regulators will be sure and let you know. 

LABELS, LABELS, LABELS, women can wear more than one hat at a time.  It does not mean that if your attention is diverted from your kids that suddenly you stop being a mother or that it is not an important identity for you.  Modern motherhood is about more than adventures in potty training (twitter followers know what I mean).  I’m not ever going to be the stepford mommy that wears pearls and heels to vacuum and whips out cookies like my next orgasm is dependent on it.

I will occasionally lock the bathroom door and hide. Reading for me still involves more than Green Eggs and Ham or Jacob Two Two.  Yep, you can be a mother and read the New York Times, or Time  magazine.  No, you will not get struck by lightening if you refuse to treat Parents magazine like your personal bible.  While I am up on the latest slang thanks to an energetic eight year old, surprisingly I have not give up using words that contain multiple syllables.  As much as the mommy collective would like to create motherhood as an OCD adventure, you can tailorize the experience to your comfort level.

So as I was saying when I started this rant:  eight years ago after a sanity inducing epidural, I spread my legs while my vagina stretched to a size I thought was humanely impossible and gave birth to a wonderful little boy. As life altering as that experience was, I decided that retaining my individuality would be a good decision.  The mommysphere may not think that I am the stuff that good mommy bloggers are made up of but unfortunately I refuse to believe that kool aid is a wonderful drink even when served in a crystal wine glass.

Punishing Female Strippers To Make A Point

The following video comes with a huge trigger warning.

I actually gasped in shock when I saw this video at Shakesville.  Never did I imagine that an animal rights group would exist that would be worse than PETA, however it seems that the Dutch non-profit "Animals Awake" is determined to become the new leader in sacrificing women to prove a point.

When people tune into this video, they are initially tempted by the prospect of Ancillia Tilla removing her clothing only to be treated to what can only described as a violent bloody attack.  You will note that the it is a male fisherman that assaults Tilla.  As she lies on the ground screaming, he produces a knife and proceeds to gut her. 

This advertisement is meant to teach us that the ways in which we kill fish are cruel and inhumane, however  this video reproduces the exact same circumstances that this animal rights group claims to be critiquing? Showing gratuitous acts of violence to prove a point only serves to reify our social glorification of violence.  What these animal rights group continually fail to understand is that violence cannot be used ironically.

If the idea was to relate human stripping with the stripping of animals, why was it necessary to use a female victim?  Men take off their clothes for profit all across the western world and yet Animals Awake chose to play upon the institutionalized sexism and violence that women face to spread their message.  It is further demeaning that a female body was used to titillate the viewer and then quickly punished, when we live in a world that routinely disciplines women for any overt sign of agency when it relates to sexuality.

Finally I am just going to say it, FISH AND  HUMAN WOMEN ARE NOT THE SAME.  Yes this makes me a speciest, however I am revolted by the idea that violence against women is continually employed by animal rights activists to spread their message.  Violence against women should not simply be some tool that you pull out of your arsenal at will, when real peoples lives are destroyed every day.  This ad is beyond a failure; it symbolizes all the ways in which women continue to be highly exploitable bodies rather than inspiring any sympathy for the fish they are trying to save.

Homophobia Who Is Responsible

I found this video at the  Advocate. 

Approximately 15 youths physically and verbally taunted a gay man as he was leaving Twin Cities Pride in Minneapolis on Saturday, in an incident captured on video.

The Somali youths asked the man if he was gay, and when he responded yes, the young people yelled "I hate gay people" and reportedly threw rocks at the man, whose name is not known.

On the video various youths can be heard saying "I hate gay people" repeatedly, along with "Gay is not the way" and "Fuck gay people. They can go fuck each other."

About one minute into the video, a police officer can be seen walking through the crowd of young people.

The man who was taunted walked away, telling the kids, "See how I'm not scared at all?"

Let me start by saying that no one deserves this kind of treatment.  People should be able to walk down the street without being harassed for who or what they are. 

You will note that the author of the piece took great care to point out that the youth gang that was attacking this man were Somali, without any discussion as to why homophobia continues to be such an issue on the African continent.  Homosexuality is considered a perversion engaged in by whites and Blacks that are gay are viewed as internalizing White values. 

When Africans react in a homophobic matter much of the basis of such beliefs stem from colonialism.  When they move westward and see that a GLB identity is once again understood as white there is no reason for them to consider changing their thought patterns. Many African Americans were offended by the commentary of Dan Savage post prop 8 and yet he still continues to appear in the mainstream media as a prominent voice of the GLB community.

Another point worth noting is that some of these children are prepubescent.  They are claiming to hate an identity they may very well become as their sexuality becomes apparent to them.  Everything that they have been taught reifies heterosexuality as good.  In a world that values the expression of power and privilege, the young learn very early that oppressing others is often considered a positive manifestation of all of the dehumanizing lessons that we teach them. 

When the police officer noticed their behaviour and did not intervene, what did they learn but that it is appropriate to harass someone for their sexual identity?  Imagine if these same black youths were publicly taunting a white male with the exclusion of sexuality; I believe it is fair to assume at that point law enforcement would intervene as whiteness is above question in our society unless it is mitigated by a spoiled identity i.e homosexuality.

I worry when I see images like this that it will further cement the divide in GLBT issues when it comes to race and sexuality.  There is no doubt that an intersection exists, however people of color are not uniquely homophobic as often projected by the elite HRC crowd.  What happened to this man was wrong and inexcusable but it is the result of a society that is determined to see difference as unequal. 

These children have been failed by their parents, the education system and every other agent of socialization.  It is easy to look at what happened and feel rage because this man should not have been attacked, however I feel the anger would be misplaced if it is targeted solely at these children.  They are a product of our society and if we feel anger, it should be at the way that we have failed to endow them with a sense of value.  Each and every single person matters and until we can pass this message on to our children, we are avoiding the most basic lesson in how to be a decent human being.

No More Race Talk For Morgan Freeman

Mike Wallace: Black history month you find ridiculous. Why?
Morgan Freeman: You’re going to relegate my history to a month?
Mike Wallace: Oh, c’mon.
Morgan Freeman: What do you do with yours? Which month is white history month? Well, c’mon, tell me.
Mike Wallace: I’m Jewish.
Morgan Freeman: OK, which month is Jewish history month?
Mike Wallace: There isn’t one.
Morgan Freeman: Oh, oh. Why not? Do you want one?
Mike Wallace:No.
Morgan Freeman: No, I don’t either. I don’t want a black history month. Black history is American history.
Mike Wallace: How we gonna get rid of racism until…
Morgan Freeman: Stop talking about it. I’m going to stop calling you a white man. And I’m going to ask you to stop calling me a black man. I know you as Mike Wallace. You know me as Morgan Freeman.

I certainly concur that Black history month is a problematic creation.  By choosing a special month of the year to fixate on Black history,  it sustains an African American identity as separate and unequal.   Pulling out pictures of MLK, or other Black leaders once a year does not create an environment of inclusiveness rather it signals that Black history is so unimportant that we need not discuss it throughout the year. 

Freeman’s solution to ending racism is in a word naive.  Simply avoiding race or failing to acknowledge that difference does exist will not end systemic racism.  This colorblind world is very much what the white supremacist state would love oppressed people of color to believe, even as we must daily endure the humiliation and pain of being understood as lesser than beings.

Freeman is in the enviable position of having class privilege to mitigate his racial stigmatization, even if he is not able to completely  escape the process of “othering”.   Black celebrities have learned very quickly that should they run afoul of the law that the good graces of whiteness disappears.  How quick was the media to darken images of OJ Simpson, their once beloved football hero? 

Race is a social construction and from that point of view a false creation, however the value that we have assigned to difference is quite real.  We don’t look at each other and see another human being because from birth we have been taught to think otherwise.  . 

We cannot just look at each other as individuals because racism is systemic. Race colors our views on must subjects whether or not we are conscious of its insidious nature.  When we look at someone for the very first time, mentally we run through a checklist to assess them and in those initial moments race colors how we expect to be treated. 

There is a power differential between Blacks and Whites and until it has dissipated, an African American cannot afford to let their guard down. Even in the closest relationships, the White party will always have the ability to fall back on their privilege and shame, exploit or otherwise demean a POC.  We must forever be dependent on the ability of a white person to see past race to be understood as human whereas whiteness is automatically endowed with  humanity.

Freeman can put on his colorblind glasses and dream about a world he wished existed, however I prefer to see the world as it is.  I may carry my scars  but a denial of the role that racism plays means a denial of the Blackness of my skin.

It’s Canada Day

Happy Canada everyone.  I hope that everyone is having a huge cup of Timmy’s coffee, and a breakfast that includes maple syrup, and Canadian Bacon. Though patriotism in Canada is something that we are normally very quiet about, on this one day a year I do believe it is time to come out of the corner screaming a little old fashioned red and white; I Am Canadian.  Just to ensure that you are feeling the inspiration check out the following videos.  For you Americans who have never seen the videos, consider yourself warned.

Well on that note…grab your beer, light the barbecue and party on Garth.