All perspectives are needed and requested
Jan. 4th, 2006 05:19 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
sahara29.livejournal.com posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
transI have a request for the folks here. In one of my classes a debate has come up regarding women in society today. THE issue is that some (read: most) of the males in my class think that women are totally equal and have all the same opportunities as men. I think some of this comes from their outdated ideas of what feminism is/wants to achieve; they still think feminists today think like they did in the '70's, which is naive and outdated and I'm frankly pissed that they are stupid enough to think that 1970=2006, because they all know better. ANYWAY...
Coming from both sides of the fence (to grossly generalize), transgender people have an amazing insight into the way society regards gender--men to men, women to women, women to men, and so forth. I'd just like some personal examples and anecdotes you wouldn't mind sharing about the differences you've noticed. I'm thinking along the lines of Kate Bornstein when she wrote in "Gender Outlaw" "When I was first coming out, I used to hang out mostly with women. Any act of mine that was learned male behavior stuck out like a sore thumb. Things like leaping up and taking charge, even when it wasn't called for; things like using conversation like a sledgehammer..."
Well, that quote's great, but it's WAY to non-specific for my purposes. How exactly does one use conversation like a sledgehammer? BECAUSE it is typical behavior, I don't notice it as a woman; it strikes me as normal. Plus anyone who's lived in multiple gender roles will automatically have more credibility on the subject. Bring whatever you want into it--race, sex(ual relations), jobs, or just everyday stuff. Remember, this is what you notice when people percieve you as A)female, or B)male, not as a transsexual (although that is fascinating too, but it's a bit beyond the scope of my class' discussion this week, I think).
Thank you in advance!
Coming from both sides of the fence (to grossly generalize), transgender people have an amazing insight into the way society regards gender--men to men, women to women, women to men, and so forth. I'd just like some personal examples and anecdotes you wouldn't mind sharing about the differences you've noticed. I'm thinking along the lines of Kate Bornstein when she wrote in "Gender Outlaw" "When I was first coming out, I used to hang out mostly with women. Any act of mine that was learned male behavior stuck out like a sore thumb. Things like leaping up and taking charge, even when it wasn't called for; things like using conversation like a sledgehammer..."
Well, that quote's great, but it's WAY to non-specific for my purposes. How exactly does one use conversation like a sledgehammer? BECAUSE it is typical behavior, I don't notice it as a woman; it strikes me as normal. Plus anyone who's lived in multiple gender roles will automatically have more credibility on the subject. Bring whatever you want into it--race, sex(ual relations), jobs, or just everyday stuff. Remember, this is what you notice when people percieve you as A)female, or B)male, not as a transsexual (although that is fascinating too, but it's a bit beyond the scope of my class' discussion this week, I think).
Thank you in advance!