One of the things I really enjoy about living in Oregon is the spectrum. Right here, in this one state, we have legislators who tell gay folks to shut up and compare Oregon to Nazi Germany by virtue of its anti-discrimination law. There are fierce and ongoing legal battles about the afore-mentioned anti-discrimination law and statewide domestic partnership rights. And now, Oregon is home to a widely publicized transgender pregnancy, the original story appearing in the 4/8/08 Advocate. [I've fixed the link that apparently wasn't working when I first made this post.]
Blogs I follow that have commented:
* Recovering Straight Girl on 3/25/08
* Stumptown Girl on 3/26/08
* Firecracker! on Lesbiatopia on 3/27/08
* More from Recovering Straight Girl on 3/28/08
What I find most striking is not that a transmale is pregnant, nor that he and his wife are afforded federal protections because they are legally married. Nor am I surprised that they have encountered significant discrimination and lack of support.
What is interesting to me is that legal gender identity, personal sexual and gender identities, and interpersonal identities intersect in interesting and unique ways. This situation, and the resulting discussions, cause me to reflect on the importance and relevance of my undergraduate degree in Women's/Gender Studies. I spent much of my early- to mid-twenties unpacking and assessing matters of gender, social "reading" of bodies, identification, and meaning.
In both my undergraduate program and in law school, the greatest lessons I gained with my diplomas was that THERE IS SO DAMN MUCH THAT I JUST DON'T KNOW. Gaining comfort with that level of ignorance, without settling into complacency, is an ongoing and humbling experience that has provided an entry into connection and compassion with my fellow beings whose life experiences differ from or parallel my own. It's an imperfect comfort, and is often more riddled with fits and starts than endowed with a smooth glide into true connection. But ultimately, I consider the journey one of the most precious aspects of my life thus far. One teacher in particular, S.Pace, is and was a key catalyst for that journey. To her, I am deeply and eternally grateful.
Kudos to the parents-to-be in Bend for their candor, and best wishes for a smooth birth experience for their child, expected in July 08.
Stretching our concepts of reality to include the experiences of others is one of the most blessed opportunities of being human.
CHANGES
I've had some plans up my sleeve for a few months.
This blog is moving soonish to breathingmoss. Some posts are already cross-posted, but I'm still working out formatting and such. I'll post when I'm all done here.
This blog is moving soonish to breathingmoss. Some posts are already cross-posted, but I'm still working out formatting and such. I'll post when I'm all done here.
I love options. Having three distinct (and equally valid) first names is the kind of pluralist I like to be. The only downside is that it seems like I don't know my name when I stammer upon introducing myself.
I am who I say I am. But I'm also a couple other people too.
I am who I say I am. But I'm also a couple other people too.
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6 comments:
biodiversity,
i say in agreement.
Thanks for your thoughts on the matter...the more positive, open voices the better!
Another thing that transgender issues bring up for me is with regard to marriage - it illustrates the arbitrary absurdity of marriage for some and not for all. (Which isn't to say I support marriage generally, but that's another entire issue!)
I agree with stumptown girl, as I kind of tried to outline in my post about the issue. This "marriage" issue is so simple, I don't understand why people want to make it so damn complicated. Maybe it's better to do away with it all together??? A discussion for another day, I guess.
@Recovering Straight Girl
Playing the devil's advocate here... So many of the laws are based on two people of opposite sex being married; such as filing taxes, insurance, etc.
When the laws were created they made the assumption that this would always be the case. More than anything, I think people are worried that it will open up loopholes and create a lot of questions with the current laws and policies. It would basically created waves across the whole system. Now couple that with religious beliefs, and maybe you can see why people are so resistant to it.
In response to raziel and recovering straight girl--I'm high on the way the French approach the legal aspects of relationships. Marriage is great, it is what it is (and was?). But they also give domestic partnership full and equal standing, legally, as marriage, PLUS you don't need to have some kind of sexual or romantic relationship to qualify for the benefits. Brother and sister, best friends, mother and daughter, etc. So it removes the political aspect of sexuality in the area of partner rights.
In other words, let the loop holes open! ;)
I heard about Mr Beatie at the shop where I had my fireplace doors refinished. The lady at the service desk had heard about it "on the news" on her way to work -- no doubt by "the news" she meant a mean-spirited morning comedy team playing shitty top-40 tunes. She said to me, "Hey! Did you hear about that pregnant man in Oregon?"
I said, "No."
She said, "He had the sex change surgery and he got pregnant anyway!"
I said, "Cool."
Not the response she was hoping for.
She looked down at my paperwork and said, "Man I hope he don't [sic] have to shoot that baby out his penis."
I said, "Oh, don't worry about that. I was pretty sure my penis would be too small for my baby, so I just scheduled a c-section."
Which makes me a liar.
But it was worth lying to shut that insensitive bitch up.
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