Comments on: Getting Political – Angie Zapata

By: Weasel

Weasel — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 21:12:22 +0000

Julia Serano is switched on as all fucking get out . and omg, you two meet everybody ... I need to come visit you sometime .

It's a great article, though the comments section is pretty griefy in places (which is irritatingly normal for this sort of thing). There are quite a lot of responses showing up through the net too - I love it when this stuff sparks discussion.

By: lindsay

lindsay — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 05:44:08 +0000

also! i read this article while i was supposed to be working today, written by an awesome lady i met through the berkeley slam. it's sort of on topic with this post and sort of on topic with a conversation we had while i was visiting. re thinking sexism: how trans women challenge feminism. julia talks a lot about good old fashioned sexism and how the oppression and violence against transwomen isn't "transphobia" but just plain old, feminine-devaluing misogyny.

By: Weasel

Weasel — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 14:02:24 +0000

"but it’s stories like this one that remind me to speak as loudly as i can, because there is real institutional power behind even the littlest violences, and silence only assists it."

This is strong truth!

Based on the response, and the fact that, in its own small way, it feels pretty empowering to be getting this stuff up and out, I'm going to keep posting queer and feminist stuff when things come across my radar .

... alongside the suddenly flying hats, video games and similar .

By: lindsay

lindsay — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 06:25:28 +0000

i hadn't heard of the "trans panic" or "gay panic" defenses, but i did hear about the twinkie defense re: harvey milk's assasination. it's disgusting that's ever flown in the courtroom. i feel silly sometimes when i talk about the harassment i've gotten for being queer, like i'm complaining about pittances or something - and it's true that i've never experienced violence like this - but it's stories like this one that remind me to speak as loudly as i can, because there is real institutional power behind even the littlest violences, and silence only assists it. thank you for talking about this. and please! more entries like this one. talking about politics and queerdom is one of the things i miss most about hanging out with you! <3

although the suddenly flying hats are quite fun.

By: Amy

Amy — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 22:17:11 +0000

Sweet lord people are awful.

I had no idea such a thing as 'trans panic' existed. What a load of crap.

Poor women who have died and poor women who now have to deal with the aftermath in a stupid society.

And any men that might be involved on the receiving end, I assume they're out there too.

This sucks.

By: Larb

Larb — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 19:10:16 +0000

So, karb, thanks for destroying my faith in humanity even more and making me yet more comfortable with the fact I'd rather have nothing to do with most people.

So after reading this, I started reading through the links and coming across cases I'd never heard of before and it was just very depressing how awful people can be. I can see why you were sort of not in a good mood about it.

And then later today I stumbled across this:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7543430.stm
The latter half of the article is particularly telling, especially that last paragraph. I mean wtf.

By: Roundup of Angie Zapata posts, plus Holly at Feministe: Trans Panic Defense is Often a Smokescreen « Questioning Transphobia

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 12:11:42 +0000

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