-After filling out about a million sheets of paper, I now can have doctors appointments and prescriptions for $5. This makes me very happy. Usually, I’m terrified of going into any medical building, but this place was super friendly, and I really felt like they cared (which is rare for any kind of clinic, especially one for low/no income folks). My blood pressure was a bit high, but that might have just been from my nerves and the very cute nurse that was administered to me. Apparently, I’ve gained a lot of weight and the lymph nodes in my neck are swollen (have to get some blood work done here soon)? But yeah, two hours later I walked out of the clinic with my medicine in my hand. Hopefully the real me will come back soon.
-Wednesday, I co-taught a class on gender/transgender issues. Only three people showed up (turned out to be a diverse crowd though), but I feel like they all got a lot out of it. Need to start somewhere, right? Actually, the conversation was quite productive and they even got a little riled up about trans rights, society, respect, labels, and all that good stuff. I’m thinkin’ the next class will have more people in attendance.
We discussed passing in depth. You wouldn’t think about it normally, but social constructs (yes, even in the LGBTQA communities) force everyone to pass in their own different way.
A few examples:
1. A bio-woman is often mistaken for a man, since she is tall and has short hair. She wears long dangly earrings to avoid this situation. Passing as a more feminine presence.
2. An asexual tries to avoid talking about their asexual status by passing as heterosexual.
3. A bisexual is in a heterosexual marriage. She passes as heterosexual, not on purpose, but since society likes to make assumptions.
4. A boy likes to make baked goods. He hides this fact from his friends in order to pass as masculine.
This got me thinking a bit more about it. Why do we have to pass? What are we passing as? Can’t people stop making assumptions? Why must we be shoved in categorized boxes? And even when we’re in these boxes, why are we still ridiculed and ostracized? Why do people consistently feel the need to live up to these imaginary/binary standards of man and woman, gay and lesbian, etc. Are we all really that spineless?
Anyway, there’s a lot more from where that came from, but for now I’m immersing myself in books. And I swear, reviews are coming soon.
And just in case you forgot, today is Trangender Remembrance Day. Take a minute. Think about it.