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Politics and us – have we a voice ?
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Why the voice falls silent .
This is an observation and one reason we seem to fail ourselves..
I’ve just read a post in the linked forum that leads me to conclude we for the most part are an apathetic group who ,( have likely because of our long suffered lives and previous experience,) become disconnected from our ability to be truly a community in our own right. There are those who sit on the side an never speak, there are thosel that always have something to say , there are those that are trying to do lots for everyone and then there are those that could careless because they are now satisfied in themselves and feel no need for support.
Whatever is going on it is not a true community is unlikely to give us a voice so long as apathy is the norm.
It has bee said we are all individuals and that is a simple truth but it does not excuse us from a responsibility to each other , we all have the common thread of gender issues. There is a reason to join as one and be heard it is to benefit us all and all those who will follow . For those to follow they need support not apathy they need to feel that others have
cacared so they should to.We just need to start to believe in our community and act as one , find the important issues as is being asked on the other forum, then as one take steps to achieve real outcomes for those issues.
That is my observation though the theory included is yet to be proven.
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Quote:It has been said we are all individuals and that is a simple truth but it does not excuse us from a responsibility to each other , we all have the common thread of gender issues.One of the things my partner finds irritating about her association with our ‘community’ is the way we are prone to talk about ourselves. Not only do we see ourselves as individuals – but we assume that others must be more interested in us than in any common gender issues.
That underlies the frustration I expressed earlier in this thread about people speaking on behalf of me, but in fact speaking about and for themselves.
It isn’t exactly a proof – but if you search all the posts in these forums there are over 13,000 that contain the word “I” – but just 4,000 with the word “we”.
If we want an effective voice, then we will have to learn to think of ourselves as a coherent community “we” – rather than as a set of disadvantaged individuals “me”.
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I have been following discussion on this and the related “What is the message you want to tell society” topic over the last week or so.
These are really important discussions to be having I think.
There are already a number of organisations and individuals who are actively lobbying and doing other related work on trans and intersex issues. One of the things that strikes me is the lack of communication that has historically occurred between different parts of our community. I often see this result in lots of effort being put into duplicating or unintentionally undermining the good work that has already been done by others.
The way we stop this, I think, is to actually start engaging, not just within our own existing networks, but beyond them as well. To have discussions with other active groups and share knowledge about what work has already been done, what work is currently underway, and what strategies have and haven’t worked in the past.
Another thing that I’ve noticed over the last ten years work in this area, is that we don’t often take the time to acknowledge and celebrate our wins. There have, in fact, been many of them over the recent years. For example, the change in Australian Passport policy, the current proposal to add discrimination protection at a Commonwealth level – for the very first time in Australian history. There are many more examples as well…
I have already proposed to Amanda that A Gender Agenda run at least one workshop at Transformal this year which provides an opportunity to share ideas, priorities, existing knowledge, and strategy. I think that the current forum discussions highlight the urgency of offering exactly this kind of opportunity. I know that not everyone who attends Transformal will be interested – but for those that are, the chance to have face-to-face discussions like this is really really valuable.
In the meantime, I think there are some useful resources that people may be interested in looking at.
First is an opening keynote address that I gave at a Transgender Health Conference in Cairns in August last year. It talks specifically about effective strategies for creating change, ways that individuals and organisations can work constructively together, and also outlines some of the key health related issues facing trans and intersex people. The link is here: http://www.genderrights.org.au/Downloads/2012_QLD_Keynote_Address.pdf
Second, is a publication called “Health in Diversity” that was launched recently at Parliament House which outlines the key law reform issues that exist for trans and intersex people at a Commonwealth level. You can download a copy of the document from here: http://www.lgbthealth.org.au/dsg
Thirdly, there is a conference coming up in Melbourne in April this year called “Health in Difference” which will attract people from all around the country and has a very strong trans and intersex stream of content. If you can find a way to attend this conference, it will put you in touch with other people who are currently working in the area, and provide you with the opportunity to engage in debate and discussion about these kind of issues. This is background knowledge that I think would feed nicely into more detailed discussions at Transformal in May. More information about the conference can be found here: http://www.lgbthealth.org.au/hid
Lastly, I loved reading this line in one of the recent posts in this thread:
Quote:We just need to start to believe in our community and act as one , find the important issues as is being asked on the other forum, then as one take steps to achieve real outcomes for those issues. That is my observation though the theory included is yet to be proven.The observation is insightful. And it has, in fact, been proven. In the ACT we started “believing in our community”. We developed and ran a ‘social inclusion project’ and within 12 months we saw a community develop from basically nothing. A community that is so rare – both within Australia and also internationally – that many people don’t believe it is true until they actually see it. It is a very real community. A very precious community. A community that is strong, diverse and inspiring. A community that I am so very very proud to be a part of.
I would love the opportunity to share the things we learnt from that project. All of us deserve to have somewhere we can truly be ourselves, somewhere we can feel accepted as who we are, and somewhere we can contribute and have that contribution acknowledged.
Peter
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Thanks Peter for those links . I just read the Lgbtihealth dsg page and would recommend it to all . It really does bare out the lack of coherence in this diverse community. I had heard of none of it and I am unaware of any friends who have either I don’t think I am deaf.
If we communicate we will benefit it seems that people are speaking we just aren’t privy to what they are saying. Shame is if you don’t know what is happening you don’t have any input all comes back to community I guess.
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I previously suggested finding out why the ABC is airing so many Tg related programs.
Quote:Quote:
I belive it is simple enough to approach the abc if you desire they have public relations .I have no real idea of how to go about this but that’s never stopped me before.
I’ve sent an email to (I hope) the correct department & person to try & find out what has motivated the ABC to consecutively air Tg related documentaries.
My rationale to this is to see if any particular organisation is prompting the programming or if the programmers know something we don’t about the publics perception of us. Or is there a global swell of Tg recognition?
If we can understand the motivation it may help to guide us, or at least educate us as to how the process works.If anybody reading of these tentative steps actually knows what to do & how to do it please offer some guidance.
Update; it turns out that my initial communication was to the wrong person & I have not had a reply.
Yet another of those complete flukes that keep happening to me… yesterday I had a customer who was extremely interested in (& totally accepting of) my obvious Tg presentation. It turns out that he knew exactly who to contact at the ABC. For future reference, the job title is ‘Controller’. In this case Stuart Menzies – Controller ABC 2.
Following is the email I have sent him.Hello Stuart,
My name is Chloe & I’m a transgendered person residing in Sydney.
I, along with many other transgendered persons, have viewed with great interest & appreciation, the ongoing suite of transgender related programs that have been airing on ABC2.
We congratulate you on this.
We are hoping for a moment of your time, to explain to us the motivation behind this programming.
We know both anecdotally & by a substantial survey undertaken by an Australian transgender forum group (Transgender Radio – TgR), that the very vast majority of transgendered persons are hidden from public view, they sadly feel the need to remain ‘behind closed doors’. There is much evidence that this is detrimental to the individual, their families & to society in general.
It is our belief that we need to present ourselves to the greater society, so that they may come to understand that we exist throughout all parts of society. There are a growing number of us that sense that our time to educate society is at hand. The recent airing of programs about us also adds weight to this view.
We are hoping that you can enlighten us to the factors that have lead to this programming now. For example, are transgender issues of current interest to the greater public? Are there other motivations?
If we can gain some understanding about this it may assist us in effectively directing our energies & educational activities.
Thank you for your time & hoping you can enlighten us.
With thanks in advance
Yours sincerely,
Chloe Park.
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Hi Chloe,
[i]yesterday I had a customer who was extremely interested in (& totally accepting of) my obvious Tg presentation. It turns out that he knew exactly who to contact at the ABC. For future reference, the job title is ‘Controller’. In this case Stuart Menzies – Controller ABC 2. [/i]
I have had the pleasure in both personal and business life to have “coincidences” like this happen on a regular basis.
The quotes are there ‘cos they dont happen unless someone, (in this case you, being open about your “Tg’ness”), makes the first move.
So I would just put it down to “congrats Chloe on some great networking”. Plus a damn good e.mail to the right ABC person.
All the best
Caty
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Well it does appear my friend was correct in her assertion that trying to get transgender people to organise is like trying to heard chickens.
It would seem then that we as a group don’t want to be heard, the silence from most who have access to tgr is let’s say deafening. We all have opinions they come with a brain so let’s hear them. The other forum was established for just such a purpose, expressing what we believe is required for our community is the only way the ideas can be taken further.
I know a lot of us live in the shadows but there is no need to be silent on here. Having read the links kindly provided on here it is obvious that action is under way to improve things like it or not.
Next thing you know there will arise complaints about the fact that these thing are not working , aren’t what we needed , are just no good or not enough, etcetera, etcetera. It is not remotely just a transgender thing to sit back see what comes then complain but as a minor minority we should start to be proactive. Unless we care about our community why the hell should anyone else ?
I don’t expect that everyone can eloquently express ideas of grandeur that can change the world but to speak is to be heard. If you are heard then your input may make all the difference to your community. If you don’t feel you are part of a community then you are likely just stuck thinking about you and failing to participate.
A broad conversation can bring the best and most important ideas into sharp focus. The community will then have a beacon for all to see.
Wishful thinking ? None the less it is worth a thought.
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Quote:Well it does appear my friend was correct in her assertion that trying to get transgender people to organise is like trying to heard chickens.
I’m not sure that berating people for being passive, and insulting them, is a great way forward.
Given the immediacy of the day-to-day problems and constraints many TgR members face I suspect many lack the motivation to get involved in more abstract conversations.
Many may also question how tangible benefits can be achieved given the apparently intractable situation they find themselves in.Quote:We all have opinions they come with a brain so let’s hear them. The other forum was established for just such a purpose,Showing restraint when one is not confident how things can be improved is natural. So for many valid reasons members may not want to comment on the message we should project to society.
We should perhaps consider if we have found the right way to engage people, rather than critisise them for staying silent.
I was particularly taken with a paragraph from Peter’s keynote address.
Quote:We didn’t have to track down
individuals and bring them kicking and screaming to community events. We
provided a apace, and terms of engagement which were respectful and
inclusive. People found us – and in doing so, they found each other.The onus is clearly on those who believe in the need to communicate, and are able to contribute to the public voice, to nurture and grow the space.
To set up a platform for engaging the wider public that is respectful and inclusive of all gender diverse people.
And then we will find that gender diverse people are attracted to support and contribute to this worthwhile cause.What shape or form that platform needs to be I’m not sure. But please let us focus on working to find out – not criticizing others for our failure to engage them.
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The problem with trying to stimulate interested or actions is that it can often be construed as unadulterated criticism. The point is solely to provide a catalyst for people to comment . This as I said is not solely a mind set restricted to our community the entire country suffers from the same wait and see attitude and oftentimes it leads to undesirable outcomes.
Anyway if we can continue the conversation and stimulate new participants the basis of any voice will be broadened and more conducive to representing the whole community.
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I would imagine that herding chickens would be a lot easier than trying to pry some of our members out of their closets. Not that I want to force anyone to do something against their will. I have only recently come out of my closet at home, but I am still reluctant to venture out of doors.
The very nature of our being and the way most of us have hidden and lied and snuck around for a good part of our lives, has left a lot of deep seated fears in our minds that will not let us come out and voice our opinions let alone come out into the public arena.
So Amanda is right we have to create an atmosphere that is conducive to the freeing of emotional bonds and bring people out to a safe space where they can voice their opinions without fear. Many of the members here are terrified of even their families finding out about them, this is not a bad thing (as we all know some families can fall apart at the first sign of a TG presence) but it doe’s make it hard to get someone out in the open when they can’t even come out of the closet.
Perhaps if we stress that all we need is opinions not bodies to aid in the formulation of a plan, maybe we can encourage member participation that way.
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At times I am guilty of (usually) unintentionally dismissing the views of others & sometimes my intentions are misunderstood, especially with the written word. I try to rectify that where I can.
Being Tg presents more than enough difficulties in the first place. Discussing the complex issues, both specific & general complicates matters further.
Whether it be a cultural norm or otherwise, the majority of people prefer to follow. I’m guessing, for Tg people even if they prefer to lead, that they possibly feel trapped & possibly even that the thought of an improvement to their situation is futile.
Personally I don’t think, feel or act that way but that’s just me.I’m really only echoing Amanda’s words but I believe that, if for no other reason than accepting reality, those of us who can do something, anything that may help all, need to do what we can. Our topics of discussion have no doubt happened before & will continue with others as well.
Lets continue trying to nut out the issues but also, those who can, do something concrete.I’ve always found that people young & old respond to encouragement. That encouragement may be something as simple as telling others on this forum what steps you’ve taken toward improving yours or our situation. I know of others who have taken steps to state our case or help in other ways, maybe it would be encouraging for others to know what you are doing. It may help them feel that actions taken by them are part of a bigger story. They are not alone.
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Moderator
Quote:I have moved a post on same sex marriage into a new thread
http://forum.tgr.net.au/cms/forum/F347/5150-150
in acknowledgement that
a) Kristyana has indicated it wasn’t the purpose of this thread to discuss a single issue
b) The issue is not one that is held to be core to achieving a political voice – it is a topic on which our community has divided views and diverse priorities.Please place all single issue discussion of same sex marriage in the new thread I have created,
I posted the message here about the same sex marriage issue as an example of some little things we can do to give ourselves a voice, it was not meant as a discourse on same sex marriage. Perhaps I should have worded it differently.
Moderator
Quote:Ok … but I’m trying to avoid a long thread on “have we a voice” being turned into a dumping ground for voices.When Chloe wrote:
“That encouragement may be something as simple as telling others on this forum what steps you’ve taken toward improving yours or our situation. “she didn’t say tell others on one big super thread.
So please share your news about what you are doing – its a great idea for motivating others….. but please start new threads…. it costs nothing
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I could probably start a new link to propose the following but I see little point as it is following my original thinking.
Having read the links from a gender agenda , and that I would strongly recommended all do , it is appropriate to say we all seem to be acting as micro communities. There are organizations around the country, groups of friends , web pages , dating sites and I’m sure loads of other connections that I wouldn’t even think of.
There is communication amongst us but we don’t seem to be condensing into a formative community. We are like small clouds, vapourus and like those clouds of little consequence apart from casting small shadows in the greater community that dissipate with our passing. As we all feel so separated from everyone else’s normality , is it any surprise that we fail to realize the potential we all have and disappear at the first opportunity back into the fold of that greater community. If we can be seen as we want to be seen why would we spoil our own dream.
Well as it turns out the dream is that which others have imposed on us. As others have I’m sure said before gender roles are more fluid than the world would have us believe, men and women fall into or take many gender roles without realizing what they are in reality doing.I could go into detail of my observations but another time another forum I think.
Now if we are to become a community the clouds need to form a front that people will notice . UNTIL we generate sufficient interest in our plight we will not be recognized as anything more than an insignificant minority. That’ll mean we need to be interested if we are we may be able to form a coherence in our community that can bring us from the shadows into the sun. The issues surrounding communications are critical to a coherent community.
This is something that needs a fix. How community forms it’s bonds and commonality is through communications it prevents us from wasting efforts on that which is already being done . It allows people to develop new ideas that move us forward.
I know there are many reasons for our disconnection from the broader society and each other but reality is we have no coherent voice. There is no where to be heard by the broader gender diverse community and as we don’t hear each other how can expect to educate the broader community.
What we need is a transgender news service or gender diverse if you like.
Some where that we can find out and report what is going on in and around our community. This would give us the opportunity to form community values and bonds and gain much needed coherence. We could know what is being done for us or to us.WE WOULD HAVE A VOICE AND OUR COMMUNITY COULD GROW IN SO MANY WAYS !
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Quote:I could probably start a new link to propose the following but I see little point as it is following my original thinking.
As always I would have preferred a new thread because talking about communicating is likely to lead down different paths than the discussion you started about our voice. If it does diverge then I’ll have to do a time-consuming split. So as always – if in doubt please start a new topic…..please
Quote:How community forms it’s bonds and commonality is through communications it prevents us from wasting efforts on that which is already being done . It allows people to develop new ideas that move us forward.I couldn’t agree more. It is why I started TrannyRadio all those years ago to open up lines of communication between people. If we don’t communicate with each other then we increase our isolation and closeting.
Quote:What we need is a transgender news service or gender diverse if you like.
Some where that we can find out and report what is going on in and around our community. This would give us the opportunity to form community values and bonds and gain much needed coherence. We could know what is being done for us or to us.As with most good ideas – this has been mentioned before. A few years ago I was approached by Kathy_1 about TgR supporting greater co-ordination between all the micro communities. She saw, as you have, that so much was happening in isolation – and the channels for coordination and cooperation were non existent.
As a a result I set up some rudimentary infrastructure on the site for Kathy to use – but sadly nothing visible happened. Before repeating the exercise it would be worth examining “why” but I don’t want to go into that here.
Setting up structures that allow people to communicate is in my view the easy bit. Encouraging people who are used to living only in their micro-community to communicate is, I expect, a lot harder. Kristyana, you have expressed frustration about the TgR micro-community not communicating on their own forums – multiply that challenge many times if you talk about propagating the news and information for the entire Australian gender diverse community.
Which is all a bit off topic for a thread on the community voice…I know…sighs….
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Finding a voice seems to be a real problem here, as far as I can tell so far only about 2% of the membership here has expressed any views on this subject. I don’t know if everyone else is not interested or very interested and watching us to see what happens.
I think the 2% that are interested might have to be the ones to do the communicating, and just report here as to what we are doing. Unless we get any adverse reactions to what we are doing we will just have to assume that we are doing the right thing.
If we sit and wait untill everyone else offers help or opinions I don’t think we will get much further than we already are.
I hope I don’t appear to be too impatient but it has been my experience that the longer you wait for something to happen the more likely it is that it won’t.
So please any one who hasn’t contributed to this thread so far could you offer an opinion at least, no one is asking you to expose yourself just help a little.
