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Originally Posted by DapperButch
I agree with you around the lack of inclusive resources. I am wondering why that is. I see your thoughts about how it serves as a way to keep transmen back, so to speak, but do you think this is actually conscious?
Could it be simply about funding and how what gets funded in society is based on the individuals' interests who are setting up the programs/organizations?
Assuming that transwomen worked as males at some point and that transmen worked as females at some point, is it useful to consider that the higher salaries of males assigned at birth could create this difference? Meaning, transwomen have more money than transmen, so they create programs for themselves, while transmen don't have the same cash flow? This doesn't speak to the inclusive issue, however. <thinking>
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It's not conscious in the sense that anyone is "conspiring" or something to not grant transguys services...but I think it should be recognised that transguys are often not seen as legitimate by institutions. Transguys are usually not what pops into people's heads when they think of "trans." I think there are definitely far more transwomen who advocate for disadvantaged transwomen or for themselves than transguys who do the same. Some services are set up by well off middle/upper class transwomen for low income/homeless transwomen or transfemale sex workers. But often, especially in the case of sex workers, these services are started by organisations trying to work with transwomen in these situations to provide those services. However, because they are organisations (often lgbtq) doing the funding and service creation, they have a very set view of what they think trans people need. Transguys are often not on their radars because even in the lgbtq community we're often forgotten.
I think a lot of it has to do with competing life experience and the assumptions people make about "what it means to be a man." Transguys were coercively assigned female at birth and wrongly perceived as female for a good chunk of our lives. When we are the victims of harassment or assault and especially sexualisation we often remain silent of it both because of the way we were brought up to think that we should remain silent about it and also because of insecurities about maleness/masculinity and the idea we shouldn't talk about it also silences us. As such, any statistic that might have existed, our experiences are often recorded in the "woman" category. No accurate statistics for us exist and its not because of a lack of experience, but because of silence. We don't often end up trying to advocate for ourselves or represent ourselves the way many transwomen do, and especially low income, homeless or incarcerated...or even transmale sex workers who are frequently forgotten or deemed non-existent because of stereotypes around sex work. Slowly transguys are starting to advocate more for each other and creating visibility, but there is still a long way to go. Organisations won't start paying more attention until we break the silence and start helping each other out and reaching out to others for help.
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Originally Posted by DapperButch
Yes, that is where a huge amount of the abuse occurs, but I believe that the majority (by, how much I don't know), of trans people don't live in those places. And I tell you what, I would MUCH prefer to be a transman in our society than a transwoman. There is a MUCH better chance of passing, especially on hormones, and I don't think transmen get half as much shit as transwomen. At least in my world.
Or, in all of this were you only talking about programs FOR homeless/prison/etc. transpeople?
More questions than answers for me. Very interesting topic.
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I really don't care much about what a "majority" is or isn't. It's a moot argument, imo, because there are no accurate statistics about trans people. It's pretty hard to gather any accurate statistic about any queer or trans identity because certain people will always be more likely to respond than others. Trans people with class privilege already have too much attention to begin with. A massive chunk of trans people are in low income situations or worse and that's what I care about.
As far as more of this "transwomen have it worse than transmen" generalisations...that's the kind of divisive thing I really think the trans community needs to move beyond. Ultimately this hierarchy competition doesn't mean shit to a homeless transman or transwoman being denied their basic rights.