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Originally Posted by Linus
To the topic at hand, I commented in another thread but I will mention it here. This sets a dangerous precedent, IMHO. It treats the decision to medically transition as a trivial one and more as a means to a financial end (a way to get around things) than as a means of self-existence (survival). That's a big distinction and it's hard enough for many to exist (i.e., get jobs, get food, get housing, just live).
What I find more frustrating and mindbending is that this decision was done during the time that the court was deciding same-sex marriage in California. They could have easily gotten married elsewhere and waited. Federally they would have been protected and it would have been a matter of time that California would have covered it.
~ocean, I'm going to take issue with this (as an individual). Being a transsexual or transgender individual is not a "lifestyle". No more than being gay is a "lifestyle". Being vegan is a lifestyle. Being athletic is a lifestyle. Being a surfer girl is a lifestyle.
Being trans is not a lifestyle. Being trans is living.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DapperButch
I am not convinced that Jacki did a "selfless" act.
This is my take on it. Either Jacki consciously or unconsciously wanted to transition, or was already "in the middle", so it wasn't a big deal to her.
I think she is happy living as male and I think it is possible/probable that Jacki liked the opportunity to get her breasts removed. Until top surgery, I bound my breasts for 20 years. I know what a bound chest looks like. The picture of them on the motorcycle? I would put up $100 bet that her chest is bound. I don't think it was a big loss for her.
Here is the thing. In CA Jacki needed to get a top surgery (although they say mastectomy, which is different) in order to legally identify as male, in order to marry. Ok, so she did that. Did she need to take testosterone? Does she need to (clearly) work out? No. Jacki could easily still be presenting as a masculine female if that is what she wants. Lots of women have mastectomies (which means even less breast tissue left after surgery). Does it no longer make them women? Of course not!
I say Jacki seized an opportunity to transition. I think internalized transphobia is at work here, which is why she didn't transition prior to now. Again, conscious or unconscious.
So, that is my thoughts on that.
The question though was how it presents to the public. I am less concerned about it trivializing the trans* community and more concerned as to how it makes female loving females look. It feeds right into the myth that "women really want to be men".
Late for work or would go on a rant about the above!
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My problem with this article and the way it was represented is that it used the word "loophole" to describe transitioning. I'm not picking on the couple, just the fact they are allowing themselves to be "poster children" for the gender binary. It bothers me.
Perhaps Jacki honestly did want to come out as transgender and used this opportunity to do so. I'm not sure. I can't speak for the couple themselves, just how they are (unintentionally?) representing an entire community of people who are already subjugated to begin with.