Why it's Offensive / Is it Offensive

Nat · 09-14-2012, 07:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aishah

blah, i'm talking a lot, sorry. i'm trying to pick apart exactly what makes me feel icky about this, too.

i don't think it's necessarily bad to represent a multiplicity of ways of embodying an identity. i do think with this there is definitely an element of invalidation - that he's saying this person's experience isn't real. i mean, cooper even brought in a doctor to weigh in (wtf). and that - combined with the apparent "look at this bizarre person!" factor - is what's sensationalist and upsetting.

i don't necessarily think cooper set out to be offensive (he succeeded either way), but he wasn't doing this with totally altruistic motives in mind either.

Okay - the "look at this bizarre person' thing didn't exactly occur to me, but if that was the intent or effect then that isn't at all respectful. I didn't pick up on that element.

Martina · 09-14-2012, 08:07 PM

Am I wrong, or are they upset that he interviewed her at all? The point was that he allowed this bogus theory air time, right?

Corkey · 09-14-2012, 08:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Martina

Am I wrong, or are they upset that he interviewed her at all? The point was that he allowed this bogus theory air time, right?

Personally the whole thing is a cluster f* but I'm still not going to judge her gender.

Nat · 09-14-2012, 08:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Martina

Am I wrong, or are they upset that he interviewed her at all? The point was that he allowed this bogus theory air time, right?

Maybe that's it?

Linus · 09-14-2012, 09:17 PM

If anything, I personally, am not offended and actually impressed with Anderson's response. He's right in that trans individuals aren't something that comes out of a bottle or the result of a bottle. I'd be more worried that Mandi would make the average person think that it's strictly taking drugs (over the counter or otherwise) that makes a person want to transition -- and that's wrong.

Is it possible it may have heighten her awareness of her own femininity or perhaps because of the side-effects may have made her question herself more than she had previously? Perhaps. I suspect that perhaps the depression that Mandi experienced may have had her question a whole variety of things so it's not the drug per say but rather the depression restarted a thought process that had be left behind.

I sometimes think we overly knee-jerk sensitivities and believe that when people question something that there is a malicious or evil intent behind it when, in fact, it's an honest attempt to understand and clarify. The one thing that Anderson did well is that he said things like "From what I understand..". He used *I* rather than a generalization so that identifies things from his experience, which may or may not be wide.

But that's my thinking...

09-14-2012, 09:17 PM	#5
Linus The Planet's Technical Bubba How Do You Identify?: FTM Preferred Pronoun?: He/Him/Geek Relationship Status: Married to my forever! Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Redondo Beach, CA Posts: 5,440 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 2,929 Thanked 10,727 Times in 3,172 Posts Rep Power: 21474857	If anything, I personally, am not offended and actually impressed with Anderson's response. He's right in that trans individuals aren't something that comes out of a bottle or the result of a bottle. I'd be more worried that Mandi would make the average person think that it's strictly taking drugs (over the counter or otherwise) that makes a person want to transition -- and that's wrong. Is it possible it may have heighten her awareness of her own femininity or perhaps because of the side-effects may have made her question herself more than she had previously? Perhaps. I suspect that perhaps the depression that Mandi experienced may have had her question a whole variety of things so it's not the drug per say but rather the depression restarted a thought process that had be left behind. I sometimes think we overly knee-jerk sensitivities and believe that when people question something that there is a malicious or evil intent behind it when, in fact, it's an honest attempt to understand and clarify. The one thing that Anderson did well is that he said things like "From what I understand..". He used I rather than a generalization so that identifies things from his experience, which may or may not be wide. But that's my thinking... __________________ Personal Blog \|\| [] \|\| Cigar Blog "We become Human Doings instead of Human Beings." -- Ram Dass

09-14-2012, 08:07 PM	#2
Martina Senior Member How Do You Identify?: * Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: * Posts: 4,999 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 13,409 Thanked 18,286 Times in 4,167 Posts Rep Power: 21474854	Am I wrong, or are they upset that he interviewed her at all? The point was that he allowed this bogus theory air time, right?