What does it look like to fall through the cracks?
In a world that sees gender as black and white,
what does it mean to be a shade of gray?
My gender is anomie.
I am neither a woman nor a man; neither a boy nor a girl.
I am the other; I am the queer.
“I know you use they/them pronouns; it’s just easier for me to use she.”
“That’s not grammatically correct.”
“She’s weird.”
“What’s the big deal?”
“That’s not a sir. That’s a ma’am.”
LET ME SPEAK FOR MYSELF!
Thank you.
The singular ‘they’ pronoun was 2015’s Word of the Year.
You use it all the time.
“I wonder who left their backpack here?”
“I love this artist. They have such a unique style.”
“Tell them to call me back.”
So why does it only become a problem
when I use it to assert my gender?
Oh right.
How could I forget?
Your issue is not really about grammar.
Your issue is really about fear…
Because society
And the media
And religion
And our president
Have taught you
that I am something to be afraid of.
They have taught you that my existence
Is somehow hurting yours.
And I understand because
If my only knowledge of the gender variant community
Came from the images I see on television,
I would probably be afraid of me too.
BUT
We are so much more than that.
We don’t want to use the women’s restroom
to prey on your innocent children.
We don’t want representation in the movies
to promote a sinful lifestyle.
We don’t want these things, and others,
to somehow harm you.
We want these things
For nobody but ourselves.
We are forced to advocate for our basic human rights
Because of the oppression that you continue to create.
We don’t want to be seen as better than you;
We want to be seen as equal to you.
Are we not human too?
The sixth episode of the first season of the hit show,
Bob’s Burgers,
Features a group of “transvestites”
Who are nothing more than scantily clad strippers.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I love Bob’s Burgers
And there are certainly far worse representations of my community out there.
What I’m trying to say is:
STOP USING TRANS PEOPLE AS YOUR HUMOR.
WE ARE HERE, WE ARE QUEER,
AND WE ARE NOT GOING ANYWHERE.
WE WANT REPRESENTATION.
WE WANT RECOGNITION.
WE WANT TO BE SEEN AS PEOPLE TOO.
Is that too much to ask?
Seriously,
Think about it:
Are we asking for something ridiculous?
“Don’t assume [insert inanimate object here’s] gender!”
Yeah. Okay.
Maybe,
Can you,
Not assume my gender, either?
“What are little boys made of?
Snips and snails and puppy dog tails,
That’s what little boys are made of!
What are little girls made of?
Sugar and spice and everything nice,
That’s what little girls are made of!”
What am I made of, then?
Bruises and pride and a dragon’s hide,
That’s what I am made of!
You know Superman and Wonder Woman.
Now, get ready for the latest superhero yet:
Genderqueer Kid!
See, my gender is my superpower.
My abilities include:
Fucking up your perceptions of me
Not giving a damn what you think
Destroying the gender binary
Looking fabulous in all genders of clothing
And guess what, folks:
I’m just a prototype.
There’s going to be a whole new generation of gender heroes coming.
And there’s nothing you can do to stop us.
Your grayscale world is so boring.
Why don’t you put on these rainbow-tinted glasses,
And try giving queers a chance?