Ask a transsexual anything

[TaraJo]

What can I say? Trans women face heavy discrimination in other workplaces, but in sex work, being trans is actually seen as a positive. Combine that with the fact that transitioning takes money (for things like hormones, clothes and surgery) and sex work is damn tempting. Societal norms inflate the numbers a bit. But I also think the numbers there seem higher than they actually are because of the nature of sex work. I mean, if a girl is doing sex work, she kinda has to advertise that she's trans and kinda has to promote her genitals. If she's working as a doctor, lawyer, bus driver, burger flipper, secretary, nurse or pretty much an job that isn't in the sex industry, she isn't going to have to advertise that she's trans, and because of that she usually won't tell people she's trans except those she knows on a personal basis. In fact, you're probably encountered your own fair share of transsexuals just going about your life and you never even know it.

As far as prostitutes rights, there's a push for that, no doubt, but it's not really an official part of the GLBT community. "Prostitution" isn't a natural trait in the same way sexual orientation or gender identity is.

[Violet]

LGs have historically looked down on the Bs too:
http://www.sf-hrc.org/modules/showdocume...mentid=989

Also pansexuals, polyamorous individuals, and men in general. (Modern) Feminism's all over the community, in some places so thickly that it pushes otherwise wonderful additions/members to/of the community away

[John V]

Do you use men's restrooms or women's?

[Violet]

From your POV as a transexual you are a woman. A biologist would point out to you that gender is biological and has nothing to do with what we consider to be "feminine".

Incorrect: it is from my POV as a woman that I am a woman

A biologist would have no idea what gender is since it isn't his subject, a sociologist on the other hand would have every understanding what our current gendering has to do with masculinity and femininity.

Try not to get scientific peeps mixed up, it makes you look silly.
OK cast your mind back 9 years. There's Something About Miriam. Miriam was an adult actor at the time and pre-op transsexual. Presently Miriam is a full-time prostitute (escort). Find any review on "Something about Miriam" and they all say the same thing, six men compete for the affects of what they think is a woman, but is really a man. That the show preys on the fear we have of it. The contestants then proceeded to litigate against the producers.

Fear leads to ha- shut up Yoda.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKz9QzKTtYg

I'm guessing this is a television show? You're basing your understanding of transgendered people off a television show?



Please tell me I'm wrong, because I'm not interested enough in googling it.

How do you think the producers found Miriam - and here's the thing, if Miriam isn't your average transsexual, how did they find her? I think they found her through her pornographic work, and simply offered her a better role than "There's Something Extra Special About Miriam" (nope I didn't make that up, that's a 2008 pornographic film starring, you guessed it, Miriam).

You *think* they found her through pornographic activity? You don't have evidence of this?

Wonderful

Considering that the pornographic film came *4-5 years after the show*... do you have something say, less recent?

Now contrast that with her "confession" statement to the contestants:
"I tried to be honest with all of you, not just some of you. Yes, I am from Mexico, I am a model, and I'm 21. But Tom, I really love spending time with you and kissing you. You see, I love men, and I love being a woman. But... shh, quiet everybody, please, quiet. But you see, Tom... I am not a woman. I was born as a man."

It sounds to me like she got into it through *modeling* Boy how far we've come when we base our entire understanding of something off the telly

Interesting that her pornographic career is not mentioned isn't it? Honest indeed. Why do you think some transsexuals are willing to portray their community like that?

Telly isn't honest, and I imagine *money* had quite a bit to do with that.

Not everyone's as selfless as I am, Aractus.

Hell, give me enough money, and I'll do a great deal more than I otherwise would.

One final question, since I see you talking about how T has been neglected by the GLB community. What about prostitutes P. Do you see in the future the sexual-equal-rights community becoming LGBTP, and please give reasons for or against?

Prostitution is undercurrent in the community, but generally prostitutes are better treated within the community than in say, your common church.

I don't see P being added on, if anything... I see T dropping off. Prostitution is work, none of the rest is at all related to it (sexuality and gender identity)... might as well add fishermen to the group

---

Do you use men's restrooms or women's?

Me? Women's.

If I somehow do get clocked, I'd rather a scream or someone turns their nose up at me to say... being beaten to a bloody pulp, raped, and left to die.

I'm sure for 95% of men, that stereotype fucking sucks and is totally inaccurate.

---

What can I say? Trans women face heavy discrimination in other workplaces, but in sex work, being trans is actually seen as a positive.

Discrimination can be positive, negative, or even benign... discrimination it remains.

It's a marketable trait, and also a dangerous one.

Combine that with the fact that transitioning takes money (for things like hormones, clothes and surgery) and sex work is damn tempting. Societal norms inflate the numbers a bit. But I also think the numbers there seem higher than they actually are because of the nature of sex work. I mean, if a girl is doing sex work, she kinda has to advertise that she's trans and kinda has to promote her genitals.

Particularly in the short term, easier and safer to do with a brothel. Gotta love that marketing

If she's working as a doctor, lawyer, bus driver, burger flipper, secretary, nurse or pretty much an job that isn't in the sex industry, she isn't going to have to advertise that she's trans, and because of that she usually won't tell people she's trans except those she knows on a personal basis. In fact, you're probably encountered your own fair share of transsexuals just going about your life and you never even know it.

Granted, if she's a burger flipper or bus driver, she probably is doing part-time sex work on the side. The other jobs usually pay enough that one can make it off of them.

As far as prostitutes rights, there's a push for that, no doubt, but it's not really an official part of the GLBT community. "Prostitution" isn't a natural trait in the same way sexual orientation or gender identity is.

Legalize, please!

[TaraJo]

Do you use men's restrooms or women's?

I've reached the point where it would cause a much bigger disturbance if I went into the men's room. I mean, how would you react if someone looking like myself walked into the men's room?

Locker rooms worry me more than restrooms, though. When I go to the gym, I generally don't shower there. I'll walk home, even if I am all sweaty and dirty, and shower there.

My boyfriend still uses the women's room, though, but he hasn't started on T yet and he's VERY cautious. Still, when he's all dressed p nice and binding, he can get some strange looks for using the women's room.

[Violet]

My boyfriend still uses the women's room, though, but he hasn't started on T yet and he's VERY cautious. Still, when he's all dressed p nice and binding, he can get some strange looks for using the women's room.

Why hasn't he started yet anyways?

[TaraJo]

My boyfriend still uses the women's room, though, but he hasn't started on T yet and he's VERY cautious. Still, when he's all dressed p nice and binding, he can get some strange looks for using the women's room.

Why hasn't he started yet anyways?

Like I said, he's very cautious. Plus, he loves his family and he's been afraid what their reaction will be (remember, he comes from a family that belongs to a very homophobic church). He has a doctor appointment in February, though, so he may be able to get started on a low dose from there.

[Violet]

Like I said, he's very cautious. Plus, he loves his family and he's been afraid what their reaction will be (remember, he comes from a family that belongs to a very homophobic church). He has a doctor appointment in February, though, so he may be able to get started on a low dose from there.

Meh, if a family doesn't accept a member inside for being itself, what is it worth?

Good luck to him.

[John V]

Before you thought you were a chick, did you date women? Have sex with them? Enjoy it? How about men?

[Something completely different]

Replacing "thought" with "knew" or "found out".

But I guess you intentialy wrote it in that way, because you "believe" that they only think that they are women.