Trans-homosexuality

November 8, 2012 By Mia Nikasimo

The funniest things happen when you out yourself as a translesbian
(i.e. a transsexual woman identified woman; a lesbian.) I, for one, am
an African translesbian and I have a beautiful girlfriend who is
virtually more African (if I may use this as an honorific) than I am
and she’s a lesbian as far as being a lesbianism goes. Although all
this is happening in Europe as I speak; African LGBTI is condemned to
the underground while the “religiously righteous” seems to prefer
repression to sex, sexuality and gender identity truths. Yes the
strangest things still happen in the twenty first century. In Africa,
for instance, as a translesbian, I will be so far underground the
light of day will only emerge as a virtual spectre and how sad is
that? All these stem from the deluded assumption that transphobia or
homophobia is of African origin. Nothing can be further from the
truth, according to Dr. Sylvia Tamale, the moral order (as applied in
Ugandan Law) in its ascribed hatred and fear of transgender and gay
people exposes its own selfishness. [1]

Some of this is still played out today in Europe, exported worldwide
and with that is the knowledge that the fear and hatred apportioned to
the civilising process which continues riding the wave of contemporary
history today. It is no surprise that suddenly all the lesbians around
you feel threatened by the unknown they assume that you present them
with. It is something people do out of insecurity, paranoia and a
scream out for approval. The question I would love a straight answer
to is, who’s transphobic/homophobic now? The assumption that only
female born women can be lesbian has a history as dated as humanity
itself. Translesbianism is only one strand of womanhood and
trans-homosexuality (i.e. transsexual and homosexuality), there are
trans-gay-men (a strand of manhood) out there doing their thing on
various platforms too: be they non op, pre op or post op and we date
with as much diversity as the mainstream does.

What makes this area interesting? Well, translesbians unlike our
lesbian allies are subjected to a sort of underhanded scrutiny by all
as a result of absolutist conditioning. You can understand my shock
when pre op, an acquaintance asked me if he could be honoured with a
test run “fuck”. Worse he could not even imagine how offensive and
demeaning his request was. I find that the wonder still prevails in a
lurch, a sideways glance or a passing shout of abuse by a child, an
adult or both, one aiding the other in learned prejudice. Everyone
seems to want to see you naked to confirm their assumptions. When you
are out for the night all eyes are on you and I’m not raising this
subject in isolation as the situation above confirms. If this isn’t
enough, I have also inadvertently had week long flings with women
curious to know: vagina or hole? With a certain experience you
instinctively become aware of your innate longings and act on them
without the expectation that you are going to be anyone’s “science
project”. Why are trans-homosexuals so threatening to the gay
community especially when we are part of the same group? Why do people
feel that they have to get into relationships with you because somehow
they find out that you are transgender/transsexual? Is it merely their
curiosity that goes into overdrive or is something else on a
psychological level tossed in the mix?

Imagine going into a club and everyone just seems to be rearing for a
fight. Understandably, you leave them to it. Engaging circumstances
like these are counter-productive open traps waiting to ensnare you at
the slightest opportunity. You measure their range and spar virtually
as you blow them virtual kisses, or cyber smooch them, if you like and
it ought to end there but it rarely does. Talk to those that are worth
it, hug those that you love, and befriend accordingly. Those who are
intent on picking a fight soon get the message that no matter how loud
their voices get, more often than not what happens is that they expose
their own fears, their hatred. Even the fear in their uncomfortable
laughter sounds more jarring than anything a translesbian or
trans-dyke and a trans-gay-man or a trans-fag could ever provoke; and
wait for it: trans-femme, trans-androgynous or trans-butch, we are
proud and we are here to stay not in competition but together.

Conversely, perhaps it is time we start thinking about lasting sexual
orientation and gender identity freedom in Africa today rather than
waiting for another European pill to bail us out or worse, the next
century and half hence in which to mend our way, ourselves. The script
of our future is ours to write, definitions ours to define and all
that. Divided we fall, united we stand together as one.

[1] See Voices of Witness –Africa 2008, which can be viewed on the
Integrity USA website under ‘other resources’.

http://www.blacklooks.org/2012/11/trans-homosexuality/