[Blog/Commentary] [Canada] Double Standards and Double Dipping

[Stephanie Stevens]

Montreal Gazette, Canada


TRANS TALK

Double Standards and Double Dipping

May 22, 2012. 9:46 am • Section: Trans Talk

Posted by: Jillian Page


So, I have to ask, in light of Barbara Kay’s excellent observations
(see preceding post) [SEE
http://blogs.montrealgazette.com/2012/05/21/in-the-interests-of-objectivity-barbara-kay-on-the-jenna-talackova-story/]
, should “XX women” be permitted to compete in beauty pageants created
for people who identify as transgender women? Should they be allowed
to double dip, too?

There is a double standard issue, which I have been talking about — in
a roundabout way — for quite some time now. I stood up for Jenna
Talackova because I see her as a woman, regardless of her past. I have
long argued against people using the “transgender woman” label in her
case.

And now others are beginning to point out what appears to be a
hypocrisy in the idea of presenting oneself as both a woman and a
transsexual woman.

When we transition, we do so because we have long identified as
females. We tell our therapists that we are really women, and that we
need to change our bodies to match our brain templates. We don’t tell
them that we are transsexuals. When we apply for our official gender
change after surgery, we ask to be listed as Females, not Transsexual
Females. We ask to be called women, not transsexual women.

Beware the double standard of using the words “transsexual” and
“woman” together for any purposes.

Jillian


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