When I was a kid, the idea of Political Correctness was just coming to fruition. It's goal was to make things "safer." Nobody would feel left out. Nobody would feel bullied, or picked on. And, we would all be able to get along. But, somewhere along the way, things got a little out of hand. See HERE and HERE for some examples of what I'm talking about.
Since the late '80's and early '90's, political correctness has become yet another way of whitewashing freedom of speech to the point, where we might as well all be speaking jibberish to each other, because honestly, if you're different (in any way shape or form, you're going to get some flack for it).
Over the past few months, there has been a huge push to bring the PC agenda to the Transgender forefront. Gabourey Sidibe came under fire for use of the term "tranny" on a late night TV show, and was asked to make a retraction to apologize for what she had said. Katie Couric came under fire, after asking Carmen Carerra if she'd (my words, not Katie's) "had the chop." And, most recently, Logo TV and RuPaul have come under fire, for using the terms "She-Male" and "Tranny".
While I understand, from doing the type of work that I do (direct care of people with mental and or physical disabilities) the importance of keeping things PC, I have an issue with the forum that the sudden venom from the Trans-community has begun spewing. I understand how hurtful words can be, and I have a few of my own words that I would spew venom at people for using (for the record, they're pansy, faggot and homosexual). Ask me in comments if you'd like to hear more about the reasoning behind those words...
Both the terms, "she-male" and "tranny" run rampant, with other words, in the porn industry, and because of their strong association with that industry, it makes it harder for people who are not porn stars, who ARE transgender to be taken seriously. And, I get that that's what the fight it about. It's about being respected, and not being treated like a third class citizen. Because, let's face it, even the gay community bashes on the trans community...
I can't give RuPaul full credit for bringing the trans community to the forefront of people's minds, because she doesn't deserve full credit. There are plenty of other people who deserve as much, if not more credit for the sudden "visibility." But, Ru's show is the catalyst for the post, so I want to talk about it for a little bit. Over the six season the show has been on the air, Ru has cast transgendered people. She has given them the chance to tell their stories, and given them a public forum to show that they're still people, who love, laugh, and hurt, just like everyone else.
So, why now? Why if it's such an issue of disrespect, was this not brought to Logo's attention during season one? I mean, really, the introduction of every week's challenge since the first season, has been, "Wooooo, Gurl....You've got she-mail." Why was this not squashed during any of the previous 5 seasons? Because, it was seen as a play on words. Drag Race, is a tongue in cheek show. The shoe that dropped, and apparently hit RuPaul and Logo in the face, was the Female or She-Male segment. In a forum like Drag Race, you're always going to wonder, upon seeing a random body part that looks like a (cisgender) biological female, is it a biological female or not? Because, let's face it, some of these drag queens are prettier looking than some of the women I know. So, throwing a game like that in makes sense to me. But, as has come up in many of the comments in articles that I've read online about the controversy, I am not trans. I don't know what it's like to be trans. And, I didn't feel disrespected by the choice of words used.
Could they have been (in Carmen Carerra's words) "a little smarter about the terms they use"? Definitely. We all could be a bit smarter about the terms that we use, so that we don't disrespect anyone, or make them feel like they're less than us. These terms are going to be taken out of my every day vocabulary, like so many other words have been. But, at the same time, I just have to put it out there: I know people who are transgender, who refer to themselves as trannies. So, while I get that the fight is an overall, general fight for acceptance, I don't want to forget those in the minority, who may or may not think that the entire fight over whether Ru removed a few words and/or a segment from the show, is a waste of energy, because, is it really worth that much of a fight? Because, let's face it, this is still top news, and this all came to a head over a month ago. We're spending an awful lot of time and energy fighting over something, that was brought to the network's attention, has been removed from the program, and all future airings of the program. What more needs to be done? What more is there to fight about that hasn't already been done?
Let me go back to watching my show. You know, the one with a bunch of men, who dress up in dresses and make-up, and ultimately, make fun of each other, until one of them gets a crown? The one that now says, "Woooo Gurl...." that is always going to be finished with the unmentionable words in my head, because they're a staple of the show. Let the controversy be over something else, like how Darienne Lake needs to be a little nicer, before she follows Roxxxy Andrews' route to a downfall, or how Joselyn Fox has worn the same necklace in every episode this season... Let's get back to the fun Monday night opportunity to forget that crappy stuff happens in the real world, because there's drag queens taking over the tv.
Since the late '80's and early '90's, political correctness has become yet another way of whitewashing freedom of speech to the point, where we might as well all be speaking jibberish to each other, because honestly, if you're different (in any way shape or form, you're going to get some flack for it).
Over the past few months, there has been a huge push to bring the PC agenda to the Transgender forefront. Gabourey Sidibe came under fire for use of the term "tranny" on a late night TV show, and was asked to make a retraction to apologize for what she had said. Katie Couric came under fire, after asking Carmen Carerra if she'd (my words, not Katie's) "had the chop." And, most recently, Logo TV and RuPaul have come under fire, for using the terms "She-Male" and "Tranny".
While I understand, from doing the type of work that I do (direct care of people with mental and or physical disabilities) the importance of keeping things PC, I have an issue with the forum that the sudden venom from the Trans-community has begun spewing. I understand how hurtful words can be, and I have a few of my own words that I would spew venom at people for using (for the record, they're pansy, faggot and homosexual). Ask me in comments if you'd like to hear more about the reasoning behind those words...
Both the terms, "she-male" and "tranny" run rampant, with other words, in the porn industry, and because of their strong association with that industry, it makes it harder for people who are not porn stars, who ARE transgender to be taken seriously. And, I get that that's what the fight it about. It's about being respected, and not being treated like a third class citizen. Because, let's face it, even the gay community bashes on the trans community...
I can't give RuPaul full credit for bringing the trans community to the forefront of people's minds, because she doesn't deserve full credit. There are plenty of other people who deserve as much, if not more credit for the sudden "visibility." But, Ru's show is the catalyst for the post, so I want to talk about it for a little bit. Over the six season the show has been on the air, Ru has cast transgendered people. She has given them the chance to tell their stories, and given them a public forum to show that they're still people, who love, laugh, and hurt, just like everyone else.
So, why now? Why if it's such an issue of disrespect, was this not brought to Logo's attention during season one? I mean, really, the introduction of every week's challenge since the first season, has been, "Wooooo, Gurl....You've got she-mail." Why was this not squashed during any of the previous 5 seasons? Because, it was seen as a play on words. Drag Race, is a tongue in cheek show. The shoe that dropped, and apparently hit RuPaul and Logo in the face, was the Female or She-Male segment. In a forum like Drag Race, you're always going to wonder, upon seeing a random body part that looks like a (cisgender) biological female, is it a biological female or not? Because, let's face it, some of these drag queens are prettier looking than some of the women I know. So, throwing a game like that in makes sense to me. But, as has come up in many of the comments in articles that I've read online about the controversy, I am not trans. I don't know what it's like to be trans. And, I didn't feel disrespected by the choice of words used.
Could they have been (in Carmen Carerra's words) "a little smarter about the terms they use"? Definitely. We all could be a bit smarter about the terms that we use, so that we don't disrespect anyone, or make them feel like they're less than us. These terms are going to be taken out of my every day vocabulary, like so many other words have been. But, at the same time, I just have to put it out there: I know people who are transgender, who refer to themselves as trannies. So, while I get that the fight is an overall, general fight for acceptance, I don't want to forget those in the minority, who may or may not think that the entire fight over whether Ru removed a few words and/or a segment from the show, is a waste of energy, because, is it really worth that much of a fight? Because, let's face it, this is still top news, and this all came to a head over a month ago. We're spending an awful lot of time and energy fighting over something, that was brought to the network's attention, has been removed from the program, and all future airings of the program. What more needs to be done? What more is there to fight about that hasn't already been done?
Let me go back to watching my show. You know, the one with a bunch of men, who dress up in dresses and make-up, and ultimately, make fun of each other, until one of them gets a crown? The one that now says, "Woooo Gurl...." that is always going to be finished with the unmentionable words in my head, because they're a staple of the show. Let the controversy be over something else, like how Darienne Lake needs to be a little nicer, before she follows Roxxxy Andrews' route to a downfall, or how Joselyn Fox has worn the same necklace in every episode this season... Let's get back to the fun Monday night opportunity to forget that crappy stuff happens in the real world, because there's drag queens taking over the tv.
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