What The Light Reveals

There are some events, that when they occur, shine a light on our society and ourselves in such a manner that it can leave us shocked, outraged, and saddened that such things can still happen. The most recent example of this was the terrible beating of Crissy Lee Polis that was filmed by a McDonalds employee who did nothing to assist her as she was beaten to the point of seizures. The video footage sparked outrage and was seen(rightfully) as an example of the dangers that Transgendered men and women face in our society as they go about their everyday lives.

For the most part, the response to the video was positive. Even those who were outraged at what happened did so from a place of support. But something else began to emerge that was disturbing. Racism and Transphobia again reared there ugly heads...except this time it wasn't coming from outside the GLBT community...but from those who claim to be within a community that should know dam well what discrimination feels like and have sense enough not to do it to anyone else.


The video of the beating, having gone viral, was on nearly every blog imaginable and echoed around the YouTube universe with blinding speed. As the comments began to fill up it became clear that the conversation had turned to blaming the attack on Crissy Polis on the race of the two girls who attacked her. There were some comments that went beyond the pale and turned out stomachs to read them such as those referring to the Two girls as "apes"....this comment left by someone who identified themselves as a lesbian mind you.

Now...nearly a week later, most of the comments have either been removed by YouTube, or the person who posted them but the evidence of the battle remains. Many people both White and Black have left statements of shock and disbelief that this attack is being attributed to the fact that these girls are African-American...and not to the fact that what they did was a simple act of cruelty. One act of discrimination is being met with another act of discrimination that is no less ugly than what these two girls did to Crissy. It is no wonder that some of the comments left in response were tearful expressions of frustration.

Additionally, several people who claim to be gay made comments that Crissy had brought this on herself by virtue of trying to live as a woman. As if she should hide who she feels she really is. "If only she hadn't tried to use the womens room", was something we heard many times and many times those comments come from those who identified themselves as gay. As someone who has lost a good trans friend to suicide due to the pressures society puts on trans people this just pisses me off.

Does it not want to make you hang your head in defeat also? When Jay told me of some of the comments being left on our YouTube page about Crissy I couldn't  believe what I was hearing. My first and strongest reaction to this is, how can any gay man or woman engage in any form of discrimination knowing full well what it feels like to be the recipient of that treatment. I mean...there are people in this world who if shown a video of a gay person being tortured and brutally murdered would applaud the action and call the world a better place for it. You KNOW what it's like to be hated and live in a world that's not safe for you...how is it possible for anyone who understands that to do it to others? If you would want a world that accepts you as who you are...race, gender, and sexual orientation included...than isn't there a greater responsibility on use as those who understand to give that acceptance to others? It astounds me.

I think it is about time that we be able to talk about these issues. If we can talk about gay issues to a straight world than we have to have the tools to able to address the issues of racism and transphobia that still cling to us as a community. Trans people feel unheard and ignored by the larger gay community even though many march right beside us on the road to civil equality. Gay People of color point to examples like what was said about Crissy Polis's attackers as examples of an unspoken racism that don't get acknowledged or called out as being present within the gay community. Additionally, they have pointed out that there is a lack of visibility of gay people of color....especially when it comes to the heads of prominent gay rights orgs and LGBT characters in T.V. and movies.

So as we move forward in asking the world to see us as human beings...not as gay human beings...just as human beings asking to be treated with the same level and respect as is accorded to straight human beings....do we have the courage to look at ourselves and ask where we may not be affording someone else that same treatment? Can we talk about race and/or trans issues without the conversation devolving into heated exchanges of name calling? Can we admit that maybe we still need to learn a thing or two?...I had to admit how much I did not know about Trans issues and face my own squeamishness about altering our bodies in such a major way. I needed to learn the difference between the outward expression of gender and the soul That was not a lesson I thought I needed to learn....Being gay I thought I had it down. It took the suffering of a good friend for me to realise that maybe I wasn't anywhere near as open minded as I thought I was. My friend Carina blew the doors off my ideas of what it meant to be trans and I miss her very much.

When I comes to race, that has been a lifelong journey. I grew up a white kid in California in the 70's and 80's. The population of California has been steadily shifting here over the years but, back then the majority of faces around me were other white ones. In addition, the 70's were a time when T.V. was full of themes about race and gender equality and as a kid, I remember getting a clear message that treating someone different because of their race or sex was wrong. Even so I still had my own fears from growing up around only one type of people. It wasn't until after my parents divorced and I moved north to Redding Ca. that I met any one who was black. There was a family that lived down the street from me and they had two daughters who were about my age. I remember playing at their house one day when I made mention of they fact that she was African American. I can't remember why...we were kids...it was a million years ago...but I remember that it made her so angry that she called her sisters and brothers and chased me over the back fence...we were never really friends after that again. It may be a little funny to remember in hindsight but I learned a lesson that day. While I may not have had any intention of hurting her, I had anyway by pointing out our differences. Perhaps what I said really was bad...perhaps it was because they were the only African-Americans in a sea of white faces and that made her feel different....I honestly don't know but that day stuck with me for the rest of my life. Since that day it has been a long walk to understanding that, no matter how much I may have learned and grown, that walk is far from over.

So I am opening this blog post to that discussion in the hope that it will NOT turn into a flying accusations and flame wars. Bring your questions, bring your curiosity, bring your gripes....but also bring your respect and your heart. If having a race, gender, sexual identity, gender identity should teach us anything it is empathy and the value of learning from each other. When the light shines on us what will we see?...the victim?...the attacker?...or something altogether different and more beautiful.

Until next time dear readers....