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Using children to perpetuate discrimination[/caption]
Google must have a sense of humor. Their ad network displays relevant ads on websites that use their service. So far I've found the ads on Crossdresser Heaven to be mostly interesting and relevant. Ads for crossdressing stores, or woman's clothes - things that your average red blooded, blonde wig wearing crossdresser might want to check out.
Imagine my shock when I visited Crossdresser Heaven to find this ad prominently displayed! It's an ad by a right wing organization (that I won't grace with a link) that opposes ENDA - The Employment Non-Discrimination Act. What better way to perpetuate discrimination than taking advantage of children, distorting facts and sowing fear? Reading this ad one would think that once ENDA passes that perverted sex offenders in dresses would be in our schools molesting our kids.
This could not be further from the truth. Given recent scandals I'll wager it's more likely you should watch out for the priest in your local church than a transgender woman. It's also offensive and ignorant to classify transgender women as 'men in dresses'. Though it makes for a compelling stereotype, this statement makes it clear they've never met a transgender woman - or perhaps they have and they just don't know it 🙂
What is ENDA?
In a nutshell, if this law were to pass it would make it illegal for employers to discriminate against people based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. Much like it's illegal today to discriminate against people because of the color of their skin. Many ladies who have transitioned to living as a woman full time say they that it is difficult to find work because they are transgendered. ENDA would give them a fair shot at earning a living and taking care of their families. The Human Rights Campaign has a website describing more details about the Employment Non-Discrimination Act.
Why Should Crossdressers Care About ENDA?
If you ever plan to transition then it should be quite clear why ENDA is an important law to protect your livelihood. But even if you have no plans to spend every day as a woman a strong, healthy and financially viable transgender community is invaluable to the part time crossdresser. The counseling centers, support groups and even transgender friendly businesses flourish when the community has the financial means to support them. They wouldn't be selling size 12W high heels if there was no market for them 🙂
Have I inspired you to take action? Good! The easiest thing you can do to support ENDA is to write your congressman in support of it, you'll find a list of their contact details here. Your local transgender group might have more activities you can become involved in as well, so give them a call.
P.S. For what it's worth, I filtered these ads from Crossdresser Heaven...
Hiya Vanessa,
If Google do have a sense of humor this is not it, I don't find it funny one bit, it's trans-phobic at the very least, not to mention misleading people into believing that transgendered people are child molesters, which is simply not true.
It's misinformation like this that causes problems, I can give an example, in the photographic community, there is a huge discussion at the moment regarding the law on photography in public places
IIRC there is a law here in the UK which covers equality and diversity, where as employers not allowed to refuse employment just because of ethnic group, skin colour, disability or religious beliefs.
Kind Regards
Emily
It is the ignorance and hate from groups like this that, Rather than say that it makes me ashamed to be a Christian, which I am never ashamed to be a Christian, but I am ashamed for them for calling themselves Christians and making true Christians look so bad. It is through Christ that I found the strength to come out and be myself, but only after I was able to realize that I had to stop letting these people do my thinking for me and that I I had to listen to God and not men of God. I had to follow Christ and not Christians. There is what you are taught and what you learn. I was being TAUGHT many things in the church, but once I started separating and listening to God rather than being spoon fed my beliefs by ministers, then I started to LEARN truth.
I began LEARNING that much of what they were TEACHING was wrong.
I am glad that, slowly, there are churches, either new ones popping up, or even a few older ones that are slowly becoming more accepting. They are still rare, but there are more all the time.
I hate when people always use the Bible and Children as a crutch and fear tactic to support their ignorance. When priests were being arrested and sued left and right, I didn't see anyone trying to "Protect the children" by trying to shut down the Catholic Church. When the Sunday School teacher and Daughter of the pastor of a Christian Church was arrested for kidnapping, raping and murdering a child and leaving his body in a suitcase in a canal, I didn't hear anyone talking about how dangerous Christians are and that we need to protect our children from these groups. There are countless incidents of children being sexually victimized by Christians, youth pastors, etc. and all they can say is "I can't believe a Christian,Youth Pastor, Pastor, Sunday School Teacher, Christian Day care worker, etc. would ever do such a thing", yet when is the last time you have ever heard of a gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered person committing such horrible crimes? Not that it doesn't happen at all, but from what I see on the news when a child is victimized in this way, it is rare that it is by a LGBT person and more often than not, it is by someone with some connection to religion. Either had a strict religious upbringing and taught that sex is bad (which is usually the case), or they are in some kind of position of autority in the church or a religious group. When they are arrested and friends and neighbors are interviewd on the news, I have heard many times people giving statements such as "It's so hard to believe he would do this, he was such a great Chirstian, in church every Sunday and always involved inchurch activities" yet I never once have heard anyone saying "yeah, I figured this would happen because he was gay and/or wore dresses".
the fact is that there are far more child predators with religious connections than there are from the LGBT community. I'm sure you look at any large group of people that you will find at least a few sick perverts thet will prey on kids.
I'm not saying we should put an end to Christianity or shut down all Christain churches, but if they want to solve the problem of child sex abuse, they need to pay attention to facts and reality and look at where the majority of the problem is really coming from.
Most child sex offenders are straight and a verly large portion of them have some kind of major religious background. But rather than make themselves look bad, they want to ignore the facts and point fingers at those who they feel uncomfortable with, and therefore make false statements based on what they are TAUGHT because they haven't yet LEARNED.
Oh, and being gay/lesbian/bi doesn't make you a child molester, and wearing womens clothing doesn't make you a child molester any more than going to church makes you a Christian.
Actually, I cannot remember one time that I have ever heard of a transgendered person being arrested for molesting a child.
Like I said, I am Christian, but I am also Transgendered. While I don't think I would make a very good teacher myself, I think it would actually be a disservice to your children to deny them to be taught by a transgendered person who would be a wonderful teacher based on unsubstatiated fears and hate being spread by whacko religious groups who wish to ignore facts and reality.
And to say that transgendered people "need psychiatric help for their mental illness" well, I believe that religion itself can be, or can lead to mental illness when you have been brain washed into following a group of people and being told what you have to believe. I see a lot of religious people who need serious physchiatric counsiling because THEY are quite mentally ill.
Pat Robertson, for one.
I couldn't agree more with you, Vanessa. I, for one am tired of the religious right trying thier scare tactics on children who are so easily influenced by the electronic media to begin with. As far as Google is concerned, I don't believe I'll be using thier services anytime soon. Can we do something as a comunity to stop these scare adds? How about an add of our own? I'd be willing to help any way I can. Contact me if I can.
There is something very wrong and twisted in a society that is worried about exposing their children to transgendered people, yet allows; nay, likes even, to see little girls dressed and made up far beyond their years for "beauty contests."
Well said Elizabeth. It seems like society is not consistent in it's "morals". It's hard reading about the life of Jesus not to see how wholly Jesus would embrace and love those who are downtrodden and discriminated against.
I heard an interesting (and very telling) comment on NPR the other day. The interviewee was talking about "Christian" religious right-wingers. She said that they take nearly all of their tenets from the book of Revelations. It struck me that theirs is a typical lazy thinker's approach to many things; they take one small portion and glom onto it, but have it all twisted, because it is taken completely out of context. So, in my estimation, they are actually less Christian than Ghandi. And I kept thinking to myself, "What ever happened to 'Judge not, lest ye be judged' ?"
Interesting reading. I know of many TS girls and three I know very well. They all have problems getting employment. The only TS girls that dont have problems in that reguard were already very educated and had exceptionally stable jobs before they transitioned. The average TS girl doesnt fall into that catagory.
Girls that transition try to do it at a young age as it helps deminish secondary sex charistics associated with male hormones. Unless they are very passable or their family is behing them financially they have a long hard road ahead of them. That is why I so admire any girl who does transition.They make great friends and appreciate the little things you do for them.They just want to fit in and be like eveyone else.Discrimination is one of their worst nightmares.
This ad is completely disgusting. Does anyone really believe that ENDA would allow this kind of activity in the first place? I can't imagine any school system in this trans-phobic society that would allow transgendered females to teach to any small children in the first place. Just ask any openly transgendered person how hard it is to get a job anywhere. While ENDA will help, it will not completely end transgendered discrimination. Parents would demand that the schools not allow any transgendered individuals to teach their children no matter what the law says. The school systems would simply be forced to comply and find other excuses to fire someone. Few if any transgendered teachers will endure the ridicule and simply not teach at the grade school level. The pay isn't that good anyway.
I love the passion ladies! I'm hopeful that as more people come out that we'll continue to make progress in the hearts and minds of society, and it will become obvious just how fringe the views of a few religious zealots really are.
I would respectfully suggest we need to stop calling these people by the name they have chosen, "Christian Right". First off, by refusing to espouse all the teachings of Jesus, they fail in being true Christians. Second, they are not right; they are woefully wrong.
Therefore, I suggest we revert to calling them by the full name created decades ago by the press to describe these people: Radical Right Wing. Yes, it is more difficult to say, but it removes the implication that they are correct. Perhaps if we in the transgendered community begin calling them that, our voice will be heard and echoed by others.
At the risk of being disrespectful to others, I'll share the name my wife and I have for the ultra conservative folks who claim to be Christians. I realize that in my own personal journey I struggle to show love to those who condemn and discriminate against minorities and the less fortunate. In this regard I fall short of the love Jesus showed for all - sinner and saint, follower and foe.
We refer to the radical right wing folks as "frights", short for "far right conservative Christians"
As an out and about T girl with a family,I can't stand the hypocrissy of the "frights" and their desire to tell everyone how to think and live. I am not happy with the present administration,but I also know that the ideals of Sarah Palin is no good either..As a displaced,open minded New Englander now living in the "bible belt",with churches everywhere[but very few Unitarian Curches],I notice that the liquor store sure was busy around the holidays!!! I stopped watching FOX News because I was so sick of the "fright" views. We need ENDA to become law and you can see how the hypocrites in DC are paying only "lip service" to us.
Dear friends all, I feel that I must ring in on this one. I posted briefly a few days ago, but now I need to speak my peace . Yes, the "religious right" really aren't completly right, but neither are they all wrong, just misinformed and misled. I don't know where folks get thier information, but God gave us all minds to use, so let's use them. Why muist we as Christians rely on a priest, minister, rabbi, or other member of the ordained clergy to tell us what and how to believe? The Scriptures are for us to read, study and interpret for ourselves. Please don't get me wrong. The clergy do have thier place in the grand scheme of things, however, there is that point where we need to make use of our own intelect to understand what God, in whatever form you choose to see him/her in is trying to tell me as an individual.
Yes, church has it's place as well. He said not to forsake the gathering together of the body. This is for corporate worship and learning. However, learning does not stop at the church doors. It continues all week long. The sermon and other use of Scripture are meant to whet our apitite to dig deeper into the words spoken to find the deeper meaning for our personal live.
Unfortunatly, some of those people who have placed themselves in religious authority over us have taken this position to an unhealthy level and have started to put thier own spin on things to gain a following, or gain prestege or whatever. This is no more Christianity than fly to the moon. True Christanity is in the heart of the believer, not the belief itself.
I personaly do take a somewhat conservative view on some things as far as religon is concerned, but not an extreme view. It's rather hard to do as a transgendered/crossdressing person. I do believe that God did inspire man to write the Scriptures, and that those writings are open for mankind to interpret. My take on a particular portion of the word may not be the same as another person's, but that is the opinion of each person.
To close, love God as you see fit. And if you don't have any particular belief, that is your choice, I cannot and will not condemn you in any way, but love you as another wonderful creation and person, however you choose to live.
Frights is a gereat term. I like it, and shall start using it whenever I need to refer to those people.
I just received an email from ACLU, stating that a Federal judge has ruled that a Mississippi school discrimnated when they cancelled a prom, rather than allow Constance McMillen to attend accompanied by her girlfriend, because they are lesbians. It is a small victory, but from such small victories come needed change.
Well said Ragina. It's important to realize that even when we disagree with people on the religious extremes, that God loves them just as much as He loves us. We were blessed with a mind to think and reason.
Elizabeth, that's wonderful to hear - I had heard about the goings on at the Mississippi school where a prom was cancelled because a lesbian girl asked to bring her girlfriend. It's heartening that our laws don't stand by the side of those who discriminate.
Its a tough world. Dont get all hung up on petty stuff. A couple lesbians go to a prom........ really this isnt important, and neither is the blown out of proportion response. If they both w0uld have worn prom dresses would anyone have noticed? Mentioned one of them was wearing a tux!!! Bells go off and sirens blow!!!! They should have kept their mouths shut, and just showed up. What if you wanted to go to the theatre with your wife,and your in hees. If this got in the paper they would generate, and craft a story out of it. Likely negative, or provocative. Just go and have fun, nobody will notice you, and really nobody cares. Live life , have fun. Carol
Discrimination in any form... to anyone... is just so wrong... and yet through out history it keeps rearing it's ugly head. Can't we just remember that we are all humans... and treat each other with respect?
So to those who want... 'Traditional values'... please read all your history books... not just the victor. Learn from history... or you will condemn yourself... and others... to repeat it's mistakes. Following someone blindly... like a teacher... and... assuming... they are right... can have tragic consequences.
Think for yourself... and learn from history. Be a critical thinker. Treat others the way... YOU... would wish to be treated.
I don't think what a teacher wears has any bearing on it. If the teacher is fully qualified what difference does it make.
I'd rather a teacher have the credentials and qualifications, whether they be male or female. Just because a male wears a dress or skirt doesn't disqualify them. Of course there would be questions as to orientation or pedophilia,
which are just in some circumstances, but as long as it doesn't or create a major problem with the school system.
Then again I know of a teacher (high school) that wear skirts to school because of a medical reason. His students have accepted him without bias. He treats his students well and is highly qualified. He has taught for over 20 years.
The staff there also accepted him. So what I am basically saying is it depends on each teachers situation, but should be allowed to teach as long aspersonal life does interfere with his professional career.
