gender myths, radical patriarchy, what i am proud of in my femmanization, art of bill rice and michael mcgrath
yesterday i was grateful for yoga with anne...
today i am looking forward to yoga with julian...
continuing to read gender trash from hell... this morning i was concentrating on a couple of pages of gender myths... a two stood out to me this morning...
GENDER MYTH #4 Male-to-female transsexuals are trying to "pass" as women. They try to make themselves as much like non transsexuals women as possible.
Male-to-female transsexuals are women: they don't need to pass. They don't necessarily want to hide or eliminate their differences from non-transsexual women, although the threat of ostracism leads many to do so. Some transsexuals are proud of their particular route to womanhood, feel they have learned a lot from the journey they have taken, and value the unique qualities they bring to the women's community.
-- Gender Trash From Hell
as i have explained in previous posts, i don't presently think of myself as a woman... i aspire to be womanly... i feel more comfortable being womanly... i dress and make myself up accordingly... i use the men's bathroom when i have to, but boy do i love gender neutral bathrooms... however, i believe and know that there are transsexuals that have been women practically from the day they were born, if not from the day they were born... my experience of feminine being is different... that's all...
what is significant in the above quote for me is that i am proud of my journey to femmaninity... i am proud of my courage and honesty with myself and others... and i do believe i have unique qualities to bring to the worlds of men, women and every gender in-between...
and then there was this gender myth...
GENDER MYTH #6 To lessen the power of patriarchy in our lives, we must purge our community of everything male, including women who once had male anatomy.
FACT: By emphasizing the distinction between male and female, we reinforce the idea that there are exactly two distinct sexes. This is the very concept that permits sexism to exist, because discrimination would be impossible if women were not readily distinguishable from men. If we wish to deflate the power of the patriarchy, the most effective thing we can do is encourage the blurring of gender lines and expand our thinking beyond male-female dualism.
-- Gender Trash From Hell
i'm not sure whether this myth still has a lot of currency in the present moment, which remains more enlightened than the period of time Gender Trash From Hell was published... though there are radical patriarchal forces trying to change that...
what stands out to me in the fact statement is the idea that blurring the distinction between male and female deflates the power of the patriarchy, which is the political act i am most proud of in pursuing femmaninity... especially in a moment when the patriarchy, hopefully in its death throws, is doubling down on strict gender lines... my femmaninity is my most fundamental act of resistance...
and moments ago, as i am writing this post, a random hispanic guy and his girlfriend walk by and he says "like your necklace!"... affirmations come from the most unexpected places...
and now for some art...
10 Exhibitions to See in Upstate New York This January
Michael McGrath: Under Panther Mountain Headstone Gallery, 28 Hurley Avenue, Kingston, New York Through January 25
and this review of the work of Bill Rice stood out to me... kinda mark rothko meets edward hopper... really like the work...
there is a current show at Steven Harvey Fine Art Projects... closing in just a few days...
and now a couple of photographs from this am...
