The Transgender War

In our second Art of Rhetoric AP, we talked about the status quo and Op-Ed. During this unit, we also met with a young alderman of the 40th ward, Ugo Okere. He discussed that being a public speaker is important when expressing your opinion. And during our FE to the Marquette Park Memorial on the west of 67th, we conversed about how it doesn't take just one important person to change an opinion, it takes a community. In this AP we were to choose an opinion that society thinks is true and put OUR opinion in there and provide facts. 

How society thinks that being a transgender man/woman and being a drag queen/king is the same, is false and inaccurate. Being transgender is identifying as a different or opposite gender than the one you were born. Being a  drag queen means that you change your gender to entertain or perform. 

The main star of the famous drag queen tv show RuPaul’s Drag Race, RuPaul comments a ton of derogatory words towards trans people. “I love the word ‘tranny,’ he insisted. “And no one has ever said the word ‘tranny’ in a derogatory sense.” He also said that he would not let a woman at birth or transgender women join the “race” because it loses “its sense of irony once it’s not men doing [drag].”  Ninth season contestant Peppermint was cast even though she was transitioning into a woman. She was cast by RuPaul even though his thoughts of the transgender community because she didn’t change her body until after the season was filmed. Peppermint didn’t get breast implants until after she left our show; she was identifying as a woman, but she hadn’t really transitioned. After the Guardian interview and lots of backlash from the LGBTQ+, RuPaul reflected on his actions and cast Gia Gunn in RuPaul's Drag Race All-Stars. Even they had a heated conversation off-camera that made Gunn say at a San Jose performance “f**** Miss RuPaul and her ignorant-a** comments.” I am very frustrated with society and how it is portrayed in the media. 

I am afraid that the perspective of drag queens is the usual misconception of a transgender woman, which it is not. According to the National Center For Transgender Equality, Transgender is a broad term that can be used to describe people whose gender identity is different from the gender they were thought to be when they were born. The pronouns are also just as important as the whole gender identity or sexuality. There is a difference between “male”, “female” and “woman”, “man” in the transgender community. The difference between “male” and “man” is male is what you identify at birth or what society sees you as. for example Sam is a non-binary male, Sam identifies as “non-binary” but they were born a “male”.  A Drag queen is a usually gay male who dresses as a woman and performs as an entertainer especially to caricature stereotypically vampish women. I feel like drag queens persuade the gullible male audience that all women, especially transwomen are very sexual or in need of a male companion. Which causes the male to female (or female transitioned) rape and sexual assault.  Transgender Discrimination Survey found that 12 percent of transgender youth report being sexually assaulted in K–12 settings by peers or educational staff; 13 percent of African-American transgender people surveyed were sexually assaulted in the workplace, and 22 percent of homeless transgender individuals were assaulted while staying in shelters.  

As a black woman and a member of the LGBTQ+ community, there is a lot of discrimination. You get judged by people with racism and heterosexism. Peppermint, Gia Gunn, and other Transgender people of color have been getting the short end of the stick with stereotypes and lack of jobs. In the 2018 Netflix show, Pose, Blanca and other trans people became a “chosen family” because they shared their difficulties together during the HIV/AIDS epidemic. In the 1990s and 80s, LGBTQ+ people were in danger because gay and transgender people were catching and passing it to others, similar to this Covid-19 pandemic. From 1981-2000, 128,727 people were diagnosed with HIV/AIDS and around 48,000 of those people died. 

Even though transgender people are still suffering from discrimination from the global society, I understand people may be ignorant about this topic, some rely on the internet for answers and get the wrong information. Also, they have parents or people in charge of them giving their opinions without facts and also giving the wrong information. And that is understandable. I wish those who don't know to ask from a source like a transgender person and be aware that they are human and not a doll. ` 

Citation:

“RuPaul's Drag Race.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 16 Nov. 2020, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RuPaul's_Drag_Race.

“RuPaul: 'Drag Is a Big f-You to Male-Dominated Culture'.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 3 Mar. 2018, www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2018/mar/03/rupaul-drag-race-big-f-you-to-male-dominated-culture.

Framke, Caroline. “How RuPaul's Comments on Trans Women Led to a Drag Race Revolt - and a Rare Apology.” Vox, Vox, 6 Mar. 2018, www.vox.com/culture/2018/3/6/17085244/rupaul-trans-women-drag-queens-interview-controversy.

Daily, Andre Lawes Menchavez The, and Paige Gedicke. “RuPaul and Drag Race: Racism, Fracking, and Transphobia Galore.” The Daily of the University of Washington, 21 May 2020, www.dailyuw.com/opinion/article_945fbd6c-9b0a-11ea-81db-ff871a85f1cc.html.

“Pose.” IMDb, IMDb.com, 3 June 2018, www.imdb.com/title/tt7562112/.