LGB “T”: So — what’s the real story?

Pride on parade in Taiwan.

Despite my comments in my earlier articles on the difficulties facing TG people in Thailand, on balance, it’s fair to say that, Asia wide, there has been a definite improvement in rights, conditions, awareness and acceptance of LGBT people over the last five to ten years; Governments and local authorities are finally sitting up and taking notice of what is now quite a vocal minority. Many major corporations now have diversity budgets for LGBT related activities and are keen to be seen to promote equal opportunities and openness for the sector in the workplace.

LGBT activists have won some battles and lost others; reduced discrimination, made strides in the protection of employment; even annual LGBT parades are now almost de rigueur in most major Asian capitals. All in all, therefore, there seems to be a positive sway in general public opinion about LGB matters. Yes — LGB matters. For those who misread it first time — LGB.

Hold on: So where has the T gone? Why has it dropped off from the end of the widely accepted LGBT acronym? What about us T people?

There are several key issues here as I see it: firstly, as almost every T person knows (I hope) this (LGBT) was a marriage of convenience; an alliance of the unholy, a coming together of some of the ‘wayward’ sectors of society. That it has lasted so long, I must admit, is somewhat surprising (to me as well as others from within some of the T groups with whom I’ve spoken).

It doesn’t take much really to realise that groups fighting for rights related to their sexual orientation have little in common with those fighting for their rights to live in their correct gender. Few T people are asking for same sex marriage or partner benefits; just as few G or L people see the need to fight to materially alter their physical appearance — especially not the need to alter their, …er, genitalia…

So, when the powers that be agree to concessions or compromises for LGBT, nine times out of ten it’s not the T sector who get the benefit; we don’t seem to have a powerful enough lobby or voice to push for the changes that we want. Now some might argue that is because we as a group don’t really know what we want, such are the diversities and complexities that exist with our own T part of the world. And whilst it may be the existence of this huge variety that makes us (in my humble opinion) the most interesting of all the sub-groups under the Rainbow flag, herein lies the second issue: It is this very myriad of contrasts which prevents us from  making solid progress. After all, gays are gay and lesbians are lesbians, whereas T’s are, well: some are partial Crossdressers (CD’s) (maybe fetish), ‘full’ CD’s, TV’s and TS’; want to be women, don’t want to be women; gay or straight or bi plus many other shapes and sizes in between. Some of us are out, some not out. Some are extrovert, some not.

In fact, it’s likely that, of the sub-sets of the subsector which goes under the letter T, most would, in an honest, objective poll, not recognise themselves as T. To me T means Transgender (i.e. in the wrong gender), and dressing up for fun, for sexual kicks, or for some deeper, other enjoyment, is not really about wanting to change gender, is it?

See what I mean about us as group not knowing what we really want? Mainly because we don’t know what we are; we are not certainly homogeneous.

If we want people in authority, decision makers, to help us obtain the opportunities and acceptance which our cousins under the LGB banner are striving for (not easy I know), then, in my view, we really need to better define our goals and objectives.

Advancement of T matters in Thailand is stuck in a rut; advance of the T cause generally, in my opinion, is also. Yes, yes, I know there is far more awareness of males crossdressing (note: crossdressing rather than being TG) these days with the Internet, TV shows, and selective magazines all helping the cause, whatever “the cause” may be. However, it seems to me that we are some twenty years behind the progress L&G people are making– simply because we, as a group, are so fragmented and without a clear definition of what we are and what we want (I never said it was easy!).

After all, I don’t think many closet crossdressers will want to advocate they be allowed to go to work in a dress, nor will many female underwear fetish crossdressers want to be allowed to turn up for a business meeting in full stockings and suspenders regalia… or would they?

Now that would be a story.

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Tags: featured, opinion, politics, Transgender, Transsexual

Category: Transgender Opinion, Transgender Politics