Hello and welcome back to Trans 101
With Julie.
A new idea would be this: Allow our
titular Julie to wake up and not immedicately go into a a higher
state of anger than she normally has. It would be novel, and an
interesting change of pace, and I'd rather like that a lot.
Sadly, it seems unlikely to happen.
We all know about the horrific
situation in Cville the weekend of 12 August, so I won't belabour
that, safe to note that it is, of course, endemic of the cancer that
has eaten at this country for 525 years, give or take. It doesn't
need said much more than that, and really isn't within the purview of
what I intend these essays/screeds/rants/tranche de vie to be.
But, we'll use this as a foundation, a
launching point for what is going to follow. Last week I think I
prefaced...let me look...yes. I did. So, I get to use it all over
again. Bully for me.
"I want to talk about this
week.
I want to talk about my feelings
about what happened this week.
I will likely alienate a lot of
people with this.
I'm going to use really harsh
language and potentially triggering words and slurs in here.
I'd say I'm sorry but I'm not.
It's all necessary.
Let's begin."
~~~//||\\~~~
Two things happened this week that bear
some form of comment.
The first is a situation in
Philadelphia dealing with Function Coffee Labs, which fired a
transgender employee, ostensibly for 'performance-related issues.'
Pennsylvania is an 'at will' state when
it comes to employment. To quote:
"[A]n employer may terminate
its employees at will, for any or no reason ... the employer may act
peremptorily, arbitrarily, or inconsistently, without providing
specific protections such as prior warning, fair procedures,
objective evaluation, or preferential reassignment ... The mere
existence of an employment relationship affords no expectation,
protectable by law, that employment will continue, or will end only
on certain conditions, unless the parties have actually adopted such
terms."
(Ref: Guz v. Bechtel National,
Inc., 24 Cal. 4th 317, 8 P.3d 1089, 100 Cal. Rptr. 2d 352)
This means, irrespective of anything,
if the employer wants to terminate your employment, they can do so.
As long as they don't say 'We're firing you because you're a tranny,'
they can get away with it.
So all well and good. Someone got
fired.
There are, of course, two sides to the
story.
First, the business's:
"We fired a barista who was
not adequately performing job duties and yes, also happens to be
transgender. However, their termination had nothing to do with their
gender identity. Since May, we have been in the process of starting
an internship for an LGBTQ youth in conjunction with the Attic Youth
Center, which we plan to start in the Fall. We welcome and support
people of all kinds both as employees and customers."
There are so many things I would have
addressed right to the business on this.
Except I can't.
Because they blocked my ability to post
or respond on their page.
Now, as much as it pains me to say
this, they are within their rights to do so. It is their FB page and
they can include or exclude people as they see fit. The fact that I
am trans and openly so, vocal and openly so, and angry and obviously
so, surely had nothing to do with it, and the sheer fact that I was
argumentative was the only reason they shut off my commenting.
(for the record, and for fairness and
clarity and open disclosure, here is what I wrote:
"I come to Philadelphia
regularly for my trans health care at the Mazzoni Center over on
Bainbridge. Usually my friends and I look for a coffee place to hang
out at before and after my appointments. It'll never be Function now
that I know they discriminated against one of their employees for
being transgender. I am incensed. I hope you're proud of what you've
done, and I hope you enjoy the rotted fruits of your efforts.")
And here's the former employee's:
"My name is [blank], I am
the person you speak of in West Willy and Queer Philly Exchange, who
got fired from Function Coffee Labs. I am very okay with you both
posting this - yes, please stop shit like this from happening - but
would prefer to remain anonymous. I would also like this to remain
credible, so here is the entire story.
First, about me, I am a trans
identified person, assigned female at birth, mixed race/POC, in my
late 20s. This customer who felt uncomfortable with me had made
multiple complaints about me to my bosses, about the "new girl",
the "lesbian" - I was not new at Function (8 months of
employment), and I do not identify as a girl or a lesbian. In person,
he was aggressively sexist, transphobic, and classist to me. In
response to his comments and complaints, I told my bosses he made me
feel unsafe. However, because he was a "regular" I was
forced to continue interacting with him, but relied on my coworkers
to serve him whenever possible.
In his most recent complaint, he
told my bosses I had made gay slurs at him and his friends, and that
I was homophobic. I had never made gay slurs at him, and he never
entered with any friends. However, my bosses asked me to apologize to
him, to "smooth things over". On his next visit, this
customer approached me while I was behind the counter, put his face
inches from my face, and shouted at me. I redirected the conversation
outside of the store, and as requested, apologized for making him
feel disrespected and hurt. He proceeded to verbally harass me, and
physically threatened me.
I recounted the details of this
incident to my bosses immediately in an email, and told them I did
not feel safe. They responded 3 days later, saying that they were
concerned about how I interact with customers, and that we'd discuss
this further when they returned. They were out of the country at the
time of the incident and the email.
In response, I told them I felt
unsafe, unsupported, and that I'd been made to feel like a problem
employee. I also highlighted the "harassment and discrimination"
section of the employee handbook, and left it out for them to see
when they returned.
The next day, I received an email
telling me I was fired, effective immediately. Their reasons were for
defacing the handbook, and creating a "hostile space".
Thank you for reading."
So, we have two stories.
One of them seems a little more
detailed than the other.
Now, I realise that the business can't
say anything out of fear or worry of retribution and/or defamation of
character, but despite my bias, I am a little more prone to believe
the employee than I am the business. There's a LOT of detail.
Specific incidences. Repeated verbal abuse from the same customer. I
have a much easier time believing because these are systems and
modalities of transmisist attack that we see time and again. Yes,
there are one off attacks...they are usually (but not always)
physical, and sadly many end in hospitalisation or death.
The end result?
I'll never shop there.
People are already checking with Attic
Youth center to see if they know about this...because the terminated
employee was the one who brought the center to the business's
attention and got the program, that Function now touts as theirs,
going.
And the business will carry on with
minimal impact cos, you know, trannies, all we're good for is being
emotional and uppity, am I right?
Meanwhile, someone lost their job for
living while trans.
And so it goes.
~~~//||\\~~~
The second thing...
Oh, the second thing.
Buckle up cos if part one was bumpy,
part two promises to be a roller coaster of fun.
On 14 August, Bored Panda...
Wait.
What IS Bored Panda anyway?
In their words, "Bored Panda is a
leading media company dedicated to spreading viral content that makes
people happy. Each month, we bring happiness to 30 million readers
from the US, the UK and all around the world."
Oh. Kay.
So making people happy.
Got it.
So on 14 August, Bored Panda posted a
viral listicle photo thing of some five to six dozen before and after
photos of trans women, trans men, and non binary people, in a 'You
won't believe the transformation' inspiration porn type thing. I
don't even know.
Here's the thing.
When we post before and after pix, it's
after a lot of handwringing, and usually for other trans people or
eggs (slang for a still not out trans person early in their self
discovery) as a way of saying 'Listen, I know you're worried, but you
got this. Look. I felt like you. If I can do it you can too. We're
here for you.' We do it in places that we think are safe, for our own
community, not for cis people to scrape and say 'LOOK AT WHAT A GOOD
ALLY I AM FOR LIKING PEOPLE!'
Ahem.
I digress.
None of these people were asked if
their photos could be used. Considering that they all had links to
their social media accounts under the photos, it's not like BP
couldn't have done so...they opted not to.
Many of these people are my friends.
And I don't use that in the 'we're connected on FB or twitter' way, I
mean we talk regularly friends.
At least one of them has been recently
assaulted for the crime of Living While Trans. And is looking for new
employment. Many others may be assault victims. Or looking for new
housing. Or not out publicly to friends or family.
I can go on, but I don't think I need
to. Any other time this would be bad enough. But now? In an era where
we allow Nazis to freely walk the streets, hold demonstrations, run
cars into crowds and kill people? In an era where Nazis are once
again advocating for the extermination of all degenerates? In an era
where I regularly get death threats, rape threats? When lots of us
do? Who could possibly think this was a good idea for an article?
Oh.
Wait.
I guess the key word is think, isn't
it?
So we report the article, both at their
site, and on Facebook. We comment on it begging them to take it down.
We expose ourselves to transmisists and hateful bigots in order to
protect our own because time and again we have to do this.
Fortunately, many of my friends who are not trans 'rally to my battle
cry,' as one put it, and go in on them as well...an act that I am as
always eternally grateful for, as they do it not for cookies or
brownie points but because they know it's right to do so.
Finally, the article goes down, both on
their site and obviously the link on Facebook. So, victory. But only
partial. They kept the article up long enough for it to be scraped,
aggregated, and mirrored on countless other sites.
And they still think they did nothing
wrong.
How do I know this? How am I sure this
is not idle speculation and paranoia on my part?
Let me tell you how.
Yesterday I sent them this message:
"I want you to take a look at the
comments under the article you posted of the transition photos.
Take a long look.
Now consider this: you have just put
dozens of women at risk. Many of these women may not be out in public
yet. Or to their families. You have just outed them. Some of them
have been victims of violence for being trans.
And none of them gave you permission to
use the photos.
How are you going to address this?
You've potentially got the blood of dozens on your hands.
Retract the article. Pull it from your
site. Post an apology.
The damage is done, but you can limit
it possibly.
Do the right thing."
I think I was reasoned. I didn't curse
once. That is a MAJOR victory for Julie.
Around 5 am on the 15th, I get the
following in reply:
"Hello,
Firstly, thank you for your concern
about transgender people.
All the photos that appear on the post
are taken from public internet platforms like reddit.com, where
people uploaded and shared these photos by themselves (supposely,
after estimating the potential influence on their lives). 18th
paragraph from Reddit User Agreement states: "By submitting user
content to reddit, you grant us a royalty-free, perpetual,
irrevocable, non-exclusive, unrestricted, worldwide license to
reproduce, prepare derivative works, distribute copies, perform, or
publicly display your user content in any medium and for any purpose,
including commercial purposes, and to authorize others to do so."
There's a link where you can read more about it -
https://www .reddit. com/help/useragreement
Nevertheless, that was never an
intention to put these people in danger and I'm sorry if you see this
situation in this way. In that case, even if there's a slightest
danger, we don't wanna risk. The post was taken down."
At this point in the proceedings, Julie
takes a deep breath.
There is so much wrong with this.
And since I've been in a constant state
of rage, and I do not wish to rewrite things in a calmer reasoned
manner, here is the response I posted on my FB wall:
" "Firstly, thank you for
your concern about transgender people."
JESUS FUCKING CHRIST YOU ARE SHITTING
ME.
"All the photos that appear on the
post are taken from public internet platforms like reddit. com, where
people uploaded and shared these photos by themselves (supposely,
after estimating the potential influence on their lives).”
OK WE'RE BLAMING THE VICTIMS NOW GOOD
FUCKING JOB.
"18th paragraph from Reddit User
Agreement states:"
FUCK YOU IMMORAL LAWS ARE NOT TO BE
FOLLOWED FUCK YOU.
"Nevertheless, that was never an
intention to put these people in danger and I'm sorry if you see this
situation in this way"
THESE PEOPLE?
THESE PEOPLE?
FFFFFUUUUUCCCCCKKKKK YOU SO FUCKING
HARD WITH SPORKS AND KNORKS AND RUSTY SCISSORS AND EVERYFUCKING THING
ELSE I'M SORRY IF YOU FEEL THIS WAY FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK
YOU FUCK YOU
"In that case, even if there's a
slightest danger, we don't wanna risk. The post was taken down."
HOW FUCKING MAGNANIMOUSLY CAUCASIAN OF
YOU BUT NOW THOSE PHOTOS ARE ALL OVER THE FUCKING PLACE WITH LINKS TO
THESE PEOPLE'S SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS ONE OF THEM WAS JUST ASSAULTED
FOR LIVING WHILE TRANS SEVERAL OF THEM ARE TRYING TO FIND NEW JOBS
SOME OF THEM AREN'T EVEN OUT TO THEIR PARENTS HOW THE FUCK CAN YOU
HAVE POSSIBLY THOUGHT OR WAIT THERE IT IS THOUGHT I EXPECTED YOU TO
THINK HA HA HA HA HA HA HA SILLY JULIE HOW CAN YOU POSSIBLY THINK
THAT SOMEONE WOULD ACTUALLY THINK ABOUT US OR IF AN ARTICLE THAT WE
HAVEN'T FUCKING CONSENTED TO WOULD BE A RISK HA HA HA"
I...did edit out some of the egregious
ha's I typed in there tho.
Because I do have some restraint.
Sometimes.
In the interest of clarity, here's how
I replied to them tho:
"And because you put the photos
up, now they have been disseminated and are replicated on multiple
websites which have scraped your content and mirrored it. Good job.
I hope you're proud."
They did see this reply. There is a
read notification.
But they won't respond to it.
And give me credit...that was
incredibly composed and restrained.
Comparatively speaking.
Here's the thing, people:
We're under threat. We're always under
threat. On a good day our alert status is yellow. I don't know what a
green day is like. Going out in public, even if I'm in boimode,
worries me cos hey boobs am I right boys and girls they're pretty
good, eh? So I get weird looks and looks of distaste and I wear
makeup even if I have a day's growth because fuck I'm me why should I
have to hide anymore look boobs.
Well, my average day starts orange now,
and generally hits red around 10 AM on the regular. And I know loads
of people tell me I can calm down, I can take breaks, I need to take
care of myself.
And I shake my head.
When exactly am I allowed to do this?
My life...my very act of breathing 15
times a minute give or take...is a threat to people who have never
met me. They want to put a bullet in my brain. They want to shove me
in ovens. They want to cut me to pieces. They want to rape me while
murdering me. And if you think I'm exaggerating or overegging the
custard, I'm not. And I bet I get it lighter than a Zinnia Jones or a
Riley Dennis. Or a Chelsea Manning. And I've seen the shit they get
in PUBLIC, so I know it's bad.
These are my sisters.
My brothers.
My enby siblings.
This is my family.
And family means you fight.
Sometimes past the point of exhaustion.
Because the alternative really isn't an
alternative. The alternative is surrender. The alternative is death.
And if I'm going to die, I will die facing the enemy, I'll be armed,
and I'll make damned sure I take as many of them with me when I go
Stay safe, comrades.
For me.
Transmission
ends.
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