THE TRANSGENDER "SISTA" AMONG US: CHAOS OR COMMUNITY?

The church folks who read this blog and who know me personally have noticed that I have a few transgender friends. I never set out to find transgender friends, but life has a way of bringing us into situations that are intended to teach us. My transgender friends have always created a huge scene whenever they visit my church. People seem to become nervous and afraid when seeing transgenders. I think that our natural instinct is to fear whatever we do not understand. There is a blog that addresses transphobia. Click here to read the writings of a 30-something transwoman.

I came into the transgender community while serving God. I began meeting people who were transgender in the communities where I was ministering the Gospel. Over time, rich friendships were formed. One person I met was dying of AIDS and we became close. When I came to the hospital wearing a clergy garment, the visitors who did not know me were staring at me. I walked in the door of the hospital room and said with a smile: "Is there room for more love in here? I've brought some." After getting to know me, the transgender community welcomed me. When my friend died of AIDS, I arrived at the funeral and saw the pews filled with transgender "sistas". I walked up to the front of the sanctuary, looked into the casket at my friend and said out loud, "I'll see you later." It was an affirmation that I wanted my friend's mother to hear, that I truly believed I would see her child in Heaven when I got there. I spoke to the sister of my friend and told her how much her sibling had mattered in my life.

There are some myths that I will shatter about transgenders:

1. All transgenders are homosexual.

2. All transgenders have faced sexual abuse in childhood.

3. All transgenders are emotionally wounded.

4. All transgenders are fetishists.

5. All transgenders are confused about gender identity.

6. No transgenders are Christians.

7. All transgenders are outside of society's mainstream.

8. All transgenders are "freakish" looking.

9. All transgenders would be "normal" if they received help.

Often, MtF transgenders are a disappointment to black women because they are viewed as black men who are "wasted". Many black women see a black man who is gay or cross-dressing and sigh, "another one wasted".

It surprises me to see the reactions of others when I am having dinner with my transgender friends and one of them mentions I am a minister when introducing me. It seems that many transgendered persons are used to being shunned by those who profess to be Christian.

One of my ministry colleagues asked me, "how is it that you can be an advocate for gays and be a Christian?" I replied, "Define gay advocate. I believe I am an equality advocate. Perhaps I have misunderstood your observation. Are you are saying that my commitment to equality and my disdain for injustice and hatred makes me 'a gay advocate', I mean, according to your dictionary? Or are you saying something else?" My colleague did not respond.

My transgendered friends know that they are loved by God and I tell them constantly.

The black community does not talk about the transgender community. I have been to many blogs of black women and I never read anything about the intersectionality of transgender issues and black women's empowerment priorities.

I think that many black women view MtF transgenders as fetishists who like "playing dress up". Many people do not realize that there are people who believe that they were born as a man but were supposed to be a woman, or that they were born as a woman and were supposed to be a man. Those who believe it strongly enough will identify with the gender that he/she believes he/she was intended to be.

MtF transgenders are usually reviled by black men and are often harassed and physically threatened. It is extremely dangerous for a MtF transgender to be alone at night because the likelihood of facing violence is great. Transgenders have been tortured by police and refused medical attention by EMTs. I have never understood what enrages a black man when encountering someone who has not shared his sexual orientation. I have never felt rage or hatred when encountering someone who did not share my sexual identity and I certainly do not have the constitution to lash out with harmful words or actions. We will never be empowered as a people until we decide, as individuals, to confront our ignorance and our intolerance. Injustice will never be isolated to just the segments of society that we don't care much about.

MtF transgenders are not usually thought of as "women" by most black women. The more I speak to black women about MtF transgenders, the more I hear that they are usually thought of as emotionally-troubled men who are presenting themselves as caricatures of black women. The American Psychological Association has a brochure titled, "Answers to Your Questions About Transgender Individuals and Gender Identity": Click here to read it.


(Video added August 11. Blog Credit: Dr. Rebecca Auge)

Do black women believe in embracing the fluidity of gender? If we do, how fluid is gender?

I want to talk about the fluidity of gender.

I want to discuss the presentation of gender.

I want to examine how we are conditioned to accept parameters of gender.

How have black women learned to define "woman"?

What are the specific aspects of this definition that we must change?

How have black women learned to define "man"?

Can a man have a "woman" inside of him?

Can a woman have a "man" inside of her?

Are you a woman simply because of your anatomy?

When does anatomy become less important in the definition of gender?

Three months ago, I wrote a post titled, "Sisterhood and the Lesbian Factor" and I addressed the stereotypes about black lesbians. In that post, I did not talk about the "sistas" who are MtF transgenders. I do not believe that we will see a decrease in the number of MtF transgenders in the black community. I believe that the transgender community is growing at a rate that we haven't noticed because this community is often separated from the "mainstream" black community. As we discuss empowerment for black women, are we thinking about the empowerment of our transgender "sistas"?

If not, why not?

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RELATED POSTS (Click on title.)

"Evolving Into Black Womanhood" (TransGriot)

"The Cause of Anger In The Transgender Community" (TransGroup Blog)

"I Am Not A Transvestite" (Laverne Cox)

"On Becoming A Man"

"Can You Be Transgendered and Christian?" (Whoever)

"Out In Scripture" Biblical Devotions (HRC)