Real Concepts Magazine - Bilingual Dec2016
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WHATWOULDJESUSSAYTOA<br />
TRANSGENDERPERSON?<br />
EversinceBruceJennerannouncedin<br />
April2015thathehadbecomeashe,<br />
thedebateovertransgenderrightsbegan<br />
heating up. That same month, a<br />
gender-neutral restroom opened in the<br />
WhiteHouse.Now,ayearlater,thefederal<br />
governmenthassued the state ofNorth<br />
Carolinaoveritsso-caled"bathroom law,"<br />
whichrequirespeopletousethebathroom<br />
thatcorespondsto theiroriginalgender.<br />
“Theworldisabal<br />
ofconfusion”<br />
ByJ.LeeGrady<br />
ManyordinaryAmericansarescratchingtheir<br />
heads.Thewordtransgenderisforeignto<br />
them—along withaltheothernew terms<br />
thathavebeencoinedinrecentmonthsto<br />
describeapersonwhowantstochangetheir<br />
genderorisn'tsureaboutit.Theseterms<br />
include "gender fluid," "pansexual,"<br />
"bigender"and"genderqueer."Thetransgenderphenomenon<br />
makesno sense to<br />
peoplewho assumeweliveinanorderly<br />
world inwhichmenaremen,womenare<br />
womenandeverybodyjustacceptstherules<br />
ofbiology.Butwedon'tliveinanorderly<br />
world.Weliveinafalenworldthathasbeen<br />
mared by accidents,wars,human eror,<br />
abuse, racism, environmental disasters,<br />
poverty,disease,terorism,socialinjustice,<br />
sexualdeviation,addictionsandpersonality<br />
disorders.<br />
AstheTemptationssangwaybackin1970,theworldis"abalofconfusion."<br />
Transgenderpeopleonlymakeup0.3percentoftheU.S.population,sochancesareyouhave<br />
nevermetone.Ihave.Severalyearsago,whenIwasonassignmentwithCharismainSan<br />
Francisco,IcariedonalongconversationwithStephanie,amanwhowaslivingasawomanin<br />
thePolkdistrictofthecity.Stephaniehadalreadypaid$2,300forbreastimplantsbuthewas<br />
savingmoneyforafulsex-changeoperation.<br />
Hishairwasbleachedblondandheworethickblueeyeshadowanddarkredlipstick.Hehad<br />
femininemannerisms,butthehormonepilshehadbeentakingcouldn'tsoftenhissquarejaw<br />
orshrinkhisthickhands,whichweredecoratedwithlongpurplenails.<br />
"Ifeelkindoflostsometimes,"hetoldmeafterIboughthim acupofcofee.
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