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Queer gender
Apr. 5th, 2011 03:22 pmI like this brief essay/description of the intersection of feminism, LBG identity, and trans* identity: http://queeritself.wordpress.com/2010/03/27/toward-abroader-support-of-trans-rights/
It is very simplistic, but it makes the main points about this intersection, I think. I'd add that modern feminism also argues for men being 'allowed' to perform tasks and identities that society reserves for people it thinks are female, and be treated equally while doing so - because 'feminine' things aren't inherently worse than 'masculine' things, even if society thinks that they are.
Also, not all feminists, LBG people and trans people are trying to be countercultural - it's why 'queer' doesn't always work as an umbrella term, because not all LBGTA people are queer in their identites. I mean, I behave in a countercultural manner, but that's because at the point when teenager!me worked out some of the non-normal parts of my self I decided to enjoy it rather than hide it, because there was so much going against me already. Not everyone makes that descision - a lot of people go the opposite way, and say that since they're a 'normal' person, the 'queer' aspect of themselves is also normal. Or half-way: that they're 'normal' except for That One Thing.
This intersection is why I tend to identify most of my politics as 'feminist' despite the fact that, going by the simplistic definitions, one wouldn't describe them as 'advocating the cause for women'. It's all connected, and I wouldn't know where to draw the lines between them, and wouldn't really want to.
(What's that? You want me to get my counterculturalism out of your counterculturalism? Oh, shoo.)
It is very simplistic, but it makes the main points about this intersection, I think. I'd add that modern feminism also argues for men being 'allowed' to perform tasks and identities that society reserves for people it thinks are female, and be treated equally while doing so - because 'feminine' things aren't inherently worse than 'masculine' things, even if society thinks that they are.
Also, not all feminists, LBG people and trans people are trying to be countercultural - it's why 'queer' doesn't always work as an umbrella term, because not all LBGTA people are queer in their identites. I mean, I behave in a countercultural manner, but that's because at the point when teenager!me worked out some of the non-normal parts of my self I decided to enjoy it rather than hide it, because there was so much going against me already. Not everyone makes that descision - a lot of people go the opposite way, and say that since they're a 'normal' person, the 'queer' aspect of themselves is also normal. Or half-way: that they're 'normal' except for That One Thing.
This intersection is why I tend to identify most of my politics as 'feminist' despite the fact that, going by the simplistic definitions, one wouldn't describe them as 'advocating the cause for women'. It's all connected, and I wouldn't know where to draw the lines between them, and wouldn't really want to.
(What's that? You want me to get my counterculturalism out of your counterculturalism? Oh, shoo.)
