LGBT - a plea.

[Comrade F&F]

Note: Trigger warning ahead.

 

I've mentioned here before that I've come from outside the West - a small little community in the middle of the Pacific that's easily glossed over. I'm not going to explain where exactly. But it's very diverse, taking in cultures from many corners of the world.

 

But one of my fears is the influx of Western influence. Especially the intolerance and phobia of people who are just...different.

 

Many years ago, I went to a Bakla hairstylist for my senior prom. He was quite good styling my hair, and I was really happy. I couldn't care less he was Bakla - a guy in skinny jeans, pink T-shirt, heels, and diamond studded earrings. He was so elegant and flamboyant, pinning flowers into my hair and gossiping with the other ladies in the shop. He had his own business, and was flooded with customers looking to one-up the other on the big Prom night. 

 

Before anyone asks why I used 'he' let me explain: Bakla comes from Filipino origins, And from what I gather, Filipinos don't have gender-specific pronouns in their language. When translated to English, he/she pronouns are more sex-based than 'gender identity'-based. A bakla is a man who acts very feminine, and some will explain Bakla is equivalent to gay, transgender, etc, but it's not. That's just the closest translation to English. There's actually no English word for Bakla.

 

So, I move away to the States and about two years later...

 

...I learned that someone murdered him.

 

I never knew him, beyond someone who ran a reputable hair salon. He had everything going for him. I never learned when or why it happened. It might not have been a hate-crime, but it might have been. All in all, I couldn't understand...why?

 

It opened my eyes to the struggles the Trans community faced. I was never bothered by someone who was just different - it was their culture, or their way of life. It never occurred to me that there could be people who hated them for just being who they were, and that would have lethal consequences. I couldn't believe people could be that intolerant or hateful. When you're exposed to so many cultures, you just mingle and roll with it. But to the West...they never had that opportunity. Their culture steamrolls in. Eventually things settle down and mix up again, but...

 

...I don't want to see hate and intolerance become a part of that mix.

 

To the LGBT of the Westernized Worlds, please. Keep up your resistance and do not let hatred flourish. There are still pockets of communities around the world where people can get along. But they're tiny in the face of intolerance and hatred. There's only so much our defenses can hold up against.

[Snao Cone]

and *hugs* if you take them.

 

When I took a course on gender diversity last year, the facilitator was a bakla, and he spoke of it as being a re-emerging part of Filipino culture that was previously buried by colonial and missionary powers that enforced the western gender dichotomy. I believe he was born in Canada, or at least moved here when he was very young, so he didn't really learn about it until later in life, and yet he felt it fit him that whole time. It was more than just being an effeminate man, much like the person you knew - after all, he's also gay, and in Canada we accept those two things as one. It was about feeling a sense of purpose and a particular role within his family and community that fit the old traditions.

 

Perhaps he is safer exploring that identity here in Canada, but this certainly isn't an entirely accepting nation across the board. Also in that course, a series of speakers came in to share their experiences. One was a Two-Spirited person, which is a third gender identity that can be found in indigenous cultures across North America. This too was repressed during colonization, as one of the many parts of indigenous cultures that were literally beaten out of children who were forced from their families to be assimilated in church-run schools. As a result of that, many indigenous communities face deep trauma that has spanned generations, including issues of absent families, alcoholism, and abuse. This person experienced an absolutely terrible childhood, including (TW)

Spoiler

sexual assault, abandonment, foster system abuse, homelessness, becoming addicted to substances at the age of 9, and forced into sex work

and a lot of that had to do with not appearing to conform with the gender dichotomy, as relatives had lost touch with a sacred part of their heritage.

 

There are movements within cultures to reclaim gender identities and similar roles that were repressed by colonization and conversion to Christianity by European standards. Whether or not they're considered trans (as some individuals may identify as such and some may not), they're still part of a broader fight that we should all be supporting.

 

 

***By the way, I am not going to respond to any arguments or debate about this, because this is not up for debate. People deserve life and dignity.***

[AVEN #1 fan]

Well, in my country, around 12 women die everyday cause sexism and 1 Transgender bc transphobia.

 

I get worried when I don't see Transgender you tubers or bloggers from my country being active for a extended periods of time.

 

It's scary to think about it.... I'm planning on buying myself pepper spray as I'm a night time student.

[Comrade F&F]

It makes me happy to hear cultural genders cropping up in the West. I'm glad there's a revival, and I really hope to see it continue.

 

And oh gosh, @AVEN #1 fan, please stay safe.

[AVEN #1 fan]

Just now, Feys&Florets said:

It makes me happy to hear cultural genders cropping up in the West. I'm glad there's a revival, and I really hope to see it continue.

 

And oh gosh, @AVEN #1 fan, please stay safe.

Well... it's part of my existence to feel unsafe at certain spaces and times, I just try not to think about it took much or avoid to get in such situations.

 

As a kid I grew up scared my parents and friends would reject me if I came out, I always saw Trans people out there with shitty lives (homeless,  jobless,  schoolless, alone, forced to work in sex industry,  sick, abused,  being killed,  raped,  tortured, etc) I was scared that would be the end of me, it still pisses me off that my mom doesn't understand what it felt like.

I Only found Trans people with "normal"  lives when I was 16.

[Comrade F&F]

Just now, AVEN #1 fan said:

Well... it's part of my existence to feel unsafe at certain spaces and times, I just try not to think about it took much or avoid to get in such situations.

 

As a kid I grew up scared my parents and friends would reject me if I came out, I always saw Trans people out there with shitty lives (homeless,  jobless,  schoolless, alone, forced to work in sex industry,  sick, abused,  being killed,  raped,  tortured, etc) I was scared that would be the end of me, it still pisses me off that my mom doesn't understand what it felt like.

I Only found Trans people with "normal"  lives when I was 16.

D:

 

*offers cake and hugs.*

 

[AVEN #1 fan]

Just now, Feys&Florets said:

D:

 

*offers cake and hugs.*

 

Even tough such I consider myself lucky for not being expelled from home, nor gone throughout any kind of physical violence since I came out, still having cis friends, I'm also happy I'm among the 10% of Trans people who didn't end up in the sex industry in my country,

[Star Bit]

I've heard of this; Western culture killing off diverse cultures like this. It's sad. Horrible that your lovely aquaintance is gone. *imagines he looked like Beten from Zone-00* (who's a man and heteroflexible; perhaps only sexually)

[Comrade F&F]

47 minutes ago, Star Bit said:

I've heard of this; Western culture killing off diverse cultures like this. It's sad. Horrible that your lovely aquaintance is gone. *imagines he looked like Beten from Zone-00* (who's a man and heteroflexible; perhaps only sexually)

Eh. I can't really hate on the West culture as a whole. The West screwed up a lot, and it's only very recent is it being recognized. Heck, you're from Texas and you're acknowledging it. Many other 'super power cultures' would have continued trying to wipe everything out until nothing was left. And there's more than one 'West'. In a way, they try to make up for it now so...good effort? Could do more?

 

If anything, could learn to better assimilate instead of building up walls everywhere. That would be a great start.

[LenaLuthor]

2 hours ago, Feys&Florets said:

But one of my fears is the influx of Western influence. Especially the intolerance and phobia of people who are just...different.

 

Uh, western society and culture are the most tolerant and diverse of all.

[kaysir]

5 hours ago, AliceAbernathy said:

Uh, western society and culture are the most tolerant and diverse of all.

In many ways, the West is like you say. However, there are still huge amounts of homophobic, transphobic, sexist, and even xenophobic and racist people. At least in regard to gender, European settlements have been known to enforce the binary more than some of the cultures they displaced.

 

Are there a great variety of people in the West? Yes. Are there a great number of hateful people in the West? Also yes.

[ChillaKilla]

6 hours ago, AliceAbernathy said:

Uh, western society and culture are the most tolerant and diverse of all.

Yeah that's why colonialism enforced their rigid gender binary on native cultures and said "assimilate or die" /s

[Ruru+Saphhy=Garnet]

10 hours ago, AVEN #1 fan said:

Well, in my country, around 12 women die everyday cause sexism and 1 Transgender bc transphobia.

 

I get worried when I don't see Transgender you tubers or bloggers from my country being active for a extended periods of time.

 

It's scary to think about it.... I'm planning on buying myself pepper spray as I'm a night time student.

*Big Hugs* :'(

[Guest]

8 hours ago, AliceAbernathy said:

Uh, western society and culture are the most tolerant and diverse of all.

There is a fact that LGBT+ organizations are needed because LGBT+ individuals still face difficulties even in our western society, so to say that we are the most tolerant kinda sounds like a "too good to be true" statement.

[butterflydreams]

1 hour ago, Jayce said:

There is a fact that LGBT+ organizations are needed because LGBT+ individuals still face difficulties even in our western society, so to say that we are the most tolerant kinda sounds like a "too good to be true" statement.

I'd say on average western societies are pretty tolerant of LGBT people. Could they use improvement? Of course. But I think it's a bit daft to suggest "society that could use improvement" is somehow worse or just as bad as "society where you'll be put to death or imprisoned". *cough* Chechnya *cough*

 

I'd take being LGBT+ in the west over any other location any day of the week, personally.

[Anthracite_Impreza]

10 hours ago, AliceAbernathy said:

Uh, western society and culture are the most tolerant and diverse of all.

I think the point is that when we were busy colonising the world we certainly weren't, and set up intolerant systems wherever we went while also destroying native cultures.

[ChillaKilla]

33 minutes ago, Hadley167 said:

I'd say on average western societies are pretty tolerant of LGBT people. Could they use improvement? Of course. But I think it's a bit daft to suggest "society that could use improvement" is somehow worse or just as bad as "society where you'll be put to death or imprisoned". *cough* Chechnya *cough*

 

I'd take being LGBT+ in the west over any other location any day of the week, personally.

On average, today? Yeah. Historically? The opposite, really.

[butterflydreams]

29 minutes ago, ChillaKilla said:

On average, today? Yeah. Historically? The opposite, really.

Yeah, I mean, on average. Some environments are worse, some are better, but the west is a big area. There's bound to be some variation.

 

Historically, sure, things weren't as good. I was only speaking to the present though. Is it sad that come cultures may have had some unique cultural attributes overrun by colonization? Yes. And unique genders they might've had doesn't even begin to cover all that was lost. But none of that stuff is my responsibility, or yours, or anyone alive now. The responsibility for that lies with those who engaged in it. But, that was a very different time. People had different values, and understandings of the world. They probably thought they were doing right at the time. It's easy for us to judge in hindsight because we have far more knowledge than they did at the time. I'm not excusing what was done, just tying to offer some perspective on it. Who knows what we might be judged for by future people.

[LenaLuthor]

4 hours ago, Anthracite_Impreza said:

I think the point is that when we were busy colonising the world we certainly weren't, and set up intolerant systems wherever we went while also destroying native cultures.

Please, enlighten me as to how the culture of native Americans who inhabited the western hemisphere would not be western culture. Please, educate me on how christianity, a middle-eastern religion represents western culture. Go ahead, say how western atheists are so intolerant of LGBT people.

[Star Bit]

@Feys&Florets I certainly don't blame the western culture itself, but fact is it is something that's negatively spread/been adopted. And while it's true that we don't have a single word for Bakla (because it frankly refers to two things), it does seem to be explainable; as it seems to just be a highly feminine biological male (who may/may not be gay or may/may not be a trans woman).

[Comrade F&F]

What I'm wanting to say is: the West influences a great deal of our modern world. What is achieved in the West can trickle down to other parts of the world.

 

So if LGBT can continue its work to acceptance and tolerance, people in other parts of the world will stand a better chance.

[kaysir]

On 5/23/2017 at 3:16 PM, AliceAbernathy said:

Please, enlighten me as to how the culture of native Americans who inhabited the western hemisphere would not be western culture. Please, educate me on how christianity, a middle-eastern religion represents western culture. Go ahead, say how western atheists are so intolerant of LGBT people.

When we say western cultures, we mean the modern day majority. America has a mostly white, Christian-based, conservative population. Canada is similar. Other countries in the West also have either a high population of non-native (including white) people and Christian or Catholic, Jewish, and Muslim people. The religions may have started in one place, but they are all over the world now.

 

There are definitely extremely intolerant atheists. Maybe not all of them, maybe not most of them, but even in as small a section of the population as atheists, there are still LBGT-phobic people. Stigmas exist en masse regardless of religion. What the average homophobic/transphobic atheist's reasoning would be, I don't know, but I'm sure we've all come across such a person in our lifetimes.