Bryan Fischer disses Autumn Sandeen

Browsing what’s fun and new this morning, I found yet another verbal (textual?) assault on the trans issues front. Bryan Fischer, formerly the executive director of the Idaho Values Alliance (position papers here), starts his article by personally insulting Autumn Sandeen, a veteran and a hero of mine. Not only does he straw man her refreshing discussion on the realities of ObamaCare’s relation to Gender Confirmation Treatment, he goes on to refer to everyone undertaking this difficult journey as

“confused Americans who want to surgically mutilate themselves…the attempted suicide rate among transgendered individuals is many times higher than among the heterosexual [sic] population, certainly a reflection that the inner dissonance they live with is terribly self-destructive.”

Right and wrong in one: suicidality in transfolks is an unfortunate reality, but the APA knows reparative therapy isn’t the answer. So does the AMA–who say coverage for treatment is medically necessary.  So Fischer harasses people, and makes the wrong recommendation–which is to be expected–but he’s categorically insulting all of us–gender-matched folks too. After all, if you’re not transphobic, you’re enabling.

So here’s how you can speak up on the issue: Get yourself a Reality Check from Whitehouse.gov. Then Contact Renew America, the blog on which he posted this opinion piece, and share this article with others. Talk talk!

(thanks to [transgendernews] for the tip)

Transsexual Metaphor

Imagine being a record player, and everyone that ever interacted with you tried to get you to play CDs. Depending on who your friends and family are, they may get the message and adjust their expectations… or not. Whether or not it’s intended as abuse, it can have that effect.

Even if your friends and family stop, there’s still strangers wandering by putting CDs on you (bosses, coworkers, teachers, classmates, random public). You can stop seeing who you are. You can stop knowing who you are. Stop believing in yourself. Transition is a recognition of this disconnect and a start to approaching the truth.