Hierarchy

This has been eating at me for a week. Although i am 'one insignificant t-girl', i need to air this out now for the future.

Something subtle has taken place here and there online when i have tried to voice a contrary opinion. i'm not the greatest at articulating something, and others may have better opinions. But the ones i have are mine. At least up to that point. And they always await possible revision.

It makes no difference to me how many people consider you a 'celebrity'. Titles and hierarchy rank carry no particular weight with me. And any possible respect that could have been earned is lost when titles and hierarchy rank are used as a substitute for a rebuttal to contrary opinions.

'I have been involved for (numerical value) years' is the activist equivalent of 'Do you know who I am'? It is pretentious in the extreme, and one step removed from name-dropping.

Speaking of name-dropping, implying that your opinions as a T somehow hold more weight on a subject because you have had face-to-face contact with highly visible activists is insulting as well as pretentious.

Donna Rose lectured here in the city i live. i planned to attend, and meet with her to ask some questions. That afternoon i suffered a violent attack directly related to being T, and was unable to attend. But other women were able to do so, so their opinions are that much more valuable than mine?

Being privy to specifics of something doesn't necessarily invalidate another's concern for the concept as a whole. Telling me that you know all about the make, model and color of the car does nothing to alleviate my concerns that said car might be going down the wrong road.

i've stated my initial first impression of conservative transsexuals vs. progressive transgenders before. And lately, due to things i have seen and experienced such as this, i'm starting to see things in a new way. As i explained to Zoe, some standing nails do get pounded down. But you harm the structure when you treat screws in the same manner.

Differing points of view leave open the possibility that the knowledge of either side will be considered compromised if not counterproductive to the other's goals. If that is the case, plainly state as such. Don't wrap it in thinly veiled suspicion. It stinks of a 'you are either with us or against us' mentality. Absolutism is a weapon. You better be careful where you point it.

Putting the word 'radical' in my mouth was strike one. Having the nerve to compare me to a christian activist was strike two.

Not the kind of behaviour i expected from a 'hero'.