Dear Media: There are no 'pregnant men'. Cease and desist with the sensationalist and disrespectful headlines!
JFC, this characterization has been driving me crazy since the first transgendered woman (in transition) became pregnant a few years ago and the media adopted the disgusting misnomer 'pregnant man'.
Biologically speaking, it is currently impossible for a man to become pregnant. That is a fact. The individuals who have become famous/infamous over the past few years are WOMEN. Yes, they are considered transgendered as they are transitioning from FTM, however, since they still have female reproductive organs and can become pregnant, they are still biologically considered female.
The term 'pregnant man' is one that was adopted by the MSM merely as a sensationalist ploy for ratings, readership etc., IMHO. Really, the term is disrespectful to transgendered individuals and those deciding/preparing to transition.
I also think that it does the LGBT community a huge disservice when others (outsiders) are allowed to label them inaccurately.
I frequent and comment on a few blogs and today this story was mentioned with the term 'pregnant man' in the post title. Some like me, were offended by the incorrect characterization of the transgendered female who had given birth. There was also a lot of confusion expressed by the commenters (if she identified as a man, why would she want to get pregnant and have a child?) as well as out and out intolerance and disgust (surprise surprise, NOT) at the couple.
The bruhaha made me wonder. The women who are pregnant and are being interviewed for their story, can't they insist on a change in how they are being characterized? They can demand/insist that the term 'pregnant man' is a misnomer and that they don't want to be referred to as such. Take the opportunity to educate the public on your unique circumstance. In effect, label yourself before someone incorrectly or inaccurately labels you.
Something like:
"I was born a woman, however I felt that I identified more as a male and decided to transition from FTM. As part of my transition, I had my breasts removed, began hormone treatments etc. Prior to completing gender reassignment surgery portion of my transition, I decided that I wanted to have a child of my own. Using donated sperm, I became pregnant and gave birth. I will now either go forward with the gender reassignment surgery or not.' To me, this addresses both the choice that they made to transition and to have a child.
Maybe, I am unintentionally oversimplifying this due to my lack of any real knowledge of their unique situations. Maybe these women's hands are tied? Would they rather get their story (of a family, who may not be your 'typical' one, but who are loving and 'normal' like any other family) out to the public and show the world that they have every right to start and raise a family like everyone else? Is that more important than 'getting the terms right'?
My fervent hope is that there will be a universal term death: 'Pregnant Man'.
Dazz
Showing posts with label Rant. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rant. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Too Good To Be True
Hello lovies, just a warning - today I'm being a total cynical bitch. See below to understand ONE of the reasons why.
Back on December 31st, 2009 I wrote a post about Kish (Kyle and Fish) the gay couple on ABC's One Life To Live having their first time depicted (somewhat) on TV and how it was progress for the LGBT community. Click here for the post.
Well, hold your horses, cuz according to TV Guide they'll be gone come mid April. Yup, ABC (and you know how much I hate those fuckers and refuse to watch them) has decided to basically write the couple out of the show come mid April supposedly because Kish specific episodes had low ratings. Uh, how about the fact that you had another storyline going that was so contrived and dare I say insulting (and not just to the LGBT community) involving someone PRETENDING to be a lesbian for political gain? Could that despicable storyline be part of the reason for low ratings? Plus, overall your soap just isn't that great! You'll lose the viewers that tuned in just to see the Kish storyline. Although if they were like me and were still in my Adam Lambert induced boycott of ABC I was watching the Kish stuff online so as NOT to be counted in ABC's ratings.
Well, just like the homophobia they demonstrated last year with the censoring of Adam Lambert's performance on the American Music Awards, dropping him from GMA, then inviting FELON Chris Brown to be interviewed and to perform which was tantamount to saying that Chris was more decent than having a talented homosexual singer/entertainer be interviewed and perform, should I really be surprised that ABC would kill this gay storyline? No, I shouldn't, but because I try to live in a world and conduct my own life where I have faith that everyone would be afforded the same rights/opportunities etc. no matter color, creed, class, social standing or SEXUAL ORIENTATION, it still saddens and angers me. Obviously I am living in a fucking fantasy world. Well today, I take off my Rose-colored Gucci shades of hope and turn into a cynical realistic bitch. With everything that has been happening the past few months regarding the denial of rights for same sex marriage and blatant discrimination of homosexuals (Adam Lambert and Johnny Weir) it just seems as though there is a targeted grassroots negativity campaign on homosexuals.
Well, this cynical bitch is off to watch her Queer As Folk DVDs; watching Brian Kinney fuck or get blown in the backroom at Babylon always cheers me up.
Oh, and FUCK YOU ABC! Fuck you to the deepest, fieriest pits of Mordor!
*Puts Gucci shades back on , cuz DAMN I look good in them*
Dazz
Back on December 31st, 2009 I wrote a post about Kish (Kyle and Fish) the gay couple on ABC's One Life To Live having their first time depicted (somewhat) on TV and how it was progress for the LGBT community. Click here for the post.
Well, hold your horses, cuz according to TV Guide they'll be gone come mid April. Yup, ABC (and you know how much I hate those fuckers and refuse to watch them) has decided to basically write the couple out of the show come mid April supposedly because Kish specific episodes had low ratings. Uh, how about the fact that you had another storyline going that was so contrived and dare I say insulting (and not just to the LGBT community) involving someone PRETENDING to be a lesbian for political gain? Could that despicable storyline be part of the reason for low ratings? Plus, overall your soap just isn't that great! You'll lose the viewers that tuned in just to see the Kish storyline. Although if they were like me and were still in my Adam Lambert induced boycott of ABC I was watching the Kish stuff online so as NOT to be counted in ABC's ratings.
Well, just like the homophobia they demonstrated last year with the censoring of Adam Lambert's performance on the American Music Awards, dropping him from GMA, then inviting FELON Chris Brown to be interviewed and to perform which was tantamount to saying that Chris was more decent than having a talented homosexual singer/entertainer be interviewed and perform, should I really be surprised that ABC would kill this gay storyline? No, I shouldn't, but because I try to live in a world and conduct my own life where I have faith that everyone would be afforded the same rights/opportunities etc. no matter color, creed, class, social standing or SEXUAL ORIENTATION, it still saddens and angers me. Obviously I am living in a fucking fantasy world. Well today, I take off my Rose-colored Gucci shades of hope and turn into a cynical realistic bitch. With everything that has been happening the past few months regarding the denial of rights for same sex marriage and blatant discrimination of homosexuals (Adam Lambert and Johnny Weir) it just seems as though there is a targeted grassroots negativity campaign on homosexuals.
Well, this cynical bitch is off to watch her Queer As Folk DVDs; watching Brian Kinney fuck or get blown in the backroom at Babylon always cheers me up.
Oh, and FUCK YOU ABC! Fuck you to the deepest, fieriest pits of Mordor!
*Puts Gucci shades back on , cuz DAMN I look good in them*
Dazz
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