Jun05
(Photo of Bobs and I by David White)
Hey folks,
This week Bobs and I are in an article for a New Zealand magazine called the Listener, by Ruth Laugesen. Aside from this adorably cute photo of us (see above), the article talks about transmasculine people in New Zealand. It’s not exactly radical, but kind of a nice piece to send your folks to reassure them that trans people ‘are a-ok!’.
Check it out below (click to enlarge):
page 1 and 2:
page 3 and 4:
I think there’s a definite place for these sorts of simple, positive articles. Also, you and Bobs are looking sharp!
Great article! Have you heard about A. Stiffler of Chaos Life comics? He/she’s agender and has a wife who is lesbian. Reminded me of the genderqueer definition at the bottom, though she/he chooses neither genders. What do you think about those kind of people?
(sorry to jump in, but I figure I have something to add) I’m a genderqueer myself. The identity is pretty complex, and like most trans* persons, everyone comes to it a little differently (there are even some trans* persons who identify as genderqueers). Some have specific preferred personal pronouns, such as a singular they or ze. A great resource is the porn star Jiz Lee, who has some incredible blog posts on their site on the subject of their own identity as genderqueer.
Well… Thanks I guess? That really wasn’t what I was asking for and I’ve known about Jiz Lee. Also, genderqueer is covered under trans* (with an asterik, its actually an umbrella term to describe all identities within the gender identity spectrum). I was specifically asking about **angender** and what Sam thought about it b/c the article seemed to cover a lot of the gender spectrum, but the genderqueer definition at the end specifically didn’t really “fit” agender in my understanding of it and the biology point of view it’s confusing to not be any gender or identify with either. From what I’ve read from Stiffler’s comics, Agender Agenda tbp, it’s like there is absolutely no gender at all, not a fluctuation in it? Maybe I’m wrong but agender seems to be more about not having gender and while some people use it in the genderqueer label some don’t.
Also I know about pronouns. :/ But the author of the agender comic specifically said either pronoun is cool with them, so hopefully I wasn’t offensive when just referring just to them??? Sorry! 😛
Ah, I see! I think you were totally fine with the pronouns you were using; I wasn’t trying to correct, just giving a general description, but it seems you know plenty enough about gender spectrum (sorry)! The only reason I said “Some have specific preferred personal pronouns” is because I don’t have any at all.
Agender does feel like a very different thing, and I really don’t have any insight at all, unfortunately. :T Hopefully Sam has some thoughts!
Ooh thanks for the comic suggestion – looks pretty amazing!
Yeh, the definition I’ve used previously for genderqueer kinda fits agender as well – as someone who identifies as both/and and/or neither… but I like that agender can illustrate a more specific relation to gender. But that definitely wasn’t included in the listener definition…
I think that’s kinda the problem with using spectrums to think about gender (like in my queer 101 where man is at one end, and woman is at another), because it negates people who aren’t on the spectrum at all.
Great positive article Sam 🙂 Nice to see an increased focus on transmen for a change, always felt you guys have been overlooked in the past. I’ve gone in the other direction (and loved the brief reference to Thailand, having just got back from GRS in Phuket a week ago i can confirm they’re quite right 🙂 ). So great to hear other peoples perspectives and the route they’ve taken to get where they are today. You and Bobs are looking great and I wish you every happiness for the future 🙂
regars Lucy 🙂
In America, they did a survey and it’s something like 40% of the community attempts suicide at some point as compared to 3%… so that’s… Exciting…
Eeeeesh. Still, collected stats can be good leverage for change, especially when they’re as abominable as that.
OMG 2x supercute pinups right there.
Just came across this site due thanks to girls with slingshots and have been reading up.
I am lucky to be a perfectly straight woman in Canada. Lucky as in I dont have to fight for the freedom to marry who I want when I want or deal with all of the abusiveness and confusion about the LGBT community.
I have always supported everyones right to choose who they are, how they live and who they love. Love is something no one should ever be denied for any reason.
I love you for your courage and talent of getting your message out there and being heard.
I also think you are a totally attractive person from the picture above and you have nothing to be shy about. I also know that hearing that doesnt change the way you feel inside because I feel that way about myself too. People can tell you all the time and yet you will feel what you will feel, its part of our nature I guess.
Anyways I hope this all came out as me telling you that you are awesome and I support you 100% even though I dont know you.
GREAT job with this comic and stay strong. Life tries to kick us all when we are down, cant let it win, its a mean bastard. 🙂
Oh woah, thank you so much! I will read and reread this comment on less-than-great days. Thanks!
Nice to see the non-comic version of yourself. You are indeed looking very sharp (as you often do in the comics) And I like your cat 🙂