One of the things you can absolutely count on is that anyone who dares disagree with gender facists is going to be attacked, beaten down, and silenced as much as possible. A recent example of this occured when Cathryn Plantine dare to speak her mind on one of the more notorious gender fascist's blogs. She was banned, her diary was deleted, along with not only ever comment she had made, but also every comment that anyone had made in response to those comments.
What she said, that send them into a fury was this, "It is my belief that the excesses of those pushing the transgender agenda are becoming so apparent they have sown the seeds of their own eventual destruction…..and anyone who demands entry into women’s space as a trans anything is exhibiting absolute alpha male behavior. Women belong in women’s space, if you don’t come there as a woman, you absolutely do not belong there."
Of course, that was too much truth for the likes of Autumn Sandeen, Monica Helms, and Marti Abernathy. They immediately went ballistic and started screaming for Cathryn's head on a platter.
As a result of her making this remark, she was banned from "Pam's House Blend" which bills itself as "An Online Magazine in the Reality-Based Community." Apparently they have a rather strange view of what constitutes reality. I think their definition pretty much boils down to "Reality is anything we agree with..."
Now, Pam makes such lofty statement as "The LGBT community is obviously not monolithic. Issues of concern to one element may not resonate with another, be it race, gender, gender expression or position on the political spectrum. What unites us all is that the hearty portion of the larger society is demonizing us," and "The Blend is about community, civility and friendly debate. It's never going to be highbrow content at the Blend, but it is always newsworthy and I like to mix up the fun and the political quite a bit -- as long as it makes people think." Of course, that is only true as long as you toe the party line. Step out of line, and you get tossed, and everything you had written previously gets tossed with you. And this is the case, not only at Pam's House Blend, but at numerous other TG blog sites as well.
Oh well...as I say, the beat (down) goes on...and on....and on...and on...
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5 comments:
Jennifer, I don't believe you know the whole context of her profile termination at Pam's House Blend. We had posted a piece a week before this dust up with Cathryn popped up, explaining what kind of language we'd no longer tolerate on Pam's House Blend. It wasn't Cathryn's belief in second wave feminism or HBT/WBS philosophies that saw her profile terminated, it was found in her denigration of those who do identify as transgender that were found in violation of Pam's House Blend's Terms Of Service's long defined policy:
~~
You may not post or transmit any message which is harmful, threatening, abusive or hateful. It is not the Service's intent to discourage you from taking controversial positions or expressing vigorously what may be unpopular views; however, PAM SPAULDING reserves the right to take such action as it deems appropriate in cases where the Service is used to disseminate statements which are deeply and widely offensive and/or harmful.
~~
In other words, Pam's House Blend is not a virtual free speech zone -- the goal is to have the kind of discussions one might have at an LGBT, brick and mortar coffee house. We seek to civil encourage discussion, not encourage all discussion.
What we did first was send Cathryn a warning letter. It read as follows:
~~
In the diary "Transgender? Transsexual? Trans-Ghettoized?," I talked about needing to aggressively enforce one of the Pam's House Blend Terms Of Service statements regarding harmful, threatening, abusive, hateful or widely offensive messaging.
I stated that there is a basic civility we attempt to preserve in The Blend, and that doesn't mean barring dissent, or even passionate debate. However, tossing out inaccurate or offensive terms towards trans-identified people -- people that see PHB as a safe space to come and discuss trans related issues -- need to know that the baristas are working to protect this safe place for discussion online.
Your comment in the "Q Of The Day: Would You Date A Trans Person" was less than accurate in the last paragraph:
"As for "transgendered" not being preferred.......since when has anyone who IDs as transgender demonstrated the simple respect of identity to those who absolutely detest the terms transgender and transgendered applied to them against their will?.......answer, never so whine about something else, you who ID as transgender(ed) have not earned the right to bitch about it and never will until you respect the personal identity of others."
Specifically, you attributed behaviors to an entire LGBT subcommunity that isn't true of 100% of that subcommunity. Additionally, if one substituted the word term "negro" for every "transgendered," and "African-American" for every place "transgender" was used in that last paragraph, the paragraph is clearly inappropriate in its assignment of "bad" behaviors to an entire class of people.
As per the "Transgender? Transsexual? Trans-Ghettoized?" diary:
"Actions that will also be considered problematic are attacking or mocking someone else's LGBT-related identity as invalid or not deserving as much protection as your LGBT identity, seriously referring to someone's gender with terminology that is opposite to a person's gender identity, or using language that's disrespectful of others' gender identity or expression. And, it's never appropriate to put quotation marks around either the transgender person's chosen name or the pronoun that reflects their gender identity. Period."
Your comment is deemed to be as attacking people's transgender identities. The terms of service for Pam's House Blend states:
"You may not post or transmit any message which is harmful, threatening, abusive or hateful. It is not the Service's intent to discourage you from taking controversial positions or expressing vigorously what may be unpopular views; however, PAM SPAULDING reserves the right to take such action as it deems appropriate in cases where the Service is used to disseminate statements which are deeply and widely offensive and/or harmful."
We at Pam's House Blend reserve the right to terminate your service at any time in accordance with the Pam's House Blend Terms Of Service. This is your first and only warning regarding inappropriate comments at Pam's House Blend.
And by the way Cathy, as also was stated in that same "Transgender? Transsexual? Trans-Ghettoized?" diary:
"If you don't like how we use the term transgender here at The Blend as an umbrella term, then this likely isn't going to be your kind of blog."
By your comment today, I would hazard a guess that Pam's House Blend is likely no longer your kind of blog.
~~
She then posted this diary:
~~
Email from Autumn
by: Cathryn
Tue Jul 15, 2008 at 09:36:23 AM PDT
I just received an email from Autumn telling me my viewpoint is not welcome on Pam's. Essentially, despite over a decade of fighting for trans rights, mentoring transwomen and even housing them and raising GLBT funds is not enough to give me the right to speak towards the viewpoint of thousands and thousands of women of operative history especially regarding the umbrella use of the word "transgender" to refer to us against our will in an act of verbal violence. That the TG point of view on this is the only valid one.....
I didn't trans my gender, it was consistent from my earliest memories. I identify as a woman, a feminist woman. I don't deconstruct my gender, I celebrate it. In fact I revived an ancient Goddess tradition where we do just that. I am not a fan of Judith Butler, even Mary Daly repudiated that position in Amazon Grace. I'm done with these trans discussions here, the TG agenda is the only one allowed voice and I view it a position of insanity. I deny the right of any transgender to define me or claim to represent me in any fashion as they have absolutely nothing in common with me. My body is the same as other women.....as is my life experiences. I don't have bathroom "issues". When someone claims I am transgender what they are really doing is denying my womanhood in an attempt to drag me to a third category. When they claim to speak for me under some umbrella usage they are doing the same thing. When they attempt to silence me for objecting they are engaging in the use of the same old tried and true tools of patriarchal oppression. It's that simple.
It is my belief that the excesses of those pushing the transgender agenda are becoming so apparent they have sown the seeds of their own eventual destruction.....and anyone who demands entry into women's space as a trans anything is exhibiting absolute alpha male behaviour. Women belong in women's space, if you don't come there as a woman, you absolutely do not belong there.
~~
We then sprung the trapdoor that terminated her profile. Here is the copy of the letter I sent her that informed her that her profile was terminated:
~~
Cathryn:
We are springing the trap door, and to be very clear -- I'm the one pulling the lever.
I read your current diary and saw its final paragraph:
"It is my belief that the excesses of those pushing the transgender agenda are becoming so apparent they have sown the seeds of their own eventual destruction.....and anyone who demands entry into women's space as a trans anything is exhibiting absolute alpha male behaviour. Women belong in women's space, if you don't come there as a woman, you absolutely do not belong there."
Your comment "...and anyone who demands entry into women's space as a trans anything is exhibiting absolute alpha male behaviour" is deemed to be widely offensive language.
Since you were given a previous warning, and because in your e-letter below you've indicated that you have no intention of staying within the Pam's House Blend Terms of Service, we're terminating your profile at Pam's House Blend.
Sincerely
~~Autumn Sandeen~~
----------
The hope of a secure and livable world lies with disciplined nonconformists who are dedicated to justice, peace and brotherhood.
--Martin Luther King Jr.
-----Original Message-----
From: Cathryn Platine
Sent: Tuesday, July 15, 2008 10:32 AM
To: Autumn Sandeen
Cc: Pam Spaulding
Subject: Re:
Autumn,
First, to you I am Cathryn, Ms. Platine or Rev. Mother Cathryn Platine... you are not a friend and not entitled to use Cathy to refer to me. Cathryn is the form of my name I use publicly these days and I
expect it to be used by those who aren't personal friends.
I had not read your manifesto diary and was unaware of it until you sent me the email, believe it or not I have a life that precludes spending hours and hours on Pam's and other blogs and once something moves off the front page, if I hadn't seen it, I tend not to.
The umbrella use of transgender has been considered an act of verbal violence by those such as myself since those like yourself first started pushing it's use that way and you are well aware of this...... I and others have fought this since you and others first started using it in this form. Referring to people with a terminology they personally find offensive and you are aware of that IS offensive, disrespectful and the act of a bigot.....you give up the right to complain about other terms when you continue to insist on the right to define us in total disregard of our personal feelings on the matter. By trying to enforce the usage your way on Pam's, you are acting in a verbally violent manner and that you refuse to see this a main reason the gender variant community is at odds within itself and will remain so. I tried for over a decade to get the simple point across that much of the animosity between factions within the GV community would be healed by simple respect of personal identity.....you and Helms and others fought me tooth and nail on this. Today, as a direct result, the rhetoric on our side has been turned up to match the disrespect we continue to experience from yours.
Personally, you pulling this on a non trans venue has the appearance of abuse of position to me. Blogs from those of us who consider ourselves having a transsexual history are ignored on transgendernews, ok.....a trans venue and you control it, but this battle between TGs and those of us who live and think of ourselves women who passed through a state of trans being declared off limits by you by fiat on a LGBT blog is a simple abuse of position on your part, an act of aggression since you yourself have done your part to censor our position in the past and every bit as much a violation of TOS at Pam's in that it maligned and disrespects our right to self definition.
I will continue to post at Pam's until you trapdoor me. I will continue to try to be respectful in expressing opinions that clearly you disagree with but I will not be silenced until you further abuse your position to do so. My viewpoint represents a very very large group of women and you know it....I hear from them in person, in blog responses and in personal emails and they number in the thousands. We have every bit as much right to share what we learned from our journeys as you do. We have a RIGHT to the respect of our own identities....
I used to have a lot of respect for you Autumn, you have erased that.
Cathryn Platine
@)-'--.--'
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can
change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."
--Margaret Mead
~~
Let me state it again in different words: It's not her belief in second wave feminism, not her belief in HBS/WBT philosophies that saw her profile terminated. It's that she chose to denigrate people who do identify as transgender in her use of widely offensive language to describe them; it's that she chose to attribute negative behaviors to a whole class of people based solely on their group identification.
We warned folk we were no longer going to tolerate uncivil discussions, and we followed through with our promise to do so.
There is a big differnece between having and discussing controversial beliefs, and having and discussing controversial beliefs with widely offensive language. Despite what she wrote and you're repeating here, I didn't pull the lever because of her beliefs. Instead, I pulled the lever because of the widely offensive language she used to communicate her beliefs within Pam's House Blend's virtual coffeehouse.
This is typical of Sandeen and company, they take and twist their own terms of service to exclude valid opinions.
This is one of the reasons why that faction of the transgender community is SanDiego is shrinking. This is why they have had the lowest turnout at pride in five years.
You are certainly Correct Jennifer Sandeen and company are sowing the seeds of their own destruction.
They have made themselves a non entity in San Diego, no web presents and not organized enough to become a non profit. They simply are a cult or gang if you will, this shows itself in their treatment of ANYBODY who disagrees with them.
Take care
Sue
Well, I appreciate Sandeen's attempt to justify what was done to Cathryn, but it simply proves the point of my article.
The gender fascists require not just tolerance, not just acceptance, but outright celebration of their insanity. Now, it would not be so bad if they would simply recognize many, and very probabably most who they would refer to as "pre and post-op transsexuals" (non-op transsexual is an oxymoron) want no part of being included in their little band. Worse, the reference to "other gender variant folk" is incredibly insulting. Transsexuals, or more properly those with HBS, are NOT gender variant, a term which implies that this is simply a matter of choice. Our gender is our gender. It not "variant." And we have absoltuely NOTHING in common with so-called gender queers. Now, I will concede, those like Sandeen fit nicely into that very category. Sandeen chooses to be variant in gender presentation (gender if fixed at birth and cannot be changed by choice or other intervention). I, and other HBS survivors choose not to be variant in gender presentation.
No, if you dare to forcefully reject the term "transgender" and you dare to tell the truth about people like Sandeen, and the other gender fascists, you will be quickly shown the door. They demand you pander to their delusions and fantasies. And they demand that you accept their leadership. Some of us choose to laugh at their silliness. Quite frankly, Cathryn is absolutely correct when she said "...the excesses of those pushing the transgender agenda are becoming so apparent they have sown the seeds of their own eventual destruction.....and anyone who demands entry into women's space as a trans anything is exhibiting absolute alpha male behaviour. Women belong in women's space, if you don't come there as a woman, you absolutely do not belong there."
Hey, for those like Sandeen, the truth is offensive. But, they need to realize, they really can't hide from it.
The Gender Fascists require acceptance and tolerance and refuse to act in kind. Is it any wonder when someone in the mainstream misuses a pronoun or challenges their "right?" to use the ladies room that they get all upset.
They don't want to use the opportunity to educate or turn the other cheek, at the very least.
Worst of all when they encounter a transitioned female who does not identify as "Transgender" they proceed to call that person all manner of names.
One of the so-called activists once said "We demand tolerance and nothing less", i have to admit it took a while to stop laughing at the oxymoron this person put into writing in a semi public place for all to see.
The really sad part of it all is they could possibly drag transitioning and transitioned person down into the cesspit of marginalization along with them.
Take care
You may want to check out this site. Some transgender by the name of Dyssonance and RIKKI S is making a joke about HBS people and calling them loonies and transgender bigots.
http://www.topix.com/forum/news/transgendered/TTAOB6M5MMER3VQ4G/p17#lastPost
Here's the persons website
http://www.dyssonance.com/
http://www.myspace.com/aedorsay
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