The Transgender Double Standard

by Randy Thomas

It's always astounded me how willing some in the gay activist community are to celebrate someone surgically altering their body to "become" who they perceive to be internally. Yet when I determine I want to reorient my sexual orientation, which does not require drastic surgery or body altering drugs, according to those same activists, I am the one doing damage to myself and others by simply holding to a particular worldview that brings me contentment and sexual reorientation. The transgendered are applauded for radically altering their bodies while I am scolded for holding the belief that I would be happier living out who I truly am regardless of my past life as a gay identified man. It’s ok for someone to ignore what they were obviously born as but for people like me … we are told being “gay” is genetic and should be embraced because we have no other option.

Gay activists, who truly don’t represent most who would identify as “gay,” celebrate someone discovering their true identity ... well unless it involves spiritual or moral reasons that are contrary to gay fundamentalism. Their moral opposition to my reality is the difference here. For the most part, the transgender person does not call into question the morality of gay activist sexuality and identity in the context of a biblical sexual ethic. My existence, just by being around and talking about it, does challenge those issues. Therefore, since most "transfolk" as others have called them, tow the gay fundamentalist line... they are celebrated as "the new gay."

However, for those of us who want to pursue loving, whole, satisfying, passionate, congruent with our faith, opposite sex relationships instead of pursuing same sex sexual activity ... somehow we are the ones deserving of mockery and condescending judgment.

Not only the transgendered but people who drop their whole lives; family, friends and faith to enter into the GLBTQ fold are held up as examples of being true to self and deserving of unconditional love and acceptance. Apparently if you are willing to drastically alter your life to enter the GLB"T"Q fold ... that's ok but like the old song Hotel California by the Eagles, once you are in that fold, "... you can check out any time you like, but you can never leave."

My life has drastically changed. I am (and am becoming) who I was always intended to be but I have a sneaking suspicion that there wouldn't be to many people thrilled with the idea of "GLBTQEx"

(not that I would want that ... just sayin')

http://www.randythomas.org/blog/2007/05/the_transgender.html