Jezebel 
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New York, 8:32 PM
Sun Nov 8
22 posts in the last 24 hours
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10/23/09
10/23/09
10/23/09
So... basically every guy who assaults a woman is committing a hate crime. I believe it, I just can't believe it will be classified as such. Workplace harassment, discrimination, subway gropers – all these crimes cause women to live in, if not fear, a heightened sense of awareness and realization that they may be targeted for a crime based on nothing but what's in their underpants. SO great. If this is true, amazing. #hatecrimelaw
10/23/09
(In other words, just how many senators do we have the clearly care nothing about other people?) #hatecrimelaw
10/23/09
10/23/09
Full disclosure: I am bisexual and transgendered. This might be triggering. Sorry. :(
I have decided not to transition for a multitude of reasons, but the biggest one I have is fear of violence. I know too many trans people, way too many trans people, who have been victims of violent crime. Crimes that were committed out of ignorance, anger and a lack of understanding. The perpetrators, you could say, hated them for what they were, and wanted nothing more than to beat the offending trait out of them. Or just simply remove the person, because that also removes the problem.
I know victims of "corrective" rape, people who were stalked, hunted in alleys and pummeled with crowbars and 2x4s (some with nails, some without), isolated from family and friends, hair pulled/cut (sometimes chunks of scalp along with the hair), clothes destroyed and laughed at by medical personnel. I know too many who gave up out of exhaustion, desperation and pain and ended their own lives.
After all, what were you doing? You can't lie to people and expect them to not be angry.
Somehow, being angry that you thought you were hitting on a biological woman, yet you were not, does not warrant 47 stab wounds, in my opinion. It does not warrant tying a person to the bumper of your truck and dragging them down the road until they fall to pieces. Oddly enough. The reactions are... disproportionate, wouldn't you say?
I was talking to my sister about this - remembering Harvey Milk. When we look back at his case, we are shocked at the "Twinkie Defense" and talk about how stupid it is. How could anyone believe that? How could people think it was all right to shoot a man five times because you binged on junk food?
My dream is that one day, we will look back at Gwen Aroujo, Brandon Teena and other transgendered victims of crimes, and recognize the tragedies that they were and are, regardless of what the person in question was doing.
We don't choose to be the way that we are. No one chooses to be gay, trans or some other non-conforming identity. We choose to act on it, but we do it with fear. The bullies beating up the gay kid is part of the gay story. We know it's gonna happen. The question is when, and how bad. These people who hurt us, they are not doing it because they want our money. They aren't doing it because they "panicked". They are not afraid for their safety, their livelihood or their families. They hate us. They want to hurt us. That might be rooted in fear, but does it matter? The end result is the same. We are hurt, we are killed, we are tortured. It is because of hate. We deserve protection, too.
I know the readers of Jez are smart cookies and are not the kinds of people who insist that transgendered people are all just fucked in the head and need to be fixed or some shit, so I am so sorry if I came off as preachy. I am afraid of people and I meet so many who have no idea the kind of terror that so many trans people have to live with each and every day. There are, of course, strong parallels, and this kind of thing clicks with other marginalized groups who need protection from hate crimes. I appreciate that I have somewhere that can report on news like this and not make me feel afraid. That there are commenters that know that the word "tranny" is offensive and we shouldn't use it. Thank you, Jezebel, and the readers/commenters, for making this a safer place. #hatecrimelaw
10/23/09
10/23/09
When I was in undergrad, about 6-7 years ago, there was a biological man in my class who started wearing skirts. He looked like the Church Lady from SNL, very odd, and a few of us giggled. As the term progressed, we gort used to his ever increasing transvestisism. Then one day, he came to the front of the class and said he needed to speak to us. He explained that at 46, he could no longer keep living a lie. He introduced himself as Lucy, and explained in very frank and open language what that meant, what it was like to live for a lifetime in the wrong body, how difficult and terrifying it was to explain to her wife and children, etc. She explained to us that she wanted us to understand, because if we were to come across someone else like herself, she wanted us to react not with fear and hate but with understanding and compassion.
I was extremely touched. It was an amazing moment, and the entire class was moved. She answered all of our questions, and honestly opened our little minds. I honestly think she made a huge difference there.
The best part of the story is that her church embraced her, supported her family, helped counsel her wife ad children, and generally made her transition OK. The family is still together lat I saw her, a few years ago, and the kids are -gasp!- totally OK.
This was in Daphne, AL, a tiny town you've probably never heard of. In ALABAMA. I always think of her when I get too depressed, because if Ala-fuckyoujeffsessions-bama can accept and love, then there is still hope for the rest of the world.
People like you, like Lucy, can and do make a difference. The hate is huge and at times seems insurmountable, but it is being worn down, a little at a time. It is unjust that you bear the burden, but please know that you have friends and supporters everywhere. Even in a tiny conservative coastal town in the South. #hatecrimelaw
10/23/09
10/23/09
I am sending love and strength in your direction! #hatecrimelaw
10/23/09
@VirginiaDentata: I'm sorry! I don't like making people cry!
I know people like Lucy, and I'm so glad that she was accepted and was able to talk about what it meant to be transgendered, and that apparently, it came across well. It's really scary to admit to a large group of people why you are the way you are, because you never know how people will react. Or if they will tell others and out you, and who knows how far that will travel and what kinds of people it will reach. Our allies are some of our most powerful tools in dealing with injustice, and thank you for being understanding.
@SaturdaysChild: Me too. Working together is pretty much the only option - For many, I know it's hard because of the stereotypes associated with gay people wanting to be the opposite sex and how hard it is to combat that, and then have transgendered people come along and BAM there is a new layer of judgment and crap. aarrrgggh, that sucks, but one day, we will not have to be afraid. One day, we will look back at this and think how absurd and unreal the whole deal was, and people will think of it as terribly backward. :)
@missheidilynn: Thank you! I appreciate it. #hatecrimelaw
10/23/09
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10/23/09
10/23/09
My first reaction to the passage was Halle-freaking-lujah. It's so nice to have a President in the White House that won't veto it!
/Happy dance! #hatecrimelaw
10/23/09
10/23/09
[www.blackandpink.org]
To be honest, i am not sure where i stand on on HC leg. And, I'm curious what the rest of you have to say about these other arguments. . . #hatecrimelaw
10/23/09
I mean, do you defend the country and say it's not cool to kill gay people for being gay, or do you leave the country defenseless to make sure Americans can exercise their right to be bigoted assholes without having to face extra punishment?
CONUNDRUM. #hatecrimelaw
10/23/09
10/23/09
10/23/09
Now if only we could prevent hate crimes altogether. Maybe one day.. #hatecrimelaw
10/23/09
also
"Many Republicans, normally staunch supporters of defense bills, voted against the bill because of the hate crimes provision" seriously?! I can't even begin to understand how someone's thought process could go down the lines of "this will help protect people who are victims of crime, F that, i vote no!" #hatecrimelaw
10/23/09
LaToya, it's not terrorism unless the target is any/any combination of the following...
White
Straight
Unborn
Wealthy
Christian
"Traditional'
SO-CALLED "hate crimes" can therefore never be terrorism. #hatecrimesamendment
10/23/09
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10/23/09
I suppose this is the best option available though, and at least it gets people who are likely to commit more hate crimes off the streets for a longer time. #hatecrimesamendment
10/23/09
10/23/09
But yes, this is the best alternative in the real world. #hatecrimelaw
10/23/09
10/23/09
10/23/09
10/23/09
10/23/09
Especially like those giant omnibus bills, which are usually the ones that lead to those scary-voice commercials around election season that claims senator so-and-so voted to kill old people.
If you look at the small print, its almost always some giant bill that had this stupid clause tacked on. #hatecrimelaw
10/23/09
10/13/09
That's not really what the bill does. It taxes high cost policies. Some high cost policies that will be taxed are really of no higher value than policies that aren't taxed. Some are high cost because insurance costs more in some areas (like Senator Snowe's home state of Maine) and some are high cost because there is high utilization of the plan perhaps because an employer is actually employing people with expensive illnesses like HIV or congestive heart failure.
10/13/09
10/13/09
10/13/09
Wyoming has 2 senators. WYOMING HAS 2 SENATORS.
10/13/09
10/13/09
10/13/09
10/13/09
Am I the only one who thinks Olympia Snowe is kinda badass? She is the one R who has actually made a meaningful contribution to this debate.
My prediction is she votes yes. She has invested too much in attempting to shape what could be a bipartisan bill to kill that possibility now.