Transgender Issues

It has been roughly 24 hours since I first saw the Vanity Fair cover that allowed Caitlyn Jenner to introduce herself to the world, I haven't stopped thinking about transgender issues, and I'm still thinking about it. Like, relentlessly.

So, I've decided to do some research, to educate myself on the statistics (which are horrifying), the people, and the issues they face so that I can help in any way. 

I'm not transgender. I am a cis woman, straight, white and non-disabled. Besides the whole gender thing, I have it alright in terms of oppression. But that does not mean that I cannot be a supporter.

I am a massive fan of Orange is the New Black and all it is doing for representaation for women, especially gay women or women of colour. And I'm sure you know what's coming next....

LAVERNE COX. 

Her recent Tumblr post made me think about the struggle transgender people face. Every single day. Not just in America or the UK, but everywhere. 

She is such an eloquent writer and such a fantastic advocate for the cause.
Again, like yesterday's post on Caitlyn Jenner, I cannot comment on Laverne's post, because she said it all. All I can say is that this issue will be added to my list of "Causes I Will Support For The Rest of Forever". It's a pretty big list; there's a lot of ignorance in the world and I get very angry, very quickly about things that should, like, not ever exist.

I came across this video when I was researching transgender issues/Laverne Cox.
It's very short (because it is a trailer) and I am looking forward to the full project. It will, no doubt, be a very informative documentary and it is highly anticipated.
There are so many things wrong with this issue. First and foremost, Cece should not have been arrested and the media's complete ignorance and pure evil for calling her "him" are truly, truly shocking. "It's 2015!" means nothing anymore, because the amount of time needed for discrimination of any kind to stop has clearly not surpassed us. We may have revolutionised so many spheres, within technology and medicine, but we have a long way to go until everyone can rest easy in their beds or leave their house without an OUNCE of fear that they will be greeted with any form of discrimination.

As Laverne said, "the struggle continues...", but hopefully, not for long.

Caitlyn Jenner

I have never seen a single episode of Keeping Up With The Kardashians and I know little about the family and why, precisely, they're all so famous. But when I saw this picture today, my heart soared:

This is more than a magazine cover. 

To Caitlyn Jenner, this is a symbol of self-acceptance, courage and a future filled with happiness. 

I then watched the two hour Bruce Jenner interview (because that is what she was still calling herself during the filming) and cried for most of it. 

I don't really have any comments on the interview because I think it speaks for itself. It was really well done, Diane Sawyer asked very though-provoking questions and Bruce answered them with integrity, pride and a cracking sense of humour. I can definitely relate to the last bit to get myself through tough times. I love that someone so in the spotlight, someone going through what must be one of the toughest things a person can go through, and still smile, even if it is through tears.You could see the pain in Bruce's eyes when he spoke about his past, and the joy in her eyes when she spoke of her future. I am so glad that today is the day that the public gets the see the sparkling eyes of Caitlyn as she is accepted by her family, friends and rest of the world. 

I also hope the papparazzi and the media are respectful and back the fuuuuuuck off. 

If I could only pick one thing that I am going to take away and learn from watching the interview, it is that we need to call bullshit on the people who are making a joke out of this brave woman's identity and her overall journey to finally become who she is and be happy. We need to include women like Caitlyn, and be accepting of men like Bruce when they have the courage to come forward and ask for support. Social media can be a horrible place when internet is available to the ignorant, but it can also bring uplifting messages. I personally intend to make a difference wherever I can.

Let's actually think about this issue for a moment: could you imagine feeling like you were living a lie for 65 years? 65? Caitlyn is a hero, for all kinds of people living with a secret about their true identity, whether that be a transgender issue or not. I believe that the right to live as and who one pleases to be is the first and most important human right we can give ourselves and one another. Better late than never. 

Her courage is inspiring, her bravery is a wonder to see and I wish Caitlyn Jenner every happiness in the world. Everyone deserves a chance at truth, love and happiness, no matter how late in life that chance comes. 

Now that Caitlyn has officially and publicly identified herself as a woman, she has entered an arena that she benefited from as Bruce; good ol' patriarchy. And with that comes the good ol' stereotypes and good ol' ignorant people thinking their opinions are valid in any way, shape or form. She's got so much to overcome in her journey both as a woman AND a transgender woman. But I wish her the best of luck and promise to always call out people on their insensitive "jokes" or comments. She's part of the same movement I'm part of and I'll punch you in the genitalia if you think it's ok to make a mockery of her personal struggle (or anyone). Or if I see it on the internet, I will metaphorically punch you in the genitalia.  

Transgender people will always have my support.

She is so gorgeous! I hope that she finally feels comfortable in her own skin.

I saw a comment on the ABC website that said "There's more photoshopping in that one picture than Kim's entire Instagram account." and my first thought was: who honestly gives a flying fuck if it is photo-shopped? That is not the issue. If your first thought wasn't an open-minded one, along the lines of "I'm so glad she is happy" then you need to understand that you are lucky that you do not understand Caitlyn's struggle. That you are comfortable in the body you were born into. That you can leave the house as the EXACT person you want to be, without fear. Because that is something we all take for granted, myself included. Caitlyn's story is primarily about transgender, but it is also about self-acceptance. 

So, from the bottom of my heart, thank you to Caitlyn Jenner for sharing your beautiful story:

"Keep an open mind and an open heart"

Career

As an English Literature student (and an ex-media student), I've always had my heart set on a career that involves creativity, imagination and preferably a strict pjyama dress code. 

So editing or publishing have always been at the back of my head, or something involving me writing, such as screenplays or adaptations for film and TV. 

I was also one of those people who turned their nose up when old people asked me if I wanted to be a teacher because of the nature of my degree. "JUST BECAUSE I'M DOING 9K TO READ BOOKS DOES NOT MEAN I WANT TO THEN READ THEM TO YOUR SNOTTY CHILDREN," I would say in my head.

But, my boyfriend's flat mate at university is doing a Primary Education degree here and I'm starting to think that it is definitely for me! I love the idea that I can be that inspirational teacher children remember when they start university, or send their own children off to school for the first time. 

Maybe I'm romanticising it because there seems to be a shit load (official measurement now) of paperwork and planning and I feel like I'm more of an intuitive kind of person. They're all under the age of 10 at primary school, I really don't think that they'll know if I deviate from the lesson plan a bit. But whether I do or not, that lesson plan has to be done. 

In conclusion, growing up sucks and I don't know what I want to do when I'm a big girl :-(

Feminist Anthem

It's been a while, but no one reads this so that was a very irrelevant statement to start with...

After hearing her duet with Paramore in my favourite song Hate To See Your Heart Break, I've fallen in love with Joy Williams.

She was in the band Civil Wars, (which I am going to listen to relentlessly when I finish exams) and now she's going solo. She's sharing her journey on Instagram and Twitter and I am absolutely astounded at how down to earth and genuine she seems. She just looks like one of those people who give great hugs, great advice and has a huge heart.

Her first single from her debut solo album Venus (I'm guessing it's called Venus because that is the planet that all women are supposedly from) was called Oh Mama. And OOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHH MAMA its a good one.




Things I love about it:
- It's so catchy
- Its simple. Look up the lyrics. They're primal, basic and instinctive. And all very fucking true.
- Women finally have an anthem. A song that celebrates womanhood and Joy is definitely pining the way for spiritual, natural womanhood and I am so digging it right now.
- She looks hella hot in it. So beautiful. Naturally beautiful too. Not that if she was wearing a full face of make up that she wouldn't be, but I think she is is going for that pure look, that I AM A WOMAN FIRST AND FOREMOST, UNTOUCHED BY PATRIARCHY AND UNREALISTIC BEAUTY STANDARD SET BY THIS "SOCIETY" EVERYONE LOVES TO HIND BEHIND look, or something of the like.
- It's just honestly so refreshing to have this mother figure in music today. Ok, maybe that's because she is a mother and because she is 32 (which is totally old in the miz biz), but I think its because she seems really maternal, genuine and knowledgeable.
- In her video, she's naked but not sexualised. So it CAN be done!! Again, its a primal thing - she's in the fetal position - and she's stripped down and is, again, very pure.
- She's also very good at lip syncing which pleases me thoroughly as an ex-media student.
- It's very feministique.

"I am the universe wrapped in skin" - I want it tattooed on my face, it's my new life motto.

ALSO, THIS HAPPENED IN REAL LIFE:

New Word

So like, I've been thinking that there needs to be an adjective for something that has fabulous feminist qualities and I have come up with........... drum roll pls..........

FEMINISTIQUE

I think it's fab and we should all start using it in our everyday language. 

For example, I had my Twentieth Century American Literature exam today and there was a question about Sylvia Plath's poetry. There is always a quote to guide the question and this particular one was said by Ted Hughes (yeah, I know, the audacity!!!) . So, I spent an hour talking about claim to knowledge/biography/misreading female poets etc. The whole thing was very feministique. 

(I feel like its better than saying 'feministy' or 'with feminist undertones') (Please let me know if there is genuinely a word for it though) (But I'm going to rock this one for a bit)


I'VE ALSO LITERALLY JUST REALISED, LIKE HALF WAY THROUGH THIS POST, THAT THERE IS A WORD AND IT'S FEMINISTIC (????? I THINK ????) BUT FEMINISTIQUE IS THE SASSIER VERSION AND FEMINISTS ARE SASSY SO IMMA ROLL WITH IT x

"Reverse" Sexism

First of all, I would just like to say that "reverse" forms of oppression are BULLLLLLLSHIIIIIITTTTT. Oppression is prolonged, cruel and unjust treatment of ANY group of people. So you LITERALLY cannot reverse it. The reverse of oppression is freedom or something of the like.

Secondly, I saw on Facebook last night that a female had written a sexist status about men. It sparked 148 comments worth of debate and was a very intense thing to wake up to this morning, but I managed to scroll through before going to a lecture (on another male author, but that's an entirely different matter, which WILL be explained eventually).
Anyway, I just wanted to express my thoughts on "reversing" sexism or 'putting the shoe on the other foot' so it were.

A friend of mine agreed with the girl's status, saying that men had no reason to throw a tantrum about it because women have experienced more discrimination than them. And this is exactly what bothers me about some feminists*. I know that feminism is about the advocacy of women's rights to achieve gender equality but I am starting to realise that I associate myself with the latter half. Whilst it frustrates me that women are constantly discriminated against every day, all over the world, I DO have sympathy for men who experience sexism and gender-based stereotypes. I also CANNOT and WILL NOT condone 'giving them a taste of their own medicine' to strengthen my argument or the movement I am a part of.
EVERYONE has the right to feel offended to discriminatory comments, regardless of your gender/race/sexuality or whether you have a disability or not. I honestly cannot believe that some people think that just because men have been on the beneficial side of patriarchy for God knows how long, that that automatically means they cannot feel offended when a sexist comment is aimed at them.
That's like saying a white person cannot be offended by a racist comment that came from a black person, because of what our ancestors did. Or because people you don't even know or are related to (but are of the same gender/race etc. as us) systematically discriminated against a group of people in the past, you have no right to feel offended when someone discriminates you, whether its systematically or a one-off. I hope that putting into that perspective helps you understand my point. If not, carry on. I cannot tell anyone how to feel or behave, but I just want everyone to know that they have the right to stand up to someone if they do not agree with what they're saying and it should not be in fear of accusing them of 'reverse' forms of oppression which is a fallacy, in my opinion.

Oppression is oppression and instead of 'reversing' it, why don't we just work to obliterating it?


*(and I'm sure I'll get people telling me that I can't tell other feminists what to do so just want to clarify that that is NOT what I'm doing. I'm just defining myself as a feminist and expressing disagreement with others because it's a right that I intend to use for literally everything).

Language and Women

Cunt.

Did that make you wince? Was that the worst word I could have possibly used? Did I offend you?

Well, the fact that one of the 'most offensive' words is synonym for vagina is really offensive to me too. Who gave cunt the power it has today? Because if I screamed VAGINA at home, I'd probably get a few odd looks, but if I screamed CUNT at the top of my lungs, I'd be grounded for a week for "obscene language" or something of the sort.

Seriously though, I'll say it again, who gave it the power to make people wince? It's a word!

Why a female body part? Why can 'dick' be thrown around? Why does calling a girl a 'bitch' suggest she's bossy or rude and then calling a boy a 'bitch' suggests he is feminine and/or gay? Why are most of today's swear words derived from female body parts?

Same with pussy. Why is it the WORST THING EVAAAA(!!!!) to call a boy a pussy? How did it get to be a synonym of coward? Why were men who did not want to fight in either World Wars called cowards? Where is there courage in killing people for an unknown cause, especially in regards to the First World War (1914-1918)?

So, I was then thinking that, to MY OWN PERSONAL KNOWLEDGE (I don't want to offend and please correct me if I'm wrong), no white male has ever been labelled courageous for doing anything other than killing other people, presumably in battle.

The courageous people who fought for the rights of oppressed groups such as Emmeline Pankhurst and her three daughters, Martin Luther King etc only became courageous AFTER the battle was won.

At the time they were crazy, militant, violent, outspoken, enemies of the state. But after what they were fighting for was achieved, whether it was in their lifetime or not, we look back on history and pick them out as inspirational people, key figures, heroes to their causes. 

Why does their victory validate their influence? 

#ReadingWomen

Yesterday was Interntional Women's Day! YAAAAY! A whole day just for us women! What an achievement! Emmeline Pankhurst would have loved this! This is what we're fighting for!

If we're only allowed 24 hours to freely (and sometimes not even then) express the achievements of the fantastic women and men who have paved the way for women's rights, then we still have a long way to go, kids. 

Tonight, there were speeches from Madeline Davies, Grace Ioppolo and Karin Lesnik-Oberstein for the IWD debate held at the University, and these are the people you need gunning the way for women. We laughed, we gasped, we shared stories and, most importantly, we used our voices. 

Grace Ioppolo, who is my American Literature seminar leader, called herself a 'trouble maker' - initially because the people around her did. But YAY for trouble makers. YAY for people who stand up and call people out on their misogynistic bullshit (And we should do that for homophobic and racist bullshit too). These people are the ones who get stuff done. We need more trouble makers.

A fantastic example on calling someone out is the Lebanese TV Presenter Cuts Interview Short with Islamic Scholar . She was doing her job, he reduced her to her gender, she wasn't taking it.
This is what we need to see in the world, not just in the Middle East but in every single country on this planet. Inequality is a hindrance and countries will not progress without it. Iceland LITERALLY COULD NOT COPE in 1975 when 90% of it's female population just said "nope" - here's the link to a great article.

The idea of 'bossiness' wasn't something that came up in the debate today but its one I've been thinking about for a while. Why are girls called bossy when they dictate situations or ask for things or tell the people around them what they want from them? This isn't the case with boys, as far as I am aware. They show "leadership skills". Well, fuuuuuccckkkkkk you, women can be leaders. WOMEN ARE LEADERS. Harvard University has a female President, Germany has a female Chancellor, Brazil has a female President, Argentina has a female President, there's a female Administrator in the U.N Development Programme. And do you know what the worst thing about this list is? "Female". 

Drew Giplin Faust is THE President of Harvard University, she is not the FEMALE President of Harvard University because using her gender in her title suggests, to me, that there is a male President too. Which there isn't. Because Faust can bloody well do it on her own.

Other points raised were the issue of the 'Western Feminist' -  this doesn't include women from the Middle East or Africa. So does it include women of colour? Transgender women? Irish women, who, even though they are geographically in the West, don't even have access to abortion? Feminism is about equal rights for women and that should include women from all walks of life. It's not about us against them, its about us being HEARD by them. We'll always be different, sure, but women are all equal in being unequal.

A fabulous point Maddie raised was how subtle sexism is now. Call it out. Make people embarrassed by their comments. Even if they didn't mean it and when they say "man up" or "don't be such a girl" that they DIDN'T MEAN IT LIKE THAT!!?!?!?!?!??!?!!??!?!?!!?!??! Whatever their intention, those phrases should not be thrown around. They carry messages: act your gender/do what the other people of your gender do. Your calling them out may very well be the education they need to stop saying things like that, to stand up for women's rights or any rights of an oppressed group. Your calling them out is just as significant in the fight for gender equality as it is knocking on David Cameron's door demanding equal pay. Baby steps are still steps.

Another thing I would like to raise is the question a girl at the debate asked and consequently sparked the debate on language: How do women claim back the word "woman" so that it no longer carries negative connotations, so we no longer are the punchline of sexist jokes? Same with feminist? I guess this goes onto another point: how do we get them to listen? (whoever "they" are?)
Baby steps and social media. Tweet about it, blog about it, write a status about it, write it on your forehead, take a selfie and Instagram it. Get the message out there; a message that says "All I want is to be treated as a human being, regardless of my gender" - or something similar.

It's 2015, people have been fighting for women's rights for well over a 100 years. Why must it take longer than a century? Why must progressive social reform take so long? How can people even think that feminism doesn't apply to them? Why does the world think it can function without women? Or get away with paying them less? Systematically oppressing them?
It's something I will never understand but always fight for.

Being a woman was not something I chose. But wishing I was a man is the easy way out.
I'll keep calling you out on your sexist bullshit. I'll keep voting for people who have women's rights at the heart of their manifesto (or at least the existence of it). I'll keep promoting women and their achievements. I'll keep celebrating mine and other's womanhood. I'll keep educating people on women's rights and feminist. I'll always be a trouble maker.

IS there a problem with reading biography?

Some interesting thoughts about reading biography came to me today.
Previously at university, I had been told that reading a poet's life in their poems was limiting to your reading of the text and that there is this thing called IMAGINATION that some people can use. Who knew?

I did. So I tried not to limit myself to just reading what I knew about the poet in their piece. But it's so HARD. When you know Sylvia Plath killed herself its difficult to detach yourself from the knowledge of that and not read 'Lady Lazerus' to be Plath talking about and essentially planning her next suicide attempt. Does it make the poem more heart-wrenching knowing that her third attempt was successful? It does for me. But maybe I'd have a different opinion without that knowledge. I can't delete knowledge so yeah, tantrum.

When I read Plath extensively for like two days (WARNING: that is only for the mentally stable. And even then, make sure you have a loved one near by for cuddles.), I realised that, yeah, it's not great to limit myself to just one reading of a poem. It also doesn't do Plath any justice as a writer. 

I was pretty sure Plath had a solid relationship with her dad but 'Daddy' screams daddy-problems, but then there's this argument that maybe Plath was just angry at her father for dying? Seems legitimate but that means you have to have prior knowledge of her father dying. 

This was a woman who wrote a hella long poem about tulips - she is not a tulip, so it's clearly not about her, right?

WRONG. As per usual in this bloody place. (Again, WARNING: don't come to university thinking you know stuff, because you don't. You just don't.)

Today in my Twentieth Century American Literature lecture, the lecturer stood up at the front of the classroom (small module) and shat all over everything I knew. 

He said that the line "who threw potato salad at CCNY lectures on Dadaism" in Allen Ginsberg's poem 'Howl' was private and that you needed prior knowledge of Ginsberg's friend Carl Solomon (whom the poem is dedicated to) because then you would know that Solomon did throw potato salad at CCNY lectures on Dadaism and then you would understand that line and not think that Ginsberg was just on drugs (which is was, if you EVEN READ any biography of his GOD DAMMIT). 

Basically, your understanding of 'Howl' is limiting if you don't have a brief knowledge of Ginsberg and his fellow Beat poets such as Neil Cassidy (because then you wouldn't understand the "N.C, the secret hero of these poems" reference) and Jack Kerouac, etc. 

Does this mean that NOT reading biography limits your reading? But then aren't you assuming that these great minds such as Plath and Ginsberg are just writing about their lives which is really easy and we could all do it and hey we all DO do it because I tweet like twice a day so I'm basically a poet? 

I don't even know, I need a nap. 

People bang on about the problem with reading biography; there are thousands of essays and books on it and I'm sure there are discussions everyday in one part of the world or another, but if someone writes a confessional poem, MUST we detach ourselves from the author?

I guess this goes into the realm of authorship and the questioning of its existence. So what if the author's intention is for an audience to read it as a parallel to their life? Does that mean we HAVE to read it like that? Where does that unwritten rule originate? 

This arguably leads to yet another debate of approaching texts differently. Is that the right thing to do? Is there a right thing to do?

I guess what I want to add to this ongoing discussion is that yeah, ok, there will never be a wrong reading if you read it straight from the text, but what if that text has no other meaning that what the poet meant it to mean? If you find another one, great, but what does that leave you with? A point that no one else really understands? It's basically all interpretation which I have always flourished in but literature at this level suggests that there is definitely no right answer and even the creator of the text is wrong once it leaves the realm of said creator. 

Art may be what you make of it, but sometimes people just need answers.

Conclusion: this discussion sparks more questions than it answers, which is basically university in a sentence.

The incoherent rant

The heart-breaking thing about intelligence and indescribable creativity that so many writers hold are the perils that follow. The alcoholism, the depression, the feeling of futility. Why is it that people are only appreciated in death? I think it stems from jealousy. People love to put others down so that they don’t advance, don’t outgrow. In death, you are static. And they love it.

Reading gives so many people the ability to live, to feel. Escapism has always been important and crucial to human life and when people can connect to someone’s ideas so deeply, beauty is found; inspiration.

Roland Barthes wrote that the minute a text is read, the author dies; they no longer have any creative control over the text, but the reader is safe in the knowledge that they are alive. When the author physically dies, a real pain is felt. Even though the average person’s chance is minimal, the opportunity to thank that author for the escape, the rush of feelings, the worlds they created, the fact that they aren’t alive to be appreciated is a painful one. And that, I think, is the real death of the author.

Reading fills you up if you read the right things, it elevates you, it inspires and it makes you more of a person. But what is 'right' will always be an open discussion.

Literature is the greatest teacher. 

First Blog Post - 9/02/2015

Finally, I've decided to blog like a legitimate English Literature student. I've been doing it for years orally (ranting to anyone who will listen), but I felt like it was time to write it down. I promise to stick at it, even if my mother is the only person who reads this.

Due to my Mondays being chock-a-block with all of a 50 minute Genre and Context lecture (today's was on Great Expectations), I decided to drag myself along to a Creative Writing event being held 5 minutes from my flat in the infamous HumSS building, my intellectual home, to hear Peter Robinson and Shara McCallum read their poetry.

I wasn't sure what to expect because a) I had never been to such an event and b) I'd never read either of the poet's work. I was pleasantly surprised by both the essence of such an event and the actual content, although it seemed a lot fancier than I was used to/expecting - red and white wine was circulating and for a girl  young woman who gets pissed intoxicated on fruity cocktails, I set myself up for an hour of something I probably wouldn't enjoy.

I ate my words, as I usually do (I'm a very bad judge) and became truly fascinated with these two people's take on what life had thrown them. With Peter Robinson finding beauty and poetry and art in the mundane chore of walking home from work and Shara McCallum rewriting myths to fit her ideals and expressing both personal and cultural history, I could feel myself bubbling.

I believe my exact words upon leaving were "Who needs drugs when you can go and listen to poetry?" - I am still trembling from awe and utter, utter inspiration and motivation to not only tell everyone about it but to allow myself to absorb all I had heard, and all I hadn't heard.

In my four and a little bit months of being at Reading and embracing the challenges that thinking like a University student presents, I have noticed a few things:

1.  Nothing is real
2. You CAN spend a whole seminar talking about two lines of a text
3. Question 'I' - apparently it changes all the f u c k i n g time. 
4. Expanding your literary choices will be the greatest thing you can ever do for yourself.

I feel like I'm going off on a tangent here, but I may as well start as I mean to go on.
I do not plan to edit these posts. I would like to think it is a revolutionary, creative decision but it isn't; I'm just lazy.

Back to the reasons I actually decided to strike up this blog:

• I always meant to do it, but laziness came into play, as did forgetfulness
• I had one when I did Media at A Level and loved it
• I was spoken to - poet to poet, in a sense. When you see people reading their poetry to a room of about 20 people, you see it in their eyes, the 'I made it' look. I want that. I always have. And if this is what gets me into gear, writing and making my work public (if we can call it that), then so be it. I'm pretty sure you can publish blog posts on Amazon anyway.

Me, post-Creative Writing event