Like us on Facebook

Follow us on Twitter

View our videos on YouTube

I'm not passing as anything, i'm being myself
~ Janet Mock  
Announcements: 
Before moving on to the topic, we wanted to take a moment and inform the group that two of our leaders have suffered a terrible loss in their families and will not be present with us for the next week.  We hope everything goes well and our hearts go out to their families.  

Video Editing and Research and outreach, will not have leaders this week. 

click here to view more quotes about the transgender community!
"Passing" Privilege
This topic was specifically asked for us to do by a viewer of TYC as a topic for 3 main reasons: 
  1. Passing is a major worry and therefore a hurdle in transgender peoples lives.  It can prevent people from transitioning or feeling good about their transition.
  2. People who do not pass are often hurt more then those who do pass in our world.  this is a real and ever-present danger. 
  3. The trials and tribulations of non-gender binary people who do pass on a daily basis as the gender they ascribe to are very different from those who do pass, but both still do suffer side-effects.   
Regardless of where you are in transition, or whether you pass or not, there are a lot of things that you have to think about; your safety, your opportunities, sexism, how you will live your life in the status you're in, and how to tackle those big issues.
We need volunteers!
Donate to our cause

-OR-
See if a friend is interested

If you are generally regarded as female, and identify as female, you quote, "Pass".
What is Passing Privilege?
Passing, Breaks down into 3 parts: 
  1. The gender binary perpetuated by society limits us to two perceived genders: male and female.
  2. Many transgender people, particularly FTM and MTF transsexuals feel a pressure to fit into this gender binary, while non-gender conforming people such as gender-queer identified individuals feel ignored and disregarded in society. 
  3. Because physical abnormalities can exist and typically masculine or feminine traits in our society can make or break whether you are perceived as one gender versus another, it creates a pressure on the transgender community.
"Passing" refers to ones ability to go about daily life without their desired gender being called into question. These people are generally being regarded as their chosen gender.   

Our cultures views can cause just as mnay trans*phobic issues for those who "pass".
Arguments and viewpoints
The issues with "passing" in the first place:
  1. Passing is based upon a gender binary.  This binary is not a real representation of gender in the first place so being a trans* person, matching into it is an almost impossible task.
  2. The term "passing" seems to imply that there is a benchmark, or that being transgender only means MTF or FTM, not the entire rainbow around it.  Many people actually prefer the term "blend" while others think this needs to be removed from the vocabulary entirely as an offensive slur. 
  3. Many people are actually attracted to Androgony and non passing individuals.  this is culturally shamed because our society mandates one or the other.  This alienates and closets allies just as much as other Transgender people.
For those who do NOT pass:
  1. Not passing can often lead to a lot more dysphoria for transitioning people then ever and can result in someone not transitioning in the first place. They fear that It can lead to a fear of being ostracized or worse, losing your job, friends or family.  
  2. Prejudice is also more common to those who do not "pass".  many non-passing trans* people are harassed on average more often then those who are not, and bullied or hurt. 
For those who DO pass: 

It is important to note that for many people passing is not at all a privilege. While it can be argued that passing is always better then not passing, there are other issues that people who pass face such as:

  1.  Greater and more harsh discrimination upon someone finding out (they're referred to as traps, and liars, or whores. 
  2.  Some may desire not to be considered all the way female but are forced into this box anyway.
     
  3.  They often have to come out to everyone they meet every single time as if it's their responsibility to say so stripping away any semblance of  passing privilege unless they go stealth.  
  4. Going stealth is a possibility if you pass but in the transgender community, this is made out to be a terrible thing.  Stealth shaming can lead to prejudice from the trans community just as badly as outside of it.

TRANSGENDERED: BEFORE AND AFTER
Is this video trans*phobic or not?

Helpful links to reference in videos
Both the good and the bad are linked here for your evidence and knowledge.

Janet Mock on passing [video].



This weeks pipeline at a glance
put this weeks topic here as a sub title

research and outreach
video bloggers
video editing
published this week
thinking about childrenPassing PrivelegeLGBT pride weekMusic Before and after
on deck we will be talking about the children conversationLGBT pride weekon queue: Trans history weekQA does topic on gender vs. Sexuality


Trans Youth Channel
Transyouthchannel.org
[email protected]
307-274-5516
Can't Volunteer? 
Donate to our cause

-OR-
See if a friend is interested
STAY CONNECTED

Like us on Facebook   Follow us on Twitter   Find us on Google+  View our videos on YouTube