Tranny strips on stage?

First off, it seems like the commentary on the picture, as well as the image itself, came from another website. I hope it is ok that it was posted here. I think that it is important to discuss this.

If the subject of the photo wants it to be taken down, please do email the web collective (see "contact us" above). Generally speaking, if it came from a blog or wherever, I would be interested in seeing what kind of discussion it brought up.

Secondly, it seems like the quotes from other folks' parents were made up. Not real. Note the use of "I took" twice, and the same phrase "wanted to leave" being used twice as well. So this doesn't really represent real people's views, or at least not views that were actually stated out loud.

And thirdly, my point is that I think that the attitude reflected in this post should be seen and debated. I am opposed to the bodyphobic attitude that was represented in the commentary that went with the picture. Not everyone has the money or the desire to have surgery. Did you ever consider that? To "Amelia" I say: Rock on, sister. That was a really brave thing that you did. And very punk rock. ;)

Fourthly, I am sure that whatever stuff happened with the NYC trans march had nothing to do with issues or events in San Francisco.

Fifthly, I have attended the trans march the last two years. I have noticed that a lot of the crowd that attends is younger and more punky/hipster, and more female-to-male oriented, than the overall composition of the trans population in this country. There are probably a lot of reasons why there weren't more mtf's there, perhaps having to do with their having to work and not being able to arrive at 3pm for the beginning of the program. (I didn't get there till about 7pm, because I came from work, and then I was too tired to go to Civic Center for another rally)

Sixthly, as I said above, the event was largely a punk community event. It would be great if in the future there are several rallies in different locations (representing different communities and focusing on different issues, such as health care access, hate crimes, etc), and then the groups all have feeder marches and meet up for a later rally that brings everyone's issues together.

Wow I was there and did in fact witness this, but I did not post this because this should probably be kept within the community. I did in fact send an email to the trans macrh planners about some of the reactions from other folks who attended that but the quotes posted with the picture are not the ones I heard.
I think the editors should consider removing this because by now the word is out, but society should be shielded from some things.

by Dina Boyer

It's strange how this stuff is so context dependent.
Also, sometimes in the Bay Area when 'freaky' stuff happens at a political event, the panopticon in my head also turns on (a panopticon is the concept of a camera in the middle of the room at a prison, where the guard technically could be watching anyone, yet can't watch everyone at once. But because you could be being watched, you modify your behavior). I will often correctly think "if the swing voters could see us right now... that could be bad. Our mainstream political position would come across as one for marginal nuts or elitists. --However, then I can often remind myself that there is no media around (except what we post to indybay, often), or make a more accurate judgment as to who is really watching you.

In europe, it is very normal to see people go to a public park with a lake and all take their clothes off and go swimming, and the magazines in the windows of the news stand all show nudity. In the U.S., there seem to be different geographical zones where different rules apply. i.e. at Baker nude beach there are no issues. If someone wore a bikini shorts at the mall or school, lots of people would stare, but they would lose interest if they actually were at a beach.

I have two things to say'
One is that bringing your sceptical, nudity concerned parent to a trns event in San Francisco may not have been the best place to start. I have seen nudity and surprising acts at almost every LGBT street gathering i have been to over the years. So im sorry if your mother was shocked and it put stress in your relationship but..
This brings me to my second point. Change in this society has come about because people went out and did wild things. Now we could argue forever about what is best in a given situation but lets consider one thing. Annual Pride marches all over the world happen in June to conmemorate a riot at the Stonewall Inn (in NY). People hurled bottles and rocks at police officers. Im sure if someone had brought their mother to show them that their lifestyle was harmless and pleasant they would have gone home shocked. But it was this event and surrounding publicity that directly led to where we are today. The struggle to reclaim our rights was not something that happened in the past it is a daily affair and different people have different ways that they need to express themselves and be to feel free. Much remains to be done before there is acceptance for all of us as we are. If there had never been any events that offende anyone I think we would still have a society filled with people hiding in closets who believed they had a disease or were being tempted by the devil.
My suggestion would be to organize your own event. That way you could do so with people that share your same vision rather that relying on events organized by people with different visions. Creating an environment that parents who have not come to terms with their children could be very valuable as well.
Tristan

Also check out a conmemoration of SF's own transgender riot
http://indybay.org/newsitems/2006/06/19/18281380.php
A memorial plaque commemorating the 40th anniversary of the Compton’s Cafeteria Riot will be installed at Noon this Thursday, June 22nd, at the corner of San Francisco’s Turk and Taylor Streets. The 1966 riot was the first known instance of transgender resistance to police harassment in the U.S.