READERS

26 Aug 2012

IS THERE SUCH A THING AS GAY TRANSPHOBIA?

My personal view of whether there is a bias towards transgendered people among the gay/lesbian community is a definite 'yes!' - but from individuals.

However, as to whether the bias is widespread, rooted deep within the community is questionable. 

Personally, I became aware of possible bias from the gay / lesbian community when I hosted a 'trans' event within a gay pub in Reading. It was during this event, the interactions I witnessed started me wondering whether, what I experienced was a one off prejudice, by one or two people, or a general bias towards transgendered people by the gay community.


I do not believe it is wide spread. But below are some articles outlining a different view. 

A discussion on this topic would be most welcome.


Transgender community face hate speech from Lesbian and Gay people.


Transphobia is not something that just happens because of heteronormativity. As we gradually make our way through the end of the first decade of the 21st century this much becomes clear; homonormativity is just as virulent as its sibling. A scenario between two South African activists -one a transsexual man and the other, a lesbian- during which the lesbian activist said, “once born a woman you will die a woman” and admits to saying so is typical of transphobic slur. The difference here is she admitted to casting the aspersion. Usually you are met with a barrage of denials which is symptomatic of bully cultures. The problem we face now is whether we like it or not, this is happing in our communities.


BDSM women's spaces and transphobia


When bending gender around can be described as a fetish, and you combine that with a sizeable population of transmen and transwomen in a smallish subculture, the results can be explosive, confusing and often pretty offensive.

Of all the arguments I've seen pan out in the BDSM community, the debates over where transwomen are 'allowed' to be and what they represent are often the longest and most heated.

We've had the argument over the personal ads, whether transwomen should have to put themselves in a separate category from other women so men don't have to look at their profiles. We've argued at great length about the London Ladies' Munch, who took a democratic decision to only allow physically transitioned transwomen in. I get what they were trying to do (which I'll explain later..) and think the move was well-intentioned, but it resulted in a lot of people using the contention over exactly what constituted 'fully transitioned' to have a grand transphobic rant. We've also had an argument about women's toilets at clubs and who should be allowed in them, which resulted in the same.

25 Aug 2012

Neil A. Armstrong - 1930 - 2012 RIP


Neil A. Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon, was born in Wapakoneta, Ohio, on August 5, 1930. He began his NASA career in Ohio.

After serving as a naval aviator from 1949 to 1952, Armstrong joined the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) in 1955. His first assignment was with the NACA Lewis Research Center (now NASA Glenn) in Cleveland. Over the next 17 years, he was an engineer, test pilot, astronaut and administrator for NACA and its successor agency, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

As a research pilot at NASA's Flight Research Center, Edwards, Calif., he was a project pilot on many pioneering high speed aircraft, including the well known, 4000-mph X-15. He has flown over 200 different models of aircraft, including jets, rockets, helicopters and gliders.

Armstrong transferred to astronaut status in 1962. He was assigned as command pilot for the Gemini 8 mission. Gemini 8 was launched on March 16, 1966, and Armstrong performed the first successful docking of two vehicles in space.

As spacecraft commander for Apollo 11, the first manned lunar landing mission, Armstrong gained the distinction of being the first man to land a craft on the moon and first to step on its surface.

Armstrong subsequently held the position of Deputy Associate Administrator for Aeronautics, NASA Headquarters, Washington, D.C. In this position, he was responsible for the coordination and management of overall NASA research and technology work related to aeronautics.

He was Professor of Aerospace Engineering at the University of Cincinnati between 1971-1979. During the years 1982-1992, Armstrong was chairman of Computing Technologies for Aviation, Inc., Charlottesville, Va.

He received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Aeronautical Engineering from Purdue University and a Master of Science in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Southern California. He holds honorary doctorates from a number of universities.

I believe that the Good Lord gave us a finite number of heartbeats and I'm damned if I'm going to use up mine running up and down a street.
~ Neil Armstrong 

Armstrong is a Fellow of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots and the Royal Aeronautical Society; Honorary Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and the International Astronautics Federation.

He is a member of the National Academy of Engineering and the Academy of the Kingdom of Morocco. He served as a member of the National Commission on Space (1985-1986), as Vice-Chairman of the Presidential Commission on the Space Shuttle Challenger Accident (1986), and as Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee for the Peace Corps (1971-1973).

Armstrong has been decorated by 17 countries. He is the recipient of many special honors, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom; the Congressional Space Medal of Honor; the Explorers Club Medal; the Robert H. Goddard Memorial Trophy; the NASA Distinguished Service Medal; the Harmon International Aviation Trophy; the Royal Geographic Society's Gold Medal; the Federation Aeronautique Internationale's Gold Space Medal; the American Astronautical Society Flight Achievement Award; the Robert J. Collier Trophy; the AIAA Astronautics Award; the Octave Chanute Award; and the John J. Montgomery Award.

"This is one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind."





The world pays homage - Neil Armstrong 1930 - 2012

Prostitution - V - One night stands. Feminism???

I had a great discussion with a girl friend of a friend the other day.... The basis - Feminism?? The topics we discussed were:
  • Prostitution ( I don't like to refer to this in these terms but..)
  • One night stands
The four above elements rolled into one giant, painful and ill informed discussion. I am not one to mince my words, hide my views or be ashamed of what I think. If you don't like it - go play somewhere else. 

The conversation started where and how I cannot recollect. But it started. With how many one night stands I'd had in my 38 years of life.. The answer was simple. NONE. The reply from the girlfriend of a friend (whom I shall refer to from now on as Amanda) was one of shock.

Amanda: "Serious? None? Why"
Me: "I'm worth more than that."
Amanda: " What do you mean??"
Me: "I'm worth more than a couple of pints of beer!"

Silence.. I asked her how many she'd had ( take note that she is only 29)
Amanda: "Well, I've slept with about 60 blokes." 

I nearly choked when she said that was the same as most of her friends.. My mind calculated the averages: Start at 16. Current age 29 = 13 years of sexual activity.. note she'd had 3 long term relationships....number of non active years while in relationship = 6. Wait, I'm getting there...
13 - 6 = 7 years for one night stands = 8 one night stands in a year... WOW

Me: Why so many? 
Amanda: "I was drunk, they looked nice......"
Me: You should've got paid for it.. would've made some money! "

This is when she blew! stating she wasn't a prostitute and would never sleep with a man for money. REALLY??? Maths again...8 one night stands in a year over 7 years.... Overnight too I'm guessing...That equates to, say £500 per one night stand.... that's roughly £28,000!!

Me: "There is nothing wrong with being an escort!!"
Amanda: "No..that's distgusting. I'm not a whore!"

I needed to say my piece...

Me: " So, what you're saying is, that you'll sleep with a bloke for a few pints on a night out but never sleep with a bloke for money? But, he is paying you. With cheap drink!"
Amanda: "It's not the same. They liked me...We were attracted to each other!"
Me: "How many liked you enough to see you again?"

Well, I'm sure you can see how the conversation went.. My view is clear. I have a huge respect for women in the sex industry. Yes, there is a lot of women exploited and made to work for little money. I am referring to the women who choose to work this way ( and there are many -friends I know) who DO choose to work in the industry, make money and see it as a career.

Amanda may view one night stands as part of life. I don't. Men need us more than we need them. Not many women would 'pay-for-sex' and when they do, its because they want to - not because they couldn't pull to save their lives, and men who enjoy one night stands - those who can't afford to pay. 

What is cheap to me, is Amanda's view that having money put into your hand for sex and money poured down your throat for sex are two different things. They are not. She was being paid for her pussy by blokes who told her she was nice, pretty and sexy. brought her drinks till she was no longer sober, took advantage of her and then threw her out in the morning. 

To me, she short changed herself! 

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