#the economics of gender issues – @workersolidarity on Tumblr

workersolidarity reblogged

ursae---majoris

fatsoupy

me: dress how you want!! gender is fake!!! nothing matters!!!!!!

trans person: i like gender tho

me: hell yeah i respect that!!!! i apologize and don’t mean to dismiss your identity with my optimistic nihilism!!!!!!!

ebonyheartnet

Good post OP

aquarian-sunchild

Denounce gender roles but respect gender identity.

This is so close to understanding that gender identity relies on gender roles. This is where the conflict arises: you can’t do both. Either you believe people become a man or a woman by conforming to gender roles assigned to the sexes or you believe gender is arbitrary, harmful and sexist.

workersolidarity

As an outsider with little understanding of these gender issues, if there's one thing I do understand, it's contradiction and conflict.

Despite the high running emotions involved in these discussions as they evolve over time, the contradictory nature of enjoying certain gender roles and the artificial nature of gender roles as we know them today can both be valid experiences and opinions.

Just because a contradiction arises, doesn't necessarily mean one side is wrong and the other right. Rather, these are extremely subtle issues with only a short history of being explored openly and Publicly. Having these discussions are incredibly important going forward.

It can in fact be both true that gender is an artificial construct, as well as that certain people are happier and more comfortable in specific gender roles.

What future debate and conversation will have to learn, is whether there truly is a contradiction in these two statements, or whether both can continue to be true and coexist moving forward.

I don't personally see anything inherently contradictory in these two opposites. Opposites are not necessarily contradictory in themselves. Opposites can often coexist comfortably indefinitely.

The important thing is to recognize how powerful the emotions behind both sides of the debate are, and remaining respectful of one another as the issue continues being explored.

A lot of younger kids don't really remember a time when just being gay or bi was radically taboo. Honestly it wasn't that long ago at all. Even most Millennials can remember such a time. For example, I can remember when Mathew Shepherd was beaten, tortured, and killed for being gay. And that was NOT that long ago.

The amount of progress I've seen in just the two decades since then is just astounding! It's one of the few things that has actually given me hope to live to see a better world.

Just the fact that we can openly discuss LGBTQA issues publicly without having to hide identities or worry about physical harm coming to someone for it, is nothing short of an incredible accomplishment by the communities that persevered and demanded the freedom to be themselves.

Now just two decades later, we can fully explore the nature of Human Sexuality and Gender without fear. We should keep it in mind just how new these conversations being held in the open really are.

Therefore I can only recommend that everyone remain respectful of different opinions as long as those opinions aren't hateful or cruel. As long those opinions remain respectful and are made thoughtfully and without negative bias.

This is a time to really think deeply on how traditional Gender roles have in fact been largely a construct developed over time, mostly by straight white men, and forced onto the public regardless of how they might have felt.

But that also doesn't mean some people aren't truly happy to live in a traditional Gender role.

By that I don't just mean the straight white men who hold power through those traditional Gender roles, but also those people who identify more comfortably in one role or another.

All this can be respectfully explored, while also being mindful of how Gender roles contributed to the acquisition and preservation of Power in the hands of straight cis-gendered white men, and how we might keep aspects of those traditional Gender roles without allowing those who choose traditional roles to hold more societal power than those who don't.

All of these things must be explored and thoughtfully considered. It's unquestionable that traditional Gender roles benefit some people over others.

How it is we can avoid keeping that history of Power domination by traditionalists over non-traditionalists while allowing those comfortable in traditional roles to retain them IS a Contradiction we must deal with.

It's a good sign that I see so many people thinking this way. One can reject traditional Gender roles within their own lives without disrespecting those who choose to retain them, and vice-versa.

I think going forward, how we choose to discuss these things in our educational system will become the most important, and certainly most contentious debate to come.

I think at some point a compromise will have to be reached within the educational system.

We can teach kids that these are very complex and contentious issues that have arisen in recent decades very quickly because debate had largely been stifled through Power imbalances and Public pressure to conform to traditional Gender roles.

We can teach kids that there is not right or wrong answer to the debate as long as one person's opinion doesn't result in the Oppression of another.

We can teach children the history of how the roles of Church and Religious affiliation more broadly led to a very strictly enforced code of conduct around traditional Gender roles and Sexuality.

We can say to kids, hey, you know your parents may have raised you with this belief or that belief, but as you become an adult you'll want to explore your own opinions and your own feelings about your personal Sexuality and feelings about your own Gender. You may decide to remain within a traditional Gender role and Sexual orientation, or you may not. There's nothing wrong with either choice because it's YOUR BODY AND YOUR SEXUALITY and no one else's. Not you friends, your parents, or your partners choice. It's about how YOU feel and feeling comfortable in YOUR OWN skin.

And then the last part of this would be to teach kids to respect different people's choices and opinions regardless of how it makes you feel. Because just as your Sexuality and Gender is your body, your feelings, and your choices; other people have the right to choose differently and not feel like they've done something wrong by exploring their own Sexuality.

Once we reach this point, where the next generation is taught to have respect for how other people live and choose for a partner, and that each of them have the right to feel comfortable with themselves without having to worry about what anyone else thinks; then we'll know we're finally on a path to putting the Oppression, hatred, prejudice, secrecy and Violence where it belongs: way way back into the dustpan of History where it belongs.

So that's the direction I personally think society has to head towards. Freedom of exploration and choice without secrecy or oppression by force, while respectfully allowing others to choose differently.

We can and should acknowledge the constructed nature of traditional Gender roles without having to force anyone to live in a way they themselves aren't comfortable with.

And I TOTALLY APOLOGIZE FOR THIS LONG-WINDED POST!!!

It's been difficult for me as a straight cis-gendered man to think through these issues in a proper context. For someone who's open minded and doesn't want anyone to feel uncomfortable in their own skin, in their own lives; it was hard to thoughtfully ponder on these questions without feeling like it wasn't my place to have an opinion.

But then I realized that it's going to be just as important to have those living traditional sexual and gender roles to be supportive of those who don't. If for no other reason than to help stand up against the bigots of the world.

The more Allies there are in the fight, the better chance that everyone gets to live the life they choose, comfortable with themselves, and feeling free to express themselves however they choose.

I came to the conclusion that it was irresponsible and actually making the situation worse to stand on the sidelines.

So I'm working on making my thoughts known, if for no other reason than to contribute to a show of strength against the bigots and jerks out there who think every straight cis-gendered man supports their bigotry.

We don't.

workersolidarity

I know I'm about to open one bigass mother fucking can of worms here but...

I see a lot of kids under pressure from the Progressive crowd to transition or to believe they're trans when the only thing they know for sure is they're not straight in the traditional sense, or like cross dressing, but are too young and too inexperienced to know much more beyond that.

And equivalently I see a lot of young parents under pressure from their own Liberal crowd to allow their teenage kid to go ahead with the multitude of potentially dangerous drugs and life changing procedures transitioning entails.

Has anyone stopped to think who's profiting off the incredibly confusing emotions that go along with not being traditional cis-gendered straight teenager?

For one, obviously a fuckton of doctor's, pharmaceutical companies, medical supplies companies, etc. But also therapists, Doctors, Psychiatrists, Councilors, and others.

And then, as regulations change State by State and at the Federal level, Health Insurance companies, Private and "Non-Profit" Hospitals and other Medical Services.

But also, as Transgender Rights are normalized in society and medically transitioning becomes a Big Business, these Health Insurance Companies, Hospitals, Pharmaceutical companies, Medical Supplies companies and everyone else listed, as well as some Rights groups themselves are hiring big K-Street Lobbyists to go up on Capital Hill and (essentially) bribe our Politicians with millions to support or Oppose this Law, that Regulation, and this Tax-Exempt status for this industry and the Federal Reimbursements to Insurance companies for Low Income Trans People on Medicare and Medicaid.

This isn't just about Trans Rights anymore, this has been a Big Business for quite a while now.

First off, I apologise if any of this sounds insensitive, I'm not always the best at being subtle, but the bone I have to pick isn't with the Trans Community or the struggling Teenagers and their parents. The Problem I have is with the insatiable greed that makes up the entire Capitalist System and how it pounces like vultures on people's struggles or Medical Issues.

Maybe we all need to take a step back for a minute and see how Public pressure may be being applied on vulnerable kids and confused parents and see where that pressure may be coming from, as well as who may be benefiting from it.

Mind you, my list of those Profiting off transitioning excluded the biggest Profiteers of them all.

The bankers and Investors on Wall Street who certainly are elbow deep in financing new Medical Supplies companies, Health Insurance schemes, and others who stand to profit by pressuring kids one way or another.

It's these Financiers who always are pulling the strings in background.

This is what Finance Capital is most expert at. This is what they do best.

Specifically:

Finding the Public's most vulnerable issues of the moment, financing the future Companies that stand to rake in Profits off the new Industry or sector within an Industry, then apply pressure through popular music, through cable News and how they present the issues they stand to profit from, use the Media, especially movies and shows to influence their target crowds opinions using movies and television, then they apply pressure on the Politicians who hold the keys to the Tax scams, Loopholes, Funding Mechanisms, Research Dollars, Regulatory Oversight, and more.

When all's said and done, people are usually hurt or psychologically damaged by the way they were manipulated, and meanwhile, the Financiers on Wall Street just lay back, and reap the profits from their "wise" investments. (There's nothing brilliant or wise about finding the Public's vulnerabilities and the bribing Politicians to manipulate the System to maximize your own Profits)

It's important we recognize the forces at play in the Present moment of exploration, expansion of Rights, Public vulnerabilities and change.

If we get to a point where people feel uncomfortable or unable to analyze critically a Public Health Issue, than it's not the Trans Community that gains, it's the vultures on Wall Street manipulating Public sentiment and corrupting the Political and Economic Systems for their own gain.

These vultures stand to gain if we don't turn a critical eye on a massive issue that's gone through a tremendous amount of change in an incredibly short time.

Being critical doesn't mean having to put up with prejudice or ignorance. Rather it means supporting one another to make sure no one's going to get hurt for someone else's gain.

So those were just some thoughts. Again, I want to mention that I'm not always the most skilled writer when it comes to contentious issues, and I absolutely and unquestionably support my Trans brothers and sisters in the Socialist Movement. They represent the very BEST of our Movement. I just don't want to see people get hurt by Capitalist predators looking to manipulate people who are already going through a tremendous amount difficulties, and the last thing they need is artificial pressure or confusion being stoked on purpose by Profiteers.

I hope we can all talk more about this issue because I'm very much interested to hear what Trans Socialists think about it. It's important to hear from the people who are actually living this issue to get a complete and dynamic Marxist Analysis on the Political Economics angle of Trans issues.