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drop the T of LGBT?

Discussion in 'Chit Chat' started by jaska, Feb 4, 2017.

  1. jaska

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    I'm curious what everyone's thoughts on this are. Personally I think it should be dropped because it is an entirely different issue to sexuality :/ but what do you guys think?
     
  2. Argentwing

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    Logically, you might be onto something. But trans people, I dare say yourself included, have it hard enough as-is without suffering the reduced awareness of their struggles that would come with it. How do you think it would look if the commonly-known acrostic "LGBT" suddenly punted one of the groups it previously included? Maybe I'm being overly dramatic but it would be a high cost for a trivial correction.
     
    #2 Argentwing, Feb 4, 2017
    Last edited: Feb 4, 2017
  3. anthracite

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    Yeah, logically you're right. But keeping it together has some advantages because trans folks and gay people have to deal with a lot of the same shit, like christian fanatics that wanna send them to hell.
     
  4. Totesgaybrah

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    I think because trans people face the same types of discrimination as gay people that they should stay included.

    If anything this should be the new acronym HBT (Homosexual,Bisexual,Transgender).
     
  5. SiKiHe

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    I kind of see what you mean, but there are plenty of similarities though. Trans people have to "come out", they face similar discrimination, and I know many trans people identify as gay before they come out as a straight trans person. There is a great deal of overlap. Plus trans people need more visibility and being a part of a bigger group helps with that
     
  6. anthracite

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    Jack, maybe LGBT is the reason we feel the need to come out more than necessary because our gay brothers and sisters do. I mean, after all what we need is family, friends and the ones we get hormones and name change from.
     
  7. Kodo

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    I echo previous posters in that there are advantages of awareness to keep it, but I understand your reasoning.

    Ultimately it will not help to differentiate groups of gender identity from sexual orientation because the discrimination will still exist. Homophobes and transphobes do not have logical reasons for discriminating, so even if we made it I easier for them to understand that the two do not equate it wouldn't matter. In their minds, anything that is not perfectly "natural" of the majority is a perversion and thus wrong. Be it gender or sexuality.

    For people that matter, those who genuinely want to understand or be accepting, it is easy to explain to them that the T is different from the LGB.

    The current acronym may not be the most inclusive or whatnot, but as such it is the most widely recognized. Take it as umbrella terms.
     
  8. Andrew99

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    I see what you mean but I don't think we should drop the T. Transgender people face just as much discrimination if not more than we do. And when you think about it trans people can still be gay or lesbian.
     
  9. AlamoCity

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    I have thought of this question for many times and the short answer is: it should remain a part of the LGB. (for simplicity's sake, I will simply refer to the groups as LGB and T)

    While there is a difference between LGB and T in terms of, innately, what they are, I would say many T people are LGB (i.e. more than the average for cis people). So, it can be a matter of economies of scale to "produce" advocacy by one segment than to create a (smaller) organization to advocate for T rights.

    Plus, there are many T people who don't want to advocate for their rights directly for fear of discrimination. LGB people might eventually have partners of the same sex, which would publicly out them or make their LGB'ness public knowledge. T people most likely want to fade into "normalcy" (i.e. cis-like status) and avoid attention to themselves, so that whittles down the number of T people who advocate for T rights.

    My most controversial point, I would feel T women are more likely to advocate than T men because some of the T men I've met seem to almost hostilely want to assert their masculinity in a toxic manner that would preclude them from wanting to advocate for T rights: they "pass," they wanna move on, screw the rest. Now, I haven't encountered this here but on dating sites (if everyone I met on dating sites were like y'all, the world would be a better place). This week, there was a transguy on a dating site who said he was trans but basically said his "voice was deeper than yours and had a strong beard" and basically channeled a lot of the weaknesses of acquired, ersatz masculinity. This leaves T women without the support of T men in some situations for advocacy, which leads me to the whole: the more, the merrier (within reason: no furries).

    The only problem is that "gay rights" usually means "LGBT" rights, but it's more like LGBT rights. We like to jettison trans rights a lot :/.
     
  10. bunnydee

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    I don't think it should be dropped. There actually needs to be more push to get awareness out there for trans. I mean really when Target and others announced their bathroom agenda, it was like WWIII here. People going bat ass crazy. If there was more education and awareness, I would hope it would not have been the major issue it was. Like many have posted many Trans do not want to be in the spotlight to advocate for themselves. We need organizations out there that willingly help promote and educate.
     
  11. midwestgirl89

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    There is a term that some people use for the community that makes a lot of sense. GSM (Gender Sexual Minorities) and the sexual part is the LGB with the gender as the T. Plus it includes other people too.

    I agree with others that T shouldn't be dropped but I know sexuality and gender identity are different.
     
  12. gravechild

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    I think it should stay: plenty of trans men and women are gay, bi, etc. and more gay men and women seem to be gender non-conforming, so they face similar challenges. Besides, the categories aren't always clear-cut, and the two groups have a history of working together.
     
  13. Aussie792

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    What, and take trans people out of an effective lobbying group and one to which their time, resources and, in many countries, lives have been spent in plenty?

    It's also a long-term practicality for gay advocacy - what weakens simple assumptions about biological determinism tends to weaken homophobia.
     
    #13 Aussie792, Feb 4, 2017
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  14. galaxygia

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    Uhhhhhhhhhhhh???? No???? Why???

    It's called LGBTQ+ for a reason. It encompasses everyone. And transgender and queer are both terms that can refer to nonbinary people who are also part of the spectrum. We are one. There's literally no reason to create any further boxes. I hate it when people get butthurt over this.
     
  15. Ozma

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    It makes sense what you are saying, and I guess you are right. But I feel like now, 'LGBT' is more of a term for not only for other sexualities, but other gender identities as well. :stuck_out_tongue_closed_eyes:ride:
     
  16. clockworkfox

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    There isn't a strong enough movement for trans rights on their own. I've met people that can understand the LGB, but not the T, and I feel like we really need to rally for support. It's best to stick together, in my opinion - unity breeds social change.
     
  17. Cinis

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    It's not entirely severed from sexuality because of the sexual orientation trans people themselves have:

    Bi- or asexual -> part of the LGB
    Gay-> part of the LGB after transitioning
    Straight-> part of or perceived as part of LGB by outsiders pre transitioning

    Of course there are trans people who are in " straight" relationships both pre and post transition but a significant number falls under the above.

    Plus : As others said: Trans people need every little bit of support they can get.


    ...there's also no harm in keeping the T in LGBT and severing it now is probably pretty impossible
     
    #17 Cinis, Feb 5, 2017
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  18. backdrop

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    the Q of LGBTQ needs to be taken out. The Q word is such a slur towards the LGBT and I just do not like the word in general in normal speech .

    Overall I am fine with Transsexuals being the T in LGBT . Love yall ^.^
     
  19. eMei

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    The trans and gay communities have been united for too long for the T to be dropped. We have shared interests.
     
  20. Wolfwing

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    I wouldn't say to drop the 'T', though I would say that the 'L' could be dropped without issue since gay can also be used to refer to a lesbian. So the 'L' is a bit redundant.
    TL;DR Don't drop the 'T', drop the 'L'.