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During my conversation with my mother a few days ago she mentioned she'd had a conversation with one of my old neighbors who was unaware of my gender transition. Her sons stumbled across my blog and of course relayed the news to their mother.
She made some cis privileged comments such as 'I was too smart to transition' and other ones that smacked of Christoignorance that my mom called her on.
I thought I made it clear for you African descended peeps last year that harbor the same thoughts as my old neighbor when I wrote about this subject.
It looks like it's time to remix and reiterate what I said because it still applies in the '09 and beyond.
Say it loud, I'm Black, trans and I'm proud!
Just because I transitioned a decade and a half ago doesn't shield me or any African descended transperson from being whacked with all the daily slings and arrows that being Black in America presents you with.
I still get called 'nigger'. As a matter of fact I've had that epithet thrown at me more so by people in the GLBT community since I transitioned than folks outside it.
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As a child and godchild of historians I am not only cognizant of our history, I eagerly embrace and revel in it. I'm always striving to learn more about my people's accomplishments across the Diaspora.
Transition did not lower my IQ. As my cis girlfriends jokingly tell me, it enhanced it.
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At the same time I recognize the value of having and building a vibrant, self-aware Black trans community that knows its history, recognizes its heroes and sheroes and is a key player in the decision making ranks of the GLBT community.
I am still a 'Big C' Christian who is more concerned with 'what Jesus said' than the 'what Paul said' mean spirited right-wing prosperity gospel brand of Christianity.
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I also still share, as William Hastie said in a 1950 speech at the University of Rochester, the 'militancy against discrimination and racial indignity that is a heritage from our forbears'.
Being a proud African descended trans person does not constitute grounds for yanking my 'Black Card'.
Now Clarence Thomas is another story, but I digress.
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And you Black peeps who have a problem with trans people on specious religious grounds or because of your own insecurities need to buy a vowel and get a clue about that as well.