tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43775986759382022222024-03-25T10:23:09.052+00:00FyeahItsMikaFyeahItsTamikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04597948847580166191noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125truetag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4377598675938202222.post-37390939539300288332020-03-09T07:57:00.001+00:002020-03-09T07:57:09.660+00:00Navigating my social life as a QTIPOC Individual<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Navigating
my social life as a QTIPOC Individual<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">"I DON'T OWE YOU DAMN THING."</span></u></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif",sans-serif; font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 107%;">By
Terrell Corrodus<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
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**Artwork featured on this page is available on instagram @phaseart_** </div>
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<span style="font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif",sans-serif;">Navigating
my social arena has been quite hard as I have found that being alone and living
independently away from home has been challenging. I have lived away from home
on and off for some years now and it’s now that I have found some belonging and
peace within myself and through my experiences. Growing up, I found that I had
no real understanding of my emotional development and it can be quite
challenging identifying that you’re not the only one. I have come to see that
now as I have gotten older. Being queer, black and transgender is three core
parts of my identity and I have had to come to terms with them in various ways.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif",sans-serif;">My identity is
something that I remain within and it’s for me to construct or deconstruct
however so I chose. The idea that we must all fall in line to an agenda of
“perfection” is ludicrous. Many people who have shown ignorance towards me for
how I identify have mostly been POC individuals who identify as cisgender or
heterosexual (or all the above). I digress, this is not a blog about my
distaste for something or rhetoric of hating others. But I can only say that
all communities fall short in some way or another. For example, when I have had
open dialogue with other black people about being queer and transgender, who
don’t have any idea to what I am referring to; will find confusion in what I am
saying. For some I am the first encounter of someone who identifies with being
queer and/or transgender. The intersectionality’s within and around my identity
can occasionally block any chance of connecting or bonding. Although I may
identify as black , the person to whom I am speaking may identify in the same
way but doesn’t quite understand where I am coming from or will block any
chance of understanding so we are stuck in no-man’s land lost in the fog of
uncertainty. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O6uRD39XuqA/XmX2BWSbCKI/AAAAAAAAByk/W2FGuhojdEA4hwfNcPUXWnrFaXS8SFJbACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/7C1C8902-AA9D-47C5-806B-1603DDB8AE54.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1068" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O6uRD39XuqA/XmX2BWSbCKI/AAAAAAAAByk/W2FGuhojdEA4hwfNcPUXWnrFaXS8SFJbACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/7C1C8902-AA9D-47C5-806B-1603DDB8AE54.JPG" width="213" /></a><span style="font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif",sans-serif;">One
occasion I was confronted about my queerness and trans identity, the question
of “Are you a man or a woman?” popped into the atmosphere like a stale fart on
aisle 4 in Tesco’s. I remember feeling uncomfortable with this question because
for most part of my life I identified as a cisgendered woman , who was
attracted to other cisgendered women and men but as time gone on and I have
found the more likeminded individuals I have met the stronger and more
confident I have become in my identity. I have never been afraid to answer
these questions thanks to the many amazing people I have met within the
community and how much that has shaped my unapologetic growth. But, for some
reason on this occasion I was frightened almost to answer the question. There
is more to this emotional state but, I will dive deeper into that later.
Anyhow, I stumbled into a fit of rage, the question pushed me into the corner
and was waiting to punch me “straight” in the face. I turned to them and said,
“I identify with being me.” The contorted facial expression mixed with tinges
of anger and confusion took them aback from the whole dialogue, they mentally
and physically paused for quite some time. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif",sans-serif;">In
my world, there is no gender rules, there is no misogyny and violence, there is
an understanding of mental health and connection of that to socialising and
friendship, there is no rules on how a relationship should be and the
limitations of love towards friends , lovers etc. there isn’t any of that so;
when confronted with such a question of “Are you a man or a woman?” I simply
answer with “I identify with being me.” There is no other way to answer such a
question because you don’t owe them or society an answer, you don’t owe them a
structured piece on how you should identify. There is no need, because for
someone to even ask such a question, they don’t respect you as a human being. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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most social settings I am in I am surrounded by others like me who don’t think
about these constructions of gender unless one feels the necessary (and I mean
necessary) need to debunk or deconstruct such things. In my queer world, there
is acceptance of emotions, there is love of all kinds, there is freedom of
protection, freedom of choice in how you chose to navigate your social space.
We as queer people must unfortunately learn how to speak and act in the “muggle
world” (I use this term purely because it feels very similar to that). When you
turn on the TV or go to the cinema, open your social media apps you’ll find
blatant narratives of cisgender heterosexual people falling in love, kissing in
public, holding hands, sharing their body love online, being nude, being openly
sexual. For us, it’s a game of “how sharp is this eggshell and should I step on
it?” this is NOT the way to live. When we are openly emotional, sexual or even
showing our bodies in the context of self-love and growth it is flagged down,
turned away. I have had accounts deleted, posts deleted but I will see
cisgender men posting mirror selfies, half naked making references to their
genitals and they get to keep the post going. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif",sans-serif;">I
am getting very frustrated and annoyed with how people have chosen to treat us
because essentially, we have come to a new age of discrimination through the
internet and social settings of the likes of Instagram and twitter. Time and
time again I have seen my fellow trans /NB friends being flagged down, torn
apart by people who fee that we are wrong and “perverted” for showing our
bodies, for existing. Existing is a political statement, being able to share
this with the world is a privilege we hold for those who are no longer here,
who have lost the confidence and the faith due to an incident or some form of
trauma. But we celebrate us all. Within the cisgender heterosexual world I see
nothing but conflict. With shows like “Love Island” or “90 day fiancé”, pitting
men and women against each other because society for a long time has believe
this is healthy competition, when in reality is has allowed for women to fight
each other over men, allowed men to feel insecure and bottle their emotions so
they can lash out on others and themselves. The only time I’ve seen celebration
of women and men as beings is for a “relationship goals” post or a #WCW post
which evokes some immediate gratification of wanting something that isn’t
realistic and doesn’t hold value. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif",sans-serif;">As
queer people we are constantly faced with bigotry and abuse, we are constantly
told we are not safe or we need to hide something about ourselves, but the time
has come to celebrate young and old, everyone. Show the outside world that we
love and protect our own and we compete against each other but in healthy ways
through dance and music, not using violence or social media as a platform for
hate. Now, I am not saying the entire community of heterosexuals is behaving as
described as above, but social conditioning has allowed them to be blind to our
struggle as queer people, as trans/NB fxlk, as people of colour, as immigrants,
as people with disabilities (I use this term loosely because people with any
kind of disability are allowed to live life and thrive and should be respected
as human beings. PERIOD.) Any that doesn’t identify as a white, cisgender,
heterosexual individual will find that there are blockades in their journey in
life. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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some these identities are at a crossroad where one has met the other and this
is called intersectionality. Everyone has one to some degree, but the
conversation of intersectionality almost always falls into the hands of people
of colour, because for much of modern history (anything recorded or essentially
due to colonialism.) we have been subject to abuse, the LGBTQ+ community has
been subject to abuse, those who fall into the intersectionality of LGBTQ+ and
POC can find this to be a rough road. Therefore, allies are so important
because they can boost our mission of equality, but we mustn’t be reliant on
them as it’s OUR voices that NEED to be HEARD. We must find a common ground
yes, but we need to rally together; create activism wherever you are in a safe
environment (if possible) and fight for each other. Be the voices of change.
When I look back on myself as a child, I would’ve never thought that I would be
writing essays and blogs about being black and proud of my identity, the
insecurity is too strong. But we must unlearn certain learned behaviours in
order to see that there are levels, but the foundation must be stable. We the
ones who are out their being unapologetically ourselves are the catalyst for
change, for peace and for equality.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif",sans-serif;">So,
to answer the ungodly question of “Are you a man or a woman?” I say to you that
I am Terrell, I am trans , I am black, I am BPD, I am depression, I am sexy, I
am beautiful , I am an activist, I am PROUD and I identify with being myself.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />FyeahItsTamikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04597948847580166191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4377598675938202222.post-56223208273758597542020-01-25T11:20:00.000+00:002020-01-25T11:21:20.808+00:00Pressure (Horace Ove, 1976) : Windrush and the oppression<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/films/2017/03/13/pressure_trans_NvBQzQNjv4Bqh9q5AkaxZikBhDdQ0hDFIM_QsxY3o7kjqRst5DDPB4c.jpg?imwidth=450" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="480" height="200" src="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/films/2017/03/13/pressure_trans_NvBQzQNjv4Bqh9q5AkaxZikBhDdQ0hDFIM_QsxY3o7kjqRst5DDPB4c.jpg?imwidth=450" width="320" /></a></div>
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Pressure (Ove, 1976) was the first feature length film directed by a Trinidadian-born director, who exposed the harsh and evident truth of growing up and living in London during the 1970s. Through the eyes of Anthony Watson (Herbert Norville) we are transported to a London that I have not known. Growing up as a fourth generation West-Indian descent individual, I was born in the UK and in recent day face less discrimination and myth of progress than those born of the Windrush generation. The institutional failures of the government have seen the impact more so in recent news of Windrush deportation. A BBC article on the scandal of Windrush identifies the key issues and failure to be recognised as a British citizen by the government. Home Office secertary, Sajid Javid after reviewing 11,800 cases found that 18 were wrongfully deported. PM Theresa May expressed apologies and "reassurance" that this would be dealt with accordingly. But, what does Pressure (1976) tell us about the systematic oppression of the British Empire, of colonialism and how discrimination faced by the British-born chidren of the generation of migrants helps us understand our own history. </div>
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Anthony (Herbert Norville) is a young black man living in Labroke Grove in the late 1970s, after leaving school and gaining his O-levels he seeks employment but finds nothing but "we'll get back to you." It becomes clear to him early in the narrative that this is just another form of oppression restricting the merotocratic vision his mother has for him. Ove derived much of his work from his own personal experience as a Trinidadian (which is where Anthony's family came from). </div>
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The film opens with his mother, making eggs and bacon as she hums to "Amazing Grace", a song that holds a strong historical impact on Black people as it was a song sung by slaves during the transalantic slavery so this scene is vital in understanding how that level of oppression through religion still holds a strong impact. Anthony's father owns a local grocery store with the family home above the business. Keeping their heads down and working within the rules of "white man's land" as they protest is key to the survival of those who have come elsewhere. The racial tension within the UK after and during WWII was very apparent as many faced homelessness and poverty due to these ignorances and racial threats. "No Blacks, No Irish, No Dogs." signs put up all over London and various areas of the UK where many mingrated to. So finding suitable accomodation and being able to hold long term employment was again vital for survival. We are then introduced to Anthony's father Lucas (Frank Singuineau) who is a hard-working and stern man. The store noticabley is filled with foods and beverages from "back home." Bringing that type of familiarity to create a stable mind whilst living in a toxic and troubling enviroment. London as we see it now in places like Brixton, Peckham with streets filled with caribbean food shops created a community. Those who wanted to assimilate and blend in did so by pressing their hair, taking on menial jobs such as bin collector or working in warehouses. Jobs such as working as an accountant or in a the real estate for example were seen as high-end jobs that were extremely hard to obtain and greater work had to be put in just to make it to the interview. </div>
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Colin (Oscar James) represents that resistance to oppression and the need to break away from the "master". The mention of the Black Power Movement that was taking a strong-hold over in the US, where racial oppression was being challenged through extreme pressure and knowledge of the law taking more intellectual and systematic tactics for shifts in racial tensions and bringing Black people to the forefront as leaders rather than properties of the state. The dinner table sequence is a powerful one as it clearly identifies the differences of generations and how one may assimilate without fight , where the other questions the need to. After seating himself to eat his eggs and bacon, Anthony is subjected to a harsh talk from Colin (Anthony's older brother). Colin watches in digust as his brother indulges in the British culture of eating "eggs and bacon" for breakfast whilst he begins peeling his "Zaboca" as he refers to it. Anthony begins questioning him on why he feels the need to be eating an "Avacado" to Colin's dismay he challenges this word as a "white man's word". Throughout the narrative even with interactions between his friends Anthony doesn't seem comfortable to indulge in his own culture referring in one scene to the pattie as "pate". He eats fish and chips and listens to "western music". Through no fault of his own he is assimilated into western culture but is constantly challenged by those at home. I myself share a strong affiliation with this scene as someone who is of West Indian decsent, but was born here in the UK, I too at one point or another found it hard to assimilate into the culture I was born into being told I was "behaving like the white man" or behaving "European" by my own father (who himself is a direct product of the Windrush generation.) </div>
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At one point , he may have been like Colin fighting so hard to break away from the western pressures to only fall deeper within them, battling with the mental implications of growing up in a strictly religious household. From what I know of my parents experiences, my father grew up in Balham in the collectives of sound systems and religious oppression of the methodist churches (which my grandparents are strongly and frequently attending). Whereas my mother, grew up in Germany briefly but was born and spent most of her life in Leicester (which has a high Antiguan and Barbudan population.) She left home when she was 17 and moved to London where she met my father and in 1997 here I came. It was a few years short of the Stephen Lawrene attack (who in 1993, in South East London was murdered in a racially charged attack.) This case holds a strong resignation within the Black community of London as his case wa not fully investigated and dealt with until much later. A report was released in 1999 by Sir William Macpherson who called the London Metropolitan Police as "Institutionally racist." It's this term that we see in the interview sequence between Anthony and Mr Crapson, who prior to Anthony's arrival in the office is sitting perversely reading an adult magazine. Anthony sits awkardly and nervously as he is expecting the worst. The general tone of this scene just amplifies the "instistutional racism" faced by young black men across the UK. </div>
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The harsh realities faced in the UK as a person of colour are direct and stern links to the British Empire and imperialism, colonialism. This is a fact that cannot and will not be denied. Post war Britain was in financial stress, moral was low and the rebuilding of communities opened doors for homelessness, disease and poverty. In areas within Liverpool or the East end docks of London, overcrowding and over-population became a growing problem. The welfare report of 1942 tried to create a "cradle to grave" mentality of looking after those from birth to death with support during umeployment, free healthcare etc. Many who came from elsewhere felt ashamed to take the help from government funding as most were forced to believe they didn't deserve it. This mentality is very apparent in a scene where Anthony heads to the local youth club and is approached by an old school mate who grills him for being "lucky" for not working to which Anthony begins pleading with him that he has been looking for work. This scene speaks to the white privelege of being able to gain employment straight after leaving school. Anthony had no longer had the protection of school to save him from the outside world he now must face that struggle. </div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--9P8vtAGVGE/Xiwa2jjjFBI/AAAAAAAABxA/pKJRDjIweTQ-zEQXzKOzvJf2nQ5OhmqnwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/D7SHFcOXkAE1CY1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="889" data-original-width="1200" height="237" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--9P8vtAGVGE/Xiwa2jjjFBI/AAAAAAAABxA/pKJRDjIweTQ-zEQXzKOzvJf2nQ5OhmqnwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/D7SHFcOXkAE1CY1.jpg" width="320" /></a>He ends up going to the "Bird's Nest" with his white friends, prior to leaving bumps into Colin again who is on a constant mission throughout the narrative to wake the Black conscious within Anthony. This scene is strong as the juxtaposing shots of Anthony dancing with a white woman in a club and then to the meeting at the youth centre where a brother of the party is speaking on the oppressions of society from the eyes of the Black man. This scene is very important as it speaks on the unsafe world for Black men to be seen with a white woman and the mental and social implications of that. As he walks her home, he is greeted with an unwelcomed face and witnesses her lodger screaming at her for being seen with a Black man in the late hours of the night. The lodger refers to her as "easy" and "you're sort". This type of talk was not uncommon. The narrative to which this speaks to is very evident in films such as Birth Of A Nation (D.W. Griffith, 1914) where in the cliff sequence a white woman jumps from the cliff to save herself from being raped by a Black man (who is a white man who is in "blackface"). This ideology of eugenics and the academic and societal view of the Black man being a more inferior entity whereas the white man resembles purity and honesty. Reni Eddo-Lodge's book Why I'm No Longer Talking to White People about Race (2017), speaks on the pure ignorance and denial of racial oppression by many white people and how the dialogue can become defeated very quickly with academics in Liverpool for example as Eddo-Lodge described in their book; white women who were known to affiliate themselves or even have relationships with black men, were seen as mentally unstable or promiscious and were often disowned by families. It's from here on in the narrative we see Anthony really start to have trouble within himself feeling lost and out of place and not knowing what to do. He decides to begin to listen to Colin and attends one of the meetings and he begins to finally look deep into his conscious of himself. This self realisation is something we all face as Black people. The true meaning of self-love and self-worth. Is my self-worth on the basis of my blackness or my ability to assimilate to the societal rules of "white man's land." The dualities and intersectionalities of self is what I identify with in this narrative. As someone who identifies as a fourth generation , Black Transgender male of West Indian descent I am usually excluded from these conversations as I was born in the UK and never set foot in Antigua and only been to Jamaica once when I was 13, I have a huge spice intolerance and found it hard to adapt to my culture because I was ashamed to be a part of it based on my exploration of my queerness. I didn't feel I was able to speak on much. Growing up with a sound system enthusiast as a father and a mother who was poetic in her blackness and womanhood I faced a challenge in finding my own in this world. </div>
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There are Black queer stories within this struggle that become ignored or lost in the sauce as it were. Ivor Cummings was an unapologetically openly gay Black man who was born of a white English mother and a Sierra-Leonian father. He worked tiredlessly in the welfare departmenrt as a senior official of the colonial office. He was in charge of intergrating and helping the migrants to find appropriate housing, jobs and assimilate safely into this new space. Being that he was a homosexual male, the laws were still in favour of criminalising homosexuality which was punishable by chemical castration or imprisonment. His tireless work and dedication to the improvement of the black experience went unnoticed and was not recognised officially until 16 years after his loss to a battle of cancer. The black experience is something that has been throughout history reprogrammed and rewritten for the guilty conscious of those who oppress to seem less hateful and horrific but it cannot be like this no longer. No longer will the lives and stories of those be erased and washed away. The New Cross fire in 1981, when the racial tension between Black people and white skineheads reached it's heights killing 13 young people between the ages of 14-22. One surviror even killing themselves two years later. The trauma faced by us and those who have been oppressed by the system will be heard and dealt with. Anthony is the face of many young men and women at the time who felt that this complete and utter shame of being ignored and mistreated is felt through this narrative, we have one generation fighting to assimilate and another resisting assimilation and then you have the generation who are struggling with the intersectionalities of being Black and British. But let the case of Stephen Lawrence, the New Cross Fire and the institutional racism of police and the state be a lesson and testimony to the conitnuing fight we face. </div>
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As a Black and openly queer individual I face the fight of being seen as an individual to be seen as someone. I am also transgender and that alone is a struggle as the rate of hate crimes towards the LGBTQIA community are higher more than ever. For POC LGBTQIA we face the same strong minded igorance that Anthony faced all those years ago for his lack of identity and assimilation, we as QTIPOC fxlk have a fight to face and a need and urgency to use our platforms to be seen and heard because like Cummings we work tiredlessly in solidarity of one another and work towards a brighter future...</div>
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Articles of Inspiration...<br />
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<a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/topics/c9vwmzw7n7lt/windrush-scandal">https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/topics/c9vwmzw7n7lt/windrush-scandal</a><br />
<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2001/may/15/race.london">https://www.theguardian.com/world/2001/may/15/race.london</a><br />
<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/may/30/why-im-no-longer-talking-to-white-people-about-race">https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/may/30/why-im-no-longer-talking-to-white-people-about-race</a><br />
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FyeahItsTamikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04597948847580166191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4377598675938202222.post-28667874330857255412019-11-03T16:54:00.001+00:002019-11-03T16:54:59.858+00:00Boys Don’t Cry (1999)<b>QUEER FILM REVIEW 1#: Boys Don’t Cry (1999)</b><div><b><br></b></div><div>With Transgender Rememberance Day coming up this month; I thought it would be a really good idea to explore the queer representation on film and how the views and narrative display has changed since the release of Kimberley Pierces’ <b><i>Boys Don’t Cry (1999).</i></b></div><div><b><i><br></i></b></div><div>Based on the tragic events of the life and death of Brandon Teena; a young and inspiring transgender male who was raped and killed for being who he his. The perputrators presented within the narrative of the film and the real life events are what the community and the world that supports our movement fights against. The hate and the disgust prefusely pouring out of them is something we see happen time and time again as more and more trans people are murdered killed and attacked. </div><div><br></div><div>As a community ; LGBTQIA+ individuals have fallen victim too many times to the hands of hate. Matthew Sheppard in 1999 was viciously attacked by fellow students for being who he is. In this year alone there have been numerous cases of trans black women being murdered as described on the <a href="http://https://www.hrc.org/resources/violence-against-the-transgender-community-in-2019" title="">HRC</a> (Human Rights Campaign) article report (this will be linked). 22 black trans women have been listed of being killed this year. Dana Martin, Jazzaline Ware, Ashanti Carmen, Claire Legato, Muhlaysia Booker, Michelle ‘Tamika’ Washington, Paris Cameron to name the many who have died this year. It’s sad to think the human race has got to a place where hate is such a celebrated emotion that we are desensitised to the pain it causes. </div><div><br></div><div>The film holds a huge significance to the movement because it placed a small and unknown town , Falls City in the world view. It represents the highest level of difference and non willingness to change. Through the watchful eye of capitalism; the world has become addicted to pain , hate and death. Money as the substance that abuses the minds of so many. Brandon is constantly in search of it in his short life to find ways to make his life more authentic and beautiful by fully embodying the person he truly is. </div><div><br></div><div>As trans people we are constantly forced to look at the world from a binary viewpoint as we embark on our transistions (which are assumed as a general consensus as an end goal). Not all trans people want to take on the medical precidures either from personal and political stand point or and the difficult time and financial training process of it all. At the time to which the film is set; Brandon is embarking on his journey whilst the world is going through emmence change; a couple years prior the apartheid in South Africa ends; how many years before that the US was hit with it’s highest level of AIDS and crack epidemics which essentially destroyed the LGBTQIA and Black communities across the country and the world. </div><div><br></div><div>I found the film hard to watch and triggering as someone who had been lucky enough to survive a sexual assault; but due to the lack of attention made by the police the perpetrators; Nissen and Lotter went off Scot free. The police were more interested in questioning Brandon’s gender identity than getting justice. A choking moment that would later define his and two other victims survival. What I have to commend is Hillary Swank’s portrayal which lead to an academy award for best actress in 2000. The way she took on the role and personified the life and experiences of Brandon Teena was truly commendable. Pierce created a motion picture film that highlights problems we still deal with today as trans and non binary people. </div><div><br></div><div>When I attended the first Trans pride in the summer this year I managed to get some time with Vice UK to speak on the experiences and also the day in itself. Being trans means the world to me; makes me feel good to say it out loud. Even though I am surrounded by the occasional homophobe; I manage to feel so empowered. It’s stories like Brandon’s or Matthew’s , Ashanti , Claire and so many of our amazing and beautiful humxns in our community that inspire me to be myself and stand up for what is right.</div><div><br></div><div>Though the film has some moments that made me feel uncomfortable and out of place; we are a family something that our cisgendered heterosexual counterparts wouldn’t understand. When you a minority in anyway and society has outcasted you’re existence, you build a family and start a fresh. The people I’ve met since I’ve been in London and started a new life are what I consider family and they are the reason I feel good and want to make the most of life. The reason why I pointed out our cisgendered heterosexual counterparts is because with the exception of POC and other minorities that don’t fit the societal ideal of a cisgendered white male; there is no real reason to seek out a family in this way because the very society had welcomed them. For us; the society in which we live has systematically found way to suppress and oppress for so long that it has caused us to find ways to interconnect and create a family. </div><div><br></div><div>How can we find reasoning and middle ground? We interconnect, we listen and we get on with it. There 1001 problems all happening at the same time; whilst the UK government figure out the fate of our European ties; a country 1000s of miles away is breaking away from a beaucractic and dictated government or finding its feet in the post modern age. We aren’t moving at the same time with the same energy but I can assure you one thing; we will not stop until there is an understanding that LIFE MATTERS. </div><div><br></div><div>All life has a reason to be here and it’s not some superstitious nonsense but a simple notion of life has meaning. Sometimes the meaning doesn’t need to be explained or sorted after but when did or at what point was it okay to murder and destroy? I’ll tell you the second the human race decided that hierarchy was necessary; the moment we decided to label and box people and animals and whatever else. </div><div><br></div><div>The society that is presented in <i style="font-weight: bold;">Boys Don’t Cry (Pierce,1999) </i>is one that stills exist in a different time zone to you and you must understand that as we enter an age that’s entirely reliant on internet; we are interconnected more than ever so we must fight and be aware and prepared for hate. </div><div><br></div><div>Hate is the resistant antibody that it threatening the very thing we hold dear.. peace. My gender expression has nothing to do with you and only to do with me. If I’ve specifically asked you to use the pronouns I’ve stated please do. Because it’s a hate crime when you mispronounce someone’s identity, when you disregard someone because they’re identity doesn’t match your ideals. Trans and Non-Binary people deserve love too. And this love was found for Brandon when he met Lana. She represent the world that we see creating itself. People being intolerant to hate and not getting involved in the medieval ideologies of gender expression and just allowing people to live their lives.</div><div><br></div><div>When you’re living in a capitalist system as a minority you’re seen as a problem; a hiderance to the system once they’ve used you up for all you’re goods. The colonial system and minds don’t go but change their modes of taking. Using LGBTQIA+ community for financial gain or taking from a culture that doesn’t represent your ideals but is useful for selfish and political purposes; it’s no different to selling slaves or using an entire country as a way of making money. </div><div><br></div><div>We must fight back not just for ourselves but for the many lives of minorities that have faced death, prejudice, hate at the hands of the oppressors. Find a way to interconnect and create you’re own family because in the grand scheme of things; we are going to need it.</div><div><br></div><div>Thank you so much for reading,</div><div><br></div><div>Check my social @_editmyfengshui_ for more updates! 🏳️🌈🏳️🌈</div><div><br></div><div><br></div>FyeahItsTamikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04597948847580166191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4377598675938202222.post-1743223943542337312019-11-01T16:53:00.001+00:002019-11-01T16:53:53.950+00:00Gender and Sexuality: As an Expression (Pilot Blog)<h2>
<b>Gender and Sexuality as an 'Expression'</b></h2>
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<b>This halloween I decided to make my debut of my new persona 'Shaunice'. This character was a physical embodiment of my refusal to care for people's opinions and views of Trans / Non-Binary Fxlk. People who have made me feel like I cannot be myself, who have violated my space and destroyed my trust; this is what self-recovery looks like with a bit of help from some real amazing humxn beings. I have been on a massive and reflective journey with my gender expression and sexuality. When I was 14 years old I came out to my mother. I explained to my mother that I had no interest in being with a male. She smiled and replied: "I knew.. we all knew." I always play that line in my head because my mum almost pre-downloaded my queerness whilst she carried me for 9 months. Halloween is an unsafe space for people who identify as TRANS, NON-BINARY especially POC individuas because we face a discrimination of dual levels; racial and homophobic or transphobic forms of dsicrimination. When I put this look together with the help of my friends; I really felt like I could possiibly feel dysphoric, break down and cry or liberate in the moment of amazingness. I experienced something new yesterday something I never thought I would feel and that's SUPERIOR. I Terr Corrodus created a look that not only paid homage to some of my favourite female rhymers and icons but also page homage to myself. The last time I created a look similar to this would be the 'extinction rebellion: Marble Arch'. It was in 22nd April 2019 and I was joined by a close friend, Dani who is a freelance performer and an amazing make-up creative; we had a picket sign saying; "Climate change is nothing but a drag!!." The response I recieved from my look was largely positive as was my outfit for Halloween last night. But the main point that was made was the fact that I was at the time a self identifying Transgender Male who was frolocking in central London.</b><br />
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<b>Extinction Rebellion, April 2019. The moment of liberation began here.The main problem is people don't like the idea of a Trans male expressing his or their gender identity if it has some connatations with feminine traits. It isn't a conversation that is had often and I think it should be. When I saw some of the messages; I saw that the common viewpoint that it is not okay to come out as a Transgender Male and express any femininity because it goes against the traditional trope of being masculine all the time because I told someone my pronouns are he, him. As inspired by my journey as I am; the one thing I shouldn't of done was act like it's ok to ignore something within me because it doesn't essentially relate to the heteronormative ideology of being a transman and only being masculine and or being transwoman only being feminine. I am sick of people telling me what I need to do or how to behave or dress. This is not a reality for all transmen but for those who identify as femme trans boys or more feminine; it is a constant battle trying to be seen as people. </b><br />
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<b>Trauma and patience share the same parent, their name is acceptance. The denial I faced when I was sexually violated at a party made me feel like I was doing something wrong by accepting it happened. I felt like because I had been raped beforewhen I was 18/19, I was basically at fault but if I am clearly intoxicated and can barely open my eyes then I won't be able to consent. That is why this Halloween is a tough one for me; a year has gone by since that party and I won't go into the details but I am still healing from it; I am constantly changing and </b><br />
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<b>manifesting my vision and destiny. Terr isn't just a writer and an activist, I am a Non-Binary Trans Queer King and I am proud of who I have become…. </b><br />
<b>Halloween this year was about liberating myself from the social norms that are placed on transmen as though we must all behave like cisgendered men and that is not true; being TRANSGENDER is about being to you're most authentic self nothing more than that. </b><br />
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<b>Instagram: _editmyfengshui_</b><br />
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<b>Me on a regular tuesday, Tate Modern. London.</b>FyeahItsTamikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04597948847580166191noreply@blogger.com0London, UK51.5073509 -0.1277582999999822351.1912379 -0.77320529999998222 51.8234639 0.51768870000001777