Passing vs. Looking Good

[Elizabeth]

Hi Rachael,

Here is Caifornia's law:

422.6. (a) No person, whether or not acting under color of law,
shall by force or threat of force, willfully injure, intimidate,
interfere with, oppress, or threaten any other person in the free
exercise or enjoyment of any right or privilege secured to him or her
by the Constitution or laws of this state or by the Constitution or
laws of the United States because of the other person's race, color,
religion, ancestry, national origin, disability, gender, or sexual
orientation, or because he or she perceives that the other person has
one or more of those characteristics.

Percieved gender is covered under this law. It is also unlawful in California to discriminate againt transgendered people in the housing market. It is nice to live in a place that protects me from discrimination.

Love always,
Elizabeth

[KimberlyS]

I am with Hayley. I strive for a good look, not a perfect passable look. And a good look is a look that fits in where I am going. and looking my age group. I am more concerned about no-one knowing who am I verus them seeing me as a guy.

In my opinion it is not that hard for most to pass. Sorry GG's, but there are alot of big, ugly GG's out there that I think would pass for guys if it was not for the breasts and a bra outline. Many GG's do not take the time to look femine.

KimberlyS

[Rachel Ann]

Hi, Elizabeth:

Here is Caifornia's law:

422.6. (a) No person, whether or not acting under color of law,
shall by force or threat of force, willfully injure, intimidate,
interfere with, oppress, or threaten any other person in the free
exercise or enjoyment of any right or privilege secured to him or her
by the Constitution or laws of this state or by the Constitution or
laws of the United States because of the other person's race, color,
religion, ancestry, national origin, disability, gender, or sexual
orientation, or because he or she perceives that the other person has
one or more of those characteristics.

I stand corrected. I suppose that TG folks are in a gray area since "perceived gender" can cut both ways. A CD or TS who "looks like a man" - who knows how that might be interpreted. But, many people assume that a gay sexual orientation goes with that. I am sure that the same is true for genetically female TGs. So, "perceived sexual orientation" might count under such circumstances.

I am sure that the law was drafted under the presumption that sex and gender are the same thing.

[CJ]

Hi all,

Chantelle,

Civilized eastern Canada? You mean that part of the country that gave us acid rain, Karla Homolka, and the Order of the Temple of the Sun mass suicide?

Regardless of where we live, I think we're only as civilized as our next major newspaper headline.

Seriously, though, I think the kind of violence three drunk guys commit, although possible in rural areas, is a very urban phenomenon. Just pack three dozen lab mice in an 18"-square glassed cage and watch the fun begin. Seriously. Life in the big city is dehumanizing; it generates stress and anger.

Personally (for having lived there), I find the mellower attitudes of western Canadians (possibly influenced by the California vibe--and by the British vibe, in Victoria) much more civilized. (Okay, okay, no need to bring up macabre Port Coquitlam pig farms! )

I'm not sure what all this has to do with passing vs. looking good. Maybe this: we only look as good as we feel. If we can't feel good where we live, it might a tough thing to look good.

Love,
CJ

[Rachel Ann]

Seriously, though, I think the kind of violence three drunk guys commit, although possible in rural areas, is a very urban phenomenon.

Gee, CJ

My son has lived in San Francisco all his life and only once ever got in to a menacing situation (by inadvertantly wandering on to gang turf).

One year he went to school for a while in a semi-rural part of Ohio. The students there were all afraid to go out after dark for fear of being thumped by local farmboys who had nothing else to do.

[Lorna]

Seriously, though, I think the kind of violence three drunk guys commit, although possible in rural areas, is a very urban phenomenon. Just pack three dozen lab mice in an 18"-square glassed cage and watch the fun begin. Seriously. Life in the big city is dehumanizing; it generates stress and anger.

Oh boy, does it ever! I can't even begin to tell you how many times I had my feet stepped on this afternoon.

I'm not sure what all this has to do with passing vs. looking good. Maybe this: we only look as good as we feel. If we can't feel good where we live, it might a tough thing to look good.

You are absolutely right. What more is there?