Sienna

I will start. I recently received an email (that actually motivated me to create this page). I don't know who wrote it and it was a submission to one of the forms. A few things bother me about "out" community. One is that there seems to be a hierarchy. (Hierarchy is defined as (in this instance): any system of persons or things ranked one above another). Here are some of the ways we rank.....Those that are prettier is "better".... Those that are TS are higher ranked and know more than those that are CD....Those that go to gay clubs or bars are less "out" than those that to to "mainstream".....Those that pass better are just better.....oh yea, the ones that came out, started, transitioned, changed name, got lazer...FIRST is better. I could go on. Now, I realize that there is always a hierarchy in society and there always will be but come on, if any community should not judge others by what we wear or how we look or what we do, OURS SHOULDN'T, should it? We, as transgender individuals, have gone through our lives being judged incorrectly (and usually in a negatie light) so why do we judge others IN OUR COMMUNITY just cuz they are still in the closet? Come on, I bet 90% or more of us were in the closet at one time...and we judge those that still are? In a life where we lose our friends, jobs, family, dogs, cats, body parts, and even lives we better try a little harder to keep our tg friends, right? The TG community is extemely diverse but also extremely talented, educated and motivated individuals. I bet we all have lost love by just being TG. Love doesn't judge it accepts. Love doesn't want us to all be the same it wants diversity. Strength IS in diversity. There are tg's getting surgery because the think they aren't "complete" until they do. Some tg's have no business getting surgery and some really have to but it has to be the right thing to do for the individual not cuz they think they are less tg if they don't. I am a transsexual that plans on surgery but I do not believe I am on the top of the hierarchy just cuz I work as a girl, live as a girl, go out as a girl and have girl parts. I have great friends that are 100% in the closet and should probably never get out and she is happy with it. We are both "sisters" with no hierarchy. Holly Knight 9/2/09