Comments on intransigent vicissitudes: Why I am GLAAD for "Ticked-Off Trannies with Knive...

"Those of us who support the film for whateve...

2010-04-08T13:59:01.501-05:00

"Those of us who support the film for whatever reason do so with an eye toward the concerns that have been raised."

Really? It seems more like the supporters of the film have been largely silent (Luna, Miller), Dismissive (Willam and Krystal), or antagonistic (most posters on FB and Qwerty). No actual acknowledgment of the issues raised or "eye toward" anything other than high-5's and some serious "pwn teh tranniz" BS.

How is this film contributing to anything close to "that we as trans people can RAISE our concerns and have them seriously considered in a mainstream way"?

In what way have the critics of this film met with anything other than scolding from the supporters? Even this post - the author gives a dismissive "thanks for the thoughts ... I'm not speaking for all transwomen ... you trans women have no significant concern".

I'm glad trans guys are feeling the joy in these "conversations' that largely have nothing to do with you (sorry, but it's true). For me, a Trans woman, this whole "conversation" is a series of punches to the gut as portions of my community are seemingly divided over issues of appropriation, erasure, ungendering AND long-divisive issues around identity, relationships with the gay male community, .. for what??

And Aaron, I'm not sure where you are feeling conflicted - I have no conflict as to where your feelings are. Your fun > all else.

As someone who has been really conflicted about th...

2010-04-08T08:47:19.745-05:00

As someone who has been really conflicted about this film, I'm glad to see someone actually publishing an article like this.

While the vast majority of the people I've seen acting as proponents of this film have acknowledged that yes, it DOES re-use those negative stereotypes of trans-women, and yes it DOES further confuse our trans-linguistics (drag queens are not necessarily "trans women" - though some are - yet the word trannies HAS historically been used to refer to them; "tranny", like many words, can be used to lambast but has also been reclaimed by some of us as empowering) and it does glorify violence... I don't think anyone who supports the film has said anything akin to this being a great step forward for the trans community. Nobody's saying this is meant to be a realistic depiction, or make a positive statement. Those of us who support the film for whatever reason do so with an eye toward the concerns that have been raised.

Meanwhile, in all the time I've spent on the other side of the fence, with people who protest TOTWK, I have not ONCE seen someone acknowledge that maybe one person in the world will find it truly entertaining without damaging their view of trans-people, that one person MIGHT possibly even find it empowering to watch, and that the fact that we can even HAVE these conversations, that we as trans people can RAISE our concerns and have them seriously considered in a mainstream way, is a great thing.

As a group of people marginalized primarily because of the way we express ourselves, I find it downright horrifying that any one of my community would want to totally censor anybody else.

Like I said, I'm conflicted; I want to support the film, (especially because so many of my friends - trans, queer, and otherwise - were involved in its production and I want to support them), I want to be entertained, I want to use it as a tool to introduce issues if possible, but I won't be touting it as wonderfully progressive or a good first-time look at the lives of "trans people". It is what it is.

(Also, I'm sick to death of trans-women nullifying ANYONE else's ability to speak on this matter with authority. Every time a male, gay or otherwise, a cisgendered person, even TransMen like myself, tries to enter the conversation, we get dismissed as not "getting it" or not thinking hard enough or caring at all, and treated like we have no idea what the "real" issues are and have no right to talk about them. Isn't this supposed to be a Community??")

These people who have their antiquated ideas about...

2010-04-08T05:42:14.361-05:00

These people who have their antiquated ideas about the film and what it does to the transgendered community's "plight" are just as guilty of trying to put every transgendered person in a box, just like society puts us into a box. When people realize that we have a DIVERSE community, they will realize that standing against one part of our community will make it weaker. I want to remind people that "Precious" was viewed by some African Americans as a "step back" for Blacks because it depicted a mentally ill, HIV+, over-weight abusive mother who was allowing her boyfriend to rape her daughter repeatedly, and the daughter was an uneducated, HIV+, over-weight mother of a handy-capped child, pregnant with her second, who stole fried chicken and lived off welfare. Was that Sapphire's intent?

Nor do I think it was the intent of this film to depict transgendered women in a negative light -- but to actually depict us in a way that is so hysterically funny that people see the humanity behind the "stigma."

There are plenty of transgendered organizations, and GLB organizations who are speaking out against this film -- I think it would be in their best interest to actually start doing something productive about our socioeconomic status, our health care standard, and our suicide rate before they point fingers at a harmless film that is getting fantastic reviews, and is growing overwhelmingly in popularity.... See More

I will support the entire cast of "Ticked-Off Trannies With Knives," and anyone who has put their hands on this film to make it possible -- even if I am stabbed in the back, spat on, or called "less than" by anyone of my sisters. This is ART, and it is ART that has been touched by the REAL, and beautiful lives of transgendered women.

I totally agree with Mr. Hoffman.

By the way -- for all of those transgendered folks who are opposing the film saying that there have been an "overwhelming" opposition within our community - count me as one of those "rebel" transgendered women who doesn't give a rat's ass what anyone thinks of me, including my own community who thinks that there should be a "definition" to who we are as transgendered people. I worked so hard getting out of the box, I'll be damned if I let you, and others like you throw me into another one.

Thank you all for sharing your opinions. I want to...

2010-04-07T15:46:14.575-05:00

Thank you all for sharing your opinions. I want to first of all emphasize that I am not trying to speak for all transwomen and say that there is no reason to be offended by this film. Quite clearly many are and their reasoning is perfectly sound.

My concern, however, is that GLAAD's statement leave no room for the idea that transwomen may also find this story empowering. Many statements I've found on the internet suggest as much, and I don't think it's right for GLAAD to impose one over the other in this case. Rather, I have always believe GLAAD's role is to correct gross miss statements and prejudice made with malice or ignorance. In my mind this simply does not fit that description.

Further, this movie is clearly made for transwomen, not "mainstream" audiences. And I suspect that it will likely never reach wide release. So the idea that this propagates negative stereotypes (which is certainly a defensible argument) is simply not a significantly relevant concern. Rather, if transwomen or other LGBT folk find gratification, affirmation, and entertainment out of this film, I think that is a good thing and I will defend it for that reason.

while you state a new opinion, the folks who comme...

2010-04-07T12:48:14.602-05:00

while you state a new opinion, the folks who commented (besides toni) just regurgitate their same issues.
thanks for the fresh spin but get ready for the old wash-water.

You said The website description "follows a g...

2010-04-07T11:58:07.295-05:00

You said The website description "follows a group of trans-women who are victims of brutal attacks based on their sexual orientation.

Exactly! That definition discredits any pretense made by the title that these were trans women since sexual orientation is what defines gay and lesbian people.

Properly titled it should be 'Pissed off DRAG QUEENS with knives.

You said "GLAAD also claims this film misrepresents the lives of transgender women. First of all, who is GLAAD to make that claim?"

GLAAD defends Transgender people as well as gay and lesbian people in the media, thats why. Since they are sometimes less aware of transgender sensitivities as they are of gay and lesbian issues transgender people alerted them.

"GLAAD was recently alerted by community members and allies to a film called Ticked-Off Trannies with Knives that will be screened at the upcoming Tribeca Film Festival."

Perhaps this movie would have been more aptly titled "Pissed off gay men with a bone to pick with GLAAD".

You have missed the totality of the critical obser...

2010-04-07T11:46:07.640-05:00

You have missed the totality of the critical observations made by trans women in the film. You conflate the comparatively plentiful and diverse representations of gay men with the pathetically small media representations of trans women. The result is you deciding that since there are plenty of images of gay men, trans women shouldn't be upset by the use of slurs, rape jokes, ungendering language, and exploiting real-life murders for fun and profit.

You only quote a comment by a trans woman in support of the film and leave out the surrounding conversation that resulted in that quote. The critical voices have made plenty of articulate and well reasoned observations of the film and it's marketing, all of which you have chosen to ignore.

"In its call to action, GLAAD compares this film to Boys Don't Cry and concludes that the violence against trans peopple is justified in the former, but not in Trannies." - GLAAD makes no such statement, there is no justified violence against trans people in either movie.

"...and not a realistic depiction of the tragedy of being transgender." - being a transgendered person (Note the use of an adjective and a noun) is not in an of itself a "tragedy".

The claim by GLAAD whose validity you so soundly question, is actually a very plain statement of fact. Trans women ARE marginalized (look at unemployment and earning stats compared to gay men and lesbians, look at health care issues compared to gay men and lesbians). Trans women ARE subjected to horrific violence - One murdered trans woman every 2 days. One strangled in NYC just last week, another decapitated in Mexico a few days ago, another dismembered in Indonesia a few days before that. We are NOT represented in media as anything other than pathetic, hyper-sexual, or comic relief - TOTWK plays into 2 of the 3 roles we are alowed to play - edgy stuff I'm sure.

-Laughriotgirl- Bianca

I appreciate your thoughtful comments. Thank you! ...

2010-04-07T11:23:59.779-05:00

I appreciate your thoughtful comments. Thank you! Toni Miller