URNotAlone

A Tale Of Two Communities:

July 27th, 2008 7:31 pm MDT

The HRC SF Gala“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age ofwisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was theepoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season ofDarkness….” — Charles Dickens, A Tale Of Two CitiesThe Haves. The Have-Nots. Sexual Orientation. Gender Identity. Gay and Lesbian.Transgender. Distinct, disparate, disengaged and mutually distrustful. It waslikely not intended to be this way, shouldn’t be this way, but such is how wefind it in this period of social and economic malaise.San Francisco, the capital of Gay America, is set to host a banquet for theHuman Rights Campaign (HRC) who (despite the generic, non-descriptive soundingname) is the largest and most widely known and press-worthy gay and lesbianorganization in the nation. While they advertise themselves as “transgender” aswell, it’s not a sentiment shared by the overwhelming majority of the transcommunity. It’s gotten so bad that even former transgender allies of theirs havetaken to joining the ranks of the disenchanted, calling them “liars” and“immoral.”This San Francisco visit is different, though. Nowadays, many of the gay andlesbian community’s movers and shakers, and a large swath of the long-sinceunified and enlightened within the gay and lesbian community are also in leaguewith the trans protesters. Indeed, HRC’s store in the Castro has been protestedand the organization was nominated for a Pink Brick Award, the gay and lesbiancommunity’s equivalent of a “Razzy Award” from the Bay Area Reporter. That’s notgood news, especially coming from HRC’s primary constituency.However, HRC is doing their best to spin it, and put on the good face. In anattempt to blunt the criticism, they’ll bring a trans man – Diego Sanchez, freshfrom testifying before Congress last month – to speak to the gather. For hisefforts, HRC will use him as their shield to take the brunt of the vitriolicbarrage. Knowing Diego as I do, I know his intentions are true. That said, hewill nevertheless be savaged by those of his own who don’t know better and usedby JoeSo and company to keep themselves safe and sound as much as possible.So tonight, it’ll be another splashy, high-profile (and high-dollar) soireereplete with haute cuisine and couture and a few star-studded special guests tospeak (beyond the now begrudgingly obligatory trans speaker). They’ll dine, rubelbows and party fabulously, as is customary. Nary a thought will be given ofthe protesters who, this time, will be a bonafide, clamoring throng.http://cbs5.com/video/?id=37048@kpix.dayport.com“I have had unformed ideas of striving afresh, beginning anew, shaking off slothand sensuality, and fighting out the abandoned fight. A dream, all a dream, thatends in nothing, and leaves the sleeper where he lay down, but I wish you toknow that you inspired it." — Charles Dickens, A Tale Of Two CitiesMeanwhile, the transgender community has lost patience and any faith in thenational political leaders of the gay and lesbian personified by HRC. Theprotesters will then repair, along with more egalitarian local gay communityleaders such as State Rep. Mark Leno, and City Council members Tom Ammiano andBevan Dufty to their own private dinner away from, and absent of the glitz andglamour.It is fitting symbolism. For many years, whether outwardly spoken or guardedlyunspoken, HRC and their ilk have established a separatism and classism betweenthe ranks of the connected and disenfranchised elements within the gay andlesbian community. There was no coordinated hue and cry to the public as bydoing so against the connected gay and lesbian leadership would by extensionwork against themselves.As transgenders finally came to visibility, these power brokers broadly didlikewise with the whole of the trans community. About this time, more of thosepreviously disenfranchised factions began remaking themselves during“nelly-and-butchophobia,” and worked in some cases to lift themselves out of themorass into newly becoming part of the connected. Meanwhile he “khaki crowd” hada new, more alien these in these upstart trans people.One thing HRC did not count on the trans community’s refusal to be squelched andmuzzled. We were never included in the early years, and had nothing – thus,nothing to lose! The socioeconomic disparities are extreme between the twooverall communities, and the violence, systemic harassment and lack of redressare notably more severe and hard to ignore once the spotlight fixes on it.As time went on, HRC took a notion of finding the few more fortunate individualsin the trans community and bringing them into the inner circle, hoping toplacate the trans community as a whole. As an added bonus, they would take forthemselves the de facto ownership of PR on trans issues in the media, and workto beef up their fundraising now with their adopted cause of “trans advocacy” –with neither trans guidance nor approval, mind you.That venture failed miserably.HRC, in essence, stole the voice and left behind a still impoverished and evenmore infrastructure-deprived trans community with even less ability to get themessage, the true impact and the sense of urgency out to the world. Not only didconditions not improve, the violence and lack of opportunity (in this BushEconomic Recovery) remained and even increased. As a result, and after the mostegregious of manipulations last year with the ENDA support reversal immediatelyon the heels of their “promise” to those at Southern Comfort, even theenlightened among the gay and lesbian community were seeing the ruse. While HRCstill plies its message to the dark corners that haven’t seen the light, as moreof the community – trans as well as gay and lesbian – see the light, theirfinding fewer sanctuaries for themselves.For now, after tonight’s banquet HRC will continue as is and will still work torope in more Barnum-babies from the trans community to replace their previous(now-disillusioned) trans leaders. In contrast, their actions will continuedriving away more of their own gay and lesbian members who are sick (and even abit ashamed) of their own community leaders’ hypocrisy and casual heartlessness.As for the trans community’s rank and file? Jobs and opportunities will continuebeing scarce-to-non-existent. The violence and anguish and fear that go alongwith it will remain in place, along with the sense of near-helplessness andmounting frustration. There will be no vacations, no high-dollar dinners, nopolitical appointees or electees, no circuit parties … and really not much fearabout marriage rights as the primary concern is merely surviving. Yes, even inthe 21st century, that’s a tenuous proposition still – especially fortransgenders. To wit: Angie Zapata in Greeley, CO just a week ago.We may not have allowance to be heard, but we still have the voice with which toscream. And so it goes ….................... In Memory of Angie Zapata