Not funny
Okay, this is a rant. It's a rant about transphobic humor, and I'm cutting it to spare those who've been the target of that kind of humor, not to spare people who don't think it's worth getting pissed about.
I heard this Taco Bell commercial on the radio again this morning, and it always makes me so mad I have to turn the radio off. Have you heard the one I mean? It's supposed to be a telenovela, and it starts with the male character saying, "I'm not the man you fell in love with." And that's where I shut it off, because it ends with the female character saying, "I wasn't born Maria. I was born Marvin." (her voice goes super low and rough on that last sentence, to underscore the joke) And the male character makes this disgusted, "Ugh," noise.
And you know what? I am sick to death of transphobic humor. WTF, America?
I remember a while back, there was a list linked on MSN.com of the ten worst fathers in America. I clicked it, and there were abusive fathers of varying stripes listed. And then Thomas Beatie, who got media coverage as 'the pregnant man.' If he'd been on the list because the paparazzi were bad for his family, I would have been doubtful that he was one of the worst fathers in the country, but I would have understood the reasoning. But no. He was listed because his existence meant that the man who wrote the list had had to discuss trans people with his own kid.
Yeah, sure Thomas Beatie was the bad father in this scenario.
You know, I talked about trans people with my son, too. It wasn't a harrowing experience. We talked about Isis on America's Next Top Model, and how tough it must be to be born in the wrong body, having people tell you you're one gender when you know that you're another. We talked about how people can be mean about it, from the mockery Isis faced from the other models to the violence and attacks that some trans people go through. So, yes, we had that conversation, and it wasn't traumatic. Sorry, list author, the fact that it was traumatic for you says a lot more about your own issues than it does about the subject matter.
The reason I mention that 'Worst Fathers' list is, I think of it whenever that Taco Bell commercial comes on. If the very subject of transmen and -women is so terribly, terribly problematic, why isn't that conservative list-maker railing against crappy, offensive transphobic humor, instead of just against trans people who want families? Don't the horrible Taco Bell commercial and all of the other transphobic humor in our media lead to questions from your kids, too?
The problem is, they don't, because we let them slide. They don't lead to the same kind of questions and Very Serious Talks because we, as a society, just nod along like those jokes aren't worthy of Very Serious Talks. Kids pick up on that kind of normalization. Hahahaha, of course men who used to be women are pathetic! Hahahaha, of course women who used to be men are gross! Hahahaha, imagine if you accidentally kissed one!
It makes me so angry I could scream. Looking at the big picture, I know that this one ad is minor, compared to a lot of what is in the media. But it's a minor instance of transphobia that gets shoved at my ears at least twice a day, and I'm over it. I've sent a complaint to Taco Bell using their website, and I hope any of you who are offended will, too.
To the transgender people on my flist, you're awesome and you don't deserve the shit you put up with.
I heard this Taco Bell commercial on the radio again this morning, and it always makes me so mad I have to turn the radio off. Have you heard the one I mean? It's supposed to be a telenovela, and it starts with the male character saying, "I'm not the man you fell in love with." And that's where I shut it off, because it ends with the female character saying, "I wasn't born Maria. I was born Marvin." (her voice goes super low and rough on that last sentence, to underscore the joke) And the male character makes this disgusted, "Ugh," noise.
And you know what? I am sick to death of transphobic humor. WTF, America?
I remember a while back, there was a list linked on MSN.com of the ten worst fathers in America. I clicked it, and there were abusive fathers of varying stripes listed. And then Thomas Beatie, who got media coverage as 'the pregnant man.' If he'd been on the list because the paparazzi were bad for his family, I would have been doubtful that he was one of the worst fathers in the country, but I would have understood the reasoning. But no. He was listed because his existence meant that the man who wrote the list had had to discuss trans people with his own kid.
Yeah, sure Thomas Beatie was the bad father in this scenario.
You know, I talked about trans people with my son, too. It wasn't a harrowing experience. We talked about Isis on America's Next Top Model, and how tough it must be to be born in the wrong body, having people tell you you're one gender when you know that you're another. We talked about how people can be mean about it, from the mockery Isis faced from the other models to the violence and attacks that some trans people go through. So, yes, we had that conversation, and it wasn't traumatic. Sorry, list author, the fact that it was traumatic for you says a lot more about your own issues than it does about the subject matter.
The reason I mention that 'Worst Fathers' list is, I think of it whenever that Taco Bell commercial comes on. If the very subject of transmen and -women is so terribly, terribly problematic, why isn't that conservative list-maker railing against crappy, offensive transphobic humor, instead of just against trans people who want families? Don't the horrible Taco Bell commercial and all of the other transphobic humor in our media lead to questions from your kids, too?
The problem is, they don't, because we let them slide. They don't lead to the same kind of questions and Very Serious Talks because we, as a society, just nod along like those jokes aren't worthy of Very Serious Talks. Kids pick up on that kind of normalization. Hahahaha, of course men who used to be women are pathetic! Hahahaha, of course women who used to be men are gross! Hahahaha, imagine if you accidentally kissed one!
It makes me so angry I could scream. Looking at the big picture, I know that this one ad is minor, compared to a lot of what is in the media. But it's a minor instance of transphobia that gets shoved at my ears at least twice a day, and I'm over it. I've sent a complaint to Taco Bell using their website, and I hope any of you who are offended will, too.
To the transgender people on my flist, you're awesome and you don't deserve the shit you put up with.