To use bigotry against someone because we disagree with them?

It is very sad.

Being on MIRT it all comes our way if the TOS button is clicked.

The effect that it is having on the LGBT community here is heartbreaking.

nt.

I am always for equality for all human beings . I just don't see why my tax $$$ should pay for a voluntary gender-reassignment treatment .

paying for it or are you just assuming you are?

Its crushing to see it here.

is that these few days will serve as a wake-up call to the admins, who believe the jury system is serving the LGBT population well.

It really isn't, and despite submitting very long lists of mAnn Coulter posts (an easy to search subset of trans* insults) a while back via ATA, the response was - (paraphrasing) that's all you could find? - that's not so bad.

It's a mystery why he lasted as long as he did.

I've seen him around from time to time, but for all his part-time harshness(which is probably the primary reason he got banned) he was actually one of the saner posters around here; he also saw thru Eddie Snowden for what he really was(same for Assange) so that's a *big* plus in my book(I never did see any transphobia from him, btw.).

And frankly, why this one in particular got hidden, is beyond me. Because there is a LOT of truth here.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1014&pid=567458

I suspect it was the transphobic one today that was the last straw.

But my bigger concern is all of the posts that aren't being hidden - and the juror's comments - like these:

The admins get the alert.

But it is not a substitute for fixing the jury system.

That is damn good to know.

your alert. People have been banned for what they have said on jury results.

you werent the alerter but just a member of the jury?

If a post is hidden then the alerter, jury members, and the person whose post was hidden can alert on the results. If not hidden it is just the alerter and jury members that can alert.

Unfortunately, that info will come in very handy.

Some are still getting to grips with the concept of the GLB part of GLBT. Even on DU, which is pretty shocking.

I'm confident that transgender equality will proceed similarly to gay rights, in the meantime batten down the hatches.

Being a new member, I'm generally staying out of the mix for fear that something I say will be taken the wrong way, even though I fully support Chelsea wanting to be referred to as she.

Dont be a hater and you'll be just fine.

I'm a lover not a hater, so no problem.

We need all the lovers we can get 'round here.

awhile. Enjoy the site my friend.

(Snowden/Assange worshippers/fanatics, climate doomers, etc.) and you'll probably be fine. Lots of good people on here, overall.

Some really are in the dark about transgender issues, but they learn fast because they don't want to hurt any feelings

Some are paternalistic and screech about 'political correctness' WAAHHH!! whenever someone whose race, gender, economic circumstances etc have been used as an excuse for disrespect

Some only grudgingly conceded support for Manning to begin with and now they're pissed

Probably more reasons..

It's based on ignorance and fear.

I know I find myself trying to be sensitive because I haven't had a lot of personal experience with transgender and its so easy to inadvertently offend online. I do believe we're all "born this way" when it comes to our gender and who we love and should be free to live that way too.

I see a number of posts working to educate DU about transgender and I think that's a good thing. If posts are being hidden, that's good too because it helps educate the poster and others about what is acceptable at DU and IRL. There are some people here who are intolerant, but there are also a lot that are not just tolerant, but want to be educated about this issue which has never been a part of their everyday life.

As long as the questions seem sincere. That in itself is huge. Just think, with all the trolls taking the opportunity to stir up ill will, the LGBT community and others who have reason to be more knowledgeable are taking questions seriously instead of being too hurt to respond. So DUers are learning. I'd like to thank those who are taking the time to answer questions. You're helping to turn a tense situation into an education.

I'm sorry it's been difficult for you all in MIRT. And I'm so sorry that transphobia is happening on DU at all.

But the good thing about being on MIRT is that you see when someone gets banned. A few new trolls have been sent to the land of PPR.

to us, Justin. I don't think I ever told you that before. It's high time I did. Just because.

During the Zimmerman trial your posts kept me sane.

I guarantee it won't happen any more

Can't help but wonder if a lot, or at least some, of these same people, these trolls......might just also be Snowden fanatics, TBH. Truth is, the 'Baggers really do hate Manning for acting on his conscience, but I haven't seen anywhere near that kind of hatred for Fast Eddie Snowden, the rightwing "libertarian" Ron Paul aficionado.....could it be possible? I realize it sounds a bit far-fetched, but you'd be surprised, believe it or not.....

(P.S. just so you know, I'm not referring to those people who just sympathize with the acts themselves; I'm talking about the small, but highly vocal "Snowden can do no wrong" brigade, many of whom seem to be okay with wanna-be fascist Rand Paul, too.)

Was he a fast Eddie lover? You are all over the place here, hot mess.

Manning has sexual assault issues in the past. I'm more concerned Bradley is playing a joke on transgender. Like Mr Bono (Chaz? ) thats a guy. Chastity died a long time ago. But it's difficult to comprehend so what might seem like offensive posts is more confused people rather than low blows.

I place this in I don't know.. list.

Homosexuality used to be there, until a Black Rev changed me to a full Jesus never said a thing. in the WWJD. He'd know which are or aren't what they say they are. Until Bradley has changed, or has begun a program he's still Bradley.

Wow. Thats some insight youve got there. Do you know that she's had a female identity for years as Breanna? It really isnt up to you to decide for her how she feels or what she should be called. All she wants is to be accepted for who she is. Is that too much to ask?

nt

I can understand people referring to Chelsea Manning as he, simply out of habit, after all the Manning revelations about this administrations actions have been in the news for quite some time, and to be honest that is what I expected to see, however what I saw when I started looking shocked me and just when I thought I was becoming unshockable

I am not going to post the links because they were ugly and a lot of them were removed because they were new. While there were some who just did not have a real understanding of what it means to be transgender, there were others who trivialized it and said she is a he just to be mean. I did not see every post on it but being in MIRT I saw the hidden ones that the alerter hit the TOS button on.

But I will certainly call people whatever they wish to be called, and not impugn their motives or honesty based on something like this.

I don't understand people who juggle or folk dance, either, but I'm certainly not going to treat them poorly because of it.

And the thing I see from them, in their eyes, and when they talk about it with me, is a great deal of pain.

Being transgender is incredibly hard, especially when they're the victims of intolerance and nastiness.

It's not something they choose, and they deserve our respect and our empathy.

I've sent a few of them your way, and I'm glad to see that some well-deserved tombstones are being issued.

The good thing is people are pressing the TOS button so it goes to the admins and us if hidden.

Manning switching genders is something that evoked an immediate negative gut reaction from me. I didn't understand it or the issues surrounding it, and even the idea of switching pronouns confused and disturbed me.

I've kept my mouth shut because that negative gut reaction also disturbed me. Manning changing sexes doesn't affect me on a personal level beyond requiring me to change pronouns, and so having that negative emotional reaction seems wrong.

I know that knowledge will lead to empathy and empathy will cure what ails me, but these early steps are still hard and troubling, at least for me.

Until I do have that knowledge I'm recusing myself from discussions on Manning. This was the one exception I'm making, and this to apologize, because I doubt I'm the only proud progressive struggling to expand my "box".

Many people have never met a transgendered person and it can be hard to wrap your head around when, for your entire life, people have always stayed male or female. Plus, speaking as a woman, it's not always easy to distinguish a woman who used to be a man from a creepy cross dresser who wants to hang out in the ladies' room.

I've had the good fortune to have met a lovely transgendered woman and even liking her personally and understanding her motivations, I had pronoun trouble for awhile--she thought it was funny. But the first step to overcoming your prejudices is to understand that you have them and work through them to understanding--you understand that you have a negative reaction, so you can work through it.

I made a post in GD asking for links to stories or articles that might help me better understand the issue.

I think it must be based on ignorance - there are some posts claiming Manning "chose" to "switch genders," but that's not the way it works. It would be a good idea to read up on gender dysphoria and get some better understanding of transgendered people.

Many years ago - the late '60s - one of my college classmates, a biological male, was transgender, although no one knew it at the time. I knew him (and I'm using the male pronoun not out of disrespect, but because that's the only way I ever knew this person) pretty well, at least I thought so; I never dated him but we had the same major and hung around in the same crowd. Shortly after graduation he married another classmate, but then he left the state and I lost contact with him. Some years later, at an alumni gathering, I and the others in our "group" learned to our great surprise that he had had gender reassignment surgery. This would have been the mid-to-late '70s, when this was still quite unusual. None of us ever had the slightest clue that he identified as a woman, although he must have all along in order to have taken this drastic (and in those days, pretty radical) step. It must have been very hard to have kept up the pretense of being a man when in her head she wasn't.

Once the Internet became a thing I tried to find out what happened to her. Recently I was able to track her down on Google and discovered that over the years she has had a very successful career in an IT field. I am very glad for that - it must have taken a lot of courage to do what she did almost 40 years ago, and then take control of her life and make a success of it. When I read all these snide comments about transgender people I think of this very smart, talented former classmate and wish people would try to be more understanding.

Serving on MIRT's gotta be tough. Thanks for doing it.

I've seen more posts complaining about these comments than I have seen comments.

nt.

I'd like to see some of the vile comments also..I mean other than innocently referring to her as him before getting caught up on the latest news.

Chelsea/Bradley Manning. I'm just guessing, so if I'm wrong please let me know and I apologize in advance. As I said, I'm just guessing because that's what been in the news a lot lately.

It's difficult, because the Manning issue is so controversial without his/her gender being considered.

Personally (and please don't take this the wrong way), I think that Manning's orientation had a lot to do with his decisions - but NOT because of his orientation but because of Society's LAME response to his sexuality.

I think he did have severe psychological issues, but not because of his sexual orientation but because of his Father's and friend's REACTIONS to his honest disclosures. I have nothing against Manning or his request to be referred to as Chelsea. If he identified as Chelsea, that's his business. BUT, his need for approval coupled with his Father's disapproval for "who she was" along with the disapproval of everyone else he considered "important" - for whatever reason.

So, yes, I consider Manning "psychologically unstable" - but NOT because of his orientation but because of others REACTIONS to his orientation. When you constantly have everyone you trust react negatively to "who you are" from the minute you realize who you are, that's gotta mess with your head.

Most of you are who are LGBT should understand this already. I'm guessing you have had to deal with similar situations. I applaud you, because it didn't make you crazy!

But imagine all of the shit you went through. I don't know because I didn't go through that exactly although I did go through the "Geek" and "Nerd" rejections. But I can't imagine what LGBT people went through. I have a little bit of a clue, because I worked with many and I considered them my friends.

But it is difficult for Heteros to fully understand what LGBT's experience, simply because we haven't had to experience it!

In the case of Chelsea Manning, I think she was trying to find her identity and that his father's rejection of that identity had a lot to do with the decision to release those docs.

Now, I am an advocate for privacy, but I also support Security. In today's society we have pretty much given up privacy (have you actually read one of those Terms of Service contracts that says they can supply any of your info for the right price, or did you just click OK without reading that 100 page agreement which gives them the power to do anything they want).

And I share your disappointment. Its a sad day when my rightwing friend I debate daily on facebook gets it more than some DUers

But just looking around I am seeing alot of people who do get it and want to remind you to always look toward the positive!






>.>

Also, once I hit 1k posts will I no longer be a new sign-up?

I would say 6 months is a good number. Your post count only matter if you want to host or be on MIRT. When you are here 6 months, have 1000 posts, and proof of identity you can be on MIRT. I believe it takes a year to be a forum host and a group host.