Get a backbone...

Firstly I'd like to say that it is becoming hard work to write my blog without any feed back, it would be helpful if you could comment as it would give me starting points for discussion and incentive to carry on.


That said, I had an interesting conversation with 'K; this afternoon, centred around changing facilities. K and myself have come to the realisation that we are not going to get fit just by wishing we will, so we are intending to use are local gym. K proposes to use the 'wet' changing rooms provided for the swimming pool as they are individual cubicles. This would seem a rational choice if it were her modesty that motivated the selection (K, like myself is a M>F undergoing transition), but her choice is based on a belief that it is inappropriate to use the women's changing room to protect their sensitivities.

I believe this to be wholly the wrong reason to make such a selection. The LGBT community has fought and continues to fight for anti-discrimination and I believe that those legal rights afforded to the genuine Transgender, so sorely fought for, are made trivial if are community fail to live by and exercise their right of integration. By merit of law we are afforded all rights and facilities of are chosen gender the moment we are diagnosed and it is committed to medical record.

If we are ever to be accepted as women, then abdicating the responsability of acting and behaving as the women we report to be, will weakening any legal and moral stance we have gained. If we are seen as being inappropriate in situations and facilities by either of the born sex, for using the gender appropriate facilities of are legal entitlement, then they are acting prejudicially and committing an offence. That is the law. The sensitivities of are community have been ignored for decades and the nature born have shown little care. If the attitudes of all are to change, then shying away from what is are right, purely to avoid conflict or falsely protect others sensitivities, will only prolong or stifle any hope of true acceptance.

Given a right, then exercise a right. Not doing so would risk loosing it. If you truly believe you are what you say you are, then have the backbone to stand up for it.