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News & ArtsMonday, February 18, 2013
LGBTQITSLFA The Tranny Awards Were Last Night
Posted by Dan Savage on Mon, Feb 18, 2013 at 12:33 PM
Thank you @trannyawards for my Transman Performer of the Year award last night!! Woof
— Buck Angel® (@BuckAngel) February 18, 2013
Kinda surprised there hasn't been a peep of protest about this from the social justice nutters on Tumblr. (That link is NSFW.) Perhaps the context exonerates this usage. The term "tranny" was popularized by the porn industry... so, um, maybe porn industry gets a counterintuitive a pass? (Wouldn't the folks who popularized a hate term come in for more criticism and get less of a pass?) There were lots of trans men and trans women at the event, it goes without saying, and the awards were designed to celebrate trans men and women who work in the porn industry. But after being told—over and over again—that "tranny" is the moral and linguistic equivalent of the n-word, and after seeing GLAAD sprinkle their press releases with asterisks for last couples of years ("the word “tra**y” has become an easy punch line in popular culture"), I'm a little surprised that I didn't hear about the Tranny Awards until after the fact—and then from a trans porn performer happy about winning a Tranny and not from a furious glitter-bomber who wanted to shut the Tranny Awards down.
Anyway, big congrats to my friend Buck!
2
Dan,
if it tranny is equivalent to nigger, than trans-people can use it, but cis-people can't.
So, Buck Angel can use it, you can't.
if it tranny is equivalent to nigger, than trans-people can use it, but cis-people can't.
So, Buck Angel can use it, you can't.
4
@2 I agree but it'd be quite distasteful to attend the "Faggot Awards" or the "Nigger Awards" regardless of who was running it. It seems the transgender community hasn't quite come to a consensus on the issue.
5
Clearly, I've never seen any of Buck's films. But I all account, he seems like a funny, decent guy. I applaud the recognition he's gotten, and that which he has achieved for his community.
8
@6 Why not? Those Tumblr social justice bloggers hate on Dan all the time. They will not stop with the "Dan hates bi people" and "Dan hates trans* people" crap.
Very annoying.
Very annoying.
12
Being both an n-word and a f-word, I'll just propose an easy rule of thumb using my personal example. If you're not black or gay- if you don't spend every waking minute of your life dealing with the deep pleasures and severe drawbacks of being an African descendant in America or attracted to the same sex or both-don't use the harshest/vilest descriptors to characterize those groups. The same applies with the t-word, which I don't use because I'm not trans. I'd sound like an asshole. I'd BE an asshole. Remember this phrase: You have to own it to use it. And no, South Park Republicans, this is not a limitation of your free speech. Just a guideline as how not to get shamed/fired/your ass beat.
P.S. This doesn't mean Dan should have been glitterbombed (or whatever what done to him). His clearly pro-trans positions with regards to sex and love was evident from his column. It should have at least granted him some clemency until "t---y" was fully established as derogatory. It's an evolving issue for everyone, outsiders included.
P.S. This doesn't mean Dan should have been glitterbombed (or whatever what done to him). His clearly pro-trans positions with regards to sex and love was evident from his column. It should have at least granted him some clemency until "t---y" was fully established as derogatory. It's an evolving issue for everyone, outsiders included.
13
@8 - First, I was speaking of Tumblrs in general. Second, i was joking. Jesus Christ. Lighten up.
14
I can't believe I'm the first to point this out, but awards traditionally end with a diminutive "ee" sound: Tony, Emmy, Grammy, Obie. An award for best chair would be a Chairie, and an award for best desk would be a Desky. Hence, the award for best trans performer would be...
15
Ugh, I was just arguing to someone that Dan wasn't transphobic anymore. Now I look like an idiot.
If people from a clearly oppressed group ask you to please not call them a word anymore, how hard is it to listen to them and not make petty arguments back?
If people from a clearly oppressed group ask you to please not call them a word anymore, how hard is it to listen to them and not make petty arguments back?
17
There's a double standard going on in the trans community.
When ENDA was being debated a few years back, and it seemed clear a GLB-ENDA would pass but a GLBT-ENDA wouldn't, I very clearly remember the outrage and screaming from the transfolk that they shouldn't be thrown under the bus because WE WERE ALL THE GLBT COMMUNITY.
Now, as has been reiterated in these very comments, if you are a member of a minority community you are "allowed" to use derogatory slang without reproach, and it's only if you are outside the community that it is insulting and bigoted.
Dan Savage is clearly a member of the GLBT community, and yet he still gets grief from trans activists..
So it appears that gays, lesbians, and bisexuals are part of the "community" when it suits trans activists, and "outsiders" otherwise.
When ENDA was being debated a few years back, and it seemed clear a GLB-ENDA would pass but a GLBT-ENDA wouldn't, I very clearly remember the outrage and screaming from the transfolk that they shouldn't be thrown under the bus because WE WERE ALL THE GLBT COMMUNITY.
Now, as has been reiterated in these very comments, if you are a member of a minority community you are "allowed" to use derogatory slang without reproach, and it's only if you are outside the community that it is insulting and bigoted.
Dan Savage is clearly a member of the GLBT community, and yet he still gets grief from trans activists..
So it appears that gays, lesbians, and bisexuals are part of the "community" when it suits trans activists, and "outsiders" otherwise.
18
Jesus Christ Dan. Trans* People are totally within their rights to decide how they want to feel about slurs.
You don't get to police what you view as selective enforcement. If you get called on something that you shouldn't have said, you fucking apologize.
What you don't do is cry when someone else gets away with saying it... because what are we? Two years old?
You don't get to police what you view as selective enforcement. If you get called on something that you shouldn't have said, you fucking apologize.
What you don't do is cry when someone else gets away with saying it... because what are we? Two years old?
19
If you get called on something that you shouldn't have said, you fucking apologize.I always found this ridiculous. You can't even objectively define what shouldn't be said and then you apologize for a perceived slight. There are reasons why not to insult people and that not one of them.
20
I'm trans and my partner affectionately calls me a tranny and a fag, even though he's cis and mostly straight. I like this. It's identity-affirming and takes the poison out of those words for me. Maybe it's because I'm FTM and not MTF (and 'tranny porn' is typically MTFs who have not had bottom surgery), or because I'm in my 20s and have grown up in a liberal paradise, but the only time I'd be offended at someone using the word is if they were clearly using it in a derogatory way.
Dan is not being transphobic. He's just trying to figure out what the fuck is the right thing to say, since "tranny" has been an acceptable term in the gay community for a long time (without really consulting trans people on its usage). Honestly, I wonder how much of the outrage is from straight trans people (and, I suspect, those who are transsexual versus more fluid areas of the trans spectrum) compared to those of us also involved in the queer community.
Dan is not being transphobic. He's just trying to figure out what the fuck is the right thing to say, since "tranny" has been an acceptable term in the gay community for a long time (without really consulting trans people on its usage). Honestly, I wonder how much of the outrage is from straight trans people (and, I suspect, those who are transsexual versus more fluid areas of the trans spectrum) compared to those of us also involved in the queer community.
21
Thanks for the mention Dan and I'll "try" and help clarify. The word's "shemale" and "tranny" are porn jargon, used to identify and promote transgender adult erotica. They really shouldn't be used outside of that context. As this show has the potential to encompass all types of transgenders (FTM and MTF transsexuals, transvestites and those who work with them, "tranny" was the right word to use for the show and also keep a degree of levity about them. This is the 5th Year and we've had quite good exposure and very little negative feedback.
Neither the term "shemale" or "tranny" should be used in real life situations or reporting on individuals and especially not outside the adult entertainment industry.
We had a great show with models and producers from all areas participating and winning. We'd love to have you as our guest next year.
Thanks
Steven Grooby
admin@grooby.com
CEO Grooby Productions who presented The Tranny Awards http://www.trannyawards.com
Neither the term "shemale" or "tranny" should be used in real life situations or reporting on individuals and especially not outside the adult entertainment industry.
We had a great show with models and producers from all areas participating and winning. We'd love to have you as our guest next year.
Thanks
Steven Grooby
admin@grooby.com
CEO Grooby Productions who presented The Tranny Awards http://www.trannyawards.com
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