Well in this case, it came in the form of a rather badly written, nasty and creepy comment in a community blog where I cross-post my entries from here. The site is called Rainbow Bloggers Philippines (RBP). The idea behind RBP is to serve as a venue for bloggers of Filipino descent anywhere in the world to share their opinions on various issues facing them. It was also meant to connect LGBT Filipinos who just happen to blog in a single place on the web. This is why the RBP tag line reads, "Uniting LGBT Filipino bloggers worldwide." In 2008, RBP proudly marched during the 2008 Manila Pride March.
The transphobic comment is signed anonymously and you can access it here. I want to share it in full with all of you though:
Anonymous, August 11, 2009 10:29 AM
Please be sure they read the following:
No matter how you put it you still men, When are you going to understand ? You are nothing but a sex fantasy, nothing but an excuse for those men who are afraid to accept they are gay, they feel better fucking a man with makeup and tits, somehow inside their mind it makes them feel less guilty. GET IT? you are nothing but a fantasy, a toy. A way to deal with homosexuality without feeling 100% guilty, nothing but whores looking for acceptance, you dont believe it? just ask yourselves how many men actually talk to you just because of who you are? The truth is they talk to you because they want to fuck something like you, because they are curious how you look naked and how you suck dick and fuck, they are curious how your tits grow, look and feel ("are those real"?) sounds familiar?, they want to have a fantasy they saw in a movie, Those are just a few of the real reasons and not the ones you tell yourselves. Some of us will tell you, you are beautiful and many other crap because we know that will take you to bed with us maybe not right away but one thing for sure, it will be fast enough, and lets be honest, when bullshit is fed to you, you will give away your ass fast, that's why here we call you "the easy bullshit one nightstand whores" because that's what you are. No matter how you put it, you can keep telling yourselves lies, at the end just look in a mirror and look down. What you see? a dick you stupid whores. I know a couple of you, I wont tell if is in person or via internet, lets just say soon I'll be getting closer or more friendly to one of them so we can become "friends" and then "intimate", why? well is typical within the Philippine transgenders when they meet some one they like to give their ass fast, I guess not having self-respect and been a whore is a part of your culture, thats why us western guys love to make "friends" with asian transgenders, so easy to fuck when you tell them what they want to hear, so I'm telling you, you so damn easy to fool when bullshit is fed to you and a a nice picture is given, so now I'm among you and I'll keep my eyes on you. My objective is to show others how whores you all are, activists, divas or not and that you shouldn't go around pretending to be what you are not. I'll be around my dear friends. At the end we both are going to have what we want, you will have the best sex of your lives and I'll have the proof I want.
Tak-grazie-salamat
The other person to whom this comment is also addressed, found out about this via a website she maintains. When that person opened the organization's email, there was a message from someone called "Tranny Chaser." The email contained a link to the comment on RBP. What's more, the email address used was under angladlad@yahoo.com. Ang Ladlad is the national organization of LGBT Filipinos for which I have been volunteering in the last year and a half. Currently I am the Project Coordinator of Ang Ladlad's Yogyakarta Principles (YyP)Project which aims to popularize the YyP among LGBT groups and individuals, in particular, and educate Philippine society about LGBT human rights, in general. Using Ang Ladlad's name for this act of transphobia is truly malice of the highest order. It is a blatant attempt to create discord between organizations.
Immediately, we alerted friends and allies about this idiotic but threatening comment. People from the Philippines and other parts of the world have given their words of support, encouragement and love regarding this incident. I also sent an email to transfriends reminding them of three important things which I quote below:
1. that we need to stick together even more so now for there are forces out there that will try to sow discord among us;
2. that we need to constantly look at each other with truly kind & compassionate eyes, to see each other's beauty & imperfections, strengths & weaknesses and yet love each one for who they truly are. This means we must eradicate hate even among our ranks and must never put a sister down. The transpinay exists to raise up other transpinays. Within our circle, we must never commit cruelty to each other.
3. that we who do advocacy work have to take the necessary precaution to protect ourselves from harm. Part of our public persona is the fact that we are more vulnerable to being reached by people with ominous motives, personal grudges, or just pure hate. We must be able to shield ourselves from such characters for the sake of our sanity and personal safety. Consequently, we must also strive constantly to never do others harm in the course of advocating for our community.
When I saw this vile comment the first time, my first thought was "How sad." Then I felt afraid, angry and anxious. It reminded me of a very strong-minded Filipina politician who used to head the notorious Bureau of Immigration where she had to fight with organized crime groups and even petty criminals involved in human trafficking. She once said something that has now become a very famous quote, "I eat death threats for breakfast." Although this blog comment is not actually a death threat and can be dismissed as something isolated and therefore irrelevant, it does drive home the point: that the world is not safe for people who want to change it. People who advocate noble causes are putting their life and limb on the line and there will be forces out there that will try to silence them and snuff out the light that they shine to the world. What can I say? In the line of fire, is truly, the place of honor.
The transphobic comment is signed anonymously and you can access it here. I want to share it in full with all of you though:
Anonymous, August 11, 2009 10:29 AM
Please be sure they read the following:
No matter how you put it you still men, When are you going to understand ? You are nothing but a sex fantasy, nothing but an excuse for those men who are afraid to accept they are gay, they feel better fucking a man with makeup and tits, somehow inside their mind it makes them feel less guilty. GET IT? you are nothing but a fantasy, a toy. A way to deal with homosexuality without feeling 100% guilty, nothing but whores looking for acceptance, you dont believe it? just ask yourselves how many men actually talk to you just because of who you are? The truth is they talk to you because they want to fuck something like you, because they are curious how you look naked and how you suck dick and fuck, they are curious how your tits grow, look and feel ("are those real"?) sounds familiar?, they want to have a fantasy they saw in a movie, Those are just a few of the real reasons and not the ones you tell yourselves. Some of us will tell you, you are beautiful and many other crap because we know that will take you to bed with us maybe not right away but one thing for sure, it will be fast enough, and lets be honest, when bullshit is fed to you, you will give away your ass fast, that's why here we call you "the easy bullshit one nightstand whores" because that's what you are. No matter how you put it, you can keep telling yourselves lies, at the end just look in a mirror and look down. What you see? a dick you stupid whores. I know a couple of you, I wont tell if is in person or via internet, lets just say soon I'll be getting closer or more friendly to one of them so we can become "friends" and then "intimate", why? well is typical within the Philippine transgenders when they meet some one they like to give their ass fast, I guess not having self-respect and been a whore is a part of your culture, thats why us western guys love to make "friends" with asian transgenders, so easy to fuck when you tell them what they want to hear, so I'm telling you, you so damn easy to fool when bullshit is fed to you and a a nice picture is given, so now I'm among you and I'll keep my eyes on you. My objective is to show others how whores you all are, activists, divas or not and that you shouldn't go around pretending to be what you are not. I'll be around my dear friends. At the end we both are going to have what we want, you will have the best sex of your lives and I'll have the proof I want.
Tak-grazie-salamat
The other person to whom this comment is also addressed, found out about this via a website she maintains. When that person opened the organization's email, there was a message from someone called "Tranny Chaser." The email contained a link to the comment on RBP. What's more, the email address used was under angladlad@yahoo.com. Ang Ladlad is the national organization of LGBT Filipinos for which I have been volunteering in the last year and a half. Currently I am the Project Coordinator of Ang Ladlad's Yogyakarta Principles (YyP)Project which aims to popularize the YyP among LGBT groups and individuals, in particular, and educate Philippine society about LGBT human rights, in general. Using Ang Ladlad's name for this act of transphobia is truly malice of the highest order. It is a blatant attempt to create discord between organizations.
Immediately, we alerted friends and allies about this idiotic but threatening comment. People from the Philippines and other parts of the world have given their words of support, encouragement and love regarding this incident. I also sent an email to transfriends reminding them of three important things which I quote below:
1. that we need to stick together even more so now for there are forces out there that will try to sow discord among us;
2. that we need to constantly look at each other with truly kind & compassionate eyes, to see each other's beauty & imperfections, strengths & weaknesses and yet love each one for who they truly are. This means we must eradicate hate even among our ranks and must never put a sister down. The transpinay exists to raise up other transpinays. Within our circle, we must never commit cruelty to each other.
3. that we who do advocacy work have to take the necessary precaution to protect ourselves from harm. Part of our public persona is the fact that we are more vulnerable to being reached by people with ominous motives, personal grudges, or just pure hate. We must be able to shield ourselves from such characters for the sake of our sanity and personal safety. Consequently, we must also strive constantly to never do others harm in the course of advocating for our community.
When I saw this vile comment the first time, my first thought was "How sad." Then I felt afraid, angry and anxious. It reminded me of a very strong-minded Filipina politician who used to head the notorious Bureau of Immigration where she had to fight with organized crime groups and even petty criminals involved in human trafficking. She once said something that has now become a very famous quote, "I eat death threats for breakfast." Although this blog comment is not actually a death threat and can be dismissed as something isolated and therefore irrelevant, it does drive home the point: that the world is not safe for people who want to change it. People who advocate noble causes are putting their life and limb on the line and there will be forces out there that will try to silence them and snuff out the light that they shine to the world. What can I say? In the line of fire, is truly, the place of honor.
6 comments:
i'm starting to think that this was just a disguised hate mail. this person may be someone you both know, pretending to be someone both of you met. and from what he is saying, it seems he is VERY insecure of you and sass, for he is an ugly excuse for a human being, inside and out. i pity him, for he has to resort to ugly actions like this. such bigotry and blindness. but never worry, this is what we are here for.
Hey sis,
Ignorant e-mails are par for the course for those of us fighting for the civil rights of a marginalized group.
The comments say more about this waste of DNA than it does for h transpeople he denigrates.
As usual, people who are insecure with their own sexual orientation or gender ID are our biggest and most virulent critics.
@tg-girl: And I am glad you are on this journey with us. :)
@Monica: It does seem like the trend doesn't it? People with sexual orientation & gender identity issues always turn out to be the most homo- or transphobic. ;)
PTG,
That they do. And when they start spouting that transphobic/homophobic garbage that's usually my first comeback line.
"You hate me because you wanna emulate me."
Revolting. I'm so sick of all the hate. I love what you are doing to combat all this prejudice Pinay. You have a truly wonderful blog. I'm going to link to it on mine.
Best Wishes,
Charlie
Hey All, I'm just a radom passerby here...
This fool clearly has shallow, selfish ideals and a false sense of superiority. But you know... only the meek and cowardly will talk like that when they are sitting behind and protected by a computer screen. But in any case, i hope he dosent get stamped to death by an angry and resentful mob made up of his so-called exploits. Maybe he is only just relishing his own fantasy here to everyone... who knows?
God bless you all!
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