Comments on: Reifications and Binaries

By: Leah B

Leah B — Fri, 21 May 2010 06:21:27 +0000

I’ve gotten the spam filter bit before too. I did repeat a few keywords a lot in the post that got flagged, words probably not recognized as “common” by a run-of-the-mill filter.

By: helenboyd

helenboyd — Thu, 20 May 2010 22:45:10 +0000

oh, except sometimes including a link sets off the spam filter.

By: helenboyd

helenboyd — Thu, 20 May 2010 22:44:56 +0000

that’s weird, Veronique. I have no idea why.

By: Véronique

Véronique — Thu, 20 May 2010 17:56:18 +0000

@Helen: It didn’t let me post at all. This is the message I got:

Hmmm, your comment seems a bit spammy. We’re not real big on spam around here.

Please go back and try again.

I mean, I had to log in to post it. I am not a bot!

I might try experimenting with removing bits and pieces of the comment to see what is offending the filter.

By: deanna

deanna — Thu, 20 May 2010 17:36:58 +0000

sorry dad (look then hit enter)

By: deanna

deanna — Thu, 20 May 2010 17:36:08 +0000

Happy Bday to your day he sounds like a wise individual

By: helenboyd

helenboyd — Thu, 20 May 2010 16:48:24 +0000

I know, CL – that’s why I don’t like “trans” either.
What I ‘m saying is that I want to be a hell of a lot more discerning, & picky, when bringing up any distinction. Perhaps specifically when there is an issue of discrimination or whatnot, of course, but otherwise? feh. I’m tired of it.

As someone who others would identify as cis, I’m tired of feeling the linguistic chasm between myself & so many others I know, am friends with, am related to, etc.

Obviously (I hope) this idea is largely rhetorical. While the world is ignorant & hateful, a person’s trans status will be important, & while it is important, cissexual privilege is important to name.

By: CLMinou

CLMinou — Thu, 20 May 2010 16:33:12 +0000

But the thing is, trans does the same thing to trans people as you say cis does to cis people (particularly yourself.) That is: trans erases the differences between people as different as Kate Bornstein and Chloe Prince. But you still use trans as a category, though believe me I get and appreciate what you said about not using “trans” in front of people’s identity.

As long as trans remains a useful category–and it does, because of, you know, the oppression–then cis is going to remain one too. If you really feel it isn’t a good label for you, well, there are other labels, yanno? (Gender) queer, questioning, andro, etc.

Trans folks don’t get to opt out of being trans, and I don’t see why the reverse shouldn’t be true.

By: helenboyd

helenboyd — Thu, 20 May 2010 16:27:37 +0000

Veronique – did it not let you post it at all? Looking through spam, I don’t see it.

By: jadecath

jadecath — Thu, 20 May 2010 14:56:29 +0000

You get mistaken for trans? That’s silly. And hilarious. It would be even more hilarious for you to run with it… you’ve heard more than enough trans yammer to imitate it yourself… you could muse on your journey of self-discovery, and hem and haw over Trinidad vs. Thailand…

No, wait, I suppose you’d get in trouble for that. (sigh) I’d love to hear it, though.