A simple manual for transsexual empowerment part1
(If you read this you already empowered to come this far so congratulations and keep it that way
-first, for non-trans or cisgender people who read this, to really understand the issues you have to empty yourself, like what Bruce Lee? Or confucious says, in order to learn new things you to empty yourself, because if your glass is full you can't fill it with something new. Especially coming from Malaysia political climate, many were programme to instantly judge a person especially malaisean where since the 80s who's diet on the daily local television programmes and newspapers.
You must realized that if you think that the LGBTIQ are deviants thats because you consumed information without questioning its validity and living in denial because we're all around you and that's the reality, so the next step is to learn to accept and be peace with the reality or forever living in your bubble-like fantasy world and thats ok as long as you don't hurt anyone who you think is different and against your beliefs which is questionable because is it ok for your actions even is its purely negative?
I learn about human rights a bit too late after i'm working closely with several NGOs, but i think its crucial and its been refined for 'everyone'. I just wish its been taught school and other constitutions eventhough its impossible for malaisea because it will go against its ultra racial system, monarchy system, that favours certain section of the racial population and destroy borders inbetween human.
-Coming out / Keluar
When i was young, both of my parents are very fierce so its hard for me to share my feelings. I'm not close to my relatives either and didn't know any transwomen from my town. So i bottled up whatever feelings i have inside. But i knew i was different. Everyday, every night i wish and pray i would wake up in the right body and i felt suicidal all the time. I wish i know someone who i can talk to. I felt suicidal most of the time. I grab a knife and wanted to cut my genitals very badly but was so scared to do it.
I felt so desperate i grab whatever pills on my mom's make up table hoping they were birth control pills and swallowed them.
After i get to know and befriend some transwomen, went through gender and sexuality workshop, understand more of the local transwomen issues, then i felt empowered to contribute to the community eventhough they're many different types of transwomen community segregated by race, economy, looks, thoughts, beliefs, post/pre-op but mostly our the similarities are our struggles.
Like in Japan, i think its crucial to have a helpline. They have a helpline for people feeling suicidal. I still remember in Malaisea there was a helpline called Befriender who's willing to listen to any caller who need to talk to someone. But i wonder if they still have one now.
(when i stayed over my aunties house, didn't bring any spare clothes, after shower she force me to on my cousin's men long sleeve short. Every inch of my body felt so disgusted wearing it i almost cried and since then hated button clothes for as long as i remember.
Since young i'm ok with just wearing t-shirt and after that incident it took a long time even with the women's long sleeve shirt i tried to avoid buttons shirt and never owned one in my life, so i always wear just t-shirt.)
-Lack of information
-Trans 101 / SOGIE(Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity)
*experience (Philippines and Japan)
In The Philippines, there are a few transwomen and transmen organizations that help the members of the trans community from different regions and areas. In the beginning there weren't any transmen group but there are a few transmen who's tagging along transwomen groups to learn from their activities and how they empower each other. Eventually a transman group was formed and then there's more and more groups formed for the needs of the community.
Transwomen organization formulate the already available information on internet on Gender Identity and Sexual attraction, simplified them for the transwomen community to understand themselves more, this is crucial because some transwomen still using the word gay or bakla to describe themselves. Some proclaim the word 'Bakla' which is more for effiminate men and its not fitting for transwomen gender identity.
Beauty pageant is part of Filipinos culture and i was told that the event is held nearly everyday at every different district around the country. Its a fiesta, a community events that everyone looking up to and work together when they gathers like weddings but to some to celebrate the district's gathering and activities. The local municipal council often hired transwomen to work with and often besides beauty pageant, they also have a game of Bingo, karaoke, simple games event for the programmes. So from here you can witness there are many younger transchildren participating in this events and some proudly display their skills in English language and also doing costume design, stage or set design and make up skills.
In Japan, after a law has been passed in 2004 that a transwomen can go to doctor and diagnosed with GID or Gender Identity Disorder, she can proceed with hormones treatment, work towards her surgery and then change her legal documents and have no problem for employment, medical and also allowed to married her partner. (The problem with this system is there are transwomen who don't need the surgery, and for transwomen who transitioned later after her married with children than its impossible for them to change their legal documents)
-Who to contact (helpline service)
-the importance of having a support group
-join community activities workshop/civil law/syariah law/human rights/gender &sexuality workshop
-help online (mynetra) for job/medical/health information
-current issues (local/global)
So far Penang is the only progressive state that in favours of trangender women.
The local government, politician hired a transwoman for his assistant, and they also doing sensitization training in hospitals to educate the staff how to deal with transwomen patients or employees.
-any ideas?
*Coming out
When i was young, there was no term like transsexual or transgender. But i know deep down inside i'm a girl/woman. There was no information or people i can talk to, because my parents were very fierce so i keep the lid tight.
Somehow how well you keep your feelings inside it will secretly manifest in the way our body language, the way we do things and most probably your parents will find out.
It is important to have information for the younger trans /children and also for their parents, so they don't kick their child because of lack of information and for their parents go safe face.
For parents if your child exhibit some traits or behavior of opposite *gender or birth sex,
Don't worry this is perfectly normal.
-what is reansgender
-SOGIE
*Who to contact
Unfortunately in malaisea we dont have a helpline for younger trans to contact for help but what you can do is go seek for organization like PTFoundation who's main work is for AIDS and HiV awareness and prevention. But most community or trans people who go there also from the community so you can pay a visit and see the officers in charge and talk to them.
-If you dont have a supportive family cousins and friends.
-During my time it was the birth of internet around 1999 where a lot of other trans share their stories and connect with other transgender people. I contact a local transwoman who shares her story on her website and she let me know about PTFoundation and we exchange information on hormones, surgeries and experience in life as a transwomen.
*Community empowerment workshop
About your rights, human rights, civil law, syariah law, health issues, job opportunities, etc
-by going to the workshop and get to know your rights as a human being as a citizen and the syariah law for whos born in muslim family, how to deal with authority, getting to know others who attended the workshop, you will be empowered and shouldnt be scared to be who you truly are and express yourself freely
-there are a lot of information on gender and sexuality workshop, on internet but attending a workshop like i did, you will meet others and it will be a different experience altogether
(Learning gender ands sexuality)
*Mynetra
Is an online community for transwomen and transmen, a support group. Its sole purpose is to share information about job opportunity because trans community face alot of discrimination when it comes to finding job.
*Get to know issues pertaining trans* (personal diary)
- meet first transwoman online', share information (PTfoundation ) (2000)
- went to PTFoundation meet KakSu 2000
- attending Gender and sexuality workshop by Kryss 2008
- attending gender/sexuality workshop in Penang
- civil / syariah law chitrah
- attending seksualiti medeka workshop get to know more friends, allies, artists
- volunteered at SM
- volunteered at SM
- Trace workshop (an empowerment workshop for transgender community)
- making transzine (experience living as transwomen with malaisean political climate)
- API scholarship August 2013- July 2014
*Current and local and international issues
-today news about Sweden, a person can change gender in identification without proof of surgeries,hormones,psychiatrict evaluations
- RuPaul in using the word Tranny and shemale
