Comments on: Why #GirlsLikeUs Matter: Jenna Talackova’s Fight To Be Included

By: willowanne Liddle

willowanne Liddle — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 05:20:21 +0000

I love, salute and admire all TS Women,Janet, Jenna and all the ladies honored by their inclusion in Success Stories by Lynn Conway are a Bright Light to show the way for those fortunate enough to be born Transgender. I was aware I was ” different” in 1944 but didn’t know why? It took thirty years for me to learn who I am, unfortunately resources and Knowledge wasn’t available, there was NO internet or computers. I accept the fact I will never Transistion completely, but I am thrilled to include myself in the family of such awsome women..Remember: You Know who you are and noone can diminish that,,Be Proud you have been selected to be girls like us..

By: Roland

Roland — Sat, 29 Sep 2012 03:13:26 +0000

Hi Janet and Jenna! I applaud both of your efforts to find comform and security in your lives as you both find your way through life as transgender women.
It takes a lot of determination and courage to handle the turmoils that are presented to you all the time.
It is time that we all except the fact that everyone of us are not always happy with the lots in life that are given to us or we make for ourselves. Some of us have greater sadness as the person we are and they seek to change their outcome.
Let’s celebrate this fact. It is a strange dichotomy at work here: on one side we like that we are individuals with our own wants, desires, needs and talents; yet, on the other side, we ridicule those who dare to be different from the preceived norm and who actually do something about it.

By: Sarah

Sarah — Sat, 02 Jun 2012 06:05:25 +0000

In reply to Sarah. Forgot to mention that those who don't easily fit into the above categories also matter. Wouldn't want to leave out our friends who don't fit into the gender binary, would we? <3

By: Sarah

Sarah — Sat, 02 Jun 2012 06:03:56 +0000

Every girl matters. Just like every boy, every woman, every man. There’s a subtle social suggestion that tells even us cis-woman that we’re not good enough, no matter how very good we are. And trans-women get it from both sides, as if they asked to be “demoted” to the status of women. And not even “real” women, but some kind of sub-gender. Nonsense. We all matter, we all have a tale to tell, and for me, those who have walked a path that is not standard make my world a more colorful and interesting place to be. Keep fighting the good fight, Janet. I think you’re marvelous!

By: Emelina

Emelina — Thu, 03 May 2012 16:45:37 +0000

I absolutely Love your writing. Thank you. :)

By: michale rahn

michale rahn — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 22:26:02 +0000

In reply to Lisa McDonald.

just wanted to mention in reply to your comments that 1) there is absolutely nothing WRONG with being transgendered, and 2) personally i identify myself as m2f transwoman so that others – you, perhaps – can fairly quickly understand in general terms my life’s journey and my own sense of identity. you also ignore the issue of deception – isn’t claiming to be a woman without adding some kind of qualifier re not actually having a female body count as deception , or even fraud? facts are facts and yes i can claim myself to be a woman – but i’ll always have a male body no matter how much money i spend.

By: Billy

Billy — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 05:21:00 +0000

Amen. There is not just one way to be a human being.

By: Megan

Megan — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 02:30:29 +0000

Also to the cis/genetic women out there who are against Jenna:

Jenna gets no unfair advantage. She has had it harder in life than all of you.

I heard on the Morning Show in Canada three women and one man talking about Jenna’s disqualification. Those women on TV were claiming that somehow Jenna gets the unfair advantage of having long legs and no cellulite because she was born male.

I hope this isn’t news to you, but genetic females have longer limbs as a proportion of body size than genetic males.

In addition, anyone with estrogen dominance in the body, and that includes old men and trans women along with genetic cis-women, have cellulite.

Finally, the beauty pageant is judged based on femininity, not masculinity. If she lacks hips, that will be held against her, not for her. Besides, there’s more to winning the pageant than the body.

It’s about confidence, poise, cultural biases of judges, the answers you give, … and of course how well you mention “world peace”.

Jenna has no unfair advantage over anyone. If anything she has an unfair disadvantage. Disqualifying her without giving her a chance reeks of prejudice.

By: Megan

Megan — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 02:24:33 +0000

This is a beauty pageant! This isn’t rocket science or neurosurgery! They dress in various way, answer a few questions for which the best answer is always “world peace”. Seriously!

Let Jenna participate. Human civilization is not going to end, nor is bubonic plague going to infect mankind (or womankind), just because Jenna gets a chance to stand around, dress however she pleases and answer some questions. World peace is not going to be less world peace just because she competes.

If anything, Jenna reflects the determination and courage to be exactly who she is despite all the hurdles that society placed against her. Every little girl (whether born with female organs or not) growing up should see Jenna as a role model to be strong and bold and courageous!

If rules were set up a certain way, change the rules! Many rules were meant to be broken and to be changed.

Rosa Parks did that when she sat in the front of the bus when only white people were allowed to do so. Gandhi made salt for free when on the British rulers of India disallowed free or cheap salt.

Although I am not a Republican, I ask the Miss Universe commitee:
Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate. Mr. Gorbachev, Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!

Let Jenna compete!

By: Leah Peters

Leah Peters — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 01:24:17 +0000

In reply to Kris Smith. Transsexualism is a medical condition, not an identity. So, YES, a person can be a woman and transsexual. The problem is our society doesn't understand; they think transsexualism is a choice. They must be educated to the fact that some people are born transsexual.

By: Leah Peters

Leah Peters — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 01:20:55 +0000

Wonderful piece and right on target. We need to keep fighting to be recognized for who we are.

We’re not the ones with gender dysphoria, that would be our society.

By: Kris Smith

Kris Smith — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 20:00:43 +0000

People have gone down this road before, trying to make the case for a “trans woman” apart from being an actual woman, and it has failed every time. This will never work.

You cannot be both a woman and “a transgender”. The terms are mutually exclusive in people’s minds, and this will never change no matter how much “education” is attempted, or how many laws are demanded.

You are either a woman, or you are a transgender. You have to make a decision. Trying to have it both ways will simply result in people thinking you are trying to be special, and better, than everyone else. That is a bad public relations position to be in, and your message will be resoundingly rejected.

This is the way it is, and arguing any differently is a waste of time. Learn from history, or be doomed to repeat the failure.

Transgender, trans, the campaign of difference from the norm, is the exact opposite of what is needed to normalize this issue. Trans is dead, it’s time for a new approach.

By: Lisa McDonald

Lisa McDonald — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 19:30:20 +0000

I think part of the problem is the refusal to look inside at the Transgender Community and the mixed messages it sends. Just what is a Transgender person is it someone who dresses part time and still identifies as their birth sex? Is it a gender queer, someone who may or not identify with their birth sex but blends male and female together? Is it an impersonisator who dresses to do shows for money Drag or not straight gay or whatever? Is it really a political Umbrella term or forced segregation? Does it allow for a person not to identify as Transgender or aligned with the LGBT? Is Transgender really inclusive or it exclusive because it doesn’t allow or support other views on what it means to be Transsexual? Some say why aren’t I viewed as a woman but when you ask them what they are they put Trans first woman second doesn’t sound like a woman to me and the millions who hear them say it. I can’t help wonder why after so much pain and rejection they reject the one identity that they went through all this for being simply a woman. All Transgender is going to get is a lifetime sentence of always being other than just like putting Trans before woman is just another way of othering yourself. I here you and others complaining about how your being not seen as your identity but instead being reffered back to your listed birth sex or not being considered a natural woman. I think that is hypocritical if you’ve adopted and promote Transgender. Did you forget that the very definition of Transgender refers you right back to that listed birth sex you complain about and says you are gender variant and never really the identity you claim to be? Then there is the problem with gender just exactly is gender in transgender? Gender as taught in schools is the socially constructed roles of men and women biology need not apply. Trans means to change or cross over. So Transgender literally defined means to change or cross over the socially constructed roles of men and women sounds like crossdressing 101 to me. Transsexual is based in biology and was based in the belief that we were born biological different and if you read the early work it pretty much was stating what current research supports. I question the wisdom of those who use MTF and FTM to refer their transition and wonder why they refer themselves back to a birth sex they never really were. If someone is truly Transsexual they never were 100% biologically male and they are shooting themselves in the foot by stating they were. It also makes the argument about gender identity moot because it allows the definition of sex that not only oppresses both Transsexual and the Intersex but also anyone born sterile. You know that definition that a person’s sex is determined by what’s between their legs, two chromosomes and based in reproductive capability.We have a long road ahead of us and it doesn’t help when those who claim to represent you without your consent are doing you more damage in the long run then is worth any potential short term gain.

By: Roberta-Jeanae

Roberta-Jeanae — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 04:50:07 +0000

As a trans woman, not only do I find the Miss Universe Organization guilty of prejudice in the worst possible way, I find them guilty of producing a program that explicitly depicts women in a less than honorable mode. Consistently over the past 45 years that my memory spans (born 1961) they have shown women in a manner less desirable mode of costume with having them wear high heels and a bathing suit on stage and over the television to millions more than the people viewing the live show there.

To not let a woman that has won locally for the Canadian people and whose beauty and life are beyond reproach even compete is about as sensible as driving your car over a 300 foot cliff and expecting to live. When is the world going to wake up, smell the coffee, and realize that trans women and trans men are not going away. We’re here and we are not leaving. If you can’t respect us for our honesty, how can you respect yourselves?

By: Jennifer Rivera

Jennifer Rivera — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 02:05:47 +0000

This is wrong, she’s human also! let’s see how far she can get!