Way back in 2002 I wrote an article called “On Awakening to a Brave New World.” (You can read it here, if you’d like.) In it, I discussed that for the first time since 1953, the
Republicans had control of Congress and the Oval Office. This spelled (at the time) potential trouble for us t-folk. Sadly, a lot happened. Some other stuff that should have
happened didn’t.
Now here it is, 2009, and the Democrats have the whole ball of wax. They have all the power--but what can they do with it? I am not sure things will be any better for us as T-folk.
There are, sadly enough, bigger fish to fry right now. Some examples:
The economy is in tatters. As I write this, the stock market has lost nearly 50% of its value from just a little over a year ago. (In fact, as of today it is the lowest it’s been since
1997. Another 100+ point drop, and it will be a 50% drop in value.) We are waiting to see if the largest spending bill ever signed into law will bail us out. (Note to you all—it won’t.)
We are still mired in a war that we can’t get out of. We can’t trust Wall Street, sports figures, or our elected public to tell us the truth about anything. Every time I turn around,
something else is being recalled because it will kill you if you consume it. There are super-bugs that are resistant to antibiotics.
Worse yet...Sean Hannity, Bill O’Reilly, and Rush Limbaugh are still on the air. Air America isn’t anymore. (Okay, this might not be as bad as I thought. At least they’re trying
to shed light on what’s up with our elected bozos public officials. Yes, they can be very trying. Let’s not go there.)
Back after 9/11, the French annoyed us in the US to no end. Now we want to be like them! Did I miss the memo on this radical shift? I though we were supposed to be a
Capitalist Democracy, or a Republic, or something other than a bunch of Socialists.
Now, about our rights as T-people...don’t make me laugh. Better yet, don’t make me cry; you’ll ruin my mascara for sure. (I’m not wearing the waterproof stuff today.)
We still walk out of our homes as transgendered people at our own risk. There are more (and worse) horror stories that have happened to some of my TG sisters. I can tell
you that we are still far too often made fun of and hideously stereotyped and that we have been killed for merely being us. And now, we could face even more problems-and
harassment-from our own government.
It just shows that you can’t win for losing. Or winning.
Maybe this time, we can win some serious gains in terms of our rights, and get these signed into law. See, I still hold out hope. I have hope that maybe, just maybe, this
administration and Congress will get passed an ENDA that includes sexual orientation. Maybe we can finally feel safe in coming out of our closets and take our place on the
world stage. Maybe we can show up to work in heels and skirts and blouses (or dresses) and makeup, and nobody can stop us. (Okay, maybe not that last, not right away.
We still have to work on convincing people we are not all perverts and sex fiends.)
Granted, this will all be providing we haven’t gone all Socialist. Then all bets are off.
