Comments on: Weapon of Mass Destruction: Money is Power

By: SA-ET

SA-ET — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 19:58:33 +0000

Using one's gender status as an excuse for being unemployed or less than prosperous is, no pun intended...inexcusable. Shouting discrimination and transphobic from the roof tops as though one is somehow entitled to employment is disingenuous. The fact of the matter is no one is going to hire you or promote you just because.

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By: TerryE

TerryE — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 19:10:42 +0000

I read with a lot of interest, your analysis of TGed wealth and opportunities. You are correct, Up to a point! I'm no Genius! I dropped out of HS. Since then, I raised and put through college, three daughters. Own a bunch of dividend paying stocks. Own my home free and clear and two other investment properties. One with a tenant and a good positive cash flow. My three vehicles are not new, but paid for. In today's world, I'm in pretty good shape and I'm trying to buy a retirement place and acreage. How'd I do it? First, I made a little money if a lot of money wasn't available. I never complained about the "world" being against me. I did some pretty awful things to make money,like working in hotel maintenance and cleaning drain pits, or working in a mine as a mucker for minimum wage. I sold vacuum cleaners on straight commission. I fixed cars and boats. Later, I got some skills and worked as a tool and diemaker and Welder , finishing up in the R&D dept of a major research company. Later, I got a Real Estate license and became a property manager. This was all while being TGed. It would creep out now and then and expose my worst secret to all the world to see. Like when I was going through a bout of "Gender Hell" and chose to get drunk. Oh I wanted to be a woman so bad! Especialy after a sixpack of Bud. Around 1986-7, My middle daughter got scoliosis so severe that it required surgery. I'll never forget how arrogant the Dr seemed when he quoted me the price $20,000. oooff It was like someone let the air out of me! It was exactly 10X what my father had to pay for my back operation. Still that's life! I didn't have time to contemplate it as being a conspiracy against me and Drs are all overpaid anyhow. Always were and always will be! As I said, I'm no genius, but I worked hard and saved and looked and learned. I learned where the money was at and went there for it. I always valued money I made out side of work 2 to 1 and I made it where I could! Too much is made of the power of our relative psitions in the world. Not enough is made of the upward mobility aspect. Regards, Terry

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By: Money, weapons, and power « the gay capitalist

Money, weapons, and power « the gay capitalist — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 09:05:23 +0000

[...] weapons, and power Posted on February 14, 2009 by Bill A truly awful post over at Queercents a few weeks ago deserves a proper analysis, and tonight I find myself with the [...]

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By: Queercents » Blog Archive » On Money and Power: A Different View

Queercents » Blog Archive » On Money and Power: A Different View — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 20:14:29 +0000

[...] posted several articles that outlined the difficulties she and other transfolk have encountered in finding employment, health insurance and appropriate health care. While I certainly don’t want to minimize her [...]

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By: Jem

Jem — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 18:09:58 +0000

Ashley, I just wanted to say great post. You're talking about some very ugly truths, and it scares people to admit that these things exist, so they often write off these experiences as laziness/whining/self-indulgence/etc so they don't have to face the fact that it could happen to them too. Thank you for speaking out. I know that I will keep fighting until these things change!

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By: Serena

Serena — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 15:38:36 +0000

Great post, Ashley. I think it has a combination of transphobia mixed with sexism. I know someone else already posed the question, but I wonder what the difference (if any) is like for transmen who transition. Women make less than men, so it's no surprise that transwomen lose economic power after they transition. Not that I'm trying to minimize what you've said. The impact is obviously more extreme for transwomen.

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By: Alice

Alice — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 05:13:59 +0000

I want to second DivaJean - in many ways, it seems that you've answered the question already in the content of your post, but if there are other ideas you have, I would be curious to hear them. As for other comments, I just want to point out to Bill that I'm a vegetarian, and so was Hitler. I don't think I'm equivalent to a Nazi. Tools are used to differing extents, bringing forth a variety of outcomes. Pointing out the ways in which a tool has brought about an extreme end doesn't mean every use of that tool will result in the exact same outcome, but it does show the power such a tool can have. I'm also interested, Ashley, in your thoughts on how the internet offers possibilities in this realm. Consulting in particular often requires a lot of 'selling' oneself, which I'd imagine is particularly problematized when you may be the first transperson a # of these folks have encountered. A medium where gender identity can be a non-issue offers a lot of possibility, though it could also feel confining, and I'm interested in whether you've encountered a lot of people pursuing it.

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By: wtto

wtto — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 03:46:01 +0000

This is a very interesting post about many of the career-related obstacles faced by transwomen who transition. I know that I have had very interesting conversations with friends about the differences and similarities between this and FTM transition in the workplace. Perhaps that could be an idea for a good future post. Thank you for sharing the stories of your friends. Now I, too, will think of Robin.

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By: Alex

Alex — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 22:39:49 +0000

I've been reading your posts for a while, and I've long struggled over leaving a comment because so many of your posts are so negative and self-pitying. Although I do not for one second dispute that transpeople have a difficult road to travel, it seems that you often blame your all of your difficulties on your transsexuality. I am queer, my wife is trans, and we both know, jointly and individually, what the sting of discrimination feels like. However, this does not define us, and we own and operate a successful business that has been in operation for eight years. Could our business be more successful if we were your average heterosexual couple? Perhaps. But the truth is that it's impossible to measure success by what we might have had if we had taken a different road. We have what we have, and are grateful for the blessings we possess. Instead of being bitter for what you have lost, perhaps you would be happier if you focused on that which you have gained.

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By: Bill Long

Bill Long — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 20:40:16 +0000

So when I withhold my money from people, organizations, and causes that I don't agree with, I'm using money as a "weapon"? I'm morally equivalent to Nazis? I call bullshit.

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