Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Reverse the Tide of Fetishisation

Shemales, Tranny, Ladyboys - these are invectives flung about by hate-filled individuals, mostly men, to flay and dehumanise transsexual women. It does not help that disproportionate numbers of trans women are in the sex and porn industry, compared to their non-trans counterparts. In Singapore, Orchard Towers and Changi Village are considered "rites of passage" for trans women. Our Road to Santiago? No way.

Make a stand today against the porn industry and the sex trade. In Singapore at least, there is no excuse for turning to prostitution. If you need me to write a letter to or contact a potential employer to clarify your situation, I will help you.

Ours is already a difficult journey - don't make it more difficult. The next time someone - and this could be your friend, relative or casual acquaintance - starts to make the trite association between trans women and the entertainment industry, do not sit there and just smile. Stand up for who you are - a wonderful being who lives her life with pride and dignity.

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