I am beginning to see a common thread among gender benders, defiers, outlaws and cyborgs: survival narcissism. We are so shunned, derided, stigmatized and persecuted, we tend to retreat into ourselves. This can manifest as a sense of superiority, self aggrandizement and blaming everybody else for the fact that we do not fit in because, obviously, they are idiots. That is a slur against people with behavioral health challenges. Stigmatizing the most vulnerable among us to make our point just makes us look crass. Or, we can mask our fear, loneliness, self doubt and anger with an artificial persona that, embarrassingly, screams and pleads to be recognized, loved and appreciated, even though we have limited real talent and can only expose our genitals in public in order to get attention. Or, we can encase ourselves in armor and devote an inordinate amount of time, money and energy on putting layers of steel and leather between ourselves and those we desire. Or, we can honestly embrace the fact that we've HAD to be self obsessed, in order to survive our transition from being fundamentally uncomfortable with ourselves, speak honestly, in a calm, friendly, relaxed and self loving manner about our past journeys and hopes for the future. Almost everything Paglia said is true, but she is shrill, self righteous and undeservedly haughty. Sprinkle is vaudeville gone tragically wrong. No offense, leather woman, but I know a lot more interesting people in the life than you. Max, you are just lovely! Your insights into changes in your feelings as a result of hormone therapy really got me interested in what that really means about gender, and I'm a feminist. You were a cool drink of calm, after the shrill and shiny three before you. All four of you, I wish you peace, humility, joy, love, patience, respect and dignity.
