Home » Public » Trans Political Issues » Census Omissions (We are not represented by the census)
| Census Omissions [message #95878] |
Thu, 01 April 2010 09:45  |
 sherri-ann 
Messages: 209
Registered: February 2009
Location: ohio/nyc |
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Census doesn't fairly count transgender persons
By Kalil Cohen, March 30, 2010
All the advertising I have seen for the 2010 census has a unified message: We must all participate so we can count. However, some of us will be participating in this census, but will not be accurately counted.
On the 2010 census home page is "Portraits of America," a collection of short videos from an array of racially diverse Americans, including many immigrants. The tagline to the video states: "Make sure your story is captured as we make a new portrait of the nation."
While I support the inclusion of communities of color in census data collection, I am dismayed to see that similar efforts are not being made to include gender-variant communities, meaning people who are not only "male" or "female."
The 2010 census form collects information on age, sex, race, ethnicity and living arrangements. In 2000, the census form was finally altered to allow participants to identify with all their racial and ethnic groups rather than being forced to choose only one. This gave the government much more complex and accurate data regarding U.S. residents.
Similarly, there needs to be a way to self identify one's sex beyond "male" or "female" on the census forms.
Sex, like race, is a complex category.
A person's sex includes hormones, chromosomes, and physical features, which may not neatly align as either male or female. As we saw last fall with world-class runner Caster Semenya, athletic boards have difficulty sometimes classifying people as male or female.
The reality is that there are not only two sexes, but these are still the only two options on the 2010 census form. This leaves people who fall outside the categories of "male" or "female" unable to identify themselves on the census. This prevents transsexual, transgender, intersex and other gender-variant individuals from accurately being counted by the 2010 census.
It is important for these communities to be counted accurately by the census not only to give us a true picture of our nation but also to allow gender-variant individuals to access the programs they need. Those programs depend on federal funding, and that funding level depends on how many people are counted.
For instance, in Los Angeles there are medical and educational services for transgender individuals that should receive federal funding based on the number of gender-variant county residents, a number that will not be collected by the 2010 census. Without the ability to mark our sex accurately on the census form, we are rendered invisible. We do not, in fact, count.
This has got to change by the 2020 census.
Kalil Cohen is a teacher, filmmaker and transgender community advocate. The writer can be reached at pmproj@progressive.org.
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| Re: Census Omissions [message #95992 is a reply to message #95878 ] |
Fri, 02 April 2010 14:28  |
| Anonymous |
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My thoughts...
I attended a group meeting of gender diverse persons several years ago in Philadelphia, as I entered they handed me a small card with several questions on it. My name? My race? What state? Sex? My gender? I was a bit taken back because I was in a large room filled with people who have struggled their whole life not be put into a tidy little box! I chose to be lighthearted with my answers rather than put it into the trash. I thought perhaps someone just might think about my answers.
"My name? **** *******, My race? Human, What state? Turmoil, Sex? Not very often, My gender? Female.
It never ceases to amaze me what lengths some people will go to to avoid the plain truth. To avoid the stigma that may accompany the truth. Of course most young transitioners can avoid the truth/stigma with a healthy dose of stealth. Most young transitioners have neither the male markers nor the overwhelming baggage to deal with.
As a more mature transitioner I have a lifetime of baggage, I have a lifetime of testosterone driven physical and mental mutation, I have had a lifetime of being completely deprived of socialization within my proper gender. The flip side of that is I have had a lifetime of being force-feed male existence. I spent a lifetime giving my absolutely best effort to assimilate into the role that my life and my anatomy demanded. And somehow I survived the toxic madness of it all!!!
I tried overcompensating to the extreme and fell flat on my face. I exaggerating ever male attribute that I observed from my brothers and acquaintances, and fell on my face. My emotions have always dwelled close to the surface. So I have exhausted the greater part of my life living a lie, living my life in deep stealth! The upside to stealth was it spared me a great deal of physical violence at my expense, but it was a lie none the less.
I tried in earnest to make marriage work as I was fortunate to find my soulmate and fall deeply in love with her. I thought perhaps the power of love and the nurturing effects of a real family would strengthen me, would heal me. But I was a fool in love. Love is not the magic panacea that some would have you believe. We are all flawed, we all have our vulnerabilities. And sadly love cannot endure all, I know this to be true.
So the poison/deceit which has consumed me these many years has passed, I have confronted my demons, I have made peace with my truth, I have accepted what is possible for me, and what is not possible. My last effort was offering myself up as a sacrificial lamb for those who I love, and to mollify my fears. But, yet again I delude myself, I thought it was the lesser of two evils in doing so, I was wrong!
Simple little drops of water will erode a mountain down over time, so it is with me.
There is no shame in being born with a birth defect, how about neither shout it from the mountain tops, nor deny it. It is a simple truth. I do recognize that there are morons out there who would violate me if they new. It is just that I am weary and I am sick and tied of lies.
How much longer can I hang in, I really don't know, some days I am ready to pop, and other days I am ok. The ready to pop days far out number the ok days. I do know that the lies have done greater harm to me than the truth.
"I am a woman." Yes, an extraordinary one. Walking an incredible path...
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| Re: Census Omissions [message #96026 is a reply to message #96008 ] |
Fri, 02 April 2010 19:09 |
| Anonymous |
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Nicole...
If I may, we are all flawed in one way or another, we are imperfect creatures by nature and sometimes by choice. For me there is a vast distinction between one being defective which has a distinctly negative connotation to it, and one being born with a birth defect. For instance, tens of thousands are born every year with cleft lip/palates, 100,000's are born every year with genetic disorders, Spina Bifida, Autism, Muscular Dystrophy, etc. Are these poor souls defective?
The list is grievously long. What happened to us while we were in utero is still being examined by scientists all over the world, but certainly you realize that none of us had any control over that.
Perhaps meds one of our parents were taking, perhaps pesticides, radiation from all the nuke tests during the late 40's and 50's, perhaps growth hormones added to poultry and livestock, or maybe a combination of all of them. Perhaps something that I did not mention.
In answer to your question, at this point in my life I would answer honestly if asked if I were Gender Dysphoric. I do not care for the (T)ranssexual word anymore, it carries way to much negative history with it by way to many ignorant/illiterate persons.
In the spirit of honesty I will tell you this, if I were still young in body and in spirit I would be very very tempted to transition discretely and try to live a stealth life. Leaving behind me the painful realities of having been born with this curse. I refuse to look at it as a gift! This is one lemon that I have not been able to turn into lemonade, yet.
The dynamics of each of our individual lives has molded a unique perspective for each one of us, though certainly many of us do share common thread.
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| Re: Census Omissions [message #96045 is a reply to message #96042 ] |
Fri, 02 April 2010 23:37 |
| Anonymous |
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Nicole,
I was not trying to convince you of anything, just sharing some thoughts.
You may be correct, being gender dysphoric has been around all through recorded history, thousands of years, long before pesticides and modern meds. It may simply be a genetic anomaly, or perhaps as simple as a hormonal mistrigger while in utero.
Well, either way, live long and prosper...
Go see Clash of the Titans this weekend.
***smiles***
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| Re: Census Omissions [message #96077 is a reply to message #96061 ] |
Sat, 03 April 2010 09:59 |
| Anonymous |
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Sighs...
This is an awfully painful way to learn contrast and appreciation. What a grossly expensive tuition this has been thus far.
Often conversations evolve, they splinter into various related/side subjects, it is not my intention to derail or hijack. Please forgive if that is the case.
I just got home from seeing Clash of the Titans, it was exciting, not a disappointment at all. The AM showing is only $5.00. The reviews have been harsh, not every film needs to be Oscar worthy, it was a special effects festival. Sam Worthington is really coming into his own, I loved him in Avatar and Terminator.
To get back on track, I do not believe in my heart of hearts that the governments intentions are benign with the census, it must serve a purpose beyond the government by the people for the people, to serve the people! My naive/idealistic days are long gone. They have been beaten and kicked out of me.
I feel no shame for being born as I am, I did at one time, and then I grew up.
I have been feeling a great lonliness inside of late, a detachment that demands the light of day, as I said, love is not a magic balm.
Sorry, no more pity party. Enjoy the lovely day.
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sherri
Did my tongue just bust thru my cheek? 