I’ve never been called a Slut.
Below is a speech I gave at the Wellington Slut Walk on June 25th 2011.
I’m Brooklynne Kennedy, a rape survivor and a transwoman.
It’s interesting when talking with friends about this event; we got talking about being called a slut. How we felt about it, and when was the last time. They were all surprised that I had never been called a slut.
I have never been called a slut, not because I am the perfect picture of virtue and purity. No, I have never been called a slut be cause as a transwoman, our bodies have been so sexualized that they no longer belong to humans. Unlike cis-gendered women, many people have only encountered, that they know of, a transwoman via, disgusting and degrading “she-male” porn.
Obviously all transwoman are porn stars; we want nothing but sex all the time. We think of nothing but cock, cock, cock. This attitude gets confirmed at least twice a week, when some guy comes up to me and touches me or exposes himself to me. When some guy doesn’t understand that “I am married” means “I don’t want to fuck you!” I guess the wedding ring is invisible.
Transwomen are no longer human beings, with feelings and emotions, but instead a fancy sex toy. We are little more than a blow up doll to be used then tossed aside. This attitude is far more damaging to the transgendered community than the hatred and transphobia.
This attitude encourages transphobia and violence against transwomen. After all you can’t rape a “sex toy” Beating up a “sex toy” surely isn’t illegal. In many places when a transwoman is raped there is nowhere for her to go. The police will often laugh at her or arrest her for prostitution. That is if they weren’t the rapists themselves.
In my own case I was raped by police, arrested for prostitution, and thrown into a man’s cell where I was raped again. How I wish my case was unique. How I wish my case was rare. It wasn’t tho.
I am here to say this has got to STOP!
I am here to say I am in charge of MY body, I am in charge of MY sexuality!
Trans women are NOT sex toys!
I did not transition for your benefit, and pleasure!
I did not transition for YOU!
[...] Slut Walk: The march was awesome, getting up and speaking in front of such a large amount of amazing people was terrifying but worth it. Seeing everyone cry as I read my speech was heart breaking, and heart warming all at once. I feel bad that I had to leave so soon afterward. It’s also great to hear that so many people appreciated my speech… ( I have since this posted my speech up here) [...]
Be who you are…be how you are. If you’re true to yourself, you’re much less vulnerable to those that are ignorant or even worse, truly stupid.
Know that you are beautiful and awe-inspiring to those of us who can relate to your challenges.
[...] Update: Jan Logie’s excellent speech is online here at her blog. And also Brooklynne Kennedy’s speech is here. [...]
Just when I think you couldn’t be any more brave or strong you share your deep pain with us and I am left yet again astounded at the depth of your strength and how amazingly brave you are. You are an awe inspiring being. I am so sorry that you had to live through so much horror. I have tears in my eyes as I write this. Tears of grief for your suffering and tears of anger that there are women who have to go through this just because they were born with some of their bits looking different to the majority of women. It speaks volumes about the true status of women in the eyes of those that do not object to this, who do not find this behaviour abhorrent.
Thankyou for having the strength to bring light to the struggles of trans women which should be spoken of as being a part of the struggles of *all* women. Thankyou for being an articulate voice for those who have been too humbled by their experiences to speak out.
[...] Update: Jan Logie’s excellent speech is online here at her blog. And also Brooklynne Kennedy’s speech is here. [...]
Nobody should have to go through any of the things you’ve spoken about here. I’m so sorry :(
[...] (And Brooklynne’s speech from last year) [...]