Slut Walk 2012 Speech

This speech has been really hard to write. Hard because part of me wishes I didn’t have to write it. That part of me that wishes the need for this march would have faded in this last year. I love this gathering and I hope women around the world continue to gather like this in celebration. I just wish that the need for this was over. I wish that we lived in a world free of sexual harassment. A world free of rape.

Now I’m not silly enough to really believe that this would have changed in the last year. I just wish that in this last year I didn’t have to help 4 of my friends deal with rape or sexual harassment trauma’. That people I know weren’t still being constantly hurt. Hurt because some people don’t understand that No Means NO.

When I was a child my mother often would tell me No when I asked for things at the supermarket, especially lollies. Like a sugar craving kid I would ask her again and again. begging her. PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEASSSSSSEEEEEEEE. Exasperatedly she would turn to me and exclaim “I Said NO Which part of the word don’t you understand the N or the O?”

So I guess I ask those out there pressuring women and men. Which part is it that you have trouble with? Is it the N or the O? See maybe if I understand this we can bring greater education to the world about this issue. We can clarify this misunderstanding of the simple two letter word.

But I see the problem is you think they don’t mean it when they say no. That stop is just a joke. Cause you are king of the world and everything is yours to say and do. It’s owed to you.

Perhaps you could try shutting up. Not saying everything you think as you think of it. That your compliments are not needed or necessary. In fact they are creepy. You don’t have to tell me I look pretty with my make-up or without it. You definitely do not need to tell me my dress makes you think dirty things. I CAN live my life without your running commentary.

Don’t you get it I dress this way for ME.

I don’t do anything to please you. It is all for me.

Learn to keep your opinion to yourself. I don’t want to hear it. Not when I’m on the train reading my book. Not when I’m dancing at the bus to to my ipod. Not when I’m walking briskly down the street in the way to cold for this dress weather. Not even now. I don’t care what you think. Not now not EVER!

If I don’t want the compliments I definitely don’t want the insults.

I also want you to stop laying the blame for your mistakes and your stupidity on me. It is not my fault you can’t keep your mouth shut. It is not my fault you cannot keep it in your pants. Last time I checked most people can be around me without throwing themselves at me. I mean I know I’m hot, but everyone else seems to be able to keep their composure.
So please I need to know.. What part of No don’t you understand? Is it the N or the O?

Oct 20

Things I Like Thursday!

Giving speeches, esp speeches on the steps of parliament. (Keep and eye out for the video)

Nail polish… I’ve been a bit addicted to it lately… painting my nails at least every 3 days!!!! I started a nail tumblr feel free to follow me over there

Larping… I was in an awesome Victorian LARP last weekend I have one next weekend and another in November!!! WOOT!

Sewing… I have heaps of things to get through! hopefully this weekend will be all sewing all the time!

My Hair… It’s so long it’s Bra Strap length at it’s longest!

and finally Wreck My Journal being on it’s way!!!!

(sorry this is incredibly short I wanted to get this out there and done before I forgot AGAIN! :-p )

Oct 11

Queer Our Schools Speech

I want to tell you a story. Like all good stories it takes place in a land far away, but not a time long ago. The place is a school in a small town of no more than 1,000 people. The students are around 16 years old. We are in the the hallway between classes. The boys are dressed in baggy jeans and t-shirts. The girls are wearing trouser or skirts except in a few tragic cases where they are wearing skorts, and simple blouses.

This story is about that boy right there , no not the idiot wearing the “no fear” shirt, no that on right there. He’s got bleach blond hair with bright blue fringe that is spiked up. He is wearing a black leotard with a silver sequined tank top and black and blue marbles satin culottes and silver glitter combat boots. He pauses to touch up his pink glitter lipgloss and continues on head down as if trying to disappear despite his outfit. That’s how he doesn’t notice the football player who shoves him hard into the locker and he friend who kicks the boy in the stomach.

The boy picks up his books and continues swishing his way to class.

That night the boy will go home where he’ll take a shower crying lightly and letting the pain out wondering, do I be me, or do I be who they want me to be. Do I win or do I lose?

This boy hasn’t eaten lunch at school in two years because then he might have to go to the bathroom and that’s not possible at the school. The boys won’t let him into the boy’s bathroom, he obviously can’t use the girls bathroom, and the school won’t let him use the locked unisex bathroom that is teachers only. So he doesn’t eat breakfast or lunch so that he won’t have to use the bathroom.

He is the only out gay person in his school and town, they weren’t ready for him.

That was nearly 15 years ago.

As that boy grew up he was determined that he would put a stop the homophobia and transphobia that he dealt with in school. That boy grew up to be a strong, loud spoken ,and fabulous woman. One that spoke at schools and conferences and continues to work hard to end homophobia in schools. One that stands here speaking to you now.

I am saddened that homophobia and transphobia continue to plague our schools, continue to plague our students. The current government and society overall seems to think saying “it gets better” is enough, that it will cure everything. It won’t. The government needs to take a strong hand on homophobia and transphobia, including that which is perputrated by the schools and their officials.

Our children deserve the right to express themselves, to be themselves without being harassed. Deserve the right to go to school without fear of bullying and abuse. Deserve to feel that they are able to stand out and say I am who I am, and not fear the teacher blaming them for the bullying.

We tell our children “to thine own self be true”, we need to support them when they follow that advice.

I’m standing here to demand that the government do something about homophobia and transphobia not only in our schools but within it’s own administration.

I am here and I am queer and I won’t shut up.

This has got to get better, the government has to wake up and help stop homophobia and transphobia in our schools. Our future depends on it. We can’t keep telling our youth that “it gets better” with out making any effort to make it better NOW!

I challenge the government to improve our schools NOW, to make things better NOW, to stop homophobia NOW, to stop transphobia NOW. For the better of the our youth, and our world.

Jun 13

Slut Walk

Slut walk is coming up, and I’m going.

I wasn’t going to post about this, especially because I keep this blog low political. So why am I posting about it? Because of this post by Scar, a Transwoman whose point of view I respect. My dearest friend the amazing Mojo Mathers, first directed me to Scar’s blog, and specifically the post about slut walk. I understand Scar’s point of view, respect it and even possibly would have felt that way years ago.

There is the constant fear of appropriation of “womanliness” but I ignore that because I’m a woman. I don’t think anymore along the lines of “I shouldn’t do xyz thing because people will accuse me of appropriating womanliness”. Because that lets them put me in a third box, in the “other” box, when I am in fact a woman. Don’t like it? I don’t care.

But the main reason I’m going to slut walk and why I think all transwoman should is simple.

I have never been called a slut, not because people think I’m pure and virginal, no I have never been called a slut be cause people assume I am a slut. Society (especailly the men) seem to have placed transwomen into this odd “sex toy” category. This is above and beyond your average objectifying of women. This is outright assumption that as a transwoman I am always looking to have sex, and with anyone. Including random men walking up to me and asking me to suck their cock in the nearest alley way. Including men not understanding that I am married because they “need” me. If I say no more than three times then 25 dollars will change my answer.

You see in a society where your average person’s only encounter with transwomen is pornography, transwoman are nothing more than breathing blow up dolls. there not to have feelings or desires or thoughts, but there for you to fuck and run. Once your done with them you can go back to your mates and exclaim about how “shemales are gross freaks”.

So I’ll be marching in Slut Walk, because I am a woman, I won’t let anyone deny that, and I am in control of my sexuality.

Feb 3

Kaha, and Tapu Te Ranga

If any of you also read Ryan’s blog, you will have read that we recently(Jan 23rd – 25th) went to a hui(conference). This was a wonderful, magical hui like I have never been on before (and I have been on maybe 43+ conferences in my past). I was amazed at how many people were there I think in the end we had 159 people most of those seemed to be under 25. This group was an amazing group of people who had a lot in common and a lot of things that held them apart. There were no issues or complaints from most of the people, and it appeared that almost everyone(if not everyone had fun.

So what made this such and awesome hui compared to the others I have been at? Well I have a few ideas…

First was location, the beautiful Tapu Te Ranga Marae.

This is an absolutely wonderful and amazing place to be for any reason. If you happen to also be in a position where you are staying at the Marae then please consider yourself lucky. Tapu Te Ranga was the first marae I have been on and it did not disappoint me in any manner.

For my non Kiwi readers a marae is is a sacred place which serves both religious and social purposes. ” It generally consists of an area of cleared land roughly rectangular (the marae itself), bordered with stones or wooden posts perhaps with terraces (paepae) which were used in olden times for ceremonial purposes; and with a central stone ahu or a’u. In modern Māori society the marae is still a vital part of everyday life. The closest parallel I can bring to it from America is the reservations that my people and other indigenous tribe wer placed into. The key difference is that a marae is a place chosen by and built by the Maori as a spiritual home and a place that they can continue to connect with the earth in ways that they cannot connect in modern society. Meanwhile the Native Americans were forced onto small parts of tiny bits of land that were (usually but not always) far from their homes, they were considered “gifts” from the government for “mistreatment”.

It was really a great place to have such an amazing hui, because when you walked onto the land you could feel the positive energy and good spirits. These both only grew as the hui continued, and over all I feel like we all left on sunday afternoon with a lot more pride than we had to begin with and a sense of purpose. It was the begining of a great force to change the world led by the next generation and man you better watch out cause they are feirce!