Six trans activists, who named themselves The Homomilitia once again glitterbombed gay advocate, sex columnist, and It gets Better founder Dan Savage in Canada for the third time in recent months with one of the attacks on Savage being potentially dangerous as a glass jar which was thrown at (and missed) his face.
In the latest attack on Savage, the trans activists appear to be focusing on the fact that not enough gay white males are focusing on trans equality
Queer activists have historically used glitter-bombing as a tactic against conservative politicians and high-profile anti-gay bigots, Vancouver protester Lavender Menace notes. Asked if she lumps Savage in with such people, she says people have different ways of contributing to oppressive systems.
“Savage is taking on being a speaker and leader in this movement. We have to take that into account,” she adds. “He’s part of a broader [group] of gay, white, cis-gendered, able-bodied gay men focused on gay-marriage priorities. We want to say those priorities are messed up.”
Now I LOVE my trans brothers and sisters. I really do. I’ve done many pro-trans post here and have covered trans news stories as much as I am able. But trans activist need to refocus their anger and use it where it’s really needed because:
Glitter bombing Dan Savage DOES NOT help garner support and move forward your cause.
Trashing the gay male community DOES NOT help garner support and move forward your cause.
Using cis-gendered as a slur DOES NOT help garner support and move forward your cause.
It just pisses people off.
Because in actuality trans activist are probably hurting their own cause now by alienating and pushing away those they actually NEED to support them instead of their TRUE enemies.
Savage himself has that these attacks against him spring from a time when he made comments and “didn’t have a firm understanding of the nuances of trans issues” and he has stopped because now he does.
What more do you want?
Move on and go after the people who are your real enemies. Tony Perkins, Peter LaBarbera, Matt Barber, the hate groups and the GOP politicians who demonize you and use you as a wedge against inclusive equality for all.
I will be the first to admit that the trans community has always gotten the short end of the stick. But you need to talk and work with the LGB community NOT ATTACK them. And you need to make up your mind. Many trans activists say they don’t want to be part of the LGB community but then they get angry that they are not a priority or the attention that they deserve.
The trans community and especially its activist need to focus on working together on IMPORTANT issues and with the LGB community, because in all honesty all you are doing right now is alienating the very people who have ever given you any support.
My 2 cents. Like it or not.
You might guess from the name Homomilitia, or the fact someone called Lavender Menace was involved in handing out fliers, or the fact that transphobia was only one in a grocery list of criticisms the organization has about Savage’s behaviour, but as far as anyone knows, this is a radical gay group that has glitterbombed Savage, not a trans one.
Militant gay groups have always posited that the mainstream’s focus on marriage and militarism when queer kids are starving in the streets or being bullied to death is a messed up set of priorities. Anti-marriage-focus is not anti-gay.
What I want is for Dan to actually address his criticisms instead of avoiding them with vague half apologies, so that we can see where he stands in the light of day and the people potentially harmed by his “advice” can decide whether he deserves his self-proclaimed title of “ally.”