So I watched while Caitlyn Jenner was honored with the Author Ashe Award last week before leaving for vacation and the conscious voice in my head felt very proud and accepting in response to her recognition and my perception of her journey towards transitioning. However, a very dynamic and ironic patriarchal voice whispered ever so silently, where is this woman’s glam? And though I attempted to focus only on the positive moments as she accepted her award and made her acceptance speech, I couldn’t help but to scan the faces of the audience and find expressions that suggested similar commentaries to my own. Even the legendary Kardashians seem to have that ironic deer caught in headlights expression on their faces .
So, it is spontaneous irony that provokes this commentary, and inadvertently expressed itself so silently that I almost did not recognize it as male dominance.
I am referencing my initial response to Caitlyn Jenner who lacked the glam presence set by the gender challenging glam goddesses like Rupaul, Janet Mock an Lavern Cox
They all seem to have something in common that effectively and appropriately respond to the world”s automatic permission to bulldoze the invisible projection that being male and effeminate is a precursor for being devalued.
As if the male born effeminate expression has minimal contribution to what is Devine. As if the use of Devine becomes identified only in comparison to male Dominance and the actions exercised as male dominance identity is challenged by this preference such as bullying in this case.
It appears that my recognition of an inadequate amount of glam to completely pass as the feminized stereotype that keeps the general public entertained has given a voice to glam on the gender variant scale and possibly the Kinsey and Klein [sexual orientation scales].
So, who was this patriarchal voice in my head that demanded the identifying of indifference and more importantly the commentary that I knew was so dis-orientating and assertively stonewalling despite my awareness attempts to maintain an open heart at moment. Indeed, it may be true that Mrs Jenner no matter how sincere I seemed in recognition of her bravery to accept the judgement from. My point for bringing this up is to begin a dialogue about the option to included ‘glammed transgendered” into the gender variant scale? Obviously there is a different between Caitlin Jenner’s gender expression and Janet Mocks’ or Lavern Cox’. To be more specific, is an unglammed transgender recognized in our society?
Commentary by Troy Love-Steering Committee member-Hyacinth
