How Not to React to the News That Bradley Manning Is Transgender

[bunnies]

How Not to React to the News That Bradley Manning Is Transgender



(snip)

First, the news: Manning announced today via a letter to the Today Show that she wishes to begin hormone therapy and live the rest of her life as Chelsea Manning. Here's her statement, in part, courtesy of the Guardian,

As I transition into this next phase of my life, I want everyone to know the real me. I am Chelsea Manning. I am a female. Given the way that I feel, and have felt since childhood, I want to begin hormone therapy as soon as possible. I hope that you will support me in this transition. I also request that, starting today, you refer to me by my new name and use the feminine pronoun (except in official mail to the confinement facility). I look forward to receiving letters from supporters and having the opportunity to write back.

During her trial, Manning's defense team claimed that she had suffered from "gender identity disorder" throughout most of her life; her decision to undergo hormone therapy shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone who was paying attention. And no matter what your stance on Manning's role in leaking documents, it's hard to argue with the fact that the timing of her transition — right before entering a men's prison to serve a 35-year sentence — puts Manning in the lines of some pretty harrowing and unconscionable scenarios.

Of course — OF COURSE — Manning's announcement was met with general idiotic fuckery from exactly the sort of people who have made it a part of their personal brand. And like most general idiotic fuckery, it was predictable and easy to categorize. It's too early for me to feel so pessimistic about other human beings' capacity for compassion and empathy, but here we go.

1. He
(snip)

Full list of what NOT to do at link (with examples).

http://jezebel.com/how-not-to-react-to-the-news-that-bradley-manning-is-tr-1182604480

[snooper2]

1. Is there a better picture than the one on the left?

It looks like it was taken with a spoon...

[bunnies]

2. pic is from the article.

[Nye Bevan]

3. Don't start a thread referring to her as "Bradley", for one thing. (nt)

[bunnies]

4. Title is from the article.

edit: maybe you should read it.

[NYC_SKP]

5. Read the article. Most don't know who Chelsea Manning is yet.

That's the title of the article, posted as found.

[tritsofme]

6. You really want people to alter the published works of others in the name political correctness?

People ought to be sensitive to a person's wishes, but it's ridiculous to think that someone should edit another person's work before posting here.

[struggle4progress]

7. A week or so ago, DU expressing outrage about that photo

Plus ça change ...

[Gravitycollapse]

8. How we should feel about it depends on its use.

[bunnies]

9. Really?

I didnt see it.

[struggle4progress]

10. Here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=3467863

[Bjorn Against]

12. No one was outraged by the photo, people were outraged at how the photo was used

We were also outraged that just earlier this evening you posted blatant homophobia in the form of a poll in which you asked us to judge Chelsea Manning's sexual identity but did not include any options for her supporters. Fortunately a jury agreed that your poll was a homophobic piece of trash and hid it, but you still have yet to apologize for your blatant homophobia.

If you want to know why we are outraged we are not outraged at the photo of Manning, we are outraged that people like you would use Chelsea's sexuality as a weapon against her.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=3523567

[struggle4progress]

13. Well, I regret that some Duers were offended by my poll, as that

was not my intent

Everyone should be free IMO to establish his or her own identity, however they may choose, and that includes members of various sexual minorities. Without difficulty, I'd call Manning Chelsea to her face if the opportunity ever arose, which (however) seems unlikely as I am not a supporter. Coombs' defense strategy was, in part, to persuade the court-martial that Manning had serious problems and needed help which the Army didn't provide, and I consider this an understandable defense strategy though I also think it would be wrong to generalize from it. There are certain ideological dangers to this strategy, including the possibility that it could be read as a claim that persons suffering from gender identity disorder cannot fairly be prosecuted for mishandling classified documents, which would feed rightwing noise that no one suffering from gender identity disorder can be trusted with classified documents. For the same reason, I consider it dangerous to hold up Manning as a poster child for sexual minorities in their fight against bigotry, and I suspect similar reasoning is behind the article Chelsea Manning is no hero for trans soldiers posted earlier today in GD. IIRC the defense strategy has regularly produced accusations of homophobia here at DU, by DUers who thought they should unconditionally support Manning and who were unaware that this was the defense strategy: a recent example was outrage here just last week that the Army released that photo. There are other options in the poll, besides the ones I highlighted above, such as It's not about Manning or I've got other things to think about

Again, I regret offending you or anyone else, as that was not my intent -- but whether they like me or not, I hope that those of you who were offended will consider a bit the dangers associated with unconditional support for Manning and of treating Manning as a poster child of some sort

[Bjorn Against]

14. Well I don't regret that I was offended, I am not ashamed of being offended by blatant homophobia

That was no apology and you should be absolutely ashamed, you exposed to all of us that you are willing to use bigotry to push your agenda. I don't regret that I was offended and i doubt a single other person who was offended by your bigoted poll regrets the fact that they were offended either. If you are sincere in your regrets you would admit you were wrong, you were dead wrong, and there was absolutely no excuse for your bigotry. If you are sincere you would admit you were wrong, not just regret that people called you out on your bigoted poll.

[randome]

11. The more attention paid to Chelsea Manning, the worse we will make it for her.

She is no one's symbol and no one's flag bearer but her own.

All of us -pro and con- need to take a hands off position. Leave her alone to make her own decisions without outside pressure.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]There is nothing you can't do if you put your mind to it.
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