Race and marginalization in the Transgender Community

[jetblackhair92]

My dads half black half white, my mothers half native american and hawaiian, so i can relate to the racism, sexism, classism but no matter what i always stay proud of myself and have a smile on my face, because my heritage and history, plus my own life story reminds me that i am a survivor. No one can take that from me

[annthropic]

Duvexy...that is part of it, white males can be made fun of without losing social power. Personally, I think that ALL white people within the acronym should go do some workshopping on privilege. I'm white and both my blood family and my community (the alphabet soup) are multi racial and multi cultural. I really believe this community has many lessons to teach the status quo...though, we have a lot of inner community work to do first, imo. Thanks again for your awesome vids, Diamond!

[nochokin]

@annthropic and thank you for your commentary...love it

[nes1914]

I been watching all your videos and i like them alot, but one thing.... I never see your butt can one day you show it to us? Please you look in very good shape :-)

[nochokin]

@nes1914 i just posted a video addressing this.....

[nochokin]

@matt75hooper  no videos as i suspected

[ealing26]

i feel the same,its hard for me to transition.im in the uk,origin from afghanistan,muslim,racism,sexu­ality etc

[nochokin]

@ealing26 i feel you doll

[duvexy]

You are stereotyping. They teach us in school not to do that. Has is it that White Men have no stripes against them? Who is doing these stripes against them? If that is the case why do I see these funny geico commercials that routinely make fun of White Males. As, a White Female I have no White Man taking care of me. Remember they are almost gone. :)

[nochokin]

@duvexy i guess i miss those gieco commercials.....and i guess i dont live in a land where white men have ruled for centuries....likei said...YOU have your perspective, I have mine. You a white woman...Im a black one ...logically we would have two very different perspectives.

[duvexy]

@nochokin That is true. Perspectives are funny as perspectives do not recognize facts. If you get a chance check out those commercials one day.

[nochokin]

@duvexy I dont need to see a commercial to know that the FACT is white women were not enslaved, raped by masters, force away from their kids, made to feel that every feature on them from their curve to the nose to their lips was ugly.....all that is fact and throughout history and person who is so ignorant to think that a white man is oppress...should not be commentin on youtube videos...they should be reading more books

[nochokin]

@duvexy you can feel how you feel about white women and their history....i personally thought we all were adult and would understand that nothing is absolute...i have my opinion and you have your....thanks for sharing

[SmoothCinnamonX]

[CONTINUING]...so for a "sissy" BM, transitioning is SURVIVAL. Black t-girls face massive challenges because also, transitioning is expensive (to put it mildly), and most TS of color are coming from poorer families with more difficult access to resources. ***BTW, girl, your flawless face reminds me of Angela Winbush!! ;o)***

[SmoothCinnamonX]

Girl, u up there with Miss Ajanee for TELLING IT EXACTLY HOW IT DAMN SHORE IS. I would never belittle the white MTF experience, but seriously, they are making pretty much a lateral move in social status (except that most of them don't pass), whereas for a black ts, what the heck have got to lose? Black males are stigmatized and marginalized to start with...

[nubianbigoddess]

you have a boyfriend??? what a lucky man !!!!!!!!

[chlorine03]

swell ....totally like the social system . it describes the social hierachy pretty well...u can also add colorism and nationalism (for lack of better world)...on top of the usual (trans , race etc) i have to deal with people discriminatin me coz im darker and not a US born ...but from other countries....

its difficult being a black trans ...its like bing a minority inside a minority....

[chlorine03]

@chlorine03 i meant the STRIKE SYSTEM............

[npthomas80]

I really enjoyed your post and the fact that you bought a real prespective to life situations that transexuals are exposed to. I am very excited to see that you are funny and real I have just came across your post and now have watched a few videos and it so good to see that you are funny and that you can also talk about real issues. Its not just the sterotype of thats just another black ts talking about sex or something like that . I look forward to watching more of your videos.

[nochokin]

@npthomas80 thanks for the kind words...i was told that i wouldnt be popular if i mixed funny. serious,race, and sexuality in one. But hey im 2000 subs strong so i guess they were wrong

[cjpatter78]

this video was very informative... you are totally my friend in my head.. we have so much in common.. even tho I'm not trans.

[nochokin]

@cjpatter78 thnx love....you dont have to be trans to have common thought or struggles

[vekkstar]

Some excellent analysis there. Keep doing your thoughtful videos and work. There isn't enough prominence for trans people of color as intellectuals, activists and community people. It's refreshing to hear your observations! Hi from Australia ; )

[nochokin]

@vekkstar thanks for the love...you right..make sure you share because the more people i can reach the more of a impact i can have

[adrina911]

It also depends on our surroundings too! Where you grew up.

[QueenOfTheBlogs]

I feel you girl.

I am not black but I do understand your point, there is soooo much more prejudice towards Black Trans. WOmen than there is White Trans. women

[nochokin]

yes but i dont want thet in the trans community....i want all trans no matter what race to be one...help and advance each other

[QueenOfTheBlogs]

Oh I know!

As do I.

I didn't mean anything negative just agreeing with your statement.

Bering that we are all Trans. women we should come together, instead of trying to separate because of Race.

[nochokin]

oh yea i know i was just saying that so other would see it.

[BiancaTyrelll]

hi i have some personal qestions on your yody and i am so crazy to do what some may say unspeakable i say my sanity

[nochokin]

what the question?

[DonnieTroya]

Omg I loooooveee your videos =)

I'm so glad I subscribed

Much love <3

[nochokin]

thank you baby

[nicerobyn]

i like you hair. so you have boyfriend now. do guys when you are at work try to pick you up?

[schildno5]

YESSS for the Hardcore Hip Hop questions! I gotta remember that!

[tredeep]

Oh Nooooo mama, you was next on the list with da same question lol, you just beat me to da punch with vid.. Great answer tho. Having dated across the spectrum, Blk, wht, Male, Female, Trans, St8, & on & on I've observed this phenomenon but wasn't' always sure how other socio circles marginalized & not saw the issue, if at all, Ne way thx for answering with a vid response, ya dropping knowledge

[nochokin]

Not a problem, thanks for the thoughtfulness

[Desertangel1975]

Diamond, did your friend try to sue that company that did not hire her by going to the NAACP? Sounds like she had a real good case for racial discrimination.

[nochokin]

no she just left it alone

[grandp83]

Youtube doesn't seem to be letting me comment. Must be racism.

Anyway Diamond, by saying "black women are historically abandoned by black men" you seem to be suggesting that black men would be more likely to accept and support a transitioning white person than they would a transitioning black person. Do you believe that to be true?

[nochokin]

no i was just talkin about the historically documented life of a black women and a white woman. On of slavery affect on our culture is that men have abandoned the family unit. and white men have exploited the women and warp the image of beauty black women have about ourselves. So as transgender we inherit that aestetic assimilation and lack of male leadership. Just my opinion

[grandp83]

Well I've gotta disagree that slavery caused black men to abandon families, since the black family and black communities were tight knit by necessity long after slavery. But I think I see your point, especially on the image of beauty, which definitely affects everybody to a degree, and exploitation and how that might effect black trans differently.

How would you see the life of a black trans improving with more visible black male role models?

[nochokin]

hmmm you need to look at the ration for black men and black women in society. and the statistics of single parent home with a black women as the head. And the statistics of dead beat dads in the black community...and the pipulation of black meing in prison with there kids on the outs...and the number of interacial marriage of black successful men.....these all have a direct link to the discrimination and race relations in american society. Not all black men have abandon there post, but alot have

[grandp83]

That wasn't my disagreement. As you said, those issues are linked to oppression, yet they tend to be fairly recent things that you can't just pass off on slavery. Things occurred (urbanization, integration, the shift away from industrialization, the crack epidemic, and *continued* oppression) that created the climate for a lot of those ills. Saying blacks were this way historically covers a lot of ground and I think you do our ancestors a disservice when you make that strong a generalization.

[nochokin]

well when i brought that point up i was refering to transitioning now and the black women plight now. Any mutant oppression in the current age is just a new form born from the old age. Do you know how many father were killed or ran away or were force to seperate from their families during slavery? Im sure it must have been alot.,of course the circumstance change in each generation but that family unit culture of Africa was forever altered. compare the other ethnic communal practices to ours

[grandp83]

Yeah, I definitely agree with you here. Trying to avoid ranting or taking this too far away from the original topic, but while slavery did do irreparable damage to black culture, we can't forget that it didn't kill us and that we were able to (and can still) persevere. We often get so bogged down in the negative that it's easy to lose sight of the positive.

I've fallen off my soapbox now. :)

[dmancar570]

good topic.

[alittleweird69]

i never seen race honestly i look into peoples eyes and see their souls,who they really are,beautiful children of God.

[roseblossoms00]

good video! great question

[LatoyaNaomi]

You are so articulate! You had very good points, and it is sad that we even discriminate within our LGBT community( as if it isn't bad enough that society depicts us as freaks, perverts, e.t.c.) Anyways... I enjoyed the vid!

[nochokin]

very sad....and thank you

[jw90069]

Diamond I just wanted to let you know how much I enjoy your funny ass sense of humor and your real point of view! You have become one of my top 5 favorite Youtube personalities and I'm behind you all the way. I'm wishing you all the best in 2010 and would love to see you take it to the next level in the new year! Much Love, J-Dub

[nochokin]

thank you boo, imma try to focus my direction once i figure that out,,,lol

[jw90069]

@nochokin I hope you create your own website soon! Happy New Year Boo!

[nochokin]

cant afford that....lol

[jw90069]

Perhaps you could start a fund that we (your supporters) could donate $ to in order for you to start your own website. That way you could really blossom and we would all benefit from that (: I'm serious about this so please consider......

[nochokin]

wow...if i did that...honestly i would rather it go to a scholarship for some college trans

[jw90069]

@nochokin I totally understand that I guess I just want to hear more of your opinions/thoughts on everything (:

Thanks for taking the time to respond to me today I appreciate it boo!

[DarylWashingtonV4]

You don't want to hear my opinion :)

[nochokin]

nope not from a uncle tom

[DarylWashingtonV4]

@nochokin How dare you!

[ChocMami]

LMAO!

[ChocMami]

tredeep always ask good questions! and again diamond you did your thing on this ! I ..i love how you delved deeper into the subject kudos

[nochokin]

oh tredeep ask that ...ok yea he is thoughtful like that

[mrjerkingmysalami]

amazing how you make a brother think.... thank you!

[nochokin]

lol thank you boo but imm a need to start think on your own...lol

[tealwater]

awesome topic.. i saw u at shampoo too!

[nochokin]

shampoo?

[tealwater]

maybe u have a twin lol

[Louise515]

Hi Nochokin - well said!

[MeghansLife]

Thank you so much Diamond. Paul, I agree with you, she does explain the subject better, lol, but that isn't a bad thing. I hadn't considered the "taken care of/covet" vs. "exploitation/abandon" topic but I definitely see where you are coming from.

I do get questions from guys describing how I can satisfy their sexual curiosity (I'm putting it nicely, lol). Being seen as a commodity or a fetish is new to me and uncomfortable.

Thanks again Diamond, I appreciate you speaking up :) Meghan

[nochokin]

I was playin of course ..I know we all get that...lol comes with the territory i guess. What i also thought about is that sometime the segragation is not about racist views or hate...sometime sit is about rrelatability and comfortable. Sometime i think that i dont have white friend because we cant relate to each other on a social level because the differences i discussed and what im up against. not because of any negative disposition toward other races. But then maybe i havent met the right ones

[itspaul70]

Sometimes by being something that is accepted it does move you up the chain.

Announce that you're a white or black female lesbian who also happens to be hot and you move up the chain.

Who controls the chain and it's movement?

It seems we start off as humans, which is always on the top, and then for the majority of labels after that you start moving further down the chain.

Try being ugly, fat, dumb, or poor. Then try being beautiful, skinny, smart and rich. Is that helpful or hurtful?

[itspaul70]

No offense to Meghan but you explain it much more clearly.

For full disclosure I'm a white pansexual male and I agree with what you had to say.

Now the next big question should be what can be done to find the middle ground and how long would that take?

I personally don't think it's ever going to happen in my lifetime.

I'm amazed that one word completely changes everything about the situation. It's like you have a great circle of friends then say you're gay and the circle changes.