As I think I've probably said before, I don't post all the trans-related stories that I see (in fact I post a damn small percentage of them) but every once in a while I come across one that just captures its particular genre and I feel compelled to introduce it to y'all.
This particular one is about a (trans) woman who, like me, decided to marry her (female) partner. Two important differences between us: 1) she tried to (and ultimately succeeded in) getting married in the United States (We *do* consider Alabama part of the US, don't we?) and 2) her documentation still listed her as 'M'.
She went to court, explained to the judge the situation and asked him to marry them. He refused. Mrs. Carson (her newly adopted married name) said he was less than kind to her:
Carson said Stubbs, the Elmore County probate judge, told her he didn't understand her condition and then asked questions about her breast size and sex life.
"It was very dehumanizing," Carson said.
Stubbs confirmed that he asked those questions, but said he thinks other judges would have reacted the same way.
"It had a driver's license that said male," Stubbs said. "But if you were dressed like a lady and had a dress and beads on, what would you be? If it had come here looking like a man and dressed as a man, I would have given them a marriage license."
This judge referred to this woman as 'it'. A judge. A supposedly educated person. Now, I get this is Alabama and I understand the reaction of some of the yokels, er, I mean locals to the newspaper story having even been run, to wit:
It's bad enough that the Montgomery Advertiser would write such an article in a positive light, thereby giving its stamp of approval on Mr. Freeman's [Mrs. Carson's maiden name] twisted choices, but to devote two whole articles to him and his wife is going too far.
Many people already know that God is highly against homosexuality, but for those who are not aware, it is just as evil for people to dress up as the opposite sex.
There is nothing good about this marriage. I make this statement based on the Bible. Trusting in any other book is a dead end.
At least this person uses a pronoun and states the basis of his hate. I respect that a whole lot more than I do that judge. Janus Carson allowed her story to be printed in the newspaper because she thought it might help eliminate some ignorance and therefore prejudice. Judging by these two examples, I'd say she put herself out there for naught. Still, I am impressed by the reporter and her proper use of pronouns.
Full text of two articles and two letters to the editor from the Montgomery Advertiser can be found here:
Transgender woman weds in Alabama
Growing up difficult for transgender woman
Transgender story not fit for paper
Wrong to print transgender story
