Reflection number 2

In this week's reading, I learned a lot about the transgender community which I did not know before. As we have learned in many of the other readings, I realized that there is diversity in all classifications of women including transgender women (and men for that example).

I had never really thought about the uneven distribution of exposure for FTM men, but after reading the articles, I was surprised to realize I don't know of a single one in the media. Whereas with MTF, I could think of restaurants dedicated to MTF women or cross-dressing men, TV shows and celebrities.

 In San Francisco, there is a restaurant called AsiaSF, where you order a prefix meal, and MTF transvestites/transgender individuals basically perform a drag show. All of the performers are Asian as well. It is really common for bachelor/bachelorette parties to attend, oftentimes not letting someone in on the fact that these are all men. Anyways, there is nothing comparable that I am aware of for the opposite.

During the readings I was somewhat overwhelmed by the terminology, and I realized that the way which someone would want to be referred to is a very personal decision. I think that asking someone shouldn't be offensive. I hope that by trying to maintain the terminology and asking them what they would prefer would come off as the most respectful. Similar to the way we lump far too many ethnicities, countries, languages and individuals under the umbrella term "Asian," we also do the same for gender, lumping too many people under the two binary categories of "male" and "female." While I may not be able to remember all of the terms, I will be more careful when using the terms, and will try to get consent from individuals as to what they would like to be called instead of making jump decisions for them.