Jesse Daniel Ames lecture

I just finished watching this in the library. I can't remember a lecture I hated more. The presenters spoke about "state-sponsored" violence as though the state takes active policies to intimidate and attack them. They seemed to equate individual police officers and their ILLEGAL actions as evidence of state sponsorship, something like open season on trans people. I hate this particular argument and seem to encounter it every time I discuss racial or disabilities prejudice. Individual prejudice is bound to happen, that it occurs by state employees (or anyone else) does not establish that it has governmental support. This failure to see subtle distinctions cannot help their argument and lost much of my initial open-minded apathy. To be very honest, I also found Eli's speaking disturbing in the extreme and am very happy I wasn't in public while watching it lest someone see me cringe. I also found it melodramatic of them to try to insinuate that 12 deaths a year (via transphobic violence) is some huge frightful cause we should all care about. I'm sure the number of deaths from coconuts falling on one's head is as serious an issue mathematically speaking. Such melodrama again does not help their arguments. I did however enjoy some of the argumentation and felt that presenting themselves as outside gender and power norms situated them as worthy of listening to. I'm open to that type of argument, I'm a white, athletic, smart, young male and as such do have a completely different perspective on the world. Basically, my only abnormal categorization is my small level of religiosity. I therefore do enjoy seeing interpretations of the world based on perceptions quite far from my own. That said, I do in fact disagree with much of their central argumentation. I feel like expecting some kind of political solution is unreasonable and likely to lead to more frustration than gain. It seems to me that the best way of getting past prejudice is to just lead your life without worring about making sure everyone accepts you. Trans people are no different from short people, people with funny voices or gestures, strange features, or poor athleticism. We all live in a world that judges and categorizes, we all adapt to this world and ultimatly, must trust that if we are ourselves people may judge us but they cannot delegitimize our lives. Everyone else lives with this kind of world, they don't try to enact legislation that prevents people from making fun of us or giving us wierd glances, expecting that we can legislate away or somehow end transphobia with governemnt involvment seems wrong both on a sheer political level (as in, it isn't really achivable) but also seems counter-productive (unlike people with lisps for example who just have to come to terms with the fact that people will view them as different or ask them to repeat themselves more often than is normal). I hope I haven't offended anyone but I'm trying to be as honest as possible.