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Well, what an interesting afternoon I've just had...

Some of you may remember, a few weeks ago, I was obliged to withdraw from my local Race For Life event, due to a threat of unpleasantness from another participant.

Well, this morning, I received a phone call from one of the organisers (I'll call her 'Sue'; not her real name - this is the t'internet, after all)). There'd been an interesting development; she'd received a petition, with about 60 names on it, threatening to withdraw their participation if I and my two friends weren't allowed to join in. So she wanted to meet with me, and the woman who had made the original complaint (I'll call her 'Alison'), to discuss the situation.
I was quite happy to do this, so we arranged to meet at a local pub with a lovely riverside garden. So I stuffed some information leaflets into my bag, started rehearsing a few trans-activist arguments, and went off to the pub. I got there about ten minutes before they did, so I was sat quite comfortably under a big parasol, watching the sun on the river, with a glass of mineral water in my hand(still not drinking alcohol; I've learned my lesson...) when they walked in.
We had an interesting couple of hours; I was quite moved to see the petition, although 'Alison' was adamant that it wouldn't change her mind. So we talked about what the problem really was...her main argument was that 'people like me' had no business in a women-only breast cancer fundraising event, since we don't have breasts, we have silicon implants, and had no idea what it was like to worry about breast cancer...
I briefly entertained the idea of showing her mine (provided that she reciprocated Big Grin) , but I decided against it ...instead, I explained to her that she was wrong, and that my boobs were as real as hers. I then told her that I did know how scary breast cancer was, having had a suspicious-lump-scare of my own about 18 months ago (which 'Sue' was able to verify, since it was she who had done my mammogram), and I lost a much-loved family member to cancer a few years ago, so cancer research was something I felt strongly about.
To give her her due, 'Alison' was visibly shaken; she clearly hadn't even considered any of these things, so we talked some more, explained a few more things that she had no idea about...
To cut a long story short, she's apologised, and withdrawn her objection...
and we're back on again


(there's a bit more to this, but it's turning into a bit of an epic, so I'll post that later... Big Grin )

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(I was halfway through posting this, and the forum shut down...)


Sue rang me at about 8pm tonight, to fill me in on some more detail...
After I left, they stayed on and talked some more. Of course, Alison asked all the usual <STRIKE>stupid</STRIKE>obvious questions (I wish I'd left her one of my FAQ leaflets; maybe I'll take a couple along to the event), most of which Sue tried to answer.

It seems, though, that one of the main issues that Alison had was that she'd got it into her head that the Race was going to be invaded by a bunch of 'blokes in frocks' (ÃĄ laAudrey & Brenda from the Bounty ads...) who would make a mockery of the atmosphere, and the event itself.
So when she walked into the Crown, and couldn't actually pick me out from the other women there until Sue pointed me out, she suddenly had to reconsider everything she thought she knew about T people...
It's quite amusing to think that all my carefully thought out arguments and appeals to reason and compassion were secondary to the fact that I just looked so, well, _ordinary_.
(but I'm really glad that I didn't take my friend Michelle along...she's a 6'4" tattooed ex-para with a slightly embarassing _penchant_ for denim mini-skirts and stilettos...Big Grin)
Sarum
quote:
Originally posted by Raggyâ™ĨDoll:
I can't believe they were being so discriminatory either Mad

Anyway, well done you for being so gracious as to even meet and explain yourself Hug


Well, I've always believed that the best way to beat this sort of thing is to answer it directly, politely, and preferably face-to-face.

As Pat Califia said, in one of his books (I forget which one, but I memorised the quote Wink);
"Prejudice can't survive close contact with the people who are supposed to be so despicable,which is why the propagandists of hate always preach separation."

I guess he's right... Big Grin
Sarum
quote:
Originally posted by Sarum:
(I was halfway through posting this, and the forum shut down...)


Sue rang me at about 8pm tonight, to fill me in on some more detail...
After I left, they stayed on and talked some more. Of course, Alison asked all the usual stupidobvious questions (I wish I'd left her one of my FAQ leaflets; maybe I'll take a couple along to the event), most of which Sue tried to answer.

It seems, though, that one of the main issues that Alison had was that she'd got it into her head that the Race was going to be invaded by a bunch of 'blokes in frocks' (ÃĄ laAudrey & Brenda from the Bounty ads...) who would make a mockery of the atmosphere, and the event itself.
So when she walked into the Crown, and couldn't actually pick me out from the other women there until Sue pointed me out, she suddenly had to reconsider everything she thought she knew about T people...
It's quite amusing to think that all my carefully thought out arguments and appeals to reason and compassion were secondary to the fact that I just looked so, well, _ordinary_.
(but I'm really glad that I didn't take my friend Michelle along...she's a 6'4" tattooed ex-para with a slightly embarassing _penchant_ for denim mini-skirts and stilettos...Big Grin)


That post proper made me LOL Laugh

Thumbs Up Great quote too, totally true. Well done, good luck in the race Thumbs Up
Raggyâ™ĨDoll

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