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BC Holmes ([personal profile] bcholmes) wrote2012-10-25 11:36 pm

Invisibility and visibility are indivisible

Antinomy, I learned from Spider Robinson, is the contradiction between two opposing principles or conclusions that are equally held. Robinson’s example was the devout Catholic who learns that his fiancée wants to become a nun. At the same time, as a devout Catholic, he should feel good about someone entering a life of service, but as a jilted partner, probably feels devastated. I confess that I’ve always found that to be a somewhat cerebral example — perhaps because I’ve never really met that kind of Catholic.

But a much more visceral example, for me, is the example of famous trans people. I’m thinking, at this moment, about Lana Wachowski; I just watched a video of her speech at the HRC and I’m fascinated that she’s trying to tackle, head on, the antinomy of visibility. There’s a part of me that doesn’t even want to point out her speech: I hate how trans lives have to be so public, and when you couple that with fame, even more so. You can’t be a normal person, and be openly, publicly trans. Part of me acutely perceives what she’s given up: she’s gone from “One of the directors of The Matrix” to “That trans director.” And I have never wanted to exacerbate that, so I’ve mostly avoided talking about her.

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Mirrored from Under the Beret.

jiawen: NGC1300 barred spiral galaxy, in a crop that vaguely resembles the letter 'R' (Default)

[personal profile] jiawen 2012-10-26 05:14 am (UTC)(link)
I also didn't want to link to it, because Lana and her brother have done some pretty questionable things (yellowface in Cloud Atlas, for example), and because the HRC has done a lot of harm. But I think it's cool that Lana is standing up and helping us by, as you point out, providing that example of strength. I felt many pangs of identification while listening to her speech (and it comes at a particularly poignant time of year for me, too). I said elsewhere:
Perhaps we're starting to enter the phase where being trans is part of a nuanced whole -- where trans people get to be trans and other things, rather than just being heroes or villains, freaks or pity cases. In her case, she gets to be trans and have some problematic ideas and be an amazing movie director and have some really wonderful ideas. I hope that's coming true.