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Dear Rip and Marsha,
Thank you very much for your kind invitation to your King Cake Queen V Party. What a GREAT way to start Mardi Gras! Marcia and I had a wonderful time, the rain didn't dampen our spirits. Thank you again for inviting us.
--Rev. Kay Thomas,
--Marcia HillTo the Editor:
In a recent issue Ambush Magazine printed a letter from an individual named Mae Dae regarding a Human Rights Campaign meeting at Metropolitan Community Church. Unfortunately, Reader Dae's acrimonious comments were unintelligible as she failed to elaborate on several of her perceptions. Perhaps the poor darling should consider attending an English Composition 101 course.If I may, I would like to address several items contained in Reader Dae's letter.
1. "The use of MCC does not surprise me." Here Reader Dae does not elaborate on her statement. Why is she not surprised? Her unsubstantiated slap at MCC fails to register as she did not justify her statement. MCC is a church serving the entire gay community-gay males, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgenders. What location would have better served? Please elaborate Ms Dae.
2. "The Meeting was little publicized, and no advance announcement was made or circulated in the real gay community (emphasis added)." Firstly, if there had been no advance announcement, how did the members of the trangendered community who were in attendance learn of the meeting? I am certain it was not through The Psychic Network. Perhaps had the announcement been printed on cocktail napkins in the bars she avidly desires to take back, Reader Dae would have learned of the meetings time and place. Secondly, just what in the hell is the real gay community? Are there certain individuals who have a lock on being members of this real gay community? Heck, I've been misguided all these years, believing the real gay community included gay males, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgenders. Once again, Ms Dae, please elaborate.
I would like to point out to Ms Dae that the meeting was not arranged by any local transgender organization. The meeting was arranged and conducted by the Human Rights Campaign as a hush puppy, in an attempt to placate the transgendered community and its supporters in their fight to be included in HRC's mission statement and in the proposed Employment Non-Discrimination Act legislation.
3. "...even true transexuals (sic) were not represented at all." I do not know all of whom were in attendance. I do know that Nancy Sharp, a local transgender activist and Teryl-Lynn Foxx, a well known local transsexual entertainer were present at the meeting. I consider these two individuals to be true transsexuals, but I'm going by my idea of what constitutes a true transsexual. I do not have the benefit of Reader Dae's definition as, once again, she just shot from the hip and did not expound.
4. "One group in particular claims to represent the New Orleans queens,..." I wish she had told us of whom she is speaking. I am truly confused here. She goes on to lambast this unnamed organization for allegely misleading the rest of New Orleans into believing the organization has any say for a true gay queen. She then states this organization responds to gay crossdressers by holding surreptious, secret meetings and excluding the gay queens.
Forgive me for being confused, but her ramblings are convoluted and, to my mind, phrased as they are merely to incite and inflame readers. I am familiar with the local Tri-Ess chapter and, yes, their rules state that gay crossdressers cannot be members. However, in reality, one can watch the members cruise other males and realize that enforcement of that rule would be difficult as there just wouldn't be many members surviving the enforcement.
One local TG organization welcomes all transgenders-married, gay, crossdressers, pre and post-op transsexuals. I am speaking of the Gulf Gender Alliance. While I am not a member of this group, I know they are united in their commonality and strive to eliminate any friction, while encouraging the various segments of the transgendered community in their diversity. In addition, GGA has been diligent in supporting various activities of the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered community. Members of this organization are active in the Mayor's Advisory Committee on Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender matters.
"I think of anyone bothered to talk to us queens, they would find we object strongly to being represented by closeted straights, half phony, half between, 'I don't know what I am's." Thank God we have Reader Dae. Obviously she never had to struggle with inner feelings that were contrary to her external genitalia. Fortunately for her, she never had problems because her dreams and desires were contrary to society's pre-conceived perceptions of who and what she was. Please, Ms Dae, do not attack the "I don't know what I am's." These are the very people for whom we struggle in an attempt to make their journey to self-realization less traumatic.
"Let's go girls, and take back our streets and clubs, away from these groups..." Ms Dae you are confused. The groups of whom you speak have no desire to take over your streets and bars and, dear, you have not lost them. They are all yours. Most of the individuals in these organizations have no desire to usurp your esteemed location on the streets or in the bars. They are too busy, fighting the battle so you may dress as you desire, with no fear of police harassment, or fear that you will lose your job because you dress as you do or are, perhaps, too effeminate appearing at work.
Now, dear, I don't know if you were just having a bad hair day, or your hormones were flaring, or even what point you were trying to make. But, if you want to do something productive for the trangendered community, I'd suggest you take your butt out of the clubs and get involved where the action is in the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered organizations. Rather than writing vitriolic letters to the editor, write constructive letters to your government officials, to HRC, and to businesses you believe are discriminating against you and your sisters. There is room for each individual under the transgender umbrella. Don't take a poke at your sisters just because you have a different need or perspective. We need each other if we are to be successful in obtaining our long overdue rights.
--Elaine Quinn, AKA Edward Q. Castle[Letters and Comments should be sent to Ambush Letters, 828-A Bourbon St., New Orleans, LA 70116-3137
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