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The photo here is from the Gay & Lesbian Times article entitled GLBT community honors those killed because of anti-transgender hatred, prejudice. The photo was taken by Rick Braatz; it was taken at a march in San Diego this past November 20th — an annual march we hold in conjuction with the annual International Transgender Day Of Remembrance (TDOR). The local TDOR memoriam is held at the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Community Center of San Diego, and this was eighth one held in San Diego — the march is accomplished in the neighborhood of The Center.
I own all of the three-by-five foot flags in this photo (and a few more as well), and the flags are very intentional in scope. My peers and I hope that when photos are taken of trans-related community marches or parades, the flags are highlighted. Here, the collection of flags send the message we want to send.
Note the American Flag, as well as the powder pink, white, and powder blue “Trans-American” Flag right next to it. We also carry the powder pink, white, and powder blue Transgender Flag, as well as the rainbow intoned GLBT Flag.
My trans peers and I understand the importance of saying we’re included in broader American society — so we always have the American flag flying when we march. 
The Transgender Flag — and the “Trans-American” Flag we use as an image to bridge to the American Flag — show that trans people in San Diego are Americans. And, we carry all of these flags near the Rainbow Flag to let people know that 1.) trans people are part of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) community, and 2.) we honor the LGB people who march with our T subcommunity.
Flags we also bring that are not in this image are the Bisexual Flag (many trans people also identify as bisexual; we honor the bisexual people who are not trans and march with our community by flying their flag), the Mexican Flag (being a border town, we honor those who come to our events and identify with Mexico), and the California Flag (San Diego is, of course, in California).
It matters — sending the message that America includes trans people; trans people in the United States are also Americans. Sometimes our LGBT community enemies here in the USA like to delude themselves by saying we’re all against America, but many of us see ourselves as patriotic Americans — whether we be liberal or conservative in our political ideologies. In the trans community here in San Diego, we seek to visually send a different message by the flags we carry.
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In the spirit of “a picture is worth 1,000 words”, I agreeVisual associations do have an impact on people. That is why the opposition chooses to define all LGBT people with pictures of campy drag queens and nearly-nude leathermen. They want to promote the thought “freak” in people’s minds. Your flags help to counteract that by providing a more balanced view of LGBT people as “regular Americans”. It’s no coincidence that politicians hand out little American flags to the crowd before a big speech/photo op.
Well said, well imaged and well done – on we go, together.I can’t tell you how valuable this post today on PHB is to me.
Thanks to Team San Diego and to Gwen Smith and Ethan St. Pierre for making TDOR seamlessly globally accessible to all and to everyone.
Thanks also to everyone who continues to have the courage to go from one day to the next, no matter the prospect or possibilities AND because of the prospect and possibilities. Diego
One of my favorite images, Autumn…is that of you in your Navy uniform. That says about as much as one can about how we are just as much “American” as anyone else!
Or Canadian, if a certain Canadian Forces service member is reading this.
Thank you AutumnFor saying what I have been trying to get across for years now.
If we want our rights as marginalized Americans, we have to fly our national flags
Some of us just speak out, when necessaryI think part of the war between those who embrace the concept of “transgender as umbrella” and those post-op women who are WBT but supportive of things like hate crimes laws and anti-discrimination laws is that we don’t find it necessary to wear the t-shirt or rally around a flag.
Our words and deeds are enough. Telling our stories when our stories are worth telling.
Out and stealth are rarely absolute and are most often situational. As a self identified anarcha-feminist, lesbian identified though bisexual, ant–war eco-freak, hippie post-op WBT…. Ah I guess I just march with my purple/black flag.
So many of us have such multiple identities that transcend the transsexual or transgender that maybe we should just march with who ever we feel like marching with at the moment.
Especially since as the years past post-op lengthen the attachment lessens.
No more warCan someone explain to me why there has to be a war between the TRANSGENDER Umbrella crowd and the Woman Born TRANSSEXUAL crowd, anyway? They are two separate but (sometimes and only sometimes) overlapping circles, no? Given that we all have a common enemy, I would hope that we can educate all LGBTQQI how the two are not the same and maintain respect between the camps. And as you point out, both have a role to play.
And as you also pointed out, as post-op time goes by many people tend to regard themselves less and less as transsexual, and even a history of having once been transsexual becomes less and less relevant to their lives. Especially if they easily pass and neatly fit into a binary. In that regard it is different from LGB. Social parallels might be made to say, GWM’s blending & other privileges and also to the hope that someday being LGB may be irrelevant 99% of the time. However, for transsexuals, once their bodies match their brains, the condition eventually does heal and largely disappear. Until then however, most are forced to very publicly transgress societal gender expectations. Truly stealth post-op WBT simply do not apply to this whole argument as their privilege allows them to sidestep the entire problem.
Funny thing is, all of this is as it should be if TS really is a medical condition that eventually is alleviated. And it fits that many transsexuals are only under the umbrella for a short period of time (don’t worry, as history has shown there is an endless supply). But during that time under the umbrella (and for some, afterward if they so choose) it is possible for TS-folk to do a lot of good for the larger cause, good that benefits everyone. Compare the success rate for any type of ‘trans’ protections to gay marriage. Although everyone gets protected by “gender expression or identity”, we transsexuals are the poster children. Likewise, ex-transsexuals telling their stories adds perspective and proof that medical treatment worked for them.
Back to the flag topic, one way or another we have to counter bad propaganda and flying all the flags together is a powerful statement. It’s like having both anti war and American Flag stickers on your car. Once we have the American Flag back, they’ll probably try to appropriate the rainbow since you know, rainbows are made by God (…Hmmm, there is something we can use in there, maybe what we need is more rainbow trunk fish to point out the obvious, that their God loves everyone He created). But we also have to call them on their BS with fact whenever we can. We need to go on the offensive and in a way, these flags do both.
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I love that photo too.
The standard Rainbow is just fine for me.