Ticked-Off Actor

Most of the transsexual women I know aren’t offended by tranny. I’ve personally heard Candis Cayne, who was cohost of the 2010 GLAAD Awards, say it during her act. Did she not read GLAAD’s media reference guide condemning words like queer, dyke, and tranny as pejorative? Or maybe Candis just has the good sense to make her own decision as to what offends her and her beautiful self.

The other side of that is transgender actress Alexandra Billings, a GLAAD honoree for her work on Grey’s Anatomy. Alexandra hates the t word but liked the movie enough to release a letter to GLAAD that stated this:

“The film is violent in both its content and its language. But it’s supposed to be. It’s an old-fashioned revenge chick flick beautifully and skillfully directed by Israel Luna, who at every moment has the transgender girls on the right track. And safe in his heart.



“They win. They conquer. And they do not go gently into that good night.



“Before we start silencing people, let’s get past our own prejudice, and remember where and by whom this whole movement was started: By a bunch of trans people in big wigs and sequins in a local New York bar. This is part of our gay history. It may not be the only part, but it is the truth. And that’s art. Speaking your truth and doing it loudly and clearly. You may not like it, you may not appreciate it, you may not agree with it, but that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be heard. And it certainly doesn’t mean it isn’t art.”

Ms. Billings posted another blog entry days later about the crazies who think the Employment Non-Discrimination Act shouldn’t pass. Will I tell you Tran Coulters hating on TOTWK to follow suit and to get a sense of humor or something dismissive like that? No. But I will say that throwing protests (or “education rallies” as you say) to complain is totally lame when a better solution is to make your own movie that represents your stance on trans-whatever. Because “the opposite of war isn’t peace. It’s creation.”