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17 comments:
Ah ha! The truth about Morgan is revealed (pun not intended).
Brad seems to be playing a major part in this story line. Knowledge is power as it is said. Now I wonder how Brad's attitudes may change.
I'm starting to really like Morgan. Funny how even people in the gay community can have such strange attitudes about transgendered people.
poor brad, really, he's becoming more and more the goof of the strip.
but isn't that another stereoptype? not all jocks are socially challenged morons!
P.S. I just LOVE Morgan!
What was it about stereotypes? Blonds...
We haven't seen a 'female' who looks female in a long time in the strip, it's a welcome addition.
Major breakthroughs here. Thanks Greg for making Kyle's BnB even more inclusive than it already is.
Mega hairy muscle hugs wishing everyone and especially you, Greg, a very Happy Spring.
I don't know if I like this particular story line. It's predictable and it's taking a predictable preachy PC approach.
Let's see. I already was the first to say that Morgan is transgender. Let me see if I can continue with my predictions. Someone in the B&B will have issues with it. Someone will say she is a he or she s a she and Morgan has to make a choice. Morgan will rise above it all to show that she is a HUMAN BEING first. Morgan will then be accepted by all. Someone will unexpectedly fall for Morgan. A Gay man who will then start questioning his sexual identity. Morgan will tell him it's about LOVE not plumbing. Since her plumbing is indeed intact, gay men will be able to sleep at night because a gay man did not in the end "switch" sexuality. Fag Hags (god do I hate this term) will sleep well at night because, well ... you see... if a gay man falls in love with the PERSON .. well, maybe it just ... kinda might be possible (cross your fingers girls!).
Let's take this to the next level, Greg, if we really want to explore cutting edge issues. Let Morgan date and impregnate a F2M transgender. That's where the political discussion has been in recent months.
I recommend... Let the artist develop his story and enjoy, regardless where any of us think it should go do to political, social or personal views. Enjoy it and look forward to the next panel!
The artist will always have the last word, but he did give us this forum to share our thoughts and we ARE fans or we wouldn't be so passionate about the strip.
As a post-op transsexual who dates boys, girls and people in between, I'm delighted to see this storyline unfold.
It may lack the edge of some of the other work done in comics on trans issues in the last 15 years, but this strip isn't about edge, it's about people. Let the creator take it where he will.
Ditto that, Diana...and BRAVO, Greg. :)
Diana,
I would be interested in reading the comics you mentioned that dealt with trans issues. I like comics that tackle on real issues. What are your recommendations?
Well, done, Greg. I like what you're doing and I'm not sure anything needs to be taken "to the next level", not when there are still plenty of people like Brad who simply haven't the experience or exposure to trans individuals.
BTW, about those shorts of Brad's: having a little spring fever there, Mister Fox?
Morgan's like this one character who's' in this japanese yaoi manga. He's a cop and he has this urge to wear lipsticks and stuff. His nephew witnessed the murder of his mother, and was traumatized.He didn't want to speak or utter a word ever since. One day the cop tried on his (the cop's) mother's lipstick, suddenly was discovered by his mother of course. She was making a huge fuss, but the nephew ran to the cop and was shouting "mother! mother!" It made me cry because it was so touching. The cop decided to be like Morgan and took care of the newphew. I think the yaoi manga was Haru Wo Daite Ita or something. You should check it out, Greg. :)
I am a post-op transsexual woman. In the comic, the line said is, "transgendered individual is the most acceptable term, Brad." In this particular case, that is true. However, the terms "Transgender" and "Transsexual" do NOT mean the same thing. In other words, "Transgender" is not a "politically correct" word for "Transsexual." The word "Transgender" is an umbrella term, which includes Transsexuals (persons born with a gender self-identification which does not match their genitals), Cross-Dressers (formerly called Transvestites: These are almost always heterosexual men who derive an erotic pleasure from dressing in women's clothing), and the Intersexed (including the formerly used term hermaphrodites: These persons have either a physical manifestation of ambiguous sexuality, or a chromosomal (determined by karyotyping) abnormality, in the gender classification chromosomes).
Some would include under the term "Transgender" any and all deviations from the
binary gender system. Some would include Drag Queens. Still others would include those who attend a masquerade party in the clothing of the opposite gender. Extreme views of including so many views under the term "Transgender" would even include Mary Martin (a woman) for her movie role, in which she played Peter Pan.
Often, the term "Transgender" is so inclusively vague, that it has no meaningful denotation.
Transsexuals may be pre-op, post-op, or non-op. I do have problems with some of the "Transgender" Rights Bills that various cities and states attempt to pass. All to often they use the term "Transgender," then supporters wonder why there is so much opposition. Chief among the reasons for opposition to such Bills, is the argument from bigots, that such would allow male sexual predators to enter women's restrooms and locker rooms.
In the comic, the character presents herself as a woman, and identifies herself as a woman. The fact that she has (thus far) chosen not to desire sex change surgery, is expressed. Sure, she is a Transgender Person, but she is also (by definition) a Transsexual Woman. She is just as much a Transsexual Woman (one who is either pre-op or non-op) as I am, as a post-op Transsexual Woman.
Terrie, I find your post interesting and informative. It also makes me question Morgan's status as a true transexual, under your definition. I think of Morgan more as a gender bender because although she may dress like a woman, she certainly is not very womanly in her mannerism. I am not saying that there aren't women who are very sexually aggressive, or predatory, but Morgan talks like a gay man and reacts to situations like a gay man. The most predatory female fictional character I can think about at the moment is that blond from Sex in the City (never watched the show more than a few minutes, so forgive that I can't remember her name) and Morgan does not behave like her. I have no issues with the pre-post-or no op. I don't believe that a penis is what makes you a man or that the lack of one will make you a woman. It's just that I don't get the feeling that Morgan really sees herself as a woman. I think she sees herself as somewhere in between, therefore transgender is a good term. I mean it doesn't even seem like she is on hormone with this jaw line.
I prefer to identify myself as a transexual woman , because like Terri explained, transgender is to broad of an umbrella term to have meaning. Though , I find myself often times muttering under my breath ,after giving my taxonomy in the "rainbow", "I'm a female." That is what I am .
Now with that intro...
Today was the first time I read this strip following the recomendation of my Friend. He was very excited about Morgan and thought that I should take a look. I'm glad I did.
Now comes the paens of praise:
I found Morgans stance on surgery to really echoe with my own con clusion on SSR. "My Body , My choice" . Each transexual woman or man needs to and should have the absolute say on how she wishes to resolve or express her /his gender,and the criteria that I am using is what Body do I feel comfortable in.
I also love the fact that Morgan is a professional. There are Transexual females that have transitioned while maintaining there careers , and I have the fervent hope that it's possible for a transexual female to began a profesional life. So far in my expierence though, I've come across a steriotype amongst others in the rainbow, supposed allies of the rainbow community, and "straight" men who are "exploring", whatever that means, of transexual females , usualy pre-op or non-op, ones such as myself and Morgan as the Great Whores. At least the passable ones...
As I get along though in my own transition I find myself softening my evaluations on Gender Identity period.
Before I was so caught in my own painful assertion of MY Femaleness in an XY body , of my denial of the Male social gender role I had loosley adopted that I became a fanatical beliver in the Binary nature of Gender. I became confused than angered by any one who proposed the option of transcending gender completely or what I considered "messing" around with gender. Didn't they realize the wrongness of not having a neat category to place themselves in?Guess what , that was my pain speaking , my need to have solidity and I'm finding out that in the end , in all areas of life, it is the individual as a creator that forges their unique , beautiful, and solid Identity.
Great work Greg, you may have just got yourself another faithful reader. :)
Take care all and thanks for sharing your thoughts and insights.
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