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I am in an interesting place. One where I have two separate and distinct groups constantly miffed at me.
I have defined my work. I write mainstream novels with transsexual main characters and Christian themes. It is a marriage that people really wish would go away and yet I keep producing epic length books with great characters, believable plot, good dialogue, and a message that says transsexuals aren't only interested in clothing and makeup. But no matter how well I write a story, I seem to piss off both groups that I try to belong to.
Transsexuals have a big issue when you bring up Christianity (as a general rule, there are exceptions). They have been treated so poorly by the church that any time a clergy member shows up they get into a fight stance and are ready for a battle that would rival Street Fighter.
Christians have a big issue when you put transsexuality in a good light (again, as a general rule). If you show someone dating a transsexual they have a fit (Wrestling Against Myself). If you make the goal of your book that the transsexual transitions and is happy, that makes you some kind of antichrist. It seems that the only acceptable fiction that Christians can stomach is when the transsexual comes to their senses and live the gender that God made them. I don't write that.
I could do the smart thing. I could keep the two separate. I choose not to. Their are trans-christians. I'm not the only one on the site. It just gets frustratingly lonely some times. It also gets annoying when I get slammed in reviews from bigots on both sides.
I'm just saying.
Comments
Well...
...you're doing what it says... being all things to all people. The hardest task may be to convince each group that their groups intersect in ways neither could imagine. I'm very glad you write and that you write for everyone! Thank you!
Love, Andrea Lena
Doesn't show up much in the reviews
Just looked over your Amazon page to see some examples. Your reviews are generally quite good - I'm sure you'd love more, but the ones that are there are generally quite good. Wrestling has the most, at 21, of which 80% are 4 or 5 star, and the written comments vary between positive and glowing. You do have a 1-star review on that book, and the comment is short - the reader certainly didn't like the book, but you never please everyone. God Bless the Child is next with 17 reviews, 14 of which are 5-star.
So, what's the point of this? It sounds like you might be concentrating too much on the negative. You're writing, and getting sold - don't knock that. Keep doing it - we certainly enjoy it here. By all means read the negative comments, never know what might jog you to do even better, but don't get hung up on them. You also might be looking at other groups than your Amazon page, but from those, I don't think you have much to complain about.
Keep at it, and all the best,
Titania
Lord, what fools these mortals be!
No problem for me
Here in Sweden we have both kind of reactions among Christians to us transsexuals or post transsexuals. When I was about to really go for my own transition I asked a priest in the Church of Sweden how the church would look upon me if I would go through with my transition. He just told me that he had been offisciant at a name changing ceremony in his own church, and that I was welcome in either way I wanted to present myself. And lately (about ten years after my op) I have been asked to carry the Cross in the opening of the Sunday service in my own church /from 1400/. And I have had no problems with that. There are however some smaller parts of the Christianhood here that cannot accept us, but they are small compared to the total number of Christians in Sweden. And I think we must be able to handle that as well as the Churches need to learn to handle us. And if you in any way can help to put up bridges between the two sides I think it is a good thing, so just keep on with the writing.
Ginnie
GinnieG
You're entitled to your opinion
as much as anyone else. I think I can also say that as far as I can remember I haven't been badly treated by any adherent of any religion, Christian, Islamic, Judaic and so on. I went to a church school and was a head chorister at a cathedral choir. Then I grew up. I stopped believing because there was nothing to believe, faith defied logic and reason - I chose to go with the logic and forget faith because I discovered it was all a con, a scam that had been going on for two thousand years.
I've read extensively about the origins of Christianity and nothing so far makes me think differently. Then reading history, one discovers that Christianity has set about systematically destroying anything else that people believe, especially the Church of Rome. Remember the first crusade was against other Christians long before they decided to wipe out Islam. In their turn, the Moslems have done some pretty awful things to other sects and to other creeds.
I don't have a problem with anyone believing in whatever suits them provided they keep it to themselves and don't tell me where I'm going wrong or keep trying to convert me - then I do get cross and they start to regret it.
We are all entitled to believe what we wish providing it impacts on no one else, sadly, the nature of much religion is to point out differences rather than bridge them which of course is food and drink to inadequates which most bigots are. I will continue to denounce them whenever I have the chance religious or other.
I wish you well with your faith and your voyage of gender discovery, I hope you manage to find resolution to both.
Angharad
I guess it all depends on if
I guess it all depends on if you want your writing to be liked, or want your writing to be important. Being liked is relatively easy you just have to write entertaining stories in a decent manner on the topics the most people like. Writing something important is far harder. You will get a lot of grief for writing something important and you will have people on all sides trying to tear it down but unlike entertainment, important stories stick with a person and open their world view to new ideas, gives them new perspectives.
You should know in your heart that what you are writing is important, and even if you got all negative reactions it is something you are called to do. It will effect people, it will change them and in so doing it will change the world.
That's not to say your stories can't be entertaining too. I remember reading Mercedes Lackey's Magic's Pawn, a fairly entertaining fantasy story, the only thing different about it was that it had a gay protagonist. Now being in a rather conservative part of Texas I didn't know that much about homosexuals, I just went by what I heard people in my community say. But after reading that book, and seeing though the eyes of someone different, I saw gay people in a different light. They were just people! different but still people. Your stories do the same thing, they let people see into the heart of those who are different and come to understand them. You are being part of the solution, bridging the gaps between Christians and transgendered.
Don't worry about the extremes!
The ends of the spectrum are only small groups that can't tolerate each other. The rest of the population are your audience. We all appreciate your work.
you know katie you could just
you know katie you could just be like Screw you i'm gonna write what I want an if either group gets pissed then forget them. I've read wrestling with myself(Really really good story) God bless the child(thats the preteen year of jenny an her friends right?) Plus the story on how jenny became jenny. I thought both where very good though I did have to skip a couple chapters in the preteen years of jenny due to the abuse an sexual abuse described. What I'm trying to say is don't let 1 group define you.
Personally I am a atheist
That being said I do not hold people beliefs against them. I find it funny that when I was a christian I was more narrow minded when it came to people beliefs. Shot at one point I thought of becoming a pastor. I do tend to stay clear of stories that have a religious element to them at least one with modern regions on single god regions of like the ancient or malti-god faiths.
That being said I say to you to write what you want to and tell anyone who does not like what you write to stop reading your works or shut up about the parts of your work that they do not like. We as a comunity are outcast in most cases we DO NOT need to help the bigots to push us down. I might just have to read your works now to see how it is.
No matter please keep writing for if you would give up or change your style to fit people who complain about your style you are letting begets win and that is people on both sides of the fence in this case because I know some deeply faithful people who are open with others and do not hold things such of gender identy or sexual orintaion against anyone.
Katie, you are a pioneer.
You have friends here who support you. God is there for you.
May Your Light Forever Shine
These are very good comments
These are very good comments by the others.
For myself, I am a Christian (born in the Spirit when I was 16). Yes, God changed my life around or I would have been dead before my 20th birthday. I have read through the Bible twice (doing word studies both times) and have sought advice from others including Priests, Pastors, and Rabbis. But I am led by Holy Spirit and His path is not always easy. Until Christ returns in the flesh there will always be those who disagree with you. Some of them call themselves Christian and some do not. ("Now we see dimly as through a cloud, but then we shall see clearly, as face to face.") Our responsibility as a true believer and follower of Christ is to be ready with our witness/testimony at all times. God's responsibility is to draw to Himself those of His choosing, in His time, according to His will. We cannot save ourselves let alone anyone else. Nor can we alter their way of thinking without God opening their minds to understanding. Be at peace, sister, and take heart in knowing that you are being faithful to the God who created and understands ALL THINGS. He does NOT make mistakes, but He does give us free will to choose to do good or evil, to obey or not to obey.
And Yes God is able to use everyone to accomplish His will, even atheists. After all did He not give speech to a donkey to communicate with Balim when Moses lead the Israelites through Caanan. Then He can use all people too, as He sees fit. Remember, He is not finished with any of us yet.
And Yes, HE LOVES US, unconditionally. Whether we have accepted Him yet or not, no matter what our sexual orientation is, no matter what gender we are or perceive ourselves to be. No matter what others think of us God still loves us.
Please keep writing, however you feel led to. For I have no doubts that you are led by the Holy Spirit to write of these things. I am one of many who enjoy your writings, and I look forward to enjoying your future stories as well.
Hugs,
Mark <3
God's Peace be upon you all. (Trinity: Father-masculine aspect of God, Holy Spirit-feminine aspect of God, Son/Jesus-Human aspect of God)
PS- Ask your boyfriend to give you an extra hug from me. lol. :)
Squeaky Wheels!
While acceptance is far from as wide spread as we would like, don't let the squeaky wheels fool you in to thinking it is as uncommon as they would make it seem. Remember those who don't object also don't usually make any kind of fuss so all you see is the one who do.
There have been a lot of good
There have been a lot of good points made already. I'm just going to have to say keep being the voice for the outcast. What you are writing is important and a voice that has been silent for way too long. There are far more of us Transsexual Christians and allies out there then people realize because of that silence. I might be a little bit biased here, but I think your writing is awesome. ;-)