She's doubled down on her ignorance and used her position in the LGBTQ community as an excuse. Here's the apology she issued to Jamie Holland, who wrote her an open letter after the song was released.
Her response to Holland (because this isn't an apology) is that she was misquoted by Huffington Post and that she meant to use "trans" in a way that no one in the trans community, let alone the LGBTQ community, would use the word.
To Kate, "trans" apparently means "transcendent" or "transformation" - instead of being an abbreviation for the broader trans umbrella (transsexual/transgender/etc.) - which is how everyone else uses the the prefix. Sorry Kate, you don't get to change the meaning of a word. If you intended "trans" to mean something other than a transgender/transsexual person, you should have used a different word. You should not call something a "trans anthem" if it is meant to be about everyone. If this is a song for anyone/everyone, why does it focus so narrowly (both in the lyrics and the visuals) on someone male assigned at birth expressing a female identity?
There's a reason you didn't say, "I hope this becomes an LGBTQ anthem" or "I hope this becomes an anthem for anyone who feels like they're not valued by society" - because those types of messages aren't as "in" right now as "teh trans" is. This was clearly a ploy to pitch the song as something it wasn't/isn't in an attempt to get some free press and sell some records.
If she meant this as a song about "the power of transformation" and "becoming who you were meant to be" - that's not a bad message. But the delivery is awful and it destroyed that message by articulating it with a bunch of problematic stereotypes and transphobic tropes. Transformation isn't about make-up and clothes (outside of the drag community).
"Transformation" is also problematic for trans people because it implies we're becoming something we weren't - ie, we are "transform" from a man into a woman - rather than we unlearn all the male socialization and allow ourselves to be the woman we always were. Similarly, not every trans person "transcends" gender boundaries, nor do they want to, because many of us are fine with gender - we're just not fine with the one we were assigned at birth.
While there's plenty of space in the trans spectrum for a variety of approaches and ideas regarding gender and gender identity - as a cis woman, it's probably not your place to discuss any of them because you're clearly failing by any standard. You are not "promoting greater understanding" by using a misgendering title and problematic lyrics that offend the trans community. You are not participating in "dialogue" when you choose to ignore the bevy of criticisms leveled at you by saying, "Oh that's not what I meant, I meant something else [that is also wrong]." And by failing to address ANY of the numerous points trans people (and our actual allies) made, you are showing us that you don't think dialogue is "important" because we were just wrong if we took offense.
"Trans" is not something that applies to everyone. It's an umbrella term for people who fall on the "trans spectrum." Just because you happen to be gay yourself does not mean you get to or are capable of speaking for the broader LGBT community, and it definitely does not mean you get to speak for the trans community. If anything, being part of the LGBTQ community means you should know when to talk about an issue and when to let someone else lead that discussion. You say you wouldn't presume to speak for us, but in your non-apology do exactly that by telling us not to get offended by your song because that's not what you meant.
This proves everyone's original interpretation was correct. This is what "trans" looks like to the gay cis community, and this is the voice that real trans people get in the community - "oh sorry honey, you're overreacting." This is why there is a rift between the LGB and the T - because you clearly don't get it and don't care to try.
Because if you didn't "presume" to speak for trans people - you would've never said "trans anthem" and you would not have used trans related themes in your lyrics or video. By talking about us, you talk for us.
Please stop.
EDIT: It appears that Kate (and/or her social media PR team) have taken to removing critical comments from her FB page (and possibly her YouTube video). Naturally, this leaves her looking wonderfully 'progressive' as the only remaining comments are positive/supportive. So much for "dialogue" (I guess she doesn't know what that word means either).
1 comment:
Hey can you send some anger Sia's way for co-writing and producing the song. I hate her.
Post a Comment