Bradley Manning wants to be known as Chelsea Manning. Okay, it's a free country. Even if you are convicted and sent to prison, there are certain rights that you retain. In prison, she wants to receive Hormone Replacement Therapy. This will be paid for by your and my tax dollars. We spend a lot of tax dollars on a lot of horrible things; Afghanistan, NSA spying, Guantanamo Bay etc. HRT is seen in the medical community as necessary health care for someone who is transgender. It took me a while to get my head around this, so i went to twitter to ask some experts who had written in Manning's favor on the site Jezebel.com
The reaction i got for just inquiring about the validity of U.S tax dollars going to hormone therapy for a person convicted of treason and sentenced to 35 years in prison was shocking.
I was called a"homophobe" a "transphobe" a "dick" and a "manbrodick". This is left wing bigotry at it's worst. All I did was ask if the author of the article thought that our tax dollars should go to Mannings medication while in prison. When she said "yes", I said that i did not necessarily agree and to please tell me why this was her view. Both the writer of the article (Meagan Hatcher-Mays) and the writer who tweeted the link (Lindy West) said that i was a "dick" for even questioning whether manning should receive HRT on the state. I was insulted, but i did not resort to name calling. I responded that i am not a "dick" and not a homophobe or a transphobe, i just didn't agree with this particular instance of HRT for convicted criminals. I went on to say that i was a feminist, and an ally but was challenged by this particular case. I was chastised not agreeing and told that i was not an ally.
Did you read that? Lindy West, a person who does not know me, has never met me and knows nothing about me has decreed that i am "not an ally"
This is insulting. I'll go out and advocate and fight for whomever rights i want. i don't need the bloggers at jesebel.com to tell me whose side of the fight i can join.
According to Lindy West, I am not worthy to support the cause that she supports because I disagree with this particular point regarding Manning, prison and HRT. I guess that my gay father, his lover and all of my LGBT friends are going to be disappointed when I cannot support them. I'm not an ally. I can't show up an any parades. The gay friends i have in NYC will be so sad to hear that I can't vote for their rights or make sure that they can get married to whomever they please. Oh well, i wanted to be an ally and fight for the rights of people i love, but apparently I'm not an ally because i do not agree with Lindy West.
I want to be an ally. But Jesebel.com thinks that I can't be in their little club. Only they are right and only they can fight for the rights of the LGBT community. Oh well. I guess I'm just a "manbrodick". Won't my dad be disappointed.