by B.J. Caldwell, Qlinks contributor
I have read many reports over the past few months about the gay couple in Malawi facing trial and imprisonment essentially for being gay ("unnatural acts"). Steven Monjeza and Tiwonge Chimbalanga have just received a sentence of 14 years hard-labour prompting another round of international 'outcry' (which in my opinion needs to be a little louder and a lot more effective...) against the criminalization of sexual orientation and gender identity.
What you may not have heard is that Tiwonge Chimbalanga identifies as trans (female). The media-- including the gay media-- has mainly been reporting on them as a 'gay couple' because that is how they are referred to and treated by the courts (as in many places, the law looks at genitals, not the actual gender identity of it's citizens). And perhaps why this story gained initial traction in the media (stories where the people involved are trans or intersex don't often get picked up/reported). GenderDynamiX, in South Africa, is a Human Rights organisation promoting freedom of expression of Gender identity and advocating for the rights of Transgender, transsexual and Gender Non-Conforming people have released a media statement:
According to Ian Swartz from OSISA (Open Society Institute of Southern Africa) Tiwonge Chimbalanga sees herself as a woman. "Tiwonge so clearly identifies as a woman and she has expressed her identity as such more often than not. I think if she knew the word Transgender she would come home to a world of understanding of herself" he said recently after visiting the couple in prison. A local activist who calls her "Aunty Tiwo" visited her too and to him she said: "I am just a woman who loves my man. I'd rather remain in prison than to be released into a world where I am kept away from Steven"
"Even though the identities of Tiwonge and Steven are misunderstood by the world we stand together with gay and lesbian activists in their work to try and get justice for our trans sister and her partner." Says Tebogo Nkoana outreach officer at Gender DynamiX.
Autumn Sandeen over at Pamshouseblend had this to say, and I concur:
The Malawian couple has been charged and sentenced in relationship to having a homosexual relationship. The LGBT legacy and new media has picked up on the 14-year sentence based on the couple's relationship being declared homosexual by the judge who sentenced the couple. And let's be honest with ourselves -- I believe we can safely say that from past coverage by the LGBT press and LGBT blogosphere that this story would not have gained as much traction in LGBT media if this were considered a transgender or intersex story.
And, that's sad. Transphobia and homophobia both arise from the same root -- that root has to do a lot with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and queer people not conforming with societal sex and gender norms...Especially societal sex and gender norms for those considered to be male. And, that root has a lot to do with misogyny.
But, the erasing of the woman in this story's intersex, transgender, and/or transsexual history from this story says a lot about the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community and its media
As an LGBT community, we should be standing in solidarity in support of this couple -- whether or not this couple are a pair of gay males or a transgender (or intersex) woman and a heterosexual (or bisexual) male.
Visibility matters. Telling LGBT and intersex stories as the stories these are instead of by a standard gay narrative matters -- We need to work harder to not change trans and intersex stories to gay stories.
Perhaps even better: tell the stories in the context of people within the broader LGBT community.
And, as one LGBT community standing in solidarity against both homophobia and transphobia -- as well as one LGBT community standing in solidarity standing against as misogyny, racism, abeleism, and other identity community expressions of hate -- well, that should really matter too.
Too often in news and other venues, the 'T' remains silent (or is kept silent). Either we don't hear the stories at all, or we receive them distorted through the lens of the media's limited understanding of gender and sexual orientation, and many gay media's limited understanding of gender.
For a great argument as to why this is important check this out:
Once Again the T in LGBT is Silenced (The Guardian)