Friday, January 11, 2008

Rational.... or Not?

Rational… or Not?
By Raven Usher

Some fears are rational. That makes them useful because they help keep us out of dangerous situations. They keep us from walking on ice that will break below our feet. It keeps us from crossing the street into traffic. They keep us from getting too close to the edge of the cliff. With a healthy level of rational fear (and exercising some common sense) we can stay out of a lot of trouble.

Some fears are irrational. They simply do not make sense and if you try you can usually figure out why they are there. Most of them are left-overs from real intense scares from some other time in our lives. Being bit by one dog as a child can leave the grown adult afraid of all dogs. Witnessing someone have an accident can make someone avoid that same activity from then on out.

Some of them are given birth by our imagination. A six-year-old could hear a spooky story about the boogie man. Thirty years later there is a adult who can not go to sleep at night if the closet door is open. There is absolutely no danger in the closet. The person knows full well that there is no danger in the closet. But that imaginary fear has been engrained into the subconscious for so long that the impulse to close the closet door before getting into bed simply cannot be ignored.

These irrational fears are harmless. They do not have any kind of negative impact on our lives. So someone has a pet cat instead of a dog. The companionship is still there. So someone never goes skydiving. Some people would call that a smart decision. So someone takes three extra steps at night before going to bed. What do you lose for that?

What happens when irrational fears DO have a negative impact upon our lives? What if they stop us form being able to accomplish simple, every day tasks? What if they impair our ability to live a healthy life? What if an irrational fear goes so far as to become a verifiable threat to our own lives? Perdition must feel like a picnic after living with that kind of fear.

The North American Lexicon of Transgender Terms (http://www.glbpubs.com/lex.html) lists an entry; “Free-Shot Bull’s Eye” defined as “The fear of being a target for anti-transgender or transphobic violence while being without protection from law enforcement agencies.”

Rational or irrational? Harmless or negative effect?

There are transgendered people who suffer greatly from this fear. It stops them from coming out of the closet. It keeps them from the proper gender expression. It stops them from pursuing transition. In a nutshell, it keeps people from being their true selves. I believe that to be a very serious negative effect. It is like being so afraid of water that you are unable to leave the house if it rains. It is that much of an inhibitor to living a happy, healthy life.

Is it an irrational fear? That is harder to say. There certainly have been examples of law enforcement officers falling short of their duties to protect the public when it comes to transgendered individuals. I have seen reports of officers around the country turning a blind eye to the aftermath of violence. I have heard of accounts of officers being rude and abusive. (I do not have knowledge of anything like that happening in Boise specifically.)

I have also seen incidents of police men and women going to great lengths to be as sensitive as possible towards tranfolk. I myself have experienced first hand members of the legal profession going out of their way to accommodate my unusual physical circumstance. I have even seen officers be as helpful as possible to TG people on the TV show COPS.

That makes me think that the fear of “being without protection from law enforcement agencies” really is an irrational fear. I think we should hold the incidents of maltreatment and/or abuse by police against the individual officers who commit those failures in duty. I have found more examples of sympathetic attitudes from officers than those of hostility or indifference.

There are people in this world of whom transgendered individuals should be afraid. Every now and then one of those people will find employment in law enforcement. That should not make us afraid of all law enforcement agencies. And the dereliction of duty by that one cop should not be held as a blight against the agency. Trust the cops. It will save your life.
Bad apples do not spoil barrels.

Blessed be.