DISRESPECT TOWARDS TRANSPEOPLE

[girl2doorsdown]

Dear Feedback,

I recently had an opportunity to watch the video you submitted with Paul Hunt doing a mock gymnastics routine.

Very funny.

I'm so angry right now, you can't imagine how much self-control it's taking for me not to flip out and tell you how I really feel. I've typed almost 50 words already and not one of them has started with an "F" and ended with "K".

So is it your intention to mock and make fun of transgendered people by posting this video? Do you comb YouTube to find the most insulting material available? Because it seems that every time I turn around you're finding new ways to make me feel horrible. Is it unreasonable to ask you to post material that shows transgendered individuals in a good light? I realize that it is the way of the world to make fun of what we don't understand; I just didn't think you would stoop so low and have such a blatant disregard for decency towards people like me.

Here's a suggestion. While your at it, why don't you add some Adolf Hitler propaganda, and Holocaust imagery to the Jewish Passions site. Or even some KKK and lynching bits to the African American Passions site. Or better yet, you could save some time and just send an email to each and every member of the Passions Network and tell them that they're nothing more than anti-social outcasts with no chance of meeting anyone, so they might as well go jump off a bridge and end it now.

You are so out-of-touch with this "niche", it's ridiculous. It's as if the only place you've ever done your research is by watching the movie Mrs. Doubtfire, and maybe a couple of cartoons where Bugs Bunny dresses up as a woman to distract Elmer Fudd. Are you kidding me!

I've wrote in about your use of the derogatory terms like "-------" and "-------" on more than one occasion; but my inquiries are answered with even more humiliat.... Since you don't understand, I'll put it to you like this...

..Those words are as offensive to a transsexual, as the "N" word is to a black person. Period.

I don't know if you realize how much traffic your Trans Passions niche brings to your website, but based on the numbers I've seen, I'll tell you. It's one of your biggest draws. Probably 2nd or 3rd to Nude & Bisexual respectively. Now please answer me why you would go out of your way to alienate the very people who put food on your freaking table? Think about that tonight when you go home.

You try to pose as this respectable free dating site, but all you do is look to exploit those who are in need.

It's shameful.

So here's what's gonna happen:

1. You're going to get your act together and post an apology for the ongoing and negligent treatment of your transgendered members.

2. You're going to completely remove the derogatory words, "-------" & "-------" from the group selections. If the ignorant members choose to continue the use of the words, that's on them.

3. You're going to insist that your programmers and employees responsible for this sites content actually go to and READ material from the website "tsroadmap.com" and the like. And would it hurt to consult someone before you post a video with a bearded man in a tutu?

4. You're going to delete these tasteless videos that make a mockery of transgendered people.

5. And finally, you're going to recognize that it is you who need us, and not the other way around.

If you don't...I'm going to continue to post feeds about these injustices until they are recognized and addressed. People will start to listen, trust me.

Respectfully,

Girl 2 Doors Down

[girl2doorsdown]

`Furthermore, Paul Hunt's "routine" was not even produced to insult or mock the transgendered. (You accomplished that feat all by yourself). No, it was done so to make a mockery of WOMEN! Played out much in the style and times of Bobby Riggs, when he made claims that women athletes were weak, and not worthy of any respect or recognition. Well, Billy Jean fixed his wagon, didn't she. Hunt did the routine as if to say, "Look, anyone can dress in a tutu and parade around like an idiot".

It's easier to destroy than it is to create.

I'm even more angry than I was last night. As a woman, I'm even more insulted by this video's message than I am as a transgendered viewer.

WTF were you thinking when you posted this thing?

The message of this video says, "This is how I view transpeople, and you should too". 30 years later, you've managed to take someone elses garbage, and attack a whole new minority. You must be proud.

I realize that the scope of "Trans" is rather large, covering just about anything and anyone who is gender-indifferent or non-gender-specific. But Paul Hunt doesn't even fall anywhere remotely under that umbrella. He was a MAN, making fun of WOMEN during a time when people looked the other way and promoted sexism. He'd be booed off the stage nowadays. "Comedy routine my FOOT!"

Anyway, this thread will be planted firmly at the top of the forum posts until something is done.

We will not be ignored.

Respectfully,

G2DD

[feedback]

You are a total trip. As a courtesy, we're going to assume you are just having a bad day.

If not, let us point out a couple of things.

First of all, this site was not designed to make you happy...or to match what you think is 'appropriate', or what you think is funny, or what you think is offensive.

And we think it is HEELARIOUS that you think you have the right to speak for everyone in the 'Trans' community.

While we know that some people will have 'issues' with terms like ------- and -------...tough. That is their problem.

You might notice that there are a lot of people in those groups who IDENTIFY THEMSELVES that way. Uhm...in case you aren't quite getting that, they are choosing to self-identify in that way. Who do you think you are to decide that they can't do that?

We added a wide variety of groups to allow people to define themselves however they would like...because it is up to them to do that (not you).

You know what, you remind us of someone. We got an email a week ago telling us that Christian Passions was disgusting because we allow people of the same S-- to find one another on there. According to this self-righteous individual, they think that they have the right to tell everyone else what is and isn't OK. We went back and forth with her for about 8 email messages, basically telling her that we aren't going to make our sites based on narrow-minded precepts, and that we are going to continue to be open to anyone regardless of their s----l orientation.

While the 'sexual orientation' portion of that message is pretty much obvious on this site, the reason we bring it up is because the parallels between that narrow-minded 'Christian' trying to dictate what we do and 'you' trying to dictate what we do is more than a little funny.

The site is completely free. If you don't like it. Leave.

We consider all criticism, and we don't think that everything we do is necessarily correct. But a lot of time, things are open to interpretation, and we err on the side of inclusion rather than exclusion.

With regards to the video you take such offense to. Uhm...sorry you didn't think it was funny. Maybe we should send all the videos to you first and then you can tell us which ones are OK?

We can tell by the comment you left on that video, where you compare our adding the video to KKK or Hitler videos, that you like the fact that we added a way for members to comment on videos.

We're glad that you like the fact that we have tried to make it easy for members to speak out about the things they like and the things they don't. We added that so that the site will work for everyone...because we don't pre-suppose that everyone is going to feel the same way about everything. By the way, you can also rate the videos. We're guessing you would give it 1 star out of 5. (That is actually worse than not rating it, because if no one rates it, then it isn't consider 'bad' by our system...it's just considered not rated. In other words, no rating is not the same as a zero rating.)

So, to wrap it up.

Despite my rather lengthy but blunt reply, we really don't intend to offend anyone (even you)... but we are about as likely to remove '-------' and '-------' (and the video you don't like) from Trans Passions, as we are to eliminate gay relationship options on Christian Passions.

Feel free to rant all you would like, but this network, and in particular this site, was not designed to match what you think is and is not appropriate.

[nordicblonde]

`I still haven't found out what is this so famous trans-community?
Eeh... :D

[(deleted)]

`To feedback from the website:
------- isn't considered derogatory in some Asian countries however, I've only ever found the term ------- associated with ----ography and personally I find it incredibly offensive. To me, it's like a white person calling a black person the "N" word.

Most dictionaries don't even recognize it as a word but I did find it defined as such: ------- (also she-male)is a pejorative term frequently referring to trans women with male genitalia and augmented female breasts from breast augmentation and/or use of hormones.[1] The term is considered derogatory by most trans women.

I'm not trying to argue in a hostile sense. Your message made it clear that removing the term is non-negotiable and I have no expectation in that regard. I'm merely exercising my right to voice my opinion.
Here are my opinions:
[1] ------- is offensive and propagated by the ----ography industry
[2] the video has nothing to do with transgender people and isn't offensive
[3] your feedback was somewhat unprofessional
[4] I'm very appreciative of the site

thanks

[feedback]

Thanks for your comment.

First, I apologize for the tone of the previous message, especially the rather harsh/blunt way things were phrased. In retrospect, everything should have been discussed differently. After having been haranged (repeatedly) by a Christian conservative on one site and then chastised (repeatedly) by a member on this site, I just kindof lost it for a moment (ie. I had a bad day). Generally, I tend to reflect back the attitude give to me. Ask nicely, and you will get a nice reply. Be a smart ass, and I'll be a smart --- back. But you are correct...that is not a professional way to address specific complaints.

With regards to the term '-------'...we agree that the term is considered offensive by some people, and it is a term that is used in a derogatory manner by some people. On the flip side, it is also more prevalent in some Asian countries (just like the term -------) without the associated negative overtones. It is also used as a descriptive term by some people who either do not know any better, or (and this is important) who do not associate a negative connotation with it.

It is worth noting that the number one group within the site is '------- Admirer'...and the 4th most popular group is the (self-identified) '-------' group.

It is our opinion that the people who have joined these groups are doing so as a means to define themselves (in a positive manner) as 'those who appreciate and are interested in someone who is transitiioning from male to female (and specifically, we think, they are interested in those individuals who are not fully transitioned, or they are interested in those individuals that do not intend to fully transition'...or (and this is important) they are people who self-identify using the term -------.

People who are interested in those who do not intend to fully transition, and people who do not intend to fully transition, are just as welcome on this site as everyone else...and ------- is a term used by both those groups to easily identify who they are and who they are interested in.

That is the key to all of this for us.

If the ------- group was practically empty because it was considered offensive by most people, and if we were bombarded by people complaining about it, we would reconsider its inclusion. (We really are not trying to offend people.)

But it is not empty.

[It is comprised of roughly 10% of the members of the site at this time, with another 10-20% of the site members in the 'Admirer' group.]

So...while we understand that some people are offended by the term, it is there for the people who use it to identify the type of individual they are looking for...or for the people who define themselves with that term.

Thanks for your comment, and sorry again for the previous post,


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