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Welcome to the Internet! Where that 23 year old blonde bombshell from Southern California that likes you for your smile and personality is really a 300 pound middle aged white guy living in his parents basement somewhere down in BumFuck, Egypt, America. Pretending to be a lesbian on online is about as old as the Internet itself. If you’re a lesbian who has pursued other women online, it’s more likely than not that you’ve come across a man pretending to be a woman at some point. If you’ve ever visited the website Lez Get Real you can regrettably join rank with the rest of the duped.

Back when I first started following the lesbian news site, Lez Get Real, it was my understanding that the website was owned by Julie Phineas, a woman I had the pleasure of briefly conversing with via e-mail in 2009, and whose bio on this website states:

LezGetReal.com

This project allowed me to work side by side with the site owner to develop and produce a popular lesbian news site online. This site began as a blog on Blogger.com, where we established a loyal following and team of bloggers. I handled the initial recruiting as well as the editing and publishing of articles on a regular basis. After migrating to the Wordpress platform when the site gained popularity, I handled much of the site migration including template customization, content strategy and the design of the site header using online photo editing software. The logo is by GotLogos.com. This website went on to make a positive difference in the lesbian community and gained popularity and linkbacks from sites like PerezHilton.com. I completed production on this project in July 2009 and the owner has maintained the site ever since.

But is it safe to assume that Julie Phineas knew explicitly that Paula Brooks, site owner and editor of Lez Get Real, was really a man? And by now you know the truth is out about the blogger of A Gay Girl in Damascus. She is also really a man posing as a lesbian. Tom MacMaster, 40-year-old purported Middle-East activist studying for a Masters Degree at Edinburgh University in Scotland. MacMaster, who is married and from Atlanta, Georgia created the online persona and named her Amina Abdallah Araf al Omari; a beautiful, young, lesbian woman living in Damascus, Syria. The blog grabbed the national spotlight when Amina,whose blog had become very popular by then and had amassed a following, was reportedly kidnapped and then declared missing on June 7, 2011.

MacMaster started the blog on February 19, 2011. The blog title accurately described it as being about “an out Syrian lesbian’s thoughts on life, the universe and so on …” And what made it really stand out was that it was started several weeks prior to the start of the Syrian uprisings, also known as the Arab Spring.

I live in Damascus, Syria. It’s a repressive police state. Most LGBT people are still deep in the closet or staying as invisible as possible. But I have set up a blog announcing my sexuality, with my name and my photo. Am I crazy? Maybe. [...] I have to begin by doing something bold and visible. I can, because I’m a dual national and have benefits of politically connected relatives, be more visible than many women here. I’m already out to my family … and I want to be an example to others … to know that one of is trying..

I am somewhat reminded of Orson Wells’ radio adaptation of The War of The Worlds which caused panic and chaos by those who believed the terrifying narrative was real.

But this is no such thing. There’s a clear difference between openly fictionalizing or placing a spin on real events and perpetrating a triple-double whammy by pretending to be someone or something you’re not. No theater training in the world could have aptly prepared Tom MacMaster or Paula Brooks aka Bill Gather and all of the people they lied to for the resulting backlash.

This is one of those chapters in faction (a mix of fiction and fact) where by the end of the story the truth is greater and more interesting than fiction. MacMaster was in the process of writing the story of his life, and he will likely try to capitalize on all of the events leading up to it now. Here’s a quasi academic who doesn’t, at first sight, correlate the difference between fact and fiction and hurt and pain that he’s caused to many. He is so oddly transparent that he and his wife decided to go on vacation in the midst of all the chaos; in the midst of a grand internet hoax coming to light. It’s classic sociopathic behavior from a narcissist and I hope those who read his graduate dissertation pay very close attention to  his detail.

The initial apology MacMaster issued was further testament to his abuse and misuse of an unspoken American birthright: white male privilege.

He claims he didn’t mean to hurt anyone, and that would be somewhat understandable if it were just one person at the root of his hurt; that being himself. But there are many hundreds, if not thousands of lives he has greatly and negatively affected.

Tom MacMaster didn’t create Amina’s voice, he took away someone else’s by perpetuating lies. He put real gay bloggers in Syria and every place where homosexuality is illegal in danger by building a wall of lies with which to rest his political, religious, and social ideology upon.

He was and probably still is a wanna-be fiction writer who discovered a way to make an audience keep coming back for more by sensationalizing shit. He fabricated a fictional characters life, and took advantage of good people and a harrowing situation in Syria. His own political endeavors were further emboldened by the feedback he started to receive, and loads of people who wanted to do nothing but help, support, and continue following Amina’s life and activism throughout it all were duped. The fact that he used a fake Syrian lesbian woman’s voice to establish a level of trust and credibility when none was deserved makes his boldness all the more insulting.

People from all over the world rely on bloggers from the Middle-East, Africa, America, India, etc, to report on what’s happening around them. MacMaster joins a growing list of bloggers who learned how to effectively manipulate not only people, but also the media in their quest for attention and/or fame.

It’s really no surprise that people live out very complex fantasies anonymously online every single day. They accomplish this by way of chat rooms, blogs, forums, dating sites, etc, but isn’t there a line that should never ever be crossed when it comes to merging fantasy and reality? It’s my belief that there is, and at the very least our moral compass should not reach beyond possibly, unwittingly putting peoples lives in danger or their careers at stake. Lying about things that could potentially grievously affect people on a grand scale makes a case for greater accountability from all bloggers, including those like me who’ve never claimed to be be journalists, but like to be able to put up a good defense if ever checked.

Another interesting factor is how he only conducted interviews and correspondence by e-mail. Amina’s “girlfriend” whom she was scheduled to meet in Europe is understandably devastated by the revelations. She claims to have had no idea that MacMaster was Amina it is believable due to the fact that they’d never met in person, communicated online, and he reluctantly admitted that she was one of the people he hurt.

Perhaps the most striking is the audacity of his actions of which he’s not the first and certainly won’t be the last. Instead of supporting the efforts of real activists, he’d concocted a fairy tale while living in the comfortable and safe confines of his home, pretending he knew what it was like to be a Syrian lesbian.

In the newest apology published on Sunday, MacMaster called his fictional diary of a Syrian revolutionary an attempt “to illuminate” the uprising against the rule of President Bashar al-Assad, “for a western audience.” He also wrote: “I do not believe that I have harmed anyone — I feel that I have created an important voice for issues that I feel strongly about.

And then there’s this: “Syrian state media has picked up on the story and is using it as evidence that the opposition they face in the Middle East are made up of fabricated voices from European and American implants.”

Despite claims that he never intended to hurt anyone I have to say that he’s not only done just that, he’s cast a cloud of doubt over every blogger whose ever had a story to tell.

He cared about getting a narrative, his narrative across. And it should be said that there’s nothing wrong with anonymity or online personas, but among the weaved web of lies MacMaster spun they include stealing another woman’s identity and using her photos to represent Amina in the flesh.

When MacMaster couldn’t keep up the facade any longer, for whatever reason, he stupidly claimed that Amina had been kidnapped by the Syrian government. Her world was about to come crashing down, but then again so was his.

After a woman in Britain said the photographs circulating around the Internet were of her and not the Syrian-American blogger in Damascus doubts began to swirl to the surface as to Amina’s real identity.

The London woman, Jelena Lecic, discovered the use of her photos when an article written in Guardian used one of them. She contacted Guardian and asked them to remove the photos before any action was taken. Amina’s online girlfriend, Sandra Bagaria, the woman who raised alarm about her arrest was also suspected of being Amina, but she is not.

The fraud was elaborate, but poorly executed. What’s not fake is that people are being killed and tortured in Syria, yet the real attention is being placed on McMaster’s disaster. I blame myself for contributing to it, but I don’t apologize for speaking my piece.

For weeks, a touching display of care, concern, and activism on the part of Amina’s supporters was at the forefront for many. Journalists, bloggers, and human rights advocates came together to find ways to pressure government institutions to look further into Amina’s disappearance.

Another victim is Linda S. Carbonell, Managing Editor of Lez Get Real. For having to defend Bill Graber better known as Paula Brooks, who first came under fire for using a pseudonym on the site, then for offering a safe haven to Amina, subsequently losing a main site supporter due to her doubts about the existence of Amina, to actually being a man himself who pretended to be a lesbian.

Both Paula and I have close family members who work for the government. Ginny Thomas is the only person in the government arrogant enough to ignore the restrictions on free speech that are imposed on AMERICAN government workers and their families. Paula and I have always worked under pseudonyms to protect our families. Furthermore, because our site is blatantly and unapologetically liberal, we risk our own jobs if our site is connected to us. America is not free. It just pretends to be.” —Linda S. Carbonell, managing editor

As of early this morning, it was my hope that Paula was exactly who she says she was because according to Liz Henry at bookmaniac.org:

“Brooks had not communicated by voice to the reporters — only over email or chat. Brooks’ online presence looked a bit thin. Ben and Ali tried to verify any of the facts of her education and employment, and could not find evidence of Paula Brooks’ existence. I spoke with people who were close to Brooks and should have met her — but who had never seen her. I have no direct evidence that Brooks is Tom MacMaster, but circumstantial evidence shows it is a good avenue for research. If Brooks is *another distinct hoaxer*, that will be very odd, and will need more investigation.” http://bookmaniac.org/chasing-amina/

Bill Graber is a 58 year old former Air Force pilot who said he used the site to argue in favor of the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell repeal.  Follow the Washington Post article about it here, Paula Brooks, Editor of Lez Get Real, is a man. Linda S. Carbonell, managing editor for LezGetReal said this following the break:

Ownership of the site is being turned over to me and Bridgette. Nothing has ever appeared on this site that wasn’t factually based. Yes, we post opinions, but we don’t post fiction. The issues remain – the disenfranchisement of Americans for race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, poverty – these things are still happening. In 18 months we will have one of the most important elections in our nation’s history, an election that will determine the future of our nation and possibly the world. That has not changed just because Paula Brooks turned out to be guy who let an on-line persona get away from him. Bill has been trying to ease out of the site for a couple of months now. He would have been “retired” in late August.

The bottom line is MacMaster’s apology lacks substance, genuine remorse and the level of emotion found within the blogs he fabricated to his audience for so long. He’s a lying sack. Paula Brooks’ unraveling is equally disturbing, however like Lez Get Real, I’m waiting for his statement.

MacMaster said this before making two subsequent follow up apologies:

Look, if I was the genius who had pulled this off, I would say, ‘Yeah,’ and write a book,” said MacMaster, reached in Istanbul, where he is vacationing with his wife, a graduate student working on a PhD in international relations.

He also said: “I am not the blogger in question. Whomever that person ‘really’ is, I have doubtless interacted with her at some point. I do not know further than that about her. When I first read the news story, I momentarily thought I had an idea who she was. As time has progressed that seems much less likely. I understand there are a number of unusual coincidences regarding the blogger and either me or my wife. Those are, as far as I am aware, simply unusual. I am not going to make more of that.” source: www.electronicintifada.net

Big fat fraudulent liar.

In another odd twist, the Centre for Syrian Studies where MacMaster’s wife, Britta Froelicher is an Associate Fellow, was partially funded by the Syrian government. He says although his wife is a student (I read expert) of the region, he was the sole author on the blog. I doubt there is any truth to the statement. She has a lot more to lose, thus it’s understandable that her husband would take the bulk of the fall.

Lez Get Real, a lesbian news site I had come to respect has suffered a major blow for MacMaster’s and Brooks recklessness. The reporter on African issues, who prompted me to write about corrective rape in Africa on my blog was reportedly driven from the website for questioning Amina’s authenticity.

Finally, MacMaster/Amina was shopping his memoir for possible publication. Read here, http://www.minalhajratwala.com/2011/06/a-thousand-sighs-memoir-of-a-hoax/

The memoir can be read/downloaded here: http://www.minalhajratwala.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/A-Thousand-Sighs-Part-I.pdf

“All of a sudden, after having years of rejection letters, I was getting a whole lot of positive feedback for some fiction I had written. That certainly fed my vanity.”

At least we have a good idea about his next move. I would say a poorly written book is on the horizon, but I don’t know a single person less deserving of another 15 minutes. Not yet at least.

Had MacMaster not been such a sloppy fraud, he’d have realized that glorifying Amina’s fake life to such a degree as to fabricate her high-profile kidnapping in a country experiencing high levels of unrest would bring more attention to her cause. Perhaps that’s what he wanted to happen. I certainly don’t buy the explanation that he wanted her to fade away multiple times before coming up with the plot to fake her kidnapping. The events that unfolded were sensational and I do believe MacMaster was eating up every last bit of the fanfare the posts were generating.

Watch his interview with London based newspaper Guardian:

Response: Yeah, whatever, man.

Dear Tom,

People are really dying in Syria.

It is not a joke. You are.

You have made fools of people who believed in you.

But now, thankfully, this chapter is ending.

You are no friend of the gay community.

Your deceit has left a stinging welt that will undoubtedly be felt by those connected to you in all the various ways for many years to come.

Please do us gays and lesbians a favor and refrain from pretending to know anything about what it feels like to walk in our shoes.

You know nothing of our struggles, only that your privilege has allowed you to use, abuse and then discard of our community like a fanatic dictator when your gay facade no longer served your purpose.

Your actions are disgraceful and insulting to boot.

Enjoy your 15 minutes, the opportunity won’t likely present itself again, we hope.

Good day to you.

-

Knowledge

©2012 The Swag Report. All Rights Reserved.

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Her muscular physique and vastly improved start times gave other female runners reason for concern. Namely, she came out of nowhere and handily kicked their asses up and down the track. Her persistence and desire has helped her to overcome international criticism and adversity as it relates to her athleticism and body image.

The IAAF cleared Semenya for immediate competition on July 6, 2010. Her first race resulted in a definitive win. Jenny Meadows, a fellow 800 sprinter and winner of the bronze medal, had this to say about Semenya:

“Before the final we were put in a holding pen kind of thing,” she recalls. “Nobody says much but it’s an opportunity to look at each other and smile. From the very start, though, Caster had her head down, not wanting to make eye contact. I tried to smile at her, but she just didn’t look up, and I understood why, because some of the Eastern European girls were staring at her and laughing, just being really rude. It wasn’t nice. And really, she did brilliantly after that to come out and perform how she did.” Behind her, Meadows secured bronze with a timely personal best of 1 minute 58.93 seconds, exceeding the expectations of an athlete who is happy to admit to being a late bloomer. ” source

Her physical presence is intimidating, and it’s probably the biggest issue she’ll face in her career from here on out. This episode has opened the door to discourse concerning ’gender’ to a broad international audience, but I can’t help but feel sorry that such a young athlete had to face this battle alone and in public. This young athlete, who is not only a high achiever, but more physically fit than the average male may still be thought of as a “woman” in a “mans” body.

She’s an incredible athlete and I will closely follow her career. She is exactly who she says she is and it is my hope that she perseveres through the storm and keeps coming out on top. I have a feeling she will accomplish and overcome even greater obstacles on her way to being a South African track and field star.

©2012 The Swag Report. All Rights Reserved.

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To this day, I distinctly remember saying, ”Is that a man?” out loud. I was peering closely at him as he walked by. I noticed soft, barely noticeable, but clearly womanly features against rough skin that looked like he worked in the sun a lot. Before I realized what I said out loud she turned around and said, “I’m a woman.” She was serious. I could tell by the tone in her voice that she was very much so a woman despite her masculine attire and appearance. She was also sure of herself and not afraid to let anyone know. I had to have been about 10 years old at the time. That memory has stuck with me through the years.

She kept walking and we kept quiet until she walked through the door. I was old enough to be embarassed at allowing my private thoughts to escape my mind, rather audibly in fact. I didn’t know it then, but that moment would become poignant later in my life because every time I think back, it’s the first memory I associate with understanding that gender, sexuality, and physical appearance were not in sync for most people, nor was it required to be in sync with anyone else or any set thing no matter what. Although we are all individuals, there exist tons of attributes and characteristics that make us who we are. Each comes with its own complicated system and process.

There are plenty of studs and butches who have that certain stereotypical look associated with masculine lesbians, but the fact is, whether it’s natural or adopted, that alone is not an accurate indicator of any single pertinent thing without knowing a person for more than what meets the eye. I begin to adopt a self-awareness that comes into play for most, if not all studs and butches at some point during their growth and transition, the process that takes many from fem to butch or tomboy to stud, etc.

Incidents like this were passing episodes, filed away to remember when the time was right. I have no idea if the female trucker was gay, but I do know that my perception of her swagger and confidence, coupled with a masculine hair style that probably got her mistaken for a man more often than anything, she was a woman. While my siblings busted my chops, I thought about how interesting her life must be. How cool for any woman to have the power to do whatever a man could. I didn’t know why I thought it at the time, but years later I began to understand. 

Whatever  her sexuality, she was one tough butch. If I had to gauge my gay-dar, I’d say she was a proud one. For me, having never been exposed to gay culture, being engulfed by women was a liberating feeling to grab hold of. Only then was I able to start shaping and molding the kind of stud I am today. When I began to enjoy the sense of freedom that came with being open about myself, I felt just like that trucker. When you know exactly who you are, who among you can tell you otherwise?

©2012 The Swag Report. All Rights Reserved.

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“I hereby publicly announce my return to athletics competitions“

Image Hellokbear

Semenya Caster’s lawyers previously indicated that test results obtained in February will confirm that she’s cleared for competition, but there’s something delaying her return to competition. That something is the International Association of Athletics Federation who has not yet ruled on whether Semenya can compete as a woman. Semenya, however, is optimistic and expects to be cleared for competition in or around June 2010. By then, she plans to make her long awaited return to competition in Spain on June 24th.

Semenya also asked her lawyers to seek confirmation from the IAAF that her position would be clarified in early June. This is a smart move because she wants to be assured that her return to competition will coincide with the IAAF’s decision in her extremely sensitive case. She has been banned from competing until they release the results of her gender test.

The 19 year old 800m world champion dominated in the event in Berlin last August. She was virtually unknown at the time except to her South African coaches and teammates, but her dominance over the other competitors put her at odds when her physical characteristics were criticized. Her unusually muscular physique and deep voice raised questions about her gender, which she and family members have continually expressed with absolute insistance that she is all woman.

Initial test results were supposedly leaked and determined that Semenya was in fact a hermaphrodite with three times the normal testosterone levels for a woman, which incited outrage in South Africa as the government and people rallied behind her. The findings have not been retracted, nor have they been confirmed by the IAAF or anyone close to Semenya’s circle.

With legal action looming if they don’t make a decision soon, the IAAF is riding a very fine line. In a September 2009 statement, the IAAF said it was reviewing the test results and would issue a final decision in November. That time has passed and Caster and her lawyers are growing impatient. So should the IAAF, especially in light of recent financial troubles and reports of an impending bankruptcy which have since been disputed.

Semenya’s lawyers say they will continue to put pressure on the IAAF until a final outcome is reached. They appreciate Semenya’s desire to get back to doing what she does best; being an athlete.

I am of the firm view that there is no impediment to me competing in athletics competitions,” she said in the statement. “I will, however, continue to assist the IAAF with whatsoever they may require for their own processes and in this regard I have instructed my legal and medical team to work closely with, and continue negotiation with them for these purposes.

Newser.com

Regardless of her reproductive organs, Semenya Caster is a woman because that’s how she sees herself. I believe it is quite possible that Semenya never really knew of the uniqueness of her physical anatomy, inside and out. It’s disappointing that everyone, including myself, knows her on such an intimate level when we’d be horrified if we were to find ourselves in her position. An athlete in the international spotlight will feel all sorts of pressure whether they win or lose, but although Semenya is a winner, her situation appears to be a losing one. Despite everything, the world awaits with prolonged impatience to hear the outcome. The biggest loser has been Semenya who deserves nothing more than to go on living her life and doing what she loves best in some great capacity.

©2012 The Swag Report. All Rights Reserved.

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I remember some years ago when I was actively seeking a girlfriend I’d become somewhat dejected when I’d hear from women who were not interested in studs, butches or any lesbian whose outward display fell within a masculine range. I was young and dumb and didn’t understand how a femme lesbian refused to be sexually attracted to her lesbian counterpart.  I wondered what their reasons must have been, and were they truly valid or simply based on shoddy stereotyping of an entire group of eligible women. Why couldn’t I wrap my head around the notion that they simply were not sexually attracted to the appearance or demeanor of a dominant lesbian with masculine attributes.  Why couldn’t lesbians understand that bisexual attractions to men were as valid as were their attractions to women. To be called flighty or confused was an insulting claim brought against anyone who identified as such. It wasn’t until I developed my own solid attraction to feminine women that I understood that very pertinent aspect of physical, chemical attraction.

Spiritually, I still hold the belief, even for myself, that attraction can occur between any two women regardless of how they or others identify themselves and what their physical attractions consist of with the right circunstances and a little effort. However, as I alluded to earlier, we are all entitled to our preferences. Where does that leave bisexuals? It depends on who you ask. A sizable number of lesbians were sexually involved with men at one time or another, yet since fully assimilating into the lesbian lifestyle and adopting the lesbian label, they receive little if any backlash. This is not to say those women were bisexual at any time because only they know their mind and body and its wants and needs. If bisexuality is inherent, that’s up to the individual to know. If it’s a natural progression that allows a woman to be with a man all her life, then one day a light bulb clicks on and she understands what she’s been missing, needing and craving all this time, then so be it. She may fall in love with the most unlikely individual, but those feelings are awakened and realized, and she’s no longer living and loving in the darkness of her own shadows. Imagine coming to an understanding about your sexuality, coupled with the capacity to love another unconditionally and monogamously. The feeling is understandably one that will have a major impact on the course of a person’s  life.

Historically, bisexual women have gotten a bad wrap. I’ve observed instances where a woman who has identified herself as bisexual is asked to choose between labels (lesbian – straight - bisexual) simply because she is dating or in a relationship with a particular man or woman who demands this. It is a request that may be born of insecurity or fear that if one is not forced to choose, they will eventually stray. But it is up to the individual doing the demanding to determine the rationality of that fear. Some will choose a label willingly, but for the bulk of the bisexual community they feel, and rightfully so, that they should be able to attain their identity regardless of who they’re shacking up with. In retrospect, I’ve held some of these views as my own at a time when I was immature and unable to articulate that the strength and respect demanded by the bisexual community was no joking matter. We are inclusive when they are helping to fight the good fight right alongside the other letters making up the LGTQ community, and they have fought alongside us for decades at a time. 

Another argument I’ve heard time and again has to do with promiscuity among bisexual women. This is usually a result of personal, negative experiences and the consequences of heartbreak. Some of the discrimination felt by bisexuals is akin to wrongly thinking that they cannot make up their minds, hence the reason they shuffle back and forth. The opposite is true, save for those exceptions to the rules. Whether they are with men or women, their relationships deserve the same respect without condition that we afford straight and gay couples. There is enough infidelity within the lesbian community having nothing to do with bisexual women for the focus on the sexual freedoms of bisexual women to be void of judgement. The two straight girls kissing on girls gone wild are not accurate representations either.

I also want to address bisexual studs and butches. Why this is such a polarizing occurrence for some lesbians is beyond me. I have yet to hear a valid argument proving why there is something wrong with a stud attracting both sexes and reciprocating that attraction. Is it because they have more options, and with more options comes the need for greater protection about not getting hurt, or worse, getting an STD?  Those concerns are as valid, however unfairly exaggerated among bisexual women compared to lesbians for lesbians only. It’s another matter of making unfair assessments based on personally skewed opinions. Studs’ and butches gender identity is determined internally (psychologically) and outwardly based on personal examination of their physical, emotional and sexual needs. This self examination is made to be seen in a negative light while trying to paint them as weird or odd when really, what’s weird and odd is to project ones own sexuality and gender identity onto another. 

We’re not meant to understand everything, however we are meant to grant and receive acceptance onto those things that aim to promote peaceful continuity and loving harmony in peoples lives regardless of sexual orientation. At the end of the day, conscious discrimination is still discrimination. None of us are immune to it, but we can become aware and prepared to overcome those obstacles that cause us to think irrationally about things we don’t fully understand or have never experienced. When we cause our own international divisions within the LGBT community due to irrational fears, we alienate allies. The truth is the negative sexual behaviors so commonly applied to bisexual women who exhibit them can be found in all groups and identities of lesbians, so really, why can’t we all just get along and get back to loving one another.

©2012 The Swag Report. All Rights Reserved.

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I do not apologize, I was following multiple trains of thought.

Butch Lesbians and Trans guys
 
female masculinity and male masculinity
 
born in the right body and born in the wrong body
 
being mistaken for a man and being mistaken for a woman
 
female identity and male identity
 
butch woman and trans man
 
Trans guys are MEN. Butch/Stud/AG lesbians are WOMEN. 

These are just some of the differences that make us unique. 
 
Those identities in no way undermine the other or the safety and comfort found within.
 
Being a trans man can mean having a level of “masculinity” that is not necessarily viewed as male.
 
There are trans-men who identify as femme or feminine. (This is their identity)
 
There are trans-men who do not take hormones and are okay with their bodies.
 
You can be a butch lesbian or straight woman who wants top surgery, but does not want to become a man.

You can be a biological female who makes the transition to become a man and still date men.
 
There are trans guys and butch lesbians who are just fine with being somewhere in the middle of the masculine to feminine divide.

There exist many a man and woman who are butch, but not lesbian, let alone homosexual.
 
I respect choice and the manner in which anyone wishes to explore his or her gender identity.
 
There are a number of trans guys who used to identify and/or pass as butch lesbians.
 
There are a number of trans guys who never identified as lesbian, butch or female. They have always identified as psychologically male.
 
There are gender police in every culture and sub-culture. It takes strength and courage to withstand any kind of criticism and negativity from those who know all too well what it feels like to be misjudged and discriminated against.
 
Definitions, labels, and names are not absolute however they suit many purposes.
 
Not all trans-guys are out. Similar to gays, lesbians and bisexuals still in the closet, trans-guys face similar reasons for not coming out or doing so later on in life. Still, many do not come out until mid-30s and up. (See Chaz Bono)
 
It’s the similarities that should bring us together; the differences are open to exploration and respected within their structural confines.
 
Granted, I do not have any expertise or intricate knowledge on the subject of trans identify, but I am speaking from my own experiences,  thoughts,  feelings and for my own peace of mind.
 
I strongly believe there is room for dialogue and the door is open. In the midst of stating what I believe to be accurate, I’m seeking answers and personal insight from those who know more than I.

What I do know is sex is one thing, and gender is something else altogether. Sex refers to our biological differences. Notably they are the differences we are given at birth; male, female and intersexed. Gender refers to the characteristics of constructed roles between men and women, masculine and feminine, in their social-cultural context.
 
I haven’t always held onto the belief that the T in LGBT is just as important as the LGB, but it’s a necessary growth process that has strongly developed within me over time. Maturity provides greater understanding to just about anything. Trans-guys, young and old have had a tremendous impact on gender expression and freedom. They are at the forefront of the gender revolution, just as lesbians were at the forefront of the women’s revolution. They’ve influenced the acceptance of my own gender and added to the comfort I feel within my masculine identity. I immersed myself in learning more. Believe it or not, YouTube provides a intimate look into the lives of trans-guys who graciously shared their stories from the very beginning. If I had to pick a word to describe some of the transitions, it would simply be – amazing. While his visibility varies, its impact is strong no matter how great or small his voice.
 
Butch lesbians and gay trans guys don’t have anything in common is what he said. I’ll give him that since I didn’t indicate otherwise in the post he responded to, but I reject the notion that lesbians have absolutely nothing in common with the transmasculine identity. This is mostly in response to a comment from a gay trans guy stating:
 
“Please do not equate butch lesbians with trans guys. As a gay transmen, there is nothing butch or lesbionic about me.”
 
This led me to immediately consider the statement an obvious insult to my intelligence since I had done no such thing. But then it got me thinking.
 
His statement would be just as accurate if a cisgendered guy were to say “please do not equate butch lesbians with straight guys. As a straight guy, there is nothing butch or lesbionic about me.” If I dissected each and every idiosyncrasy and took the time to pinpoint nuances shared between the two, I’d find nothing? I’ll save the semantics, but odds are as human beings we all share similarities just as we are sure to share a great number of differences. 
 
In any case, the butch-stud / trans guy dynamic is a delicate one for some and a completely non-existent one for others. Some guys made use of the label at one point or another and others who are not out yet still do. There are a lot of trans-guys who began their transition by first identifying as a butch lesbian. There are a lot who didn’t. Either way, there should exist an understanding among butch lesbians and trans-guys not only out of a sense of urgency, but because here are two sub-cultures within the LGBT community that have the least visibility, yet experience the most discrimination. Ours is a shared invisibility that feels important to me. A strong alliance helps to not only shape, but strengthen a community where visibility is often taken for granted. How we identify is taken for granted. It makes sense to me  to support each other, but it’s not a sentiment that’s widely shared or appreciated.
 
For the trans guys and lesbians it doesn’t make sense to, I was there once. What would a trans-guy have in common with me?  Well, apart from the obvious fact that (in general) we both exude a level of male-ness that sets us apart from the rest, we are so comfortable within that framework that we will do whatever we can to preserve or complete our comfort. Because we dare step outside of the norm just to be ourselves. There’s that. I understand that being transgender has everything to do with how one feels about their core identity, which is outside of the realm of sexual attraction.

I feel that my masculine identity in some ways empowers me to move through a world where my contributions to the LGBT community assert my role and the role of my brothers and sisters as one of strength and diversity. We empower the other through our queer similarities, the things that bring us together, and we grow by understanding differences. The respect attained is two-fold.
 
What have we learned? Trans guys are men. They aren’t lesbians, girls, tomboys or women. They are men.

There are older butches and stone-butches who have witnessed an emergence of new energy radiating among younger trans guys. Their minds are being opened to the possibilities and knowledge not previously available regarding gender identity and its extremely broad range. The same holds true for butch lesbians who are completely comfortable in their skin. No matter her mannerisms she is a masculine-identified woman.
 
What’s with the trans-masculine butch identity? Trans-masculine refers to any person who was assigned as female at birth but feels that “female” does not accurately describe their gender. This is a term that represents a wide range of folks within the male-oriented queer family. Trans men, gender-queers, and butch lesbians whose masculinity or male traits are often rejected fit under this umbrella.
 
The fact is that some trans guys remain a part of the lesbian community. There are many others who prefer to fully assimilate into a heterosexual-homosexual-pansexual-asexual-[insert here-sexual] existence and would rather not be associated with the female remnants of their past. That is understandable in every sense of the word. I respect and at times admire however a person chooses to live their life. At the end of the day, I know that I have enough in common with other human beings to continue embracing diversity, tolerance, choice and a zest for life. I consider trans guys brothers within this rainbow family. I don’t ascribe to the “you’re either with us or against us” mentality that can be found within certain LGBT circles. The T in LGBT isn’t some fad that passes as soon as the transition is over. It’s a staple in the LGB community for a reason and trans identity needs the support and demands the acknowledgement that we all work so hard to achieve. We are all, or none and we achieve everything by standing together. When it all comes down, gender is anything you make it to be for it is your very own.

I welcome dialogue. And please, by all means, feel free to correct any inaccuracies you may come across.

©2012 The Swag Report. All Rights Reserved.

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