A short history of trans people's long fight for equality | Samy Nour Younes

譯者: Lilian Chiu 審譯者: Yanyan Hong

Why are transgender people suddenly everywhere?

為什麼突然到處都是跨性別者？

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

As a trans activist, I get this question a lot.

身為支持跨性別的行動主義者， 我常被問到這個問題。

Keep in mind, less than one percent of American adults

別忘了，只有不到 1% 的美國成年人

openly identify as trans.

會公開他們跨性別的身分。

According to a recent GLAAD survey, about 16 percent of non-trans Americans

根據「同性戀反詆毀聯盟」 最近的調查，

大約 16% 的非跨性別的美國人

claim to know a trans person in real life.

聲稱他們在真實生活中認識跨性別者。

So for the other 84 percent, this may seem like a new topic.

所以，對於剩下的 84% 人而言， 這似乎是個新議題。

But trans people are not new.

但跨性別者其實從很久以前就有了。

Gender variance is older than you think,

非常規性別比你們想像的還要古老，

and trans people are part of that legacy.

跨性別者是那遺產的一部分。

From central Africa to South America to the Pacific Islands and beyond,

從中非、南美，到太平洋島嶼， 到甚至更遠的地方，

there have been populations who recognize multiple genders,

都有認可多種性別的族群，

and they go way back.

且可追溯至很久以前。

The hijra of India and Pakistan, for example,

比如，印度和巴基斯坦 所稱的「海吉拉」

have been cited as far back as 2,000 years ago in the Kama Sutra.

在兩千年前的《慾經》中就有提到。

Indigenous American nations each have their own terms,

美洲各個原住民族 都有他們自己的用詞，

but most share the umbrella term "two-spirit."

但大部分都共用 「雙靈」這個綜合用詞。

They saw gender-variant people

他們把非常規性別的人

as shamans and healers in their communities,

視為是他們部落中的巫師和醫治者，

and it wasn't until the spread of colonialism

一直到了殖民主義散播開來之後，

that they were taught to think otherwise.

他們才被教導不同的看法。

Now, in researching trans history,

在研究跨性別歷史時，

we look for both trans people and trans practices.

我們會探究包括 跨性別者以及改變性別的做法。

Take, for example, the women who presented as men

比如，女性以男性之姿出現，

so they could fight in the US Civil War.

才能夠參與美國的內戰。

After the war, most resumed their lives as women,

戰後，這些人多半 以女性的身分繼續過日子，

but some, like Albert Cashier, continued to live as men.

但，當中有些人， 如阿爾伯特卡西爾，

就繼續使用男性身分。

Albert was eventually confined to an asylum

阿爾伯特最後被關在精神病院，

and forced to wear a dress for the rest of his life.

餘生被迫必須要穿著女裝。

(Sighs)

（嘆氣）

Around 1895, a group of self-described androgynes

1895 年左右， 一群自稱是陰陽人的人

formed the Cercle Hermaphroditos.

組成了「雌雄同體會」。

Their mission was to unite for defense against the world's bitter persecution.

他們的使命是要團結起來， 抵抗世界的仇恨迫害。

And in doing that, they became one of the earliest trans support groups.

這麼做，讓他們成為了 最早支持跨性別的團體之一。

By the '40s and '50s, medical researchers were starting to study trans medicine,

到了上世紀四五十年代， 醫學研究者開始研究變性藥物，

but they were aided by their trans patients,

但他們有跨性別病人從旁協助，

如跨性別的女子路易絲勞倫斯，

like Louise Lawrence, a trans woman who had corresponded extensively

她和因為公開穿著異性服裝 而被逮捕的人保持密切通信。

with people who had been arrested for public cross-dressing.

She introduced sexual researchers like Alfred Kinsey

她將阿爾弗雷德金賽 這類性別研究者

to a massive trans network.

引介給大型的跨性別網絡。

Other early figures would follow,

其他早期的知名人物也跟進， 如維吉尼亞普林斯、

like Virginia Prince, Reed Erickson and the famous Christine Jorgensen,

里德埃里克森， 及有名的克莉斯汀約根森，

who made headlines with her very public transition in 1952.

克莉斯汀在 1952 年 公開變性之事也上了頭條。

But while white trans suburbanites were forming their own support networks,

但雖然郊區的白種跨性別者已經 開始形成他們自己的支持網絡，

many trans people of color had to carve their own path.

卻有許多有色人種的跨性別者 必須要自己開路。

Some, like Miss Major Griffin-Gracy, walked in drag balls.

有些人，比如格里芬格雷西小姐少校， 出沒在異裝舞會中。

Others were the so-called "street queens,"

還有些人則是所謂的「街頭皇后」，

who were often targeted by police for their gender expression

常常因為自己的性別表達 而被警方盯上，

and found themselves on the forefront of seminal events

且走在 LGBT 人權運動的 重要活動前線。

in the LGBT rights movement.

This brings us to the riots at Cooper Do-nuts in 1959,

這就帶到了 1959 年 庫珀甜甜圈店暴動、

Compton's Cafeteria in 1966

1966 年康普頓餐廳暴動，

and the famous Stonewall Inn in 1969.

以及 1969 年知名的石牆暴動。

In 1970, Sylvia Rivera and Marsha P. Johnson,

1970 年，希薇亞里維拉 和馬爾沙 P. 約翰遜，

two veterans of Stonewall,

石牆暴動的兩位退役活動者，

established STAR: Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries.

建立了「STAR」： 街頭跨性別行動革命。

Trans people continued to fight for equal treatment under the law,

跨性別者持續為了在法律上 取得平等對待而戰，

even as they faced higher rates of discrimination,

即使他們面對更多的歧視、

unemployment, arrests, and the looming AIDS epidemic.

更高的失業率、更多人被逮捕， 以及迫在眉睫的愛滋病流行。

For as long as we've been around,

從我們存在以來，

those in power have sought to disenfranchise trans people

當權者就在想辦法 剝奪跨性別者的公民權，

for daring to live lives that are ours.

只因為我們敢過著 屬於我們自己的生活。

This motion picture still, taken in Berlin in 1933,

這張照片是 1933 年在柏林拍攝的，

is sometimes used in history textbooks

有時會被歷史教科書收錄，

to illustrate how the Nazis burned works they considered un-German.

用來描繪納粹如何燒毀 他們認為非德國的著作。

But what's rarely mentioned is that included in this massive pile

但很少會有人提到， 被焚燒掉的還包括大量

are works from the Institute for Sexual Research.

來自性別研究中心的著作。

See, I just recapped the trans movement in America,

我只是重述了美國的跨性別運動，

but Magnus Hirschfeld and his peers in Germany

但馬格努斯赫希菲爾德 和他在德國的同輩

had us beat by a few decades.

比我們還早了幾十年。

Magnus Hirschfeld was an early advocate for LGBT people.

馬格努斯赫希菲爾德是 LGBT 族群的早期擁護者。

He wrote the first book-length account of trans individuals.

第一部篇幅長如書籍的 跨性別人物報告即出自他。

He helped them obtain medical services and IDs.

他協助跨性別者取得 醫療服務以及身分。

He worked with the Berlin Police Department

他和柏林警局合作推動 終結對 LGBT 族群的歧視，

to end discrimination of LGBT people,

and he hired them at the Institute.

他還在該中心僱用這些人。

So when the Nazi Party burned his library,

所以，他的圖書館被納粹黨燒毀，

it had devastating implications for trans research around the world.

代表著全世界的跨性別研究 受到很大的傷害。

This was a deliberate attempt to erase trans people,

這是刻意在嘗試將跨性別者抹滅，

and it was neither the first nor the last.

這不是第一次發生， 也不會是最後一次。

So whenever people ask me why trans people are suddenly everywhere,

所以，每當有人問我， 為什麼突然間到處都是跨性別者，

I just want to tell them that we've been here.

我只想告訴他們， 我們一直都在這裡。

These stories have to be told,

這些故事必須被說出來，

along with the countless others that have been buried by time.

還有其他無數被時間 掩捚掉的故事也一樣。

Not only were our lives not celebrated, but our struggles have been forgotten

不僅我們的生命沒有被讚頌過， 連我們的掙扎也被遺忘了，

and, yeah, to some people, that makes trans issues seem new.

是的，對某些人來說， 跨性別議題因此似乎是新議題。

Today, I meet a lot of people who think that our movement

現今，我遇過的很多人 都認為我們的運動

is just a phase that will pass,

只是一個階段，將來就會過去，

but I also hear well-intentioned allies telling us all to be patient,

但我也聽到出於善意的盟友 告訴我們大家都要有耐心，

because our movement is "still new."

因為我們的運動「仍然很新」。

Imagine how the conversation would shift

想像一下，如果我們能夠承認

if we acknowledge just how long trans people have been demanding equality.

跨性別者索求平等已有多長的時間， 談話會有怎麼樣的轉變？

Are we still overreacting?

我們的行為仍像反應過度嗎？

Should we continue to wait?

我們應該要繼續等待嗎？

Or should we, for example,

或者，舉例來說， 我們應該要做點什麼，

do something about the trans women of color who are murdered

為那些被逍遙法外的殺人兇手

and whose killers never see justice?

所謀害的非白人變性女子討個公道？

Do our circumstances seem dire to you yet?

你們覺得我們的狀況夠悲慘了嗎？

(Sighs)

（嘆氣）

Finally, I want other trans people to realize they're not alone.

最後，我希望其他跨性別者們 能知道他們並不孤單。

I grew up thinking my identity was an anomaly that would die with me.

在成長過程中， 我總認為我的身分很反常，

且會跟著我一起死去。

People drilled this idea of otherness into my mind,

大家把「異類」的想法 灌輸到我腦中，

and I bought it because I didn't know anyone else like me.

而我買帳了，因為我當時 不認識其他像我這樣的人。

Maybe if I had known my ancestors sooner,

也許，如果我早點認識我的祖先，

it wouldn't have taken me so long to find a source of pride

就不用花這麼長的時間，

在我的身分和我的族群中 找到驕傲的來源。

in my identity and in my community.

Because I belong to an amazing, vibrant community of people

因為我屬於一個充滿生氣的族群，

that uplift each other even when others won't,

即使其他人不會鼓舞我們， 我們仍會鼓舞彼此，

that take care of each other even when we are struggling,

即使我們在掙扎時， 我們也會照顧彼此，

that somehow, despite it all,

儘管在所有這些條件下，

still find cause to celebrate each other,

我們仍能以某種方式 找到動機來讚頌彼此，

to love each other,

愛彼此，

to look one another in the eyes and say,

看著彼此的雙眼，並說：

"You are not alone.

「你並不孤單。

You have us.

你有我們在。

And we're not going anywhere."

而且我們哪裡都不去。」

Thank you.

謝謝。

(Applause)

（掌聲）