With a few vocal exceptions on the far right, it is considered not fashionable to be viewed as discriminating against trans-folk. Because of that, non-trans people can often get the impression that transphobia is no longer a problem. What they don't realize is that, much like racism, transphobia is simply going underground. Workplaces do not fire us and actually give the employee's transgender status as the reason for the dismissal. There is always some other reason given. Oddly enough, it is always the same reason. People think they are being quite clever in disguising their real intent by saying that they simply had a re-organization and the position itself had been eliminated. The dismissal has nothing to do with the employee's performance. They don't realize that this is the reason that EVERYONE gives for getting that tranny freak out of their offices. Transgenders have the highest unemployment and turnover rate of any demographic group besides (I would imagine) sexual offenders.
But those of us who are transgender performers face a different form of persecution. You can perform all you want in gay venues, but try to branch out to doing sets in straight venues and you hit the same wall you hit when trying to get a job. Club owners and show promoters do not want us around. Of course, they rarely ever actually SAY that. There is always some other excuse, but the result is the same.
One club showed their disdain for me giving me the light (the way owners tell you your time it up) long before my set finished. And if that wasn't enough, they actually played me off (played music to drown me out and have the announcer tell the audience I was finished.) This was apparently something that never happened before.
Another show promoter tells me that the audience doesn't like seeing the same comic every month and so can only give me stage time once every three months or so. The implication is that the show has a regular audience which it very much does not have. And this is particularly curious since there seems to be a cabal of performers who do shtick at every single show. When confronted, the promoter simply ignored my requests for stage time.
That is the thing the comedy promoters have in common with employers. They have a terribly clever excuse that they think no one uses. They simply don't answer requests for stage time. I could be having a long conversation with a promoter, but as soon as I mention anything about my going on at his next show...dead silence. Or the promoter could say that they are really bad at answering emails. Yeah, like THAT would ever happen.
I know it's not because they think my act is bad. I was at a recent show in which absolutely every comedian was bombing and bombing bad. It was so bad that some of them were turning on the audience and saying, "F*** you. I don't need you to laugh." I went on last and got good laughs. One woman came up to me after the show and said I was a riot. Sure audiences are frightened of me when I first start talking about being a transsexual, but that fear goes away completely when I do the squeaky boob bit.
There are, of course, shows in which I am welcomed with open arms any week I want to perform. I treasure these promoters.
It is my mission to do transgender comedy for "cis" audiences. Whether or not the audience laughs is not the point. Every time I get on stage and I show people what a real live transsexual looks like, I make life just a little bit better for our people. I will continue to bang my head against the wall and keep looking for venues at straight clubs. And I will continue to be snubbed.
It is my karma.
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