Subject: hypothesis: outing as a plan.
callanw@crosswinds.net
Date: Thu 25 Feb 1999 - 04:02:36 GMT
Assumption: Being out about who they are is good for people, though it may
have negative social consequences. The goal then is to reduce the negative
social consequences to being out.
Hypothesis: If people are forced out, as soon as possible, benefits will
accrue to both indviduals and society
1) They will be forced to deal with their own issues.
2) There will be more out people, meaning
a) more role models, which makes being out easier
b) more people will know out people, humanizing all.
3) People will be more able to be open and participate in culture for the
benefit of all.
What are the potential costs?
1) More suicides.
These suicides will probably happen very close to the outing,
and therefore be more visibly attached to the outing
which will push society to lower the costs of outing to save lives.
2) General discomfort & dislocation, including job loss and family alienation.
If people are outed as early as possible,
there will be less to lose.
3) Pushing people deeper into the closet, because they fear being outed.
4) Some moral objections to "privacy rights."
All of these negative consequences can be expected to decline as more people
atre outed, and the social cost of being out declines, which is the goal.
Does the comfort of trans____ people depend on keeping others comfortable? Is
the only reason for trans____ people not to be out because of the social costs
of being out, which may include relationship, employment, civil rights,
harrassment and other issues?
If that is true, isn't the only solution an increasing number of out trans____
people who can work to help lessen the social costs of being out?
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