We would like to introduce Yuki Choe, a commenter turned writer at XGW. Some may know her already from her thoughtful comments, but for those who don’t she has written an introduction which follows. Please join us in welcoming her to the site!
Introduction
Greetings everyone! I am YukiChoe, and I am an Asian transsexual female with strong interests in ex-gay related issues. I will be living in Australia soon with my newly wedded husband. I became involved with Real Love Ministry in Malaysia back in mid 2006, and was quickly disillusioned with their camouflaged, anti-gay, anti-transgender rhetoric. I was also appalled with the way lesbians, gays and transgenders were represented by other ex-gays and felt their misinformation of LGTs needed a strong counter voice. That is when I started advocating against ex-gay efforts toward those who have no problem with their orientation.
So why is a transsexual female like me contributing to a site like XGW? I believe there is an ex-gay or ex-transsexual experience in everyone of us. Be it a gay, having to be closeted by pretending to be completely heterosexual in public due to the pressures of society, a lesbian that may be comfortable in pants being forced to wear clothes that are totally femme against her will by her family, or a transsexual female being coerced into confining herself by pretending to be a boy before the church authorities. Our differences have been exploited by people who wish to cause discrimination and marginalization among those of differing sexual orientations.
We are all stereotyped into convenient boxes that are labeled, and then forcibly applied according to who holds the majority keys, be it the elders of the church or the laymen. I don’t believe we can change the world completely, but we can still make it a better place. This is why it gives me great pleasure to be able to contribute to this site. On a personal front, you can get to know me as I am at www.yuki-thejourney.blogspot.com. I’m glad to be of service to the lesbian, gay and transgender community. I thank Ex-Gay Watch for the opportunity to do so.
– Yuki Choe –
Let me be the first to welcome you here Yuki. There is hot cocoa and cookies in the back for your enjoyment (Dave Roberts makes lumpy macaroons, but Emily K makes the best lemon bars).
Welcome, Yuki. 🙂
Yuki!!! I am so thrilled to see you here. You have so many wonderful things that you share at your blog and in comments. I look forward to what you will bring to XGW.
-peterson
Although I don’t quite comprehend all aspects of transgenderism I am willing to read and learn more and I feel YukiChoe’s perspective will be a welcomed asset at XGW. Just as some commenters here (Emily, for one) has opened my eyes on a few diverse aspects too. It’s good to have such a diverse crowd here on XGW.
Commenters is a valid word…right? We’re not Commentators.
In any case…some good discussions here lately! Never boring to read. Welcome Ms.Choe.
Welcome, welcome YukiC!
I’m so excited you’ll be doing this for us. Thank you and congratulations on your marriage!
Love, Regan
Two of us as writers now… exxxxcellent… the infiltration continues apace.
Hi everyone, I have long admired individuals like Peterson Toscano, Regan DuCasse, Dave Rattigan and more… even David Roberts. Thank you for letting me be part of the works….
Gee, I guess I’m glad I made it in there at all, lol.
I think Yuki will make an excellent addition to XGW and she writes from a part of the world where new ex-gay activity needs to be monitored.
I have enjoyed your comments and your thoughts. I look forward to reading more of you thoughts and experiences! Welcome Yuki!
Quite flattered to have made the list myself, David. Now, Yuki, is it my writing you admire, or my devastatingly good looks? Be honest if it’s a bit of both.
Ex-gay ministries is not exactly a new thing, it has been formed in the Asia Pacific region since 1987. There are tons of ex-gay ministries available around the churches in Asia, the strongest and most vocal of all of them, is conveniently located at my neighbouring country Singapore; it is called Choices Ministry, founded by Sy Rogers, under Church Of Our Saviour.
Dave, I like men from UK, my husband is born is UK too, unfortunately you are from Liverpool, and I support Manchester United Football Club…. ; )
Dagnabbit, Yuki – I can find it in my heart to tolerate just about every class of citizen, but I have a hard time tolerating Man United fans! 😉
I’m very proud of you 🙂 Malaysia need people like you who dare, without fear and favoritism, to speak his/her mind. May the divine be with you!
My old boss was a Liverpool fan. I’m with him. Boo Man U!
Welcome, Yuki!
Hmmm… such is life when Man Utd is at the top of the English Premier League…. : )
Eddy! Are you the Eddy I know in Malaysia? Hi!
Eugene, thanks for the welcome!
Hi Yuki Chloe. That’s a combo of Japanese and Irish, isn’t it?
I’m transgender as well (genderqueer). I’m not very gay, but do come under the influence of the ex-gay movement. I look forward to seeing you to explore how another trans person deals with it.
Yuki: It is good news you have become a contributor to Ex-Gay Watch!
Your expectional kindness to an angry fundamentalist at BDBO was a profound learning experience for me. Merci.
I’m looking forward to your contributions.
Blog On!
Yes, I’m the Eddy you, Yuki, knew, in Malaysia 🙂
welcome, Yuki!
how is your name properly (phonetically) pronounced?
look forward to your perspective.
Thanks for your welcome, SharonB!
My name is phonectically pronounced as You-Key.
Nice to see you here again!
Yuki: have you considered doing an analysis on the Christianity Today transgenderism article (28 Jan 2008)? Warren T. is in the article, and Julie Nemecek. Perhaps both would be willing to respond to a posting here. Hugs!
You have a link to that article? Let me peruse it. Thanks.
Yuki: I checked out the Christianity Today web site, and failed to find the article. Perhaps they do not post articles on-line until after publication. I truly do not know. Please send me an email so that I can link you to someone’s online copy. From that picture, you should be able to locate and purchase a hardcopy within the UK. I think in that manner, we can keep within the intent of the Fair Use ruling (a US copyright concept). Hope that works for you, k? Sincerely; Caryn
Hi Yuki. Malaysia and Singapore needs people like you to speak the truth in love.
Keep up the good work.
Love. Lamb
Hi Yuki!
I bookmarked your blogsite. I see a pattern forming in the kinds of movies you like.
Superhero action movies seem to be a fave and they are mine too!
I love the Spiderman Trilogy, Batman…and I adored Transformers as well.
Your picture is lovely too. I’m so glad you’re here. Not only to articulate the trans experience, but also how it is among different cultures.
Here in Los Angeles, there is a very strong gay Asian presence. Not so much in typical activism profile, but definitely economic and political and social. I’ve been fortunate to know immigrants as well as American born and the way both sides view their destiny is always very interesting to me.
Most of the transgender folks in my area are Latin and white. I only personally know a few that are Asian and they are Chinese. I know none from SE Asia. So far.
But give me time.
There is a club in mid Hollywood that mostly caters to the Asian gay and trans community in LA. The gatherings are very casual and pretty quiet, considering it’s a social club. There are usually book launchings or someone is getting a send off to move to another country or attend an important sabbatical. It’s potently intellectual. Which is what I love about the place.
That’s true also for an LA institution that’s mostly attended by black women who are gay and trans. It’s been there for 25 years and the couple that own it have been together for longer than that.
I’m usually the only person of another ethnicity or orientation respectively at these places. Hoping to build a bridge. Although LA is so intensely diversified, mixing thoroughly is still on and off. Depends, I think on the political season. Such as now with the Presidential campaign, or if there is a marriage initiative in the works up in Sacramento.
Still, if there is any interracial/or intercultural friction, it is…anecdotal rather than institutional.
I would be interested to know what the climate is in your new home of Australia, AND how your new husband has dealt with how people respond to you two.
I was in a mixed marriage. My ex husband is white. And even now, there were incidents that occured that haunt me.
Although infrequent. Were so intensely bad, it was destructive enough. It is sometimes harder for the partner who hasn’t had the experience with hate, to appreciate it fully.
At any rate, I’m glad I stopped by your profile and fit a face to your fine mind.
Love ya, sweetheart. Rock on!
Yuki:
Well, this is the best I can do.
Here is Christianity Today’s public link (best as I can tell) for their gender articles:
Sexuality And Gender at Christianity Today
After reviewing the “permissions” of Christianity Today, after determining that Exgaywatch functions as an adult ‘classroom’ emphasizing news, analysis, dialog-style instruction, and including church insight…I believe I can send you a photocopy via the Internet, but it must not viewed by more than 1,000 viewers… and not remain on line. Whew… I think those are the rules of the game.
Here is the temporary link, please remove after downloading the photocopy for your analysis:
It can be found here.
Here is CT’s language on Permissions:
**************
Permissions
If yours is a question of permissions please note that Christianity Today grants permission for any original article (not a reprint) to be photocopied for use in a local church or classroom, provided not more than 1,000 copies are made, are distributed free, and indicate Christianity Today as the source. If you do not fall under this category, you will probably need to get the author’s permission.
Because Christianity Today International purchases exclusive online rights from our authors, we do not allow our articles to appear elsewhere online. Though you may not run the text of our articles on your site, we encourage you to link to any article you feel appropriate. Thank you for your interest. We’re glad you enjoyed the article.
*****************
The link you gave me is not working.
Do you have an e-mail, Caryn?
I would love to correspond with you more on this matter.
I sent my email to you via editor at exgaywatch.com.
But… you can also find my email on my website under ‘Contact the Authoress – Caryn LeMur’.
I think that the CT article raises (without meaning to do so) a very good question about the function of Christian Psychology. After all, if a person with bi-polar disorder (by example) is seeing a Christian psychologist, and is placed on medications with a doctor’s consultation, then what is the role of the Christian pastor?
– To order the client to cease from meds or depart the church because that is “a fine line” concerning “compassion”?
– To interfere with the client/patient relationship?
– To provide boundaries under which ‘acceptable methodologies’ may be used by a Christian psychologist and medical doctor?
Often the church leadership does not see the precedence they are setting. After all, by interfering with Gender Identity Disorder (GID), they open the door to interfering with all mental disorders of the DSM-IV.
A pastor is simply not qualified, in my opinion, to determine the proper course of treatment, or to place an additional burden of ‘excommunication’ on the person with a mental disorder. “.. they bind a heavy burden and then do not lift a finger to help” (Matt 23) The ‘heavy burden’ is IMO because they have no training nor insight into certified mental disorders; or perhaps because they are lesser mature in Christ; or perhaps because of fear; or perhaps because they discount medical and psychological Christian professionals; or?….
These pastors are brothers in Christ. They are loved by our Lord Jesus. I hope to look for insights from the contributors (should you run the article) in trying to better understand the pastoral decision to control the patient/doctor/psychologist team.
Granted, GID is one small band of color within the transgender spectrum. Yet, I would hope that the Christian psychologists that contribute here, would lend some insight into what appears (to me) to be fascinating pastoral conduct with damaging results.
Hugs! Caryn
Yuki: I answered with an email sent to editor at exgaywatch.com.
I see that I somehow must have deleted my own last send to exgaywatch… perhaps by turning my computer off before the 9min 59seconds were completed?
Hugs! Caryn