Dionne Stallworth

Interviewed By Genaro Urso

September 14, 2008

Dionne Stallworth has been a longtime advocate and activist concerning issues of mental health, homelessness, people of color, and equality for all LGBTIQ people. Among her many accomplishments, Dionne was one of the original founding members of GenderPAC, a former officer and board member of the Pennsylvania Mental Health Consumers’ Association, founded and ran the first organization in Philadelphia dealing with the issues of transgender youth of color, and one of the founding members and original co-chair of the Philadelphia –based Transgender Health Action Coalition.

Dionne is currently the Resident Activities Coordinator for In Community, a housing program run by the internationally known and respected non-profit organization, Project H. O. M. E. Part of her responsibilities include aiding in the development of educational and entertaining activities for program residents, including direct oversight of an interactive film series program called “Community Night at the Movies” – which recently celebrated its 1st anniversary. She is a public grant reviewer for the National Institute of Mental Health and is working on the development of a pilot transgender-specific shelter project.

What do you think the most perplexing issue facing transgendered people is?

I think the biggest issue we face is how we see ourselves and how we define ourselves. Unlike most other movements, we have never defined ourselves and as such, we become defined by others who are not us. It separates us from would be allies and each other. Without that definition, we can't even begin to have a conversation about what we need, what we want, or what we want the future to look like for ourselves.

Over the last year there has been a deep seeded division between the trans community and the GLB community. Do you think it is better served to redefine the trans role with the HRC or should Trans people seek there own organization to lobby Washington?

Someone so much wiser than me said: "Those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it." That being said, historically, LGB organizations have failed miserably to recognize the fact more often than not - issues of gender-variant people are more theirs, than the other way around. At the peak of the dot com boom, I chose the online name of "A. Dionne Stallworth" as a political statement and as an active form of protest against that type of bigotry and lack of vision. LGB people for a long time have been called "children of the rainbow;" Gender-variant people are "children of the prism." We are crystal by which all of them have become visible. As for the 2nd part of the question, about forming our organizations, our organizations need to meet and agree on a definition of who we are without clinging to other people's definition of who we are. Until that happens, we are like Jews who were lost in the wilderness for 40 years. Another wise person said: "The only way to have freedom of the press is to own the press." We will only come to our destiny if we define who we are and not before.

What is the biggest misconception you feel faces transgendered woman?

I think some of us think because of our experience we experience everything a genetic or biological woman does. This is not possible. It is a fact. We will never know what is to experience menses or giving birth. Most of us will never know what it means to grow up female in a patriarchal society. This has left it's scar upon us and why so many of us have a hard time during transition. Male privilege is hard to shake, especially for white men. This does not negate our femaleness, but it makes our experience different and we should recognize it. We should embrace it.
Another big problem is feminism. Not so many years ago, women were saying that we are not defined by our vaginas and our ovaries. In the last 15 years, I'd say that is how women are redefining themselves - which make that harder for us a women of a trans or intersexed experience as women of ...etc.

Many of the stereotypes facing Tran people from what they see on TV and the movies how do those stereotypes play out in corporate America?

I think western women are beginning to embrace the power of the imagery of sexuality and sensuality. The problem is how does that power translate itself into economic and social power. As I said previously, the mark of male privilege is upon us. As intersexed or transwoman, we are versed in corporate warfare on an instinctual level because these are the social cues that were imposed on us. I still find it surprising that women who are in business have no knowledge of Sun Tzu or The Prince and still have no idea what is being perpetrated upon them.
As for the stereotypes of us, we see.... my agreement for self-definition is never more applicable.

What do you feel the biggest advancement has been in the GLBT community over the last 40 years?

The same thing that caused LGBs to make gender-variant people the flavor of the millennium and killing us at the same time - HIV/AIDS. As the 1st three waves of the disease hit them and destroyed most of our part in their history, they discovered that we were the means to keep their attempts at dealing with the epidemic funded. This epidemic is forcing down a lot of the old barriers to working together, but racism is still a big part of who we are as a country and as a culture. When we can get past it, maybe there might be hope for all of us as a species.

Even within the trans community there is some separation between non op pre op and post op . Do you think the ties that bind you are more important to the physical difference?

I think the explanation of how women see themselves exacerbates this divide. That being said, we exist in a gender binary and despite the people who transcend gender as a political statement or the scientific truth that we are all a combination of both genders - this is the way our world sees gender and sex.

Where do you see the GLBTG community in the next 10 years?

Unfortunately, I think we will probably be about where we are right now. There is nothing in current events to suggest to me otherwise. Wish I could be more optimistic, but that's how I see it.

What areas do you think would best serve in bringing unity to the GLBT community?

I think the answer to this is relatively simple;however, the actualization is a lot more complicated. I think the 1st thing that needs to happen is the acknowledgement on the part of LGBTIQ leadership
that gender-variant people are equal partners in our collective history and our impending future. I also think that the spectres of classism and racism will have to be fought on all levels. Presently, I don't think the status quo has the courage and vision to make these adjustments. So, we will continue to fight each other and watch as our political foes threaten our very existence while the bigots and hate mongers continue killing us in even larger numbers. While this not true of all the leadership, it is far too prevalent - which is my answer and outlook is rather grim.

There have been two police officers fired for beating a transgendered woman and several arrests made in hate crimes. How do you see this trend?

I refer you to an excerpt from a post that I made yesterday on the TSTB list: "...I am blessed with passing privilege and a city and county that has adopted gender identity as a protected class,
but that hasn't made me feel safe. It has not found Nizah Morris' killer or the two deaths of transwomen as a result of violence here. I am not as out or vocal in our community as I used to be, simply because not everyone who is us has a similar idea or desire for our equality can see the same result when it comes to our rights or the way to live our lives. As my birth mother often said, "This will be as long as there has been a world." Is it fair? No. Is it right? Probably not, in the ideal situation....I am reminded about Denzel Washington's response to the judge about discrimination toward gay people in and outside the courtroom in the movie, "Philadelphia": "With all due respect, your honor, we don't live inside this courtroom now. Do we?" That is my answer to your question.

Who do you admire most in the GLBT community and why?

A. Dionne Stallworth: There are many people who I admire. Far too many to name, but if I had to think about recent history...I'd say Gloria Casarez, Director of LGBT Affairs in the Office of Mayor Michael Nutter, here in Philadelphia. She is one of the greatest examples of a person who
truly fights for all of us as equal partners.

As the election wraps up, two important issues will be hanging in the balance - 1) gay marriage and 2) the appointments to the Supreme Court. How do you think this election will impact those issues?

If the Democrats win, there is not going to be any big support for gay marriage. The compromise of civil unions will be re-hashed and more centrist appointments will be made to the Supreme Court. If the Republicans win, all of us, gay and straight people alike, will continue to see all our civil rights severely curtailed and as they appoint conservative judges to the Court, Roe v. Wade will be overturned.

Earlier this year, transgender people felt betrayed by the HRC with the latest installment of the federal Hate Crimes Bill. Do you think it was a small step forward or a giant failure?

Anyone who felt betrayed by this latest move has really been asleep at the switch for the last two decades. HRC has always regarded gender-variant people as optional citizens. Their move
here is indicative of every decision or policy they have made for the past 20 years. Why should that surprise anyone? You reminded me about it. It was a real hot point on the list and NCTE was in on it, too.