AN INTERVIEW WITH MISS MAJOR GRIFFIN-GRACY – ACTIVIST FOR TRANSGENDER RIGHTS

BY MARK MORELLINI

Miss Major Griffin-Gracy is a transwoman activist and community leader from Oakland, California, who has been advocating for transgender rights with a particular focus on women of colour for over 40 years. An inspirational and award-winning documentary called Major!, which revolves around her life and work, has been screened in festivals around the world and has garnered positive critical and audience responses.

The following interview with Miss Major – who states “this lovely, talented, smart, caring woman person is the man I’m supposed to be – great breasts, round hips and a wig for every day of the week” – showcases what a remarkable woman she is.

WHERE DO YOU CURRENTLY LIVE?

Oakland, CA

TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF AND YOUR VISION FOR A BETTER WORLD.

I’m a loving, passionate person, and I’m a hard worker. What I see for the future is, hopefully an end of the murder that’s happening to our community and instead a place of understanding, calm and respect.

DETAIL SOME OF THE VILIFICATIONS THE TRANSGENDER COMMUNITIES HAVE ENDURED.

Really? How about: murder, black eyes, broken limbs, cracked ribs, being chased for absolutely no reason, no respect, being maligned, tortured, and on and on and on. This comes from the air we breathe, it’s everywhere, because of laws and rules that seek to end us. It comes from the people who don’t understand us who live next door. Who malign us and harass us, because they think they can get away with it. The only place we can be safe is with another girl, hopefully. We’re not even safe with the people who claim to love us: partners, boyfriends, wives…family.

WHAT INSTIGATED THE STONEWALL UPRISING? WHAT ARE YOUR RECOLLECTIONS?

My recollections are sparse, I’m 75-years-old! We were sick and tired of being pushed around, told what to do, and ordered about, end of story. There was a knock on the door with a police stick, bang bang bang, the lights came on, and you’re supposed to leave, but we didn’t. We fought.

WHAT WAS THE TURNING POINT WHICH MADE YOU DECIDE TO BECOME AN ADVOCATE FOR THE RIGHTS OF TRANSGENDER WOMEN OF COLOUR?

I became political in Dannemora State Prison doing a five year bid when I met the young men who helped to start the Attica Riot in the special segregated housing unit called “the hole”. They taught me how to stand up for myself, that if you don’t fight the system it will eat you up alive. [Frank “Big Black” Smith] was doing that with the Muslims, and I started doing it with my girls. Everyone has to be involved in this, it can’t just be a few people. Everyone needs to get freedom or no one is going to get it.

TELL ME ABOUT YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS FOR THE TRANSGENDER COMMUNITIES.

I don’t see myself like that, I’m just one of the girls. These are my achievements: I made it to 75-years-old, I still have my health, and I stand up to the bullshit in the world. I’m just trying to survive like all of the rest of the girls.

QUOTE FROM THE DOCUMENTARY:

“WE HAVE TO LOOK OUT FOR ONE ANOTHER BECAUSE WE’RE ALL WE’VE GOT. THE REST OF THE WORLD REALLY DOESN’T GIVE A SHIT WHETHER WE LIVE OR DIE…”

HAVE YOU NOTICED A BUILDING ACCEPTANCE/TOLERANCE FOR THE TRANSGENDER COMMUNITY OVER THE PAST 30 YEARS?

No. Attempts, yes. Successes? No. Nowhere. They’re not building shit to respect us, fortify us, give us the respect that we’re due. They still treat us like this is a choice we made and whatever we get we’ve asked for it. Well I didn’t ask for this shit, but I’m going to be damn sure that while I’m still here I do everything I can do have a good time and do this shit right.

ARE YOU HAPPILY “THE MAN YOU WERE MEANT TO BE?”

You have got to me kidding me! Did you get it? There is no man I’m supposed to be, this is it. This lovely talented smart caring woman person is the man I’m supposed to be. Great breasts, round hips, and a wig for every day of the week. Who else am I supposed to be, this is it! I worked hard to get this shit together (laughing).

IF YOU COULD GO BACK, WOULD YOU CHANGE ANY ASPECT OF YOUR LIFE?

Why would I want to go back in time? I’m having a hard enough time where I’m at! No, I’m not going back in time, I’m not changing a goddam thing.

WHAT WOULD YOU HOPE THAT STRAIGHT PEOPLE ABSORB FROM WATCHING THIS DOCUMENTARY?

Wow, that sets my mind racing, so many thoughts. I would hope that they would get some knowledge about the errors that they have made as a group, that their way is not the only way and that gender has nothing to do with sex, and that gender is fluid and not rigid. Everybody does not believe or think like them. I would hope that they would understand by watching this that the people that they don’t know anything about and laugh about and point at and ridicule and distain, that they’re not that different from them. And the next time they look in the mirror they think twice about how they treat others.

QSFF: Sep 20-25, Event Cinemas, George Street. $19-$85 (5 flexi-pass). Tickets & info: www.queerscreen.org.au