XVII Harry Benjamin International Gender Dysphoria Association Symposium
31 October - 4 November 2001, Galveston, Texas, U.S.A.

The Price of Fear

SCHUTZER, NAPEWASTEWIN U.S.A.
E-mail: NapeWasteWin@montana.com

History tells us that "The only thing that we have to fear is fear itself." Why is it that we must be told this over and over again? Sometimes we are told by others by the way they conduct their lives; sometimes we have to be told this by the government. But sometimes it comes from inside! Sometimes we are able to conquer that "fear" ourselves and we find courage to face the "unknown." There is a fine line between a coward and a hero and it all depends on what we do with our "fear." By far the most "fearful" thing any of us will be forced to encounter in our lives is the "fear of the unknown." Myself, I faced the greatest fear I will ever know during the 26 months of 1965 to 1968 that I spent in Vietnam, where I served with the USMC. But the "fear" we each face does not have to be life threatening for it to be any more "real." For example, a real "fear" for some of us presents itself in our everyday tasks. It shows its ugly head in our spirit when we find ourselves faced with something we cannot understand. We come face to face with a situation not meeting our expectations. I refer to the growing psychological phenomenon of Transsexuals in the work place. In the U.K., the DfEE. has finalized a set of "Guidelines", both for employees and employers, of how we are to deal with inevitable situations that will arise through having a Transsexual in the work place. As one who works with Transsexuals on a daily basis, I will critique this "Guide". It is my feeling that there are some very "big holes" in the paper which the DfEE has produced. I will also say that by far most problems that I encounter in my sessions with my clients come from either their own or others "fear of the unknown." Will Rogers, a Native American in the 1930s said, "Yep, this world would be a lot better place if we could all just realize that we are ignorant – just about different things!" Grant me this then will you: Transsexualism IS something of which many are "ignorant." But this need not be so. Just four years ago I produced a four part, two hour video that explains and demystifies the subject of "Transsexualism." Personally I prefer the term "Gender Adventurers" rather than "Transsexuals", as it seems to be a more accurate description for many of the individuals who find themselves the receivers of this "gift." In this production, I bring my Blackfoot-Sioux approach to this subject which has been an integral and important part of my people from even before Europe was experiencing its "dark ages." We have a word in my native tongue, Lakhota – "Ohokicilapi." This means "mutual respect" – for respect, we have NO word – without respect being "mutual" it merely becomes "subservience" and "oppression." But the most important thing we can do with regards to this subject is to educate ourselves so that we can not only begin to live our lives in a proper manner, but to allow ourselves to BECOME the essence of the most used phrase in my language, "Mitakuye Oyasin" or, "We are all related."

Our government is forced to step into this area in an attempt to "legislate morality." In case of the unfair treatment of a minority, we see at the center a "Fool", and a "Fool" is created out of the equation which reads – {Ignorance + Fear=Fool}.