Translator: Delia Cohen Reviewer: Ellen Maloney
♪ Where's the humanity? ♪
♪ Humanity ♪
♪ What do you see ♪
♪ when you look at me? ♪
Yes, all the world is my stage,
and I am but one transgender in it.
Not merely a man pretending,
nor am I a full natural woman player in it.
I have exits and entrances.
always putting on many awesome, dynamic
and sometimes quite bold outfits.
My act, being seven stages:
At first, the beautiful infant
(Laughter)
being held in my mother's loving arms,
being protected from all forms of harm.
And then, the very effeminate schoolboy
that was being called
"sissy," "faggot," "queer."
It was the power of the pronoun that I was starting to hear.
For that didn't stop me, you see, I showed no fear.
I had a little secret as I would walk by:
I was wearing my mother's panties
doing the down low drag for my very first try.
While in high school, I really did try to fit in,
but all the kids saw was the queer guy.
I was neither cool nor fly.
It got so heavy and I felt so lost.
My life meant nothing to me,
and I tried to give it the old toss.
But to the rescue yet, once again,
my mother and my sister, Rin,
stepped in and showed me that I was loved.
They both embraced me with true and pure family love.
And now, the street soldier.
It was the 70s,
and there was no word for "gay bashing,"
just something that happened to "those kind of guys."
This gave American history two more black eyes.
Day after day was like a bad nightmare.
Always staying on my guard.
Do you know what it's like always being scared?
Afraid to show my true face,
so yet I put on another mask
to show that I was part of the norm,
what we call the "human race."
So, I pushed down my humanity,
and I became oh so very hard.
Then came prison,
and I became the new sissy, faggot, queer,
that "thing on the yard."
Yes, all the world is my stage,
but this time I put on yet another mask.
But it was only to protect my (chuckle)
(Laughter)
I put that mask on so very tight,
and yeah, I got into a lot of fights.
But I quickly got a cool reputation
for being more than just the sissy,
the faggot, the soft guy.
I became the girl the cowards didn't want to try.
(Laughter)
Now comes the big 4-0,
which is the new 30, so I'm told.
But then reality kicks in,
and I see the gray hair.
And I start to think about my mortality,
and I become scared.
Not about where my soul is going
because I know Jesus got my back there.
But this is a youth-oriented society,
with everybody looking out for self.
No concern for the elderly or the very, very old.
I'm just stating fact, truth be told.
Now, I haven't hit
that sixth or seventh stage as of yet,
but I plan on being very, very wealthy.
(Laughter)
On that, you all can bet.
And having one oh-so-yummy fine male nurse
that money can get.
But I'm glad I stayed true to myself,
and that this TEDx stage
is one that I, Lady Jae, did not miss.
Thank you.
(Applause) (Cheers)