Chilling

I have been accused of chilling transgender expression because I expressed a negative opinion on a short film called Gnome, produced by Glamour Magazine.  I criticized the film because the transwomen don't feel at all authentic, and one list member felt that I was putting down unpolished transwomen, or bad looking transwomen or inauthentic transwomen or something, and that was chilling to real transwomen who are unsure of their expression.

I think we get to talk about the media representations of people they say are like us. 

But, on the other hand, I have to agree with the poster.  My experience in the past is that when I offer my thoughts, it often has a chilling effect on discussion.

In the past, when I wrangled lists, I used to use that to effect.  I'd offer a recap of the discussion so far, and my precis would usually chill those "You said/No I Didn't" kinds of flare up. Putting it all out there in context made the little biting off the edges fights pointless.

"Well, once you have covered a topic, there often isn't much left to say," offered one of my correspondents.  And that, I find, is chilling to people who want to contribute, but don't want to have to go to a high level to do so.

People need space to work out their own beliefs, to cast their own fragmentary ideas on screen and then get feedback at that level.   I know that.  I needed that.   And they don't need someone coming back with it all worked out.

I honor that.  I left a list yesterday because I saw that the list owner is doing that for themselves.

But the fact that I am a chiller tends to leave me out in the cold.