Lately, our culture has become transfixed by "trans."
Our headlines and conversations are dominated by the four-letter prefix that TheFreeDictionary.com defines as meaning everything from "across, beyond, crossing," to "through," to "change" to "having a pair of identical atoms on opposite sides of two atoms linked by a double bond."
Here is how "trans" has recently transpired.
First, it was "transgender." (Definition: "Identifying as or having undergone medical treatment to become a member of the opposite sex.")
Society and social media have been buzzing about Bruce Jenner, the Olympic gold medalist and kin to the Kardashians. In his last public appearance as a man, he sat down with ABC's Diane Sawyer during an interview aired on April 24 and revealed, "I am a woman."
Next, Jenner would appear after facial feminization surgery, in cream-colored corset and with a new name on a Vanity Fair magazine cover released June 1: "Call me Caitlyn."
And now CBS' Big Brother has announced it will feature its first transgender houseguest -- Audrey Middleton, formerly Adam (see Michael Storey's TV Column on Page 2E for more information and her photo).
Since then, our dialogue has shifted to "transracial." (Definition: "Involving two or more races.")
It's a term that's been tossed around following the revelation that Rachel Dolezal, the Spokane, Wash., NAACP president who last week resigned, is not black but white. But the weave-wearing spray-tanned 37-year-old insists she is black, telling NBC's Matt Lauer, "I identify as black."
Well, at least she was born white. Or was she? She now claims she's not sure that Larry and Ruthanne -- her estranged parents who revealed her race -- are actually her parents, telling NBC's Savannah Guthrie: "I haven't had a DNA test. There's no biological proof ...."
Because if Caitlyn, who identifies as female, is transgender, then Rachel, who identifies with black, must be transracial, right?
No, say irked members of the adoption community, who stress transracial adoptions refer to children who have been adopted by parents of another race, not children who have chosen to change their race. They consider this use of the word a Transgression.
And now we've got another "trans" in the news -- "trans fats." (Definition: mmm, delicious. OK, that was my definition.)
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration last week ruled that "partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs), the primary dietary source of artificial trans fat in processed foods, are not 'generally recognized as safe,'" and therefore is requiring food manufacturers to remove them from products over the next three years.
Trans fats, such as those found in foods like biscuits, pie crust and refrigerated dough apparently can raise "bad" cholesterol.
But, FDA, they also raise "good" moods! Including mine. Whereas these women identify with "female" or "black," I identify with partially hydrogenated-oil-filled canned cake frosting!
Transgender. Transracial. Transgressors. I won't try to transform you.
Now let me be trans fat and happy!
Transfer an email:
jchristman@arkansasonline.com
What's in a Dame is a weekly report from the woman 'hood.
Style on 06/23/2015