Today commenced on what is fairly described as a low-key note, as in sifting through my spam on Facebook I came across the following stream of messages received over the last few months from a stranger…
15 June 11:39
omg your a fucking freak Anthony burns..your poor poor wife *****…well she looks like a bloke anyway
14 July 14:04
FREAK…
22 July 17:46
r u for real..freak freak freak..omg
28 July 17:46
https://www.facebook.com/groups/675487022551799/
11 August 11:14
attention seeker
18 August 10:24
your an embarrassment
29 September 09:44
dirty stinking freak
However, the group to which she was “kind” enough to refer me – entitled “dirty freak eleanor antony burns” – is no longer visible, as when I told Cal about it, he immediately shared the information with his friends at AFP Patreon Patrons (Cal being a huge Amanda Palmer fan), who immediately responded by reporting the page en masse and posting a hundred-odd messages of support for us. For comparison, the hate group had two members… one of whom was its founder. Small fry, one might well say, but I feel it was worth playing the censor as the group had started targeting another trans friend of mine, it was using my pictures without permission, and all the love we have subsequently received from the AFP Patrons has completely restored my faith in humanity.
In other news, the film I have been shooting with Jason Marsh has finally been graced with a short trailer…
Editing on the existing reels continues, and hopefully we will have a first instalment soon. Knowing that my transition is likely to take a long time, perhaps even years, I suggested that we wrap the whole thing very soon, but Jason very adamantly said that he would like to continue to document the whole story, so “Imago” is likely to be a very long work in its final form. Hopefully quite a unique one, though, and certainly a fulfilling one for me. This freak is well supplied with supportive friends…
As you know, you are so NOT a freak but instead a human being brave enough to live authentically, something so many people in the world aren’t able to do. Good for you and Cal for shutting down that hateful page.
The film is looking lovely…
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I doubt I am perfectly normal,all things considered, but after all the support and encouragement we have had today, I am not so sure normal is that important anyway. 😉
Thank you so much for your heartwarming encouragement, and I shall let Jason know you approve of his trailer… xxx
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I love your artistic expressions of self as much as I hate the despicable human who sent you those messages.
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They did me a favour, if only in showing me that there are far more wonderful and kind people like yourself out there than there are warped little trolls, apparently. 🙂 xxx
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I leave the online world for a couple days and come back to find that some cuel bigots have lashed out against someone I care about. I’m so sorry you had to deal with this. I will never understand why there are people that spend time putting other people down. I do hope that this is the end of it and I am so happy so many rallied to your side. Oh, looks like a promising new film.
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I have gained a new appreciation for all my friends and for Cal during this, which has made any minor upset well worth it, but I totally agree: I am baffled what pleasure people get out of this, and part of me wonders if I should probably be feeling very sorry for them.
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I feel sorry but ever vigilant. Sadly such hateful delusions sometimes end badly so it pays to be aware but if you live your life looking over your shoulder it’s hard to move forward. (Hey, I like that, occasionally I surprise myself) 😉
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