Susan’s Place is a forum for transgender and gender diverse people. Conservative transgender activist Brianna Wu was a prominent member.
Background
Susan Elizabeth Larson (born 1971) is an American information technologist who founded Compu-Net Enterprises. Larson founded Susan’s Place in 1995.
Brianna Wu’s activity
On September 9, 2006, Wu started a thread titled “An introduction to Brianna-rama.”
“Hey everybody. In case ya don’t know – I’m Brianna. You probabaly know me from #chat where I am an OP.
I’ll keep this light and breezy. A more detailed autobiography is “Only Fools Mess with Brianna” on Fictionmania.
I come from an home of conservative religious extremists. They raised me to be just like them. When I was 14 I organized a ralley to institute prayer in my public school.
Of course I knew I was TS the whole time, and a lot of my anti-homosexual religious conservative beliefs were a defense from that. In 2002, I found myself working for the Republicans in the Senate in DC. Then, the best thing that ever happened in my entire life happened – I was nearly beaten to death in a brutal mugging 2 weeks after we invaded Iraq. They told me I’d never function fully again.
The experience and subsequent therapy radically changed my belief systems. Now handicapped, I began to understand that not everyone experienced the world as rich, Christian, white, and male. Over time, I became an agnostic hard-core liberal that understood everything I’d believed for my whole life was a lie.
On Feb 14th 2006, I started HRT. It altered my personality even further. I like to think of myself as a reasonably nice person now that accepts people for who they are.
Except for Republicans and Christians.
Bree”
Wu moderated a subforum called “Brianna’s Swinging Spacekat Report Show,” billed as “the number one blog on Susan’s Place.”
Hey there Spacekats! This Brianna, coming at you from Spaceport Nine. Tonight we will be investigating reports of Transsexuals that have landed, and are forcing people… to think!
On April 4, 2007, Larson posted a thread titled “Brianna and Maud have left the chat staff,” noting “Brianna has left the chat staff, we wish her well.” A user named Stormy Weather posted in response:
“Those of you who know Brianna in real life and are in contact with her — whether by phone, email, IM — will probably have heard some of the reasons why she is no longer on this board. And it is probable that rumours and whispers are swirling around and it is also probable that my name may have been mentioned in connection with the events of the past 48 hours… although none of you really know me and may never know the full story.”
“Brianna was removed from the staff for actions unbecoming a staff member. It was in relation to a situation between her and another person on the site. Not Stormy, though Stormy was dragged in on it towards the end. Stormy has been given my sincere apology and hopefully in a couple of weeks after this has settled down, she will feel comfortable with coming back. Brianna is gone and will remain so. I had hoped to allow her to leave with whatever dignity she could, but apparently that isn’t going to be allowed to happen…”
Wu frequently expressed strong opinions, such as a March 14, 2007 post on people with surgical regret:
“I have about as much respect for a transsexual that regrets surgery as Reverend Ted Haggard who regrets thinking he was gay and having a five-year affair with a gay prostitute and drug dealer. Poor Ted. So tricked by the system and the temptation of lucious, sinful, and delicious gay sex.”
Brianna and Maud have left the chat staff « on: April 04, 2007, 12:40:39 am » Brianna has left the chat staff, we wish her well.
My past is my own business. When and if I tell someone is purely my own decision. I would imagine that I would tell someone I was planning to marry, but that is it.
I don’t need the straights telling me if or when I should make this decison. And I certianly don’t tell every man I kiss or go on a date with about this.
Re: Well I guess it’s my turn « Reply #4 on: February 04, 2007, 02:45:37 pm » Well, This is why I don’t like the term transgender. It means nothing specific. If you are a transsexual like me, good lords. Run, don’t walk to therapy. Make your peace with it. Live your life. We only get one shot, it’s such a shame to waste it – and certianly not for THEM, the biggots and opressors. As for your “Oh, I’ll nevers” write them on a piece of paper and throw them out the window. I never expected to pass, which is laughable to me now. Welcome to Susans. Come to #chat anytime and we can talk. Bri
