“Travesti”

I went to the waterfront theater on Friday night because a social worker gave me a ticket.

The performance was a monologue of Trans life in Brazil.

After monologue she asked the audience if her pronouns are “she”or “he.”

A person in the audience answered “I always ask for pronouns.”

Yes. It’s politically correct.

But, No for me.

I was a little bit sad, because asking pronouns in a dual gender society means "I know you are not man or woman".

From my understanding, the person who answered her question does not have a "Sociological Imagination," ability or strength to see backgrounds of people or phenomena, especially the cultural and historical ones.

Brazil is quite a difficult country for trans people, and activists like her are easily targeted by hate, but she came here to perform and tried to let us know how her life looks in her country.

I want to respect her as a trans person using “she” as her pronouns without asking.


Below is by ChatGPT

Below is a detailed look at your slam poem, “Travesti,” focusing on its content, structure, language, and impact. I’ll also provide some suggestions you might consider if you want to refine it further.

1. Overall Impression
• The poem tackles a deeply personal and socially relevant topic: the complexity of pronoun use, trans identity, and how different cultures handle (and sometimes mishandle) gender.
• It provides a snapshot of a real-life situation, drawing attention to the tension between political correctness and personal empathy.
• The poem effectively questions assumptions (e.g., that asking for pronouns is always a sign of respect) and highlights cultural and historical context (Brazil being difficult for trans people).

By bringing up these nuanced layers, your poem has the potential to make the audience reflect on what it really means to “respect” someone’s identity.

2. Content & Message
1. Title: “Travesti”
• This word has strong connotations in Brazil and other Latin American contexts, often referring to trans or gender-nonconforming people assigned male at birth. Sometimes, it can have a derogatory edge, but many activists have also reclaimed it.
• As a title, it grabs attention and positions the reader to think about trans experience in a culturally specific way.
2. Personal Narrative
• You ground the poem in a real setting: a waterfront theater, a monologue performance given by a Brazilian trans activist, and an audience interaction about pronouns.
• This personal anecdote makes it relatable and engaging. The audience can imagine the theater, the moment, and the emotional stakes.
3. Conflict & Emotion
• You express sadness and complexity:
“I was a little bit sad, because asking pronouns in a dual gender society means ‘I know you are not man or woman’.”
• This offers a thought-provoking challenge to a norm (asking for pronouns) that many consider purely respectful. You highlight that it can also convey a kind of othering.
• This conflict between political correctness and deeper empathy is the emotional core of your poem.
4. Cultural / Historical Nuance
• The poem references Brazil as “a difficult country for trans people” and points out that activists can be easily targeted by hate.
• This broader context underscores why the question of pronouns might be more charged for her than simply a polite question.
5. Resolution
• You conclude with a personal stance:
“I want to respect her as a trans person using ‘she’ as her pronouns.”
• The poem ends on a note of humility and respect, indicating that, despite not knowing every detail of her identity, you choose to value her as she presents herself.

3. Structure & Flow
• Opening: You begin with a clear setup: a casual invitation to the theater, leading into the monologue’s theme. This quickly grounds the audience in place and time.
• Rising Tension: The tension arises when the audience member says, “I always ask for pronouns,” which you challenge. This is an effective pivot from the broader scene to your inner conflict.
• Reflection: You offer insight into why this politically correct statement might still be problematic, weaving in the sociological imagination concept.
• Conclusion: You end with a personal resolution—your own way of respecting the performer.

For slam poetry, you might consider adding rhythmic repetition or short lines for emphasis. For example, repeating key phrases like “Yes. It’s politically correct. But no for me.” can drive home the internal tension.

4. Language & Style
1. Tone
• The poem has a conversational tone, which makes it accessible. Slam poems often benefit from a direct, personal voice—this works well here.
• If you want more poetic flair, consider using vivid imagery or metaphor to describe your emotional response. For example, describing the moment you felt “a small crack in my heart” instead of simply “sad” could intensify the emotional experience.
2. Clarity
• Currently, the poem is quite clear and straightforward. The only line that might cause confusion is the reasoning behind your statement:
“…because asking pronouns in a dual gender society means ‘I know you are not man or woman’.”
• This is a powerful statement, but you might expand slightly on why you feel it carries that implication. In a slam performance, you can do this verbally with tone and pause, or with a short additional line:
“Am I a question? Am I a guess?
Or am I a human being?”
3. Word Choice & Grammar
• The grammar is largely acceptable for a spoken-word piece. In slam poetry, you can break grammatical rules for impact. Still, here are tiny tweaks for maximum clarity:
• “After the monologue, she asked the audience if her pronouns are ‘she’ or ‘he.’”
• “From my understanding, the person who answered her question does not have a ‘Sociological Imagination,’ the ability or strength to see…”
4. Impact of “Travesti”
• You include “Travesti” as a title but don’t reference it in the poem. That can be fine in slam poetry—titles don’t always appear in the text. But you might consider briefly linking the word to your content, e.g.,
“They call her Travesti. She calls herself Travesti.
But here, on this stage, she’s just free.”

5. Performance Suggestions
• Vocal Variation: Emphasize lines like “Yes. It’s politically correct. But no for me.” by slowing down, pausing, and using a slightly louder or different tone.
• Pauses: Give the audience time to digest the heavier statements, especially around the concept of “asking pronouns = othering.”
• Eye Contact: If performing live, look directly at the audience during the line about “Sociological Imagination,” inviting them to reflect on whether they have it.
• Ending: Your final line, “I want to respect her as a trans person using ‘she’ as her pronouns,” can be delivered softly, with a feeling of gentle resolution.

6. Potential Next Steps
• Explore the tension a bit more: Why do you feel “No for me”? Possibly add a short anecdote or question that elaborates on your personal history or feelings.
• Bring in more Brazilian context: You mention “Brazil is quite a difficult country for trans people” but might add a single, powerful detail or statistic to underscore the danger. This intensifies the emotional weight.

Conclusion

Your poem “Travesti” is intimate, thought-provoking, and timely. It addresses questions of political correctness versus true empathy, and it sheds light on the cultural difficulties faced by trans individuals—particularly in places like Brazil. With a few small refinements in language and added poetic devices (if you choose), your slam poem could resonate even more strongly with an audience.

Overall, it’s a solid piece that accomplishes the goal of starting a conversation about how we navigate respect, identity, and the complexities of gender in a global context.

Keep writing and keep performing!