Let's Destroy the Master's House!

For me, I think one of the most impactful sentences from this month's readings came from Audre Lorde's piece in our section asking "How does positionally impact cultural communication?" The sentence that really stood out to me from this reading was "For the master's tools will never dismantle the master's house." I instantly identified with this sentence because it is true. For me, this sentence means that we cannot conform to the system and still expect to change it. In order to make statements, prove points, or attempt to influence change we cannot fulfill the roles or behave the way that whatever we are trying to change is asking of us. If we simply do what is expected or asked of us, it is more difficult to draw attention to the problems we are trying to address. We must think creatively, and voice less popular opinions in order to highlight the issues marginalized individuals are facing.
I could not help but think about this sentence in the context of the video of Jazz that we watched in class today. It came to my attention while watching the video that Jazz, although genetically male, appears to be a cis-female (at least in my opinion). It made me wonder how the 2020 segment might have been different if the individual they had been interviewing wasn't cis-passing. According to The Mary Sue (http://www.themarysue.com/on-occupotty-and-the-privilege-of-passing/), "“Passing” is when you cannot be mistaken for anything other than the gender you are presenting as." This term is not just limited to transgendered individuals, but can also be applied to sexuality and race as well. Because Jazz is cis-passing, I almost think that in some regards she is "using the master's tools." What if Jazz wasn't "feminine?" What if she hadn't began hormone blockers before she started puberty? My guess is (and this is a HUGE assumption because I don't know enough about her and her life) Jazz does not face as much opposition from individuals she interacts with when she uses the bathroom or conducts other daily activities because she appears to be a cis-female and individuals who might otherwise protest don't realize she is transgendered. My guess is that the 2020 segment might have gotten more backlash and opposition had the individual being featured been less cis-passing. To me, a transgender individual who is not as cis-passing would be using more "tools" that did not belong to the "master" to make changes to how society views trans* individuals.  This is because there is a certain level of privilege to be considered "passing." It can be easier to navigate day-to-day interactions when the parts of your identity that put you at a disadvantage within society are not immediately apparent when someone sees you. Almost like passing individuals are attempting to use the master's tools in order to dismantle the master's house, even when the use of those tools is not done intentionally.