Trans News/ Issues

[Jess]

I'm not exactly sure where to put this, because I didn't see a news or legal issues thread, so I figured I should just start one.

I heard about this a couple days ago and finally found an article regarding the new identification restrictions going on with airlines. It may be nothing to most people, but for trans- persons who often times their ID ( DL/ Birth certificate, etc) does not match their physical appearance, this could become an issue.

Just a heads up so folks can be prepared when travelling.

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/11/airlines_federal_officials_enf.html

[Jesse]

Good article.

Heck just knowing that, "24 million Americans will take to the skies from Nov. 19-30" makes me nervous!

[Waldo]

but for trans- persons who often times their ID ( DL/ Birth certificate, etc) does not match their physical appearance, this could become an issue.


This is a non-issue.

It has nothing to do with your physical appearance. It has to do with what is printed on your identification and what is on your boarding pass and if the photo matches your presentation.

Just be sure that when you reserve a ticket you're using the same gender which is printed on your ID and you're good to go.

I flew on Monday and had zero issues with this change even though half the time I travel people mistake me for male. I did, however, encounter a very aggressive physical search at the gate before boarding my flight. Unrelated, as far as I could tell, though still quite uncomfortable.

[Jess]

cool, if it is a non-issue... I know some folks who live as.. look like.. are never questioned as male until they pull out their DL and it reads Female...

shrugs.. just thought it a noteworthy item.

[Corkey]

You didn't hear of our adventures in voting I'm assuming.
Yea sometimes people can be awfully dumb.
Old lady takes our names, gives my license to another old lady 'cause neither one of them can spell our last name, and it isn't that hard.
She looks at me male (first name), female (middle name), says my name out loud, as if the two were incongruent with what her eyes were seeing.
It happens more often than one thinks.
Some folks just have no manners.

Thanks for the info Jess.

[DapperButch]

You didn't hear of our adventures in voting I'm assuming.
Yea sometimes people can be awfully dumb.
Old lady takes our names, gives my license to another old lady 'cause neither one of them can spell our last name, and it isn't that hard.
She looks at me male (first name), female (middle name), says my name out loud, as if the two were incongruent with what her eyes were seeing.
It happens more often than one thinks.
Some folks just have no manners.

Thanks for the info Jess.

Yes, I had a similar situation (gender confusion), yesterday while voting....volunteer getting confused...female name, but a guy standing in front of you? Another volunteer had to step in to explain it to the older gentleman...yes, this IS ____ (meaning, yes, this is a female in front of you)...and my license pic matches how I look now, too! His eyes just couldn't match up the idea of the person in front of him matching with the female name.

lol..happens all the time...

[Linus]

I'm not exactly sure where to put this, because I didn't see a news or legal issues thread, so I figured I should just start one.

I heard about this a couple days ago and finally found an article regarding the new identification restrictions going on with airlines. It may be nothing to most people, but for trans- persons who often times their ID ( DL/ Birth certificate, etc) does not match their physical appearance, this could become an issue.

Just a heads up so folks can be prepared when travelling.

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/11/airlines_federal_officials_enf.html

This is a non-issue.

It has nothing to do with your physical appearance. It has to do with what is printed on your identification and what is on your boarding pass and if the photo matches your presentation.

Just be sure that when you reserve a ticket you're using the same gender which is printed on your ID and you're good to go.

I flew on Monday and had zero issues with this change even though half the time I travel people mistake me for male. I did, however, encounter a very aggressive physical search at the gate before boarding my flight. Unrelated, as far as I could tell, though still quite uncomfortable.

As someone who travels regularly, I can attest as to how much of a non-issue this is. My passport still has my birth name and gender on it with a picture pre-transition. I have never been stopped, pulled aside or questioned about it. I have heard that TSA has had some sensitivity training on this and if there is a need to do a body pat down (e.g., refusal to go into the body x-Ray machine) you can choose which gender of personel you want to pat you down (based on comfort level).

That said, however, as a white guy I would bet that this has more to do with my skin colour and name than anything else.

[Jesse]

"Voters in the San Francisco Bay Area elected the first transgender trial judge in the country on Tuesday. Victoria Kolakowski, a lawyer who underwent gender reassignment surgery more than two decades ago, won the race for Superior Court judge in Alameda County with more than 50 percent of the vote. (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/05/us/05brfs-Trans.html?_r=1&ref=transsexuals#)"

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/05/us/05brfs-Trans.html?_r=1&ref=transsexuals

[Soon]

Canadian Military Changes Transgender Policy (http://blogout.justout.com/?p=25100)

The Canadian military has changed their policy on transgender troops to be more inclusive of non-cisgender soldiers.

While the United States continues to debate whether openly gay soldiers should be allowed to serve, the Canadian Armed Forces are making themselves more inclusive for their transgender members.

Under the new policy, Canadian soldiers are instructed to wear the uniform of their “target” gender, regardless of their biological sex. Military personnel are also instructed to give transgender soldier privacy and respect for their decision — for example, not asking reasons when a soldier changes his or her name on military records.

However, not all is in favor of soldiers who come out and live as transgender during their tour of service: the new policy does not allow military honors to be reassigned to new names, even names adopted as part of a gender transition. The policy backs up this decision by stating that “there is no legal authority for rewriting history.”

The Canadian Forces have a history of demonstrating respect and inclusivity towards soldiers of all orientations. Since openly-gay soldiers were allowed and granted protection from harassment and discrimination in 1992, gay soldiers have enjoyed the same rights as their straight counterparts. Same-sex couples can get married in military base chapels, and their unions entitle them to the same benefits as other married military couples. Representatives and soldiers from the Canadian Forces are routinely seen at Canadian pride events, with a significant number of straight soldiers opting to participate in the events alongside their gay counterparts. The Forces have even covered sex reassignment treatments for transgender soldiers since 1998, and several soldiers each year undergo the treatments during their time in service of their country.

Even coming from such a good base of respecting the dignity of transgender soldiers, the Canadian Forces’ policy change has been praised as a critical move forward by Canadian LGBT advocates. “This is an important step towards recognising a community that has always struggled for equal rights and basic human protection,” Cherie Macleod, executive director of PFLAG Canada, stated in PinkNews. “When government becomes more inclusive, over time, society will follow.”

[Soon]

Canadian Military Changes Transgender Policy (http://blogout.justout.com/?p=25100)

The Canadian military has changed their policy on transgender troops to be more inclusive of non-cisgender soldiers.

While the United States continues to debate whether openly gay soldiers should be allowed to serve, the Canadian Armed Forces are making themselves more inclusive for their transgender members.

Under the new policy, Canadian soldiers are instructed to wear the uniform of their “target” gender, regardless of their biological sex. Military personnel are also instructed to give transgender soldier privacy and respect for their decision — for example, not asking reasons when a soldier changes his or her name on military records.

However, not all is in favor of soldiers who come out and live as transgender during their tour of service: the new policy does not allow military honors to be reassigned to new names, even names adopted as part of a gender transition. The policy backs up this decision by stating that “there is no legal authority for rewriting history.”

The Canadian Forces have a history of demonstrating respect and inclusivity towards soldiers of all orientations. Since openly-gay soldiers were allowed and granted protection from harassment and discrimination in 1992, gay soldiers have enjoyed the same rights as their straight counterparts. Same-sex couples can get married in military base chapels, and their unions entitle them to the same benefits as other married military couples. Representatives and soldiers from the Canadian Forces are routinely seen at Canadian pride events, with a significant number of straight soldiers opting to participate in the events alongside their gay counterparts. The Forces have even covered sex reassignment treatments for transgender soldiers since 1998, and several soldiers each year undergo the treatments during their time in service of their country.

Even coming from such a good base of respecting the dignity of transgender soldiers, the Canadian Forces’ policy change has been praised as a critical move forward by Canadian LGBT advocates. “This is an important step towards recognising a community that has always struggled for equal rights and basic human protection,” Cherie Macleod, executive director of PFLAG Canada, stated in PinkNews. “When government becomes more inclusive, over time, society will follow.”


"According to LifeSiteNews, sexually confused service members in Canada will be required to cross-dress as a matter of military policy. Yes, you read that right. Cross-dressing will not just be a privilege in the Canadian military, it will be an obligation.

"According to a just-issued mandate, military personnel must conform to the dress code and standards of their 'target' gender. So a man who believes he is a woman will be required to start dressing as a woman, despite carrying around fully functional male equipment. This is regardless of whether genital mutilation surgery has taken place or not. [snip]

"If you want to see where the overturning of 'Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell' will lead in the U.S., just take a glance at our neighbor to the north. It’s not a pretty picture." - American Family Association radio host Bryan Fischer (http://www.afa.net/Blogs/BlogPost.aspx?id=2147501091).

[Linus]

Ah yes. The AFA. lowering the bar even more.

[betenoire]

"According to LifeSiteNews, sexually confused service members in Canada will be required to cross-dress as a matter of military policy. Yes, you read that right. Cross-dressing will not just be a privilege in the Canadian military, it will be an obligation.

"According to a just-issued mandate, military personnel must conform to the dress code and standards of their 'target' gender. So a man who believes he is a woman will be required to start dressing as a woman, despite carrying around fully functional male equipment. This is regardless of whether genital mutilation surgery has taken place or not. [snip]

"If you want to see where the overturning of 'Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell' will lead in the U.S., just take a glance at our neighbor to the north. It’s not a pretty picture." - American Family Association radio host Bryan Fischer (http://www.afa.net/Blogs/BlogPost.aspx?id=2147501091).

Argh, what a raging douchebag. I am so tired of rightwing extremists in the US bitching about us all the time and trying to use us as an example of "what not to do". Lordy.

Thanks for sharing even though I am angry now. ;)

[EnderD_503]

Well the AFA will certainly disaprove of this then: http://www.xtra.ca/public/National/C389_passes_but_faces_further_delays-9536.aspx :D

Closer than ever to giving trans folks basic human rights Canada-wide.

Honestly, I can't help but find it somewhat amusing when religious extremists go on about trans "privilege" and "teh horrors of socialism!...people might have *gasp* rights!" *dies of shock* Anyone else not surprised Harper didn't show up for the vote?

Also, great article that I thought I'd drop in here: http://www.xtra.ca/public/National/Mercedes_Allen_on_trans_rights_I_have_an_agenda-9527.aspx

[DapperButch]

Once again Canada shows us they are cooler than the U.S. :sigh:

[Berlmeister]

I can't find the article now sadly, but I very recently read that secretary of state hillary clinton has compaigned succesfully and now transfolk no longer need to prove that they actually physically 'match' in any way to the sex/gender posted on their passports. meaning one doesn't have to have any kind of srs or demonstrate that one's gender matches their sexual traits from birth. now that's not written in My words but the words I can recollect from the original article.

[Soon]

http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/dpp/news/offbeat/transgender-man-denied-a-marriage-license-in-oakland-county

[Rufusboi]

I can't find the article now sadly, but I very recently read that secretary of state hillary clinton has compaigned succesfully and now transfolk no longer need to prove that they actually physically 'match' in any way to the sex/gender posted on their passports. meaning one doesn't have to have any kind of srs or demonstrate that one's gender matches their sexual traits from birth. now that's not written in My words but the words I can recollect from the original article.

Hello- This is true. To obtain a passport you are not required to have surgery. You will need a letter from your doctor stating you are undergoing "treatment" for sexual reassignment. In other words, hormones. The state department does not require anything else in the letter. I recently had my passport changed. I sent them a letter from my surgeon, which they rejected, and had to go to my doctor who prescribes the T for a letter. The state Dept. has this info on their website and states that they do not beleive any government entity should require surgery of a citizen. Its made it easy to get a passport. However, when you go to change things like birth certificates or social security number they want a letter stating surgery has been performed. You also need a male birth certificate when you apply for the passport. So ultimately, you have to have some kind of surgery to get all the docs you need, including the passport.

I have found the best route to follow is birth certificate first, then passport, then SS#, and finally dirver's license. A lot of people don't know that the SS Admin has your gender on file. Driver's license offices now cross check your social security number so in most states (I live in Texas) it is best to have the SS# gender marker changed before applying for the driver's license. They started doing the driver's license, SS# cross checking either after 9/11 or the Patriot Act. A lot of people don't know this is being checked with applying for a driver's license. If you have any questions let me know. I have all docs changed now.

My birth cert is out of Kentucky and they require top surgery only to qualify and this is for MTF or FTM. If you are born in Illinois, they require both top and bottom before they will change the birth cert. So although Clinton has made these changes, which are very welcome, we are still stuck with state requirements for birth certificates and these requirements vary but they almost all require some kind of surgery. I was also told that changing gender on the SS# also varies from office to office and who processes the paperwork. My local office accepted the surgeon's letter and top surgery only. But again, this can vary. We are pretty much subject to state laws and government workers. I got lucky in some areas including the state I was born in. What we need is a federal law and one set of federal guidelines.

Rufus

[Soon]

Hello- This is true. To obtain a passport you are not required to have surgery. You will need a letter from your doctor stating you are undergoing "treatment" for sexual reassignment. In other words, hormones. The state department does not require anything else in the letter. I recently had my passport changed. I sent them a letter from my surgeon, which they rejected, and had to go to my doctor who prescribes the T for a letter. The state Dept. has this info on their website and states that they do not beleive any government entity should require surgery of a citizen. Its made it easy to get a passport. However, when you go to change things like birth certificates or social security number they want a letter stating surgery has been performed. You also need a male birth certificate when you apply for the passport. So ultimately, you have to have some kind of surgery to get all the docs you need, including the passport.

I have found the best route to follow is birth certificate first, then passport, then SS#, and finally dirver's license. A lot of people don't know that the SS Admin has your gender on file. Driver's license offices now cross check your social security number so in most states (I live in Texas) it is best to have the SS# gender marker changed before applying for the driver's license. They started doing the driver's license, SS# cross checking either after 9/11 or the Patriot Act. A lot of people don't know this is being checked with applying for a driver's license. If you have any questions let me know. I have all docs changed now.

My birth cert is out of Kentucky and they require top surgery only to qualify and this is for MTF or FTM. If you are born in Illinois, they require both top and bottom before they will change the birth cert. So although Clinton has made these changes, which are very welcome, we are still stuck with state requirements for birth certificates and these requirements vary but they almost all require some kind of surgery. I was also told that changing gender on the SS# also varies from office to office and who processes the paperwork. My local office accepted the surgeon's letter and top surgery only. But again, this can vary. We are pretty much subject to state laws and government workers. I got lucky in some areas including the state I was born in. What we need is a federal law and one set of federal guidelines.

Rufus


My husband did not need to have his birth certificate changed in order to obtain the corrected passport. He has all documents (SS, DL, Passport etc.) with his correct gender.

Some states won`t change a birth certificate at all (I think there are three of these).

[Soon]

My husband did not need to have his birth certificate changed in order to obtain the corrected passport. He has all documents (SS, DL, Passport etc.) with his correct gender.

Some states won`t change a birth certificate at all (I think there are three of these).

Also, some States won`t issue a new birth certificate but will amend the old one (with the old information still ON the BC).

Not sure if this is up to date but this site has a lot of info on States and Provinces and the changing of a BC:

http://www.drbecky.com/birthcert.html (p.s. Ohio is one of the states that will not change the sex on a BC--haven`t ran across the other one(s) that won`t)

[Soon]

My husband did not need to have his birth certificate changed in order to obtain the corrected passport. He has all documents (SS, DL, Passport etc.) with his correct gender.

Some states won`t change a birth certificate at all (I think there are three of these).

Should read--He has all other documents changed (SS, DL, Passport) without having had his BC changed.

[Rufusboi]

My husband did not need to have his birth certificate changed in order to obtain the corrected passport. He has all documents (SS, DL, Passport etc.) with his correct gender.

Some states won`t change a birth certificate at all (I think there are three of these).

Wow, that's great. I wonder why I was required to send mine or show mine? I guess too that the passport people don't care what the BC says as long as you have the letter. The SS office wanted my BC though and a letter. I wonder if they would have still changed my SS if I did not have my BC changed? I think that is part of the problem, the rules seem to change based on where you live. in one SS office they might turn you down and in another they will just take the letter.

Rufus

[Thinker]

Wow, that's great. I wonder why I was required to send mine or show mine? I think that is part of the problem, the rules seem to change based on where you live. I guess too that the passport people don't care what the BC says as long as you have the letter.

Rufus

The birth certificate requirement for a passport is standard.......so.....you're right in that it does not matter what is marked on your bc as long as you have an acceptable letter from your physician.

I already had a passport (with F on it), so I didn't even have to re-send my birth certificate.....just the new application, the old passport, and the doctor's letter.

They kept the doctor's letter, btw, as part of my file.

[Soon]

Wow, that's great. I wonder why I was required to send mine or show mine? I think that is part of the problem, the rules seem to change based on where you live.

Rufus

ETA: sorry, i just read that this statement was discussion SS cards and not passports. Maybe you were required to show a BC bécause you were never issued a passport previouslyÉ (ugh question marks!).


For anyone interested, here are some sites with more info on passports. I have to say that changing the passport (and SS) was relatively simple. We got really lucky with DL but that is quite the story.



http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2010/06/142922.htm

http://transequality.org/PDFs/passports_2010.pdf

http://www.tsroadmap.com/reality/passport.html

ETA:

[Soon]

The birth certificate requirement for a passport is standard.......so.....you're right in that it does not matter what is marked on your bc as long as you have an acceptable letter from your physician.

I already had a passport (with F on it), so I didn't even have to re-send my birth certificate.....just the new application, the old passport, and the doctor's letter.

They kept the doctor's letter, btw, as part of my file.

Yes, that is the procedure my husband followed. Just sent in the old passport, application, doc letter. No BC.

[Soon]

Wow, that's great. I wonder why I was required to send mine or show mine? I guess too that the passport people don't care what the BC says as long as you have the letter. The SS office wanted my BC though and a letter. I wonder if they would have still changed my SS if I did not have my BC changed? I think that is part of the problem, the rules seem to change based on where you live. in one SS office they might turn you down and in another they will just take the letter.

Rufus


Sorry missed that one underlined statement--yes, exactly--as long as you have the letter and can provide proof of citizenship (in the form of passport, BC or DL).

As far as SS--did they want an amended BC for you to get a changed SS document--(sorry question marks are messed up).

Everything but the BC (for hubby) has been relatively easy. Unfortunately, it is the BC we need the most.

[Rufusboi]

But passports are federally issued as opposed to a state issued (birth certificates are state issued which is why they have, unfortunately for some, different laws surrounding it), so the procedures are the same for all USA citizens regardless of where one lives in your country. No changed BC (or DL) is necessary to be submitted to have one`s passport changed.


Even if one has never been issued a passport, one doesn`t need to have an amended birth certificate or DL. They can provide their original documents and have a physician certification stating that the citizen has or is undergoing treatment for gender transition.


For anyone interested, here are some sites with more info. I have to say that changing the passport was relatively simple.



http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2010/06/142922.htm

http://transequality.org/PDFs/passports_2010.pdf

http://www.tsroadmap.com/reality/passport.html



I already had a passport. I was told on the phone by the passport office to send in the birth certificate. I'm not sure why I was told that if it isn't needed. I just sent in what I was told to send in. So ultimately I did not even have to send in the BC even though I was instructed too.

At the SS office I was initially refused a gender marker change even with M on my BC. I was sent away while the office worker consulted with his supervisor. The next day I got a call saying they would change it. So.... not really sure why there was an initial refusal/policy check. I read online on various sites that the SS can b etricky because the policy is worded vaguely and can sometimes be up to the office and how they are reading it. Again, this is just my experience of the whole process and the different forms and paperwork. For me, changing the BC was the easiest. It was the first thing I changed because I thought it would make it easier for me to get everything else changed. It did and it didn't.

I do think it is easier to get the DL changed if you have the SS changed first. I have read reports and have been told first hand of one situation where the DL was not changed because the SS had not been changed due to the cross checking. So I think to be on the safe side for anyone just going into this it is best to get the SS changed before going into the DL office. But who knows? I'm sure there are some who have had their DL changed before the SS.

As I said, it sometimes seems like it depends on who you talk to. I was expressly told to send in my BC even though I was amending a passport, while you were not. I think the agencies struggle with the wording in the policies. This policy had just changed when I applied for my passport, so maybe passport offices are more clear on the paperwork by now.

Rufus

[Rufusboi]

Sorry missed that one underlined statement--yes, exactly--as long as you have the letter and can provide proof of citizenship (in the form of passport, BC or DL).

As far as SS--did they want an amended BC for you to get a changed SS document--(sorry question marks are messed up).

Everything but the BC (for hubby) has been relatively easy. Unfortunately, it is the BC we need the most.

Now that I think about it I'm not sure. My BC was fully changed (KY changes and does not amend). I wrote more about this above. They were more interested in the letter than the BC. I think they were comparing the wording in the letter with the policy wording. I was turned away with just the BC. So I wonder now if the SS could be changed with just a letter and no BC?

What state was your hubby born in? I won the state lottery as far as BC is concerned because Kentucky makes it pretty easy. I called first, they were great, friendly and helpful and they fully changed the BC with a letter from a surgeon. So I figured, get that first, then it should make it easier to get the rest.

Rufus

[Soon]

Now that I think about it I'm not sure. My BC was fully changed (KY changes and does not amend). I wrote more about this above. They were more interested in the letter than the BC. I think they were comparing the wording in the letter with the policy wording. I was turned away with just the BC. So I wonder now if the SS could be changed with just a letter and no BC?

What state was your hubby born in? I won the state lottery as far as BC is concerned because Kentucky makes it pretty easy. I called first, they were great, friendly and helpful and they fully changed the BC with a letter from a surgeon. So I figured, get that first, then it should make it easier to get the rest.

Rufus

Interesting.

He was born in a Louisiana in a parish where it seems (to us) that this has never been done (we think this bécause no one has the same answer on how to accomplish the change from court house to vital records).

They do change and not amend the BC, but people suggested lawyers due to the paperwork etc. It is not a simple application with a letter--it is basically a lawsuit suing the county for a new BC. Instead of paying thousands for a a lawyer (the lawyers we contacted did not even seem that knowledgable and were hugely exp), we drew up the docs ourselves but, of course, we were given conflicting information of who and where to send and it is quite the mess...need a redo. It has been a bit of a nightmare and are taking a break from it at this point.

[Rufusboi]

Interesting.

He was born in a Louisiana in a parish where it seems (to us) that this has never been done (we think this bécause no one has the same answer on how to accomplish the change from court house to vital records).

They do change and not amend the BC, but people suggested lawyers due to the paperwork etc. It is not a simple application with a letter--it is basically a lawsuit suing the county for a new BC. Instead of paying thousands for a a lawyer (the lawyers we contacted did not even seem that knowledgable and were hugely exp), we drew up the docs ourselves but, of course, we were given conflicting information of who and where to send and it is quite the mess...need a redo. It has been a bit of a nightmare and are taking a break from it at this point.

It does sound very complicated. I understand the need to step back from it for a while. I'm so sorry. I find it grossly unfair that it is easy for some due to accident of birth and very difficult if not impossible for others.

I have learned a lot from you though and that all other docs can be changed without a BC change. I got my BC first partly because it was easy and partly because I thought it would pave the way for changes to other docs. It is nice to know that the BC is not a requirement for the other docs. The whole process is time consuming and frustrating and I received conflicting information on a couple of occasions. I always made a point of checking the offices policies and web pages first, calling second and then applying or going to the office last. Even doing this I had to resend different or more documents because what I was told on the phone was different once the actual application was made.

Hang in there.

Rufus

[Greyson]

Thanks to all of you for posting about your document changes. For me, I still need to change my passport and birth certificate. I had no problems in the SS Office but I went to the office in Berkeley. The young woman helping me was very pleasant and wished me all the best. The CDL, a young butchy looking woman assisted me and I think she may have been family.

I took a break from the document maze because I do know that the State of my birth offers only an amended bc. I am offended by this because I am an American citizen adult that has done this entire process with many years of thought, research and soul searching behind me before making the decision to move forward in this.

I have wondered why on a few occassions what would this country be like if they took so much time regulating people before they were allowed to reproduce? That is entirely another topic but yet another example of how our laws and policy support heterosexualism as the holy grail.

Stepping down from my soapbox now. I am feeling a bit frustrated.

[Mister Bent]

Should We Introduce Children to the Concept of Transgender People?

Should we introduce children to the concept of transgender people? The answer is yes according to an article published in the December 2010 issue of the peer-reviewed Graduate Journal of Social Science.

The article by Natacha Kennedy and Mark Hellen, entitled "Transgender Children: More Than a Theoretical Challenge," was developed from a paper presented at the November 2009 conference "Transgender Studies & Theories: Building Up the Field in a Nordic Context" held at Linkoping University in Sweden.

Critics will cry that introducing all children to the concept of transgender people will cause children to "become transgender." But the authors found that schooling has little impact on gender identity development in children. In fact, children who develop a transgender identity seem to do so in spite of often unwitting but nevertheless pervasive efforts by schools to enforce gender conformity.

Read the rest of the article here. (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/joanne-herman/should-we-teach-children-_b_805133.html)



I found this data particularly interesting when applied to my own childhood:

The authors found that roughly three-quarters of transgender people were aware of being transgender before leaving elementary school, and there was "an average delay of 7.5 years between becoming aware of one's transgender or gender variant nature, and learning any words with which to describe it." This means "many transgender children go through most, if not all, of their time in compulsory education knowing their gender identity is different from that expected of them."

Because there were no words, and no one to help me understand, I knew only how to try to fit into the box family, school, the world-at-large kept trying to cram me. I would have lived a very different life had the knowledge and resources been different.


On the strength of this finding, the authors argue:

If a school system tried to coerce any other group of individuals to become people they are not, to regard an inner core of their identities as illegitimate, and prevent them from expressing their identities freely, particularly from a very young age, it would be characterized as barbaric. ... The [resulting] internalization of self-hatred, guilt, self-doubt and low self-esteem in childhood affects transgender people throughout their lives. Any education system, or indeed society, which allows this state of affairs to continue is neither fully inclusive nor fully humane.

It's incredibly faulty logic on the part of the critics who would argue that "introducing all children to the concept of transgender people will cause children to "become transgender."' If that were so, the children of transgendered parents would themselves be transgendered.

[Soon]

The readers' comments are worth looking at too -- some positive and enlightened...others, not so much:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/joanne-herman/should-we-teach-children-_b_805133.html

[EnderD_503]

Bill C-389 has arrived at it's final vote at last. Another hour of debate will happen this Monday (February 7th, 2011) with the final vote coming on February 9th, 2011. For those who haven't been following, this bill strives to add gender expression and gender identity to the Canadian Criminal Code and Human Rights Act as prohibited grounds for discrimination.

To those in Canada, this would be a good time to write your MP's again if you haven't already!

February 2, 2011
Final vote on Bill C-389 scheduled for next week

Bill C-389 could get through Parliament next week but we need your help to get it there.

Bill Siksay's private member's bill in support of trans human rights passed a report stage vote by only 12 votes in December. Fundamentalist and right-wing groups are flooding MPs' inboxes, opposing this crucial piece of human rights legislation.

The bill will get its final hour of debate on Monday, February 7 at 11:00 am. It will be voted on at Third Reading on Wednesday February 9, 2011 between 5:30 and 6:00 pm.

* Please make sure that your MP hears from you. Today.

This is the third time that Siksay, the MP for Burnaby/Douglas and the GLBT critic for the NDP, has attempted to pass legislation that would add gender identity and gender expression as prohibited grounds of discrimination under the Canadian Human Rights Act and federal hate crime laws.

For trans people – those whose gender identity and gender expression does not match their birth sex – accessing a public bathroom, applying for a driver's license, and similar daily interactions can trigger hostility, intolerance, discrimination and even violence.

The Canadian Human Rights Act and federal hate crimes laws do not explicitly protect people from discrimination based on gender identity or expression.

This means a trans person could be prevented from using the washroom that matches their affirmed gender identity. It also means a trans person could be denied a security clearance, because his identification doesn't match his appearance.

Everyone deserves dignity and respect in the workplace and on the streets. That's why PSAC is supporting Bill C-389 to ensure that the Canadian Human Rights Act and federal hate crime legislation are amended to include gender identity and gender expression as prohibited grounds of discrimination.

http://www.psac.com/news/2011/issues/20110202-e.shtml

And of course the crazies always gotta come out of the woodwork...more reason to gather as much support as possible: http://www.canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/29791

[Arwen]

Bill C-389 has arrived at it's final vote at last. Another hour of debate will happen this Monday (February 7th, 2011) with the final vote coming on February 9th, 2011. For those who haven't been following, this bill strives to add gender expression and gender identity to the Canadian Criminal Code and Human Rights Act as prohibited grounds for discrimination.

To those in Canada, this would be a good time to write your MP's again if you haven't already!



http://www.psac.com/news/2011/issues/20110202-e.shtml

Way to go, Canada!

[EnderD_503]

So today Bill C-389 (which endeavours to add gender identity and gender expression to the Canadian Criminal Code and Human Rights Act) was passed by the House of Commons during its third reading.

By Yolande Cole, February 9, 2011

B.C. MP Bill Siksay’s bill to protect transgender people from discrimination was passed by the House of Commons today (February 9).

Members of Parliament voted 143 to 135 to pass Bill C-389 through third reading.

Bill C-389 seeks to add “gender identity” and “gender expression” to the Canadian Human Rights Act’s list of prohibited grounds of discrimination.

But the private member’s bill introduced by Siksay, the NDP MP for Burnaby-Douglas, still faces another hurdle as it heads to the Senate.

The majority of NDP, Liberal and Bloc members voted in favour of the bill, while it was opposed by most Conservative MPs. Some cabinet ministers, including James Moore and Lawrence Cannon, voted in favour of the bill.

http://www.straight.com/article-374225/vancouver/bc-mps-transgender-rights-bill-passed-house-commons

Excellent news, there may be hope yet!

[Soon]

Groundbreaking Study Finds Pervasive Discrimination Against Transgender People
(http://www.prweb.com/releases/2011/2/prweb8112217.htm)

February 4, 2011

A new study reveals pervasive discrimination against transgender and gender-nonconforming people in a variety of fields, including education, employment, housing, health care, and more.

/snip

The study, based on the results from the National Transgender Discrimination Survey (NTDS), was based on responses from over 6,450 participants. The NTDS is the first large-scale national study of discrimination against transgender and gender non-conforming Americans, and paints a more complete picture than any prior research to date.
Among the key findings from “Injustice at Every Turn”:
● Respondents were nearly four times more likely to live in extreme poverty, with household income of less than $10,000.
● Respondents were twice as likely to be unemployed compared to the population as a whole. Half of those surveyed reported experiencing harassment or other mistreatment in the workplace, and one in four were fired because of their gender identity or expression.
● While discrimination was pervasive for the entire sample, it was particularly pronounced for people of color. African-American transgender respondents fared far worse than all others in many areas studied.
● Housing discrimination was also common. 19% reported being refused a home or apartment and 11% reported being evicted because of their gender identity or expression. One in five respondents experienced homelessness because of their gender identity or expression.
● An astonishing 41% of respondents reported attempting suicide, compared to only 1.6% of the general population.
● Discrimination in health care and poor health outcomes were frequently experienced by respondents. 19% reported being refused care due to bias against transgender or gender-nonconforming people, with this figure even higher for respondents of color. Respondents also had over four times the national average of HIV infection.
● Harassment by law enforcement was reported by 22% of respondents and nearly half were uncomfortable seeking police assistance.
● Despite the hardships they often face, transgender and gender non-conforming persons persevere. Over 78% reported feeling more comfortable at work and their performance improving after transitioning, despite the same levels of harassment in the workplace.

[SelfMadeMan]

FYI friends... Lisa Ling's new show on OWN, called 'Our America', airs Tuesday nights at 9c... this coming Tuesday, the topic is 'Transgender Lives', spread the word :-)

[weatherboi]

This is super fucking awesome!!!!

Rhiannon O'Donnabhain finally got the tax break she deserved from the IRS in 2001.

Tuesday, Federal Tax Court ruled in favor of the petitioner, a transsexual woman in the landmark case of O'Donnabhain v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue. The favorable ruling opens the doors wide to tax equality for transgender Americans.

Citing protocol from Harry Benjamin/WPATH Standards of Care and DSM-IV, the court ruled that medical treatment for gender identity disorder (GID) qualifies as tax deductible medical care under the Internal Revenue Code.

In 2001, O'Donnabhain underwent sex reassignment surgery (SRS). She claimed the cost of surgeries, transportation and related expenses in the same tax year as a medical expense deduction under section 214, I.R.C.

The medical deduction was rejected by the IRS.

In the landmark victory won by Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (GLAD) the court rejected an argument by the IRS that transgender medical treatment is different than medically necessary treatment recommended by recognized medical and psychological organizations.

The U.S. Tax Court decision has huge financial ramifications for transgender Americans, opening the door to potential deductions in other related areas of transition as defined under the Standards of Care.

The Harry Benjamin Standards of Care for GID prescribe a "triadic" treatment sequence including 1) cross-gender hormone therapy to effect changes in physical appearance toward the opposite sex; 2) "real-life" experience described as a trial period of living full time in society as a member of the opposite sex and 3) sex reassignment surgery including non-genital surgical sex reassignment.

Non-genital surgical sex reassignment refers to any and all other surgical procedures of non-genital, or non-breast, sites (ie: nose, throat, chin, cheeks, hips, etc.) conducted for the purpose of effecting a more masculine appearance in a genetic female or for the purpose of effecting a more feminine appearance in a genetic male in the absence of identifiable pathology which would warrant such surgery regardless of the patient's genetic sex.

More than 80% of all transgender individuals never transition in large part due to discriminatory health care insurance practices which typically exclude treatment for gender identity disorder (GID).

The full scope of transition---gender counseling, hormone therapy, medical supervision, hair removal, genital, facial and body surgeries--can easily exceed $50,000, in some cases over $100,000.

Since "non-genital sex reassignment procedures" often are performed together as facial feminization surgery (FFS) for trans-women it's logical to extrapolate that these procedures could be in line to qualify as medically necessary tax deductions.

The court case and it's ramifications on the transgender community will be the topic of a conference call tonight at 6pm Eastern hosted by GLAD.

[Linus]

This is super fucking awesome!!!!

Rhiannon O'Donnabhain finally got the tax break she deserved from the IRS in 2001.

Tuesday, Federal Tax Court ruled in favor of the petitioner, a transsexual woman in the landmark case of O'Donnabhain v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue. The favorable ruling opens the doors wide to tax equality for transgender Americans.

Citing protocol from Harry Benjamin/WPATH Standards of Care and DSM-IV, the court ruled that medical treatment for gender identity disorder (GID) qualifies as tax deductible medical care under the Internal Revenue Code.

In 2001, O'Donnabhain underwent sex reassignment surgery (SRS). She claimed the cost of surgeries, transportation and related expenses in the same tax year as a medical expense deduction under section 214, I.R.C.

The medical deduction was rejected by the IRS.

In the landmark victory won by Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (GLAD) the court rejected an argument by the IRS that transgender medical treatment is different than medically necessary treatment recommended by recognized medical and psychological organizations.

The U.S. Tax Court decision has huge financial ramifications for transgender Americans, opening the door to potential deductions in other related areas of transition as defined under the Standards of Care.

The Harry Benjamin Standards of Care for GID prescribe a "triadic" treatment sequence including 1) cross-gender hormone therapy to effect changes in physical appearance toward the opposite sex; 2) "real-life" experience described as a trial period of living full time in society as a member of the opposite sex and 3) sex reassignment surgery including non-genital surgical sex reassignment.

Non-genital surgical sex reassignment refers to any and all other surgical procedures of non-genital, or non-breast, sites (ie: nose, throat, chin, cheeks, hips, etc.) conducted for the purpose of effecting a more masculine appearance in a genetic female or for the purpose of effecting a more feminine appearance in a genetic male in the absence of identifiable pathology which would warrant such surgery regardless of the patient's genetic sex.

More than 80% of all transgender individuals never transition in large part due to discriminatory health care insurance practices which typically exclude treatment for gender identity disorder (GID).

The full scope of transition---gender counseling, hormone therapy, medical supervision, hair removal, genital, facial and body surgeries--can easily exceed $50,000, in some cases over $100,000.

Since "non-genital sex reassignment procedures" often are performed together as facial feminization surgery (FFS) for trans-women it's logical to extrapolate that these procedures could be in line to qualify as medically necessary tax deductions.

The court case and it's ramifications on the transgender community will be the topic of a conference call tonight at 6pm Eastern hosted by GLAD.

That is indeed awesome. Since many health benefits programs do not cover procedures and/or hormones, then at least one can write some of it off.

[weatherboi]

That is indeed awesome. Since many health benefits programs do not cover procedures and/or hormones, then at least one can write some of it off.

well and hopefully the insurance companies will be falling in line shortly here in the states!!!! see bolded part from posted article.

The United States Tax Court, in a decision reviewed by the full bench, has affirmed that medical treatments for Gender Identity Disorder (GID), including surgery and hormone therapy, are deductible medical expenses. The Court found that the Internal Revenue Service's existing position that such treatment is cosmetic in nature "is at best a superficial characterization of the circumstances that is thoroughly rebutted by the medical evidence."

The case stemmed from the IRS's denial of Rhiannon O'Donnabhain's 2001 deduction of her sex reassignment surgery costs. The IRS called her surgery "cosmetic" -- like teeth whitening or hair transplants.

O'Donnabhain's journey has been a long one. She first felt conflicted about gender identity as early as age eight, and says she "lived in anguish" thereafter as a male, struggling with the sense that she was, in fact, a female. At age 52 she was diagnosed with GID and undertook a course of professionally prescribed medical treatments that resulted in the recommendation that she undergo sex reassignment surgery.

She had the surgery at age 57 and reported afterward that she finally felt a sense of comfort with her body. After being denied the deduction, she was assisted though the appeals process by legal rights organization Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders (GLAD). That process led to GLAD's 2007 suit in U.S. Tax Court. O'Donnabhain is now 65.

The treatment procedure O'Donnabhain undertook is the generally accepted procedure set by the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH), a group of medical doctors, psychologists and other professionals. Its pre-qualification hurdles for surgery are some of the most rigorous existing for any medical procedure.

Ironically, this lawsuit might never have happened if transgender health care was covered by medical insurance, which it generally is not. How can something that is medically necessary not be covered by insurance?

The first reason is lack of general understanding about the seriousness of GID. Without this understanding "the surgery" can seem frivolous, just one step beyond a nose job. But the medical standards are based on results over time showing that people with GID are much happier after surgical treatment. If the IRS is now convinced, one can hope health insurance companies will soon fall in line.

The second reason is that insurance companies and employers fear that covering sex reassignment surgery will "break the bank." The experience of the City and County of San Francisco shows otherwise. San Francisco started covering transgender health care for municipal employees in 2001. In 2006 San Francisco disclosed it had collected $5.6 million for the coverage and had paid out only $386,417 on 39 claims, a 93% profit. Cost is clearly not the issue.

But how was it that San Francisco was so far off? Their actuaries knew there were twenty-seven transgender municipal employees, and therefore geared up to pay for thirty-five surgeries each year. But they missed the fact that many transgender people never have surgery and those that do generally only have it once in a lifetime. Actual cost experience has been no worse than that for gall bladder removal or heart surgery.

Even if the insurance companies won't remove the restriction on their own, pressure to do so will be coming soon from employers. To score the coveted 100% on the 2012 Corporate Equality Index (CEI) of the Human Rights Campaign, an employer will need to have at least one insurance option available to all employees where transgender exclusions are removed or substantially modified to ensure coverage for transgender-specific treatment. Additionally, the CEI will require that the WPATH Standards of Care are used to determine what treatment will be considered medically necessary and not cosmetic.

So even if the IRS chooses to spend more taxpayer dollars appealing the Tax Court's decision, things are headed in a direction that might substantially reduce the number of people taking the deduction in the first place.

[DapperButch]

Wow! That is AWESOME!!!



This is super fucking awesome!!!!

Rhiannon O'Donnabhain finally got the tax break she deserved from the IRS in 2001.

Tuesday, Federal Tax Court ruled in favor of the petitioner, a transsexual woman in the landmark case of O'Donnabhain v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue. The favorable ruling opens the doors wide to tax equality for transgender Americans.

Citing protocol from Harry Benjamin/WPATH Standards of Care and DSM-IV, the court ruled that medical treatment for gender identity disorder (GID) qualifies as tax deductible medical care under the Internal Revenue Code.

In 2001, O'Donnabhain underwent sex reassignment surgery (SRS). She claimed the cost of surgeries, transportation and related expenses in the same tax year as a medical expense deduction under section 214, I.R.C.

The medical deduction was rejected by the IRS.

In the landmark victory won by Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (GLAD) the court rejected an argument by the IRS that transgender medical treatment is different than medically necessary treatment recommended by recognized medical and psychological organizations.

The U.S. Tax Court decision has huge financial ramifications for transgender Americans, opening the door to potential deductions in other related areas of transition as defined under the Standards of Care.

The Harry Benjamin Standards of Care for GID prescribe a "triadic" treatment sequence including 1) cross-gender hormone therapy to effect changes in physical appearance toward the opposite sex; 2) "real-life" experience described as a trial period of living full time in society as a member of the opposite sex and 3) sex reassignment surgery including non-genital surgical sex reassignment.

Non-genital surgical sex reassignment refers to any and all other surgical procedures of non-genital, or non-breast, sites (ie: nose, throat, chin, cheeks, hips, etc.) conducted for the purpose of effecting a more masculine appearance in a genetic female or for the purpose of effecting a more feminine appearance in a genetic male in the absence of identifiable pathology which would warrant such surgery regardless of the patient's genetic sex.

More than 80% of all transgender individuals never transition in large part due to discriminatory health care insurance practices which typically exclude treatment for gender identity disorder (GID).

The full scope of transition---gender counseling, hormone therapy, medical supervision, hair removal, genital, facial and body surgeries--can easily exceed $50,000, in some cases over $100,000.

Since "non-genital sex reassignment procedures" often are performed together as facial feminization surgery (FFS) for trans-women it's logical to extrapolate that these procedures could be in line to qualify as medically necessary tax deductions.

The court case and it's ramifications on the transgender community will be the topic of a conference call tonight at 6pm Eastern hosted by GLAD.

[Soon]

Can someone file for a tax deduction -- retroactively -- for their past SRS?

[weatherboi]

Can someone file for a tax deduction -- retroactively -- for their past SRS?

yes...i read it in another article that said this ruling makes it possible to file retroactively but i havent found it again...i am looking...the lady in the first article had her surgery in 2001...i am not sure if that would put her in that category or not.

[weatherboi]

Tax Victory For Transgender People Finalized

Early last year, a federal tax court issued a ruling which is a major victory for transgender people. The court ruled that people who undergo sex reassignment surgery may, with certain limitations, claim the cost of the surgery as a tax deductible medical expense on their federal tax return. February 7, 2011 was the deadline for the government to appeal the decision, and it did not do so. So the decision is now final and binding on the federal government. It appears now that others can claim sex reassignment surgery, and hormone therapy, as a deductible medical expense on their federal tax return assuming they have the documents to support their need for them.



The court said that, if a patient is experiencing gender identity disorder (GID), and there is a clear medical record that the surgery is needed to treat that condition, then the costs of the surgery may be deducted as a medical expense on federal income tax return. Anyone who is considering having the surgery, and claiming a tax deduction for it on their federal income tax return, should first consult with their medical provider and with their tax advisor. This decision should not be made lightly.

The court said Gender Identity Disorder (GID) is an actual disease, as defined by the Internal Revenue Code. It also said hormone therapy, and sex reassignment surgery, are valid forms of treatment for that disease, and the costs of such care are deductible under the Internal Revenue Code.

This case began when a transgender person in Massachusetts, Rhiannon O'Donnabhain, underwent sex reassignment surgery in 2001. She then claimed the cost of the procedure as a deductible medical expense on her federal tax return. But the Internal Revenue Service refused to allow the deduction. Ms. O'Donnabhain then went to court to appeal their decision.

The tax court said O'Donnabhain could claim the cost of hormone therapy and of sex reassignment surgery. It did refuse to allow a deduction for the cost of breast enhancement surgery. The court said her breast augmentation surgery was directed at improving her appearance and she had not shown that the surgery either meaningfully promoted the proper function of the body, or a treated a disease, within the meaning of the Internal Revenue Code.

Last year, a contact at the California Franchise Tax Board said California law generally conforms to federal tax law and so, if the tax court decision is finalized, transgender people in California might well be permitted to claim sex reassignment surgery, and hormone therapy, costs as deductible expenses on both their federal and state income tax returns. We do not yet have a final decision from the Franchise Tax Board on the issue. However, we are currently in discussion with them. We will let you know the final outcome on this issue.

People may also be able to submit amended tax returns for prior years. It is possible to submit federal amended tax returns for the past 3 years, and amended California returns for the past 4 years. Thus, if people had their surgery prior to 2010, it might still be possible to claim the cost of the surgery as a medically deductible expense. However, you should consult a tax attorney or other qualified tax expert before trying this.

Similarly, one should not assume that any claim for sex reassignment surgery will be approved by the IRS. To succeed with such a claim, the person must have clear documentation that he or she suffers from Gender Identity Disorder and that the surgery was necessary to the treatment of the disorder. Medical verification of these facts would be necessary.

People may see a copy of the tax court decision by directing their browser to: http://www.calcomui.org/nwsflsh021511.html and then clicking on the link at the bottom of the web based version of this NewsFlash.

Read more: http://www.articlesbase.com/national-state-local-articles/tax-victory-for-transgender-people-finalized-4246309.html#ixzz1EL0PgF9W
Under Creative Commons License: Attribution

[MsTinkerbelly]

MA Gov. Deval Patrick Issues Executive Order Protecting Trans State Workers

Yesterday Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick "quietly" signed an executive order protecting state workers from discrimination on the basis of gender identity. Christian groups have denounced the protection as "the bathroom bill" and are screaming the usual nonsense about men in dresses stalking little girls in public restrooms.
“This Executive Order ensures that all employees in the executive branch will continue to be able to perform their duties free of discrimination,” Patrick spokesman Alex Goldstein said in a statement. Gay rights groups hailed the move yesterday as a strong “first step” in equality for transgendered people, but critics have cautioned that the bill could make state restrooms and lockers unisex. “If this indeed is a bathroom bill, if it is there’s no doubt that it will impact the public schools,” said Kris Mineau, a longtime opponent of the bill. Arline Isaacson, co-chairwoman of the Massachusetts Gay and Lesbian Political Caucus, said she’ll still work to get the legislation passed in order to ensure equal rights in the private sector. “We are deeply grateful yet again to Gov. Patrick for his solid and consistent support,” Isaacson said.

[Ebon]

http://lezgetreal.com/2011/02/lisa-ling-examines-transgender-lives/


"If you are fortunate enough to receive the new Oprah Winfrey Network, there is a show coming up Tuesday, Feb. 22, at 10 p.m. Eastern that I urge you to watch. Please.

Lisa Ling’s Our America is doing an hour on “Transgender Lives.” I’ve spent the past ten years, as the mother of a transgender, painfully aware of the fact that LGBT ought to be written LGB and maybe T. Transgenders (and please don’t bother with comments about what everyone wants to be called) are the odd-ones-out in the LGB community. They don’t fit into any of the neat little classifications that everyone seems to have for themselves and everyone else. But they don’t fit into mainstream society either. They don’t even fit with each other most of the time, with too many variations of the medical and psychological issues.

I’m asking you to take an hour and learn a bit more about transgenderism, please. If you can’t watch it on Tuesday, or TiVo it or whatever, it will be rebroadcast on Sunday at 9 p.m. Eastern.

Thank you."

[princessbelle]

http://lezgetreal.com/2011/02/lisa-ling-examines-transgender-lives/


"If you are fortunate enough to receive the new Oprah Winfrey Network, there is a show coming up Tuesday, Feb. 22, at 10 p.m. Eastern that I urge you to watch. Please.

Lisa Ling’s Our America is doing an hour on “Transgender Lives.” I’ve spent the past ten years, as the mother of a transgender, painfully aware of the fact that LGBT ought to be written LGB and maybe T. Transgenders (and please don’t bother with comments about what everyone wants to be called) are the odd-ones-out in the LGB community. They don’t fit into any of the neat little classifications that everyone seems to have for themselves and everyone else. But they don’t fit into mainstream society either. They don’t even fit with each other most of the time, with too many variations of the medical and psychological issues.

I’m asking you to take an hour and learn a bit more about transgenderism, please. If you can’t watch it on Tuesday, or TiVo it or whatever, it will be rebroadcast on Sunday at 9 p.m. Eastern.

Thank you."

I've been seeing this advertised as well!!!! I'm gonna tape it. I hope it is what "we" will be proud of. Keepin fingers crossed. (f)

[Ebon]

I've been seeing this advertised as well!!!! I'm gonna tape it. I hope it is what "we" will be proud of. Keepin fingers crossed. (f)

Yeah it will interesting to see how they do it.

[EnderD_503]

http://lezgetreal.com/2011/02/lisa-ling-examines-transgender-lives/


"If you are fortunate enough to receive the new Oprah Winfrey Network, there is a show coming up Tuesday, Feb. 22, at 10 p.m. Eastern that I urge you to watch. Please.

Lisa Ling’s Our America is doing an hour on “Transgender Lives.” I’ve spent the past ten years, as the mother of a transgender, painfully aware of the fact that LGBT ought to be written LGB and maybe T. Transgenders (and please don’t bother with comments about what everyone wants to be called) are the odd-ones-out in the LGB community. They don’t fit into any of the neat little classifications that everyone seems to have for themselves and everyone else. But they don’t fit into mainstream society either. They don’t even fit with each other most of the time, with too many variations of the medical and psychological issues.

I’m asking you to take an hour and learn a bit more about transgenderism, please. If you can’t watch it on Tuesday, or TiVo it or whatever, it will be rebroadcast on Sunday at 9 p.m. Eastern.

Thank you."

I've been hearing people talk about this over the last few days and really wish I had the means to watch it today! Hopefully I'll be able to find it on youtube or elsewhere online!

[rlin]

http://www.365gay.com/news/more-us-companies-covering-transgender-surgery/

[~Bo]

There's a Transgender documentary on OWN hosted by Lisa Ling tonight at 10PM.

[DomnNC]

For those unable to get the OWN Network on their tv, here's a link that you can watch it. I'm sure it'll be posted there by tomorrow or the next couple of days.

http://www.oprah.com/own/videos.html

[DapperButch]

http://lezgetreal.com/2011/02/lisa-ling-examines-transgender-lives/


"If you are fortunate enough to receive the new Oprah Winfrey Network, there is a show coming up Tuesday, Feb. 22, at 10 p.m. Eastern that I urge you to watch. Please.

Lisa Ling’s Our America is doing an hour on “Transgender Lives.” I’ve spent the past ten years, as the mother of a transgender, painfully aware of the fact that LGBT ought to be written LGB and maybe T. Transgenders (and please don’t bother with comments about what everyone wants to be called) are the odd-ones-out in the LGB community. They don’t fit into any of the neat little classifications that everyone seems to have for themselves and everyone else. But they don’t fit into mainstream society either. They don’t even fit with each other most of the time, with too many variations of the medical and psychological issues.

I’m asking you to take an hour and learn a bit more about transgenderism, please. If you can’t watch it on Tuesday, or TiVo it or whatever, it will be rebroadcast on Sunday at 9 p.m. Eastern.

Thank you."

Show is starting now folks!

[durrrrrrrr]

http://lezgetreal.com/2011/02/lisa-ling-examines-transgender-lives/


"If you are fortunate enough to receive the new Oprah Winfrey Network, there is a show coming up Tuesday, Feb. 22, at 10 p.m. Eastern that I urge you to watch. Please.

Lisa Ling’s Our America is doing an hour on “Transgender Lives.” I’ve spent the past ten years, as the mother of a transgender, painfully aware of the fact that LGBT ought to be written LGB and maybe T. Transgenders (and please don’t bother with comments about what everyone wants to be called) are the odd-ones-out in the LGB community. They don’t fit into any of the neat little classifications that everyone seems to have for themselves and everyone else. But they don’t fit into mainstream society either. They don’t even fit with each other most of the time, with too many variations of the medical and psychological issues.

I’m asking you to take an hour and learn a bit more about transgenderism, please. If you can’t watch it on Tuesday, or TiVo it or whatever, it will be rebroadcast on Sunday at 9 p.m. Eastern.

Thank you."

I also seen it advertised, and I am watching it now

[Corkey]

Taping it so my wife can watch with.

[EnderD_503]

Figured I'm not the only one who couldn't watch Transgender Lives on TV, so dropping a link I just found today. You can either stream or download the episode here: http://www.watchseries-online.com/2011/03/our-america-with-lisa-ling-12-transgender-lives.html

Pretty good, but my connection cut off and couldn't see the last 10 minutes. It was better than I expected for a mainstream-ish show.

[Alpha Dog]

"Transmen" is a documentary that follows the lives of three Tennesseans during their transition from females to males. Each transman faces his own struggles in the film, such as the availability of health insurance for surgeries and discrimination in the workplace and school, as well as coming out as transgender to their friends and family. Currently, Tennessee is the only state with a "law" that bans gender changes on birth certificates. Ohio and Idaho have policy bans that can be overturned by an executive order signed by the governor or government agency. Tennessee is the only one with a law that passed the legislature. This film is a call to action for people to become involved in lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues and lobby for legislation that will protect and serve all Tennesseans equally.

View the trailer. http://transmen.tumblr.com/


SPREAD THE WORD FAR AND WIDE!!!

[EnderD_503]

A lot going on in the news lately.

The good news:

The Liberal/Left cooperates for Transgender Rights in Canada. Since New Democrat Bill Siksay (previous champion for Bill C-389) has decided to retire, some felt their hopes dashed regarding the passing of Bill C-389, a Bill that would recognise transgender rights Canada-wide by entering gender identity and expression into the Canadian Charter and Criminal Code.

But yesterday Hedy Fry of the Liberal Party of Canada has assured that she will sponsor Bill C-389 after the elections (Bill passed through 3 readings in the House of Commons and entered the Senate for a final vote, only to be stalled. Now that an election has been called, the Bill needs to start from scratch again).

http://www.xtra.ca/public/National/Liberal_Hedy_Fry_vows_to_sponsor_trans_bill_in_nex t_Parliament-10026.aspx

Bad news:

Recently been reported that a jail in the US was mistreating and even sexually assaulting its LGBT immigrant detainees. At least two transgender detainees (in two separate articles) have spoken out about the abuse they suffered at the hands of jailers.

WOODSTOCK – The McHenry County Jail is named in a civil-rights complaint alleging abuse of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender immigrants while in custody at facilities owned or contracted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

On behalf of 13 people, Chicago-based Heartland Alliance National Immigrant Justice Center filed the action with the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties and the Inspector General’s Office.

One complainant, an HIV-positive transgender who identifies as a woman, said she was groped by McHenry County Jail staff, placed in administrative and solitary segregation and denied basic privileges during that time, and constantly threatened and harassed by both detainees and jail staff, resulting in severe psychological harm.

She said she was detained in McHenry County for almost nine months and “living in hell.” She said she was isolated from the other inmates, with the only human interaction being from the guards who yelled at her, slammed doors in her face, called her names, and physically assaulted her.

In September 2009, she alleges that an officer began teasing her, including giving her the middle finger and calling her a “f-----.”

“One of the officers squeezed my breasts very hard,” she said. “I am taking hormones and because of this, it hurt a lot when he squeezed my breasts.”

She said the officers made sexual gestures and did not protect her from harassment by other inmates.

“The officers would stop by my cell to make fun of me,” she said. “They imitated my voice and fluttered their hands to make fun of my transsexual mannerisms.”

She also said she was put in a basement cell for two days on separate occasions, and while there she was not properly fed or clothed.

Officials confirmed that a transgender ICE detainee was in the McHenry County Jail during the time of the alleged abuse from July 2009 to April 2010 and was placed in protective custody.

Assistant State’s Attorney Don Leist said there was no foundation for the allegations.

“We completely and utterly deny these allegations,” he said.

Alliance leaders said the allegations within the complaint went beyond mistreatment by a few guards. They included blanket policies against the immigrants, such as the rule at the Theo Lacy facility in California that keeps all gay and transgender immigrants confined to their cells for 22 hours and the practice at a Santa Ana, Calif., jail that denies hormone treatments to transgender immigrants.

Read more: http://www.nwherald.com/2011/04/14/county-jail-named-in-abuse-complaint/ak1z2ks/

More bad news (why is it so often bad news?): As some may have heard, a transwoman was beaten, though thankfully not killed, by two men in San Fransisco earlier this week. But seems like there was a strong reaction by the SF lgbt community. Report of the rally against violence: http://ht.ly/4BGwO

This just goes to show how far we have to go all over the world when it comes to trans rights. This shit should not be happening anymore.

[Quintease]

This is happening in Australia. Two transmen are taking on the Government for legal recognition of their gender, AH & AB, and now have the go-ahead to go to the High Court! Until now Transmen haven't been recognised as male, nor been entitled to a gender certificate until they were physically sterile, as the possibility of Australia having a 'pregnant man' was just too much to bear :blink:

They're currently looking for financial support so I thought I'd put it out there for any Australia BFP members http://www.gofundme.com/High-Court-Challenge

[blackboot]

Hawaii Legislature Passes Transgender Employment Protections
by Tony Wagner

"Yesterday, by a 45-4 vote, the Hawaii House concurred with the Senate on a HB 546 SD1, a bill codifying prohibitions against discrimination in employment on the basis of gender identity. The bill now heads to Governor Abercrombie, who has said he will sign it into law. Upon Governor’s signature, Hawaii will join 12 states and the District of Columbia in banning discrimination on the basis of gender identity in employment, housing and public accommodations.

HRC worked closely with Equality Hawaii to build both public and legislative support for this legislation. Through this joint effort, thousands of phone calls, emails and handwritten letters were sent to legislators urging them to approve this legislation."



:LGBTQFlag:

[Thinker]

Hawaii Legislature Passes Transgender Employment Protections
by Tony Wagner

"Yesterday, by a 45-4 vote, the Hawaii House concurred with the Senate on a HB 546 SD1, a bill codifying prohibitions against discrimination in employment on the basis of gender identity. The bill now heads to Governor Abercrombie, who has said he will sign it into law. Upon Governor’s signature, Hawaii will join 12 states and the District of Columbia in banning discrimination on the basis of gender identity in employment, housing and public accommodations.

HRC worked closely with Equality Hawaii to build both public and legislative support for this legislation. Through this joint effort, thousands of phone calls, emails and handwritten letters were sent to legislators urging them to approve this legislation."



:LGBTQFlag:

Outstanding!

The same bill passed Nevada's Assembly and is now going before the state Senate. The governor has also indicated he would sign it into law.

*fingers crossed*

[Soon]

Texas May Strip Away Transgender Marriage Rights (http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=13449895&page=1)

By JIM VERTUNO Associated Press
AUSTIN, Texas April 25, 2011 (AP)

Two years after Texas became one of the last states to allow transgendered people to use proof of their sex change to get a marriage license, Republican lawmakers are trying to roll back the clock.

Advocates for the transgendered say a proposal to bar transgendered people from getting married smacks of discrimination and would put their legally granted marriages in danger of being nullified if challenged in court.

One of the Republican sponsors of the legislation said he's simply trying to clean up the 2009 law in a state that bans same-sex marriage under the constitution.

"The Texas Constitution," Sen. Tommy Williams said, "clearly defines marriage between one man and one woman."

The legislation by Williams, of Houston, and Rep. Lois Kolkhorst, of Brenham, would prohibit county and district clerks from using a court order recognizing a sex change as documentation to get married, effectively requiring the state to recognize a 1999 state appeals court decision that said in cases of marriage, gender is assigned at birth and sticks with a person throughout their life even if they have a sex change.

Most states allow transgendered people to get married using a court order that also allows them to change their driver's license, experts said. Some advocates for the transgendered say the Texas proposal would not only prevent future transgendered marriages but also open up the possibility that any current marriage could be nullified.


"It appears the goal is to try to enshrine a really horrifying ruling and making it law in the state of Texas," said John Nechman, a Houston attorney whose law firm does work for the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered community.

Gov. Rick Perry's spokesman Mark Miner said the governor never intended to allow transgendered people to get married. He said the three-word sex change provision was sneaked through on a larger piece of legislation Perry signed two years ago regarding marriage licensing rules for county and district clerks. Perry, a Republican, supports efforts to "clarify the unintended consequences" of that law, Miner said.

"The governor has always believed and advocated that marriage is between a man and a woman," Miner said.

Williams said he understands that some people's gender cannot easily be determined when they are born and they later have an operation that could change the originally assigned gender.

"It is an emotional issue," Williams said. "I can appreciate that."

But when asked about claims of discrimination, Williams insisted his goal is to simplify marriage licensing for clerks who are trying to balance the 2009 law with the 1999 Texas appeals court ruling.

"They shouldn't have to resolve these issues," Williams said. "We have confused them."

Williams' legislation has cleared a committee vote and now awaits approval by the full Senate, which is predominantly Republican. The version in the GOP-dominated House has not yet been given a hearing.

Some advocates for the transgendered say that even if the legislation is passed, transgendered people could still get marriage licenses using other state and federally-issued documents such as a drivers' license or passport. But without the weight of a court order officially recognizing their gender reassignment, they worry any legal challenge, such as a divorce or estate dispute, would nullify the marriage.


"We want to be recognized as people. We want to have the same rights as all of you," Lisa Scheps of the Transgender Education Network of Texas said at a March hearing on Williams' bill. No one testified in favor of the legislation.

Kolkhorst, who authored the 2009 law that allowed the sex change documentation to be used in getting marriage licenses, did not respond to messages left at her office seeking comment on why she now wants to take it out.

The 2009 law originally was filed without the sex change document provision, but House records show Kolkhorst put it in as part of a lengthy amendment in the last month of the session. The changed legislation passed the House and Senate and Perry signed it into law a month later.


AP
In this April 20, 2011 photo, Nikki Araguz stands in front of a monument to fallen volunteer... View Full Caption

"It would be terrible for Texas, now that it finally caught up with the rest of the country, to take a step back," said Shannon Minter, an attorney for the national Transgender Law and Policy Institute. He said most states allow marriages for people who have undergone sex reassignment surgery.

Nikki Araguz was at the Capitol last week to lobby against the legislation. Her husband, a volunteer firefighter, was killed in the line of duty in July and she is being sued by her dead husband's family over control of his $600,000 estate.

Araguz had a final sex change operation in October 2008, two months after they were married, and says her husband knew and supported her. His family argues the marriage should be voided because Araguz was born a man and same-sex marriage is not legal in Texas. A hearing is scheduled for May 13.

"This is crazy. I feel like this is a personal attack on me," Araguz told The Associated Press. "If this bill is passed, it essentially means women like myself who have had reconstructive surgery will not be allowed to marry their heterosexual partner."

[EnderD_503]

This morning the Dallas County Commision voted 3-2 to include gender identity and expression to the existing non-discrimination policy. The vote was split down party lines with Democrats Judge Clay Jenkins, Commissioner Wiley Price, and Commissioner Dr. Elba Garcia voting for the measure.

This vote came just a month after sexual orientation was added to the non-discrimination policy by the commission unanimously on March 22nd, following a campaign promise by Judge Jenkins. Jenkins later stated that the commission had been under the false impression that adding sexual orientation would cover trans people as well.

Maurine Dickey, a Republican Commissioner whose district includes Oak Lawn a gay neighborhood, voted for adding sexual orientation but voted against trans rights. In the run up to the vote for adding trans people to the non-discrimination policy, Dickey was hoped to be the third vote while Price was undecided. However in an interview with the Dallas Voice Dickey compared the measure to giving protections to “overweight people” and “people with diabetes” raising controversy over her transphobia and questions as to why those people did not deserve protections too.

This bill’s passage comes as the Texas legislature is pushing for a bill to make it harder for trans people to marry within the state. Including trans people in existing non-discrimination policy at the city, county, state or federal level is still widely contested and, while progress is made in some places, there are places like Maine which are seeking to remove existing protections. Dallas County’s status as the ninth most populous county in the United States makes this a major victory for the trans community both at a local level and in the overall fight for trans rights.

http://lezgetreal.com/2011/04/dallas-county-votes-to-protect-trans-rights/

[EnderD_503]

Despite the complete support of her colleagues and direct superiors within Southeastern Oklahoma State University's English, humanities and language department, Rachel Tudor, a professor of American and Native American literature, modernity and theory, humanities, composition and philosophy, has been denied tenure and informed that her employment will be terminated as of the end of this spring semester.

According to Claire Potter, a professor of American studies and history at Wesleyan University, Tudor has an amazing record as a scholar, teacher and colleague at the university and has been highly recommended by the tenure review committee. However, the dean and vice president of academic affairs deem Tudor's "lifestyle" inappropriate, so they have taken actions to make sure Tudor leaves.

Tudor is transgender.

After her complete transition, the human resources department told Tudor she could only use the single handicap bathroom located quite a distance from her office. As a result, she could only assume that Douglas McMillan, the vice president of academic affairs, made such an outrageous request.

In the past, for instance, he had openly asserted that Tudor's lifestyle "offends his Baptist beliefs." Discrimination in the workplace is illegal, but when officials hide their true intentions in rewritten policies and administrative bullshit, such cases are hard to prove. Unfortunately, this is where Tudor finds herself.

To my dismay, this situation is not surprising, especially considering Oklahoma does not have a transgender anti-discrimination law. The Human Rights Campaign states that Oklahoma's anti-discrimination law covers race, creed, gender, color or national origin, but not gender identity or sexual orientation.

Furthermore, Oklahoma does not have any hate crime laws that include crimes committed based on sexual orientation or gender identity. As asserted by Jim Burroway, editor of the blog Box Turtle Bulletin, even though Congress requires the FBI to track hate crimes, including those based on sexual orientation and gender identity, Oklahoma does not provide the necessary data to the FBI. Oklahoma law does not require local law enforcement to submit these details to the FBI or work with the FBI on crimes labeled as hates crimes based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

In the end, transgendered people have very little working in their favor in Oklahoma, as we can see with Tudor. However, Oklahoma is a place that needs people who care about other people. So instead of giving up and leaving Oklahoma to the haters, lets make our voices heard.

To support Tudor's cause, please write a letter to the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education requesting SEOSU renew Tudor's contract and give her a fair tenure hearing based on her qualifications as a scholar, teacher and colleague.

http://www.ocolly.com/opinion/transgender-professor-denied-tenure-terminated-1.2208077

[Soon]

http://www.ocolly.com/opinion/transgender-professor-denied-tenure-terminated-1.2208077

How horrible. Thanks for posting this story.

[Soon]

News release from U.S, Department of Labor:

US Department of Labor announces renewed commitment to fair treatment and equal opportunity for all of its employees
New policy statements prohibit discrimination based on gender identity and pregnancy


WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor today announced its full commitment to implementing equal employment opportunity policies for all department employees and applicants. The policies ensure equal protections for all employees and applicants regardless of race; color; religion; national origin; sex, including pregnancy and gender identity; age; disability, whether physical or mental; genetic information; status as a parent; sexual orientation; or other non-merit factor. New, robust statements signed by Secretary Solis include updated policies on prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sex, including gender identity and pregnancy.

Secretary Solis strongly supports fair equal employment opportunity policies, and creating diversity and fairness in the workplace.

“I am expressing my personal commitment to ensure that the U.S. Department of Labor is a model workplace, free from unlawful discrimination and harassment, which fosters a work environment that fully utilizes the capabilities of every employee,” said Secretary Solis. “It is my goal that we achieve and maintain a high-quality, diverse workforce at all organizational levels throughout the department.”

The Labor Department is required to issue annual written policy statements expressing the secretary’s commitment to equal employment opportunity and a workplace free of discriminatory harassment, pursuant to 29 Code of Federal Regulations Part 1614, Federal Sector Equal Employment Opportunity, and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s Management Directive 715. The EEOC’s directive identifies minimum requirements for the policy statements.

The statements issued by Secretary Solis articulate stronger protections and establish responsibilities to ensure meaningful adherence to equal employment opportunity throughout the department. They have been disseminated to all current employees and will be disseminated to new employees during orientation as well as to employees who are promoted into supervisory ranks.

The department’s policies on equal employment opportunity and harassing conduct in the workplace can be viewed at http://www.dol.gov/oasam/programs/crc/crc-internal/eeo.htm and http://www.dol.gov/oasam/programs/crc/crc-internal/Policy-Statement-on-Harassing-Conduct-in-the-Workplace.htm.



Read more: http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/2011/04/us-labor-department-strives-to-be-model-workplace-for-gay-transgender-employees.html#ixzz1KsCBTWpO

[Linus]

http://www.care2.com/causes/civil-rights/blog/white-house-to-hold-trans-meeting/

In a White House first, trans groups have been invited to a closed-door meeting in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building to exclusively discuss federal trans-related issues. The meeting will take place Friday, April 29, and will not be open to the public.

It is expected that a federal, trans-inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) will be a topic of discussion as well as health policy as it relates to trans people, but a formal agenda has not been announced.

From The Washington Blade (http://www.washingtonblade.com/2011/04/27/white-house-to-host-first-ever-trans-meeting/):

Shin Inouye, a White House spokesperson, said the meeting, which is set to take place Friday at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, will include transgender leaders who work on federal policy.

"OPE routinely holds meetings with various stakeholders to discuss various policy issues," Inouye said. "Friday's meeting, like most OPE meetings, will be closed press and off the record."
Additionally, Inouye said the meeting will be the first ever for the Office of Public Engagement where transgender issues are the sole focus of discussion.

"While transgender issues have been covered in previous OPE meetings, and transgender leaders have been included in other OPE meetings, this would be the first time OPE has held a meeting solely focused on transgender issues," Inouye said.
Mara Keisling, executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality, said she plans to attend the meeting.
"This is the first president who has allowed trans people -- really allowed LGBT people -- to bring forward problems and then advocate for them," Keisling said. "In the Bush administration, we couldn't even do that. They wouldn't even listen to us. They didn't care what our problems were. In fact, they were making most of our problems."

[Read more from trans advocates over at Washington Blade. (http://www.washingtonblade.com/2011/04/27/white-house-to-host-first-ever-trans-meeting/)]


With the United States House of Representatives dominated by the GOP it would seem doubtful that there will be any significant moves on a federal ENDA.

As such, advocates have pressed for President Obama to issue an LGBT-inclusive executive order on workplace discrimination. This would only impact businesses contracting with the federal government and would not be as lasting as an Act of Congress but would be a good stop-gap measure until conditions are more favorable for ENDA.

Whether this possibility will be discussed during Friday's meeting is unknown, but you can read more the precedent for an executive order here. (http://www.care2.com/causes/civil-rights/blog/on-workplace-discrimination-some-lgbt-advocates-turn-attention-to-executive-order/)

For more on ENDA, please click here. (http://www.care2.com/causes/tag/employment_nondiscrimination_act/)

[Linus]

http://money.cnn.com/2009/04/27/smallbusiness/workplace_tolerance.fsb/index.htm

I actually identify with the positive response that these individuals have experienced.

[Thinker]

Outstanding!

The same bill passed Nevada's Assembly and is now going before the state Senate. The governor has also indicated he would sign it into law.

*fingers crossed*

It took a while, but it passed the state Senate with an 11-10 vote; however, they added an amendment that employers could require appropriate workplace clothing and grooming.

Now it has to go back to the state Assembly because of the amendment.

Way to go, Nevada!

http://www.lvrj.com/news/senate-narrowly-passes-bill-prohibiting-transgender-discrimination-in-nevada-121658208.html?ref=208

[Camo Eagle]

Maybe the heat of Nevada is preferable to the heat in Texas.

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/04/25/texas-bill-would-strip-away-transgender-marriage-rights/

[Thinker]

Maybe the heat of Nevada is preferable to the heat in Texas.

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/04/25/texas-bill-would-strip-away-transgender-marriage-rights/

I was born and raised in Houston and spent a number of years in San Antonio too. I can ASSURE you the heat of Nevada is preferable to the heat in Texas...especially northern Nevada.

Saw that story... *shaking head*

[Mister Bent]

http://money.cnn.com/2009/04/27/smallbusiness/workplace_tolerance.fsb/index.htm

I actually identify with the positive response that these individuals have experienced.

I try to see it this way, too, that so much is really just the result of the limitations of others.

"I think some people are just limited," says Ferraiolo. "Even if they knew how much it hurt my soul when they use the wrong pronoun, I'm not sure they would stop."

[EnderD_503]

[May 13] Cher’s son, Chaz Bono, formerly known as Chastity Sun Bono, underwent gender reassignment surgery to become a man. In a controversial decision, both personally with his mother, and in the LGBT community, Chaz courageously lived through the entire ordeal with his mother, singer Cher and girlfriend Jennifer Elia at his side. In an interview with talk show host Oprah Winfrey on her show, The Oprah Winfrey Show, he discusses his thoughts on arriving at the decision to transition from a woman to a man, the status of his ongoing dating relationship with girlfriend Jennifer Elia, and how he feels he would like to talk to Brangelina’s daughter Shiloh who has been nicknamed a tomboy by the media for her choice to wear boy’s fashions.

In terms of the relationship he now shares with longtime girlfriend Jennifer Elia, Chaz commented he feels they have gone through a rough transition, but they are now at a more comfortable place. His relationship with mother Cher has also improved. Initially Cher, while never outwardly negative in regards to Chaz’s process, was somewhat standoffish about the whole ordeal. Now, however, they seem to have come to an amicable moment in the ongoing development of their adult child – parent relationship.

...

Parents are often faced with difficultly decisions. In raising a child, concerns over sexuality and gender are tough issues to cope with alone. Chaz’s offer may open the door for Shiloh or other children to discuss their thoughts with parents. Identity development is a crucial part of childhood development, even more so as a teenager. Having access to social support and community sources can alleviate the burden of dealing with them alone, either as parents or the children living with the concerns.

...

What do you think of Chaz’s offer? How would you react if your child claimed they wanted to change their sex?


http://www.examiner.com/lgbt-relationships-in-national/transgendered-news-chaz-bono-wishes-help-celebrity-child

On the one hand, we don't know how Shiloh feels/thinks. On the other hand, the information and resources should be out there for parents, so having someone like Chaz voicing what those resources are is good, I think. If I had a third hand (:p), I would say that I feel sorry for the children of celebrities...Shiloh shouldn't have to live in the limelight like that with the whole world wondering what Shiloh "is." It's just stupid.

[Soon]

Stuck at the Border Between the Sexes (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/22/fashion/stuck-at-the-border-between-the-sexes-modern-love.html?_r=1&src=recg)

[Chancie]

http://money.cnn.com/2009/04/27/smallbusiness/workplace_tolerance.fsb/index.htm

I actually identify with the positive response that these individuals have experienced.

Stuck at the Border Between the Sexes (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/22/fashion/stuck-at-the-border-between-the-sexes-modern-love.html?_r=1&src=recg)

Interesting articles. Thanks.

[Quintease]

I'm not sure where to put this, but someone may find it interesting:

A blog about what's in your pants http://www.originalplumbing.com/2011/05/22/roccoblog-to-pack-or-not-to-pack/

[Thinker]

Nevada's employment non-discrimination bill has been signed into law by the governor (he broke ranks with the Republicans on this one). Good job, Gov. Sandoval!

http://www.lvrj.com/news/sandoval-signs-transgender-job-discrimination-bill-122529078.html

[EnderD_503]

Read an awesome article in the Mirror today that told the story and experiences of a British transman. It was cool to see that the article just told it like he said and like it was instead of making assumptions, insults or falling into the usual stereotypes.

The man who was born a girl
by Becky Dickinson, Daily Mirror 25/05/2011

As Jack Chapman walked into his old school for the first time since he’d left 20 years earlier, former pupils and teachers glanced over and then away again, not recognising him.


It’s to be expected at a reunion but Jack had changed more than most – when he’d been there as a teenager in the 80s he was a girl called Julie.

“We all had to collect name badges when we went in and of course mine said Julie on it,” he says. “People kept looking at me and asking each other who I was. Then someone came up to me and said: ‘Sorry, I think you’re in the wrong place’.

“We had to sit on long tables from the 1960s to 1990s,” Jack, now 40, says. “It was like being invisible. I could see and recognise people but they had no idea who I was.”

Most people assumed Jack had been in sixth form, as the all-girls’ school later took boys. “But they looked at the dates on my badge and saw that couldn’t have been the case,” he says.

Other people thought he must have been someone’s partner, but Jack explained he was once a girl.

Then he met his form teacher. “I pulled out an old school photo with the yellow wall background and said: ‘Look, here I am.’ She stared and said ‘That’s nice, dear’.”

But, as Jack looks at an old school photo of himself, even he has trouble recognising the 16-year-old in the picture. The eyes are still the same shade of green, but everything else has changed. The jaw is thicker, the hair has receded, the shoulders are muscular.

Looking at himself as a small child is even stranger – the long hair and delicate features are gone. He’s even had his ears pinned back.

In fact, it’s hard to believe he’s looking at the same person. That’s because Jack was born a girl and, for the first 30 years of his life, was Julie.

From as early as he remembers, Jack knew he was different. He says: “My parents used to put me in dresses but I never felt happy. I loved it when I got hand-me-downs from my older male cousins.”


More: http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2011/05/25/the-girl-who-went-back-to-school-a-boy-115875-23154617/

[blackboot]

Transgender rights victory in Vermont
May 25, 2011
by taskforceblog

Congratulations to advocates in Vermont, and a special thank you to Rep. Bill Lippert and state health officials, who worked on tremendously important legislation relating to gender changes on birth certificates.

Although some other states allow gender changes without proof of surgery in their policies, Vermont becomes the very first to have clear language in its statute that makes clear surgery is not necessary to update one’s birth certificate.

It was our pleasure to provide consultation, along with GLAD, on state-of-the-art language in the statute so Vermont could modernize this law.

The trend against requiring surgery for identity documents is growing, with many states abandoning old-fashioned surgery requirements. The Department of State modernized its policy on passports in 2009. And, the policy for “Consular Reports of Birth Abroad,” which are federal birth certificates for U.S. citizens born outside of the U.S., also no longer requires proof of surgery.

A similar bill is being considered in California and advocates are working in other states as well. For many years, gender on driver’s licenses in many states has not been dependent on showing medical treatments.

[Thinker]

What a great piece! Thanks for sharing it.


Read an awesome article in the Mirror today that told the story and experiences of a British transman. It was cool to see that the article just told it like he said and like it was instead of making assumptions, insults or falling into the usual stereotypes.



More: http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2011/05/25/the-girl-who-went-back-to-school-a-boy-115875-23154617/

[Jess]

from: http://glaadblog.org/2011/07/11/connecticut-gov-dannel-malloy-signs-transgender-non-discrimination-bill/


On July 5, Connecticut Gov. Dannel P. Malloy (D) signed legislation that will prohibit discrimination in employment, housing, credit and public accommodations based on gender identity or expression. The law (“An Act Concerning Discrimination,” or HB 6599) was passed by the House of Representatives (77-62) on May 19 and the Senate (20-16) on June 4. It will go into effect on October 1, 2011, at which time Connecticut will become the 15th state (along with the District of Columbia) with a law that protects transgender people from discrimination.
Immediately following the Senate vote in June, Gov. Malloy called the bill’s passage a step forward “for equal rights for all of Connecticut’s citizens.”
“It’s the right thing to do,” said Gov. Malloy in a written statement released shortly after the Senate vote was taken. “It’s difficult enough for people who are grappling with the issue of their gender identity, and discrimination against them has no place in our society.”
In the lead-up to the Senate vote back in June – the bill’s final hurdle – GLAAD worked closely with Dr. Jerimarie Leisegang, the director of the Connecticut TransAdvocacy Coalition, to ensure that journalists throughout Connecticut reported on the bill in a fair, accurate and inclusive manner.
Gov. Malloy signing the Connecticut bill into law is but the latest in a string of remarkable gains on transgender issues across the country.
GLAAD thanks Gov. Malloy for signing this important bill into law, and we congratulate all of our colleagues in Connecticut, many of whom have worked tirelessly for seven years to see the passage of this bill come to fruition. We look forward to October 1, when the law goes into effect, and to the day when it is illegal to discriminate against transgender people in all 50 states. In the meantime, we strongly encourage the media to report on the significance of what passing this non-discrimination bill will mean for transgender people in Connecticut. For more information on the prevalence of discrimination within the transgender community, please see the report “Injustice at Every Turn: A Report of the National Transgender Discrimination Survey,” released earlier this year by the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF).

[Jess]

from: http://www.gayrva.com/2011/07/15/transgender-flight-attendants-recruited/



In January, 2011, the newly formed Thai airline company, called PC Air, hired six transgender women to be flight attendants. Over 100 transgender women applied for the job with more to be hired in the future.

As reported by the Daily Telegram, PC Airline president said, “I think these people can have many careers – not just in the entertainment business – and many of them have a dream to be an air hostess. I just made their dream come true. Our society has changed. It’s evolution. I’m a pioneer and I’m sure there will be other organizations following my idea.”

Oddly, the transgender air hostesses will be required to wear special gold name badges, that will identify them to passenge.


This last bit, I agree, seems "odd". I'm not sure why they are asked to wear a different color name tag and I wonder if the author of the article contacted the airline owner to ask.

[Jess]

Curiosity got the best of me, so I found a couple more articles regarding this. I am also writing the airline and asking them about the "gold" name tags.

This article was a little more in depth:
from: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1355555/PC-Air-launches-worlds-ladyboy-Thai-airline.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Come fly with us! P.C. Air launches as the world's first 'ladyboy' airline

A new Thai airline is hiring transsexuals as flight attendants, aiming at a unique identity to set itself apart from competitors as it sets out for the skies.

Known as 'katoeys' or 'ladyboys,' transgenders and transsexuals have greater visibility in Thailand than in many other nations, holding mainstream jobs in a variety of fields.

They are especially common in cosmetics shops or health stores, which almost always have a ladyboy shop assistant.

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/02/10/article-1355555-0D198C49000005DC-935_634x408.jpg

PC Air, a charter airline set to start operations on Asian routes in April, originally planned only to hire male and female flight attendants.

But it changed its mind after receiving more than 100 job applications from transvestites and transsexuals.

Four were chosen, along with 19 female and 7 male flight attendants.

While the airline strives for equality, PC Air president Peter Chan, who chooses the transsexual cabin crew himself, said he needed to spend longer with interviews for such applicants.

'For male flight attendants, if I don't want to hire them, it's because of their attitude or their characters, like the way they walk and smile.

'When I knew that I got this job, I burst into tears because I'm very happy,' said 24-year-old Chayathisa Nakmai.

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/02/10/article-1355555-0D1E68D3000005DC-487_634x459.jpg

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/02/10/article-1355555-0D19BC3C000005DC-729_634x452.jpg

'I had sent many applications to different airlines.'

The airline said that the qualifications for the ladyboy flight attendants were the same as for female flight attendants, with the additional provisos that they be like women in how they walk and talk, and have a feminine voice and the right attitude.

Though there is very little discrimination against ladyboys in Thailand, they are not officially recognised as women and their identification cards will always say 'male'.

'For female flight attendants, if they have no patience and their character does not qualify, we won't hire them,' he added.

'For transsexuals, we can't just spend five or 10 minutes with them, we have to spend the whole day with them to make sure they have feminine characters.'

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/02/10/article-1355555-0D198DF0000005DC-444_634x451.jpg

The airline said it may hire more flight attendants from the 'third gender' in the future since the Department of Civil Aviation has no objections.

Though excited by the opportunity, the transsexual flight attendants said they were aware they needed to prove themselves.

'People will keep their eyes on us... There will be more pressure,' said Dissanai Chitpraphachin, 23, who was crowned as Thailand's most beautiful transvestite in 2007.

'We have to prepare ourselves more than the women.'

The airline is initially set to fly to South Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore and China.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Based on the comments from the airline, while they are willing to hire transsexuals and transvestites, I would be willing to bet my beautiful old beast of a truck that they would NOT hire effeminate men or butch women. So, I'm not so sure PC Air really is PC. Moreover, I think they may well be very misogynistic, in their intense "need" for women to be beautiful and "feminine".

Wolf/ sheeps clothing?

[EnderD_503]

I think it's very important to look at the transphobia related to hiring only katoeys, in particular. I say transphobia especially, because I firmly believe that it's important for trans rights to recognise the differences/uniqueness between transphobia vs. misogyny or homophobia. It's important for trans visibility to recognise transphobia as distinct and within its own right. I think it's important to discuss that when it comes to an article or topic relating to trans issues.

I do think the airline in question is being extremely transphobic as it is intent on using katoeys as commodities. Katoeys may have achieved a higher level of visibility within Thai culture, but they have not necessarily reached a higher level of respect, given that most katoeys are employed in sex work, the beauty industry or other similar industries. They have a difficult time finding work outside those industries in Thailand, and so I think it's rather telling that this airline is intent on hiring katoeys and using them for publicity.

It's also interesting to note that transmen are pretty much entirely invisible in Thai culture, so when you say (or the article says) that the airline is now hiring transfolks, they are actually only hiring katoeys who are distinct from a number of others along the trans spectrum. Why? Because of the "notoriety" and "image" of katoeys specifically.

Just like the thread I started a while back about Pakistani transwomen in particular being targeted by the government to be hired as tax collectors, it's obvious trans people are once more being used by people who really couldn't care less about them, and non-trans society's curiosities and fears regarding trans people being played up in order for the role/publicity to be successful.

Edit: Also about your comments about not hiring effeminate men (who can also be considered katoey) or butch women. I'm not sure how correct you are there, unless you've read something I've not. Thai society interacts with these identities differently than Western society.

[Jess]

I think it's very important to look at the transphobia related to hiring only katoeys, in particular. I say transphobia especially, because I firmly believe that it's important for trans rights to recognise the differences/uniqueness between transphobia vs. misogyny or homophobia. It's important for trans visibility to recognise transphobia as distinct and within its own right. I think it's important to discuss that when it comes to an article or topic relating to trans issues.

I do think the airline in question is being extremely transphobic as it is intent on using katoeys as commodities. Katoeys may have achieved a higher level of visibility within Thai culture, but they have not necessarily reached a higher level of respect, given that most katoeys are employed in sex work, the beauty industry or other similar industries. They have a difficult time finding work outside those industries in Thailand, and so I think it's rather telling that this airline is intent on hiring katoeys and using them for publicity.

It's also interesting to note that transmen are pretty much entirely invisible in Thai culture, so when you say (or the article says) that the airline is now hiring transfolks, they are actually only hiring katoeys who are distinct from a number of others along the trans spectrum. Why? Because of the "notoriety" and "image" of katoeys specifically.

Just like the thread I started a while back about Pakistani transwomen in particular being targeted by the government to be hired as tax collectors, it's obvious trans people are once more being used by people who really couldn't care less about them, and non-trans society's curiosities and fears regarding trans people being played up in order for the role/publicity to be successful.

Edit: Also about your comments about not hiring effeminate men (who can also be considered katoey) or butch women. I'm not sure how correct you are there, unless you've read something I've not. Thai society interacts with these identities differently than Western society.

I get your point in wanting to separate the trans issues from the other obvious issues of sexism. Point taken. I do get the "sideshow/freakshow" attention the airline seems intent on profiting from.

Regarding your "edit", I am quite sure I said it was my own take on what the article read to "me". I gathered my guess on the statements of how long they spent with the transwomen to "make sure they were feminine enough", which at least in my 48 years I have rarely found many butch women who would pass that test, mostly because we wouldn't have the patience to tolerate the bullshit of it.

Not being familiar with the specific ways in which the population of Thailand interacts with these identities, you may be correct in that I may be wrong. I am reading this article strictly from my limited knowledge base and to me, it seems quite clear the airline exercises several forms of gender based discrimination. I placed it in the trans issues thread, as the title of the articles were geared toward how "trans-friendly" they "appear" to be.

[Blade]

http://www.transpoc.com/default.html
TransPeople of Color Coalition (TPOCC) is the only national social justice organization that promotes the interest of Trans People of Color. TPOCC is an organization to inspire and nurture collaboration among communities of color dedicated to anti-racism and fighting transphobia and the empowerment of transgender persons of color. We work to strengthen and mobilize individuals, families, and communities by changing laws, educating the public, and building social and economic strength among all persons of color

http://www.awarenessmovement.org/default.html
We are a Not-For-Profit Organization and support group with the sole purpose of providing a better life for all Transgendered individuals. Our organization is based on the belief that all Transpeople should have a voice and have equal rights. We will not continue to sit back and be invisible.

[weatherboi]

http://feministing.com/2011/09/15/10-year-old-trans-girl-on-being-bullied-by-adults-and-accepted-by-her-peers/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

I love it when we get to hear from young people about what’s going on in their own lives. Too often, the voices of those most impacted by youth issues are ignored in favor of adults. So I was glad to read the words of a 10-year-old trans girl in England who returned to school this year presenting her actual gender.

The girl’s mom told the Worcester News (in an article unfortunately trapped in the “trapped in the wrong body” frame, but which does keep the girl’s identity anonymous) that the school administration has been supportive of letting her daughter present as a girl, but some parents have walked by them muttering, “That’s that freak family. That’s that freak child.”

Her mom said there has been some bullying from the girl’s peers, but that the cruelty has mostly come from adults. Now let’s hear from the girl herself about how she’s been treated by her friends at school. From an interview on BBC 5 Live, via Pink News:

Of her friends, she said: “They haven’t really said anything. It’s been a little eye-up and then, ‘Whatever’.

“They haven’t really taken any notice. There have been a couple of little glitches but that’ll pass.”

However, she said she was forced to change for games in the disabled toilet after parents complained.

“It is split for girls and boys, but in PE and stuff I do have to be with the boys’ team,” she said.

“But my friends stick up for me and say, ‘He feels like a girl so he can be on the girls’ team’.”

I hope it’s clear that the acceptance she’s felt from her peers is much more important than the specific pronoun they use. Yes, language matters, but I know I greatly prefer the support I get from a friend who genuinely accepts me as myself, even if they’re not up on all the lingo, to someone who talks the talk but doesn’t ultimately treat my identity as valid.

Further, this girl’s experience is a pretty great refutation of “won’t somebody think of the children!”-type moral panic. Actually, seems like the kids will be fine, provided adults don’t poison them with their own hateful ideas.

h/t Dr. Jillian Weiss

[J. Mason]

What does everyone think about the repeal of don't ask, don't tell? Does this apply to the trans community?

[Jess]

Interesting question, J. Mason. I am not really sure how the military "deals" with or doesn't "deal" with trans persons. I guess I see it ( and this maybe my lack of knowledge) as a separate issue.
DADT, I think, speaks exclusively to the homosexual population within the ranks. I would think that trans issues may be different in a couple of ways, in that a) not all trans persons are homosexual and b) housing/ job assignments/etc are based on physical expression of gender/sex in the military. There really isn't a way to enter the military and "pass" as a sex/gender other than birth assigned, as everyone goes through a pretty thorough physical exam.

It is a very interesting question. I don't personally know any trans people serving ( past or present), but would be interested in hearing how they dealt with it ( serving actively) and how they were treated.

Thanks.

[Corkey]

What does everyone think about the repeal of don't ask, don't tell? Does this apply to the trans community?

To answer your question. DADT was only dropped for LBG people. Trans people were never in the equation, ever. I do think this needs to be addressed as there are Trans people who have served, but did not transition during their service. For a person such as myself who did serve, I did so as a female bodied person, even though my mind said otherwise. So far the legal issues have been only for our LBG sisters and brothers, it has left the Trans community high and dry. So will out LBG sisters and brothers get behind including their Trans brothers and sisters? I guess we'll have to wait and see. Personally I don't see LBG folks racing to include Transpeople in most anything. This site being the exception to the rule.

[DapperButch]

Actually, seems like the kids will be fine, provided adults don’t poison them with their own hateful ideas.

Exactly. Kids don't think there is something wrong with "difference" until we tell them there is.

[J. Mason]

Ugh that just sucks that us trans folks were not included in the DADT.

[Corkey]

Ugh that just sucks that us trans folks were not included in the DADT.

Nor ENDA, there still time to fight for this one.

[J. Mason]

Nor ENDA, there still time to fight for this one.

True but still I feel the trans folks should have been included in the DADT

[Toughy]

Nor ENDA, there still time to fight for this one.

The ENDA passed by the House (under Speaker Pelosi) in 2011 was trans-inclusive. It died in the Senate like hundreds of other bills passed by that House. Obama has said he will sign a trans-inclusive bill if it ever gets to his desk.

[Nadeest]

Jess, I didn't even realize that I was trans until long after I got out of the military. Therefore, I was treated as a male and was fine with that.
However, from what I understand (and I could certainly be completely wrong), the military would probably treat it as if it were a mental illness and immediately discharge the person if they disclose that they are transsexual. Most of the people that I know that are vets didn't disclose or do anything until after their enlistment had expired.

[DapperButch]

Jess, I didn't even realize that I was trans until long after I got out of the military. Therefore, I was treated as a male and was fine with that.
However, from what I understand (and I could certainly be completely wrong), the military would probably treat it as if it were a mental illness and immediately discharge the person if they disclose that they are transsexual. Most of the people that I know that are vets didn't disclose or do anything until after their enlistment had expired.

http://www.sldn.org/news/archives/ncte-and-sldn-advise-transgender-service-members-coming-out-may-lead-to-dis/

[Jess]

Jess, I didn't even realize that I was trans until long after I got out of the military. Therefore, I was treated as a male and was fine with that.
However, from what I understand (and I could certainly be completely wrong), the military would probably treat it as if it were a mental illness and immediately discharge the person if they disclose that they are transsexual. Most of the people that I know that are vets didn't disclose or do anything until after their enlistment had expired.

That's kind of what I was thinking. That it would be viewed as an "illness" and a psych discharge would probably ensue.

Thanks for sharing your story.

[weatherboi]

Occupy Wall Street: NYPD Chains Transgender Man To Jail Restroom For 8 Hours


A transgender man arrested Saturday as part of the Occupy Wall Street protest at the Brooklyn Bridge was verbally and physically humiliated by the New York Police Department (NYPD), including being inappropriately patted-​down, segregated from other arrested persons, refused repeated requests for food — despite the fact that other prisoners were fed — and chained for eight hours to the wall of a restroom in an NYC jail, according to a statement he released.

“The NYC police department needs to have a protocol and train its officers on how to treat transgender people. No one should experience the blatant discrimination and embarrassment that I did,” writes justin adkins (who spelled his name in all lower-​case letters) in a statement he released that includes the following:

They took me away from the cellblock where they had all of the protestors locked up and
brought me to a room with 2 cells and a bathroom. One small cell was empty and the
large cell had about 8 men who had been arrested on charges not related to the protest.
Unlike me, these men had been arrested for a variety of crimes, some violent. When I
entered the room they had me sit down in a chair on the same portion of the wall as the
restroom, and then handcuffed my right wrist to a metal handrail. I thought that this was
a temporary arrangement as they tried to find me a separate cell as part of some
protocol regarding transgender people, which I later discovered does not exist in New
York City. After about an hour I realized that they had no intention of moving me. I
remained handcuffed to this bar next to the bathroom for the next 8 hours.

The cells, on the other side of the precinct where they had locked up the other 69
protestors, did not have working toilets so every person who had to use the toilet was brought to the one next to where they had me locked to the railing. This was not only
disgusting but also embarrassing. The smell of urine was so strong that I, and the men
locked up in the cell in the room that I was in, mentioned the odor on more than
one occasion.

Once they started bringing women in to use the bathrooms, a short young female officer,
who was in charge of people locked up in the room where I was handcuffed, harshly
turned my chair around with my arm still locked to the railing but now pinned behind my
back. She said that she knew it hurt but that they were bringing in women to use the
restroom and she could not have me watching. I had no interest in watching anyone use
the bathroom, and every-​time a male had come into use the restroom I had respectfully
turned away. This process of people coming in and out to use the restroom went on for
the full 8 hours.

I was distinctly treated differently than the other protestors during my entire time at
Precinct 90 in Brooklyn. At one point in the night all of the protestors were given a
peanut butter sandwich and water. I asked for a sandwich three times but of all of the
officers who came in and out of the room where I was handcuffed never acknowledged
my request. I think this was because when I asked for a sandwich the men locked up in
the room I was in asked for one too. I do not know when or how long those men were
being held but I was there for eight hours and had sat on the bridge for about 2 hours
and was never once offered water or a sandwich when my fellow
protestors received both.

The New Civil Rights Movement has reached out to Speaker Quinn’s office for comment.

In an unrelated statement, NY1 reported yesterday on Saturday’s protest:

Mayor Michael Bloomberg called the Wall Street protests “misguided” on Friday, and on Sunday, in the wake of hundreds of arrests the previous night, the mayor said the New York City Police Department is handling the demonstrators the right way.

“The police did exactly what they were supposed to do,” said the mayor. “It’s very easy to get a permit to protest, to parade in New York City, as long as it doesn’t interfere with other peoples’ rights.”

Organizers at Zuccotti Park did not want to respond to the mayor’s remarks.

Protesters claimed NYPD officers led them onto the roadway on the Brooklyn Bridge Saturday night, then detained and arrested more than 700 demonstrators.

Police said the protesters were warned beforehand.

It was the latest confrontation between the anti-​corporate group and police. A week ago, police pepper sprayed some protesters during a march in Manhattan.

If the demonstrators were expecting much support from local elected officials, they had not received much of it. On Sunday, City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, a leading mayoral candidate, agreed with Bloomberg’s assessment of the latest event.

“We all have the right to protest. The police, when it spills over into civil disobedience, have the right to arrest individuals who are engaging in civil disobedience, as has happened to me a few times,” said Quinn.

Additionally, adkins also states he is “a trans activist and website developer living in Williamstown, MA. He works at Williams College as the Assistant Director of the Multicultural Center where he coordinates LGBTQ programing, advises students and advocates for LGBTQ-​inclusive policies on campus and beyond.”

[J. Mason]

Seriously, wtf? Shakes my head.

[Linus]

Occupy Wall Street: NYPD Chains Transgender Man To Jail Restroom For 8 Hours



A transgender man arrested Saturday as part of the Occupy Wall Street protest at the Brooklyn Bridge was verbally and physically humiliated by the New York Police Department (NYPD), including being inappropriately patted-​down, segregated from other arrested persons, refused repeated requests for food — despite the fact that other prisoners were fed — and chained for eight hours to the wall of a restroom in an NYC jail, according to a statement he released.

“The NYC police department needs to have a protocol and train its officers on how to treat transgender people. No one should experience the blatant discrimination and embarrassment that I did,” writes justin adkins (who spelled his name in all lower-​case letters) in a statement he released that includes the following:

They took me away from the cellblock where they had all of the protestors locked up and
brought me to a room with 2 cells and a bathroom. One small cell was empty and the
large cell had about 8 men who had been arrested on charges not related to the protest.
Unlike me, these men had been arrested for a variety of crimes, some violent. When I
entered the room they had me sit down in a chair on the same portion of the wall as the
restroom, and then handcuffed my right wrist to a metal handrail. I thought that this was
a temporary arrangement as they tried to find me a separate cell as part of some
protocol regarding transgender people, which I later discovered does not exist in New
York City. After about an hour I realized that they had no intention of moving me. I
remained handcuffed to this bar next to the bathroom for the next 8 hours.

The cells, on the other side of the precinct where they had locked up the other 69
protestors, did not have working toilets so every person who had to use the toilet was brought to the one next to where they had me locked to the railing. This was not only
disgusting but also embarrassing. The smell of urine was so strong that I, and the men
locked up in the cell in the room that I was in, mentioned the odor on more than
one occasion.

Once they started bringing women in to use the bathrooms, a short young female officer,
who was in charge of people locked up in the room where I was handcuffed, harshly
turned my chair around with my arm still locked to the railing but now pinned behind my
back. She said that she knew it hurt but that they were bringing in women to use the
restroom and she could not have me watching. I had no interest in watching anyone use
the bathroom, and every-​time a male had come into use the restroom I had respectfully
turned away. This process of people coming in and out to use the restroom went on for
the full 8 hours.

I was distinctly treated differently than the other protestors during my entire time at
Precinct 90 in Brooklyn. At one point in the night all of the protestors were given a
peanut butter sandwich and water. I asked for a sandwich three times but of all of the
officers who came in and out of the room where I was handcuffed never acknowledged
my request. I think this was because when I asked for a sandwich the men locked up in
the room I was in asked for one too. I do not know when or how long those men were
being held but I was there for eight hours and had sat on the bridge for about 2 hours
and was never once offered water or a sandwich when my fellow
protestors received both.

The New Civil Rights Movement has reached out to Speaker Quinn’s office for comment.

In an unrelated statement, NY1 reported yesterday on Saturday’s protest:

Mayor Michael Bloomberg called the Wall Street protests “misguided” on Friday, and on Sunday, in the wake of hundreds of arrests the previous night, the mayor said the New York City Police Department is handling the demonstrators the right way.

“The police did exactly what they were supposed to do,” said the mayor. “It’s very easy to get a permit to protest, to parade in New York City, as long as it doesn’t interfere with other peoples’ rights.”

Organizers at Zuccotti Park did not want to respond to the mayor’s remarks.

Protesters claimed NYPD officers led them onto the roadway on the Brooklyn Bridge Saturday night, then detained and arrested more than 700 demonstrators.

Police said the protesters were warned beforehand.

It was the latest confrontation between the anti-​corporate group and police. A week ago, police pepper sprayed some protesters during a march in Manhattan.

If the demonstrators were expecting much support from local elected officials, they had not received much of it. On Sunday, City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, a leading mayoral candidate, agreed with Bloomberg’s assessment of the latest event.

“We all have the right to protest. The police, when it spills over into civil disobedience, have the right to arrest individuals who are engaging in civil disobedience, as has happened to me a few times,” said Quinn.

Additionally, adkins also states he is “a trans activist and website developer living in Williamstown, MA. He works at Williams College as the Assistant Director of the Multicultural Center where he coordinates LGBTQ programing, advises students and advocates for LGBTQ-​inclusive policies on campus and beyond.”


I don't think anyone would question the arrest. I would, however, question the treatment after the arrest. I hope he sues their asses for this!

[J. Mason]

I found this and thought maybe you guys would wanna read it, I couldn't find a good place to put it but here is a good read.

http://www.xtra.ca/public/Vancouver/Loving_a_trans_man_isnt_easy-10868.aspx

[DapperButch]

I found this and thought maybe you guys would wanna read it, I couldn't find a good place to put it but here is a good read.

http://www.xtra.ca/public/Vancouver/Loving_a_trans_man_isnt_easy-10868.aspx

Really great article. Thanks for posting.

[J. Mason]

Really great article. Thanks for posting.

Your welcome, it kinda showed something from a femmes side of things, which I have never had to experience but its a good read in general.

[EnderD_503]

I found this and thought maybe you guys would wanna read it, I couldn't find a good place to put it but here is a good read.

http://www.xtra.ca/public/Vancouver/Loving_a_trans_man_isnt_easy-10868.aspx

While I do agree that partners should be heard when they voice their concerns over a partner transitioning, there are ways to say it without reducing the word transphobia to something that trans people throw at people at random and framing trans people who call out transphobia when they see it as the "bad guys" in the situation.

I definitely do see transphobia in comments like these:

I looked for support but found very little because partners don’t generally talk about the difficulties we face in transition. Nobody wants to be the one to say, “This fucking hurts,” lest we be judged by the politically fuelled who would label us transphobic.

The Rah-Rah Tranny people on the sidelines say we’re not supposed to grieve the loss of our soulmate to a new gender. We should a) keep it quiet and support the transgender person or b) leave the relationship or c) both.

This, to me, has nothing to do with dealing with your partner's transition and voicing your feelings. I'm really tired of getting this sort of attitude from some LGB folks where other people are entitled to say all sorts of things about trans people, and when trans people respond or even mention the word transphobia, then they're "overreacting/making a big deal out of nothing," "not being sensitive," "being selfish" or trying to "guilt" people into agreeing with them on something.

It actually reminds me a lot of straight people's reactions when queer folks call them out on homophobia. Or people who make sexist comments when they're called out on their sexism. Yet somehow when it comes to trans people, some queer folks can't see how their behaviour mirrors that of those who, in turn, oppress them.

What does "Rah-Rah Tranny people" (seriously, if you're trans and identify as a "tranny", that's cool, but a cis person using the word "tranny" to refer to trans people in general is offensive, in the same way as a white person using the "N" word or a straight person calling gay men "fags") even mean? Apparently they are "politically fueled"? Again, what does that mean? Cause to me a "politically fueled" trans person is someone who fights for their own rights in a society where they don't have equal rights with the rest of the LGB spectrum. In the country the author is from, for example...

Like I said above, I have no problems with partners going through their process of coming to understand or accept their partner. But I feel the author made some comments that were transphobic (zomg, I must be a "rah rah tranny person":blink:). I understand the frustration if the community she is a part of tells her that it's not acceptable to voice her feelings and grief over her partner's transition. I don't think that's good of them to do at all, and it's not something I would support. On the other hand, I don't think she should be expressing her frustrations while make transphobic remarks. It's like justifying homophobia because you had a bad altercation with a queer person, or sexism because you had an altercation with someone of a certain sex. Neither is acceptable in my eyes, and I don't think trans people should have to put up with anymore than anyone else should have to put up with discriminatory comments.

[J. Mason]

I am sorry I didn't see it that way, I saw it as someone who was in pain and hurting, thats the part I could relate to.

[EnderD_503]

I am sorry I didn't see it that way, I saw it as someone who was in pain and hurting, thats the part I could relate to.

Nothing wrong with being in pain and hurting and everyone deserves a supportive environment. A lot of trans forums have sections for SOs and parents to discuss their reactions and feelings to their partner's/children's transitions. A lot of trans support groups up here also offer counseling for SOs and parents. We should all be supportive of that and if I see any SO/parent struggling with this I wouldn't think twice about helping them find a supportive environment.

My point was that using slurs and talking about transphobia like it's something trans people say to guilt trip cis people is channeling that pain into phobic language and accusations is not the way to deal with it. For example, is the parent of a recently "out" queer person entitled to call queer activists "rah rah fags" who "label" them as homophobic for their pain and difficulty in accepting their child's "new sexuality" (which is not necessarily new to the child)?

[EnderD_503]

Detroit Police investigators are searching for a transgender teen who has been missing for two weeks.

Henry Hilliard, Jr., 19, also known as Shelley or Treasure, was last seen at 1:20 a.m. Oct. 23 in the 900 block Longfellow wearing a silver dress, according to request for help issued by the Detroit Police Monday.

A cab driver that Hilliard often used for rides dropped Hilliard off at a home where three men were waiting for her, his mother, Lyniece Nelson, said today.

But Hilliard immediately called the driver back, voicing concern about the situation, Nelson said.

The driver "started to hear her say, 'What are you doing,' then scream out loud 'No,' then her phone dropped, a few muffling noises, then the phone went dead," Nelson said. "By the time he got back around the corner, there was no one in sight."

Hilliard, who models and does hair, hasn't contacted family members or posted on Facebook, both which typically happen every day, Nelson said.

Hilliard has a piercing on the left eyebrow and several tattoos including a design of cherries on the upper right arm, according to police.

Anyone with information is asked to call Detroit Police at 313-596-2200 or Crimestoppers at 1-800-SPEAKUP.


Source: http://www.freep.com/article/20111108/NEWS01/111108011/Detroit-police-search-teen-missing-2-weeks?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|FRONTPAGE|s

[atomiczombie]

Source: http://www.freep.com/article/20111108/NEWS01/111108011/Detroit-police-search-teen-missing-2-weeks?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|FRONTPAGE|s

OMG that's scary, I hope they find her safe and sound.

[Nadeest]

I hope to god that they find her, safe and sound, but I fear for her. If you noticed, the paper actually used the correct pronouns for her twice out of three times, which is at least an improvement, though an uneven one.

[EnderD_503]

I hope to god that they find her, safe and sound, but I fear for her. If you noticed, the paper actually used the correct pronouns for her twice out of three times, which is at least an improvement, though an uneven one.

Yeah. The one place where they mispronouned her is kind of weird, though, cause they use the correct pronoun like quite literally directly before. Very odd. It just looks like really poor editing or something:blink:

[EnderD_503]

Unfortunately it seems that Shelley's body has been officially identified by her mother.

I'm a little confused by the reports, though. They say that she's been missing since the 23rd of October, but that they found a torso later the same day, that was only identified by the mother yesterday. It just seems a bit odd to me. If she was missing since that day, wouldn't they have considered the torso they found the same day and had it identified sooner?

Torso found in Detroit identified as missing transgender teen
Josh Katzenstein/ The Detroit News

Detroit— The Wayne County Medical Examiner's office has confirmed the death of 19-year-old Shelley Hilliard, a transgender teen also known as Treasure, after her mother identified her torso this morning.

The teen, who was born Henry Hilliard, went missing in the early hours of Oct. 23 and was last seen on the 900 block of Longfellow on Detroit's west side.

The Medical Examiner's office received her torso later on Oct. 23, and Lyniece Nelson, Hilliard's mother, identified her this morning.

Nelson said she had no idea who might've done this.

"She was loved by a lot people, a lot of friends a lot of family," Nelson said. "She just brought joy to everyone that she came in contact with. She was always there for her family."

jkatzenstein@detnews.com

(313) 222-2019

From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20111110/METRO01/111100495/Torso-found-in-Detroit-identified-as-missing-transgender-teen#ixzz1dPwSwqVq

[EnderD_503]

I've just read some more details about the murder, which is apparently more gruesome than the above article really articulated. Apparently, her torso was found burned and hidden under a mattress by a highway.

DETROIT (WJBK) - A mother is in tremendous pain after learning her 19-year-old child, who she thought was missing, was in fact murdered in an horrific way.

The body of Shelley Hilliard, a transgender also known as Henry, was found on Detroit's east side on Bewick, just a torso that had been set on fire and covered with a mattress.

"I don't know anybody that would want to do this to her, to do anything to her," said Lyniece Nelson, the victim's mother.

The last anyone had heard from Hillard was the night of October 23rd. Nelson says her daughter had a date and a cab driver dropped her off at a home in the 900 block of Longfellow.

Hilliard asked the cab driver to stay on the phone until she knew it was safe.

"She didn't feel comfortable, to stay on phone with her. He heard her saying a few phrases and heard her saying 'no,' her phone dropped and it was muffled, scuffling noises and then it went dead," Nelson explained.

However, that cab driver never called police, just a friend of Hilliard's who eventually told her mother about what happened.

A few days later, Nelson filed a missing persons report with Detroit Police.

Nelson held out hope, but nearly three weeks later her worst nightmare came true. She got a call from the Wayne County Morgue. Investigators identified Hilliard by some cherry tattoos on her upper arm.

"They showed me the pictures and that was my baby," Nelson said.

It appears Hilliard was killed some time after she was dropped off at that Longfellow address and when parts of her body were discovered on Bewick early that next morning.

"Michele's death wouldn't be the first in our community," said Laura Hughes.

She is the director of the Ruth Ellis Center in Highland Park -- a safe place for lesbian, gay and transgender youth. Hilliard had spent a lot of time there over the last couple of years.

"It's a time for us to reach out an outpouring of love to support her, her friends, her family and to really demand that within our community it's not acceptable for this to happen to a child," Hughes told us.

Hilliard's vicious murder will continue to haunt her mother, who says she will not rest until her killer is caught.

"Whoever did this, you can't hide from God. You can try, but you can't hide from God," she said.

We're told it was a police liaison that works with the morgue that was able to make the connection between the missing persons report and the body.

Source: http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/dpp/news/local/body-found-on-detroit%27s-east-side-identified-as-missing-trangender-teen-20111110-ms

God, this is really sickening.

[Greyson]

I've just read some more details about the murder, which is apparently more gruesome than the above article really articulated. Apparently, her torso was found burned and hidden under a mattress by a highway.



Source: http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/dpp/news/local/body-found-on-detroit%27s-east-side-identified-as-missing-trangender-teen-20111110-ms

God, this is really sickening.


I don't pretend to understand why and how such heartless acts, the taking of a human life appears to be so easy to do, for some. May she rest in some sort of peace and her mother, may she find some relief from the hell she must be going through.

[Nadeest]

I found this very interesting: http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2011/11/15/Trans_Woman_Wants_Ruling_After_Topless_DMV_Fiasco/

I, too, wish that they would make up their tiny little minds. How on earth can they arrest her for performing a female-specific crime, when they claim that she is a male?

[msW8ing]

I've just read some more details about the murder, which is apparently more gruesome than the above article really articulated. Apparently, her torso was found burned and hidden under a mattress by a highway.



Source: http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/dpp/news/local/body-found-on-detroit%27s-east-side-identified-as-missing-trangender-teen-20111110-ms

God, this is really sickening.

Why didn't the cab driver call 911?? Is the cab since he is the only witness giving a description of these animals to the police?? It said that this cab driver was one that she used regularly. Why wouldn't he have walked her to her door to make sure she was safe?? I personally would never allow a young lady to get out of my vehicle with 3 men standing there. I don't understand how some people can live with themselves.

[EnderD_503]

I found this very interesting: http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2011/11/15/Trans_Woman_Wants_Ruling_After_Topless_DMV_Fiasco/

I, too, wish that they would make up their tiny little minds. How on earth can they arrest her for performing a female-specific crime, when they claim that she is a male?

Lol, for sure. Honestly, if there is any logic in the American legal system she should be able to win her case easily...but that not to say that there is any such logic when it comes to how legal systems deal with trans people.

Those laws forbidding women to go topless are ridiculous anyways, imo. They should just get rid of it. They do not protect women as the law claims it does, and neither are topless women "obscene" as such a law suggests they are.

Why didn't the cab driver call 911?? Is the cab since he is the only witness giving a description of these animals to the police?? It said that this cab driver was one that she used regularly. Why wouldn't he have walked her to her door to make sure she was safe?? I personally would never allow a young lady to get out of my vehicle with 3 men standing there. I don't understand how some people can live with themselves.

Yeah, the cab driver's story is really fucked up, too, imo. I haven't seen much follow up on him online, unfortunately, other than police say they were going to re-interview him. That he didn't even call 911 when he heard her being attacked over the phone is pretty ridiculous. Not to mention that he only called her mother after some time had passed. Even if he hadn't waited around to make sure she was safe, he should have called the cops after hearing her being attacked.

[Sparkle]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/16/transgender-equal-rights-bill-massachusetts_n_1097476.html

Massachusetts will become the 16th state to treat transgender citizens as a protected class after legislature passed the Transgender Equal Rights Bill, which not only adds protections to the state's civil rights laws against employment, education, housing and credit discrimination, but also adds gender identity and expression to the state's hate crimes law.

http://www.masstpc.org/

Senate Passes Trans Rights Bill
November 16th, 2011

By a voice vote, the Massachusetts State Senate this morning passed the Transgender Equal Rights bill. Exactly when the Governor, a strong supporter of the bill, will sign it is not yet known. But transgender people across the Commonwealth – approximately 33,000 in number, according to the best available estimates – have cause for celebration today. And advocates can take pride in a broad coalition effort that brought about this significant victory. MTPC is grateful to all who helped make this happen, especially including those legislators who supported the bill’s passage.

[EnderD_503]

Danann Tyler, who was born male but now dresses as a little girl and has long hair, says she was bullied at school and felt hurt by other children telling her she was a boy. These stories of transgender children never cease to amaze me. See photos and watch the video of Danann here…

Follow us @MomsDirtySecret

The eight-year-old MTF (male to female) from Orange County, California, is the subject of a new feature length documentary about transgender people. In a special edition of the Anderson talk show, ‘Children &Teens Caught In The Wrong Bodies’ which is scheduled to air on Wednesday, she told journalist Anderson Cooper: ‘My school, people were telling me that I was a boy and it made me really sad.’

Danann’s parents, Sarah and Bill Tyler, who also appeared on the show, said they did not know what was wrong with their son when, from aged two, he insisted he was a girl. He never had any interest in the toys his elder brother Liam had loved. His sippy cup had to be pink. When a family friend playing dress up put him in a princess gown, he refused to take it off.

Sarah, a yoga instructor, wrote on her blog:

‘When I picked Dana up at Daycare, he was always with a group of girls, playing in the fabulous faux kitchen or with dolls, dressed in one of the many worn princess costumes that had been donated by parents from the past.’

He insisted on being bought, and wearing a pair of Target high heeled slippers -just like hers, she remembered. The family pediatrician dismissed it as a phase. But for her parents the child’s angst was heartbreaking.

Sarah said:

‘Aged about four she [Danann] said, ‘I don’t think God is so great because God made a mistake when he made me.’ Shortly after she talked about cutting off her penis and that concerned me a lot.’

By age six Danann was so unhappy she was threatening to hang herself. Doctors diagnosed the child as bipolar, dyslexic and ADHD and prescribed various medications. The Tylers consulted gay friends, who said that she was probably more than just a gay child.

Eventually the Tylers took the troubled child out of school, as she was getting bullied and was not getting the support she needed from teachers. Bill Tyler, a police officer, said:

‘They would say things like, ‘She has to stop bringing princess backpacks to school, lunch boxes. It’s confusing the kids, and it’s causing a distraction.’

When a therapist eventually showed them a DVD and told them that their child could have gender identity disorder, the Tylers were relieved. The diagnosis immediately rang true, they said, and despite her young age, the concerned parents made the controversial decision to let Danann live her life as if she were female.

Now, a year and a half on, they say it’s like parenting a new little girl. Danann said she is much happier now:

‘I am who I want to be, and that’s well, how I want it.’

The understanding parents say they want to tell their story for two reasons, to educate people and to support those who are dealing with a similar situation. The hardest part is dealing with other people’s reactions when they find out, the Tylers told Anderson. But parents should not feel personally responsible, according to Sarah.

It’s vital that transgender children are given the freedom to be themselves, Danann’s parents believe. Sarah has begun writing a blog about being a transgender parent.

The special episode saw Danann meet other transgender children for the first time. Jackie formerly Jack, Singer, and Tammy, formerly Tom Lobel.

http://mommysdirtylittlesecret.com/2011/11/17/photosvideo-transgender-8-year-old-danann-tyler-explains-why-she-is-happy-living-as-a-girl/

There's also a short video of her at the bottom of the link.

I think this is so great how accepting her parents are. I wish the article was more consistent with pronouns, though. Media still has the annoying tendency of referring to trans people pre-"transition" as the pronouns they were assigned at birth. Especially when she even says in the interview that it hurts when people at school bully her and call her a boy. Notice how her parents use female pronouns no matter what age they refer to her, but yoga teacher and reporter use male pronouns. But overall good to see a more positive reception of trans children! :D I love that we are now seeing more and more cases of accepting parents.

[Linus]

*GASP* Happy employees are productive employees! Who'd thunk it?!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/30/transgender-workplace-happiness-study-_n_1121819.html?ref=transgender

[DapperButch]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/02/neil-patrick-harris-trannies-joke_n_1125662.html

[Ebon]

Neil Patrick Harris Apologizes for 'Live!' Tranny-Wreck

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/12/02/idUS227096637320111202

[EnderD_503]

Neil Patrick Harris Apologizes for 'Live!' Tranny-Wreck

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/12/02/idUS227096637320111202

Don't really care if he apologised or not, personally. If he and GLAAD think the only problem with what he said was his use of the word "tranny" then we've got a problem. The entire joke itself, even if he hadn't used the slur, would have been just as offensive without it.

[DapperButch]

Don't really care if he apologised or not, personally. If he and GLAAD think the only problem with what he said was his use of the word "tranny" then we've got a problem. The entire joke itself, even if he hadn't used the slur, would have been just as offensive without it.

Excellent point!

[Thinker]

Don't really care if he apologised or not, personally. If he and GLAAD think the only problem with what he said was his use of the word "tranny" then we've got a problem. The entire joke itself, even if he hadn't used the slur, would have been just as offensive without it.

I couldn't quite figure out what it was about the whole thing that bothered me. I knew it wasn't his use of the word "tranny". While I comprehend the offensiveness of the term and respect the hell out of the fact that it *is* offensive to so many, I'm not bothered by it personally. So I knew it wasn't that...

But your post cleared it up for me somehow.

If a guy spoke in an uncommonly (uncommon for that individual) soft manner......just came out that way......and said, "I've never sounded more like a fag/gay man/whatever in my life," it would be offensive primarily because of a very tired, negative stereotype.

Or if a woman surprised herself by moving something heavy out of the way and said, "I've never felt more like a dyke/lesbian/whatever in my life," it would also be offensive.......again.......tired, negative stereotype.

So, for me, it was the notion that there is a "way" a transsexual/tranny/whatever sounds. ...that one can distort his/her voice and "sound like a tranny" is the disturbing and offensive part of it......again, for me.

[Ebon]

Don't really care if he apologised or not, personally. If he and GLAAD think the only problem with what he said was his use of the word "tranny" then we've got a problem. The entire joke itself, even if he hadn't used the slur, would have been just as offensive without it.

If he had of said transgendered, transsexual, crossdresser or whatever else that came to his mind to describe people like us people still would have gotten offended. He was referring to Buffalo Bill not transgendered people as a whole. He doesn't strike me as the kind of guy that would go around trying to kill a transgendered person out of hate. I really don't think he realized that he was offending people or what he was saying. It's like people are sitting back and waiting for somebody to say something offensive so they can be offended. Where does it fucking end?

I'm still pissed off about the people chopping up that transgendered woman in Detroit. Some little gay boy saying the word tranny doesn't bother me at all.

[EnderD_503]

If he had of said transgendered, transsexual, crossdresser or whatever else that came to his mind to describe people like us people still would have gotten offended. He was referring to Buffalo Bill not transgendered people as a whole. He doesn't strike me as the kind of guy that would go around trying to kill a transgendered person out of hate. I really don't think he realized that he was offending people or what he was saying. It's like people are sitting back and waiting for somebody to say something offensive so they can be offended. Where does it fucking end?

I'm still pissed off about the people chopping up that transgendered woman in Detroit. Some little gay boy saying the word tranny doesn't bother me at all.

So anything short of chopping us up into pieces isn't fucking transphobia now? Sorry, but that's complete bullshit.

I don't care who he was referring to. I know he was referring to Buffalo Bill. It stated that in the initial article. I don't care if he was referring to one trans person/a representation of a trans person or all of us, it's the same fucking thing and being gay does not give him a free pass to make "jokes" about trans people and their voices, nor throw around slurs. There are enough self-entitled white celebrity gay guys out there thinking it's perfectly fine to do it, to write an entire fucking book about.

"If he had of said transgendered, transsexual, crossdresser or whatever else that came to his mind to describe people like us people still would have gotten offended."

That's exactly what I was just said in the post you replied to. The entire statement suggests that there is something "weird" or "funny" about trans people's voices, whether that person is a movie representation (and the movie representation itself is transphobic for that matter) or a real person. Many trans people go through transition feeling self-conscious about their voices. The number of times I've heard people refer to the voices of transguys as "chipmunk voices" or make what they see as "funny imitations" of what they think transwomen sound like is huge. It's something that happens fairly frequently only to get a laugh.

Nobody is fucking sitting around waiting to be offended. The problem is that the societies we live in still think trans people are fair game for jokes. People need to know why those jokes are offensive. It's not just slurs, it's the entire sentiment behind that joke, and his apology suggests that he doesn't get that at all.

I'm sick of people defending celebrities who seem entirely unaware of the negative effects of their "funny jokes" and "opinions."

[EnderD_503]

I just wanted to come back to the thread and apologies that I came off as really pissed off in my last response. Lately the combination of things going on in my life right now just really have me on "attack mode" for a lot of things that I find completely unjust.

I did mean everything I said in that last post, but I think I also came off as a bit of an ass in some of the language I used and for that I'm sorry. Honestly, it's just really frustrating to have this kind of shit everywhere not only in your own life, but it seems more and more in the newspapers these days as well make it like a fairly strong connection to RL and the news. I know the world won't change in a day, but it sucks to have to fight the same battle over and over again.

[Toughy]

I don't get it either. Hell I don't get the problem with 'tranny' but then I live in the Bay Area and hear transfolks call themselves 'tranny' all the time.

The voice reference most likely has to do with the changes in voice that occur with the use of T (and E). Is it offensive to make fun of a teenage boy when his voice cracks as it changes? It's the same cracking/change I hear when transmen start taking T. Would folks be upset if a transman had made the same joke?

There are ways of saying the same thing in an offensive way or in a non-offensive way. I did not see this as offensive in the way he said it....but offense is in the eye of the beholder.

[atomiczombie]

Well, I don't think he meant anything by it, but it is less than sensitive to the trans people out there who do take offense to the word, and there are plenty of them. I personally don't like the word 'tranny' because it does get used by non-trans people in derogatory ways. If some trans people want to use it as a self-descriptor, that's fine and their right to do so. But I think it would be great if more people, especially in the LGBT community, were aware that it does have that very negative connotation for many transfolks.

[kannon]

I watched the video and it had zero effect on me. I didn't feel offended. IMO, Neil was just making a joke. Yeah, it was at the expense of trans but I know I've sounded pretty funny. It's not a bad thing. If I can't laugh at myself then I'm gonna spend a lot of time being pissed and self-conscious.

It's a pain in the ass when I can't get a loan because the dude on the phone doesn't believe my voice matches up with the rest of my credit info (I'm still listed as female). That really sucked. I have credit with discover. I tried to get a personal loan through them over the phone. I got a letter a few days after I applied saying they could not verify my id. WTF. I just laughed. Obviously, I didn't need the money.

[Ebon]

I watched the video and it had zero effect on me. I didn't feel offended. IMO, Neil was just making a joke. Yeah, it was at the expense of trans but I know I've sounded pretty funny. It's not a bad thing. If I can't laugh at myself then I'm gonna spend a lot of time being pissed and self-conscious.



Exactly, for me personally it's a waste of energy. There will always be someone that doesn't understand or that wants to hate for the sake of being hateful. If I sat around getting offended by every little thing someone said I would live a sad existence. There is a huge difference between someone being right out hateful and someone making a joke. Either way fuck em. I'm not going to let them bring me to their level.

[kannon]

Exactly, for me personally it's a waste of energy. There will always be someone that doesn't understand or that wants to hate for the sake of being hateful. If I sat around getting offended by every little thing someone said I would live a sad existence. There is a huge difference between someone being right out hateful and someone making a joke. Either way fuck em. I'm not going to let them bring me to their level.

I agree. I would have been offended if he had used some derogative descriptor like "I sound like a trannie freak. Now no one will ever take me seriously. "

[Sachita]

Exactly, for me personally it's a waste of energy. There will always be someone that doesn't understand or that wants to hate for the sake of being hateful. If I sat around getting offended by every little thing someone said I would live a sad existence. There is a huge difference between someone being right out hateful and someone making a joke. Either way fuck em. I'm not going to let them bring me to their level.


well said and very true.

[Leigh]

I can see both sides here; I can see how it would be offensive but I can also see how some people won't be offended by it. I'm not at all going to defend Neil because even though he's a gay man and a hell of an actor, he still should have watched the words he used because yes some people will be offended and in this day and age we really have to watch our choice of words. If this was say 20 or more years ago no one would even bat an eyelash, but now a days its so easy to offend people so in reality its always best to watch what we say in general :)

[EnderD_503]

I can see both sides here; I can see how it would be offensive but I can also see how some people won't be offended by it. I'm not at all going to defend Neil because even though he's a gay man and a hell of an actor, he still should have watched the words he used because yes some people will be offended and in this day and age we really have to watch our choice of words. If this was say 20 or more years ago no one would even bat an eyelash, but now a days its so easy to offend people so in reality its always best to watch what we say in general :)

I'm sorry, I'm just really surprised by comments like this and others about it being "so easy to offend people these days." It just sounds a lot like what right wingers say when anyone tries to stick up for the rights of marginalized people. Edit, I also want to mention that it has nothing to do with us being "more easily offended" than in the past. It's that today our rights have extended to a degree where we can even have a voice. In the past, trans people were not exactly thrilled by the treatment and "jokes" against our community. There are many transwomen especially who write about their experiences in the 60s and 70s. But back then, they didn't have the rights nor the voice to ever challenge it through any medium that would reach the mainstream. Nobody would have cared.

As far as the comments about it being "just a joke" and him "not meaning it," I also find that a little surprising to hear to say the least. Those kinds of defenses are also used to defend misogynist jokes. Often when men make sexist jokes against women they claim it to be "just a joke" and not to "mean anything by it." Same with those who claim its "just a joke" when they make homophobic jokes. Often joking about a group that is less privileged than you are emphasises that privilege.

I remember there was a topic awhile ago, maybe a year or more, about a comedy skit about lesbian "cougars." At the time I remember taking the stance that it was satiric. While I still think that it partially was satiric, I've now certainly changed my perspective as far as the misogyny and homophobia present in that "comedy." I'm seeing something similar here.

Transphobia, sexism, homophobia etc. in our society does not always take on a violent form, or a form where the perpetrator claims any direct ill will against the target group. Not everyone who is transphobic goes out and tries to physically harm trans people. I've seen many comments by cis people express disgust when they hear about the murder or assault of a transwoman, however, they still express that "even those these people are ill/deviants/lifestyle choice etc. etc. they don't deserve to be beaten." It's the same "hate the sin not the sinner" bullshit that has very damaging repercussions when it comes to how trans people are treated in every day life, outside of physical violence.

In our society transphobia, misogyny and homophobia are so ingrained in our ideals that people often don't even recognise it in themselves, and believe certain jokes and comments to be socially acceptable simply because they're the norm. I see jokes against trans people and other marginalised people as something serious, and especially when its performed by those who hold more social privilege.

I want to clarify again, as I have in the past in this thread and elsewhere, that I don't care if a trans person uses the word "tranny" as a personal identifier, just the way I don't care if a gay man identifies himself as a "fag." I do have a problem when cis people start calling trans people "trannies." It is an entirely different ball game. If a trans person assumed all trans people identified as "trannies" I would correct them. If a cis person made the same assumption I would correct them, but even more I would be weary that they even felt entitled enough to use that word to refer to trans people. Same with the word "fag" and other such terms.

As far as if I would be offended if a trans person had made the joke...yes I certainly would be. Being trans doesn't exempt you from being transphobic or having internalised transphobia, just the way being queer doesn't exempt you from being homophobic and having internalised homophobia. I've definitely witnessed a lot of internalised transphobia and self-hatred coming from trans people, and it's not something I support or see as conducive to establishing trans rights and respect in society. I'd also add that this observation is a big part of what motivated me to try to find trans communities that are more trans-positive, rather than always thinking others have the right to walk all over us and that we don't have the right to say anything about it.

[Toughy]

This is from my previous post and was not answered by folks who were offended. I really am trying to understand this and the reason I don't is in the question.

The voice reference most likely has to do with the changes in voice that occur with the use of T (and E). Is it offensive to make fun of a teenage boy when his voice cracks as it changes? It's the same cracking/change I hear when transmen start taking T.

and this idea of being really careful with words so as to not offend anyone is an impossible task.....and for some folks probably contributes to silencing out of fear of offending when there is no intention of offense....I frankly get tired of trying to find different ways to say something that is simple and straightforward and in the process garbling what I am trying to say......

and I still don't understand how the comment/joke was transphobic..........it's a joke about a voice change.....

[kannon]

As far as if I would be offended if a trans person had made the joke...yes I certainly would be. Being trans doesn't exempt you from being transphobic or having internalised transphobia, just the way being queer doesn't exempt you from being homophobic and having internalised homophobia. I've definitely witnessed a lot of internalised transphobia and self-hatred coming from trans people, and it's not something I support or see as conducive to establishing trans rights and respect in society. I'd also add that this observation is a big part of what motivated me to try to find trans communities that are more trans-positive, rather than always thinking others have the right to walk all over us and that we don't have the right to say anything about it.

You have every right to feel offended by someone's behavior. It's your feelings, man.

For me, it's all about picking my battles. In comparison to other stuff, this seems pretty small. My .02 cents.

[EnderD_503]

This is from my previous post and was not answered by folks who were offended. I really am trying to understand this and the reason I don't is in the question.

The voice reference most likely has to do with the changes in voice that occur with the use of T (and E). Is it offensive to make fun of a teenage boy when his voice cracks as it changes? It's the same cracking/change I hear when transmen start taking T.

and this idea of being really careful with words so as to not offend anyone is an impossible task.....and for some folks probably contributes to silencing out of fear of offending when there is no intention of offense....I frankly get tired of trying to find different ways to say something that is simple and straightforward and in the process garbling what I am trying to say......

and I still don't understand how the comment/joke was transphobic..........it's a joke about a voice change.....

First of all, I find the use of the word "silencing" here is exactly what happens when that term is thrown around when a person tries to explain why these jokes have negative consequences for the way trans people are perceived and treated in public. Why is it "silencing" to ask people to refrain from making jokes that make fun of trans people's voices? Is it silencing to call men out for making jokes about their wives and girlfriends by making "imitative" high-pitched voices that are meant to sound "naggy"/fit in with the typical misogynist stereotypes? Is it silencing to call out a person who imitates the stereotypical "gay" voice, as derogatory towards gay men?

And the topic of voices and making fun of them is quite interesting. I don't think I've often heard a comedian making fun of a white, straight cis man's voice. Supposedly imitating women's voices is "funny" to many men, so that they can commiserate with one another about all the "horrid" things their wives apparently say and do. Imitating the stereotypical "gay" voice is apparently quite "funny" as well to a mainstream audience. As is supposedly imitating the voices of trans people, and transwomen in particular. There have been enough skits on Saturday Night Live and other such "funny" shows displaying exactly those situations. Notice how it's always "funny" to make fun of those who have less privilege in society. No, perhaps not "always." There are always exceptions. But by and large, that's the way things are. I find that troubling. It assumes a "normal" way of being that sets up certain people as the standard, while others are "funny" or "weird" or worthy of a laugh.

I also fail to see how such a joke is productive, and why the right to tell an offensive joke trumps the right of the person to speak out against it. Lately I feel like I'm seeing the same pattern. Someone mentions something as transphobic and people claim like it's "silencing" for the trans person to even mention it. People making comments about how "everything is transphobic these days," sounds a lot like how certain people talk about how "everything is racist these days" or "everything is sexist these days," and seems to call for a throw back to some kind of Archie Bunker view of the world when "men were men, and women were women" and so on and so forth.

Has it crossed people's minds that we have traditional engrained social values that are inherently transphobic? That there is a heck of a lot in our society that is subconsciously cissexist? That some trans people call out transphobia often because it actually is present in many ways that are socially ingrained and normalised? In the same way that our society possesses underlying sexist perceptions and values that are not automatically deemed sexist because they are so common place?

Does this mean that trans people who find these kinds of jokes offensive should just shut up and let the people who make these jokes continue to think that it's ok to do so? That there are no negative repercussions?

As far as the "voice cracking," I fail to see how that has anything to do with the story at hand. The actor's voice did not sound as though it was "cracking," he'd just inhaled helium, which generally heightens and distorts the voice in what is popular perceived as a "cartoonish" way. It's generally something people do that they think is comical. To compare the comedic "helium voice" to "sounding like a tranny" then implies that there is also something "funny" about the voices of trans people. That there is a "trans voice" to begin with. As I mentioned before, it's not exactly unknown for people to joke about the voices of transmen (aka the whole "chipmunk voice" jokes) and transwomen. To try to normalise such jokes and suggesting that it is even comparable to "oh well, people make fun of teenaged boys' cracking voices" is denying the fact that trans people are frequently the brunt of jokes. Teenaged boys are not. There are "tranny jokes," not "teenaged boy jokes." Nobody inhales helium and compares themselves to a teenaged boy. Trans people are nowhere near on par with teenaged boys as far as social acceptance, normalisation and privilege.

[Toughy]

thanks Ender.........we will have to agree to disagree on the subject....

[kannon]

As far as if I would be offended if a trans person had made the joke...yes I certainly would be. Being trans doesn't exempt you from being transphobic or having internalised transphobia, just the way being queer doesn't exempt you from being homophobic and having internalised homophobia. I've definitely witnessed a lot of internalised transphobia and self-hatred coming from trans people, and it's not something I support or see as conducive to establishing trans rights and respect in society. I'd also add that this observation is a big part of what motivated me to try to find trans communities that are more trans-positive, rather than always thinking others have the right to walk all over us and that we don't have the right to say anything about it.

There is a trans comedian named Ian Harvey who makes fun of his voice. I've heard him joke about sounding like a gay man on some talk shows and a promo.

[Corkey]

Making a joke at the expense of oneself is fine and dandy, doing it at the expense of someone who is not the "same" as you is another all together. I sure wouldn't make a joke at the expense of a Femme, or a Butch so why is it acceptable to do it to trans people? It isn't.
Picking ones battles is fine, but it may be Enders battle. I get this.

[weatherboi]

Neil Patrick Harris portrays a sexist, straight, asshole on a top rated prime time tv sitcom. A lot of what he says on that show makes me clutch my pearls. The straight world adores him on that show. Our kids watch it and all their friends watch it and love the show and him. His joke helps support creating a culture of uncertainty when it comes to transitioning just like many of the jokes from his show are at the expense of women and people he values less than, once again supporting sexist oppressive culture.

Predicting how low my voice will get when i go on testosterone will be luck and genetics. It is only gonna deepen so much no matter how much T i take. I know it will eventually settle in to a different range but there is no guarantee my final result will be a deep enough range to pass or to relieve voice dysphoria anxiety. T causes thickening of the thyroid cartiledge in the neck. This is an irreversible change i will be taking on with a result i may or may not be happy with. All this knowledge i sit with has in the past caused me fear and anxiety.

Obviously i am not a teenage boy, the physiology and everything is just different. My everything in the throat area is not as flexible for growth, scarring and tearing because that is what is going to happen. Just like the cartiledge in the rest of my body will do as I work out this late in life to gain muscle mass. Lots of irreversible damages will be caused with sometimes often life affecting consequences fucking around with our bodies to become who we are. 10 years ago a doctor told me that i wouldn't need a hysterectomy while taking T. Now I am told that is not true that T can break down the cervix, atrophy i guess, developing a need for a preventative surgery orrrrrrrr i can just wait for it to become a life threatening situation and take it from there.

Where I live, I have seen a gay man belittle his lover by calling her a fucking tranny when he was mad at her. It is something that happens all the time. I have heard straight men and women refer to transgender women as tranny freaks. If I witness it used hatefully I am probably gonna get angry. If I hear it used by my community I am probably gonna say something depending on who is claiming it. What I am not gonna do is lighten up over it. It is wrong for certain people to claim or use the word tranny. Just like it would be wrong for me to claim and use the word lesbo.

[Linus]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/05/brooke-fantelli-california-transgender-woman-tased_n_1128725.html?ref=transgender and yet another example of excessive police force. I can understand giving a ticket or whatever for public drunkness (if that's valid on federal land. I know in Canada there isn't any federal mandated drinking laws and federal land is covered by federal law only). But tasing?

[Ebon]

Appeals court panel rules for Ga. trans woman in job discrimination case... (http://www.thegavoice.com/index.php/news/national-news/3856-appeals-court-panel-rules-for-ga-trans-woman-in-job-discrimination-case#.Tt6AVh9zfVk.facebook)

A federal appeals court panel today upheld a lower court ruling that Georgia transgender woman Vandy Beth Glenn was illegally fired from her job as a legislative editor in the Georgia General Assembly after she informed her employer she planned to transition from male to female.

"The question here is whether discriminating against someone on the basis of his or her gender non-conformity constitutes sex-based discrimination under the Equal Protection Clause. …We hold that it does," the three-judge panel of the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled. Judge Rosemary Barkett wrote the opinion for the unanimous panel.

Read the story on oral arguments held before the 11th Circuit on Dec. 1 here.

"There is thus a congruence between discriminating against transgender and transsexual individuals and discrimination on the basis of gender-based behavioral norms.

"Accordingly, discrimination against a transgender individual because of her gender-nonconformity is sex discrimination, whether it’s described as being on the basis of sex or gender," the three-judge panel ruled.

Glenn said today she was "giddy" about the news and especially pleased the panel voted 3-0 in her favor.

"I asked Greg [Nevins, Lambda Legal attorney representing her] if this was a precedent [on a ruling made so quickly after arguments. He said not in matters of national security or presidential elections," Glenn said. "So this is extremely unusual but I think it speaks to the strength of our case."

The state could appeal to the the full 11th Circuit Court of Appeals or to the U.S. Supreme Court, but Glenn said she believes the "end of the tunnel is in sight."

"I'm not kidding myself that this is necessarily over, but even if they do appeal the odds are not in their favor," she said.

Glenn mentioned she is going to Disney World in January to run the Disney World marathon.

"I feel I could fly the marathon right now," she said.

[kannon]

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/business/2011/12/texas-macys-employee-fired-for-allegedly-violating-stores-lgbt-policy/

Check out the former employee's attitude. She claims trans is against her religion and that's why she wouldn't let the teenager use the women's dressing room. She followed her around the store because she knew "he was a man" and "h"e wasn't supposed to be shopping for women's clothing.

WOW.

[Gemme]

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/business/2011/12/texas-macys-employee-fired-for-allegedly-violating-stores-lgbt-policy/

Check out the former employee's attitude. She claims trans is against her religion and that's why she wouldn't let the teenager use the women's dressing room. She followed her around the store because she knew "he was a man" and "h"e wasn't supposed to be shopping for women's clothing.

WOW.

OMG.

Really?

There are flippin' days when all I can do is say REALLY?

:blink:

[atomiczombie]

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/business/2011/12/texas-macys-employee-fired-for-allegedly-violating-stores-lgbt-policy/

Check out the former employee's attitude. She claims trans is against her religion and that's why she wouldn't let the teenager use the women's dressing room. She followed her around the store because she knew "he was a man" and "h"e wasn't supposed to be shopping for women's clothing.

WOW.

I am really glad that Macy's fired her. That is impressive. Right on Macy's!!

[Corkey]

http://www.bilerico.com/2011/12/glenn_v_brumby_why_trans_rights_triumphed_in_georg .php


More than a coincidence.

[Nadeest]

Interesting

[Soon]

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6pjbCETsC-8/TvIT-jhvgJI/AAAAAAABNso/EqSIFBsnbpY/s1600/GLADDdragshow.jpg

[Nadeest]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/05/brooke-fantelli-california-transgender-woman-tased_n_1128725.html?ref=transgender and yet another example of excessive police force. I can understand giving a ticket or whatever for public drunkness (if that's valid on federal land. I know in Canada there isn't any federal mandated drinking laws and federal land is covered by federal law only). But tasing?

That was assult, with a weapon, to my mind. Nor did I see any provocation offered by that person, even though the video doesn't show the whole encounter. I hope that those officers are sent to prison, where they belong.

[Soon]

Op-ed: 14 Reasons That Made 2011 Great for Trans People (http://www.advocate.com/Society/Transgendered/14_Reasons_That_Made_2011_Great_for_Trans_People/)

[Nadeest]

Lol, for sure. Honestly, if there is any logic in the American legal system she should be able to win her case easily...but that not to say that there is any such logic when it comes to how legal systems deal with trans people.

Those laws forbidding women to go topless are ridiculous anyways, imo. They should just get rid of it. They do not protect women as the law claims it does, and neither are topless women "obscene" as such a law suggests they are.



Yeah, the cab driver's story is really fucked up, too, imo. I haven't seen much follow up on him online, unfortunately, other than police say they were going to re-interview him. That he didn't even call 911 when he heard her being attacked over the phone is pretty ridiculous. Not to mention that he only called her mother after some time had passed. Even if he hadn't waited around to make sure she was safe, he should have called the cops after hearing her being attacked.

Has anyone heard more about this transwoman's arrest, and what is happening to her now, and her lawsuits?

[Nadeest]

The above question is for woman mentioned in this link: http://news.advocate.com/post/12894195380/trans-woman-wants-ruling-after-topless-dmv-fiasco

[EnderD_503]

Has anyone heard more about this transwoman's arrest, and what is happening to her now, and her lawsuits?

I haven't heard anything about her since November. Even a google search didn't really turn up anything about her since November, and haven't heard of any talk about her elsewhere.

[EnderD_503]

I also wanted to make a separate post to briefly come back to the previous discussion of Neil Patrick Harris and his comments. I'm sure by now people will be rolling their eyes, but his comments are really the tip of a greater iceberg. That people think his comments were limited to a certain character or certain people within the transgender spectrum is something that I still feel denies even general awareness of transphobia in the film industry, and how even representations that transpeople view as inaccurate continue to play off general public anxiety. In that sense, not only are the issues I mentioned before important, but also the cinematic tradition he was catering to...which is what leads to the greater issue of representation.

I ran across these links recently, thought of this thread and thought I'd come share them. They discuss the frequent use of transgender (or, as far as their contemporary terminology, "transvestite" or "transsexual") villains in horror films (or villains in general), including popular films like Psycho and Silence of the Lambs:

http://www.tsroadmap.com/info/film-quotations.html

http://www.glaad.org/2008/10/23/negative-images-of-transgender-people-in-film-explored

http://www.horroryearbook.com/544026/the-top-15-transexual-killer-movies

[weatherboi]

by STEPHEN IRA on JANUARY 23, 2012





http://www.originalplumbing.com/2012/01/23/why-im-not-saying-trnny-and-id-like-it-if-you-guys-didnt-either-please/



Trans brothers, dear dear dear men, whom I respect and look up to and adore, allow me to quote noted gender theorist Inigo Montoya:

You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.

I’m writing this because there’s been tons of talk about this slur recently. Trans men, some of them high profile, using tr*nny, trans women calling them on it, trans men demanding that they have a right to say it, et cetera. So before I start the serious stuff, I want to say that I’m not who you should listen to. This is really a trans women’s issue. You should listen to trans women. But they are already talking, and from your reactions, it’s clear we need to talk about this. From one trans guy to a bunch of others.

I’m not mad, guys. Well, ok, I’m a little mad. But mostly I just want to help fix this. We’ve made some bad mistakes. I used to use this word too, and I own that. I fucked up. We fucked up. Now let’s work to make this better.

Tr*nny is a slur. I think we’ve all agreed on that. Diverse sources, from Julia Serano to Kelly Osbourne, all agree. But for whom is it a slur? We know what image is summoned when we hear n*gger–a Black body. When we hear fag–a queer male body. When we hear d*ke–a queer female body. These words evoke certain identities. There are clear images associated with them. Fags are effeminate. D*kes are too masculine to be proper women. What clear image is evoked by tr*nny?

You know as well as I do: it’s the image of a trans woman. A “male” body, or rather, a body doctors would assign as male, in women’s clothing. A person attempting–and always failing, in these images–to be female. That’s what the image has historically been, and with only a few tiny changes, that’s what the image is now.

Whenever I have this debate, I suggest people google “tr*nny.” I stand by that suggestion. Click over the image tab and you’ll see trans women and drag queens galore, a few car parts, and fabulously enough, a picture of Kate Bornstein with a photoshopped mermaid’s tail, but almost never a trans man. When you do see trans men online associated with the slur, they’re almost always calling themselves tr*nnies. They’re not having the word pinned on them by cis people. This distinction is excruciatingly important.

The fact that cis people don’t call trans men tr*nnies very often illuminates two important things about trans male experience: the degree to which are and have been invisible, and what a weird place we stand in as female-assigned men in a patriarchal world.

The invisibility is a big part of what’s scary about being a trans man. We’re so unspeakable that there isn’t even a common word used to degrade exclusively us. When we look into history for gender variant people, we see trans women, and we see this word used against them. We see few trans men, and just like those historical trans men are mostly invisible, so are the structures of oppression used to keep them down.

Reclaiming tr*nny feels like a way to have a history. But that word was never our history. It feels like a way to name and confront those invisible oppressive structures. But it doesn’t do that work, because while the structures that oppress trans women have many elements in common with the ones that oppress us, they’re not the exact same ones.

That’s because, like I said, trans men are in such a weird position in relation to patriarchy. To the patriarchal eye, we seem to following the sexist imperative that being a man is better than being a woman, which of course the patriarchy is all for. But we’re doing it by violating another central patriarchal imperative: that people with vaginas are women.

So we move through this sexist world in a peculiar manner–able to wield our male privilege when we’re allowed to function as men, but subject to a particularly painful brand of transphobic and homophobic sexism when we’re understood as women.

Sure, sometimes trans guys get called tr*nny. But let’s please be real: It’s not that often, and it’s a recent phenomenon. Maybe we’ll get to the point where it’s a common enough slur against trans men that we can start to have the reclamation conversation. But man, I hope we don’t. It’s depressing and comical, us wanting our very own slur.

Sure, you might have a trans woman friend who doesn’t mind you calling yourself a tr*nny. This is because women, like men, don’t always agree with one another!

Sure, you may be very attached to the word “tr*nny” as a part of your identity. You can identify as anything you want! But if it is absolutely imperative for you to use that word, and you using that word makes trans women feel unsafe around you, I’m not sure what to tell you. Maybe you should do some work within yourself, trying to discover why you have such an intense need to own a word that makes people feel unsafe. All of which is to say that, ultimately, your identity is your identity, but you don’t need to share all of it with everyone if it makes them feel unsafe.

Raise your hand if you’re a young white trans guy who went/goes to a liberal arts college and is reading this on his Macbook. (My hand is raised.) Please know that most people who get tr*nny used against them on a daily basis are poor trans women of color. Please try to remember that working to include poor trans women of color in our movement is like, one of the most important things we need to do right now.

Which is more important, working to make trans women feel comfortable and safe in our community, or using a word that makes us feel all tingly and transgressive?

Resist transmisogyny. You do not need someone else’s slur to connect with your own history. Stop using that word. I don’t think it means what you think it means.

Stephen Ira is a writer and an activist who was assigned West Coast and showbiz but identifies as East Coast and books. He writes poetry, fiction, and essay-shaped objects which have been published in Spot Literary Magazine, 365 Tomorrows, and can be found on his own blog, Super Mattachine.

[Nadeest]

I can tell you that I'm a transwoman and I don't like or want that term applied to me. I'd be upset, in fact, if someone called me that. Mind you, I'm not a transwoman of color, nor am I young. I am, however, poor (at the moment) and in late middle age. When I hear the word 'trannie' I tend to think of an automobile transmission. I hope like hell that I don't look like one of those!

[1ladyface]

Hi All,

A close friend of mine is blogging for

originalplumbing.com (http://www.originalplumbing.com)

as Inmate 12004. He's a transguy and is in jail for 3 months because he recently got his 3rd DUI. He's an alcoholic and is currently in recovery. He's writing to shed some light on the transmale incarceration experience and to open up a dialogue around the issue of substance abuse in the queer community.

I think of OP as a really supportive community but there have already been a couple comments from epic DBags who have made some unfounded and spectacularly inaccurate assumptions about him. Regardless, what Inmate 12004 needs right now is love and support, not d-baggery. Are you a transguy? Or an ally? Have you or a loved one struggled with substance abuse? Please take a minute to contribute something meaningful and kind to the discussion.

lots of love (sans d-baggery),

a somewhat saddened ladyface

[weatherboi]

http://chrismilloy.ca/2012/01/transgender-people-are-completely-banned-from-boarding-airplanes-in-canada/



Transgender People are Completely Banned From Boarding Airplanes in Canada



The shit hit the fan in the trans blogosphere last night, when it came to light that there is a disturbing new section in the Identity Screening Regulations used in airports throughout Canada. Simply put, Transgender People are Completely Banned From Boarding Airplanes in Canada.

The offending section of the regulations reads:

5.2 (1) An air carrier shall not transport a passenger if …
(c) the passenger does not appear to be of the gender indicated on the identification he or she presents;

Although this obviously discriminatory smear of regulation did not come to significant public attention until very recently, it apparently came into effect on July 27th, 2011.

It is important to note that these regulations are not actually a piece of legislation, which would have had to pass through readings and votes in the House and Senate (which is probably why it went unnoticed until now). Rather, the Identity Screening Regulations are a set of rules implemented unilaterally by the Ministry of Transportation, as part of Canada’s so-called Passenger Protect, which is essentially the Canadian Federal Government’s equivalent to the U.S.’s “no-fly” list.

Minister of Transportation Denis Lebel is, of course, a federal Conservative MP appointed to the cabinet position by Stephen Harper.

So what does this mean? Well, in order to change the ‘sex’ designation on a Canadian Passport, the federal government requires proof that surgery has taken place, or will take place within one year. So for non-operative transgender persons, for gender nonconforming (genderqueer) persons, and for the vast majority of pre-operative transsexual persons, it is literally impossible to obtain proper travel documentation marked with the sex designation which “matches” the gender identity in which they live.

In the eyes of the honourable Minister of Transportation, that makes trans people unfit to fly in Canada.

It is interesting to note that this regulatory adjustment occurred immediately following the federal election in 2011. In the previous parliament, Bill C-389, a bill to amend the Human Rights Code to explicitly enshrine protections against discrimination for transgender people, had successfully passed in the House of Commons, only to die on the Senate floor when Harper declared a Federal Election (thereby dissolving parliament).

Is the timing of this disturbing and blatantly discriminatory regulatory adjustment merely a coincidence? That is up to you to decide. However, the negative impact on trans people is crystal clear, and we need to take action now.

What You Can Do:

Find Your MP and write them a letter. Tell them you are not okay with this discrimination.
Contact the honourable Minister of Transportation Denis Lebel by phone, letter, or email.
Share this article by clicking the “Like” or “Recommend” button above (or below).
Sign this online petition: Tell Harper to Allow Trans People to Fly on Airplanes
Facebook Group: À bas l’interdiction aérienne transphobe—Against Canada’s trans flight ban

Recommended Further Reading:

Air Canada confirms they must comply with transphobic law (Jennifer McCreath)

Canadian Department of Justice…Here comes Josie!! (TranssisterR8TO)

UPDATE – JAN 30 17:51

I want to stress that as yet, I have no confirmed cases of a trans person actually being refused boarding. However, as I commented on leftygirl’s blog this afternoon:

Regardless of who may be slipping through the cracks due to matters of convenience or due to individual cases of ignorance on the part of the airport gateminders, the regs are the regs. And the regs ban trans people explicitly by their definition. We cannot allow regs which judge people based on how they “appear” to be gendered; it is unacceptable.

[1ladyface]

I live in the states but I'm a dual citizen. I'm gonna write a letter today. Thanks for the heads up! This regulation is so conservative and bizarre it sounds...American. :glasses:

[canadianmusician]

It's surprising how long this took to surface, but it's good it's finally out there. I have a number of friends who've flown since July and they had physicians letters stating they were trans. I know that this came into effect shortly after terrorists were caught trying to board a plane dressed as women, but I think that the gov't could have chosen a better route to do this by.

Here's someone you can contact as well:

Sandra Miller
Chief Regulatory Planning and Services, Regulatory Affairs, Security
Transport Canada
330 Sparks Street, 13th Floor, Tower C
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0N5
Telephone: 613-998-9605
Email: sandra.miller@tc.gc.ca

[tiggs]

Thank you for posting this weatherboi. I read this tonight and was so disappointed and embarrased to find this coming from my country. I think sometimes I just don't want to believe this non-sense can come from the same government that allows us to marry.

[Nadeest]

I finally found out a bit more about that transwoman in Tennessee that was arrested outside the DMV for taking her top off. Here is the link to it: http://http://manicsquirrel.com/2011/11/15/topless-transsexual-served-23-days-in-jail/
Apparently, she served 21 days in jail so far, and went to court on Dec. 20th. I couldn't find any more information then that, though. Has anyone heard anything about it, since then?

[christie]

In this month's issue of Employee Benefit News:

Large companies push progressive benefits forward

By Lisa V. Gillespie

February 1, 2012

Thirty-three percent of major employers offer transgender-inclusive benefits. This is five times more companies than last year, and a big part of the push came from the Corporate Equality Index, a series of guidelines from the Human Rights Campaign that measured employers on five criteria regarding benefits for transgendered workers: short-term leave, counseling by a mental health professional, hormone therapy, medical visits to monitor hormone therapy and surgical procedures, without any exclusions.


Eliminating exclusions

The "without exclusions" part is significant, because for years, transgendered employees were denied medical benefits because they were in the process of transitioning or had previously undergone gender reassignment surgery. So, say a transgendered employee was injured in a fall, went to the emergency room and disclosed to the hospital he had undergone gender reassignment years before. Because of these "exclusions," the employee would be denied treatment because of language like, "Services for, or leading to, sex transformation surgery," or "Gender Transformation: treatment or surgery to change gender including any direct or indirect complications or aftereffects thereof." The same denials pertained to mental health services because of "Transsexual surgery including medical or psychological counseling and hormonal therapy in preparation for, or subsequent to, any such surgery."

"There was a lot of moral judgment of people changing their sex, but we have a much more nuanced experience with it now because more and more people have been talking about it rather than sweeping it under the rug," says Andre Wilson, a policy consultant and educator on gender issues for 20 years. On top of the basic medical care that was frequently denied, employers were also not paying for the sex reassignment surgery. The average cost for a male-to-female surgery is about $17,000, plus $1,000 for therapy, $1500 for hormones and $500 for doctors visits and lab tests. Though the cost for care is relatively the same if an individual or an insurance company picks up the tab, the cost to a plan is relatively small in comparison to the out-of-pocket cost to an individual.

Though no claims data has been made available by the private industry, one city has, and it has seen better results than originally anticipated. In 2001, the City of San Francisco made available transgender benefits, and their claims cost much less than they had anticipated. In 2004 and 2005, there had been 11 claims for surgery, totaling $183,000, or $46,000 per year, not including costs for therapy or hormones. The city lowered its charge to $10.20 per year-per employee - or 85 cents per month - raised its lifetime cap to $75,000, removed the one year employment requirement and offered the benefit on every health plan offered to its 30,000 employees.

"This is why we have insurance in the first place, to spread the risk of high-cost treatments across a pool of people, and that's true for everything," Wilson says. One of the main reasons health plans and self-insured employers didn't offer the benefits is because people simply didn't know.

Wilson explains it this way: "For executives, maybe they can afford it, so they don't ask for the changes in the policy because they don't want to make waves, and the low-wage workers don't want to ask because they don't want to make waves. They have a well-documented history of trying to fit in."


'Leveling the playing field'

Benefits aren't the only arena transgendered employees must grapple with: 97% of transgendered people surveyed by the National Center for Transgender Equality and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force in 2009 reported experiencing harassment or mistreatment on the job, while 47% had experienced an adverse job outcome, such as being fired, not hired or denied a promotion. But with providing benefits, "you're essentially leveling the playing field," says Victoria Fulkerson, vice president of corporate relations and supplier diversity at the National Lesbian and Gay Chamber of Commerce. "You waste less time on how you're different and spend more time on how you can do your job."

The majority of the 636 companies cited by HRC are self-insured, but companies under group plans can also get coverage, although it is sometimes an "add-on" for an extra free. Aetna offers it as such, but would not specify how much it costs a company. Scot Roskelley, communications director for Mid-America region, also wouldn't say if they have plans to make it part of their basic medical coverage.

For self-insured plans, it's easier to offer because it assumes the risk. However, according to Deena Fidas, deputy director at HRC, most insurance companies have had guidelines around the coverage for a decade or more.

"Some companies will charge because they're still trying dissuade people from adding it because, I suspect secretly - and they wouldn't acknowledge it - they have a moral objection," Wilson says.

But just like depression, having gender identity disorder is diagnosed by doctors, and the American Medical Association asserts that when discriminatory financial barriers are placed between the transgender community and proper health care by dismissing treatments as "cosmetic" or "experimental" - even when covered for other patients with other recognized medical conditions - more expensive problems can develop as a result, such as depression, substance abuse problems and stress-related illness. And, Wilson says, those companies don't "understand how vital these services are."

Staples, a self-insured employer, offers two plans that went into effect Jan. 1. Craig Hazenfield, vice president of human resources at Staples, says a main reason they hadn't included the benefits in previous years was simple education.

"This is new territory for many companies. Making advances in this area requires understanding, education and, in some cases, exposure to transgender individuals," he says, relating it to domestic partner benfits. "More companies will recognize the value these benefits provide to valuable associates who just happen to be transgender."

The business case for offering the benefits appeals to a price tag that can run lower than some expensive surgeries, and to employee morale and productivity. "Our associates can't be expected to be at their best if they are burdened with something that prevents them from being who they are in the workplace or burdens them with medical expenses," Hazenfield says.

MGM Grand International is another employer who offers benefits, but it did not qualify under the Corporate Equality Index because it only offers prescription medication and counseling related to transgender care. Jeff Ellis, vice president of benefits, said that the company had been offering these for a little over five years, and that he envisions it will start offering additional benefits in the upcoming year.

Fields expects the number of companies they qualify as transgender-inclusive to increase again next year, because though the term "transgender" was taboo or simply unknown in the past, it is gaining recognition, along with the benefits that go with it.

[sanee66]

Transgender children getting more drug, hormone treatments

The Associated Press Posted: Feb 20, 2012 11:39 AM ET Last Updated: Feb 20, 2012 3:10 PM ET

The Passionate Eye: Transgender kids
Switching gender roles and occasionally pretending to be the opposite sex is common in young children. But about 1 in 10,000 children actually feel they were born with the wrong bodies, some doctors say. (iStock)A small but growing number of teens and even younger children who think they were born the wrong sex are getting support from parents and from doctors who give them sex-changing treatments, according to reports in the medical journal Pediatrics.

It's an issue that raises ethical questions, and some experts urge caution in treating children with puberty-blocking drugs and hormones.

An 8-year-old second-grader in Los Angeles is a typical patient. Born a girl, the child announced at 18 months, "I a boy" and has stuck with that belief. The family was shocked but now refers to the child as a boy and is watching for the first signs of puberty to begin treatment, his mother told The Associated Press.

Pediatricians need to know these kids exist and deserve treatment, said Dr. Norman Spack, author of one of three reports published Monday and director of one of the nation's first gender identity medical clinics, at Children's Hospital Boston.

"If you open the doors, these are the kids who come. They're out there. They're in your practices," Spack said in an interview.

Switching gender roles and occasionally pretending to be the opposite sex is common in young children. But these kids are different. They feel certain they were born with the wrong bodies.

Some are labeled with "gender identity disorder," a psychiatric diagnosis. But Spack is among doctors who think that's a misnomer. Emerging research suggests they may have brain differences more similar to the opposite sex.

1 in 10,000
Spack said by some estimates, 1 in 10,000 children have the condition.

Transgender kids face psychiatric risks: study
A new study shows that nearly half of 97 children and adolescents diagnosed with gender identity disorder at a Boston hospital between 1998 and 2010 suffered from other psychiatric problems.

The study, led by Children's Hospital Boston endocrinologist Norman Spack, found that 44 per cent of the patients had a history of psychiatric symptoms, 37 per cent were on medication for such symptoms, 21 per cent had a history of self-mutilation and nine per cent had attempted suicide.

Fifty-eight per cent of the children, who had an average age of 14.8 years, were treated with either hormones or puberty-suppressing drugs.

The study was published online in the March issue of the journal Pediatrics on Monday.
Offering sex-changing treatment to kids younger than 18 raises ethical concerns, and their parents' motives need to be closely examined, said Dr. Margaret Moon, a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics' bioethics committee. She was not involved in any of the reports.

Some kids may get a psychiatric diagnosis when they are just hugely uncomfortable with narrowly defined gender roles; or some may be gay and are coerced into treatment by parents more comfortable with a sex change than having a homosexual child, said Moon, who teaches at the Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics.

It's harmful "to have an irreversible treatment too early," Moon said.

Doctors who provide the treatment say withholding it would be more harmful.

These children sometimes resort to self-mutilation to try to change their anatomy; the other two journal reports note that some face verbal and physical abuse and are prone to stress, depression and suicide attempts. Spack said those problems typically disappearin kids who've had treatment and are allowed to live as the opposite sex.

Guidelines from the Endocrine Society endorse transgender hormone treatment but say it should not be given before puberty begins. At that point, the guidelines recommend puberty-blocking drugs until age 16, then lifelong sex-changing hormones with monitoring for potential health risks. Mental health professionals should be involved in the process, the guidelines say.

The group's members are doctors who treat hormonal conditions.

Those guidelines, along with YouTube videos by sex-changing teens and other media attention, have helped raise awareness about treatment and led more families to seek help, Spack said.

His report details a fourfold increase in patients at the Boston hospital. His Gender Management Service clinic, which opened at the hospital in 2007, averages about 19 patients each year, compared with about four per year treated for gender issues at the hospital in the late 1990s.

The report details 97 girls and boys treated between 1998 and 2010; the youngest was four years old. Kids that young and their families get psychological counselling and are monitored until the first signs of puberty emerge, usually around age 11 or 12. Then children are given puberty-blocking drugs, in monthly $1,000 injections or implants imbedded in the arm.

In another Pediatrics report, a Texas doctor says he's also provided sex-changing treatment to an increasing number of children; so has a clinic at Children's Hospital Los Angeles where the 8-year-old is a patient.

The drugs used by the clinics are approved for delaying puberty in kids who start maturing too soon. The drugs' effects are reversible, and Spack said they've caused no complications in his patients. The idea is to give these children time to mature emotionally and make sure they want to proceed with a permanent sex change. Only 1 of the 97 opted out of permanent treatment, Spack said.

Early treatment has advantages
Kids will more easily pass as the opposite gender, and require less drastic treatment later, if drug treatment starts early, Spack said. For example, boys switching to girls will develop breasts and girls transitioning to boys will be flat-chested if puberty is blocked and sex-hormones started soon enough, Spack said.

Sex hormones, especially in high doses when used long-term, can have serious side effects, including blood clots and cancer. Spack said he uses low, safer doses but that patients should be monitored.

Gender-reassignment surgery, which may include removing or creating penises, is only done by a handful of U.S. doctors, on patients at least 18 years old, Spack said. His clinic has worked with local surgeons who've done breast removal surgery on girls at age 16, but that surgery can be relatively minor, or avoided, if puberty is halted in time, he said.

The mother of the Los Angeles 8-year-old says he's eager to begin treatment.

When the child was told he could get shots to block breast development, "he was so excited," the mother said.

He also knows he'll eventually be taking testosterone shots for life but surgery right now is uncertain.

The child attends a public school where classmates don't know he is biologically a girl. For that reason, his mother requested anonymity.

She said she explained about having a girl's anatomy but he rejected that, refused to wear dresses, and has insisted on using a boy's name since preschool.

The mother first thought it was a phase, then that her child might be a lesbian, and sought a therapist's help to confirm her suspicion. That's when she first heard the term "gender identity disorder" and learned it's often not something kids outgrow.

Accepting his identity has been difficult for both parents, the woman said. Private schools refused to enrol him as a boy, and the family's pediatrician refused to go along with their request to treat him like a boy. They found a physician who would, Dr. Jo Olson, medical director of a transgender clinic at Children's Hospital Los Angeles.

Olson said the journal reports should help persuade more doctors to offer these kids sex-changing treatment or refer them to specialists who will.

"It would be so nice to move this out of the world of mental health, and into the medical world," Olson said.

[TCB]

Hey planeteers.

I'm not sure of a more appropriate place to put this but I would love your support anyway. I sat down with "The Self Made Men" for an article about transition and my music.
Check it out and I would love for you to follow my work through Facebook.

Cheers!

Cris

http://www.theselfmademen.com/cristopheraugust.htm

[1ladyface]

This seems to be focused primarily on trans women but it's exciting news!

http://qpdx.com/2012/02/obama-administration-announces-health-grants-to-help-transgender-population/

[Nadeest]

Yes, the grants are designed to help treat transwomen of color, who tend to face the harshest discrimination of all transpeople, seems like. The Obama administration has done a lot to help the GLBT community, I think. It often gets overlooked because he tends to do things quietly, seems to me. I kinda like that way of doing things. You can get a lot more things done that way, without someone objecting to them, for one reason. :P

[DapperButch]

Yes, the grants are designed to help treat transwomen of color, who tend to face the harshest discrimination of all transpeople, seems like. The Obama administration has done a lot to help the GLBT community, I think. It often gets overlooked because he tends to do things quietly, seems to me. I kinda like that way of doing things. You can get a lot more things done that way, without someone objecting to them, for one reason. :P

I agree with you. I was disheartened to see the LGBT community be so down on him because he didn't move fast enough for them when it came to equal rights. But, he got us there (military).

[Nadeest]

We, as a community, need to think a bit more, and try to be fair with everyone that is helpingus improve our lives. I know that we want it right now, and it is quite understandable, but that isn't how it works. If you look at history, slow improvements in the way that a minority group is treated is generally how it happens.
It isn't that long ago that there were signs saying: "No Irish need apply." on many places. Now that particular bit of bigotry is no longer around.

[DapperButch]

http://www.washingtonblade.com/2011/04/27/white-house-to-host-first-ever-trans-meeting/

[EnderD_503]

http://www.washingtonblade.com/2011/04/27/white-house-to-host-first-ever-trans-meeting/

I noticed that this apparently happened last spring, yet for some reason I've only been hearing about it here and others telling me about it this spring. So I'm a bit confused, lol.

Looking at some of the articles, it seems odd that there has been no follow up as far as what was achieved by the meeting. All it says is that they were focusing largely on ending job discrimination. But I think that even that agenda is ignoring the struggles of some of the most vulnerable of the trans population, namely trans people of colour, homeless trans people, other low-income trans people and trans sex workers. I guess I just don't like this "one step at a time" approach that always leaves the rights of the most marginalised to come last while the concerns of those with more social privilege typically come first, in the same way trans rights were forever thrown by the wayside by the LG community for decades in order to obtain LG rights. I really would hope that trans rights advocates would learn from that and lobby for everyone's rights, and recognising how desperately something needs to be done to keep some of the most marginalised trans people safe from violent assault and sexual assault.

So does anyone know anything further about what was on the table at this meeting? Nothing seems to have been said in its aftermath. It came as a "symbolic marker" and went without much talk of it, or so it seems.

[Nadeest]

I do know that HUD had/has a pilot program here in Houston to help homeless transgendered people. It is in effect right now, and is in it's third year of operation, though I don't know if it is going to be expanded or not, or if it has been.

[Soon]

Transgender Miss Universe Canada Finalist Jenna Talackova Disqualified From Competition (http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2012/03/24/transgender-miss-universe_n_1377147.html?ref=gay-voices&ir=Gay%20Voices)

[EnderD_503]

Transgender Miss Universe Canada Finalist Jenna Talackova Disqualified From Competition (http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2012/03/24/transgender-miss-universe_n_1377147.html?ref=gay-voices&ir=Gay%20Voices)

This makes me so sick. I really don't understand why it matters that she was AMAB. It shouldn't matter. Just another reason why the current system of sex assignment at birth is damaging to trans and intersexed kids and the way the public views them. She is just as "naturally born female" as any other contestant as far as I'm concerned. I find it interesting that it seems its pretty much always female levels of competition (whether in sport or in other competitions like beauty pageants) that are so strictly policed by "sex criteria."

This comment made me sick, in particular:

Davila insisted there is no bad blood between Talackova and Miss Universe Canada, and that they wish her the best.

“She was excited about the competition. Just because she can’t compete doesn’t mean we stopped loving her.”

Yes, of course you "love" her...you've just refused to recognise her as a woman, claimed that she's not a "real girl" and publicly humiliated her...but yeah...you love her.

[Nadeest]

I didn't see that quote in the article, but it does not surprise me in the least, either. That seems extremely typical of people like that. They discriminated against Miss Talackova and then lied like hell about the fact that they discriminated against her. :(

[EnderD_503]

I took the quote from the Toronto Star article, and didn't realise it wasn't in the Huffpost one. But yes, that is what's angering about many organisation's approaches to trans issues in Canada. It's basically a form of liberal/passive discrimination that is still very harmful and affecting how Canadian society sees trans people. "You're a real woman...but according to the contest you aren't a real woman."

http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/1151386--miss-universe-canada-yanks-transgendered-contestant-from-pageant?bn=1

[weatherboi]

this is a follow up to a story that ran earlier this year but couldnt find it in this thread.


http://www.examiner.com/lgbt-relationships-in-national/german-transgender-girl-to-be-institutionalized-by-german-courts

A German court has decided an 11-year-old transgender German girl should be institutionalized rather than live her life as a girl. Having been born a boy, Alexis Kaminsky, has always felt she was a girl.

When Alexis' parents decided to get divorced, the German court learned of Alexis’ circumstances. Throughout the process, the child’s mother tried to get her help, mental health treatment, to help her cope with thoughts and feelings about everything taking place. Somewhere along the way, the courts decided Alexis is better off in the country’s mental institutional system, where she may be‘re-programmed’ if you will, and have her views of her gender ‘corrected’.

Activists in the transgender community will hold protests in reaction to the decision to have Alexis Kaminsky institutionalized on Monday, March 26th, 2012. They protest:

‘Stop Alex forced into institutionalization at once’: “Institutions like the youth office and the Charité use force on humans through enforcement and psychological pressure! Each gender and each gender identity is a right, not a disease.”


The transgender community posits that gender identity is something that is developed at the individual level, not something that the community or state can dictate. Gender is a societal construct; sex is a biological one. How should these concepts be used, if at all, as factors in deciding what would most benefit Alexis?



Continue reading on Examiner.com German transgender girl to be institutionalized by German courts - National LGBT Relationships | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/lgbt-relationships-in-national/german-transgender-girl-to-be-institutionalized-by-german-courts#ixzz1qKBodJoZ

[Ebon]

My friend just found this out just wanted to let you guys know.

"Head's up to trans people with changed legal names who have Direct Loans for student loans. Your loan may have been transferred to a new servicing company that sends you physical mail under your old name. I called and they are going to look into the glitch (which is the term used by system-makers when systems they develop don't think about us)."

That's what he typed in verbatim.

[Nadeest]

Thanks for passing this info on. My roommate just got her name changed today, and I go to court for mine at the end of the month. We both have student loans out, as well.

[MsTinkerbelly]

I'll post more if I can get a hold of a print story later, but in a nutshell...

The police in LA are no longer allowed to call anyone Maam, Sir, or even question gender. If a person is Trans they will now be housed in the women's jail regardless of being male or female for saftey purposes.

The story was on news radio on my way in to work, so that is what I have for now.

[Nadeest]

Interesting. Thank you for posting this. It sounds like this action was the result of a lawsuit of some kind. Also, it sounds like some judge got PISSED at someone's transphobic actions. In a lot of ways, I hope that this is accurate. As a transwoman, I feel that it is great for us, but how about for the transmales? What do y'all think about this?

[Thinker]

These two articles give good information. The jail piece says that transgender individuals will be held in the women's jail BUT in a section reserved for transgender individuals (up to 24 people).

With regard to addressing individuals, the department encourages officers to go with how the individual presents him/herself (clothing, language, demeanor) and bans frisking for the sole purpose of determining anatomical sex.

http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_20387175/lapd-has-new-policy-transgender-stops-searches

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2012/04/lapd-jail-transgender.html

[Nadeest]

This is excellent news. Now TG people will, hopefully, be a lot more safe, when waiting to see the judge, in LA. I hope that the Los Angeles County Sheriff's department soon starts following this same policy. As it stands, they are safe until they see the judge, after that, all bets are off.

[EnderD_503]

Interesting. Thank you for posting this. It sounds like this action was the result of a lawsuit of some kind. Also, it sounds like some judge got PISSED at someone's transphobic actions. In a lot of ways, I hope that this is accurate. As a transwoman, I feel that it is great for us, but how about for the transmales? What do y'all think about this?

I'm skeptical about it. Having the location situated in a women's prison supposedly for the sake of safety in a way seems a bit of a denial of transmale identity. The main issue that puts transguys who are on T or who pass decently at risk in male prisons are basically mandatory "public" strip searches upon entering the prison and before/after court dates. If male prisons started handling strip searches with more sensitivity and especially were more sensitive toward transmale prisoners, they could in many ways at least partially avoid the risk of outing a guy and putting him in a dangerous situation.

Ultimately, I think there should be a choice whether a guy feels safest in a male prison or in a designated trans block in a women's prison.

[~ocean]

:) that is deff another way to look at the issue

[Nadeest]

I can definitely see that, EnderD. Nor can I blame you at all for it. I certainly didn't like staying at a men's shelter, when I didn't have a place to stay, yet I had to, at least until I got some help.

[DapperButch]

Ultimately, I think there should be a choice whether a guy feels safest in a male prison or in a designated trans block in a women's prison.

I like the idea of choice for the transmale.

[Nadeest]

Um, from the few times that I have stayed in jail, I haven't really observed much in the way of choice, for inmates.

[EnderD_503]

I can definitely see that, EnderD. Nor can I blame you at all for it. I certainly didn't like staying at a men's shelter, when I didn't have a place to stay, yet I had to, at least until I got some help.

Transguys I know (on T) who stayed in male prisons have basically said it was strip searches that compromised their safety primarily. Having to be paraded naked in front of other inmates who were being brought in or out to court dates. Personally, I'm 100% for the ethical treatment of prisoners and think there's a lot of shit that needs to change, including providing inmates with secluded strip searches if you're going to put people through that to begin with.

[Mike]

http://video.msnbc.msn.com/melissa-harris-perry/47054424#47054424

[Nadeest]

Thank you for posting this. I hadn't found a way to watch this show, until now; and I wanted to do so, very badly.

[EnderD_503]

I've never heard of this show before. Does it air on mainstream daytime television?

If so, I was surprised to see them invite Kate Bornstein, to hear them talk a lot about the trans narrative, and to talk more about trans prisoners and homeless.

I think it was still a bit to disproportionate as far as representation. Yes, they talked about racism, yet the entire panel other than the hostess appeared to be white, middle to upper class trans people. If they wanted to bring more awareness of other narratives and experiences than the typical one (as they said they wanted to), then they should have had a bit more diversity of speakers sharing their experiences. Trans people who have been imprisoned, experienced discrimination etc.

[Corkey]

I've never heard of this show before. Does it air on mainstream daytime television?

If so, I was surprised to see them invite Kate Bornstein, to hear them talk a lot about the trans narrative, and to talk more about trans prisoners and homeless.

I think it was still a bit to disproportionate as far as representation. Yes, they talked about racism, yet the entire panel other than the hostess appeared to be white, middle to upper class trans people. If they wanted to bring more awareness of other narratives and experiences than the typical one (as they said they wanted to), then they should have had a bit more diversity of speakers sharing their experiences. Trans people who have been imprisoned, experienced discrimination etc.


Melissa Harris Perry is on MSNBC on weekend mornings right after UP with Chris. I can see he revisiting this when folks bring the conversation to her.

[EnderD_503]

I read it a few days ago, but thought I'd share it with people here as well in case some haven't heard.

Very exciting news for trans people in Ontario:

Hi All

We have received breaking news from Susan Gapka of the Trans Lobby Group informing us that the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal may have struck down the surgical pre-requisite for a legal change of gender in Ontario. Susan has just received communication from legal counsel and is reading the decision now. It is expected to be posted on the CanLII website very, very soon. The relayed message is as follows:

BREAKING: There's a report that an Ontario court may just have struck down the surgery requirement for change of legal gender. Waiting to read the decision.

"In a decision released on April 11, 2012, in the XY v. Ontario case, Ontario Human Rights Tribunal found that the Vital Statistic Act's requirement for "transsexual surgery" prior to sex designation change on birth certificates discriminates against trans people. As a result of the decision, Ontario cannot enforce the surgical requirement and was given 180 days to revise the criteria for sex designation change.

The decision is not yet on the Canlii HRTO decision page (http://www.canlii.org/en/on/onhrt/nav/date/2012.html) but it should be soon." — via Caro Lyn


I will circulate the decision as soon as it becomes available.

and then:

Hi Everyone,

I can share that Chief Commissioner Barbara Hall of the Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) confirmed that the court ruled that surgical pre-requisite is no longer a requirement for legal change of gender in the province, at a meeting I attended with her yesterday morning.

I haven't read the official announcement yet, but it appears this is going to be announced very soon. If that happens, I think it's only a matter of time before changes can be made to federal identification like passports. I think this will be a groundbreaking decision on the part of the province of Ontario!

[Nadeest]

I hope so. That would be marvelous for people in Canada. :)

[Linus]

I read it a few days ago, but thought I'd share it with people here as well in case some haven't heard.

Very exciting news for trans people in Ontario:



and then:



I haven't read the official announcement yet, but it appears this is going to be announced very soon. If that happens, I think it's only a matter of time before changes can be made to federal identification like passports. I think this will be a groundbreaking decision on the part of the province of Ontario!

Sweet! That could mean I could get my passport changed along with birth certificate (although I have had surgery). If I don't have to provide any info as to why I want it done that would be even better.

[TCB]

We, Happy Trans is a great resource for the trans community. They recently featured me on their network. Check it out and thanks for your support!



http://wehappytrans.com/uncategorized/the-sweet-sounds-of-spring-with-cris-august/

[Nadeest]

This is very big news, I think:
http://transgenderlawcenter.org/cms/blogs/552-24

[aishah]

http://www.lingerietalk.com/2012/03/26/lingerie-news/were-done-hiding-a-first-lingerie-line-for-transgendered-women.html

really neat article about a new lingerie line for trans* women.

[DapperButch]

http://www.lingerietalk.com/2012/03/26/lingerie-news/were-done-hiding-a-first-lingerie-line-for-transgendered-women.html

really neat article about a new lingerie line for trans* women.

This is great! Thanks for posting. I will pass it along to the transwomen I know.

[Nadeest]

I will definitely be checking their products out, when they are available. Thanks for letting us know about it.

[aishah]

http://colorlines.com/archives/2012/05/cece_mcdonald_and_the_high_cost_of_black_and_trans _self-defense.html

brilliant post from colorlines about the necessity of supporting cece, no matter what.

i'm not sure if folks already have this but here is the address you can write to her in jail:

http://thespiritwas.tumblr.com/post/22280870492/but-for-real-lets-write-to-cece

[DapperButch]

http://m.nbcdfw.com/nbcdfw/db_/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=nIdkVX8I&full=true#display

Jerks.

[Nadeest]

I agree, they were acting like jerks, in that hospital. :(

[Unndunn]

I hope I'm posting this is the right forum, please forgive me if I'm not. My good friend Tony Ferriolo is the co-founder of The Jim Collins Foundation, which is a foundation that gives grants to trans folk in need of surgery. The recipient of their first grant just posted a video on YouTube of his journey and how he's now trying to raise awareness and money for this cause. Here's the link:
http://youtu.be/7_4xaamdzWg

[Nadeest]

Yes, you are at the right forum for this.

[aishah]

http://www.advocate.com/news/news-features/2012/05/07/transgender-detainees-face-challenges-broken-immigration-system

advocate article about transgender immigrants in detention.

[EnderD_503]

http://www.advocate.com/news/news-features/2012/05/07/transgender-detainees-face-challenges-broken-immigration-system

advocate article about transgender immigrants in detention.

Great article. This is where more trans activism should be going, toward all trans prisoners, detained immigrants, so-called "illegals," and related populations such as the homeless/low income and sex workers. Across the board, that's where most are suffering.

[Nadeest]

This is a study about genderqueer people. It was based on the dataset that resulted in the report: "Injustice at Every Turn..." http://www.thetaskforce.org/press/releases/pr_042312

[DapperButch]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/08/tom-gabel-transgender-against-me_n_1501731.html?ref=transgender

[Spork]

The Gender Identity Law has been approved by the Argentine Senate, just now. This law allows to change your gender legally without need of approval of a court, or compulsory GRS. (I haven't seen this reported anywhere outside of Argentina, for some weird reason.)

Edit: Here we go, some news in English: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/L/LT_ARGENTINA_TRANSGENDER_RIGHTS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2012-05-09-20-32-45

[aishah]

http://www.qwoc.org/2012/05/janet-mock-launches-girlslikeus-campaign-to-empower-trans-women-of-color/

[Nadeest]

Good news for Transgender inmates in the Federal System. http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/programs/pdfs/prea_final_rule.pdf

[Nadeest]

It appears that the Department of Justice has accepted the EEOC's ruling that gender identity and transgender status are covered under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. YAY!!!

[Thinker]

Neat little story on China's oldest transgender woman. Also, at the end of the article is a series of 20 short videos on 20 transgender "pioneers".

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/15/qian-jinfan-chinas-oldest_n_1599918.html?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_hp_ref=fb&src=sp&comm_ref=false#sb=18806,b=facebook

[Quintease]

Preparing for the Trans Baby Boom (http://www.rhrealitycheck.org/article/2012/06/13/preparing-trans-baby-boom)

Philly Trans Health Conference (http://radicaldoula.com/2012/05/30/philadelphia-trans-health-conference/)

[Linus]

Clothing for butches and transmen: http://www.saintharridan.com/index.html

[Soon]

"Today is a day of tremendous reparation. Today we do not shout for liberation but instead we shout for equality, which is just as important as freedom. I do not want to use a word that bothers me greatly: Tolerance. No. I do not believe in 'tolerance'. To tolerate is to say I'll allow you to be because I have no other choice. I want to talk about equality and I want to talk about all of you who will now have the same rights I have enjoyed from the moment I was born and the rights that so many millions of Argentinians have enjoyed from the moment they were born. This is the society we want."

- Argentine President Cristina Kirchner (http://blabbeando.blogspot.com/2012/07/in-emotional-ceremony-argentinean.html#.T_O6kaaMMkY), at an event marking the new right of transgender citizens to officially change their gender on official documents without proving they'd undergone surgery.

Blabbeando author Andres Duque says the new law, which was passed unanimously by the legislature, makes Argentina the world's most progressive nation for transgender rights. Argentina legalized same-sex marriage in 2010 and it's now quite arguable that they are the world's most progressive nation for LGBT rights overall. Hit the link for video of the above-cited ceremony. It's a beautiful thing even if you don't speak a word of Spanish. (reposted from joemygod)

[EnderD_503]

Was linked to this earlier today. Very powerful. http://thespiritwas.tumblr.com/post/26871577096/sylvia-rivera-kicking-ass-on-stage-after-some

[Linus]

http://www.advocate.com/crime/2012/07/24/trans-man-arrested-idaho-allegedly-stabbing-another-man -- he will likely need our support. Let's keep our eyes out for him when he needs help.

[EnderD_503]

http://www.advocate.com/crime/2012/07/24/trans-man-arrested-idaho-allegedly-stabbing-another-man -- he will likely need our support. Let's keep our eyes out for him when he needs help.

First time I actually hear about an incarcerated transguy being talked about in the news. Its good that this is getting news time, at least. Thinking of what a friend of mine went through at the hands of authorities and inmates when he was incarcerated, I wish Jayce a heck of a lot of good luck with this and hope that he gets out of this relatively unscathed.

Hopefully now that this is a news issue/in the public eye, they'll be a little more humane towards him. Prison is not a friendly place for transmen (or trans people in general) and its so rarely talked about (and not because it doesn't happen frequently. It does.). Good luck, dude, and hopefully they recognise this as self-defense... :(

[Jesse]

He has bonded out on a $150,000 bond and will have a preliminary hearing for a charge of aggravated battery on Aug. 6.

The police of course, felt it necessary to release his original birth name! :annoyed:

Read more here: http://www.idahostatesman.com/2012/07/25/2202099/boisean-accused-of-stabbing-man.html#storylink=cpy

[DMW]

Very disturbing really.
A different case and good article.
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2012/05/cece-mcdonald-transgender-hate-crime-murder

[DapperButch]

He has bonded out on a $150,000 bond and will have a preliminary hearing for a charge of aggravated battery on Aug. 6.

The police of course, felt it necessary to release his original birth name! :annoyed:

Read more here: http://www.idahostatesman.com/2012/07/25/2202099/boisean-accused-of-stabbing-man.html#storylink=cpy

Thanks for the article. In it's defense the article gave the man's birth name (female) and then said, "Friends say the 27 year old is now a man and goes by the name Jayce...". I think it is possible, if not probable, that the suspect did not legally change his name yet. I also noticed that the article refrained from using any pronouns throughout. I am wondering if this is an attempt to be tolerant?

[Jesse]

Thanks for the article. In it's defense the article gave the man's birth name (female) and then said, "Friends say the 27 year old is now a man and goes by the name Jayce...". I think it is possible, if not probable, that the suspect did not legally change his name yet. I also noticed that the article refrained from using any pronouns throughout. I am wondering if this is an attempt to be tolerant?

Hey Dapper,

Yes I agree, perhaps it is as you say. I still feel that it was not okay to publicly release the birth name. This is likely just a personal issue that I have about outing people. Many transguys do not want others to know their birth name or that sort of personal info, and I think it just struck a cord with me is all.

Thanks

[DapperButch]

Hey Dapper,

Yes I agree, perhaps it is as you say. I still feel that it was not okay to publicly release the birth name. This is likely just a personal issue that I have about outing people. Many transguys do not want others to know their birth name or that sort of personal info, and I think it just struck a cord with me is all.

Thanks

I absolutely and completely get what you are saying here about many/most transguys not wanting their birth names/trans status released. I assume that a newspaper would have to print the legal name of a suspect in a story (that they wouldn't have a choice about it), is all I was saying.

[alexri]

The newest edition of the psychiatric diagnostic manual will do away with labeling transgender people as "disordered."

http://www.advocate.com/politics/transgender/2012/07/23/dsm-replaces-gender-identity-disorder-gender-dysphoria

This is interesting and will hopefully help more people...

[EnderD_503]

Thanks for the article. In it's defense the article gave the man's birth name (female) and then said, "Friends say the 27 year old is now a man and goes by the name Jayce...". I think it is possible, if not probable, that the suspect did not legally change his name yet. I also noticed that the article refrained from using any pronouns throughout. I am wondering if this is an attempt to be tolerant?

I absolutely and completely get what you are saying here about many/most transguys not wanting their birth names/trans status released. I assume that a newspaper would have to print the legal name of a suspect in a story (that they wouldn't have a choice about it), is all I was saying.

Not willing to give what appears to be an extremely conservative newspaper of a very conservative state the benefit of the doubt as far as trying to be "tolerant" or anything of the sort. Other news sources have identified him solely as Jayce D. McClerkin (f.ex. the Advocate article originally posted in the thread). But it also wouldn't be the first time that law enforcement have used a trans person's birth name over their real name (whether legally recognised yet or not).

If I remember right, Nikki Araguz went through the same thing when she was initially imprisoned...they used her birth name on her prison id instead of her real name (then also her legal name). If I remember that was the case with another transwoman recently in the news as well, and happens frequently when trans people are imprisoned. Nothing law enforcement or the media do to refer back to a trans person's assigned sex is ever coincidental or out of innocence/ignorance...ever. Its always another attempt to emphasise to the public and to themselves what they believe of the trans person, rather than who the trans person truly is. Just another humiliation tactic.

[aishah]

S5qw2kViAaM

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/citydesk/2012/08/03/what-mpds-three-condom-practices-means-for-the-transgender-community/

What MPD’s Condom Practice Means for the Transgender Community
Posted by Stephanie Haven on Aug. 3, 2012 at 1:40 pm
Transgender individuals don’t have it easy in the District: The last time the District government studied the population, in 2000, it had a 42 percent unemployment rate, and 47 percent of the community didn't have health insurance. To make ends meet, many end up in sex work as a last resort, transgender activist Jeri Hughes says—16 percent nationally, according to a 2011 report by the National Center for Transgender Equality.

For those reasons, one Metropolitan Police Department practice is particularly daunting to the District's transgender community—whose relationship with the police force is already fraught.

According a July 19 study by Human Rights Watch, if police find condoms either in a bag or with a person during a stop and search, they can use them as evidence of prostitution—even though there’s nothing illegal about the contraceptive method. These actions discourage sex workers from using condoms, increasing the risk of HIV—a particularly worrisome possibility for transgender people in the District, where the rate is already so high across the population, says Megan McLemore, a senior researcher in the Health and Human Rights Division of Human Rights Watch.

But MPD Chief Cathy Lanier remains steadfastly in favor of using condoms as evidence. She says this practice is analogous to using the discovery of several bags of drugs to demonstrate a person has distributed or plans to distribute an illicit substance, as opposed to mere possession. “If we have an arrest, and there is evidence to support the probable cause for that arrest, we have to submit that as evidence,” Lanier says. “We can’t ignore it and that goes for any case. I think we can still give a strong message about practicing safe sex without encouraging something that’s illegal. I don’t think those two things are exclusive of each other.”


Human Rights Watch studied the practice in four major cities across the country. In D.C., it found that MPD confiscated or disposed of condoms at disproportionately high rates. Condoms can be used as evidence of prostitution in the District, but haven’t been the sole cause of arrests, as they can be in Los Angeles and New York City. Condoms have also never been presented as evidence in District courts, McLemore says.

One consequence of the practice is a false rumor that could discourage condom use. “In D.C. we found that there was a pervasive rumor and understanding among sex workers that there is a three-condom rule,” McLemore says. “If you carry more than three, the police are going to hassle you. But nothing is on the books about this at all.”

The problematic three-condom practice intersects with an existing tension between MPD and the transgender community. Some police associate transgender people with criminality because of the significant percentage of transgender individuals engaged in sex work, according to Laurel Westbrook, an associate sociology professor at Grand Valley State University. Twenty-nine percent of the transgender population nationwide has dealt with police harassment or disrespect, according to National Center for Transgender Equality. Human Rights Watch's McLemore says that the three-condom practice contributes to profiling of transgender individuals by police.

Such profiling reached such a high level in 2007 that Lanier issued a 10-page general order on how to interact with transgender individuals. The District's police force was one of the first in a major city to create such a guideline. “It’s not just a matter of officers knowing what the policy says,” Lanier says. “They have to be able to interact in role-call training scenarios to demonstrate that they understand.”

Training and reality can present different situations, though. While Lanier says her officers are reprimanded if they don’t comply with the policy, misconduct isn’t always reported. The transgender community remains distrustful toward police, Lanier acknowledges, hindering the frequency with which MPD is notified about police harassment and other types of profiling. Even though Lanier's heard of only two officers who didn’t follow MPD's policy, it’s unclear how many incidents have gone unreported.

Thus, a discrepancy remains between what the policy says police ought do and how some perceive MPD actions. For example: Although they are now under legal review, prostitution free zones were a hot bed for harassment against transgender individuals, says Jason Terry, an activist at the District of Columbia Transgender Coalition. Whether it was catcalls or frequent stop-and-searches, he says prostitution free zones may as well have been called “transgender free zones.” “They used them to push trans women in particular into less safe areas which made them more vulnerable to other forms of violence,” Terry says.

Lanier says she has no account of these issues.

Compared to the other cities in the Human Rights Watch study, MPD has demonstrated more sensitivity toward the transgender community and public health issues overall, McLemore says. It’s a sentiment that Hughes agrees with, although she says MPD needs to tone down what she terms its zealous pursuit of transgender prostitutes.

Which is another issue that Lanier says she’d stop if it were brought to her attention. She says every officer, regardless of personal beliefs, has to interact with individuals according to the force's policy. “When you come to the job, you’re expected to deal with anyone and everyone you come in contact with,” Lanier says. “If you can’t separate your opinions, your biases from law enforcement you’re not in the right line of work.”

[Nadeest]

Hey Dapper,

Yes I agree, perhaps it is as you say. I still feel that it was not okay to publicly release the birth name. This is likely just a personal issue that I have about outing people. Many transguys do not want others to know their birth name or that sort of personal info, and I think it just struck a cord with me is all.

Thanks

To be more accurate, many transfolk, both men and women, do not want others to know their birth name or past life personal info.

It is dangerous for both transmen and transwomen to be outed. I am certainly prejudiced on the subject, but I think that in a lot of ways, it is more dangerous for transwomen, out there. Then again, I could certainly be wrong.

I've been outed before, in a hospital that I had never been to before, by the doctor that had sent me there for a test. He had agreed, prior to this, not to use my birth name for anything except for pay purposes. Yet, when I went for my MRI, the appointment was in my birth name, and the clown didn't think that he had done a thing wrong. :(

[DMW]

To be more accurate, many transfolk, both men and women, do not want others to know their birth name or past life personal info.

It is dangerous for both transmen and transwomen to be outed. I am certainly prejudiced on the subject, but I think that in a lot of ways, it is more dangerous for transwomen, out there. Then again, I could certainly be wrong.

I've been outed before, in a hospital that I had never been to before, by the doctor that had sent me there for a test. He had agreed, prior to this, not to use my birth name for anything except for pay purposes. Yet, when I went for my MRI, the appointment was in my birth name, and the clown didn't think that he had done a thing wrong. :(


So, agree with you on this one. So agree.
HIPPA? anyone HIPPA? That makes me angry actually. You asked him not to include your birth name and he did. Did you confront him? and he just shrugged it off? That could be ignorance or pure evil.

I can remember my last Dr's appt. in a new city. ( a smaller city)
I had decided to be open to my doctor because i needed to get T there.

So, i had a male nurse doing my medical history and askin ?'s etc.. we were hitting it off...and then, i gave him the honor of including him on my being trans for some reason...(it was some ? i had to answer, i forget) and his face got beat red. It was interesting to watch him squirm kinda and to try and wrap his mind around the idea that i was a transman. I had to insist that i was trans. It was eye opening to me. I said to him..."dude, i don't share this personal information with everyone... consider yourself privileged". I said, this is who i am, we exist and you can learn something about trans people and our health needs." And we laughed a bit and talked more but, he got up to leave. So, in comes a female nurse to ask me questions. And another one comes in to ask me more ?'s. So, i check the dude's emotional state out and he was ok and chill and we talked more. If he had been rude or had a serious issue with me... i woulda gone off. I didn't confront him on telling the other nurses because i realized he couldn't deal. He was so caught off guard.

That is interesting to think about now too. He was a new nurse and i don't think he had any idea about what to do. I had some compassion for him. Lucky for him.
So, in comes a female nurse, who did know about trans issues and it was refreshing. She was awesome. Now that i am thinking about it again. I wonder...
Did they send in a female nurse because i am trans or did they send in the female nurse because she was not ignorant about trans health care like the others? One female nurse just acted way too happy to see me. freaked me out. I was just kinda curt with her. Maybe she was a femme...hummm
But, as a transman i am more comfortable with male drs. and nurses i think.
I think it is because i am shy and i would rather talk about personal things that embarrass me with a male.

But, my point, I didn't share with him so that more people would be invited into another (show and tell answer trans questionnaire 101) question and answer session. I was just there to get some bp medication and talk to the dr about getting T in the small city. And i still had to tell my doctor.

If i had asked him not to share and he did...i would have gone off. Wouldn't be the first or second time i have had to stick up for myself in a dr's office.
I hope you never have to deal with that doctor again. And if you do, i hope that you can get a different one that is more respectful.

i do think that transwomen have more hate (is that the right word here?) directed towards them. Transguys have to be careful also. But, it just isn't the same.

[Jesse]

To be more accurate, many transfolk, both men and women, do not want others to know their birth name or past life personal info.

It is dangerous for both transmen and transwomen to be outed. I am certainly prejudiced on the subject, but I think that in a lot of ways, it is more dangerous for transwomen, out there. Then again, I could certainly be wrong.

I've been outed before, in a hospital that I had never been to before, by the doctor that had sent me there for a test. He had agreed, prior to this, not to use my birth name for anything except for pay purposes. Yet, when I went for my MRI, the appointment was in my birth name, and the clown didn't think that he had done a thing wrong. :(

Nadeest,

I apologize. It was not my intention to leave transwomen out of the picture, but I certainly did so.

The danger and humiliation factors are there for all transpeople indeed. Not to mention the lack of inherent privacy issues in general.

Again, my apologies to you and the other transwomen,

Jesse

[Nadeest]

Eh, it happens, Jesse. I didn't think about transmen when I first started transitioning, though I had known one before I had even known that I was ts. When I first started transitioning, I was way the heck up north, in a very rural area. There were no other transfolk around there for support, though there were some that were there, in stealth mode, from what I was told.

Transmen didn't really come into my consciousness until I moved to Houston, and started hanging out at the TG Center here. Then I started learning. :)

[DMW]

The newest edition of the psychiatric diagnostic manual will do away with labeling transgender people as "disordered."

http://www.advocate.com/politics/transgender/2012/07/23/dsm-replaces-gender-identity-disorder-gender-dysphoria

This is interesting and will hopefully help more people...


Don't really wanna start a can of worms. This could be a real catch 22

Don't have a label to your problem sometimes = no help.
I have never really liked the particular word or the label.
But, if i have a disorder with my body not matching my brain since my brain
is fine and you can't get in there to fix my brain cause it isn't broken ...then help me change my body since you have recognized there is an issue.

Ok, trans issue health care coverage for me ...thanks

[DapperButch]

Don't really wanna start a can of worms. This could be a real catch 22

Don't have a label to your problem sometimes = no help.
I have never really liked the particular word or the label.
But, if i have a disorder with my body not matching my brain since my brain
is fine and you can't get in there to fix my brain cause it isn't broken ...then help me change my body since you have recognized there is an issue.

Ok, trans issue health care coverage for me ...thanks

I understand what you are saying here. If there is no diagnosis, then an insurance company won't "treat" the illness by paying for surgery.

However, they ARE still keeping a form of gender identity in the DSM V. They are simply calling it "Gender Dysphoria". This should meet the requirments for therapy (if the person wants some). If their insurance company will pay for SRS surgery, this diagnosis will meet the requirments for this, as well.

What is different about calling it Gender Dysphoria is that the APA is saying it is not a "mental illness" per se.

I see all this as them finding the loophole we all wanted (both those in the trans community and those of us who are gender therapists)... the DSM is not saying it is a mental illness, but it is still saying that SRS is the TREATMENT for Gender Dysphoria (therefore, insurance companies should pay for any surgery the person may want).

As a gender therapist, I am pleased with this change. As a gender variant individual, I am happy with it, as well.

[Nadeest]

I am happy with the change in the DSM, as well. Now, we won't be charactized as having a mental illness, when we, in fact, do not have one. Our brains and gender identities simply do not match our bodies. The only possible fix, these days, is to remodel our bodies and our lives.

[Tony]

Been reading through this thread. Very interesting & nice to see the exchange of thoughts & experiences. I definately want to contribute as soon as I have enough time. Just hoping to keep the thread going.

[EnderD_503]

I can't help but get frustrated over these whole "x trans person has it worse than y trans person" discussions. Over in my city its manifested itself in some circles as transwomen constantly hating on transguys acting as though there is only one kind of transguy with one experience. One prominent transwomen activist here even ranted on about transmen as part of her speech at Slut Walk. Meanwhile, there's quite a number of homeless or incarcerated transguys out there with few places to turn for support because most the orgs focus on transwomen. So you end up with situations where transguys are placed into women's shelters because someone decided to designate a woman's shelter as "the trans shelter," yet fail to recognise the issues that transguys face in those shelters (being denied access to health care facilities because they are "women only" and no effort by the shelter to organise something for transmen staying at the shelter, being harassed, people trying to get them kicked out of the shelter etc), to the point where what little statistics exist (thanks to one transguy activist in the city, who sadly recently committed suicide) point to the fact that the majority of homeless transmen prefer to sleep outside than in shelters. These are things both transmen and transwomen face. And yet, neither can transguys (just as transwomen as well) go to male shelters safely because of the violence and harassment they face there.

So why can't there be more inclusive resources? I feel the idea that transwomen face more issues than transmen can create this imbalance where there aren't really inclusive resources, so that transmen "can stay here too" but there's not the same level of organisation to provide them with support, health care etc.

I don't mean to always bring it back to shelters, streets and prisons, but that is where a huge amount of the abuse of trans people occurs...so we shouldn't really be looking at as much at the experiences of trans people in office jobs or something as the way of saying "oh such and such has it so easy."

It becomes frustrating. I think all trans people should be equally considered, and there just seems to be so many barriers wedged between transmen and transwomen right now.

And it feels like no one ever thinks of people's experiences depending on their choices or situations as far as hormones/surgery etc. A lot of trans people who are low income, suffer from depression, have a history of substance abuse or incarceration are denied hormones or surgery because therapists decide they aren't "stable enough"...and the more they deny them what they need, the more "unstable" they appear to the therapist or health care professional. That happens equally with all trans people in those situations.

And what are those people having to go through? How many transguys have had people abuse them to try to "make them acknowledge" their "femaleness," especially when they're not on T...but that's one thing I've noticed talking to friends and such is that there seems like there's little space to talk about that, and partially because some people feel it will detract from their identities as men. So how to get over that... And I also feel that because a lot of transguys who are not on T are frequently mistaken for female, when it happens there's just zero visibility statistically.

Everything that happens to vulnerable transwomen, there's a flip side for transguys in similar situations, whether its visible or not...and especially since there are very few statistics that include transguys who are in more vulnerable living situations.

But then there's this fucked up feeling that every time these discussions occur, someone is being left out. Like transguys feeling left out when a lot of the resources out there are for transwomen, but then you also get transwomen feeling left out when things focus on transguys. How do you strike a balance?

Edit: and I think it stems too from the fact that everyone is struggling for space. Because society in general doesn't leave much space for trans people, especially certain trans people, its like we struggle among each other to create more safe space for ourselves or to get our struggles across...but again how to strike a balance?

Blah...

[DapperButch]

Hi, Ender. I enjoyed your whole post. Very thought provoking.


So why can't there be more inclusive resources? I feel the idea that transwomen face more issues than transmen can create this imbalance where there aren't really inclusive resources, so that transmen "can stay here too" but there's not the same level of organisation to provide them with support, health care etc.

I agree with you around the lack of inclusive resources. I am wondering why that is. I see your thoughts about how it serves as a way to keep transmen back, so to speak, but do you think this is actually conscious?

Could it be simply about funding and how what gets funded in society is based on the individuals' interests who are setting up the programs/organizations?

Assuming that transwomen worked as males at some point and that transmen worked as females at some point, is it useful to consider that the higher salaries of males assigned at birth could create this difference? Meaning, transwomen have more money than transmen, so they create programs for themselves, while transmen don't have the same cash flow? This doesn't speak to the inclusive issue, however. <thinking>


I don't mean to always bring it back to shelters, streets and prisons, but that is where a huge amount of the abuse of trans people occurs...so we shouldn't really be looking at as much at the experiences of trans people in office jobs or something as the way of saying "oh such and such has it so easy."

Yes, that is where a huge amount of the abuse occurs, but I believe that the majority (by, how much I don't know), of trans people don't live in those places. And I tell you what, I would MUCH prefer to be a transman in our society than a transwoman. There is a MUCH better chance of passing, especially on hormones, and I don't think transmen get half as much shit as transwomen. At least in my world.

Or, in all of this were you only talking about programs FOR homeless/prison/etc. transpeople?

More questions than answers for me. Very interesting topic.

[DMW]

I see all this as them finding the loophole we all wanted (both those in the trans community and those of us who are gender therapists)... the DSM is not saying it is a mental illness, but it is still saying that SRS is the TREATMENT for Gender Dysphoria (therefore, insurance companies should pay for any surgery the person may want).

That is really refreshing. Kinda been waiting on what the outcome would be and been out of the loop. It is what i wanted. It is nice to hear this, in a concise manner, from someone whom is knowledgeable about the issue. This way, i don't feel the need to go foraging through the DSM now.
Thanks.

[DMW]

So why can't there be more inclusive resources? I feel the idea that transwomen face more issues than transmen can create this imbalance where there aren't really inclusive resources, so that transmen "can stay here too" but there's not the same level of organisation to provide them with support, health care etc.

I don't mean to always bring it back to shelters, streets and prisons, but that is where a huge amount of the abuse of trans people occurs...so we shouldn't really be looking at as much at the experiences of trans people in office jobs or something as the way of saying "oh such and such has it so easy."

It becomes frustrating. I think all trans people should be equally considered, and there just seems to be so many barriers wedged between transmen and transwomen right now.

And it feels like no one ever thinks of people's experiences depending on their choices or situations as far as hormones/surgery etc. A lot of trans people who are low income, suffer from depression, have a history of substance abuse or incarceration are denied hormones or surgery because therapists decide they aren't "stable enough"...and the more they deny them what they need, the more "unstable" they appear to the therapist or health care professional. That happens equally with all trans people in those situations.

And what are those people having to go through? How many transguys have had people abuse them to try to "make them acknowledge" their "femaleness," especially when they're not on T...but that's one thing I've noticed talking to friends and such is that there seems like there's little space to talk about that, and partially because some people feel it will detract from their identities as men. So how to get over that... And I also feel that because a lot of transguys who are not on T are frequently mistaken for female, when it happens there's just zero visibility statistically.

Everything that happens to vulnerable transwomen, there's a flip side for transguys in similar situations, whether its visible or not...and especially since there are very few statistics that include transguys who are in more vulnerable living situations.

But then there's this fucked up feeling that every time these discussions occur, someone is being left out. Like transguys feeling left out when a lot of the resources out there are for transwomen, but then you also get transwomen feeling left out when things focus on transguys. How do you strike a balance?

Edit: and I think it stems too from the fact that everyone is struggling for space. Because society in general doesn't leave much space for trans people, especially certain trans people, its like we struggle among each other to create more safe space for ourselves or to get our struggles across...but again how to strike a balance?

Blah...

Wow, how to come together without excluding others or slowing progress for all people? Or the other trans sex. Tearing down barriers that already exist in the x, y, world to open up doors for trans x,y....without stepping on trans y, so that trans x can get help too. Or vice versa. Very interesting. Cool post.
Thanks.

[MsTinkerbelly]

American Psychiatric Association issues new position on transgender care
By Jacob Combs

ThinkProgress reports that the American Psychiatric Association has published a new official position regarding care for transgender and gender non-conforming men and women. In this year’s edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (the DSM-V), transgender status will no longer be classified as “Gender Identity Disorder,” but rather as “Gender Dysphoria.” The APA’s new position reads as follows:

The American Psychiatric Association:

1. Recognizes that appropriately evaluated transgender and gender variant individuals can benefit greatly from medical and surgical gender transition treatments.

2. Advocates for removal of barriers to care and supports both public and private health insurance coverage for gender transition treatment.

3. Opposes categorical exclusions of coverage for such medically necessary treatment when prescribed by a physician.

The American Psychiatric Association:

1. Supports laws that protect the civil rights of transgender and gender variant individuals.

2. Urges the repeal of laws and policies that discriminate against transgender and gender variant people.

3. Opposes all public and private discrimination against transgender and gender variant individuals in such areas as health care, employment, housing, public accommodation, education, and licensing.

4. Declares that no burden of proof of such judgment, capacity, or reliability shall be placed upon these individuals greater than that imposed on any other persons.

The APA’s move is an extremely important one, since it represents the scientific consensus of one of America’s most important mental health groups, and as such is taken seriously by the courts when cited in litigation. In the face of so many who continue to smear LGBT individuals with untrue arguments about the dangers of homosexuality and gender non-conformity, having scientific organizations like the APA on our side gives the lie to those falsehoods. And, as we’ve written about on this site, language matters, so moving away from the negatively tinged “Gender Identity Disorder” is a positive development for transgender Americans

[EnderD_503]

I agree with you around the lack of inclusive resources. I am wondering why that is. I see your thoughts about how it serves as a way to keep transmen back, so to speak, but do you think this is actually conscious?

Could it be simply about funding and how what gets funded in society is based on the individuals' interests who are setting up the programs/organizations?

Assuming that transwomen worked as males at some point and that transmen worked as females at some point, is it useful to consider that the higher salaries of males assigned at birth could create this difference? Meaning, transwomen have more money than transmen, so they create programs for themselves, while transmen don't have the same cash flow? This doesn't speak to the inclusive issue, however. <thinking>

It's not conscious in the sense that anyone is "conspiring" or something to not grant transguys services...but I think it should be recognised that transguys are often not seen as legitimate by institutions. Transguys are usually not what pops into people's heads when they think of "trans." I think there are definitely far more transwomen who advocate for disadvantaged transwomen or for themselves than transguys who do the same. Some services are set up by well off middle/upper class transwomen for low income/homeless transwomen or transfemale sex workers. But often, especially in the case of sex workers, these services are started by organisations trying to work with transwomen in these situations to provide those services. However, because they are organisations (often lgbtq) doing the funding and service creation, they have a very set view of what they think trans people need. Transguys are often not on their radars because even in the lgbtq community we're often forgotten.

I think a lot of it has to do with competing life experience and the assumptions people make about "what it means to be a man." Transguys were coercively assigned female at birth and wrongly perceived as female for a good chunk of our lives. When we are the victims of harassment or assault and especially sexualisation we often remain silent of it both because of the way we were brought up to think that we should remain silent about it and also because of insecurities about maleness/masculinity and the idea we shouldn't talk about it also silences us. As such, any statistic that might have existed, our experiences are often recorded in the "woman" category. No accurate statistics for us exist and its not because of a lack of experience, but because of silence. We don't often end up trying to advocate for ourselves or represent ourselves the way many transwomen do, and especially low income, homeless or incarcerated...or even transmale sex workers who are frequently forgotten or deemed non-existent because of stereotypes around sex work. Slowly transguys are starting to advocate more for each other and creating visibility, but there is still a long way to go. Organisations won't start paying more attention until we break the silence and start helping each other out and reaching out to others for help.

Yes, that is where a huge amount of the abuse occurs, but I believe that the majority (by, how much I don't know), of trans people don't live in those places. And I tell you what, I would MUCH prefer to be a transman in our society than a transwoman. There is a MUCH better chance of passing, especially on hormones, and I don't think transmen get half as much shit as transwomen. At least in my world.

Or, in all of this were you only talking about programs FOR homeless/prison/etc. transpeople?

More questions than answers for me. Very interesting topic.

I really don't care much about what a "majority" is or isn't. It's a moot argument, imo, because there are no accurate statistics about trans people. It's pretty hard to gather any accurate statistic about any queer or trans identity because certain people will always be more likely to respond than others. Trans people with class privilege already have too much attention to begin with. A massive chunk of trans people are in low income situations or worse and that's what I care about.

As far as more of this "transwomen have it worse than transmen" generalisations...that's the kind of divisive thing I really think the trans community needs to move beyond. Ultimately this hierarchy competition doesn't mean shit to a homeless transman or transwoman being denied their basic rights.

[Beloved]

A friend posted this on Facebook.

http://votingwhiletrans.org/download.html

Excerpt: "Transgender people, the majority of whom have never had problems voting in the past, may now lose their right to vote due to dozens of new voter suppression laws. Over 25,000 transgender people could have their voting rights taken away. In response to these dubious new laws, we have released two resources to help transgender people reclaim their voting rights."

[Corkey]

A friend posted this on Facebook.

http://votingwhiletrans.org/download.html

Excerpt: "Transgender people, the majority of whom have never had problems voting in the past, may now lose their right to vote due to dozens of new voter suppression laws. Over 25,000 transgender people could have their voting rights taken away. In response to these dubious new laws, we have released two resources to help transgender people reclaim their voting rights."

Thank you, going to FB to repost for my friends there.

[Linus]

So.. Buck Angel has started a dating site for FTMs: http://buckangeldating.com/ You can read more about the thought process of why at this article http://www.huffingtonpost.com/buck-a...ef=transgender (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/buck-angel/transsexual-dating-websites_b_1846459.html?utm_hp_ref=transgender)

[Toughy]

So I am at the SF VA Medical Center thursday morning. All over the VA are these flat screens that have announcements of stuff on them. It's a variety of things going on at the VA for veterans and staff members. One of the announcements was the following:

Transgender Awareness Day
Oct 3 8:00am-12:00noon

Featured speaker is Marci Bowers, MD

there are other speakers also.......

and yes I think I will go just to hear what is being said..........



please ohhh please vote, vote often and vote Democratic........

I promise if Romney wins none of this kind of stuff will be happening at any VA....we can count on a reduction in services and an attempt to privatize veterans health care.........just like they want to do with Medicare/Medicaid and Social Security.......it will be voucher-VA, voucher-care, voucher-caid and voucher-security
__________________