Trans News/ Issues

[Linus]

Originally Posted by EnderD_503

http://www.xtra.ca/public/National/F...tee-13707.aspx



Still unsure how I feel about it, and it won't actually change much for a lot of trans people when it comes to housing and employment...in most cases people don't tell you to your face that they won't rent to you or hire you/fired you because your trans and this kind of stuff only really helps in the "obvious" cases. It's society and the education system itself that needs to change so that people aren't such assholes generally, and I don't think this piece of legislation will really help it do that.

It won't change people but at least it will protect trans when this can be proved (akin to discrimination that's happened to various gays in Canada, vis-a-vis gay marriage). It really should be a two-pronged approach but given who's in charge of the gov't, I'm impressed that this is even being considered at this point.

[EnderD_503]

Originally Posted by Linus

It won't change people but at least it will protect trans when this can be proved (akin to discrimination that's happened to various gays in Canada, vis-a-vis gay marriage). It really should be a two-pronged approach but given who's in charge of the gov't, I'm impressed that this is even being considered at this point.

Thing is to me, even since it passed in Ontario there hasn't been much change (which doesn't make much difference in Toronto since the city already had its own policy beforehand). Still regular/blatant discrimination by health care providers on basic checkups, still lots of homeless and unemployed trans people. The government passes legislation like this, and then they go and try to make cuts to ODSP or do little to force the Catholic school board to follow provincial discrimination laws and backed down from school reforms to include queer and trans people in the curriculum, the minute Conservatives complained. It just seems like a little fluff to try to appease trans people so they can now say "oh look, you have your rights" like they did with gay marriage (you know, "you can get married now, what more do you want?"), meanwhile making cuts to social services that many trans people need to survive or don't address other ways employers/landlords can easily dodge discrimination claims.

[Corkey]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mara-k...b_3444713.html

Good news on the SSN front.

[DapperButch]

Originally Posted by Corkey

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mara-k...b_3444713.html

Good news on the SSN front.

Awesome! Thanks for posting!

[Nadeest]

Apparently, the AMA has passed a new resolution, in favor of transgender people having access to accurate birth certificates. Here is the link that I found it on: http://www.glad.org/current/item/gla...icates-for-tra

[DapperButch]

Originally Posted by Nadeest

Apparently, the AMA has passed a new resolution, in favor of transgender people having access to accurate birth certificates. Here is the link that I found it on: http://www.glad.org/current/item/gla...icates-for-tra

Wow, things seem to really be moving along nicely for trans people the last year. I feel like there is some real inertia moving towards equality.

Thank God, Obama came into office, or we would be at a standstill, if not sliding backwards

It is like trans is becoming the new gay. Corportations, professional organizations, etc., seem to be jumping on the bandwagon of it being "ok" to be gender variant, in order to be politically correct.

Do others here think similarly?

[DapperButch]

I received my January-March 2013 volume of the International Journal of Transgenderism today in the mail at work.

I don't remember the name of the study, but it was written by Milton Diamond, M.D. (he is a big dealio in the field) about identical twins.

I only read the abstract and forgot to bring it home with me. However, evidently based on a study he did, along with data from past studies, 20% of identical twin pairs both transitioned if one transitioned.

He says they controlled for environmental factors, but I didn't see anywhere that it said that this was for twins raised apart, so I will have to see how they controlled for this.

Anyway, interesting stuff!

[Linus]

"Hormonal therapy for transsexual patients is safe and effective, a multicenter European study indicates. The results will be presented Saturday at The Endocrine Society's 95th Annual Meeting in San Francisco."

http://www.sciencecodex.com/hormonal...fective-114284

[Greyson]

Originally Posted by Linus

"Hormonal therapy for transsexual patients is safe and effective, a multicenter European study indicates. The results will be presented Saturday at The Endocrine Society's 95th Annual Meeting in San Francisco."

http://www.sciencecodex.com/hormonal...fective-114284

Thanks for posting this Linus. Honestly, I still have concerns. I hope in the near future there will be studies done on long term use of hormones. This study was based on only 12 months of study.


"Hormonal therapy involves large doses of male or female sex hormones, which has led to concern about its health effects. This study found that short-term hormonal therapy for transsexualism is effective and safe, with few side effects."

"Female-to-male transsexuals received a form of the male sex hormone testosterone. Male-to-female transsexuals received anti-androgen treatment in combination with a form of estrogen, which is the principal female sex hormone. Treatment was for 12 months."

I am in the SF Bay Area and I am going to see if I can get into conference to hear about the study and/or get an entire copy of the study. Thanks again.

[Nadeest]

We definitely do need more information on it, that is for certain. We do know, however, the effects of NOT having hormonal therapy, and being able to transition. We also know something about the effects of stopping hormonal therapy, from the experience of all the people that have had to do that. I, personally, do not ever wish to go off my hormones. They help keep me fairly sane, and somewhat content with my body.

[DapperButch]

Originally Posted by Nadeest

We definitely do need more information on it, that is for certain. We do know, however, the effects of NOT having hormonal therapy, and being able to transition. We also know something about the effects of stopping hormonal therapy, from the experience of all the people that have had to do that. I, personally, do not ever wish to go off my hormones. They help keep me fairly sane, and somewhat content with my body.

This reminds me of something. After my colon cancer I went to see a doc in Chicago who had a different approach to cancer treatment besides just the usual chemo (what you eat, stress, exercise, supplements, etc). Anyway, his/my/lots of people's belief, is that the environment that we live in contributes to cancer. Last time I looked my state was 5th in the nation for cancer. The state with the least amount of cancer is Utah. Arizona is second. So, I asked him if I thought that I should move to Utah, if that would make me safer from a recurrence.

His response was to ask me to think about the distress I would feel about leaving where I currently live. Did I like my job here? Would I be ok moving away from my family? His point was, the distress of leaving my home could create just as much chance of recurrence as the environment/atmosphere could.

We all know the connection between emotional stress and physical illness. Will the transperson who does not use cross sex hormones due to fear of cancer actually be more likely to get cancer due to the level of distress they have from their body dysphoria?

Just some food for thought.

[DapperButch]

I went to the trans-health conference in Philly last week. On Saturday there was a workshop on hormones and cancer. I was not able to attend that particular workship, but I plan to try to get a hold of the presenter and see if he/she can send me any materials.

I can post the information here, if anyone is interested.

[Nadeest]

Originally Posted by DapperButch

This reminds me of something. After my colon cancer I went to see a doc in Chicago who had a different approach to cancer treatment besides just the usual chemo (what you eat, stress, exercise, supplements, etc). Anyway, his/my/lots of people's belief, is that the environment that we live in contributes to cancer. Last time I looked my state was 5th in the nation for cancer. The state with the least amount of cancer is Utah. Arizona is second. So, I asked him if I thought that I should move to Utah, if that would make me safer from a recurrence.

His response was to ask me to think about the distress I would feel about leaving where I currently live. Did I like my job here? Would I be ok moving away from my family? His point was, the distress of leaving my home could create just as much chance of recurrence as the environment/atmosphere could.

We all know the connection between emotional stress and physical illness. Will the transperson who does not use cross sex hormones due to fear of cancer actually be more likely to get cancer due to the level of distress they have from their body dysphoria?

Just some food for thought.

That, is a very good point!

[Greyson]

Gendered Restrooms and Minority Stress: The Public Regulation of Gender and its Impact on Transgender People’s Lives

By Jody L. Herman
June 2013

Transgender and gender non-conforming people report being denied access to gendered restrooms, and experiencing verbal harassment and physical assault in these spaces at alarming rates. The Washington, DC- based survey, conducted with the DC Trans Coalition, found that 70 percent of survey respondents report experiencing verbal harassment, assault, and being denied access to public restrooms. The study identifies the impact that transgender people’s negative experiences in gendered restrooms can have on their education, employment, health, and participation in public life.

Findings include:

• 27 percent of those who worked in Washington, DC, experienced problems using restrooms at work that, in some cases, caused them to change jobs or leave their employer entirely.

• 54 percent of all respondents reported having some sort of physical problem from trying to avoid using public restrooms, such as dehydration, kidney infections, and urinary tract infections.

• 58 percent reported that they have avoided going out in public due to a lack of safe public restroom facilities.

• 10 percent of survey respondents who attended school in Washington, DC, reported a negative impact on their education, including having excessive absences and dropping out of school due to issues related to restroom access.

• People of color and people who have not medically transitioned fared worse in some measured survey outcomes.

Read the Full Report:

http://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.ed...-June-2013.pdf

__________________________________________________ ________

In the final point above it says "medically transitioned." I think we can all agree that medical transition could include surgeries and hormones. I point this out because many Butches experience the same sort of stuff when using the restroom. I don't think this only happens to Transexual people. I think it happens to people that do not conform, express their gender according to whatever "mainstream" construction that is put upon gender expression. This would include even female identified butches. Many may disagree with me but I think there are many butches that are transgender and not transexual. IMO, transgender is those who do not conform, express, fit in the box of what most of society thinks their gender should look and act like. You can very well be a butch and identify completely as a woman and still live your life outside of what most consider "gender norms."

My point, maybe we have commonalities that trump the differences.

[Nadeest]

Originally Posted by Greyson

Gendered Restrooms and Minority Stress: The Public Regulation of Gender and its Impact on Transgender People’s Lives

By Jody L. Herman
June 2013

Transgender and gender non-conforming people report being denied access to gendered restrooms, and experiencing verbal harassment and physical assault in these spaces at alarming rates. The Washington, DC- based survey, conducted with the DC Trans Coalition, found that 70 percent of survey respondents report experiencing verbal harassment, assault, and being denied access to public restrooms. The study identifies the impact that transgender people’s negative experiences in gendered restrooms can have on their education, employment, health, and participation in public life.

Findings include:

• 27 percent of those who worked in Washington, DC, experienced problems using restrooms at work that, in some cases, caused them to change jobs or leave their employer entirely.

• 54 percent of all respondents reported having some sort of physical problem from trying to avoid using public restrooms, such as dehydration, kidney infections, and urinary tract infections.

• 58 percent reported that they have avoided going out in public due to a lack of safe public restroom facilities.

• 10 percent of survey respondents who attended school in Washington, DC, reported a negative impact on their education, including having excessive absences and dropping out of school due to issues related to restroom access.

• People of color and people who have not medically transitioned fared worse in some measured survey outcomes.

Read the Full Report:

http://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.ed...-June-2013.pdf

__________________________________________________ ________

In the final point above it says "medically transitioned." I think we can all agree that medical transition could include surgeries and hormones. I point this out because many Butches experience the same sort of stuff when using the restroom. I don't think this only happens to Transexual people. I think it happens to people that do not conform, express their gender according to whatever "mainstream" construction that is put upon gender expression. This would include even female identified butches. Many may disagree with me but I think there are many butches that are transgender and not transexual. IMO, transgender is those who do not conform, express, fit in the box of what most of society thinks their gender should look and act like. You can very well be a butch and identify completely as a woman and still live your life outside of what most consider "gender norms."

My point, maybe we have commonalities that trump the differences.

I can definitely agree with your point!

[Tony]

Thank you to Corkey & Nadeest for posting about SSN & birth certificates. Great information. And much appreciated.

[Gemme]

6 Year Old Transgender Girl Wins Case

[GraffitiBoi]

As a former journalist this really bothers me. As a transman this sickens me.

Ms. Brownworth's article had no need, in my personal opinion, for the description of Devon's genitals. She hid behind Freedom of Speech in order to satisfy her own morbid curiosity and more than likely to gain readership. Her own article contradicts her responses to her actions in subsequent interviews regarding the incident.

There is so much more I can say but I have had my fill of discrimination and exploitation from being trans. For now, I will hold my tongue.

http://www.transadvocate.com/gawking...-philly-pd.htm

[Ms. Meander]

I don't know if this is the right place to post this. Please let me know if you can think of a better place.

I want to help encourage awareness about these queer and trans refugees who are living in dire circumstances and need. Please take a look and help in any way you can, if only to help spread the word.

Health Care For Queer And Trans Refugees In Turkey

https://www.facebook.com/notes/sima-...51634484873422

"Dear Friends,

I visited Iranian queer and transgender refugee applicants in several Turkish towns last month and was struck by the lack of affordable health care for refugees. Turkey extends protection under the 1951 United Nations Convention relating to the Status of Refugees only to persons originating in Europe. However, the Turkish government allows non-European asylum seekers to remain in Turkey temporarily while their cases are pending with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Refugee applicants are required to register with the Turkish Ministry of interior and with the UNHCR, while waiting to be interviewed several times in a span of several years. If approved as true refugees, they are allowed to apply for resettlement to a third country of asylum. Upon registration with the UNHCR, the applicants are assigned to small “satellite cities” where they are registered by the Turkish Police and are required to stay during the time they are interviewed by the UNHCR and the embassy of the country of asylum. The registration process with the UNHCR, registration and assignment to small satellite towns in Turkey, interviews with the UNHCR for refugee status determination, and interviews with the third country of asylum take years, during which time asylum seekers are required to pay for their own expenses. Queer and trans refugees who have no choice other than working “illegally” face discrimination and exploitation. Many lose their jobs or face violence if they are “outed” as queer and trans to their employers. While the Turkish government provides limited social and medical services to refugee applicants, this requires a fee-based foreign number/blue book (kimlik), which costs 198 TL (around $100). This card will not be issued unless the applicant pays a $50 “temporary resident permit,” which needs to be renewed every 6 months. Many refugee applicants cannot afford the kimlik fee and therefore do not have access to necessary health care. While the current refugee application processes bind healthcare to strategies of surveillance through a foreign ID card, currently this is the only way for refugee applicants to have access to basic health services.

I have been in touch with a group of queer refugees who are willing to volunteer their time to identify people who urgently need to buy kimlik in order to receive healthcare. We need to raise at least $12,000, but are hoping to raise more funds to reach out to as many queer and trans refugees as possible. There are at least 537 queer and trans refugee applicants who are currently living in Turkey, 470 of whom are from Iran. While I am only in contact with Iranian queer refugees, we will certainly reach out to other queer and trans applicants (mostly from Iraq and Afghanistan), in order to increase the life chances of people who fall through the cracks in the international human rights regimes. We choose not to receive funding from states or organizations that serve the neocolonial agendas in the Middle East, nor do we wish to become complicit with any kind of pinkwashing propaganda that claims to save or liberate queers. We believe that social change will happen through grassroots politics and organizing, and not from above. That is why we have chosen crowdsourcing to raise funds for the Iranian queer and trans refugees who are living under dire conditions and are not receiving sufficient support from the "liberating” states and human rights NGOs.

We hope that you can participate in this fundraising effort. http://fundly.com/health-care-for-qu...olks-in-turkey

Thank you,

Sima Shakhsari"

[GraffitiBoi]

In case any of you haven't seen this before:

http://transgenderequality.wordpress...ax-deductible/