Opinion

Anti-trans sex essentialist activists love to pretend that "transgender" is a verb for the same reason anti-gay activists like to pretend "gay" is also a verb. If being gay or trans is a mere matter of behavior rather than selfhood, then people can just stop the behavior that makes them gay or trans. This is the basic idea behind anti-gay and anti-trans conversion therapy. Nevermind that this belief about gay and trans people is… Read more.

If you know anything about the queer community, you're familiar with the stereotype of the closeted dude who lives a lie by pretending to be Mr. Manly Man. You know, the guy who can't shut up about how trans people totally gross him out and how he's totally all about straight-cis identity politics? The guy who makes his entire life revolve around the very public promotion of the idea that he's the embodiment of guns, god, and them-there good ol'… Read more.

The newest claim making the sex essentialist activist rounds is that transition will probably cause you to have a stroke or heart attack. TERFs and other sex essentialist activists, from the political right to the skeptic-bro left, point to a new trans study from the Netherlands: The forthcoming study to be published in March 2019 said that trans women and men may be at higher risk for cardiovascular events and that, "oth physicians and transgender individuals should be aware of… Read more.

The Slowly Boiled Frog is biting commentary from David Cary Hart reflecting upon issues affecting the LGBT community. I should have known that this was inevitable. The headline at Christian Post- reads, "Doctor Slams Trans Study That Claims Using Preferred Names Reduces Depression, Suicide." I wrote about this last Saturday. Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin concluded: … In one of the largest and most diverse studies of transgender youths to date, researchers led by a team at The… Read more.

The anti-trans movement created a new pathology they're shopping around to various (mostly right-wing) news outlets. It's called "rapid onset gender dysphoria" and you catch it from websites like DeviantArt, Tumblr, and Reddit. A great takedown of this internet illness was published by the Advocate and I encourage you to check it out. Having said that, I want to focus on the more obvious, yet overlooked flaws of this concocted condition: it asserts itself to be both "rapid onset" and "gender… Read more.

The TransAdvocate Q & A is where we answer your questions. If you’d like to submit a question, go to our contact page and send it in. Today’s question is: Is it responsible or okay that I'm taking a hiatus from trans advocacy? Answering today’s question is Cristan Williams and she writes: My short and very unnuanced answer is: “Of course!” Neglecting ourselves while giving to everyone else isn't compassion. The circle… Read more.

The Slowly Boiled Frog is biting commentary from David Cary Hart reflecting upon issues affecting the LGBT community. Tony Perkins will argue vociferously that a fetus has rights. Mr. Perkins doesn't seem to think that a teenager has any rights at all. A child, Mr. Perkins, is entitled to quality medical care provided by competent and qualified practitioners. Perkins has decided to comment on a case in Ohio where a transgender boy has been terribly abused by his parents. His father… Read more.

The TransAdvocate Q & A is where we answer your questions. If you’d like to submit a question, go to our contact page and send it in. Today’s question is: I'm pre-transition and my gender dysphoria makes my life miserable. I’m not in a position to transition yet, so how do I deal with my dysphoria? Answering today’s question is Cristan Williams and she writes: Basically, I've handled gender dysphoria in the same way I've handled PTSD after a sexual… Read more.

If celebrities are going to profit off of being the figureheads for our collective traumas, then we have the right to demand they do it right. Trans people are sexually victimized at a sadly high rate. All victims of sexual harms deserve to be respected and represented by those treated as the spokespeople of the #MeToo movement. Unfortunately, that's not the case. I want to speak out about a nasty case of ally fail that took place this week when a presumed… Read more.

As readers might be aware, the UK media is engulfed in a new and ongoing round of media-created trans panic of the same type that lead to the death of Lucy Medows in 2013. Already, media hysteria coupled with the concern trolling homunculus that is all things "gender critical," has pushed a trans teen caught in the UK media's crosshairs to desperation. Riding the wake of this media madness is Linda Bellos, a sex essentialist "radical feminist" who took to an… Read more.

In a TransAdvocate article entitled "On the Ethics and Utility of Violence," an anonymous contributor makes the case for such violent acts as punching Richard Spencer, a white supremacist who has invoked Nazi slogans, in the middle of an interview while he was assaulting no one and posed no physical threat to anyone. Far from a "victory," I find that act of violence a surrender to the ethos of patriarchy and domination, as opposed to the values of feminism, democracy,… Read more.

After the property damage at the University of Berkeley by protesters opposed to Milo Yiannopolous speaking there, many within the movement have condemned the violence. They argue that the violence plays into a narrative constructed by white-nationalists, and damages the moral legitimacy of the progressive movement that opposes everything he is calling for. Others, such as Katherine Cross, have strongly argued that violence against fascist movements (“punching Nazis”) and leaders is not… Read more.

By David Cary Hart It's Claire Cretin, uh, Claire Chretien again (I know, mine is a sophomoric display of opprobrium). At the ultra-orthodox Catholic LifeSiteNews Chretien asks the rhetorical question (and answer): “Should men go in the girls’ restroom? This mom says no way.” That is a compound lie. This is about school access. Chretien's intent is to suggest that adult men will be using girls' facilities. The second part of the lie is that this isn't about men or boys. This is about whether… Read more.

By Alexx Andersen There has been a lot of misinformation about North Carolina’s House Bill 2 through various media outlets, as well as a general lack of coverage in regards to the many Queer and Trans People of Color-led (QTPOC) efforts since the passing of North Carolina’s House Bill 2, referred in the media as “The Bathroom Bill.” The narrative that has been pushed through various media outlets leads people to believe that it is only about the bathrooms. North… Read more.

The Handmaid’s Tale isn't as Fictional as you Thought For most Americans, The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood is a novel about a dystopian future where women are chattel whose only purpose is to procreate. For a surprising number of American women in positions of cultural, legal, and legislative power, it is an instruction manual on how to remake America in the image of Gilead. They want a future where not only is abortion illegal under all circumstances, so are… Read more.

This was the era of Anita Bryant's crusade against lesbians and gays. "As a mother," Bryant said, "I know that homosexuals cannot biologically reproduce children; therefore, they must recruit our children." This was the predominant belief; this notion that gays and lesbians need to "recruit" people to grow in numbers, and therefore are grooming children. It was very effective, as it tapped into primal fears that one's own sons and daughters could be in peril from a menace that the… Read more.

[su_button url="http://www.new.transadvocate.com/part-viii-interview-the-author-of-the-last-time-i-wore-a-dress-the-rise-and-fall-of-discosexology-dr-zucker-camh-conversion-therapy_n_19904.htm"  style="flat" background="#333333" color="#ffffff" size="10" wide="yes" center="yes" radius="0" icon="icon: mail-reply" icon_color="#ffffff"]Disco Sexology, Pt. 8: Committed for GID By Cristan Williams   Installment Preface Welcome to the ninth and last installment in this series on the rise and fall of Disco Sexology. In the previous installment, I interviewed the author of the classic, The Last Time I Wore a Dress, Dylan Scholinski. Scholinski was diagnosed with Gender Identity Disorder and confined to a mental institution… Read more.

  By M. A. Melby As an educator, it is my duty to give all students an opportunity to learn and to succeed. In service to this duty, Universities are legally required to maintain a non-hostile environment. I am also devoted to imparting information that may be incongruous with my students strongly held beliefs. With the goal of meaningful instruction and students’ personal growth in mind, I may encourage frank discussions on… Read more.

[su_button url="http://www.transadvocate.com/i/Owning_Endosex_Privilege.epub" target="blank" style="flat" background="#ffffff" color="#333333" size="15" icon="icon: book" icon_color="#333333"] E-Book Version Listen to an audio version of this article: [soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/301735631" params="color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false" width="100%" height="166" iframe="true" /]   By Margo Schulter The presentation of a poster session advocating Intersex Genital Mutilation (IGM) at the recent Amsterdam meeting of the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) has heightened a crisis of confidence and trust between the intersex and trans communities, with a special impact on those of us belonging to one or both communities… Read more.

By Kelley Winters The National Center for Transgender Equality Executive Director Mara Keisling respondedKeisling, M (2016). Response to BuzzFeed Article. Blog, National Center for Transgender Equality, Oct. 28. http://www.transequality.org/blog/response-to-buzzfeed-article]to sharp criticismHolden, D. (2016). Top LGBT Leaders Are Divided Over Compromising On The Bathroom Fight. BuzzFeed News, Oct. 25. https://www.buzzfeed.com/dominicholden/lgbt-leaders-divided-bathroom-fight] of the recent strategy by NCTE and other nonprofits funded by the Gill Foundation to back a Pennsylvania state nondiscrimination bill that included LGBT employment and housing protection but excluded public accommodation protections.… Read more.

A trans historian considers the backward progress of the way media represents our dead. By Kat If you are thinking of transitioning but have yet to start the process you have probably spent some time looking for ‘trans stuff.’ Yes, that would include information about how to about the transition process medically and legally; I’m just old enough to remember when the Erickson Educational Foundation pamphlets (remember those?) weren’t too far out of… Read more.

While it's well and good to call out those who denigrate trans people in the media, it's time to take it a step further. Making Money with Media What cis privilege looks like. Chances are that you've seen the clueless being used to generate ad revenue for corporate media interests. Have you ever wondered why the press has a habit of asking cis people what their thoughts are regarding trans people? A Guardian op-ed recently opined on this exploitative practice: Here’s how it… Read more.

On August 22, 2015, the NY Times ran an article by Richard A. Friedman titled, "How Changeable Is Gender?" One might be excused for mistaking the piece as an earnest call to the medical community for better interventions for the trans community. Alarmingly, Friedman warns readers that science has found that post-operative transsexuals are at significant risk of suicide and moreover, maybe medical treatment isn't actually the right approach after all, especially for trans kids. Friedman gravely recounts a scientific study that… Read more.

There are many things possible in the universe. If you are called a TERF it could be that the person who said it is actually a self-loathing misogynist who hates feminism and puppies. It could be that the label was unfairly or inappropriately applied. It could also be that someone used the term to point out your casual trans antagonism or unconscionable jackass bigotry. Who the hell knows? Regardless, you have been told over and over again that once… Read more.

In January of 2014 California, Speaker of the Assembly Toni Atkins introduced the Respect After Death Act (AB 1577), and Gov. Brown signed it into law the following September 26th. As of July 1, 2015, it requires the official responsible for completing a transgender person’s death certificate to do so in a manner that reflects the person’s gender identity if they are presented appropriate documentation, such as written instructions from the deceased person confirming their wishes, an updated birth certificate… Read more.

Tumblr TERF, radfem-momma apparently thinks it's okay to threaten trans kids with murder as long as you lie about the reason.   BACKSTORY: This post has to do with Tumblr TERFs trying to make the abuse a trans kid experienced by adult MichFest TERFs seem somehow okay. The abuse was witnessed by multiple individuals, specifically members of the Lesbian Avengers and a MichFest performer and member of Sister… Read more.

In the 2013 film Adult World, when cisgender protagonist Amy is cleaning the bathroom, she peers through a glory hole in the stall to see Rubia, a transgender woman, using the urinal. The sequence is constructed around Amy's point-of-view: Adult World Whatever the filmmakers' intentions, this is an excellent encapsulation of the cisgender gaze in cinema: a cisgender person viewing a transgender person without their consent, with little regard for their humanity. The reverse of… Read more.

Recently comedian Vicky Wagner posted this on social media: When criticized, she said: "I appreciate your opinion but Caitlyn had 65 years exp being a man in a man's world. She had male privilege. Has nothing to do with respect. Has to do with jokes. No one is off limits and I can't censor my self. Expected some flak. We should be able to laugh at ourselves. I have plenty of Gay and Lesbian jokes so why are Trans offlimits?… Read more.

The reality of trans pathologization in Russia By Yana Kirey-Sitnikova Note: The article contains descriptions of violence and involuntary medical treatment. Psychiatric treatment of transgender people has recently received attention in media and medical literature in response to strong international campaigns for depathologization, organized by transgender activists. The debates grew even stronger surrounding the drafting of the 5th version of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), which resulted in the replacement of “Gender Identity Disorder” with arguably less stigmatizing… Read more.

Facebook recently came out with a way to "rainbowify" your Facebook icon to show support for the Supreme Court's ruling on marriage equality. Soon after, a way to "celebrate trans pride" was also released. Recently a friend of mine, Shadi Petosky, posted on Facebook something that expressed my feelings about the trans flag perfectly: "I'll never use the trans flag on my photo or in any context. It's anti-feminist, not one flavor of feminism wants to continue codefying baby pink… Read more.

Why TERF ideology is child abuse and how the media supports it. By  Natacha This article discusses the clash of ideology and lived experience as exemplified by a recent BBC radio program in the UK. This article uses the term Trans Exclusionary Radical Feminist (TERF) to distinguish between the trans-supportive Radical Feminism of Andrea Dworkin, Catharine MacKinnon, The Olivia Collective or the West Coast Lesbian Conference and sex essentialist anti-trans feminism of Janice Raymond, Sheila Jeffreys and/or the… Read more.

The United Kingdom's conservative weekly magazine, The Spectator, recently published a post written by Brendan O'Neill (Editor of Sp!ked).  The piece’s title gives you a hint to its tone:  Trans activists are effectively experimenting on children. Could there be anything crueler? Can you think of anything more cruel than telling a five-year-old boy who likes Lady Gaga that he might have gender dysphoria? Or telling a nine-year-old tomboy who hates Barbie and loves Beckham that she might really be… Read more.

"Are you now or have you ever been a TERF?" screams the title of the latest missive from the NewStatesman. The implication of the headline is that trans people are silencing through McCarthyistic tactics. The definition of McCarthyism: 1. the practice of making accusations of disloyalty, especially of pro-Communist activity, in many instances unsupported by proof or based on slight, doubtful, or irrelevant evidence. 2. the practice of making unfair allegations or using unfair investigative techniques, especially in order to restrict… Read more.

Some of you might remember that Germaine Greer, a TERF the Radical Feminist Andrea Dworkin took to task for trying to pass off patriarchy as feminism, made some small waves for appealing to the patriarchal vagina smell trope in order to claim that trans women aren't real women. However, what's making waves throughout the UK is that Green Party activist Beatrix Campbell, along with numerous other activists, are appalled that the trans community dared think they had the same rights… Read more.

TERFs battle over who has the correct vaginal odor in order to determine female validity. I've noted many times that while Trans Exclusionary Radical Feminists (TERFs) like to speak on behalf of Radical Feminism, the type of so-called "gender critical feminism" they offer is at war with the roots of Radical Feminism. For example, pioneering Radical Feminist opinion leader Andrea Dworkin was supportive of trans women, ensuring that her 1980s-era pro-woman… Read more.

Gender Critical Feminism (GCF) is a euphemism for Trans-Exclusionary Radical Feminism (TERF). There is no ideological difference between the TERF and "Gender Critical Feminist" (GCF) movement; they are one in the same. GCF teaches that because sex is a natural binary, intersex people are actually just deformed men and women and trans people are always the sex they were assigned at birth. As Janice Raymond’s acolyte Sheila Jeffreys wrote, “sex” is fixed and referring to trans women with female pronouns is… Read more.

The 4chans sub board known as /pol/ (a well known ultra right reactionary sub board) has publicly and outright stated plans to drive transgender people (particularly trans women) to suicide and stated we should be “rounded up and slaughtered like cattle”. They have also made indications they aim to align with trans exclusionary radical feminists. I call upon all of you to send emails to 4chans owner and operator Christopher Poole (aka moot) to shut down the sub board /pol/… Read more.

Trans-exclusionary radical feminist thought leader, Janice Raymond, once famously said: "All transsexuals rape women's bodies by reducing the real female form to an artifact, appropriating this body for themselves." All transsexuals rape women's bodies? Last I checked rape was non-consensual,  forced sexual intercourse.  Raymond's use of it as something less than that should be considered an insult to the victims of rape everywhere. Now Gallus Mag is claiming:   on Veteran's Day the person on the left: is a terrorist.… Read more.

Are Trans Communities Losing Intersex Allies in the TERF Wars? By Cary Gabriel Costello, PhD Recently I spent several days in a public internet group for "gender critical" people, after a few intersex friends voiced some positive things about this line of thinking. As an intersex individual who gender transitioned from the sex he was assigned at birth, I was puzzled and concerned by this development. I'd read in trans writing that "gender critical" feminists were actively transphobic--yet here were… Read more.

The Demands of Michfest's Lisa Vogel: A Response & a Good Faith Offer of Support By Emmagene Cronin   The end of the 39th annual Michigan Womyn’s Music Festival (MWMF of Michfest) has arrived, and the trans community has been left with a list of “demands” from the Festival itself. To the unknowing reader, this list would seem like the extension of an olive branch, and glimmer of hope for reconciliation between two presently oppositional factions within the feminist movement.… Read more.

In what has to be one of the most facepalm-inducing interviews I've ever watched, Canadian school board trustee, Sam Sotiropoulos attempted to explain why he's not a bigot for promoting bigotry. The above interview occurred after Sotiropoulos posted a few transphobic tweets. Psychiatry expert: ‘scientifically there is no such thing as transgender’ http://t.co/huWbDpd6bl Where's Bill C-279? http://t.co/4JRejJhuW6 — Sam Sotiropoulos (@TrusteeSam) August 30, 2014 The article Sotiropoulos promoted states, "Dr. Joseph Berger has issued a statement saying that from a medical… Read more.

The obsessive nature of TERFs who police the trans communities’ selfhoods through cruelty can be viewed as an obsessive sadistic fetish. The TERF movement – in breathtaking acts of Lateral Violence – repeatedly conflate cruelty with empowerment. When harm is inflicted, they conflate the pain they inspire with a strike against the oppression they face.  While this anti-trans behavior has yielded no measurable result in deconstructing the patriarchy, gender policing provides an immediate payout for the TERF. For as long… Read more.

By Natacha Kennedy Michelle Goldberg’s awful article in The New Yorker will be considered by many to be just another example of the sort of biased rubbish trans people have come to get used to from the media. This kind of article is the sort of thing that (dis)graces plenty of TERF (Trans Exclusionary Radical Feminists) sites and marginal online publications that try to be ‘edgy’or ‘iconoclastic in the knowledge that having a go at trans people is the last… Read more.

I have seen various version of this phrase. "Quit attacking your allies!" - many, many times.  I've only been involved heavily in trans activism for about two years.  How and why I've become as invested as I am is a long story; but at the end of the day, I am a woman who was assigned female at birth.  I am cis.  So, it's odd that this statement has been directed at me, but it often has.  It's also something… Read more.

At first, I wasn’t going to write a response piece to Caroline Criado-Perez (CCP) article concerning the term “cis”, because many of her ideas were similar to those in Sarah Ditum’s post I recently responded to. Then I realized those similarities should be pointed out. There are patterns emerging where otherwise respected feminists are injecting thinly veiled transmisogynist bigotry within self-congratulatory “bravery” narratives, as well as, patronizing pro-trans-sounding platitudes.  So, when trans activists respond to their seemingly conciliatory knives-in-the-back… Read more.

In her latest cognitive-dissonance-filled diatribe, "comedian" Andrea James attempts to maintain her waning relevance by criticizing the GLAAD Board of Directors for having too much trans representation. The piece, published on Queerty (a blog with its own problematic racist and transphobic history), forwards the idea that GLAAD has been subjected to a "trans takeover" because trans women are more common on the board than they are in the LGBT population as a whole. James claims that the presence of… Read more.

The Wesboro Baptist Church. It's been a nuisance to the LGBT community since 1991 when it took its first steps to publicly advocate against gay people. We've all heard of them. They were a cause for many a family members loss if appetite at the dinner table when their "God Hates Fags" slogans were posted in family rooms across this nation, and the world. Yes, they were certainly a nuisance. But, that nuisance had a benefit in the grand… Read more.

The appearance of Lavern Cox, a prominent trans woman activist and actor, on the cover of Time magazine was a great moment in trans advocacy.  Although Chelsea Manning was the first trans woman to be pictured on the cover of Time, the context of Lavern Cox photo was a bold statement.  Beside her name were the words, "The transgender tipping point: America's next civil rights frontier." Sarah Ditum, a feminist journalist from the UK, reacted to the photo in… Read more.

Recently Rebecca Juro wrote a post at the Advocate called "No, Obama's Executive Order Is Not a (Total) Win" that I find extremely short-sighted and politically naive.  Soon after the election in 2008 of President Barack Obama, many started to question President Obama's claim as a "fierce advocate" for the LGBT community. I have my issues with the President (mainly on issues of privacy and his use presidential power). But in realm of LGBT advocacy, he has lived up to… Read more.

In a June 12th opinion article in the Wall Street Journal, well-known anti-transgender psychiatrist Dr. Paul McHugh attempts to make a case against supporting hormonal and surgical transition for transgender individuals. McHugh, professor of psychiatry at Johns Hopkins University, has been actively working against the medical treatment of trans people since the 1970’s. As the university’s chief psychiatrist, he was instrumental in closing the Johns Hopkins Gender Program in 1979, one of the first programs of its kind, citing… Read more.

The Chicago Sun-Times published an op-ed by Kevin D. Williamson entitled Laverne Cox Is Not a Woman. The op-ed was Williamson's response to the Time Magazine spread where Laverne Cox was featured on the cover of Time Magazine issue with the header The Transgender Tipping Point. The Williamson op-ed was first published by the National Review and was then picked up for crossposting by the Sun-Times. Included in the text of this op-ed were problematic paragraphs such as these: Regardless… Read more.

I suppose the headline of this article should actually read, "Will LOGO ban RuPauls drag race?" Then, all of those who truly understand the dynamics of the situation at hand could answer, "Probably not. But they most certainly should."  For some of us, the question is, "Why is it unlikely that LOGO will separate from him?" Let's face it, money and power breeds privilege. When segments within minority groups begin to gain privilege, the struggles of others might not seem very important. Those (now) privileged minorities,… Read more.

The faggot, RuPaul Andre Charles, claims that trans people are "bitches" who need to "get stronger" with regard to his use of tranny. In an interview on WTF with Marc Marron, RuPaul said: You know, if your idea of happiness has to do with someone else changing what they say, what they do, you are in for a fucking hard-ass road… I dance to the beat of a different drummer. I believe everybody — you can be whatever the hell you… Read more.

Bayard Rustin is a civil rights icon of the African-American and gay civil rights movements. In 1986, Rustin gave a controversial speech entitled "The New 'Niggers' Are Gay," and that speech is included as an essay in the book Time On Two Crosses: The Collected Writings Of Bayard Rustin. I believe it's time to revisit Rustin's concept of defining what the current litmus paper and barometer of social change is in 2014. In 1986, Rustin believed that African-Americans are… Read more.

Trigger warning: video linked portrays a trans woman being murdered A trans woman activist portrayed with a moustache and a bad wig being murdered by a drag queen is the kind of imagery that would come with a trigger warning on most sensible online information outlet, not hailed as “hilarious” by one it’s editors. But, it would appear that Huffington Post editor James Nichols believes that the death of trans activist at the hands of an angry drag queen… Read more.

I think the freedom of speech and policing arguments that have popped up around RuPaul are entirely disingenuous. Nobody is stopping RuPaul Andre Charles from using these terms as much as he likes in his personal life. RuPaul Andre Charles is a human being; RuPaul is a brand that Logo sells. Logo does not want the brand they're selling to be associated with terms people use while they kill trans women. Period. HuffPo: "RuPaul's Drag Race and the Danger of Overpolicing… Read more.

We, the undersigned trans women and trans-feminine individuals, are appalled at recent attacks on trans woman journalist Parker Marie Molloy published by Calpernia Addams and Andrea James on the Huffington Post and Boing Boing. Addams’ and James’ hit pieces exhibit a pervasive hostility to young, queer trans women, and indeed any trans woman who is uncomfortable with the use of transmisogynist slurs by cisgender drag queens like RuPaul. They display homophobia, transphobia, ignorance, dishonesty, and hatred throughout. We believe that… Read more.

In his latest piece for TheFederalist, arts writer David Marcus takes on what he believes to be a great injustice: the inclusion of trans people in a list of playwrights developed to demonstrate that perspectives beyond those of men actually do exist and are readily accessible. The list, a public google document titled “We Exist,” was developed in response to a recent comment by a director at a gathering of professional DC theater folks that there are too few… Read more.

Just in case you've been living under a rock, 2013 saw the release of Dallas Buyers Club, co-starring Jared Leto as a transgender woman named Rayon. Rayon is a rare entry into cinematic transgender canon, and she has sparked a firestorm of debate around trans representation in fiction. Beyond the criticism of the content of the film has been criticism of the mere casting of Jared Leto, because he's a cisgender man. In the grand scheme of things, this… Read more.

Lateral violence is displaced violence directed against one's peers rather that one's true adversaries. Our true adversaries are kyriarchy and all those who perpetuate it. We live in an interlocking system of oppression; one oppression built on top of another with its core being white supremacy and white supremacist concepts of gender. Challenging transmisogyny and transmisogynistic concepts of gender are indispensable to anti-oppression.  In part, this means challenging the idea that trans women have to "pass" (god I hate that word) to be truly… Read more.

By Cathy Renna @cathyrenna Possibly inspired by Laverne Cox and Orange is the New Black, I blurted out the title of this post at a recent panel about media coverage of transgender issues, as I was trying to put into context the quality of coverage of transgender issues today, as compared to gay and lesbian issues in the early 1990s. It has stuck in my head since. Back then I was working at GLAAD and gay and lesbian people were still… Read more.

On  Thursday, March 27, 2014, the "Justice Department" launched a training program to supposedly improve relations with the trans community. Deputy Attorney General James M. Cole made remarks here on the issue and ill be copying some of them over to reply to them. His comments will be italicized and in quotations. "While it is difficult to find comprehensive data, a survey by the National Center for Transgender Equality found that discrimination against transgender individuals is pervasive: 63 percent of respondents… Read more.

TERFs are well-known for referring to their rhetoric as being "gender critical." You might think that this means that they are critical of gender in all its forms. However, TERF criticism of gender seems to only ever extend to others (usually trans people). There is a great line in SLC Punk that gets at the heart of a critique I recently made: Brandy: Aren't you, like, rebelling against society? Stevo: Put that simply, kinda, yeah. Brandy: Wouldn't it be… Read more.

If you’re of my generation and grew up in the U.S., you’ll remember the movie “Kindergarten Cop” where a gruff police officer goes undercover as a Kindergarten teacher.  At one point, one of his students raises his hand and blurts out “Boys have a penis and girls have a vagina”.  At the time, publicly discussing genital anatomy, much less discussing genital anatomy with other people’s children, was incredibly taboo.  So, the audience recognized the awkwardness of the situation and found it… Read more.

After another exciting weekend and destroying some Pappas barbecue to celebrate my safe airborne arrival at Hobby, I'm back from my trip inside the beltway for the 2014 edition of the LGBT Media Journalists Convening.  So what were my takeaways from this trip? That elements of the community have a serious beef with GLAAD on multiple layers We DEFINITELY need to have deep, ongoing discussions concerning race and class issues in the TBLG community, and non-white LGBT people need to be leading… Read more.

University of Melbourne Trans Exclusionary Radical Feminist (TERF), Sheila Jeffreys is being called out for her racist comments by the indigenous Australian community. Jeffreys asserted on a radio show that being trans is like blackface. A genderqueer member of the Indigenous people of Australia told the Star Observer: There is a fear that racist, misogynistic, queerphobic and transphobic people will take her message as truth and enact these prejudices against trans-identified Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples. By reducing transgender identities to… Read more.

Yes we are. A few days ago, I posted excitedly about going to Washington DC to attend the 2014 LGBT Media convening and the very real possibility of seeing the president. Well, my train was behind schedule, so I missed Bo by 15 minutes but the real frustration hadn't even begun.  Looking at the agenda early in the day I saw three panels where I could air my concerns about Jared Leto's role in the Dallas Buyers Club, the… Read more.

On February 19th an episode called "Tr*****s Twerk It Out" was broadcast on the Jerry Springer show, as we are all aware this show has a long history of making transgender women the object of disgust and disdain. To be perfectly fair, I didn't watch the show, but the title says enough and its problematic nature is on multiple levels. This particular episode not only exploits transgender women in general, it is also pretty obviously racist as well by… Read more.

Recently the South Florida Gay News interviewed me for an article on the TERFs, Cathy Brennan and her group, Gender Identity Watch: The Web is where this feud appears to have escalated with Brennan trading barbs between journalists and advocates from the transgender community who claim Brennan and her blog are insensitive. “I believe the petition served to clearly demonstrate that many thousands of feminists view the GIW team to be a hate group,” said Cristan Williams, editor of Transadvocate.com. “I… Read more.

I'm sure many of you have seen the various protest images of Vladimir Putin's image colored as if he's wearing false eyelashes and makeup. The images are used to protest against anti-queer oppression in Russia. Do you think the image is problematic? Some feel the image uses trans expression to shame and mock Puttin, thereby degrading the trans experience. Here's what some of you have to say about this on the TransAdvocate FaceBook page: This is both trans misogyny and… Read more.

I recently posted the following to my FaceBook page: Is it me or is there a lot of "JESUS! STFU already! I'm complementing you and think you should have rights! What, now I have to stop asking about your genitals TOO?!? Are you never happy?!?" going around. I saw this sentiment in the fallout over Katie Couric's focus on the genitals of Laverne Cox and Carmen Carrera in her interview. I again saw this sentiment expressed after the Janet Mock interview on… Read more.

By Kat Haché @papierhache NOTE: Content warning below. Yesterday, I came across an article in the LA Times regarding the National Transgender Discrimination Survey’s study of the elevated risk of suicide in the transgender community.  To briefly summarize, the statistics are shocking: 41% of transgender/gender non-confoming individuals have attempted suicide, a rate of 9 times the national average The risk was higher for those who had suffered discrimination or violence For those driven to homelessness, the risk was even higher, at 69%, for those… Read more.

On Saturday, January 4, 2014, the Toronto Star published an anti-trans hoax without first fact checking. The claim was that a 70 year old woman was undressing in a Toronto-area YMCA when a male-bodied individual "who was pre-everything" and who had been given access to the women's changing area merely because they claimed to be trans, stripped nude, walked around, and with an erection hit on the elderly woman. The Toronto Star twice published this claim. On Friday, the Star tried… Read more.

Ex-gay groups are pounding their high chairs insisting that AB 1266 is not in effect. They claim that merely because they turned in signatures - valid or no - AB 1266, the California law codifying protections for trans children in schools, is on hold. The media and liberal politicians are doing their best to scare school officials into implementing AB 1266 right away. The media is reporting that AB 1266 is now in effect and must be implemented by every… Read more.

OutSmart magazine asked me to write a piece on the TERF phenomena. My 2500+ word article featured just two sentences that mentioned Cathy Brennan's behavior. Cathy Brennan - a Maryland attorney, activist, leader and a public face of TERFism - is demanding that my article be edited so that it remains silent about her behavior in the modern TERF movement. Lie for me or else! Brennan asserted that she's hired lawyers to successfully go after other media… Read more.

By Kat Rose In a bizarre courtroom speech, a Queen defense attorney said the life of a murdered transgender prostitute wasn’t worth much — and argued that her convicted killer shouldn’t be punished as if he had killed someone “in the higher end of the community.” “A sentence of 25 years to life is an incredibly long period of time judge,” John Scarpa said Thursday as he asked a judge to go easy on his client, Rasheen Everett, for killing… Read more.

The Oscar for best supporting role goes to Jared Leto for his portrayal of a drug addicted trans hooker who's fictional character "Rayon" was written into the story line as a tragic joke in "The Dallas Buyers Club". I wanted to experience this movie fully so I watched it with my longtime best friend and HIV/Aids activist Pamela Curry at the Angelika theater in Dallas Texas. I picked this theater purposely because of its proximity to the gayborhood and its indie motif. What I… Read more.

By Zinnia Jones This August, California passed the School Success and Opportunity Act, a law mandating that transgender students must be included in school activities on the basis of their identified gender rather than their assigned sex. This includes playing on sports teams consistent with their gender, as well as the use of facilities such as bathrooms and locker rooms. Conservative groups predictably painted this as an outrage, raising the terrifying possibility that trans girls might use girls’ restrooms – which is supposed… Read more.

Some of you may be shocked to learn that staff at Heritage Middle School in St. Leonard, MD are forcing school children to crossdress in order to make them understand the hardship trans and gay people are facing. It must be true because here's a photo of the school children: "These Two Children Were Paired As A Post-Op And Pre-Op Transsexual Couple" Horrifying, isn't it? Right wing activist groups thought so: Who's PFOX you ask? Well, PFOX is… Read more.

Within the activist circles I run in, I routinely hear people accuse others of appropriation, or claim that certain behaviors or endeavors are appropriative. I myself have written about how certain people (e.g., cisgender academics and media producers) sometimes appropriate transgender identities and experiences (discussed more below). So I am certainly sympathetic to the concept. At the same time, however, I have seen the concept of appropriation used (or misused) in order to undermine marginalized groups as well. For instance,… Read more.

Sometimes it doesn't get better, sometimes life shit on you until you break and there’s nothing you can do. I'm not going to lie to you and tell you it gets better because it might not get better, but i do want to tell you one thing. Even if it never gets better you are worthy. You are worthy of love and respect and compassion and a fair chance and human dignity, your value as a human being is not… Read more.

There is so much hardship, pain, grief and oppression we as trans people face. Sometimes it seems that no matter where we turn, the only image we see representing us (in movies, books, articles, etc.) is the hardship and the death. What can be lost is a message that's also important: we endure this suffering for a reason. We stand up to bullies for a reason. We speak up and tell the truth - even when it's terrifying - for… Read more.

SPLC will when it comes to a “gay-bashing, revenge-seeking black nationalist” who works at the Department of Homeland Security. An employee at the Department of Homeland Security runs a racist website in his spare time and advocates the mass killing of white Americans, gays, and black leaders he believes are traitors, according to a report by the Southern Poverty Law Center. Ayo Kimathi, a small business specialist at Immigration and Customs Enforcement, a branch of the DHS, is a “gay-bashing, revenge-seeking black nationalist” who runs… Read more.

I have some thoughts on how Pvt. Chelsea Manning's gender dysphoria was rolled out. Let me begin by saying I'm going to give, and I'm going to advocate for, respect for Manning's chosen name and publicly embraced gender, and I'm going to use female pronouns and call her Chelsea. That; however, comes with a mixed bag of emotions. I'm going to respect Chelsea's public request in part because of the Biblical teaching I learned as Pentecostal youth that I still… Read more.

It's kind of sad, really. Progressive talking heads on cable television aren't talking about Gov. Jerry Brown (D-CA) signing AB 1266, the School Success and Opportunity Act. (The act will become law on January 1, 2014 -- the tenth anniversary of California's first transgender rights bill, AB 196, the Gender Nondiscrimination Act, becoming law.) From the Transgender Law Center's description of the bill that Gov. Jerry Brown of California signed on August 12, 1213: California law already prohibits discrimination in… Read more.

By Marci Hawkins I came to terms with my transsexuality around 2007/2008. The final piece of the puzzle fell into place when I caught a late night TV show by the name of Sex Change Hospital; it was fascinating to see people just like me. While it was great that I finally knew what was going on thanks to the show, I felt helpless. How could a 17 year old transition when they felt alone, apart from a couple of distant… Read more.

NOTE:  Radical Women wanted to share this article on the TransAdvocate so that people understand that not all radical feminist women are TERFs. Trans Exclusionary Radical Feminism (TERF) is a relatively small - but extremely dedicated - hate group which passes itself off as feminism to create, support and promulgates negative opinions about trans people. Formed in 1967, Radical Women is a socialist feminist grassroots activist organization that provides a radical voice within the feminist movement, a feminist voice within… Read more.

Editor's Note: This is part of a series on "stealth." The goal of this series to examine the nuanced ways trans opinion leaders conceptualize stealth and how they feel about it. Suzan Cooke kicked off the series with her article, The Many Shades of Stealth. It should be noted that TA is not endorsing any one view, definition or conceptualization. As with the elephant parable, each perception presented in this series represents one representation of the truth; taken together,… Read more.

Editor's Note: This is part of a series on "stealth." The goal of this series to examine the nuanced ways trans opinion leaders conceptualize stealth and how they feel about it. Suzan Cooke kicked off the series with her article, The Many Shades of Stealth. It should be noted that TA is not endorsing any one view, definition or conceptualization. As with the elephant parable, each perception presented in this series represents one representation of the truth; taken together,… Read more.

Editor's Note: This is part of a series on "stealth." The goal of this series to examine the nuanced ways trans opinion leaders conceptualize stealth and how they feel about it. Suzan Cooke kicked off the series with her article, The Many Shades of Stealth. It should be noted that TA is not endorsing any one view, definition or conceptualization. As with the elephant parable, each perception presented in this series represents one representation of the truth; taken together, it's… Read more.

Editor's Note: This is part of a series on "stealth." The goal of this series to examine the nuanced ways trans opinion leaders conceptualize stealth and how they feel about it. Suzan Cooke kicked off the series with her article, The Many Shades of Stealth. It should be noted that TA is not endorsing any one view, definition or conceptualization. As with the elephant parable, each perception presented in this series represents one representation of the truth; taken together,… Read more.

Editor's Note: This is part of a series on "stealth." The goal of this series to examine the nuanced ways trans opinion leaders conceptualize stealth and how they feel about it. Suzan Cooke kicked off the series with her article, The Many Shades of Stealth. It should be noted that TA is not endorsing any one view, definition or conceptualization. As with the elephant parable, each perception presented in this series represents one representation of the truth; taken together, it's… Read more.

TransGriot Note: Interesting article from one of the people I had the pleasure of meeting during OUT on the Hill last year, Anti-Intellect, concerning the ignorance bubbling up once again in the Black gossip blogosphere concerning this recent photo Chad Johnson took with girl like us Amiyah Scott The guest post at Funky Dineva is entitled 'What Chad Johnson and Amiyah Scott Can Teach Us About Respecting Transgender Women'. It's a call for the Black community to chill with the… Read more.

A former Cincinnati Bengals cheerleader won her defamation lawsuit against a gossip website and its operator, with a jury awarding her $338,000 in damages Thursday. Jurors in federal court in Covington found that posts about Sarah Jones on the Scottsdale, Ariz.-based website thedirty.com in 2009 were substantially false. The jury of eight women and two men also found website operator Nik Richie acted with malice or reckless disregard in posting the submissions he said were anonymous. One post alleged Jones had sex with every Bengals… Read more.

I wake up, like any other woman, run my fingers through my long, bed-head hair, wishing I could stay asleep, and go to pour some cereal and coffee for breakfast.  I decided to check my Twitter and my Facebook page, and in my feed, I see a Thought Catalog post that looks interesting.  I click, I read, I find a little bit of inspiration. This has been a fairly accurate description of many mornings that I have spent before school or work,… Read more.

As a white person, I never have to think about race, except on those rare occasions when I am in a non-white majority space. I never think about being a U.S. citizen except when I am outside the country. While I have had multiple health concerns over recent years, I am still predominantly able-bodied, and as such, I do not have to think about how to navigate my way through the world. But gender is different. Everybody has a gender… Read more.

I have been asked by numerous people in the transgender community what caused my change of heart as far as TS Separatism goes. I think folks really do want to understand what makes a separatist and how I was able to leave it behind. I think it is important to tell the story from beginning to end including how I became one. I don't blame anyone for being incredibly offended by what I did because I am offended with my… Read more.

A much older adult, who was famous in the eyes of a kid, talked the minor into exposing themselves to the adult. The adult then took a good long look - long enough to memorize the details of the kid's genitals. The adult then wrote an article featuring the explicit details of what the underage kid's genitals looked like. While this might elicit a strident response from folks who care about things like the age of consent, the use of… Read more.

Victoria Brownworth has been in the news lately because she is a Trans Exclusionary Radical Feminist (TERF) who has a history of interpreting the trans experience for disempowered trans people. What follows are excerpts from her 2008 Philadelphia Gay News article, Trans youth: Risking life and limb published online July 4, 2008. "Devon tells me he should have been a boy... He's handsome and, in the loose shirt, no one would ever guess he was born female... I ask him how old he is. He… Read more.

Having read The Philadelphia Gay News (PGN) article by Victoria A. Brownworth titled "Victims of the night: Stories of trans sex workers"  I was very impressed by the authors personal investment in her neighbors well being. Her writing indicates a deep compassion for the most marginalized of our community, Tiffani, a black transgender working woman and offered many teaching moments. I was totally cool with her piece until I read the comments and began wondering why trans people were so upset with… Read more.

And how many more Black and Latina trans women have to die before you do so? How many more transpeople have to suffer from anti-trans discrimination before you step up to the plate and do what you should have done years ago? How much more hate speech do they have to publish online at RadFem Hub and Gender Trender before you call them on it? You have four decades worth of evidence that point out the TERF's are a hate… Read more.

This month we asked our readers, "If you're transitioning and had to pick just one, what would you say is the goal of your transition?" and here are the results:   May 2013 polling results Well over 300 of you (n=388) of you chose to add your voice and the good news is that apparently the vast majority of you are quite well adjusted folk (though the rest of you need to get to your therapist… Read more.

FB messages between me and the SPLC   The trans community has asked itself recently why the supposed watchdog of extremist hate-groups - The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) - has historically given Trans Exclusionary Radical Feminists (TERFs) a pass. I wondered too and I decided to ask them about it. Here's my the FaceBook email exchange: ME: April 23, 1:48 PM   Why do you endorse hate group leaders on your site? http://www.transadvocate.com/radfem2013-lies-london-irish-centre-truth-a-preview-of-sheila-jeffreys-new-terf-book.htm The very person your site uses to hold up… Read more.

As I said earlier: I think its fine to have concerns about Manning being an honorary marshal for SF Pride. But, Williams’ response was so obnoxious that it seems as if she’s auditioning for a position with HRC (say, one that will be in charge of disseminating propaganda to the media about why its okay for gay rights organizations to not hire trans women; and, though I’m trying to avoid the issue because I really think that Williams’ arrogance is… Read more.

Is the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force's executive director, Rea Carey, a Trans-Exclusive Radical Feminist?  If I was a Christian and "liked"  Fred Phelps' Westboro Baptist Church on my Facebook page, would you think I was a radical anti-gay Christian Fundamentalist? Rea Carey's Facebook page: If it's difficult for you to see, here's a close-up of one of her "likes": if you're not sure who Cathy Brennan is, she's about as iconic in trans circles as Fred Phelps is in gay ones.… Read more.

I'm beyond sick and tired of being sick and tired of the near genocidal levels of anti-trans violence that are taking away far too many under 30 transwomen of color before they've had a chance to live their lives.  We are not only losing them, but their potential contributions and talents toward building all the communities we intersect and interact with.   TransGriot  April 5, 2013 29 year old Kelly Young, 30 year old Ashley Sinclair and 20 year old Ce Ce Acoff until this… Read more.

For one thing I remember when “Pride Day” commemorated the Stonewall Uprising. Back in those days it was political. I didn’t go to the Christopher Street West Gay Liberation Marches until 1974.  The prior years I was dealing with more pressing issues including surgery dates. I went to my first Christopher Street West March and Rally in Hollywood, 1974. It wasn’t a huge event. But there were a lot of TS/TG women there, Hollywood was our turf, home to the… Read more.

Recently I came across an interesting story in my newsfeed. It seems Sir Richard Branson, of Virgin Air lost a wager to Air Asia Group CEO Tony Fernandes. Sir Branson bet Mr Fernandes over whose Formula 1 team would be ranked higher in the 2010 Championships. Branson lost the contest and as a result, he must serve as flight attendant on AirAsia’s Perth to Kuala Lumpur flight. It all seems a bit of fun. The proceeds from the flight go… Read more.

It's not a lifestyle (and I hate that conservaterm).  When you swallow those hormones or take those first shots of testosterone or estrogen, it causes seismic shifts in your life that mere cis people can't begin to comprehend. But if we're going to gain trans human rights coverage and make transphobia as unpalatable as racism, homophobia or sexism are, we're going to have to do our best to make them understand. The day I swallowed my first hormone I no… Read more.

I know that seeing my name here on Transadvocate might trigger and anger a lot of you or at the very least, surprise you. I hurt a lot of my brothers and sisters during my romp in TS separatist land a while back. I was a pure bigot at the time and I really didn't know that I was. When is the last time a bigot knew they were a bigot?  Only ex-bigots know they were bigots. I caused emotional… Read more.

Back in 2009 I asked the the question if there were a right way to be LGB Or T. As I consider the personal difficulties of my past few years, especially those difficulties relating to community orthodoxies externally imposed on me by others, I find myself revisiting the idea behind my now four-year-old question. And now with Suzan asking a similar themed question in her recent post HBS: Play Ground for Frauds, Bullies and Self-Loathing Transsexual-Transgender People and wannabee Transsexuals,… Read more.

Yesterday I posted a piece titled: Django Unchained: House Slaves Like Stephan and the “Girls” of HBS. I’ve seen the damage of all the abuse and bullying play out across the various trans-communities. I’ve seen the suicides, I’ve seen the substance abuse.I’ve gotten really sick of these bullies claiming some sort of right to decide who is or isn’t transsexual based on some sort of purity test that they, themselves would likely fail. I first came on line in the summer of… Read more.

I've noticed that TERFs tend to lie. Like, a lot. As in, metric tons of BS. TERFs far and wide are currently gnashing their collective teeth over the reality that their hate-fest conference (#RadFem2013) was booted from its venue for the second year in a row. Instead of being an emotional adult about their situation, they instead (of course) chose to construct a narrative wherein their bad behavior had nothing to do with their eviction; instead, they're victims of a conspiracy. In other words,… Read more.

Last month we asked TAers how they felt about non-binary expressions of gender. One of the favorite RadFem (TERF) memes they like to propagate is that trans folk are the embodiment of the patriarchy since because their lived experience proves that they only value the gender binary. Are the TERFs right? We asked TA readers the following: Do you feel that non-binary gender identifications are valid? TA Polling Results   Of the 148 of you who gave your opinion, the vast majority -… Read more.

A friend of mine told me about a workshop she had been to where participants were asked to tell each other what comments they would be perfectly happy never to hear again for the rest of their lives. The activity was based on what marginalized group or groups a person belonged to and what things people said to that person because of his/her/hir membership in that group. It sounded like a fascinating exercise, so I decided to try it out… Read more.

Tina and I watched Django Unchained over the weekend. My take on it is that it is much closer to the reality of slavery in America than Gone With the Fucking Wind. No matter how far up the bigots assholes you have your tongue in the end you are still a transsexual/transgender person.The acting was brilliant. Samuel L. Jackson played the slimmest simmering stereotype of a house slave ever shown in a movie.  A Black person, a sycophant simmering ass kissing… Read more.

Last week in my Transgender Studies class, and also at a Diversity Day presentation that I made on the Auraria Campus, we talked about allies. In my opinion, allies are an important component of any group. They add numbers, they add voices, and in some cases, they bring a certain amount of power that is lacking because of the way that a particular group is seen in the “mainstream,” where the group is trying to gain at least equality, if… Read more.

Comic by Lee More about Fallon Fox on the TransAdvocate: Reality Check: Fallon Fox and the Transgender Advantage Logic Be Damned: MMA Fighter Fallon Fox and the PC Conspiracy Read more.

  No, it's not 'shopped. From what I've been able to gather, Einstein didn't value clothing norms; he instead wore what felt comfortable. It's well known that he hated wearing socks and had foot problems. It could be that he simply felt that these shoes were comfortable and really didn't give a damn if convention held that supposedly only women could wear this particular type of shoe. What are your thoughts? Read more.

One of the things that mystifies me is why The Southern Poverty Law Center hasn't declared Trans Exterminationalist Radical Feminism as a hate group.   Could it be because the rumor may be true that a TERF works for SPLC and squashes the subject every time it comes up in SPLC circles? SO if you think I being harsh when I call this group of rad fems Whyte Womyn Gone Wyld, trans oppressors or wonder why I have zero tolerance for their hate… Read more.

Most of the Womyn that come to fest really don't care whether you're straight or not as long as your not trans. - D.M., Festival Supporter, July 4, 2012 More Context: MWMF TERFs organizers supported the targeting of a Radical Feminist, Lesbian-separatist music collective for being trans-inclusive and led to armed TERFs threatening the life of a trans woman. Lisa Vogel's fist inspired trans-inclusive Women's Music Festivals MWMF violence led to the creation of Camp Trans while Leather Dykes and the Lesbian Avengers offered bodyguard… Read more.

Equality means just that. While the trans community is invested in marriage equality, the reality trans folk face each day is described by the American Psychiatric Association thusly: Discrimination and lack of equal civil rights is damaging to the mental health of transgender and gender variant individuals. For example, gender-based discrimination and victimization were found to be independently associated with attempted suicide in a population of transgender individuals, 32% of whom had histories of trying to kill themselves, and in… Read more.

Technology on the Social and Ethical Aspects of Transsexual Surgery By Janice G. Raymond Assistant Professor of Medical Ethics and Women's Studies Hampshire College/University of Massachusetts Amherst, Massachusetts June, 1980 Note: If you're looking for the article that proves that Raymond helped strip insurance coverage of trans care from public and private insurers, that article is located here. The subject of transsexualism, whether raised in the public forum or in the academic or medical communities, has been viewed… Read more.

I’ve been meaning to post this for a while now, as an explanation and reference for what I’ve been calling FAAB-mentality (described below). I originally wrote and performed this piece for the fourth annual installment of Girl Talk: A Cis and Trans Woman Dialogue in March 2012. Baby Talk I read blogs. And an unfortunate consequence of reading blogs is that sometimes you stumble upon statements that make you upset. Lately, I’ve been dwelling over one single sentence from a blog post that I read… Read more.

This is a review of the way a single story is handled by two diffident tabloid newspapers. The sensationalistic reporting style is so starkly different that I thought it would make an exceptional case study for the dos & don'ts of trans reporting (even when it's tabloid reporting). DO - From the New York Daily News:   Do keep the focus of the mockery on the criminal and not on his victim A hulking ex-firefighter accused of violently attacking his transgender… Read more.

The producers of "True Life" began this episode in Jerry Springer fashion featuring trans woman Domain Javier saying the show would introduce you to people who lived... "Every minute of every day lying about who they are...trapped in a web of deceit as they try to hide there true identities..." essentially amplifying and validating every misconception and lie we as a community fight against every day. My first impulse watching the video below was to go against the tide and say, OK… Read more.

One of the ongoing arguments I hear and I reject whether it comes from the LGB end of the spectrum or the trans end of it is that 'there is no LGBT community'. Granted I've railed more than a few times on this blog about some of the contentious history that has occurred between elements of it, but the evidence is overwhelming that an LGBT community exists. While I believe there is an LGBT community, at the same time I… Read more.

Notice the woman didn't need to check Christoph Waltz's crotch. She already knew he's not a real man. And Kimmel, I feel sorry for any woman trans or cis that you fool. http://youtu.be/4V2akDW9GK8 How would you have reacted placed in that situation?   Cross-posted from PlanetTransgender Read more.

After my last post about a profile on Grindr using ex-gay writer Matt Moore’s photo and personal details, I contacted Moore, who responded as follows: The grindr profile was really mine. I’ve been on it on and off for the last couple of weeks. Like I told the guy who sent you the picture, I am wrong in having been on grindr. I haven’t changed my views on homosexuality, the bible, etc. Creating a grindr profile and talking to guys on it… Read more.

The real story: Long-standing medical and psychiatric literature demonstrates clear benefits of medical and surgical interventions to assist gender variant individuals seeking transition. However, transgender and gender variant people are frequently denied medical, surgical, and psychiatric care related to gender transition. Access to medical care (both medical and surgical) positively impacts the mental health of transgender and gender variant individuals. Discrimination and lack of equal civil rights is damaging to the mental health of transgender and gender variant individuals. For… Read more.

By Suzan Cooke Transsexual and Transgender people are everywhere, for good or bad, in high positions in life and low. We are not just sex workers and murder victims even though we are often stereotyped as such. Like other minority groups, we are remarkably diverse.  So much so that describing ourselves as either transsexual or transgender says virtually nothing about us as an individual. I never saw us as a single community.  TS/TG as identity seemed to form very weak… Read more.

This video has been compiled by TransBareAll as a response to recent transphobic articles in the press. We don't aim to debate the merits of freedom of speech, or the rights and wrongs of different sides of an argument. Instead we want to show the real impact of the way language is used, how it can affect the people it targets. In the media (and society in general) there are some words which we never use, such as the 'N'… Read more.

There’s a laughably pathetic piece of nonsense making the rounds right now – emanating from one of the usual pits of transexterminationistic insanity.  I have no intention of linking to it, but this is the beginning of it: First they came for Janice Raymond and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t an academic. One doesn’t really need to be an expert on the Holocaust (or even Godwin’s Law for that matter) to see where its headed, but the supporting cast includes Mary… Read more.

Regarding the recent brouhaha over Julie Burchill's recent article in the Observer, republished (and then taken down) on the Guardian website, and re-re-published at her request in the Telegraph, an article referring to Trans people as "Shims" and "She-males", "Dicks in chick's clothing" etc... The Guardian said it best, the last time this happened. Or rather, one of the last times - it happened again and again afterwards too. On January 31 the Guardian's Weekend magazine published the first of two articles by the… Read more.

By Diana O’Brien 16 Jan 2013 The third season premiere of Lost Girl just demonstrated the well-worn path for advancing gay/lesbian/bisexual themes in the media. That path continues to be walking over the crushed public image of transgender people. Lost Girl has received a lot of attention for its sexually charged plot lines and positive portrayal of lesbian and bisexual female characters. Even GLAAD has taken notice of the show, promoting it in The GLAAD Wrap and What to Watch.… Read more.

The problem is that the very imagery of what she’s referring to is so weird that I honestly can’t tell precisely what its a threat of. Guardian columnist Suzanne Moore has launched an outspoken attack on PinkNews after it published a story about the killing of a trans woman in Brazil. Linking to Wednesday’s story, Moore tweeted from her account @suzanne_moore Read this piece of shit and Pink News will hear from my lawyers in the morning I am back to sort this out and to… Read more.

The British Transphobic Feminist Troika unleashed their hate speech upon the world last week probably thinking they would get pushback from the trans community they and their acolytes could spin and demonize them with until it quickly blow over. Not this time. This time it isn't just our British trans cousins who are pissed off about the transphobic scribblings.   They got reinforcements from various trans bloggers around the world and pushback from the surprising direction offeminists, allies and other justice minded folks tired of the… Read more.

There are things one does not do in a national newspaper. One does not call Blacks "uppity ni**ers". One does not state as fact that Yids drink the blood of Christian children. And one does not publish articles like this one. Starting with a quote illustrating a complete lack of anything redolent of white feminist privilege "Sod that, we're having lobster and champagne at Frederick's and I'm paying," I told her. Half a bottle of Bolly later, she looked at me… Read more.

After all, the Julie Birch Ill Society probably just cheers whenever a transsexual woman gets ‘cut out.’ From Pink News: It’s being reported that a transwoman has been shot dead in Brazil. According to the ‘Guerrilla Angel Report’ blog site, it is claimed the victim, named by the site as Cecilia Marahouse, worked as a performer and that the shooting took place near Fortaleza, north-eastern Brazil, on 11 January 2013. She is described as being a “well known” figure among the area’s LGBT community. Earlier this week, British journalist Suzanne… Read more.

I've witnessed many arguments and misunderstandings explode over the conflation of these THREE dimensions of what we in trans discourse collectively refer to as gender: Gender Orientation: One’s subjective experience of one’s body, including its sexed attributes. Gender Identity: Identity labels used when socially constructing sexed personas within the context of social groupings. Gender Expression: One's situational expression of cultural cues which communicate gender identity. Note that gender identity and expression are absolutely culturally influenced. However, even if you stick me on a deserted island, I am… Read more.

Ashley "I'm Colonized" Love So, Ashley Love supposedly held a rally outside of a GLAAD meeting. She writes: Though GLAAD does some good work, primarily for gays and those who support transgender socio-politics, we hold this education rally to inform attendees that the medical condition transsexualism is actually not about third gender politics or homosexuality. Our legitimate birth challenge stems from being born with chromosomal and/or anatomy diversity, and is treated by affirming doctors who aide us is ensuring our body is aligned… Read more.

There has been a story developing in Minneapolis concerning a young African-American transwoman who is being held in jail and facing second degree murder charges for defending herself against a hate attack. 23 year old college student Chrishaun 'CeCe' McDonald and her friends (all African-American BTW) were minding their own business on the night of June 5, 2011 walking to a grocery store in South Minneapolis.   As they passed the patio of the Schooner Tavern white adults on that patio… Read more.

as if you needed to read any more...     THE CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR OF THE SERIAL RAPIST From 1984 to 1986, FBI Special Agents assigned to theNationalCenterfor the Analysis of Violent Crime (NCAVC) interviewed 41 men who were responsible for raping 837 victims. Previous issues of the FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin provided an introduction to this research (1) and the characteristics of the rapists and their  victims. (2)  This article, however, describes the behavior of these serial rapists during and… Read more.

Photo by: Mariette Pathy Allen Readers of this Blog may remember a while back that I did a post called Why I Love Fat People.  In simple 1-10 list form, it catalogued many of the reasons why I love Fat Folks.  In this post, I am going to discuss why I love Cross-Dressers, primarily because I am incredibly sick of the Cross-Dresser bashing I have seen all over the Internet in recent months. 1.  I love Cross-Dressers because I love… Read more.

  Been interesting to note that when it comes to trans issues lately, it seems Latin American nations are leading the way when it comes to positive forward momentum on human rights issues that affect trans people. Brazil's universal health care system not only provides free SRS, they created a national LGBT council that formulates policy recommendations and guidelines aimed at decreasing the discrimination that TBLG people face in the country. Brazilian transwomen from Roberta Close to Lea T are breaking ground in many fields inside… Read more.

On August 12, 2002 the city of Washington D.C and its trans community were rocked by the execution style killings of two transteens, Stephanie Thomas and Ukea Davis.They were shot dead by a semi automatic weapon at the same 50th and C Street corner in in Southeast D.C. in which the fatal traffic accident occurred in 1995 that started the chain of events that ended in transwoman Tyra Hunter's deathI've written posts about their murder on the anniversary it happens since 2007,… Read more.

It hasn’t been but 2 days since I reviewed the disguising way in which TS Separatists have taken up abhorrent fallacies and used it as a weapon against an oppressed people. If that wasn’t enough to expose this ideology as being morally bankrupt, the following exchange should settle the debate. Suzan is another opinion leader in the TS Separatist movement. Responding to my article, in an aptly titled post, “Which Side Are You On”, she addressed me personally. I will… Read more.

I was absolutely horrified, but sadly not surprised, to read about the treatment of Lashai Mclean at her own funeral. The article “Mass Walk-Out at Trans Woman’s Funeral” discusses how the minister presiding over the funeral engaged in victim-blaming and typical religious fundamentalism about “the wages of sin” to effectively dishonor and disrespect the memory of a trans woman who had been viciously murdered in a probable hate crime. At her OWN FUNERAL. What the case shows to me, is… Read more.

There's bickering over at Pam's House Blend about a statement made by Jenna Fischetti in her public testimony to the Senate in Maryland. She said "Never in the history of transgender-specific legislation has any state gone back and added a public accommodation only provision when there is already an existing law," in the argument over the truthfulness of Fischetti's statement, a very important point gets lost.  Sandeen states: "Well, I am sorry I got the facts wrong. And I do, without reservation,… Read more.

It would seem so.  Though they've been silent publicly, one only need look as far as NCTE Executive Director's Facebook wall: Now if the Executive Director of Maryland Equality (Morgan Meneses-Sheets) is thanking Keisling, I'd suggest that Keisling supports the bill. Or you could just look at this picture: Any questions? Read more.

I recently had a discussion with a person with cisgender privledge about Michfest. I thought feminist/POC theory taught rather early on that a person who isn't in the oppressed category doesn't get to define if they are in fact, an ally. If you support Michfest, you're NOT a Trans ally. This is what I said: "No, we don't share similar viewpoints on Michfest. I wouldn't go to Hammerfest, no matter how 'good' or how much of a "safe space" it… Read more.

I'm just askin'... I'm still askin'... And I won't stop askin'.... That's how they marginalize us. They don't go into the local department store, the shoe store, or the coffee shop and show regular folk doing regular jobs. EQMD drags their plantation mentality selves in front of the lemmings and say "Lookie, our little trannies provide excellent customer service." EQMD mentions Sugar as a "novelty shop" and the owner calls it a "retail store," but their website clearly identifies it as… Read more.

Sometimes the intersection of two seemingly unconnected stories come together to show how little respect for trans people there is and how transition/surgery are treated as luxuries, not medically necessary. Many people will argue that transgender prisoners do not "deserve" treatment for GID in prison.  That argument is based on the thought that transition is a luxury and not medically needed. Some media outlets may think that they only have to follow the AP stylebook when they address transgender people in a good or… Read more.

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From Queer Channel Media: Support for same-sex marriage tops the list for what LGBT rights supporters want to hear from President Obama next week during his State of the Union address. No. It tops the list of what the 'all gay marriage, all the time - and fuck the working-class shlubs who don't already have employment anti-discrimination protection and don't have an 8-figure estate tax bite taht they're trying to dodge'-oids want. The demand from advocates makes for great expectations… Read more.

I'm tired. Tired of the so called "liberal media" disrespecting our dead.  Hell, even our own "LGB(t) media does it. Ya know, "Today a transgender woman, Jane Doe,  who was formerly known as John Doe, was murdered today."  A few examples: "The Essex County Prosecutor's Office reported today that the victim of a fatal shooting in Maplewood on Sunday was Victoria Carmen White, formerly James White. White had legally changed her name to Victoria Carmen following sex reassignment surgery."- Maplewood… Read more.

I recently tried to post an update on Facebook to the story ran on Transadvocate on Monday (March 22, 2010) titled: Tribeca Film Festival Promotes Exploitation of Transgender People and got the following: I then was auto-logged out and when I logged back in it said my login had been disabled. Since when is posting about GLAAD's petition of the movie a violation of Facebook's TOS? What exactly was reported as abusive? I can't figure out if the petition itself… Read more.

Apparently I'm on comment moderation at Bilerico even though I'm a former contributor and a verified user. So, I'll post my question to Dr Jillian Weiss here: Dr. Weiss, I'm kinda confused. You've said here that: I do not have any reliable info on this. My feeling is that I will not abandon the effort to get job protections based on rumors. If the language comes out, and it is unjust, I will fight to get it changed. Dr. Jillian… Read more.

I have to admit that ignorant Christians get on my nerves, especially when it comes to discussing transgender people and genital "mutilation".  This was brought to mind yesterday from a tweet I received: reSemblance: The surgical mutilation of ur God given body in an attempt 2B something you're not, is indeed a disgusting pretense. This isn't even remotely biblical. Jesus said in Matthew: "For some are eunuchs because they were born that way; others were made that way by men;… Read more.

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A press release from transsexualities.com: Transwoman removed from female washroom by security and subjected to transphobic slurs for using “wrong bathroom” KELOWNA, BC - On Sunday, October 26th, at approximately 2AM, a transwoman was dragged out of the women’s washroom at LeVeL Nightclub. A LeVeL employee who identified herself as Carly Wilson, initially directed the victim, a regular patron, to the male washroom after Wilson was asked where the female washroom was located. The victim pushed the door slightly open… Read more.

From the Gainesville Sun: The CVS Pharmacy manager who allegedly admitted Friday to filming women in his store's bathroom was an active participant in the 2008 charter amendment to "keep men out of women's restrooms." Jonathan Matheny, 27, was charged with one count of video voyeurism after a customer told police she had discovered a cell phone equipped with a camera under a pile of tissues in the CVS bathroom at 125 S.W. 34th St. Can you say projection? Maybe… Read more.

Recently, I saw a tweet by Diana Cage on twitter. I'd heard Cage on her nightly show on Sirius XM Satellite Radio's "Diana Cage Show", and I decided to subscribe and listen in on her show. I came in during Derek and Romaine's "Desperately Fucking Angry" segment where people call in and complain about things that piss them off. "Trans Trucker" called in the following audio: And "Trans Trucker" isn't alone. Last December, Becky Juro referred to Sirius XM's… Read more.

In the context of the "war" for our equality, trans-people have to fight the war on two fronts. There's the kind of hatred that is espoused by morally corrupt people on the right wing conservative side (the "abroad" part of the fight). It's  found at places like Pat Dollard's blog. On a post about a transgender woman running for mayor you see hatred so open and bare, it's sickening. We are seen as "icky": "As Tony Snow would say 'Just… Read more.

I used to be pretty arrogant about the whole stealth vs. out thing.  Today reading Dyssonance's To Stealth Or Not To Stealth, I had to reflect on how my perspective has changed, and not. I've worked jobs where no one knew I was transgender/transsexual and I've worked at places where my entire story was posted on page one of the Indianapolis Star. The bottom line for me is this: I am a woman, but I am not  female (Gender=social construction,… Read more.

This morning I received an email talking about a website called "The Pink Butterfly Network". It claims to be a knockoff of Lynn Conway's Transsexual Women's Successes, pointing to transsexual women who should inspire us. I like Lynn Conway, and her Transsexual Women's Successes page has become more than just pretty faces. But this knockoff site and others like it bother me. A success to who? What qualifies as a success? Someone that is feminine? Someone that is pretty? To… Read more.

From Facebook and my friend María Lapachet: "At the beginning of last month a woman was assaulted in a private gym in Gijon, Spain. She was taking a shower when a man kicked the door open, almost knocking her out. She was dragged out, thrown to the floor, kicked and verbally assaulted by a group of men who told her their attack was just a warning. No one came to her aid. She managed to escape, get half dressed, and… Read more.

As if transsexuals needed any help being stigmatized, Conan O'Brien did his part  to further negative stereotypes with a comedy sketch portraying transsexauls as mustached strippers. To make matters worse  the liberal leaning website, Huffington Post, promoted the video on its site.  Just another example of how transphobia isn't a left/right thing. Read more.

On twitter yesterday, Kyle Pratt of Ruminations Blog posted this: 'Bathroom bill' foes rally in Mass.: http://digg.com/d1tt6Z?t More problems with "transgender" guys and restrooms. Of which I responded with: Can you name one person that's been a victim of a sex crime by transgender person in a bathroom? Lying to scare people is pathetic. he responded by saying: I don’t think I scared anyone, it wasn’t a lie--it is a warning. There 's no reason a man should go into… Read more.

Last Thursday Jason Bellini of the Daily Beast reported that  the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) had made a deal with the Obama Administration to delay repealing the Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (DADT) policy in an effort to focus on the federal hate crimes bill and Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA). I thought it sounded too good to be true. For a minute I was almost proud of them for doing the right thing! On twitter Jburroway, of Box Turtle Bulletin, asks… Read more.

GLAAD recently put out a "Call to Action" against KRXQ's "Rob, Arnie, and Dawn" show after they went on a nasty verbal tirade against transgender children. Since the outburst, show sponsors Snapple, Sonic, Chipotle, Bank of America, Verizon, Carl’s Jr (CKE Restaurants), Wells Fargo, Nissan North America, AT&T, and McDonald’s have all pulled advertisements on the show. I asked on twitter how many sponsors had to pull out before they apologized, and it looks like these were enough. This comes… Read more.

To those that use Angie Zapata's death as a way to "raise" your profile by covering the trial, shame on you. I have to agree with Brielle over at Women In Love. "Anyone who presents a rational ideology to empower the lgbt as a whole is basically ignored. People want blood. It’s the only thing that really draws their attention. We want liberation! we want free speech! (Please coat with blood first though, thanks)The dozens of sites that routinely re-post… Read more.

It's the day before Sunday and I'm sitting here planning out my vid for Trannystar Galactica. For those not in the know, Trannystar Galactica is a channel on Youtube that's trans related. Every week is a new topic and there's a different host for each day of the week. I alternate with Mila and Jayna of Trans-ponder. It's a fun gig for me, considering I'm a "look at me, look at me!!!" type of gal. In order to stand out, … Read more.

Reading Nexy's blog, I found out about a post over at Feministing and the boycott that's being called by some in the transgender community. The title of the post is "Men in Women's Bathrooms, Is Your State Next?" I don't believe the post itself was bad. The original post author, Miriam, asked in the last paragraph: "Here's the thing that always gets me about the bathroom debate: The idea that laws governing a space which by nature is unpoliced, unregulated… Read more.

Back on Feburary 25, 2009 Kathy Padilla wrote a post over at Pam's House Blend titled "Hate Crimes & ENDA: Bad Bills Come and Bad Bills Go". When it came out I really thought it would be one of those explosive posts that rocked the community down to the bone. She said: "The new definitions can generally be said to cover gender expression but not gender identity. Which in the real world would present the likelihood that gender variant gay,… Read more.

According the Washington Blade, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) approved a policy statement that"the group will not support the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, or ENDA, if it excludes language protecting persons from discrimination." The Advocate followed suit with: "The Human Rights Campaign adopted a policy statement on Wednesday that says the group will not support the Employment Non-Discrimination Act if it excludes protections for transgender individuals. The statement was approved by the HRC board of directors in Washington, D.C. 'It’s the… Read more.

"I don't give a shit whether or not they [MTF transsexuals) want to chop themselves up. I don't give a shit if they want to wear dresses. That doesn't make them female. It doesn't mean their issues and concerns are female issues and concerns. So long as female issues and concerns are subsumed to and absorbed by male interests (as they are when male people call themselves and are accepted as female), women will never socially realize our full humanity AS FEMALE PEOPLE." Read more.

Last month the Advocate ran an article titled "Gay Is The New Black?: The Last Great Civil Rights Struggle". Today Joe Solmonese and other gay rights advocates have expressed outrage at the choice of Pastor Rick Warren. But not every GLBT person agrees. I count myself as one of those voices. I defended Barack Obama feverishly when the whole Donnie McClurkin thing came down because I understood what he was trying to do. He's never claimed to be a liberal,… Read more.

There's a recurrent story that is going through the gossip circles during the Christmas season in trannyland. It goes like this: Barney Frank and the Human Rights Campaign really got their clocks cleaned by the United ENDA controversy, and now that they've really learned their lesson! Good ole' St. Frank and the HRC's equality elves will surprise everyone and come on board by supporting a fully inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) and opposing any version that doesn't include everyone. There's only one problem with that dream/fantasy/rumor... it ain't true! Read more.

Running for office in 2003, Althea Garrison said that a:

"most compelling reason why someone should vote for me is that I am different and unique from the other candidates, when candidates run and loose [sic] elections most of them goes back to their obscurity not me I continue to fight and bring issues to the limelight,"

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Last year I wrote Photo Ops, Donations, And The Selling of Our Dead, when the Human Rights Campaign tried to hijack the Washington D.C. Transgender Day of Remembrance. To refresh your memory, the founder of the Transgender Day of Remembrance, Gwen Smith, said of the day:

"The Transgender Day of Remembrance serves several purposes. It raises public awareness of hate crimes against transgendered people, an action that current media doesn’t perform. Day of Remembrance publicly mourns and honors the lives of our brothers and sisters who might otherwise be forgotten. Through the vigil, we express love and respect for our people in the face of national indifference and hatred. Day of Remembrance reminds non-transgender people that we are their sons, daughters, parents, friends and lovers. Day of Remembrance gives our allies a chance to step forward with us and stand in vigil, memorializing those of us who’ve died by anti-transgender violence."

Last week I received an email from the Human Rights Campaign informing me that Joe Biden will be speaking at the the Human Rights Campaign National Dinner on October 4th, 2008. Since that time I've expected to hear about an organized protest of this event from the transgender activist community in Washington D.C. Protests have already happened from coast to coast (and everywhere in between). Last Feburary the New York City protest caused many prominent local politicians to boycott the New York City HRC Dinner. In July the Harvey Milk LGBT Democratic Club, Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club, Pride at Work, And Castro For All, the Lou Sullian Society (FTM SF), and the Trans March came together to boycott the Human Rights Campaign Dinner. Such a strong presence of organized labor was especially important. The key note speaker for the San Francisco dinner, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, dropped out of the event because of labor's involvement. Read more.

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I recently wrote about the lead role the Human Rights Campaign took in the historic transgender hearings, and it looks as if their project win back strategy is coming to fruition. The Human Rights Campaign has hired ordained Baptist minister Allyson Robinson as their Associate Director of Diversity. Here's Allyson in action: The HRC website states that: "This is a regular, full-time staff position reporting to the Chief Diversity Officer. The Associate Director of Diversity will lead the Human Rights… Read more.

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If you're wanting to ask your favorite transgender person questions and you're not that bright... this video is for you. Read more.

If my previous post seemed a little scattered and emotional, there's a reason for it.  The first trans community function I ever attended was a TDoR function, as was the first event I ever MCed outside a support group.   I've been sensitive to transphobic violence at every step, and my own transition began with violence.  But seeing the settings for it shift to schools was not something I was prepared for. At or around November 20th of every year, the transgender community commemorates a day of remembrance (TDoR) for transgender folk who have died as a result of transphobic or homophobic violence.  Since that memorial, fifteen more homicides involving transgender victims have occurred: Read more.

My partner is a nut about sales. If it isn't on sale, it doesn't get purchased. So sometimes, when we run out of a breakfast staple and such, I have to remind her of that basic fact of life: "sometimes, we just have to pay full price." And then, the phrase comes back to haunt me. This usually happens around the evenings, these days. She's been talking about returning to work in a capacity which would take her out to job sites with contractors and crew, some of whom could know from her previous 20 years of work in that trade that she is trans. And I've been having troubling dreams about both that and my own job, where I've been back for several months with no trouble beyond the occasional rude exchange, and now all of a sudden I'm dreaming repetitively about getting shot in the head. The latter is not something I'm actually afraid of during the light of day, so I'm wondering what is bringing this all on. Am I sensing something nasty coming, or am I just reading the trans-related news way too much? And that's when that dirty little voice says to me, "sometimes, we just have to pay full price." And that's when I start thinking about how far we've come... or haven't as the case may be. The first GRS surgeries were performed in the 1940s, and with the rise of Nazi Germany and its pogroms, the invention of "stealth" soon followed. We've been in hiding ever since. Don't get me wrong -- I'm on record as defending a woman's and man's right to go stealth if they feel it's best for them. We earn that. But the wholesale movement toward stealth -- the lack of barely anybody to stay behind and educate the masses -- has meant that we've only made small strides during that time. The first known piece of trans-inclusive legislation didn't happen until 1993, and most of those strides have been since then. And without adult transfolk there to lay that groundwork, a crisis has developed. Because now it is children on the front lines. Read more.

I was looking at videos for my YouTube post and found this video titled "Twin Boys Living As Girls". It was taped in the early nineties, and is from the Jenny Jones Show. I sat their thinking this was just another trans segment on talk TV. It is not. When I realized who these two girls were, a sat here trembling, on the verge of tears. If you are not aware after watching the video, of just who these young… Read more.

I don't know why I didn't see this earlier, or why it just now hit google alerts, but I think it's a pretty good interview. ------- I love this video. I'm going to burn it to DVD and start giving it away to people that want a trans101. It's very well done. ------- And now... a vantreliquest! ------- Read more.

Over the last few days since it was learned that an 8 year old is transitioning at a school in Colorado, quite a few blogs have been pretty ugly about it. I wrote about some of these blogs on the post Targeted Families, Targeted Lives. Last night I learned that a 10 year old, Cameron McWilliams, committed suicide. Cameron had asked for permission to wear make-up, and been teased after he was found wearing his half-sister's undergarments. His mother said… Read more.

This post comes from Michael Woodward: In keeping with its theme "Toward a Greater Diversity", the IFGE Annual conference has successfully engaged many leaders and champions for the FTM community to take part in its 23rd Annual Conference. The conference, which runs from Monday, March 31, 2008, to Saturday, April 5, 2008, is being held in Tucson, Arizona at the Doubletree Reid Park Hotel. Wingspan's Southern Arizona Gender Alliance (SAGA) is the local host committee. Past conferences have been decidedly transfeminine-oriented, but organizers made concerted outreach efforts for 2008 to transgender men, as well as people of color and allies of all ages, to ensure a broad range of issues, identities, and dialogues are represented in Tucson. While pre-conference excursions and social activities start Monday, the actual conference program kicks off Thursday morning, April 3, with a plenary session featuring renowned activist Jamison Green, author of the prize-winning book Becoming a Visible Man. Green has served on numerous national and international boards and received many awards for his work. Following a welcome by Tucson Mayor Robert Walkup, Mr. Green will address the attendees on the Conference theme of diversity. His international travel in service to the transgender community has introduced him to an amazing array of transgender expression, yet he has observed distinct similarities among diverse groups. In this session, he will reflect on the evolution of the transgender community-or communities-and the meaning and importance of diversity for our movement. Later in the conference, Green will also present a workshop session titled "Identity Crisis-an open discussion about who we are." Read more.

Recently Christianity Today posted a story titled Walking a Fine Line:Pastors wrestle with transgender issues. According to the story, the pastor of the church where the former Spring Arbor University professor Julie Nenecek attended, said: "They were welcome to worship with us and listen to the Bible as it was proclaimed in preaching," Cumings told Christianity Today. "Since we felt his course of conduct was contrary to our understanding of the Scriptures, we would not allow him to serve ." and said: 'We tried very hard to walk a fine line between biblical authenticity—faithfulness to our understanding of the Bible—and compassionate concern,' Cumings says. 'We have no desire to attack him and we certainly do not see ourselves as his judge. But a transgender lifestyle is outside the boundaries of how God intends his children to live.' Read more.

I really can't believe all the ridiculously negative things I've been hearing about the 2nd grade student that is transitioning at school. Here are a few examples: Public schools have been involved in a sick propaganda campaign that encourages and collaborates with the advancement of mental illness in children. - Stop The ACLU.com It is a basic fact of biology, sex is immutable. If you are born a male, you will die a male. There is absolutely nothing any mortal can do about that. Yet for some strange reason, we seem to think that are sex is like a pair of socks, which can be changed on a whim. Putting a dress on a boy, having him the girl’s room and calling him a female name, can not and will not make this John Doe into Jane Doe. It has can’t be done and it has never been done. School systems should be in the businss of teaching life and not pandering to delusions. Putting a dress on a young man and calling him by a girl’s name will not make him into a female. It will only make him into a boy with a dress.We are what we are, and we can not change what we are by wearing or not wearing a dress. Stop pandering to utter foolishness. - Bits Blog It makes one wonder what is happening to our culture when a 2nd grade boy decides he has to dress up as a girl and his public school chooses to accommodate his feelings. - Dallas Blog The original purpose of the public schools was to indoctrinate children in being “Good Americans.” At the time, this meant Protestant patriots who worked for work’s sake. Now, public schools are still indoctrinating little “Good Americans,” but this time it means supporting the idea that man is first, last, and all-importantly a sexual animal whose desires, no mater how perverse, need to be sated without consequence or guilt. First, it was Sex Ed. Then condoms and abortion referrals. Then, GLBT clubs and gay proms. Now, this satanic doctrine is manifesting itself in the policy of a public school in Colorado allowing a sexually confused second grade boy to come to school dressed, and addressed, as a girl. - Fish In A Barrel Read more.

This is from the folks over at GLAAD: February 7, 2008 Just one week after GLAAD issued an alert encouraging our community to respond to a sensational New York Post headline, the tabloid today ran yet another egregious headline, “Axis of She-Vil.” The article, about the Iranian government’s plans to subsidize sex reassignment surgeries, also included the defamatory sub-headline, “Death to Gays But Free Ops For Irani Trannies.” Read article here. “The Post’s latest dehumanizing headline is outrageous,” said Rashad… Read more.

Don't you just love that phrase, "used to be a man?" GARRICK Jacobson was in custody at Sydney's Surry Hills police station when he apparently discovered his girlfriend used to be a man. Within hours of being released on bail, he went to her apartment and started "belting the hell" out of her, Downing Centre Local Court heard yesterday. Read more.

Those of you that have commented on this site before... do the threaded comments drive you crazy? I'm thinking about unthreading Transadvocate comments. Your thoughts? Please vote in the poll in the left sidebar. Read more.

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(As I'd mentioned, it's time to move on from the previous discussion. I admit, I probably wouldn't have reacted as badly if the debate hadn't touched on something that was freshly raw for me personally, but as it is still a raw nerve, we'll leave the HBS thing be. I thought I'd go with something far less controversial. Politics is being overdone right now, what with all the stuff on the primaries, so I thought I'd take on Religion. -- Mercedes) Modern churches do an excellent job of creating an equation between the questioning of fallible teachers, preachers, copyists and translators, and the questioning of God Himself. You can do one without necessarily doing another. But "all scripture is given by inspiration of God..." (2 Timothy 3:16) is usually used to rebuff any inquiries about the many interpretations of those scriptures. Assuming that all scripture was given by inspiration of God, it should also be kept in mind that all scripture was also interpreted and worded by a myriad of authors, then recopied by hand for thousands of generations, passing through different translators and copyists, each with differing biases. All New Testament scripture was additionally collected at the Council of Nicaea, where it was decided which books (and which specific versions of them) to keep and which ones to ignore or destroy. This was done under the guidance of an appointee (Eusebius Pamphilus) of the first actual Pope (although they later retroscribed themselves back to the apostle Peter), the Emperor Constantine I, who wished to forge a new religion that was a synthesis of Mithraism, fledgling Christianity, and Constantine's own worship of the sun god, Sol. He also intended to set himself up to be portrayed as the returned Christ (although it did not quite end up working out that way), which was understood at that time to mean an earthly King-level saviour. And in addition to the hands that scripture passed through being imperfect, so too are those of the preachers who deliver it on Sunday. Religious leaders have repeatedly abused and misused scripture for their own ends, right into modern times -- sometimes innocently but other times specifically for the acquisition of money, political power and fiercely loyal masses. 150 years ago, the church used scripture to justify slavery, alleging among other things that Black people had no souls. 100 years ago, scripture was used to resist emancipation, re-establishing womens' role as a subservient one and portraying them as not worthy or intelligent enough to be able to vote. Even today, scripture is twisted to assert the subordinance of women. Can we question the church's teaching while relying on our heart to sort the truth from the centuries of spin-mongering that has tainted it? I'd think we'd have to. Read more.

My Trans Monster SpeakOUT - Transgender Issues OUt for the Holidays Ryka Aoki de la Cruz Read more.

From the wonderful folks at Pride At Work: Poll after poll show working families view health care as one of the most important issues facing our country today. But we know these polls only tell part of the story. We want to know more--more about how the health care system affects you and your family. Take our Healthcare Survey Do you have health care coverage for yourself, for your partner? Does your employer offer domestic partner benefits? Are you left… Read more.

I asked to cross post this post from Bilerico. It  was written by Alex Blaze Through an unlikely chain of blog posts, Waymon's entry about a gender identity inclusive anti-discrimination ordinance in Montgomery County, Maryland, started a discussion that made it halfway across the blogosphere to one of the more popular radical feminist blogs out there. Heart, the aforementioned radical feminist blogger, writes about the real transbigotry in an attempt to take advantage of the T-folks' internal disputes to distinguish the good transwomen from the bad ones. As a queer boy who fully came out among feminists and feminisms (at times misguided), who thought that Judith Butler and Leslie Feinberg were just the bomb, and who saw connections between transgender experiences and oppressions and gay experiences and oppressions as so obvious as to be taken for granted, I was pretty surprised when I was introduced to this (hopefully limited) brand of feminism that characterizes transwomen as men who lived as women part-time just to better oppress them and transmen as nonexistent, and, when they are, see the Gendercator. Read more.

Many of us in the LGBT community are painfully aware of the religious fundamentalists who have such a wonderful time coming up with lies and fear tactics to throw out to the uneducated masses. They know full well that a great deal of those Americans will believe anything they are told, if you follow it up with “Praise the Lord.” Of course, their true God is the Almighty Dollar, which they get in abundance from those people who don’t know any better. We hear a lot about the Islamic fundamentalists and how they are such a threat to America. In many ways, they are ranked amateurs compared to the Christian fundamentalists here in the US. Oh yes, we hear of gays being executed in the country that has no gays, Iran. I’m sure that every time that happens, Beverly LaHaye, ChairMAN of the Concerned “June Cleavers” for America, salivates, hoping we get a Republican President who will support that as well. I’m sure she would like it if President Eddie Haskell “gave us the business.” (The “June Cleaver” comment is not to put down the beloved character in “Leave it to Beaver,” but to emphasize the time period their mindset is in.) Not to make light of it, but the Christian fundamentalists are a dangerous group of people, even if there weren’t any gay people for them to hate. Mike Huckabee’s comments on wanting to change the Constitution to reflects God’s laws instead of the Founding Fathers’ wonderful ideas is a prime example of the danger this group of Americans can be. But, I didn’t title this article “Christian Fundamentalists.” There are plenty of others who can talk intelligently on that subject. My article is on a growing number of transsexual women who use their post-operative status as a symbol of their superiority over any other gender-different people. I can guarantee that as soon as this article sees the light of day, they will rise up out of their holes and swoop down on me like the creatures in the movie, “Pitch Black,” with Vin Diesel. I’m not afraid of the dark. Read more.

I want to welcome new Transadvocate contributors Monica Helms of Trans Universe and Mercedes Allen of Dented Blue Mercedes! Please take a minute to show them some TA love. Read more.

Like some others in the discussion, I do feel a need to say a few final words on the Old Guard (HBS) versus deconstructionist battle in the transgender community, and then move on. I am undecided about any further participation in anything trans, beyond this post. It's clear that resolution is impossible; the majority remains entrenched -- and judging by the volume of responses that I've seen, it is in fact the HBS / Old Guard are that majority, at least among transsexuals. But to me, the question was always whether people can set aside the hostilities enough to work for the betterment of all the community, or remain wrapped up in those differences. This has been met with total indifference. I no longer believe that the community even wants to work together. The olive branch I've extended on my own behalf was very real, despite having been recently burned by Old Guard / HBS sentiment myself... but that offer of putting aside differences has gone completely unacknowledged, in favour of further divisive scorn. I wish to be clear on something: I have taken the time to educate myself about many of the sub-communities in the transgender spectrum (by getting to know people in those sub-communities, rather than distancing myself from them), and strongly believe that there is much overlap in communal needs and also in the genesis of what drives us -- although more needs to be learned, on a scientific level as well as on the social plane. I use "transgender" in the modern, all-encompassing sense of the term, rather than any now-irrelevant historic one. And as a transsexual myself (although I know that there are those who will always believe that I cannot possibly be anything other than a male-bodied fetishist, in spite of all evidence to the contrary), I support the rights of transsexuals, and do not see how they've been turned over to some other agenda (there seems to be some duplicity on this point from the Old Guard, in which it's asserted that the community has been taken over by non-transsexual people and that TS issues are being left by the wayside, but then it's later claimed that non-TS people are pretending to speak for them.... you can't have it both ways). But as I see it, the transgender community continues to advocate for transsexuals, and will continue to do so whether HBS-brand transsexuals wish any association or not. There is strength in numbers -- and like it or not, a unified community is better positioned to accomplish lasting change than those who wish to carve the community up and advocate rights for only a small privileged, arrogant slice of it. Not to mention that the most disenfranchised of the community still need us, and I'm not keen on anything that suggests that people should be left behind. Read more.

I found a pretty intriguing comment over at Womens Spaces/The Margins concerning a post written by Harry Benjamin Syndrome apologist, Cathy Platine, at Pam's House Blend. That whole thread over at PHB consists of males scratching out turf over the female body, each laying claim to ownership. While I live in this society as a woman, the reality is that I'm male bodied and a surgically constructed vagina will not change that. Thoughts? Read more.

Somewhere along the line, I became a Transinista. I don't know how it happened -- there was no recruitment drive -- I just found myself looking at a photo of myself dressed in combat boots, mirrored sunglasses, floppy angel wings trimmed with sequins and feathers, and sporting a lit stogie dangling out of my mouth. "Holy Jeebiz," I muttered. "That's got to be Photoshopped. And I don't appreciate the moustache." Now, I think my credentials are pretty good. I'm not a litigation activist, my focus has been on community-building. Part of this has meant learning a lot of perspectives (our community is incredibly diverse), and then trying to teach T-folk what the other groups of T-folk are all about. And learning what I could about Intersex, crossdressers, gender renegades, drag performers, Two-Spirits, non-op transsexuals as well as those who clearly need the operation has introduced me to a wide experience of unique people who I respect. I never assume that my experience of being trans is the only valid one. It's the approach which drove me to write "Transbigotry?" Maybe this is sort of the equivalent of the cartoon squirrel who scurries up with an olive branch, squeaking, "why can't we all just get along?" before someone pulls out an M16 and perforates her, a note of satisfaction for the far right-wing and far left-wing types who resent "bleeding heart peacemakers." But I've actually found diplomacy to be an approach that most people -- both at the grassroots level and in the online world -- to be usually quite open to. There are, however, always people of strong opinion who won't be swayed: This colours my point of view just as those who identify as some brand of trans come from an entirely different point of view. I see the world through the eyes of a feminist woman who has studied history and is also a pagan theologian. I live within the greater world where the dominate viewpoint of gender is a strictly bi-gendered one where most people's understanding of gender is limited to there are men and women and if slightly more enlightened, some people are born intersexed and some are born transsexual but both these groups get put in either the male or female bin. -- Cat Kisser, from "Not Ready For Prime Time, Or: How the TG Rights Movement Went Insane By Talking Only To Itself." Read more.

Recently, I commented on a post at Bilerico: You want to get technical Sue? In the strictest definition, you're not female. The distinction between the "sexes" is that a female has the ability to produce ova, and the male has the ability to produce produces sperm. Your "sex" isn't based on an organ but on your reproductive ability. For that matter, your neo-vagina isn't even an "organ." An organ is tissue or a group of tissues that constitute a morphologically and functionally distinct part of an organism. Your "vagina" isn't a social construct, it's a surgical construct. And an incomplete construct at that! Go find your bartholin glands.... And in the above scenario, the woman wasn't afraid of genitals, but because of other physical characteristics. It's more about passing privilege than genital configuration. And judging from the pictures I've seen of you, ya got your own passing issues. So you might want to jump off that high horse of yours. Pretty strong statement eh? I said this in response to Sue Robins, who said: A ladies locker room is no place for Man and if you have male genitals you are a Man end of story. Read more.

Unbelievably, I woke up to find this in a google alert:"Bringing back Hitler and the SS" From the get go, it's filled with lies:"Right now we have a bill called HR 2015 that, in my opinion, would bring back forced hiring by our government for local business. Surprised, I am not."From the bill:No Preferential Treatment or Quotas- Nothing in this Act shall be construed or interpreted to require or permit- (1) any covered entity to grant preferential treatment to any individual or to any group because of the actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity of such individual or group on account of an imbalance which may exist with respect to the total number or percentage of persons of any actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity employed by any employer, referred or classified for employment by any employment agency or labor organization, admitted to membership or classified by any labor organization, or admitted to, or employed in, any apprenticeship or other training program, in comparison with the total number or percentage of persons of such actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity in any community, State, section, or other area, or in the available work force in any community, State, section, or other area; or (2) the adoption or implementation by a covered entity of a quota on the basis of actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity. She continues:"A company will no longer be able to hire a person because of their qualifications. The company will be forced by law to hire the type of person that will be mandated by our government." Apparently there's some kind of forcefield around her eyeballs that keeps her from reading the above section of the bill that says NO QUOTAS. On with more fear mongering! Read more.

I'm stealing a way of posting from Autumn and Stephanie over at Abnormal Heights. With TA tidbits, I'm going to post multiple trans stories I find with just a bit of commentary in one post. So without further ado.... ***A new television series debuts this fall called "The Dirty Life" that stars Billy Baldwin and Candis Cayne. He quipped to E! Online: Who’s in Patrick’s closet? A secret transsexual lover named Carmelita, played by real-life transsexual Candis Cayne “Ironically, with… Read more.

Alice Dreger Destroys Academic Freedom in Order to Save It It is an old adage that “crime, once exposed, has no refuge but in audacity.” This appears to be the thinking behind Alice Dreger’s latest attempt to stifle criticism of J. Michael Bailey’s pseudoscience in the name of “academic freedom”. Joelle Ruby Ryan recently issued a Call for Proposals for a proposed panel of the National Women’s Studies Association entitled The Bailey Brouhaha: Community Members Speak Out on Resisting Transphobia in Academia in Beyond. In it, she accurately summarises the history of the “controversy” around Bailey’s The Man Who Would Be Queen: The Science of Gender Bending and Transsexualism, as follows: While Bailey's book The Man Who Would be Queen was released in 2003 to overwhelmingly negative reviews, the book caused a stir for its assertion that trans women can be split into two groupings: "homosexual transsexuals" and “autogynephilics." Trans activists and allies mobilized and took Bailey to task for his bogus claims and helped to document a compelling case against him. Many considered it an open-and-shut case until the 2007 appearance of an article by Bailey colleague and intersex researcher Alice Dreger, who published a lengthy apologia for Bailey in the Archives of Sexual Behavior and castigated trans women activists for their attempts at "ruining" Bailey. In response, Dreger declared that the CFP was “laden with factual errors and misrepresentations about the history of the Bailey controversy and my work”, of which she could identify none, and points to her own dubious “scholarly history” (to be published by a journal controlled by Bailey, Blanchard, and Lawrence) and a breathtakingly inaccurate New York Times article that I have discussed previously as reliable sources of information. Dreger repeats her unsupported and unspecified claims of misrepresentations (in one case “profound” misrepresentations”) and factual errors throughout her correspondence on the subject with Emi Koyama on the Women’s Studies listserv WMST-L, and falsely claims that Bailey’s critics attempted to censor him. She does not enlighten interested readers about the scientific status of Bailey’s claims or his defamatory responses to criticism. She closes the e-mail exchange by endorsing a veiled threat directed at Ryan by Emi Koyama(1): What is the “academic freedom” that Dreger defends so fiercely as to resort to threats and blatant misrepresentations? Is it the freedom to publish scientific findings and engage in scholarly discussion without state or institutional censorship? Clearly not. That right has not been impinged upon. No one is calling for censorship of Bailey’s work, nor has any censorship occurred. The book remains in print, for all to see. Bailey’s right to fetishise “controversy” over science remains inviolate. Read more.

With a vote coming soon on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, I'd like to revisit something Chris Crain said a while back in his post "A trans activist tees off on ENDA" that was in reference to my post "You Can Still Fire Me". At his blog he said: The EEOC says exactly what I said: "existing federal civil rights laws have already been interpreted by SOME JUDGES to protect trans workers." Is it every judge? No. Would adding "gender identity"… Read more.

That ever popular bastion of Jesus freedom, WorldNetDaily, is hiding a Transgender Partriot! In their "Letter of the Week" they showcase the anonymous patriot. She starts out by saying "First, before I begin, I just want to let you know that I support WND and the work you do primarily as it relates to the illegal-alien invasion and the North American Union. My feedback below doesn't change that." Then goes on to say: I feel badly that the "T" is… Read more.

Every year around this time I start seeing the GLBT media get in a feeding frenzy about the HRC's Corporate Equality Index (CEI). Story after story is told of how American corporations are getting better and better for GLBT Americans. That may be true for GLB Americans, but the transgender part of the index is fatally flawed. The transgender wellness benefits defined in the 2c component include: 1. counseling by a mental health professional 2. pharmacy benefits covering hormone therapy 3. medical visits to monitor the effects of hormone therapy and other associated lab procedures. 4. medically necessary surgical procedures such as hysterectomy or short-term disability leave for surgical procedures A company only needs to give ONE of these benefits to get the five points. What does that mean in a practical way?Nick Gorton MD explains it this way: "Let's say you are Dominos Pizza and you get the HRC CEI index survey to fill out. One question asks you if provide "medically necessary surgical procedures (i.e. hysterectomy)". Then it asks you if you exclude transgender employees from this benefit. If you state that you don't exclude transgender employees then you get 5 points on item (#4) 2.c on the CEI. So lets say your policy is that if a transgender man has invasive cervical cancer that your insurance will actually (shock and horror!) pay for his hysterectomy rather than condemning him to death for an untreated cancer. Well then heeeeeey! All of a sudden you are hella transgender friendly, Dominos. (And yes, Dominos got that.... Christian-Fundamentalist funding Dominos offers transgender benefits.) Companies like Microsoft, General Motors, IBM, and Eastman Kodak will get the same grade as Dominos, even though they comprehensively cover (they cover parts a, b, and c, including sex reassignment surgery). Read more.

“The gays and lesbians are after me! The gays and lesbians are after me!!!” — Texas State Rep. Robert Talton (R) while running down the halls of the Texas Capitol Building being chased by a transsexual activist. All apologies, but I had to start this article with a bit about Robert Talton of Pasadena, Texas (or as we like to refer to our suburb here in Houston, Pasa-g*ddamned-dena). It was instructed to we trans activists not to bother with Talton, he was bad news – not the worst, but bad news. Well, myself and another close friend with me that day, Dani MacCleney, were always up for the challenges – giant killers we considered ourselves. During that first visit any of us had made to Talton’s office we discovered something. He was very much into the evangelical play book, fashioned his entire agenda after a tight circle of cherry-picked biblical text. However, he had some pretty serious skeletons in his closet. We both walked out with one word in mind: xenophobia. In time, I and others learned to fight fire with fire, using biblical text to counter his own. That’s when the rules changed, he couldn’t see us any more, he needed DPS officers (state police here in Texas) to escort him to and from his appointments and to act as sentry outside his office to keep us out. He even singled out a female minister (sitting next to her husband), pointed and declared “I don’t like you and I don’t like your kind!” The minister was aghast, replying “What!?! Presbyterians?!?” Apparently Talton presumed the minister, whose hair was short, was a lesbian even though she was sitting next to her legally-married husband. Here in Texas, Robert Talton personifies the word phobia – whether homophobia or transphobia (or other unpublicized lesser-known phobias) he’s become Public Enemy #1 of anything GLBT. Indeed he revels in his reputation as a pig would wallow in mud. Recently we had the latest in a recent spate of Republican outings and subsequent oustings from their political office and party participation itself. Former Sen. Larry Craig (R-ID) has been a staunch anti-GLBT vote to the red-meat conservatives dominating the GOP. He comes from the mountain state red zone, Idaho, where anti-homosexuality rants play to standing ovations. Yes, he was a man in his element. At least he was, so long as he kept his personal and private feelings about sexuality private. Then came the infamous “sting” in June at the Minneapolis airport men’s restroom. Yes, it seems Sen. Craig got caught up in a sex-sting dragnet in airport bathrooms there. Kind of an odd place to pick up a quickie, but some will go to extraordinary lengths I suppose – no pun intended, of course. Apparently this is a recent fad, and one that even the conservative senator appeared to know about. In typical hand-in-the-cookie-jar guilt, the senator tried his mightiest to wiggle out of being nabbed. First he plopped down his business card and demanded “how do you like that?” The arresting officer was unimpressed. After a bout of entrapment claims, Craig finally acquiesced and pleaded guilty to the charge. Then came the contrition (or as best as the Republican senator could muster): “I’m not gay and never have been gay.” Note how he cleverly avoided anything to do with bisexuality (he is marred), and how we never here him talk of never having had a homosexual experience. Still … clever wording, very Republican. The one major misstep by Sen. Larry … he admitted guilt to the charge. Cardinal sin in RNC-land. There was a literal RNC stampede away from ol’ Sen. Larry after the guilt plea. Who cares about honesty? When there’s consistent denial, it’s plausible deniability regardless of how red-handed you’re caught – at least in Republican-land. Unless it’s adultery by a male politician with a woman (a-la Sen. David Vitter (R-LA), admitting guilt is a kiss of death. Witness the contrast between Randy “Duke” Cunningham (caught and admitted guilt) and Tom DeLay (caught and denied vehemently). However, it was more than guilt that got him a speedy one-way ticket out of GOPperville. Compounding it was being caught as being gay. Though it may seem so in recent years, GOP does not stand for “Gay Old Party” – something the conservatives will be quick to point out. Again, when you have an “R” next to your name, you’re never truly gay until your caught by your own admission, red-handed or no. Why be like Mark Foley or Ed Schrock when you could be a David Dreier or even aspire to the highest office in the land like President George W. Bush? Even though the hypocrisy of the consistently anti-gay legislator was blatant, hypocrisy by his own party is much more bluntly evident. Sen. Larry is a fine man up to the minute he admits his guilt. And in their defense, Republicans point out Gerry Studds and Barney Frank (both D-MA). How weak is that? Democrats aren’t the judgmental ideologues. That’s Republicans. Democrats pardon. Republicans never forget, nor let it go. And while Jesus forgives, and Democrats generally follow suit, Republicans tend to like Paul’s teachings better, or the Old Testament punitive styles better still (Jesus being a bit too liberal for their tastes.) Later Sen. Larry hinted at wanting a do over. Or maybe not. He decided the error of his ways was admitting guilt, and that holding out for wearing the opposition down (RNC-style) is a better strategy. But then he even rescinded that by saying it’s his “intent” to step down September 30 as planned. Notice the equivocal wording. (Can you say “wiggle room”?) Who knows what’s Sen. Larry’s plans are – we’re not sure he knows just yet. Recently he’s flipping and flopping like a freshly beached fish on a hook. One thing you can say, you gotta admire the chutzpah of Republicans and their morals. Whether it’s Rush Limbaugh railing about all druggies needing life in prison until he’s popped gaming scrips to feed his addiction to hillbilly heroin (aka: oxycontin), or President Bush taking hard line on lawbreakers until it happens to a well-connected aide such as Scooter Libby. Sen. Larry was always a reliable vote against anything GLBT, a good RNC company man. The American Conservative Union rated Craig's 2005 voting record at 96 out of 100 points! After his guilty plea, he bleats at the crowd during his press conference back in Idaho, “I am not gay. I have never been gay ….” But of course, rumors had been going around even in his own party circles of his rep. A report from the Idaho Statesman noted: Read more.

According to KTVB.com, Idaho Inmate Jennifer Spencer has won a small battle in the fight to get hormone replacement therapy in prison. While this is definitely a win for humane treatment of prisoners  and for transsexuals that are incarcerated in Idaho, I have to wonder  what the blacklash will be. These are the kind of cases that rile up the nastier side of the right wing. Examples from the comments of One News Now: Although I do not live in… Read more.

The vitriol over at Traditional Values Coalition is heating up. As Bil over at Bilerico has reported : "The Traditional Values Coalition has a series of offensive cartoons they've been circulating since ENDA became a possibility. While the group isn't known for their Christ-like love of truth, this latest flier steps outside of their usual circle of lies and deceit to directly attack two people who, as far as I know, aren't doing anything to their organization." You can find… Read more.

Recently, I read a blog post about an FTM complaining about being judged by other transgender people about living "stealth." To those of you who feel the need to live secretly, I say this; if you wish to live your life in a closet that is your choice. But don't be surprised when I judge you for this. For as long as folks with passing privilege hide in their closets, there will be a stigma attached to transgender people because… Read more.

I'm getting rather tired of posting about this, but J. Michael Bailey is at it again. He posted "Transsexual Smokescreen: Ignoring Science In “The Man Who Would Be Queen” at Scientific Blogging.com. The post is a microcosm of the disingenuous nature of this man. He's said in multiple forums: (from the KQED Forum interview) I wrote what is commonly understood to be a popular science book, in which I reviewed serious academic work by myself and other scholars." So the book is science? Read more.

While the Dems got through with their debates a week back, in the interest of fairness it behooves me to at least give the GOPpers a report with regards to Trans America. Two weeks earlier, they had their first network debate with all candidates currently declared (Fred Thompson is not one of those) in Iowa; the following week they conducted their straw poll there, with the expected victory for Mitt (the only presidential candidate ever named after a baseball glove) Romney. For the sake of fairness, the other top-tier candidates to date – Rudy Giuliani and John McCain – skipped the straw poll. Fred Thompson has not officially declared, so he’s officially not a candidate and polled better than the aforementioned other skippers. So what does this mean for GOP America? Moreover, what does this communicate to Transgender Americans? Read more.

I am an atheist/agnostic so I'm not sure why Jesus has been on my mind lately, but he has. So many Christian bloggers have written about the sin of being transgender. God, help us here in America. We have made a total mess of Your plan for us. We have forgotten that without You we are nothing and we have nothing. We have made a mockery of your creation by allowing people to change it completely. We have kept our… Read more.

It's that time of the month! No, not that time! It's time for The Carnival of Bent Attractions! Trusted Advisor starts us out by "Defining Trust by Defining Moments--Larry Craig's" "This is not a moral judgment, not in the sense that some want Craig ousted for alleged homosexual behavior that's been rumored for many years. Nor is it an indictment of his tepid stance in the Iraq war or his unpopular support of President Bush's proposed immigration reform." Why does trusted advisor think Senator Craig should get the boot? "The senator did not own up to his misdemeanor crime. He did not apologize to his family, to the fabulous staff that has supported him for more than a quarter century in Congress, to his constituents here in Idaho. If you had just dropped in from Mars and read only this one editorial, you'd get a good sense of what the human race means by trust. It means transparency; it means taking responsibility; it means telling the truth." Maybe it's just me, but both Mars and Idaho seem like far away worlds that I couldn't live in. But maybe if Jon Swift is right, it's just being Republican! Recently Swift asked " Why Do Conservatives Like Larry Craig Seem So Gay?" Read more.

Meredith Brooks once sang: " I’m a bitch, I’m a lover I’m a child, I’m a mother I’m a sinner, I’m a saint I do not feel ashamed I’m your hell, I’m your dream I’m nothing in between You know, you wouldn’t want it any other way" But I guess there are some gay men who aren't channeling Meredith. From the Washington Blade's "Bitch Session" "It’s transgender people that need the gay and lesbian movement to succeed not the other way around. They are a minority within a minority who couldn’t get very far without us yet they always arrogantly fail to recognize that! Learn some humility instead of being so damn uppity. To the transgender activist who had the gall to say that gays and lesbians can’t move forward without them: The fact is transgender activists have opposed gay rights legislation in the past simply because they weren’t included! Despite their being as bad as Christian conservatives or selfish brats, we often managed to succeed without them! They should thank us for forgiving them for this and allowing them to retard our progress by including them now!" Read more.

By Élise Hendrick (reprinted with permission) Autogynaephiles, Homosexuals, and Fabricators: The Blanchard-Bailey-Lawrence Taxonomy of Trans Women I. A Hypothetical Let us suppose that someone claimed to have found that rape is primarily a function of the sexuality and presentation of the victim, and proposed a binary taxonomy of rape victims: (1) The provoker: Provoker-type rape victims are heterosexual women no older than their mid-to-late twenties at the time of the incident. They are generally sexually active, and are characterized by general attractiveness and a preference for attractive, even provocative modes of dress and behavior. In these women, the rape is the subconsciously desired result of their behavior and presentation. (2) The confabulator: The confabulator, like the provoker, is heterosexual, but homely and unattractive, and at least in her late twenties or thirties. She is not sexually active, nor does she dress in a particularly attractive or provocative manner. She is most likely to have convinced herself that she was raped in order to deceive herself into believing that she is sexually desirable despite her age and appearance. Let us further suppose that the person who has “discovered” these categories also claims that there are no categories outside of the two above, and that any woman who claims not to fit within these categories in any particular is either lying or delusional. In dealing with these claims, rational people will likely do as suggested by Noam Chomsky in The Case Against B.F. Skinner, and ask: ”What is the scientific status of the claims? What social or ideological needs do they serve? The questions are logically independent, but the second type of question naturally comes to the fore as scientific pretensions are undermined.” Read more.

From the Evangelical Bible: I Fundamentalists: 1 And Christ said "if you're a transsexual, you're doomed. 2You deserve to be raped or sexually assaulted." Or so it would seem from the Jesus blogosphere : "If I may put this delicately, will these bathrooms make any concessions to that biological reality formerly known as "sexuality?" You know, body parts; will men be able to use the facilities in a manly way, or must we sit? One of the more painful memories of my life was visiting my brothers, David and Nathan, at Macalester College and having to use their coed dorm bathroom. Icky yuck-yuck. Gross. Cooties were caught." - Bayly Blog Apparently these "men of God" have an issue with gender neutral bathrooms that are safe places for transgender people. Read more.

I'm working on bringing the podcast you hear at times, Transadvocate Reports, into a live show. I NEED YOUR HELP! I'm trying to decide which intro and outro music is the best. Please listen to this audio and put in the comments your 3 favorite tracks, and why. Remember that this isn't going to be a comedy, but a show that centers on transadvocacy. The target audience is YOU!!! http://podcasts.transactivists.com/TAR/media/2007-08-24_showintrooutro.mp3 Thanks for your help. Read more.

In KQED's recent interview of J Michael Bailey and Alice Dreger, Bailey said:   "Again I reject the assertion that it's all transgendered people are offended by my book. Many transgendered people are actually very happy that people are finally talking about this phenomenon called autogynophelia, which they feel captures their motivation." I actually think that Bailey is wrong and that a majority of transgender people see Bailey's work as a direct attack on their lives. If you do too, I'd ask that you please sign a petition I made at:   http://www.petitiononline.com/trans4us/   Please spread the word about this petition to as many people you can think of. Alice Dreger's dredging up of this old controversy has inflamed the right wing blogosphere with such wonderful posts as: Read more.

From the AP Stylebook: "Use the pronoun preferred by the individuals who have acquired the physical characteristics (by hormone therapy, body modification, or surgery) of the opposite sex and present themselves in a way that does not correspond with their sex at birth. If that preference is not expressed, use the pronoun consistent with the way the individuals live publicly." Now keeping that in mind when you see this image: Name: Francis Renee White Headline from WTKR Suffolk Man Charged… Read more.

From a recent report out of UCLA entitled: Comparison of Hate Crimes Rates Across Protected and Unprotected Groups ( by Rebecca Stotzer, Public Policy Research Fellow at the Williams Institute) Current proposed legislation would change certain existing federal hate crime laws to add sexual orientation and gender identity as protected categories. Sexual orientation and gender identity are important categories for inclusion in federal law because members of these groups are just as likely to be victimized as members of other… Read more.

During the HRC/LOGO Presidential Forum John Edwards was asked: MR. SOLOMONESE: Susan Stanton is in our audience tonight. She was, for 17 years, the city manager in Largo , Florida . She did her job well; she was respected and admired. And when it was revealed that she was transgender, she was fired. So my question for you is if a member of your staff came to you and told you that they were transgender and that they were thinking… Read more.

The post that follows this will discuss Alice Dreger's "The Controversy Surrounding The Man Who Would Be Queen: A Case History of the Politics of Science, Identity, and Sex in the Internet Age." As a matter of disclosure, I believe before I can discuss this journal article I must be clear about a few points. 1. I'm not a supporter of Andrea James or Calpernia Addam's websites. From years of visiting their sites and taking part in their forums, I've… Read more.

When I was Stone Blue ... Rock and Roll sure helped me through .... Warning beforehand, this is a fluff-piece – you’ll have to excuse me. Actually, a little of this can be blamed on Verizon commercials. What originally inspired this was the return of typical south Texas summer heat in all its oppressively humid splendor. Mostly we’d been spared this year, save for July 21 (my birthday) and one other day in June – the only profusely body-moistening days… Read more.

It was billed as the "HRC Foundation and Logo Presidential Forum" but you could have just as easily called it the "HRC and Logo Presidential Forum on Marriage Equality. But it wasn't supposed to be that way. According to Donna Rose's blog: "I have been told by people who would know that a decision has already been made that each candidate will be given a "T" question (their words, not mine). When I sent my list of questions this morning (the deadline was noon), part of the response I got back was that they particularly "like the more general ones because it requires them to be more forthcoming." For the record, there was ONE question during the entire forum that was a "T" question. Joe Solmonese asked John Edwards the following question: "Susan Stanton is in our audience tonight. She was, for 17 years, the city manager in Largo, Florida. She did her job well; she was respected and admired. And when it was revealed that she was transgender, she was fired. So my question for you is if a member of your staff came to you and told you that they were transgender and that they were thinking of transitioning, how would you react to that? And who in your life has influenced what your reaction might be?" Read more.

I won't lie, I'm a lover of history. One of the the blogs I regularly read is Civil War Women. The blog is thick with biographies of women that lived and thrived in the Civil War era. One of the "women" she posted about caught my eye. He was born Jennie Irene Hodgers, but lived most of his adult life as Albert D.J. Cashier. Albert served in the 95th Illinois Infantry Regiment. The 95th was was part of the Army… Read more.

When Kayne West said "George Bush doesn't care about black people!" , he was partly right. George Bush doesn't care about the majority of Americans or what they care about.  From HRC's "Back Story" blog:  It's really sad, but apparently Bush never tires of catering to his base, despite the undeniable (and well publicized) loss of confidence in his judgment and leadership by the majority of Americans. It’s not that complicated.  In May, Gallup released a poll that showed overwhelming… Read more.

Typically, when reading about radical feminists on various blogs, it's an "us verses them" type of debate. I've been thinking a lot about that, as witnessed by my last post, Michfest Music Melodrama I've been thinking a lot about the Michigan Womyn's Music Festival lately. So much anger and divisiveness occurs between radical feminist and transgender bloggers, it really turns my stomach. Very few posts on either side attempt to understand each other. so much so, it ends up being… Read more.

I really have no desire to go to the transphobic Michigan Womyn's Music Festival. I don't really care to protest the event (with Camp Trans). If the Klan wanted to have a meeting out in the midde of nowhere, I'd let em. But the one thing DOES bother me about Michfest are the performers. Artists like Alix Olson, Melissa Ferrick, and Ferron are playing at an event that actively excludes transwomen. I keep thinking, should I refuse to go to any further shows or buy their albums? Is it anathema to support any of these artists? :( I really do love Ferron. Some music under the cut... Read more.

I've been over at Feministing all day, writing responses to "You learn something new every day." The post is a response to The BBC's recent coverage of a debate with Julie Bindel. Julie believes that sex reassignment surgery is a "mutilation." The debate over there is one of the best I've ever encountered. There's a whole lot of cross talk and listening, and very few personal attacks. This is the first time I've ever posted about this in a forum where I didn't feel like I was talking to a wall. I've included some of the comments, and my responses, under the cut. Read more.

The following video is from " Rapture Ready: The Unauthorized Christians United for Israel Tour" [kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/mjMRgT5o-Ig" width="425" height="350" wmode="transparent" /] At the end of the video, I caught a glimpse of this: This kind of display dispels the notion by some in the civil rights community that GLBT people aren't being dehumanized. Read more.

From Alas, a blog Amp has been personally attacked many times because of this cartoon. I believe it's because it's speaking truth. Some folks don't like to see their own reflection, or refuse to believe it and react violently when they do. Read more.

From the Wednesday, July 25th edition of the Randi Rhodes Show When someone apologizes for a "bad joke" and understands their mistake by making the following comment... " This is my second attempt at posting a reply because I feel awful about your PERCEPTION of who I am. Can YOU imagine that? Being misunderstood? I am honesty sorry if my attempt at humor failed." - Randi Rhodes" Would they continue to air this? http://www.transadvocate.com/audio/Annisaman.mp3 I think not. Read more.

What the heck is up with Wyoming Equality? From their front page: An equality group is promoting The Michigan Womyn's Music Festival? For those that don't know, the Michigan Womyn's Music Festival is a "womyn born womyn" event that specifically excludes transwomen. In recent years they've softened their "no transwomen" policy from "DO NOT ENTER," to "WE TOLD YOU NOT TO ENTER, BUT YOU CAN BUY A TICKET." If you don't believe the politics behind Michfest is transphobic, just take… Read more.

Things I learn from the radical feminist blogosphere: -" Male-to-female transsexuality/transgender is really about men’s rights. It has nothing to do with feminism. As such, as feminists, just as we oppose men’s rights, in general, we oppose this manifestation of men’s rights as well." - "Radical feminists are no more “transphobes” than we are “manhaters.” To allege that we are is to indulge in sexist, misogynist, anti-feminist propaganda." - " Female-to-male transsexuals/transgendered persons are situated much differently than male-to-female transsexuals/transgendered… Read more.

I'm continually amazed at the hatred and bigotry shown by the Fox Broadcasting Network. The fall lineup includes the inherently transphobic series, "There’s Something About Miriam." The series first aired in the 2004 in the UK and features six men who try to win the affection of 21-year-old Mexican model Miriam. In the final episode it is revealed to the suitors that Miriam is a preoperative transsexual woman. [kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/2ACJL41x3QE" width="425" height="350" wmode="transparent" /] The series originally ran in the… Read more.

I've been home a little over a week from my vacation on the R Family Vacation summer cruise to the Bahamas. I've had a week to sit back and reflect on the trip. For those that don't know, R Family Vacations is the brainchild of Gregg Kaminsky and Kelli O’Donnell. It's billed as a cruise for GLBT families. From the R Family Vacation website: R Family Vacations is truly the most inclusive GLBT vacation offered. All of our vacations are… Read more.

"A Town hall meeting is an informal public meeting derived from the traditional town meetings of New England. Similarly to those meetings, everybody in a community is invited to attend, voice their opinions, and hear the responses from public figures and elected officials, although attendees rarely vote on an issue. In today's heterogeneous communities with large populations, more often, town hall meetings are held so that people can influence elected officials in their decision making or to give them a… Read more.

A question recent posted on Lesbian Life at About.com asked "Question: I am at the very early stages of being a transsexual, and I want to be a woman. I also love women. Could I consider myself a lesbian?" I've struggled to define my own sexuality, so this question has been ever present in my mind. Kathy Belge, of Curve's "Lipstick and Dipstick" fame, responded by saying: "Yes, transsexuals can be homosexual, bisexual or heterosexual. Gender identity and sexual orientation… Read more.

I'm waiting for the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) to put out an action alert calling for a ban on Transadvocate.com. Why? Because I've asked them to advocate for  the "T" in their mission statement with the same veracity that they do for gay and lesbian issues. I even wondered on blog if we should protest GLAAD the way we've protested the Human Rights Campaign (for lack of inclusion). While on vacation last week, I periodically checked my… Read more.

It was striking seeing a blurb by a spokesperson in the Iowa Republican Party responding to the prospect of former-President Bill Clinton lobbying for his wife Hillary’s presidential campaign: “After Bill Clinton tarnished the name of the president of the United States, the Republican Party restored hope, respect and morality within the Oval Office by bringing positive ideas and conservative values back to the White House.” Reading this caused me to respond with one of those GEICO© caveman moments: “Yeah,… Read more.

As the Hate Crimes amendment to the Defense Funding Authorization is being debated in the Senate, it’s funny hearing some of the arguments coming from those opposed to allowing the additional protections to sexual orientation and gender identity. Many of the callers advocating for killing the Hate Crimes amendment have taken liberty of saying it infringes on free speech. Nothing in the Hate Crimes bill (S. 1105), nor the amendment to the defense-spending bill with the exact same wording, makes… Read more.

I'm off for a week! I'll be back next week. :) Read more.

Transexual Menace protested HRC for lack of inclusion in their advocacy back in 2005, I think maybe it's time to protest GLAAD for the same thing. In a post entitled : GLAAD About Hate Speech, I discussed the viciousness of Michael Savage's most remarks concerning the murder of Ruby Ordenana. GLAAD's response consisted of a paragraph, released ONLY to me. So what do I get in my email box today? GLAAD Call to Action: "The O'Reilly Factor" - "Lesbian Gang… Read more.

I guess Randi's transphobia isn't something new. I edited the clips down (I edited them for time, I did not rearrange or manipulate the content). If you want to hear the segments unedited, watch the youtube videos below. I find it rather ironic that Randi's reaction to Ann Coulter's personal attacks is to attack Ann's body, gender identity and sexuality. Podcast: http://podcasts.transactivists.com/TAR/media/2007-07-05_tacoulterrhodes2.mp3 [kml_flashembed movie="http://youtube.com/v/K7VCwqJlJIo" width="425" height="350"/] [kml_flashembed movie="http://youtube.com/v/KBf9eUk7_GI" width="425" height="350"/] oh, and for you gays and lesbians that are feeling… Read more.

Everyone give a big warm welcome to our newest blogger, Jenn Burleton.  She blogs here. Read more.

An update on the previous post, Trans-panic Defense Alive And Well In Palm Beach. A 17 year old Florida teen was found guilty of a second-degree felony of aggravated battery when he assaulted a 39 year old transwoman. Further details of the beating were learned when one of the police officers testified. From the Palm Beach Post: "Palm Beach police Sgt. Jennifer Sandman, who interviewed the teen on the morning of the incident, testified at Monday's trial in juvenile court… Read more.

More and more proof that the wing nuts are wrong. "Gender Identity Disorders and Bipolar Disorder Associated With the Ring Y Chromosome" Read more.

It looks as if the trans-panic defense is alive and well in Palm Beach. From the Palm Beach Post: Two strangers met outside a bar on Clematis Street in West Palm Beach. One of the strangers turned out to be a 17 year old male and the other was a 39 year old transwoman. "The teen says that she got into their car, and performed oral sex on him in the back seat while his friend drove. They ended up… Read more.

Listening to "progressive radio," you don't really hear to many examples of out and out transphobia. Listening to Randi Rhodes on Air America Radio I heard her mock Ann Coulter, insinuating she was a transsexual. This is insulting to Ann Coulter on a purely personal level, and it's demeaning of anyone trans because of the stereotypes. Just goes to show you that ignorance, bigotry, and transphobia isn't exclusive to right wing Republicans. http://podcasts.transactivists.com/TAR/media/2007-07-03_tacoulterrhodes.mp3 Read more.

Hillary Clinton is going to be the next President of the United States and look at all the trans friendly people who are endorsing her campaign. Can you imagine endorsing a candidate that doesn't support gays and lesbians? Why not? They don't have a problem supporting Presidential candidates that don't support transgender people, and why would you be surprised at that? Take a look at what's happening in NY with GENDA or Massachusetts where transgender people can still be fired from their jobs, harassed, beat up and murdered with no hate crime law to help with investigations or prosecutions. MASS Equality is having trouble trying to figure out what to do with their left over 3 million dollar budget. Their job is done, same sex marriage is legal, gays and lesbians have a non-discrimination law and a hate crimes law. Look out NY, same sex marriage will be next in your state too. Don't worry, they'll be back for ya...just ask Jeff Soref to help ya out, perhaps he'll even put in a good word for us so Hillary will support a trans-inclusive ENDA. I do believe there are a few members of Mass Equality on Hillary's support list too, let's all remember to thank them. While we're at it, we can thank Peter Rosenstein (another name on the "list") for his stellar support for trans-inclusion in ENDA and the Hate Crimes Prevention act. You can read about it here in his opinion piece: Should we support pro-gay legislation that does not include trans protections? Do I really need to mention Joe Solmonese's co-hostess on XM satellite radio? She gets the double whammy award for support. The list of undying support goes on and on and on but don't take my word for it, you have Google. Hold the phone! There is one transgender person on this list, go get 'em Melissa Sklarz! We like to try and change the world, one tranny at a time. Here's Hillary's support list: Read more.

Years before my transition, when asked how I felt about abortion, I would jokingly I would say, "personally, I'd never have one." It was my way of wiggling out of this very sensitive hot button issue without really answering the question. I don't have the reproductive ability to carry a child to term, so I always felt the issue didn't concern me. I've come to realize over the years that a woman's right to choose isn't just about reproductive choice.… Read more.

With the ongoing battles between radical feminists and transgender bloggers, I've spent a lot of time thinking about what it means to be transgender. Radical feminists, in the vein of Andrea Dworkin's dream of an "androgynous society," hope to demolish gender roles. Recently i read an article written by Susan Cole of Now magazine. She discussed her gender fluidity and how she's beginning to enjoy it. "Does this mean I've lost my feminist edge? I know I still believe that… Read more.

The headline from a recent Rex Wockner PrideSource  post screams "Transsexual becomes mayor of Cambridge". What would you think of this headline: "Gay becomes mayor of Cambridge"? Now, I know that "Lesbian becomes mayor of Cambridge" does work, but that's because being a lesbian denotes sex automatically. At the very least, I wish he'd have written it as Transsexual woman, or Trans-woman. It's frustrating to transition, go through all that it entails,  only to be objectified and thrown in some… Read more.

I know I have this obsession with words. I've never particularly liked Queerty.com because it's posts on transfolk generally border on bad taste/transphobia. The most recent edition sports this headline: When I think of the use of the word tranny, I think of the words of George Carlin: [kml_flashembed movie="http://lads.myspace.com/videos/vplayer.swf" width="430" height="346" fvars="m=598001949;type=video"/] The point being, if you are a transgender person and you say tranny, it's acceptable because the intent isn't negative or hateful. But if your not, it's… Read more.

If you've been to TA today, you might have noticed that in the left sidebar I've linked to the site feed for ALL the bloggers of Transadvocate.com. I really am proud of Nexy, Sabrina, Autumn, Stephanie, Becky, and all the other TA bloggers. Add the global TA feed and get every blogger on TA and you'll see what you've been missing! Read more.

As the years go by, I tend to think that this culture is becoming more and more progressive. But I've seen snippets of the past that keep reminding me it isn't exactly the case. Take this song for example, it came out in 1979. sammyjoanne.mp3 You think this would make it on any album, much less get air play? H/T to Popeye Pete Read more.

In reading the recently published "Interview: Transgenderism Emerging on the Heels of Homosexuality in Media" at the Christian Post, I sat amazed with my mouth agape at the following statement. "When you look at Scripture for example, when Paul talks in 1 Corinthians 6:9 about the following group of people will not inherit the Kingdom of God. One of those groups of people he calls the “soft men.” Now the meaning of that essentially, in its historical context, is men… Read more.

You've probably heard of the ex-gay movement. You may have even heard of the ex-ex-gay movement. Odds are slim that you know anyone that is ex-transgender. But have you ever known anyone that is ex-ex-transgender? You have if you've read this blog. In 1997 I confessed to my wife that I'd cross-dressed most of my life. After her initial shock wore off, she began to accept and integrate this part of me into our marriage. This was an activity that… Read more.

"I know some of my transgender sisters question my commitment to their equality, but let me be the first (I think) to point out where the top-three Democrats on in inclusion of gender identiy in federal hate crimes legislation (where I support it) and the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (where I support in principle adding it at some later date, but oppose its inclusion now)." - Chris Crain First of all, it's not just the sisters that question you "commitment" to… Read more.

Until someone puts actual empirical data along side radical feminist doctrine, I refuse to call it a theory. It  isn't a theory, it's a religion. And it's about as believable as there being a man named Jesus Christ that rose from the dead after three days. If your wondering, THIS is the genesis of my reason to post. Now, let us pray. Read more.

When I hear "This is my friend _____ , she's transgendered", I cringe. It may seem innocuous, but using the word "transgendered" indicates that being transgender is something you have done to you. Imagine someone saying "this is my friend Andy, he's gayed" or "this is my best friend Betty,  she's lesbianed." Like being gay and lesbian, being transgender isn't something that you have done to you, it's part of who you are. I'm proud to be of Irish, Scot,… Read more.

Off to lobby Congress! I'm not sure how much I'll blog, but I plan on having audio and video to put up at some point, depending on where I can connect and upload from :) Read more.

When Chris Crain left his position at Window Media, I thought the voice of "transjack" was dead. I couldn't have been more wrong. Today the Washington Blade published an op-ed by a long time Democratic gay activist and Washington D.C. mayoral adviser, Peter Rosenstein. He writes:"On the eve of the House taking up the Hate Crimes Prevention Act it appeared that passage was not assured in this form. Republicans thought they figured out a way to strip the bill of… Read more.

As some of you may have noticed, there was no Carnival of Bent Attractions (COBA) post last month. This was partially due to the move of COBA to Transadvocate.com. So without further ado, the May addition of the Carnival of Bent Attractions! Romeo Vitelli's April 1st post, "Becoming Lili" reflected on the life of transsexual trailblazer Einar Wegener. "Born in Denmark in 1886, Einar Wegener must have seemed a typical male of his time. The role that he (or more… Read more.

What the hell is the problem with the Philadelphia Police Department? The police covered up the events that led to the murder of Nizah Morris in December of 2002. The city settled in a federal lawsuit that alleged that police and rescue workers contributed to her death. On March March 21, 2007, (according to witness accounts) Roland Bottom repeatedly ran over Erica Keel after ejecting her from his car. A medical examiner's report supports these accounts, classifying it as a… Read more.

Like a herpes sore, certain arguments pop up continually in the transcommunity and never seem to go away. Recently Gwen Smith wrote the editorial "What's In a Name?" that discussed the term "women born transsexual (WBT)" or "Harry Benjamin Syndrome." Suzanne Cooke responded to Gwen's editorial with "Good-Bye to Transgender and All That." In it she announcing her "divorce" from the community. She claims that Gwen Smith "castigates post-sex reassignment women who identify with the term "WBT" or 'women born… Read more.

It's such an amazing thing, the transformation of Transadvocate.com. Once a blog of my personal opinions and beliefs, TA has become everything I ever envisioned it to be when I first purchased the domain on March 1st, 2002. There is enough traffic here that many times a good discussion happens without me commenting. Transadvocate.com is slowly becoming more about community, and less about me. Transadvocate/Abnormalheights.org blogger, Autumn Sandeen has amazed me with her thoughtful and in depth posts. That being… Read more.

That should be the title of Peter LaBarbera's Americans for Truth (AFT) website. His latest post attacks sports reporter Christine Penner. "I challenge 'Mike/Christine' to do a column describing, in detail, 'sex-reassignment surgery' – whereby a penis is turned into a makeshift 'vagina' — assuming he is one day going to go that route. ('Transitioning' people are required to live one year as the opposite sex before undergoing the horrifying operation.) Then we’ll see just how 'natural' all of this… Read more.

Read more.

237-180 Congrats to all who worked on the House version! Now on to the Senate. Read more.

So we've got a trans-inclusive ENDA, time to celebrate! Or so I thought, till I actually looked at the language. Section 8(a)(3) CERTAIN SHARED FACILITIES- Nothing in this Act shall be construed to establish an unlawful employment practice based on actual or perceived gender identity due to the denial of access to shared shower or dressing facilities in which being seen fully unclothed is unavoidable, provided that the employer provides reasonable access to adequate facilities that are not inconsistent with… Read more.

To all the folks involved with the production of the Zoey/Zarf story line on "All My Children" I'd like to say thank you. I've never watched something so transpositive in the popular culture as I've witnessed today. If you don't know what I'm talking about, see the clips below: [kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/u7AtMExU7rY" width="425" height="350"/] [kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/_a4rkCIFeDA" width="425" height="350"/] And that's just the beginning.... Zoe going to the endocrinologist to start HRT [kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/h_hsWwmeVQs" width="425" height="350"/] and the one that kinda hurts...… Read more.

First he said: * "Homosexual transsexuals tend to have a short time horizon, with certain pleasure in the present worth great risks for the future." * "Prostitution is the single most common occupation that homosexual transsexuals in our study admitted to." * "The more resourceful and attractive transsexual prostitutes are call girls." * "Nearly all the homosexual transsexuals I know work as escorts after they have their surgery." * "As for shoplifting, homosexual transsexuals are not especially well suited as… Read more.

In my post, "Just Wondering" I asked where the outrage was concerning Michael Savage's attack on on transgender people. It's two weeks later, and I'm still asking myself the same question. Ann Coulter - Called one man a faggot. Don Imus - Called a team "nappy headed hoes." Michael Savage - Called a murdered transwoman a psycho freak. "Yeah, process of becoming a woman -- psychopath. should have been in a back ward in a straitjacket for years, howling… Read more.

I'm in the midst of a move, and a couple of other pressing things right now, but this really is worth some discussion.  Are radical lesbian separatists/feminists an enemy that we  should fight with the same veracity as we do the religious right? Your thoughts? Read more.

I found this picture on TransgenderAsia: It's of Tonette Lopez, a Filipino/Asian transactivist. It's is full of so much strength and resolve it makes me want to stand up and scream HELL YES. Read more about her here. Rest in peace Tonette. Even a year after your death you still inspire people. Read more.

In my March 26th post "Just Wondering...", I asked where the outrage was concerning Michael Savage's recent tirade against transgender people. I checked the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) website to see if they'd issued any kind of statement concerning Savage's assault on the transgender community. Finding none, I contacted the only transgender contact at GLAAD that I knew of, Andy Marra (She's also on the board of NCTE, GLSEN (NYC), and NYAGRA, but you might recognize her… Read more.

I recently was asked to review the movie "American Beauties" by Groove Films. The description that came with the email gives you a slight clue that something is amiss here. "American Beauties (2005) is an award-winning documentary on Asian transgender immigrants. We enter the secretive, often misunderstood world of immigrant male to female transgenders. In a series of illuminating interviews, Amanda, Imani, Kimberly and Kosal I've revealing insights on the issues closest to their hearts: discrimination, prostitution, and sex reassignment… Read more.

HR 1592 IH 110th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 1592 To provide Federal assistance to States, local jurisdictions, and Indian tribes to prosecute hate crimes, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES March 20, 2007 Read more.

Why has GLAAD make such a big deal about Ann Coulter's slur of John Edwards and the Superbowl candy bar commercial, but has been silent on Michael Savage's rampage against transgender men and women. Their front page features this: But where is the same call to action against those stations that carry Savage? His comments are MUCH WORSE than anything that has come out of the mouth of Coulter. http://www.transadvocate.com/files/2007/03/savage-20070323.mp3 SAVAGE: The wages of sin are death. You're gonna cut… Read more.

And I'm feeling very..... Read more.

Donna Rose responded on her website to my "Rose Colored Glasses" post by saying: "One trans advocate blogger was quick to react (read his post here)." His? Wow, this isn't starting off so well. She continues: "Last year there was indeed a problem. The trans-inclusive version passed in the House, which was a historic achievement in that it set a precedent that trans-inclusive legislation could indeed pass. However, Sen. Ted Kennedy, a co-sponsor of the bill in the Senate, would… Read more.

In March of 2006, I suggested to members of the Indianapolis GLBT activist community that they not support the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) fund raisers in the state until HRC fully supported transgender people in hate crimes legislation. I received an email back from Donna Rose, who served on the HRC Business Council. "There is a significant amount of history to overcome – full of anger, frustration, and distrust. None of us can change the past. However, to believe that… Read more.

A southern, right-wing, anti-abortion, Dominionist bigot recently wrote this post denouncing Joanne Nemecek for supporting her spouse in transition. I'm not sure she'll actually let it out of moderation (sooooo typical of right wingnut blogs), so I wanted to post my response here. "I would be amused (how you support a war that has killed thousands, yet you're pro-life?...pfftt... too funny), if this wasn't all so pathetic. First of all, I love your use of idols (a representation or symbol… Read more.

In the past I've written posts supporting the "All My Children" transgender character Zoey/Zarf (here and here). Recently, Zoey (the soap character) took part in a support group with real transgender people. Simply amazing. I'm so glad to see this. There's a good representation of sex and race in the scene. Typically in the media you only hear or see white m2f trangender people. [kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/ziWZQXqfhns" width="425" height="350"/] Read more.

The Journal of Lesbian Studies is calling for submissions to the upcoming "Lesbians and Body Image" issue. One of the questions really caught my eye: " What differentiates body image situations where it is seen as desirable to change your attitude (i.e., "accept your body") vs. where it is seen as desirable to change your body (i.e., transsexual surgery)? What determines whether someone identifies as a butch lesbian or a FTM transsexual?" Is it possible to ever "accept your body?"… Read more.

I found this on Saurly Yours: "Sex Change Operations: Are They Choice or Necessity?" I left this comment in response. "I'm not really going to spend too much time discussing things here, because it's pretty obvious that you have no desire for debate. Pretty typical on the internet, you state your opinion and then shoot down any disagreement. You discount Dr Weiss without stating any logical argument, instead you try to play some sort of educational war of the degrees.… Read more.

"If these religionists would just read their Bibles, they would see that God has no problem with making a woman out of a man. In fact, He was the first to do it." - Phil, a commenter over at Shakespeare's Sister. Phil's point out of the hypocrisy of the clergy who chose to speak for God at a Largo city commission meeting. City manager, Steve Stanton, was the topic of the nights meeting. Roundly praised for his work, he's being… Read more.

is what life is for a transgender youth that can't come out. Hell, as a child I wouldn't even think about it, lest someone peer into my thoughts. I wore masculinity as my shield to keep others from hurting me. I ended up trusting no one and living a life that was very lonesome, even when surrounded by others. I wish the support todays youth has would have been around when I was a child. It would have saved me… Read more.

"Mayor Pat Gerard says she doesn't believe Stanton will have any problems when he walks in wearing a dress, lipstick and heels." - Mike Deeson (Tampabays1o.com) Call me a Marxist Radical Feminist Nazi, but I don't think Ms. Stanton has to wear a dress, lipstick, and heels to present as a woman.  Why is it that when people think of transwomen they think of something close to a Stepford wife or June Cleaver? Where's my lighter, I have bra to… Read more.

According to a Reuters report: "As Renee Richards, the world's most famous transsexual athlete, looks back on her life, she has one regret -- the fame she attained." Dearest Renee, your 15 minutes of fame are WAY past. If you're so against the fame you received, why are you writing another book? "In the mid-1970s and when her memoir, "Second Serve: The Renee Richards Story," came out in 1983, was treated as an curiosity and besieged by television chat shows.… Read more.

I too am Spartacus! Much love Shakes <3 Read more.

[kml_flashembed movie="http://lads.myspace.com/videos/vplayer.swf" width="430" height="346" fvars="m=893028993;type=video"/] This movie is right on! It's ridiculous i have to choose between going to jail or possible physical violence, just to go pee. If you like this vid you should go over to PlanetOut Short Movie Awards Audience Awards and vote for "Wrong Bathroom." Tip - Maria Read more.

Ethan St. Pierre of Transfm.org and The Radical Trannies recently interviewed Tim Cwiek. Tim is an investigative journalist for Philadelphia Gay News and has looked into the suspected police involvement of the death of transgender woman, Nizah Morris. http://radicalguy.podomatic.com/enclosure/2007-02-12T12_39_53-08_00.mp3 Read more.

(I wrote this post a while ago, but forgot to put it up.) Call it synchronicity or blind luck, but at times multiple posts converge into one line of thinking for me. The Kim Nixon case is one such intersection. Ms. Nixon was rejected from the Vancouver Rape Relief Society training program when they found out that she was transgender. Ms. Nixon brought a suit against the center. You can read more about that here and here. I found the… Read more.

But it's for the reasons I provided there that in my view females (women born female who have lived all of their lives as girls and women) cannot "discriminate" against transpersons. They can be nasty and mean. They can be unkind and assholish. But they can't "discriminate"– because discrimination is a function of power, and females/women (born female who have lived all of their lives as girls/women), in fact have not, and do not, enjoy sex privilege with respect to… Read more.

Yesterday both Box Turtle Bulletin and my friend Steph posted this video: [kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/NgJyyszPwuM" width="425" height="350"/] They both labeled it as "Gay." But two prominent scenes in the movie are of the Stonewall and Compton Cafeteria riots. To label either as "gay history" misses the bigger picture. The Stonewall Inn was raided because its clientèle was mostly Hispanic and African American, and most were gender variant. After the riots started, police targeted effeminate men. Stonewall was as much about gender… Read more.

I'm not sure why I've been thinking about gender roles so much lately. Maybe it's because I listened to Radio Open Source show on Hillary Clinton. Maybe it's because of this: "Sometimes, I think feminism and some feminists expect everyone to march to the same drummer, and Kim really seems to dance to her own tune, despite herself sometimes. Her writing is both personal and political, and she has adorable cats. Kim really comes across as human, strenghts, faults, questions,… Read more.

The right wing blogs are a fire with the story of a german 12 year old that is transitioning from male to female. Here is a sample:"This is wrong. A boy decides he is a girl--a boy--and psychiatrists and doctors agree to get on with the hormones before he has even had a chance to experience puberty and perhaps come to different conclusions." - - SecondHand Smoke "This is just sad. I doubt the boy is truly happy." - Right… Read more.

Reading All We, Like Sheep? over at Box Turtle Bulletin.com, part of the post really resonated with me. "If it's not a choice (being gay or lesbian), it should be." But what choice? There's a difference between a desire and the action that follows it. My therapist explained it to me using a food analogy. "I like chocolate. I can't make myself not like the taste of chocolate, but I can decide not to eat chocolate. Desire isn't something that… Read more.

Throws science out the window? Um... "These findings led Swaab to believe that in humans also, BSTc size is programmed during fetal and neonatal development--perhaps as a result of an interaction between sex hormones and the developing brain--and is probably not the result of parental or social pressures after birth. His research, he says, shows that transsexuals are right. Their sex was judged in the wrong way at the moment of birth because people look only to the sex organs… Read more.

I found this article about Iran's support of gender reassignment. I almost laughed when I read this quote: "Most transsexuals believe that a life in the West would be much easier for them due to the open mindedness in those societies." Hardly. Read more.

In the haze of my early AM internets blog reading I came across this post: "I'm coming out of a depression, so I'm very vulnerable, and I might not be seeing things clearly. Maybe by this time next week, I won't feel this way. But I've really had my fill of blogs. I guess I should have stopped reading blogs that feature regular doses of infighting. But Laurelin's right: there's a thin line between stirring and silence." I've felt the… Read more.

The EYE is on Autumn! She was mentioned by CBS News!!! Read more.

Charles revisited the transgender/feminism debate, this time centering on the "Language Around Trans, How it Works, How it Doesn't...." Little Light said: "Honestly, I don't feel comfortable getting involved in this discussion until the trans people in it actually have our words honored. In the previous thread, most of the trans folk involved dropped out quietly in frustration, and part of the reason is that our arguments and statements were not actually being engaged with. " I agree with Little… Read more.

As the Martin Luther King Jr Holiday passed, I reflected on somne of the words of his wife, Coretta Scott King. "I still hear people say that I should not be talking about the rights of lesbian and gay people and I should stick to the issue of racial justice, but I hasten to remind them that Martin Luther King Jr. said, 'Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.' I appeal to everyone who believes in Martin Luther King… Read more.

It was New Years Eve when I learned of this post, and I've spent the last 13 days digging around the radfem blogosphere reading all the posts that sprouted from that initial post. One post in particular caught my attention. As the thread developed you could see each side digging in for the long haul. As of Thursay morning, I stopped posting there because I could feel the negative energy building, which started to wear on me physically and mentally.… Read more.

Can we can all agree that anyone who gets their kicks off by mocking women is a patriarchal jackass that truly hates women? Read more.

For the past week or so, I've really had my mind rapped around the "gender binary" and feminism. (maybe it's because I'm reading Jen Burke's "Breaking The Binary)." I'm no expert on either, so I'm looking for some direction on direction on the issue. I understand what the gender binary is "the idea that there are only two groups that a person, action, or behavior can belong in: male or female." All the reading I've done lately seems to indicate… Read more.

Ya know, maybe it's because I've read every goddamn post on the radical feminists take on transgenderism, but I'm pissed. I won't denigrate this blog with my rant. If you want to read it, it's here. I've read the following posts: Any Excuse to Denigrate Lipstick 275 comments Queer Dewd Layeth The Bitchslap Down For Sex-Positive Feminism Twisty Goes to Camp: A Very Special Episode 96 comments Okay. 316 Are Feminists Allowed to Be Partnered with Transmen and Transwomen? 310… Read more.

At my personal site, Marti Abernathey.com, I hosted "The Carnival of Bent Attractions." The Carnival of Bent Attractions is published monthly and is made up of submitted blog posts on articles of interest to the gay, lesbian, bi-sexual, trans and queer communities. Mombian is hosting this month's carnival. There's some good stuff this month, you should go check it out! Read more.

For the past week or so I've been digging through just about every post I could find about this post on I Blame The Patriarchy. I was planning on writing a mega-post in response to the different blog posts I found, but today I found this post by ampersand at Amptoons.com. Ampersand breaks it down better than I ever could. "Argument #1: The argument from freeform, irrational hatred of transsexuals. Luckynkl provided such an exaggerated example of drooling, bile-soaked hate that if I hadn't known her for years, I would suspect she's a sock puppet intended to discredit feminism. Here's a couple of examples, drawn from a dozen or more similar statements: ‘You want to know how men can hurt women? **chuckle** You're joking, right? Oh wait. I'm supposed to believe men in drag are women. And if you put on a werewolf mask, will you also expect me to believe you're a werewolf? This is about what all this nonsense amounts to. In short, trans are nutjobs. The bathroom is about the last place I want to be alone with a male nutjob. These unfortunate, but seriously disturbed individuals belong on the 5th floor in a straight jacket. Not in a women's bathroom.' In this case, the important part of Lucky's argument isn't the argument itself (which is based on the nonsensical notion that men — or transwomen — who are apt to break the law by being violent against women in public bathrooms, will be stopped by the sign on the ladies' room door). Lucky's real argument here isn't what she says. It's her derisive, sneering tone: the point is to let transwomen know that they are "men" (in Lucky's view, men are evil) and that they are semi-human objects of contempt. The most reasonable reply to Lucky's argument is (to quote Brownfemipower): Fuck you. Lucky's a bigot and an asshole; the difference between Lucky and a Klanswoman is only in which oppressed minority her hate is focused on. (I should note that although Lucky was the most extreme, several feminists joined her in her hate-fest.)" Read more.

From PixelPulse Magazine: When The World Professional Association for Transgender Health holds its biennial symposium from Sept. 5-8 in the U.S., there's a chance participants will be discussing what sort of role a unique environment like Second Life could play in helping people deal with gender identity issues. More specifically, they could be chatting and learning about the Transgender Resource Center that SL resident Jani Myriam opened in-world just over a month ago. Read more here. I recently visited the… Read more.

"'It is important for transsexuals to look beautiful as they consider themselves female,' said Sulastri Ariffin, co-ordinator of the transsexual programme at PT Foundation, an organisation that provides support, education and counselling to transsexuals, drug users and sex workers. She said transsexuals would go straight for branded cosmetics, such as Elizabeth Arden and Christian Dior. 'We do not care about the price of make-up as we want to look great, just like normal women,' she said." - New Straits Times… Read more.

Why not just say a singaporean woman...or man? Hell, even "transsexual woman" would be better than "transsexual." I guess it's easier to see "transsexuals" as some kind of mutant rather than a person. To a person that isn't trans, it may be hard to understand why the semantics at play here are important. I agree with Rush Limbaugh, words do mean things. Writing this way will dehumanize Kamaruzaman Bin Mohamed Noor. Stripping away a person's humanity makes it easier to… Read more.

I happened upon this post today. I often struggle often to reconcile my feminism with my transgenderism, and these commenters give me hope. Hope for a better world filled with more understanding, tolerance, and love. Read more.

"Transadvocate's most prolific blogger, Autumn Sandeen has officially been labeled a "radical gender activist" by the radical religious right. Congrats Autumn! Read more.

Now, I can be a "real woman," no surgery needed! I just need to move to Canada! Real Women don't support fags! Read more.

(image used with permission of msanborn) Satan Starbucks, or a cup of Jesus Juice! This just in from "The James Hartline Report!" Millions Of Christians Buy Starbucks Coffee Everyday. The Result: Those purchases are funding the Anti-Christian Radicalized Homosexual Movement. Read more.

A cleric who married a female-to-male transsexual and a woman was attacked by enraged Muslims in Bogor. Prior to the attack the mob had gathered at the Al-Muawanah mosque to discuss what should be done with Abdul Halim. A spokesman for residents, Habib Muhammad bin Agil Alatas, said the meeting at the mosque had been done at the invitation of police. There it was decided that the land on which Abdul Halim's mosque and school stood belonged to the community… Read more.

Jen Burke, of Transcending Gender, is celebrating her two year blogging birthday. If you haven't been over to her blog, well... YOU SHOULD! She's a very prolific blogger (and blawger) and a very talented writer! The only thing I fault her for is passing out cake. I think I gained ten pounds just looking at that cake! Anyone know how to put candles on some rice cakes? Read more.

Generic Confusion's author, Greg wonders about allowing gender dysphoric children to choose their gender: "What are parents to do when their child says he's tired of being a child, and wants to be a roadrunner? What if their child wants to go around naked?" I responded: Is wanting to be a roadrunner, a diagnosable mental disorder? Is wanting to be be naked, a diagnosable mental disorder? Does one "grow out of" mental disorders? You've linked to some pretty conservative blogs,… Read more.

By Caillean McMahon Pennsylvania Gay and Lesbian Alliance On this past Saturday, President Bush gave a radio address to the nation. In it he said that the committment of a husband and a wife promotes the welfare of children, that marriage could not be cut off from "cultural, religious and natural roots" without ending that "good influence upon society." He called upon Congress to pass what can only truly be called the "Anti-Gay" amendment. The message to the nation that… Read more.

by Caillean Maureen McMahon I'm old enough to remember. It does not seem that very long ago that Russian Orthodox leaders commanded the sympathy of the world as they attempted to keep their faith and practices alive in the face of the Soviet Government's "scientific atheism." It was only yesterday that Russian Jews were desperately trying to emigrate to the US , to Canada or to Israel because of persecution. We applauded we empathized with their desire for freedom and… Read more.

by Caillean McMahon We are being openly defined as "less than" heterosexual couples by candidates for office. A "mother and a father" is the ideal family group that ought to be promoted by the state in their view. In the circumstance where a couple divorces, and the custodial parent enters a same sex relationship, the children can be removed if this policy is pursued. The welfare of the child will be defined by the state's overriding policy of children needing… Read more.

The Gay Tax Today, I had a moment of unusual clarity. Like a lightning bolt in the sky, the darkness of the tangled alliances and motivations involved in the opposition to same-sex marriage was illuminated for me and I finally understood it all. It is about a tax. The opposition to gay and lesbian civil partnerships, domestic partnerships, marriage, benefits and adoptions is not about protecting the "sanctity of marriage" or "keeping children in the best environment." The demand that… Read more.

Could we be winning the war of the words? I got this google alert in my email box today: Notice the actual piece that the google alert was linked to: There is hope yet. We may not be winning the "war", but we're winning some battles. Read more.

(The MacDonaldization of Intersex activism) My response to the following article Why Doesn't ISNA Want to Eradicate Gender? By Curtis E. Hinkle Imagine a world in which the main division between individuals were size. This would be the first thing noticed at birth and would have to be indicated on the birth certificate. Imagine a world in which big people dominated little people and made it very difficult for a little person to become a big person and vice versa.… Read more.

Boston Catholic Charities decision to close it's adoption services rather than comply with state guidelines that require them to consider all good people as equal when placing children is yet another reminder of the remorseless attitude of this Pope and his Curia toward the Lesbian and Gay community. It is not the old "love the sinner" sort of thing that they parroted in the past, it is an insistence that we be marginalized, considered disordered and unfit. The Church's specious… Read more.

What exactly is St Patrick's Day as it is celebrated in the states? Per se; it is a celebration of "Irishness" though only a certain kind. The music that will be playing in the bars, sung by irish tenors, will by and large be American in origin, a sort of faux irish with absolutely nothing to do with Irish culture. You will not hear O'Carolan, a contemporary of Bach's, played. You will not hear any of the nation's very accolplished… Read more.

There are so many negative stereotypes when it comes to transgender people, it's a beautiful thing when someone not only "gets it," but also stands up proudly and puts down those stereotypes. That's exactly what Felicity Huffman did when she won a Golden Globe for her portrayal of Bree in the movie "TransAmerica." Accepting her award, she said: "I know as actors our job is usually to shed our skins, but I think as people our job is to become… Read more.

I really had to laugh at the complete arrogance and hypocrisy Chris Crain showed in his recent Editorial entitled: "A year of living dangerously." I focus on this one sentence in particular, "I also learned the hard way how the impact of hate crimes is felt differently, and more broadly, than other violent crimes." Please explain to us how you have learned anything, Chris. You showed that you are relentless in your opposition to transgender people being covered by hate… Read more.

"J'Accuse" One of the more recent developments in the struggle for Gay and Lesbian Rights has been the overt opposition of the African Anglican Church, the so-called "Global South" toward our ambitions. Conervative Episcopal Bishop after Bishop in the United States seem to be harking to the enticing rhetoric of the "African Mission" or "Anglican Global Communion," an anti-gay and anti-Canterbury movement in the Anglican Church and moving toward recognizing Archbishop Peter Akinola of Nigeria as their spiritual leader. The… Read more.

Dear friend(s) BANGALORE PROTEST DETAILS: Time: 5 PM Date: 9th January, 2006, Monday Place: Mahatma Gandhi Statue, MG Road Most of you are aware about the homophobic and moralistic attitudes of Lucknow Police, that lead to the arrest of 4 gay/bisexual men in Lucknow under Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code. In the FIR Police have mentioned 13 more people's names and mobile phone numbers. This has created fear and panic among sexuality minorities in Lucknow - many of… Read more.

By Caillean McMahon A few thoughts on the issue of gay marriage: First of all, nearly all of us support the idea that same sex couples ought to have the right, or have the right to marry even if the laws of a nation deny that right. That said, I've a few observations: In re: the argument about the term "wife" Yes, the feminist tradition that is the bedrock of modern Lesbian activism always had a knee jerk and visceral… Read more.

By Autumn Sandeen We have flown the air like birds and swum the seas like fishes, but have yet to learn the simple act of walking the earth like brothers.--Martin Luther King Jr. By Autumn Sandeen Chris Crain, the Executive Director of Windows Media, wrote a blog entry for Window Media speaking out against ignorance and intolerance. What prompted this post was that Mr. Crain had recently been on the recieving end of an anti-gay hate crime. I had one… Read more.

Considering the political climate, it's amazing that the Golden Globes nominated the following: BEST MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA FELICITY HUFFMAN-TRANSAMERICA BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE - MICHELLE WILLIAMS - BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN BEST SCREENPLAY - MOTION PICTURE LARRY McMURTRY & DIANA OSSANA - BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN BEST ORIGINAL SONG - MOTION PICTURE “TRAVELIN’ THRU” - TRANSAMERICA - Dolly Parton Read more.

Two friends of mine have lost partners to death in the last year and a half. In each case they found that the legal protections that they set up to try and cover at least some of the benefits granted by marriage were inadequate. Both of my friends had to deal with legal and financial traumas in the wake of one of the most devastating losses that a person can experience. We have few protections legally without marriage. To give… Read more.

"Although Facen had breasts and lived as a woman, the Sheriff's Department was treating her as a man because she had male genitalia, Lt. Tom Bennett said." Read more.

"The American Family Association of Indiana is dedicated to reducing destructive sexual behavior by promoting Judeo-Christian values through education, active community partnering, and empowering individuals at the local, state, and national level." That's the mission statement of American Family Association of Indiana(AFAI). Here's what is on their website: Apparently The head of the AFAI, Micah Clark has never read 2 Corinthians 4:2 Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the… Read more.

I wrote the following post to an Indy listserv in response to a misunderstanding about our local advocacy group, Indiana Equality xxxx, ever since you posted about the fact that there was never going to be a protest of the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), something dawned on me. HRC should be protested/shunned, but not because of the location of their "Meet and Greet." HRC's recently decided not join in on a letter of support signed by more than 40 of… Read more.

Chris Crain’s editorial lamenting that HRC apparently has finally decided to put their money where their mouth was and decide to become a GLBT rights organization and not just a rich gay white male rights organization, actually brought a smile to my face. His nit-picking over Mara Keisling’s numbers in the Hate Crimes Bill and his complaint of “trans-jacking”, would almost be funny if it weren’t for the damage that such naïve divisiveness brings to the LGBT community. He just… Read more.

By Autumn Sandeen Dear Windows Media Management, I find it difficult to believe that Windows Media truly believes "Newspapers should reflect all aspects of their readers' lives" and that its "superior editorial content and community involvement sets apart". Although your organization's print and e-publications cover transgender issues (and obtain transgender readership as a result), Windows Media's homepage specifically states "Window Media publications provide comprehensive coverage of issues, news and entertainment of interest to lesbians and gay men." I'm… Read more.

When a middle school teacher leaves for the summer as he and plans to return as she, is it unfair to students? More or less unfair than it would be to re-assign the teacher? Ms. McCaffrey is the teacher I'm speaking of. She's been teaching for twelve years and had her surgery in February, after which she returned to school in a jacket and tie to not cause a commotion. McCaffrey has chosen to wait for the summer to share… Read more.

By Autumn Sandeen All quotes in italics are the words of Martin Luther King Jr. "Cowardice asks the question - is it safe? Expediency asks the question - is it politic? Vanity asks the question - is it popular? But conscience asks the question - is it right? And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular; but one must take it because it is right." I yearn for an… Read more.

Dr Kimberly Hyatt-Wallace commented on Transadvocate.com that she was sent the following e-mail from Spokane County Jail representatives: Dr. Hyatt-Wallace I was forwarded your e-mail and listed concerns. I have addressed this issue with the jail's classification unit and have removed Stankovich from all male housing. Stankovich is housed and will remained housed in our pre-classification module. This areas houses both female and male inmates. Stankovich will be kept seperate from other inmates and housed alone during this jail stay.… Read more.

On Friday July 29th, 2005 Kim Stankovich turned herself in at the Spokane County Jail. Her crime? Being transgender. Kim is serving a seven day sentence in the county jail for being a transgender. Kim stated in her journal that "In my initial temporary hearing I was told that going to school was a luxury and was ordered to get a full time job. I have completed my junior year at Eastern Washington University, working towards a BA in Psychology.… Read more.

by Caillean McMahon Pennsylvania Gay and Lesbian Alliance. The City of Los Angeles has just renamed a street intersection after an outspoken opponent of gay marriage and gay rights. In mutliple state legislatures, St Paul and Leviticus are being cited as the legal authorities to pass anti-gay legislation. In scattered places all over the US anti-gay rhetoric that would not have been spoken twenty-five years ago because the author would have been seen as a reactionary bigot is given wide… Read more.

by Caillean McMahon Pennsylvania Gay and Lesbian Alliance This well may be the least popular editorial that I have ever written. Having said that, having warned the "gentle reader" that I am about to drop a match onto the gasoline of well-defended complacency, it is time to begin. Today's news carried a piece on the outing of Senator Santorum's aide as gay. It is not a stunning revelation in and of itself, for we have been treated to other gays… Read more.

Transgender people ain't necessarily homosexual people By Autumn Sandeen Today I read an article in the Argus (A California bay area newspaper) entitled "Homosexuals Important In Society," by PFLAG's Pat Skillen. As a transgender person, I was frustrated a bit by the title and the message of the article; the writer used the acronym GLBT throughout the piece, referenced murdered transgender teen Gwen Araujo, but associated the term GLBT only with being homosexual. For example, one quote from the article… Read more.

The "Focus on the Family" website recently published a "news story" concerning the recent HRC report that discusses the increasing number of major corporations adding gender identity and expression into workplace non-discrimination policies. This supposed "news" piece starts out by saying "At first, it sounds reasonable - workplace equality for homosexuals. But prying under the veneer of tolerance reveals an agenda that goes way beyond equality." The article goes on to quote Margaret Stumpp, a senior vice president at Prudential… Read more.

The following is a response to the article "Some won't 'get over' Daniels, gays meeting" published in the Indianapolis Star on September 19, 2004. Micah Clark's recent comments concerning the Daniels campaign meeting with Indiana GLBT leaders lead one to believe that Mitch Daniels has something to hide. As one of the people in attendance, I find that statement to be utterly without merit. While I doubt Mitch gained any favor with the positions he stated during the meeting, he… Read more.

In response to the Op-Ed that ran in the Washington Blade I sent the following response: Chris, have you ever heard of transphobia? Transphobia is defined as a "fear or loathing of transgender/transsexual people and refers to the values and behaviors that express this fear or loathing." This fear you have of being "trans-jacked" isn't a political reality. You've stated that "polls show longstanding support from a strong majority" for ENDA. A 2002 HRC poll by Lake Snell Perry &… Read more.

Dear President Cheryl Jacques, Irony is the only word I can use to describe the recent release from the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) titled "New HRC Guide Helps Employer's Create Fair Policies For Transgender Staff." You said "This tool will help managers ensure that transgender employees are valued for the job they do, not devalued by discrimination." The HRC wants to help ensure that transfolk are not devalued by discrimination on the job? You can truly help us in this… Read more.