11/10/09

Transgender Christ on a path less taken

I am following in the path of Jesus on his journey on a path less taken. I am both peaceful and desperate to serve, understand and live both in his joyful testament and sorrowful pain. Therefore as he blesses my life when I pray I am also with him in his desperation.

Before I was aware that the holy spirit existed, I was called to a gathering from all corners of the earth of people who profess their love of God and Christ thru the Methodist faith. In that gathering were powerful people who banded together and agreed to once again conditionally accept as laity only, sexual minorities. Much to my surprise, one of the main reasons I felt so compelled to follow those events, the threatened defrocking of transgender ministers, was never even taken up.

I was lead to beleive the misogynistic untruth that only by the grace of those who led that Church, transgender ministers were granted a temporary reprieve and due to a lack of preparation they had not been persecuted. I breathed a sigh of relief in this knowledge that the Ministers I had come to somehow defend with my newly found spirit, would be allowed to return to their beloved flocks.

As time went on I became aware that Christ was looking over me. To my awe and fear I felt a vision of him sometimes pleased and sometimes dismayed, always in front of me, always observing. I prayed that I could always please Jesus and be rewarded by his affirming presence and when I displeased him that I would know this by his vision and I would know to mend my ways.

Then one day I no longer saw Jesus as physical presence, but became aware he is inside of me accompanied by the spirit. The absence of his physicality terrified me. How am I to know I am living in his word? So I began to study the Bible and finding passages where God blessed eunuchs. And the more I read, the more I learned that transgender people were acknowledged and blessed by Christ and his awareness of the difficulties that others would experience in understanding us. I also read that before I was born the holy spirit compelled men to search out and welcome transgender people with Christs radical inclusion.

No longer do I depend on the Cisgender to allow me communion with God. No longer do I accept their exclusionary images as divinely acquired!

Acts 26 Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, "Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." The southern desert road was one that was one that was less traveled because of it's lack of water and harsh weather. Much as many of us believed when first coming to terms with who we are is what the heteronormative people conditioned us to think, we had a indomitable curse In reality we were called to travel this same road less traveled by the spirit.Acts 8:25,39

Jesus teaches welcomes and acknowledges the difficulties ciscegender people would have in understanding us in Mathew 19:11 and 12. Acts 11: But He said to them, “All cannot accept this saying, but only those to whom it has been given 12: For there are eunuchs who were born thus from their mother’s womb, and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake. He who is able to accept it, let him accept it."

11/9/09

CALL TO ACTION: Ft Worth GLBT Queer Liberaction Driven Off Soap Box

Bigoted religious right wing extremists vow to block LGBT people from entering Fort Worth Council meeting. Another Republican shoutdown?

Whats at risk
Adversaries of woman and LGBT people who will be in attendance.

Tarrant County Republicans urge attendance and Episcopal split leaves anti Gay Episcopal transphobic Diocese of Fort Worth with money and power.

Council meeting information:
Date: Tuesday November 10th 2009
Time: 5:00 pm
Place: Fort Worth City Hall
Address: 1000 Throckmorton St. Fort Worth
free parking across the street at lot A
Google Map

According to Richard Thomas McPhee: "Tonight at Queer Liberaction's Milk Box gay and lesbians were harassed by a number of religious evangelists. The group was spreading some of the most vial messages [I] have ever heard. The group is planning to block [our] attendance at the upcoming Fort Wort City Council Meeting. The group is organizing to block the new proposals of the diversity task force in Fort Worth. As a gay man I've never felt so much hate as I did tonight. I'M CALLING ON EVERYONE TO PLEASE COME OUT ON TUESDAY AND HELP SILENCE THESE BIGOTS."
Queer Liberaction Face book

According to Daniel Equality Cates organizer of "Equality March Texas" and Justice for the Rainbow Lounge, "WE NEED YOU THERE!" Cates explains, "Reports this evening are that a large group of Christian activists descended on the Queer Liberaction Milk Box Event in Sundance Square, Fort Worth. According to those who were there, the Milk Box participants were forced to close up shop for fear that things would turn violent."

"The group is planning to block LGBT attendance at the upcoming Fort Wort City Council Meeting. The group is also organizing to block the new proposals of the diversity task force in Fort Worth."

"We need EVERYONE to rally together! If you are available PLEASE make plans to be at Fort Worth City Hall by 5pm! Dallas folks- this means you too!"

Statement from Kelli Busey, author of this blog, planetransgender and co-administrator of the Dallas Transgender Advocates and Allies (DTAA).

I URGE all members of the DTAA in the DFW to attend the council meeting on Tuesday 10th. There are wealthy forces who are organized and determined to deny LGBT people our most basic rights. We must stand up now or risk forever losing this opportunity for gay and lesbian rights and the funding of sexual reassignment surgery as currently being considered by the Fort Worth Council.

11/6/09

Smile by Kalki कल्कि द्वारा मुस्कुराओ

Smile is a short 3 minute film by Kalki Subramaniam, Chennai, India. The rare joyous moment of transsexual women. Filmed and edited by Kalki. This video is a Sahodari Foundation presentation. http://www.sahodari.org. Made in 2009

11/5/09

Goldman Sachs Hoards H1N1 Vaccine Endangers Woman and Children


Wall Street Corporation Goldman and Sachs which received billions in bailout dollars are now receiving hundreds of H1N1 vaccine doses to inoculate employees while depleting supply available for hospitals and people at risk.

Sign Credo petition Tell Goldman Sachs: Hands off the H1N1 vaccine.


"In particular, NBC reports that Goldman Sachs has received 200 doses of the vaccine -- the same amount as Lenox Hill Hospital in New York. Wall Street banks, like many other companies, put in requests for the vaccine but seem to have had something of a leg up on securing doses."

"Dr. Nancy Schnyderman, NBC's chief medical editor, chimed in on this seeming disparity:

"I think they probably played by the rules, there are corporations all over the country who put in there dibs...But, what a sore eye for Wall Street. Wouldn't have been lovely if they had said, look we put it in our dibs, we played by the rules, but we're going to donate our 200 doses."
Some corporations seem to be getting the doses before doctors and hospitals. Here's more from Schnyderman:

"If we know that the distribution is the weak part of this entire thing, why not put doctor's offices and hospitals at the top of the line, and say to corporate America, no matter who you are, you're you're going to have to go through clinics and hospitals like everyone else." Source: Huffington Post
Credo petion Tell Goldman Sachs: Hands off the H1N1 vaccine.

Live Web Casting the Senate ENDA hearing November 5, 2009

Committee: Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Title: Employment Non-Discrimination Act: Ensuring Opportunity for All Americans
Date: Thursday, November 5, 10:00 a.m.
Place: SD-430

Click HERE for the Video and Audio http://help.senate.gov/Hearings/2009_11_05/2009_11_05.html

11/4/09

Fort Worth / Tarrant County Transgender Day of Remembrance


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Curtis Smith
Telephone: 817-845-2124
Email: curtisls7@yahoo.com

TARRANT COUNTY TRANSGENDER REMEMBRANCE
11th Annual Transgender Day of Remembrance

Location: Carr Chapel on TCU
Address: 2855 S. University Drive, Fort Worth, Texas 76129
Date: November 20, 2009 Time: 7:30 pm
Facebook

Since 1998, each November 20th is set aside to memorialize those who were murdered due to anti-transgender hatred, prejudice or ignorance. Tarrant County will commemorate the 11th annual Transgender Day of Remembrance at the Carr Chapel on November 20th beginning at 7:30 PM. The community is welcome to attend this service sponsored by Brite Divinity of TCU, Agape MCC, Trinity MCC, Sexuality Education Center and the Dallas Transgender Advocates and Allies (DTAA).

The TDOR will be an opportunity to express love and respect for all people. It will remind participants that they are all a part of the human family, daughters and sons, cisgender(non-transgender) and transgender people together. Allies of the gender diverse will stand alongside us in this ceremony to memorialize, honor and look forward to a day that differences and gender variance can be celebrated without fear of violence.

Agape MCC has many transgender people in regular attendance at their worship services including their Senior Pastor, Rev. David Wynn, a transgender male. They also host a cross-dressing men‟s group monthly. “Agape MCC has always held a strong commitment to providing sanctuary for gender diverse people,” Rev. Wynn declares. Rev. Wynn clarifies, “In many ways transphobia appears to be the „last acceptable form of prejudice‟ in the culture today, thus setting up transgender people to be victims of violence and those who are seen as expendable.” Rev. Wynn‟s goal of the service is, “To honor those who have paid the highest price for fearlessly being who they are and providing an enduring voice against transphobia. Our transgender community at Agape reflects our entire community in affirming Jesus' radical inclusion and God's unconditional love for all of creation.”

Curtis Smith, Pastoral Leader of Trinity MCC Arlington, reports that his church has been participating for the last 6 years. Smith explains, "Trinity's transgender and questioning church members are a cherished people in Christ‟s communion. We feel enlightened by the TDOR and our ongoing "Would Jesus Discriminate" campaign as to the historical reservations our Gay and Lesbians congregants previously felt towards transgender people. We feel it is important for our members to respect all people and offer them an open communion.” "Last year," Pastor Smith recalls, "Trinity MCC participated in the 2008 TDOR with Agape MCC by praying for victims as a bell was rung after each name was read of those who had died in that year to anti- transgender violence. It was a very somber and moving part of last year‟s TDOR service,” Smith said.

The Remembering Our Dead Web Project estimates that 2 people a month, on average are killed from violence against transgender people. Not that every person commemorated self-identified as transgender but each was a victim of violence based upon bias of gender variance. "Because intolerance and violence against the Transgender Community is often ignored, we remember those who have gone before us and we dedicate ourselves to life – living it responsibly, respectfully and lovingly. Life really comes down to treating others as we wish to be treated,” exclaims Dr. Rita Cotterly, PhD., Director of the Sexuality Education Center.

The Matthew Shepard/James Bryd Jr Hate Crimes Prevention Act recognizes that there is much work to be done locally as there are only 13 US states with Hate Crime Laws that include Gender Identity, Texas not being one. A provision of this law is that it authorizes and funds the federal government to step in and prosecute hate crimes in states that are disinclined to do so.

Texas has had 20 recorded transgender deaths attributed to anti-transgender violence, with 3 of those occurring in DFW, only surpassed by New York and California. Internationally there have been 95 Deaths from January to October 22, 2009 which average 19 per month. Names, statistics, locations and causes of deaths can be found on the Transgender Day of Remembrance website at www.transgenderdor.org.

Dr. Stephen V. Sprinkle, PhD., of Brite Divinity School at Texas Christian University will be in attendance. On the Unfinished Lives Project website, Dr. Sprinkle reports, ""We must remember that the recent passage and signing of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act into law will not magically stop the killing. Record numbers of LGBTQ Americans, especially young transgender people of color, are dying violently all across the land. But the high water mark of hatred has been scotched with the stroke of a pen on the day President Obama kept his promise and signed the bill. The end of the beginning of full equality for my people has come. And we who believe in justice will not rest until it comes fully, so that all of us may love whom we choose without fear of violence."

Kelli Anne Busey will be in attendance. Kelli, a woman of faith, authors planetransgender.blogspot.com and is founder and co-administrator of the Dallas Transgender Advocates and Allies. Kelli says "I believe that our Transgender Day of Remembrance is a critical component of our advocacy." She elaborates, "The TDOR is emotional and spiritual because it educates and endears us with our current and potential allies as we lend a human touch to the horrific murders of transgender, gender queer, questioning, friends and lovers."

The Dallas Transgender Advocates and Allies (DTAA) are locally based non-denominational activism group with members worldwide. DTAA membership believes that the world and especially the LGBT community is a, "Place for everyone. No Exceptions." The DTAA was conceived while protesting the expulsion of transsexual entertainers from the Crews INN bar and hosted the first formal conversation with the openly gay Episcopal bishop, Bishop Gene Robinson. Since that time the DTAA has moved on to insure that the Dallas's publicly funded homeless shelter 'The Bridge' policy and training manuals were amended so that weather related deaths such as that of Austin‟s Jennifer Gale's, could not be attributable to hostile shelter conditions.

Both Agape MCC and Trinity MCC Arlington are members of the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches which is the world's largest and oldest Christian denomination with a primary affirming ministry to gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgender persons. Known as "The Human Rights Church," local MCC congregations are located in 28 countries. Both churches are currently participating with three other North Texas MCC churches in the “Would Jesus Discriminate? WhyWouldWe.org” campaign.

The Sexuality Education Center‟s director, Rita Cotterly, PhD, is well-known locally and nationally in the fields of human sexuality and sexuality education. She provides individual and group counseling, support groups and educational programs. Dr. Cotterly has conducted numerous sexuality educational sessions for a variety of organizations and educational programs on AIDS prevention, sexual orientation, safer sex, sexual ethics, and spirituality and sexuality.

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For more information about this topic or to schedule interviews please call, Rev. David Wynn, revwynn@yahoo.com; Curtis Smith, curtisls7@yahoo.com; Dr. Rita Cotterly, PhD., drritac@gmail.com. Kelli Anne Busey, kellibusey@yahoo.com or Stephen V. Sprinkle, s.sprinkle@tcu.edu