9/8/10

Seymour Pine, Vice Cop who Led Stonewall Raid Dead RIP

In the begining there were cops and reviled 'transvestites'.

Before the riot at Stonewall, a ambitious cop in good favor might be invited to participate in raiding a gay bar. He would do so energetically, hoping to prove his allegiance, beating patrons indiscriminately in hopes of hauling in a trophy career enhancing transvestite.

It was all about ignorance fueled by ambition as inspector Seymour Pine latter admitted. He has since reconciled his hatred of LGBT people and apologized for leading the Stonewall raid.

In that era the shame society heaped on transgender people was so intense all a arrested transperson could hope for was inconspicuous ignominy earned by silence regardless of the violence and humiliation so we were prime targets.

History repeated itself in 2009 with the gay bashing in Fort Worth. Our contemporary Stonewall at the Rainbow Lounge happened on the anniversary
of the Stonewall raid. Some believe that the Fort Worth Police intentionally staged the raid as a additional provocation. I disbelieve that the concurrence of the dates could have been simply providence. I think the choice was a intentional slap in the face to LGBT people.

Despite our protests FWPD Chief Halstead refused to terminate his favored officers. The only punishment, a few days off and a weak apology.
The truth is, we gotta keep our eyes on the Fort Worth police. Given a change in public perception, we could be once again beaten into silent submission.

9/7/10

Australian Atty Gen Ruling deals deathly discrimination against Transgender people

In the recent ruling won by by Australian Attorney General, transgender people must have completed sexual reassignment surgery (SRS) in order in be legaly recognized in their correct gender.

That's not all. The ruling specifies the original reproductive organs would need to be removed in order for the applicants transitional gender to be recognized.

This ruling will now be challenged in the supreme court.

If the Australian Supreme court upholds the ruling that a FTM transgender person "cannot be considered male if they have functioning internal and external female reproductive organs" a FTM would be required to obtain a prohibitively costly and dangerous surgical operation not available in Australia that would at best produce a sexually inoperative substitute penis.

The alienation and criminalization by Australia making transgender people gender outlaws.

Wouldn't a ruling like that be discriminatory if not applied equally to all of the population including cisgender people and not just a segment?

Perhaps what is needed is a compulsory 'reproductive ability' test administered to the general public determining gender. Male, female and undetermined.

9/6/10

BIG D Gay (& transgender) Rodeo Sept.10-11 @ Alvarado, TX

SADDLE UP my Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender amigos. Hola Hombres and hombre-ess's it's Time to RODEO!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Location Diamond W Arena & Expo
8901 E. Highway 67
Alvarado, TX

Time September 10 at 6:00pm - September 12 at 11:55pm

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

More Info Texas Gay Rodeo Association

We are a Texas non-profit corporation dedicated to elevating the image of women and men in the field of rodeo. Our purposes are to promote and stage an annual rodeo in Texas and to encourage the participation of its members in western-related events and to engage in charitable activities.

We are proud of our twenty five year history of gay rodeos and of our record of donating more than $2,000,000 to Te...xas charities.

TGRA, Inc. is a 501(c)3 charitable organization

9/1/10

Transgender female youth study indicates MTF have Highest Aids/HIV Infection Rate

The transgender elephant in the room.....the studies mechanics described for curbing this trend are correct, but without understanding the underlying forces driving this trend, the mechanics are useless.

This study examined our population (MTF) who are early in transition (youth) and compared the results against cisgender, homosexual and bisexual groups of the same demographic and found these alarming but unsurprising results.

From the study "Sexual Risk Taking Among Transgender Male-to-Female Youths With Different Partner Types"

"Methods
We interviewed 120 transgender female youths aged 15 to 24 years recruited from clinics, community-based agencies, club and bar venues, referrals, and the streets of Los Angeles, California, and Chicago, Illinois.

Results
Sexual risk behaviors varied by partner type. Transgender female youths were less likely to use condoms during receptive anal intercourse with their main partner and were less likely to use condoms with a main partner while under the influence of substances. Youth participants were also more likely to talk to a main partner about their HIV status. Our data identified no demographic or social factors that predicted condom use during receptive anal intercourse by partner type.

Conclusions
Research and interventions that focus on understanding and mitigating risk behaviors by partner type, especially those that tackle the unique risks incurred with main partners, may make important contributions to risk reduction among transgender female youths. read the study in full click here
Why would these results not surprise me? As a transgender female in early transition I was living proof of this study.

I engaged in risky sex because;

I had Low self estem, I was alienated from family and I was struggling with adolescent precepts molded by a overbearing patriarchy. I found camaraderie, identity and anonymity in the sex for drug culture. These social mores that brought me to that condition are self propagating. The people who defined our subservience and sentenced us to the resultant perpetual ignominy are the same ones who relied on our sexual availability and shameful silence to live out there secret fantasies, always unknown to their wives.

I was addicted to drugs and while high I temporarily lost my inhibitions and was a willing sexual partner, to anyone. I needed to stay high. Coming down was a bitch maginfing the shame and self hatred I sought to escape.

I could engage in multiple sexual activities in a short time when high and earn enough to 'maintain' my high.

I had a facilitative mainlining partner. We never engaged in protected sex in our open relationship. Becuse I was afraid I was infected I remained untested which served to fuel my recklessness.

My turn around was my higher powers doing. One fine day life, out of the clear blue, not just my own, but the well being of others suddenly became a prime concern.

After 20 some years.

I am employed.

I love Church.

I walk a hour a day for fitness. I am often propositioned, hooted and honked at and I simply smile. I am so happy with my boyfriend who loves me. I have goals, friends, advocacy and a kitty who loves me. I am so at peace with my creator(usually).

I wouldn't, couldn't not again to those depths of despair dive.

What can we do? Continue what we have been doing by feminizing our society which opens avenues for empathy, compassion and eventually sisterhood and brotherhood for all.

So I'll continue to read, write and talk about our female transgender elephant in the room.

8/23/10

Transgender Texas edispu nwod/upside down should Nikki Araguz lose


Think your transgender day in the grand republic of Texas is bad now?

Should our worst fears be realized, you may very well have to revert to your gender identity the doctor assigned you at birth, and up to this point the national gay and lesbian organizations may as well be helping to hang us out, upside down.

Maybe they feel it's a no win battle her or perhaps as the ENDA Blog suggests or perhaps they just don't give a damn.

Money talks and according to attorney Phyllis Frye gay.com hasn't antied up.

In a email Phyllis asks:

Where is the same national support given for the L and G same-sex marriage struggles? Has it remained nonexistent for over six weeks now because this Texas fight is insignificantly and merely a “tra##y” same-sex marriage fight, so who nationally gives a shit? Then are we a National LGBT-inclusive community, but NOT when it comes to financing the “tra##y” same-sex marriage fights? From here, it seems to me — still — that the national L and G groups and the big bucks L and G attitudes haven’t really changed very much. FOLKS, IT IS TIME YOU FIGURED IT OUT THAT THE SAME-SEX MARRIAGE FIGHT IS JUST AS MUCH A TRANSGENDER FIGHT AS IT IS A LESBIAN, GAY AND BISEXUAL FIGHT.

8/22/10

TransYouth Family and Allies Organizing Legal Battle for Denied Kansas Student

Pennies From Heaven

Two moms transgender daughter denied access to school becuse of her gender expression seeks your love from our rainbow!

From Kim Pearson Friday, August 20, 2010

Those of you who follow my Facebook may be aware that I made an emergency trip to Kansas this week. A school there was refusing to recognize a 10 year old transgender girl's gender identity. They were requiring her to attend school as male and wouldn't budge.

I met with a school across town and they were happy to have her and wanted to learn how to make her school experience safe and productive. We registered her and expected that she would start school later in the week. I flew home to AZ.

Now the district administration has become involved and informed the parents (two moms) that their child will not be accommodated at ANY SCHOOL in their district. The child must present male or gender neutral, must use a male name and male restroom. The reason given is that to do otherwise would "interfere with the learning environment".

We are going to file suit against this school system. TYFA has retained the best attorney in KS with experience in GLBT discrimination. We need to raise an estimated $25,000 (or more) to litigate this case. I am calling this fund raising effort "Pennies From Heaven". Make any donation amount but end it with .01 (example 20.01) so that we know you are donating for the KS Defense Fund. Are you with me here?

It is time to take back our schools for gender variant students everywhere and we are going to start in Kansas.

LETS MAKE IT RAIN LOVE!

THANK YOU! TO MAKE YOUR DONATION NOW: click here

Kim Pearson
Executive Director
TransYouth Family Allies