1/6/13

Al Jazeera America. How does That Effect LGBT People?

At first I was elated having used Al Jazeera often in posts. The network has proved itself to me for its unbiased worldly reporting. But then a twitter friend told me Al Jazeera is owned by the government of Qatar.

Qatar, a Muslim country living under Sharia law outlaws homosexuality. Transsexuality in the gulf state is problematic at best. As best as I can tell there seems to be a culture of don't ask if you can "pass" in Qatar . However if you are stopped by the police and they decide you don't pass all bets are off.

So does Al Jazeera report about LGBT issues as well as it does other news? Depends if you are viewing the Arabic channel which has no LGBT news or the English channel which has recently begun reporting LRBT stories.

Source: IGLHRC:Al Jazeera English regularly reports on gay issues. In recent months, its coverage included segments about the gruesome murders of close to 100 gay men by al Mahdi Shi'ite militias in Iraq in 2009, the killing of gay youths in a Tel Aviv club last summer, and India's court decision to decriminalize gay sex.

But Al Jazeera's Arabic network "is not interested in covering gay rights issues the way Al Jazeera English does," says Alizadeh. Comparing Al Jazeera Arabic with Al Jazeera English "is like comparing apples and oranges." Al Jazeera Arabic is geared towards a Middle Eastern audience and does not challenge cultural values or orthodox religion, he says.


Al Jazeera America. How does That Affect LGBT People?





1/5/13

Oregon Ruling Now Mandates Equal Transgender Insurance For Residents

SRS here we come! Yeeha! Giteup! Ondelay! We're moving to Oregon Woot W00T!

Wait wait!! Before you hitch up the mule and haul ass to the Beaver State....

You can get the medical care you need if the same or like procedure is provided for cisgender people by the insurer.

The bulletin specifically states that:

Health insurers must provide coverage and cannot deny coverage of treatments for transgender policy holders if the same treatments are covered for other policy holders. If an insurer covers breast reduction surgery to lessen back pain, the insurer could not deny breast reduction surgery for gender transition if the provider deemed the treatment medically necessary. If hormone therapy is covered for other policyholders, it cannot be denied for gender transition if determined to be medically necessary. On the other hand, an insurer could exclude all coverage of breast implants or penile implants. In short, Oregon law requires equality in treatment.

Health insurers may not have riders that categorically exclude all transgender patients.

The statewide mandate for coverage of mental health services must apply to transgender patients.

The designation of male or female may not be relevant to treatment (ie, a person cannot be denied an ovarian cancer screening on the basis that they identify as male).

Provisional equality has it's draw backs in money hungry corporate America. What if the insurer decides that breast reduction will no longer be available for cis woman with back pain?

No SRS for FTM.

What if a insurer decides it will no longer cover penal implants for impotent cis men? You got the picture. No beaver state for me. Whats up with that?









1/4/13

"Laurence Anyways" : provocative, emotionally raw look at transgender issues and love

Source Desert Outlook: "When Fred (short for Frederique) meets Laurence at work in Montreal, she instinctively knows their relationship — whatever it becomes — will be powerfully transformative. She is intrigued by Laurence’s good looks, charm and directness, as anyone would be encountering a potential new love for the first time. But as the flashback scene near the end of “Laurence Anyways” shows, Fred has no idea the extent of how they and their lives will change during the next 10 years."
"It doesn’t even seem clear to Laurence (actor Melvil Poupaud) at the beginning of Xavier Dolan’s refreshingly frank, emotional and stylish film that he’s undergoing a transformation from man to woman. His transgenderism is gradually realized, seeping out during classroom lectures that define “normal” and gender identity and a covetous appreciation of the feminine power exhibited by his female students."
"The movie really takes off after its slow start when Laurence can no longer contain the truth of who he is. It comes rushing out like a waterfall while at a car wash with Fred (actress Suzanne Clement), though the audience doesn’t hear it then. Laurence exclaims, “I’m going to die.” (This is one of a couple times when Dolan–who wrote, directed and edited the film–artfully and unexpectedly uses a deluge to symbolize a torrent of emotion.)" Please read Wordsmith Will Dean's brilliant review of the transgender film "Laurence Anyways" found on the Desert OutLook article "Film fest presents provocative, emotionally raw look at transgender issues and love"

MTPC Back Tracking To Public Accommodations Protections

I have always opposed transgender 'equality' bills without public accommodation provisions. It's the single most important thing in our daily lives. Without it we are subject to arbitrarly being thrown off a plane, out of a restaurant or bathroom because of our gender expression. It follows that a potential employyer would take that into consideration.

I opposed the bill passed in Massachusetts for that reason. Gunner Scott and I have had some bad blood over  that bill and his accepting HRC's seed money post ENDA years ago. But thats history, HRC is changing.  So it's time to back track to public accommodations in Massachusetts, which of course I fully support.

More power to MTPC in convincing legislators that trans people are now worthy of the most basic of human rights when months ago we were not. The details of the action day can be found at Glaad  or the MTPC webpage.


1/3/13

Missourians for Equality Novel Approach: Please Vote On Our Rights

Referendum.  The word send chills up the backs of most traditional civil rights advocates. The threat of a popular vote is always a consideration when advancing LGBT rights. It's a tool occasionally used successfully by anti LGBT groups to defeat progress we achieve by city council and legislative means.

Voting on a minority's rights by the majority is problematic at best. If it were not for the discrimination faced by said minority the issue wouldn't have come up in the first place.

Or so we thought. The new kids on the block, Missourians for Equality have received State approval to begin collecting the 105,000 petition signatures needed for a state wide vote in 2014.

I asked Aaron Malin, executive director of Missourians for Equality this morning about this novel approach. Malin explained "We see this a viable method since millions of Missourians are already living under such protections the fear factor has disappeared for them. Our efforts will be much like the recent Maine Marriage vote. Addressing the more contentious subject of transgender protections Arron said "A recent poll indicates 64% favor same sex marriage and we think those same people will support gender identity protections as well."

As for religious organizations potential opposition Arron's group is taking a preemptive approach by asking for enhanced protections for religious freedom as well.

As far as the established Missouri group's non support of the ballot initiative Arron replied " Promo is using a different, incremental path towards equality. They have done much of the groundwork but we don't see this happening in the states legislature. We look to expound on Promo's work for a statewide vote. And if we fail, there is always the more traditional path. In any case we see the vote as a good thing."

Show me Show Me State!


On facebook Missourians for Equality



Video; Russian Duma LGBT Kiss in Met With Violence And Arrests


Гомофобы и полиция попытались сорвать флешмоб против принятия гомофобного закона у здания Государственной Думы. 19 декабря 2012, видео Дмитрия Зыкова для www.grani.ru

Police and homophobes tried to disrupt and FlashMob against homophobic law outside the State Duma. December 19, 2012, Dmitry Zykova for www.grani.ru videos

Arrested at the kiss in was one of my favorite journalists Elena Kostyuchenko who writes for Novaya Gazeta one of the last remaining free press outlets in Putin's Russia.



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