News and views for Sunday, November 16th …

[NY, USA] Trans woman Teish Cannon was shot and killed Friday night in Syracuse, New York: “Moses “Teish” Cannon was openly gay, and his family said Saturday that is why he was shot and killed Friday night. His death should be treated as a hate crime, they said … [Cannon's mother Roxanne] Green talked lovingly about Moses Cannon and said she accepted who he was. “That’s the life he chose. That’s who he wanted to be,” Green said about her son … “Teish was loving, caring and compassionate,” said Rhonda Gary, Cannon’s aunt. “She carried herself with respect.” The family did not mince words. Cannon’s death, they said, was a hate crime. The family said the person who shot Moses Cannon deserves a sentence of life in prison without parole. “I feel the person who lured him there (to Seymour Street) should get the same,” Green said.” — Mother: Gay son targeted by killer

[NY, USA] Syracuse police have charged a suspect in the Cannon killing: “Dwight R. DeLee shot and killed Moses “Teish” Cannon with a .22-caliber rifle Friday night because he didn’t like that Cannon was openly gay, Syracuse police said … “There was no previous argument between these individuals, there was no previous fight, there was no bad blood,” [Police Chief Gary] Miguel said. “Our suspect took a rifle and shot and killed this person, also wounding his brother, for the sole reason he didn’t care for the sexual preference of our victim. Isn’t that sad? Isn’t that a sad situation that that’s the sole reason why? “I talk to you about this atmosphere of violence and that certain individuals believe that violence is the answer no matter what, and here’s just another example,” Miguel said. Cannon’s family said his death should be treated as a hate crime. Miguel said it’s up to the District Attorney’s office to decide if it’s a hate crime.” — Syracuse man was killed for being gay, police say

[TN, USA] “Gay, lesbian, bisexual, most of us are familiar with, maybe even comfortable with. But matters of gender identity — which are separate from sexual orientation — are less understood. Simply put, Johnson’s brain and soul did not match her genitalia. That was tough for Skinner to deal with. And it certainly didn’t line up with her religious beliefs. But — and here’s the lesson — Skinner respected that her daughter knew herself better than even a mother could. Her love for her child, God’s child, never waned, even if her understanding of what her daughter was going through wasn’t complete. Skinner wants people to know that Duanna was a good, loving person. “She was very smart, and that’s why I wanted her to get her life in order.” And order didn’t mean life as a male. “I don’t think she would have ever returned, because she said she could never be a man again.” Because in her heart, Duanna Johnson never was.” — Essence of person can belie physical

[TN, USA] “About 75 people marched through the Cooper-Young neighborhood on a cold Sunday night in memory of Duanna Johnson.” — Transgendered murder victim mourned at vigil

[TN, USA] “With candles in their hands and great sadness in their hearts, dozens of Mid-Southerners demanded justice Sunday, November 16, 2008 during a prayer vigil for Duanna Johnson. “We’re here to commemorate Duanna’s life,” says vigil participant Casey Lanham, “and to remember the sacrifice she unfortunately had to encounter.” “All citizens of Memphis,” says Amy Livingston of the Mid-South Peace & Justice Center, “should agree that all human life has dignity and should be respected and valued. Duanna was a beloved member of this community. And by community, I mean Memphis.” … “This is a stand for a human being,” says Will Bates, “who was killed because she was different than everyone else. This is a stand for humanity. This is a stand for all of us.” — Mid-Southerners Demand Justice for Duanna Johnson

[MA, USA] Gunner Scott of the Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition spoke at the Proposition 8 Protest in Boston yesterday [begins at 01:12 of the video] …

[NC, USA] Pam Spaulding attended the 2008 Equality NC Conference at Duke University in Durham on Saturday, and provided this video of NCTE’s Mara Keisling of the National Center for Transgender Equality talking about the HRC, the non-inclusive ENDA and transgender advocacy …

[USA] From Donna Rose, “I hope that some of the broader community outrage over denial of basic rights gets saved for ENDA. It’s a whole different thing being on the side getting your rights than being on the side denied. Many of those same people out marching this weekend will find a way to justify excluding others from getting theirs if and when they’re faced with those kinds of decisions. Many of those writing passionate letters about higher ideals will be ready to betray those ideals if they have the opportunity when ENDA rolls around again. They will have conveniently forgotten what it feels like to be on the outside.” – The Side Denied

[USA] From Becky Juro, “Unbelievably, it took the actual stripping of already existent marriage rights from gay and lesbian Californians to finally mobilize our community to loudly and proudly fight for our rights in significant numbers nationwide. At last, LGBT America has said “Enough!” and we’re taking to the streets in protest all across our country. It’s about damn time … For me, and I’d bet for many of you reading this, particularly if you are transgender, the parallels to the recent past are pretty obvious. When the transgender community was stripped from ENDA, we responded in much the same way, though on a much smaller scale. For the past year or so, there have been regular protests at Human Rights Campaign events nationwide, and while significantly smaller in size, they’ve been consistent and they’ve been active. Despite their small size, the message has gotten out, slowly but surely, not by force of numbers but by constantly being out there, constantly promoting the same clear message of equality and fairness, and by never, ever, backing down or giving up on what we know to be right. That’s how this battle will be won. Not by marching and protesting for a week or even a few weeks, but by being consistent and unrelenting, by making our voices heard wherever and whenever they need to be heard, over and over and over, until the message finally starts sinking in to the community, to those inclined to support us, and eventually to average fair-minded straight Americans. We’ve seen it happen with HRC and ENDA, and we’ll see it happen here, perhaps even more quickly because of the huge numbers involved.” — It’s The End Of The World As We Know It

[USA] “Over the summer, a wrangle between eminent psychiatrists that had been brewing for months erupted in print. Startled readers of Psychiatric News saw the spectacle unfold in the journal’s normally less-dramatic pages. The bone of contention: whether the next revision of America’s psychiatric bible, the “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders,” should be done openly and transparently so mental health professionals and the public could follow along, or whether the debates should be held in secret.” — Wrangling over psychiatry’s bible

[UK] From Helen G at Bird of Paradox, “MPs call for Commons committee to consider representation of… well,
just about everyone but trans people, apparently.”

News and views for Friday, November 14th …

[VT, USA] “They started out loving me. They thought I was the greatest thing since Grandma’s apple pie,” he recalls. But Tony says things changed once town officials learned he was transgender. “It was like day and night. I went to work one day and no one talked to me,” he says. Tony says he was ostracized, harassed, and officers didn’t respond to calls for backup. On some occasions, he felt his life was put in danger. He was being forced out. “I was a victim,” Tony says. “I know I will never forget it and I will do everything in my power to prevent anyone else from going through it.” – Transgender Discrimination

[CA, USA] In Palm Springs, a restaurant has changed its dress code: “The revised policy no longer forbids male patrons dressed in drag … The owners’ policy change comes more than a month after Dink’s opened and three weeks after Palm Springs entertainer Tommi Rose was turned away from the restaurant because of his attire. Rose, who frequently performs in drag, visited Dink’s on Oct. 18. He had attended the Equality Awards earlier that night and was wearing an evening gown. The doorman told Rose that his “kind” wasn’t allowed there, Rose said. When he asked the doorman what he meant, he was told “‘men dressed in drag,’” Rose said.” — Men in drag now welcome at Dink’s

[OR, USA] From columnist Carol McAlice Currie writing in Friday’s Statesman Journal (alternate link here or here), “Hampton would have been within his rights to pull his son from the child care program. Instead, he took his grievance to the airwaves via the Lars Larson talk show. Larson declared that sexual orientations such as this employee’s are “illegal, disgusting, grotesque and perverse.” Hampton urged the conservative talk-radio fans to call the Y and make sure that other children weren’t “left in jeopardy” … Protect them from what, I asked? A person different from themselves? A person who has enough to deal with as she struggles to reject a gender assigned by genitals, but not borne out by feelings? … Seeking to shame or embarrass the Y and this individual is wrong, and so is the message the other children now are getting: that people who are different are to be despised.” — Father should teach tolerance

[GA, USA] “Is ‘butch’ an outdated word? Maybe. But there are still butch women — of course it’s there.” With the rise of transgender men, however, sometimes there is a blurring of the old-school butch/femme roles that became popular in the 1950s among working class lesbians. “Now we have tranny boys who date gay men, who date femmes, who date other transmen — the rainbow spectrum has really changed in the past four to five years,” Holder said … “A femme is about being a lady, beauty. I like to dress up, smell good, look good. I have always been a girly-girl,” she said. “A femme is the essence of being a lady. I hold myself to a certain standard.” Watson has dated both femmes and studs. She explained that “butch” is the word that tends to be used by white women while “stud” tends to be an African-American term … The hardest part of being a lovely femme is going to clubs and other women telling her she’s not a lesbian. “They think I’m straight because of the way I look. I always ask, ‘Well, what does a lesbian look like?’ I’m very comfortable with who I am.”” — Butch/femme dynamic thrives in Atlanta women

[CT, USA] “The weathered bronze statue strikes the classic Venus de Milo pose — a graceful female figure with rounded breasts and belly, standing in coy contrapposto, covering her genitalia with a casual hand. But the Grecian symbol of womanhood takes a new twist in this photo, sporting a pink tie and short blond wig, with playful orange balloons floating at its feet. Instead of the quintessential feminine image, viewers now face a wacky, whimsical, sexually ambiguous human figure. All of the art on display at the Afro-American Cultural Center gallery’s exhibit of Trans/Genderqueer art and photography seeks to similarly confuse the viewer’s preconceptions of biological, sexual and cultural boundaries.” — Full breasts exposed

[MI, USA] “In a late night session Thursday, the Michigan House passed a package of two bills to expand the state’s ethnic intimidation act. Under the bills, bias motivated crimes would be subject to more severe punishments, including extended prison time and upgrading of misdemeanor criminal acts to felonies … The set of bills expands the current definition of bias crimes to include sexual orientation, disability, and gender identity and/or expression. It also makes it a crime for targeting a person because they are perceived to be a member of a protected class.” — Michigan House passes hate crime package, sends it to Senate

[MI, USA] “Less than twenty-four hours after the Michigan House overwhelmingly approved the passage of a package of bills to expand the state’s Ethnic Intimidation Act, a mother of a murdered transgender teen encourage the State Senate to move on the bills.” — Mother of slain transgender teen speaks out on Mich. house passage of bias crimes bill

[USA] Mara Keisling of the National Center for Transgender Equality asked about ENDA (Will Congress be able to pass a trans-inclusive ENDA?), “Absolutely. We were so close last fall. Now, there are a lot of people doing a lot of work around ENDA and I am confident that if we all get the grassroots and DC work done that has to be done, we will have sufficient votes to pass ENDA and even overcome any possible parliamentary maneuver from our opponents. That being said, most of us do not expect ENDA to come up right away in this Congress though I wouldn’t want to venture a guess more specific than that.” — We Won, We Lost. What’s Next for 2009?

[USA] Rea Carey of The Task Force asked about her organizations’ legislative priorities, “The Task Force Action Fund has a number of legislative priorities, including expanding and strengthening existing federal hate crimes law and the repeal of ”Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT) and the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), but our top legislative priority will continue to be passage of an inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act. Leadership will likely move other legislation first, such as the hate crimes bill, and we look forward to working with them on those efforts as well. However, a key focus of our energy and expertise will be on creating federal employment protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity.” — We Won, We Lost. What’s Next for 2009?

[USA] “These past few years we have seen a number of serious researchers complain that anti-gay and “ex-gay” ideologues are distorting and cherry-picking lines from scientific publications. The cure for this, and the prevention for a repeat of the past eight abysmal years of American history, is, it seems to me, education. People need to learn to read critically, everyone should have a solid background in scientific methods, some statistical literacy would be a nice thing. Listen carefully when you hear them talk about education, about home-schooling and charter schools, and when they complain about our public schools. Some groups benefit when Americans are poorly educated.” — NARTH Misinterprets the Science

[USA] “I keep wondering just how much the many different configurations of body, gender, presentation and behavior (words from the Trans 101: Terms and Concepts workshop yesterday) that fit under the big umbrella of “transgender” are asked to fit there because of the rigidity of the binary gender packages of “male” and “female”, “men” and “women.” As presenter Beth Harrison-Prado noted at the outset, “transgender” is above all a word — albeit freighted with meaning in our culture — and a word required by people’s growing recognition that gender in real life, rather than in the movies, magazines, and the conventional popular cultural imagination, is complex and immensely variable.” — Gender Complexity

[USA] From ABC News, “Thomas Beatie, the transgender man who bore a daughter four months ago, has become the public face of an issue for many other transgender people: having their roles as parents legally recognized. In an exclusive interview airing tonight on “20/20,” Beatie told Barbara Walters that he is pregnant with his second child … As the biological parent, Thomas Beatie has legally secure rights. His wife, on the other hand, is not biologically related to their baby but is granted parental rights by virtue of her marriage to Thomas Beatie. So if the validity of their marriage were challenged, experts say, Nancy Beatie’s parental rights could be in jeopardy. “There is litigation in other states over whether their marriage would be recognized,” said Nancy Polikoff, a law professor at American University in Washington, D.C. Polikoff envisioned a scenario in which the Beaties moved to a state that refuses to recognize Thomas Beatie’s legal sex change in Hawaii. If that happens, his marriage would be revoked as an illegal same-sex marriage and Nancy Beatie’s parental status could be questioned. That would be a nightmare for the Beaties. “Oh, I think we’re very worried,” Nancy Beatie said. “We’re both very worried.” Said Thomas Beatie: “If something were to happen to me, I want to make sure that Nancy has custody over her daughter” … In order to secure Nancy Beatie’s parental rights, lawyers advise the Beaties to do what many same-sex couples with children do — have Nancy Beatie, as the nonbiological parent, adopt their baby. “When there is a slight question whether the marriage will be upheld by a court if it’s challenged, the nonbiological parent will take the step of adopting the child, not because it’s always necessary but just to make absolutely sure that the parent-child relationship is legally protected,” Columbia’s Goldberg said. Polikoff of American University said, “Adoption will guarantee recognition in all states.” The Beaties agree that adoption would protect them, but they don’t want to do that as a matter of principle. They see themselves as a legally married heterosexual couple. They note that they file taxes jointly as husband and wife. “We shouldn’t have to adopt our own daughter,” Thomas Beatie said. The Beaties are seeking legal representation to pursue a change in the birth certificate. “I feel that it’s a flawed document,” he said. “We’d like to see this process remedied for the next child, for the next pregnant man.” — Pregnant Man, Other Transgender Parents Face Legal Questions

[USA] A related article, also from ABC News, “No longer living on the fringes of society, transgender families are quietly raising their children in towns and neighborhoods across the country. Take the case of Andey and Leaf Nunes, and their son Antonio. Even in San Francisco, where the two men live, their relationship raises eyebrows and the questions of, “What is a woman? What is a man?” “We’re a gay male couple that got to have a child the old-fashioned way,” said Andey, a transgender man. “I am Antonio’s biological mother on his birth certificate.”" — Transgender Couples: Changing the Face of Family

[UK] “An Audience with April Ashley takes place in the Small Concert Room at St George’s Hall tomorrow at 7.30pm. Miss Ashley was born in Liverpool in 1935 and lived in Norris Green for all of her childhood. In 1960 she was one of the first transsexual people to undergo gender confirmation surgery in Morocco. She went on to develop a successful career as a model, appearing in Vogue amongst other magazines. She was “outed” as a transsexual by the Sunday People in 1961 and her marriage and subsequent divorce removed the ability of trans people to acquire full legal status. This was not satisfactorily resolved until the passing of the Gender Recognition Act of 2004.” — Out and About

[UK] Where Julie Bindel is scheduled to be on December 5th. — Public Debate: A Feminist Perspective on the Transsexual Debate,

[India/Nepal] ““Sexual minorities should be treated as fairly as other citizens. If a member of our community breaks the law by all means book him but please don’t round up every hijra or transsexual you can find, the activists who support them and brutalise them,” said Manohar of Sangama. ”Also, please stop spreading false and outlandish stories about people being kidnapped and castrated just to sensationalise issues and create more fear and mistrust among the public,” he added appealing to the press and the authorities.” — Reality bites

[Australia] “So say we all.” — In Parliament Yesterday

News and views for Thursday, November 13th …

[CO, USA] “A week after Aimee Wilcoxson was found dead in her north Aurora home, her friends say they still have questions about the transgender woman’s death … Police aren’t releasing many details about the case, but said investigators believe Wilcoxson took her own life. “Detectives feel that all the evidence in the case points to a suicide,” said Aurora police spokesman Detective Bob Friel … But Wilcoxson’s friends say she was a happy person with a lot to look forward to and wouldn’t have killed herself. They say she was murdered. “We think there was foul play,” Latif said.” — Friends reject police’s take on transgender woman’s death

[NY, USA] “A contentious battle initially involving four – but later just three – State Senate Democratic rebels has left control of the Legislature’s upper chamber in doubt, more than a week after the election. At first blush, the November 4 results seemed to have given the Democrats control, by at least a 32-30 margin, for the first time in 43 years. Given the intransigence of the longtime Republican Senate leadership, Democratic control has been deemed essential to progress on the marriage equality law and the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act (GENDA), a transgender civil rights measure. Only this past summer did the GOP signal a willingness to finally end the logjam on school anti-bullying legislation that would include gay and transgendered youth in its protections. The resistance of the remaining three Democratic holdouts in getting on board with Queens Senator Malcolm Smith becoming the new majority leaders is further complicated by the fact that gay marriage has become the focal point for the public volleying on the issue.” — State Senate Control Iffy

[MA, USA] “On Nov. 20 transgender activists and their allies will gather in Allston to remember Rita Hester, a woman whose murder 10 years ago shook the local trans community to its core and transformed the way people across the country respond to anti-transgender violence.” — Remembering Rita Hester

[USA] “In what is being viewed as a strong signal to activists nationwide, the transition office of President-elect Barack Obama has issued a non-discrimination policy including sexual orientation and gender identity. “The Obama-Biden Transition Project does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or any other basis of discrimination prohibited by law,” says the website of the Office of the President-elect, Change.gov.” — Obama transition team is transgender-inclusive

[USA] “Thomas Beatie, the controversial “pregnant man” who gave birth to a daughter earlier this year, reveals to Barbara Walters in an exclusive interview that he is pregnant again with his second child.” — Barbara Walters Exclusive: Pregnant Man Expecting Second Child

[USA] “Christa Hoisington can barely utter her birth name. It still bothers her to this day. “It just didn’t feel right,” she says. It didn’t make sense to her. Gary is a boy’s name. And Christa says she knew, even as a child, she wasn’t a boy … Christa felt trapped, until she began to transition from male to female. “I’ve never been happier. I can be who I am,” she says. She began psychotherapy and hormone replacement to reduce testosterone levels, body hair, and make her feel more feminine. In 2003, she got breast implants. She expects to have complete SRS– or sexual reassignment surgery– next year.” — Becoming, Part 2: The Mental and Medical Sides of Transgender

[UK] Zagria at Gender Variant Biography profiles musician-singer Antony Hegarty. — Antony Hegarty (1971 – ) musician

[Finland] “Olli Aalto, the Lutheran Vicar of Imatra, says that he has struggled with his gender identity for almost all of his 54 years. The struggle is now coming to an end. Aalto will take a leave of absence at the beginning of 2009, during which time he will undergo surgery and other procedures to become a woman. Aalto says that the matter has been a cause for concern “ever since I was a little girl” … Aalto decided to come out in public after extensive reflection. “I decided that because of my position, it would come out at some point”, he says. Aalto wanted to raise discussion and promote understanding about the transgender phenomenon. “Keeping it a secret and living a double life are terribly heavy burdens.”” — Transgender Lutheran vicar wants to continue his pastoral work

[Finland] “The number of those wishing to change their sex has multiplied in recent years. In 2003-2006 around 40 people per year sought treatment from the relevant clinics in Helsinki and Tampere. Last year’s corresponding figure was about 90, and this year even more patients have called at the clinics dealing with transgender issues. The congestion has caused queues for corrective operations. At the moment the waiting time is about a year. “If the number of referrals remains this high, our capacity will be stretched”, explains acting specialist doctor Marja Kautto from the Helsinki University Central Hospital. Issues relating to correcting one’s gender became topical in connection with Imatra vicar Olli Aalto’s announcement, according to which he would return from his leave of absence at the beginning of 2009 as a she, Marja-Sisko Aalto … The Aalto case, in which questions were asked about the suitability of the vicar’s return to the position after changing gender, has prompted a response from labour legislation experts. While the Bishop of Mikkeli Voitto Huotari has said Aalto’s continued pastoral work may “contain problems”, the law as it stands does not present any formal obstacles to a transgender person returning to a job in a different sex after a leave of absence. Since female clergy are an established part of the Finnish Lutheran Church, there can also be no grounds for dismissal on that score.” — Number of transgender cases has increased severalfold in recent years

[India] “As India’s gays, lesbians, and gender nonconformists struggle for legal recognition of their civil rights and the end to their criminalization, an ugly two-day incident of police violence against hijras – as the transgenders are known – and LGBT activists in the south-eastern city of Bangalore, the nation’s third largest, illustrates their continued tenuous position in the world’s second most populous country.” – Trans Indians Under Assault

News and views for Wednesday, November 12th …

[TN, USA] “The nation’s largest gay civil rights organization is calling for a thorough investigation of the murder of a transgender woman who was preparing to sue Memphis police … The Human Rights Campaign issued a statement Wednesday, saying the Memphis Police Department needs to renew its “commitment to treating transgender people with respect and fairness.” Police say the shooting is under investigation and no arrests have been made.” — Group Wants Probe of Transgender Woman’s Death

[TN, USA] “When the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Act passed through Congress in 2007, President George W. Bush vetoed the bill. President-Elect Barack Obama has pledged to support the bill. The transgender community, however, would still be left in the cold should it pass. The Tennessee Transgender Political Coalition is pushing a Hate Crimes Enhancement bill that would add gender identity and expression to the definition. We remain cautiously optimistic about what effect, if any, hate crime legislation would have on the actual act itself, but if something like this could pass in Tennessee, well, who knows?” — Transgendered in Tennessee–Dangerous Enough For New Legislation?

[KS, USA] “Debra Davis is a hugger. She describes herself as a parent, grandmother, good friend and good neighbor. She’s also a transgender person. Davis will be relating her experiences in her presentation “Transgender: The New Face on Campus” tonight at 7 at the Courtside Room in the Burge Union. The presentation, of which Davis has given more than 1,000, has taken her to campuses across the Midwest, including previous visits to the University. Davis said she enjoyed speaking at each school because of the experiences she had at each one … Davis said the point of her presentation was to explain how people become transgender individuals. She said the issue was not clear-cut. “I don’t know if I even understand the whole thing,” Davis said.” — Speaker sheds light on transgender life

[VT, USA] ” A professional makeover: A gift Michele Todd desperately wanted to give herself for decades, but didn’t. Not because she couldn’t afford a visit to the salon. She had the money. Michele feared a new look would devastate her family and friends and get her fired from her job, because the makeover she wanted would be drastic. Michele lived most of her life as Michael. “I want to work and breathe and live 24-7 as Michele,” she explains. Earlier this year, she legally changed her name, started wearing women’s clothes in public, and now walks solely in Michele’s shoes. The 51-year-old is transgender. She was born with male genitalia but identifies as female.” — Understanding Transgender

[USA] “Is the baby a boy or girl? Few things are harder for new parents than hearing their doctor say, “I don’t know.” “It is shocking,” said Katrina Karkazis, PhD, the author of a new book, Fixing Sex: Intersex, Medical Authority and Lived Experience, which will be released by Duke University Press on Nov. 14. Shame and confusion may overwhelm parents whose infant’s anatomy doesn’t match typical male or female patterns, Karkazis said. “It’s not something you find in most books that prepare you for having a baby.”” — Stanford author explores struggles of intersex individuals, their families and doctors

Katrina Karkazis discusses the struggles that face intersex people with the school’s executive director of communications, Paul Costello. Length: 17 mins. — Interview with Katrina Karkazis

[USA] “When Dr. H. walked into the examination room, he didn’t say hello. He didn’t shake my hand. He just started the examination. Then I noticed he was wearing latex gloves. (He never wore latex gloves for routine examinations.) He didn’t want to be in the same room with me. He didn’t want to touch me. Normally he would take my pulse by touching either my wrist or my neck. He did neither. When he listened to my heart he normally rested the stethoscope on the bare skin of my upper chest just inside the collar of my shirt. He didn’t do that. (He rested it right on the fabric of my shirt.) When he was finished he wrote the prescription, handed it to me and said: “we’re finished and I’m outta here.” He left the room and that was the last time I saw him. Interesting, he detests the Transgendered, but he’s not above billing a Transgendered person’s health insurance. (That is so morally bankrupt.) Don’t put money into these doctor’s pockets.” — Doctors, Healthcare Givers and Transsexuals: Discrimination Happens Part Two

[USA] “Yep, those are the two main strains of opinions bellowed across the web when news of Kidman’s casting broke. Either shock and fawning or pure meat-head mentality. What you didn’t hear was many people calling bullshit on the casting. Well, bullshit, bullshit and bullshit … when it comes to material featuring transgendered individuals, there’s no doubt Hollywood locks itself in the safe room … even though it’s an indie, the casting of Kidman as a guy-gone-girl transsexual is a symptom of shrewd, safety-first Hollywood studio mentality. You can almost hear the financiers. She’s a star! She’ll boost box-office! She’ll create instant publicity in a role like this! So it’s not brave or novel casting, but a rather ball-less decision obsessed with the bottom line.” — Hollywood’s Ball-less Decision: Kidman as a Transsexual Male

[USA] “A change is coming to America, and it is a scary one. What will the White House look like under an Obama administration? Well, it may look similar to that of San Francisco during the annual Sodomite parade … Peter LaBarbera, president of Americans for Truth About Homosexuality, says Obama’s new non-discrimination policy will be an “open door” for gender-confused and cross-dressing federal employees …All of this is an attempt to further the so called civil-rights protections of Sodomites, and eventually lead to legislation that specifically protects homosexuals, and prohibits discrimination based on being a homosexual or “gender confused.” Unfortantely, millions of whites voted for Barack Obama without realizing that the change they voted for is not going to be in the best interest of our dearly beloved America, or their children. A change is coming, and perhaps it’s Obama wearing a dress. Until then.” — Cross-dressers in White House with Obama?

[USA] “The religious right are scared over an Obama presidency and the positive possibilities it may have for the lgbt community. So expect them to batten down all of the hatches and pull out all of their lies about hate crimes legislation, gays serving openly in the military, ENDA, and non-discrimination ordinances in general. With non-discrimination ordinances, they are going to try and exploit ignorance and fear about our transgender brothers and sisters. I see from an item on LaBarbera’s Americans for Truth (in name only) web page and the One News Now webpage, they aren’t wasting any time … ” — And it begins – One News Now and Peter LaBarbera attacks the transgender community

[Australia] “Sometimes it seems an awfully big mountain, and an awfully small teaspoon to be moving it with. I need the occasional story like this to recharge my batteries, and restore my faith in Humankind. ‘When Bishop Gayle Harris asked if we were ready to vote, she didn’t have time to specify that those in favor of the resolution should signify a yes by raising their yellow cards. Yellow cards just started rising, beginning with the left side of the hall. “Hey, what if I had started with the nos?!” she said. But the avalanche was unstoppable: a sea of yellow cards filled the room. When Bishop Harris asked those against the resolution to raise their red cards, I saw no more than 10, again, in a room of about 800 people. I imagine there were some quiet abstentions, but based on that sea of yellow cards, there can’t have been many. So the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts has now gone on record in support of transgender civil rights here in Massachusetts as well as at the federal level, and it has asked the General Convention next summer to augment its non-discrimination canon to include transgender people as part of the ministry of all the baptized.‘ Excelsior.” — A Sea of Yellow Cards Filled the Room

News and views for Tuesday, November 11th …

[TN, USA] “The shooting death of a transgendered woman won’t stop a planned lawsuit over her February beating at the hands of police, one of her attorneys said Monday. Duanna Johnson, 43, was shot in the head at Hollywood and Staten in North Memphis late Sunday. She died at the scene. Although the Memphis Police Department identified the victim as Dwayne Johnson, attorney Murray Wells said the victim was the person he knew as Duanna.” — Transgendered abuse victim found dead

[TN, USA] The video from CW30 Eyewitness News’ report (“Duanna Johnson’s Death Will Not Stop MPD Lawsuit“) last night …

[Australia] “At the Grauniad, where noted Transphobe Julie Bindel was nominated for an award as “Journalist of the Year” by UK GLB(but not T) group STONEWALL. Named after a riot against police oppression of trans* and gays started by a Transgendered woman, to add a touch of Irony … So why does all this matter? Surely it’s just more silly sophomoric political games, people shouting at each other in the battle of the -isms, with no-one but they interested in the outcome? It matters because of this – the events I wrote about in Nothing Unusual … It matters because just as the beating of Duanna Johnson was not widely publicised in MSM, her murder will go unremarked either, even if a ballistics exam shows (purely by coincidence) a police-issue weapon was involved. It matters because if the Julie Bindels of the world are allowed to preach their poisonous Xenophobia without being called on it, then consequences such as this are inescapable.” — Today’s Battle

[USA] “New reality series Sex Change Hospital (WE tv Tuesdays, 11 pm/ET) follows patients — from retired grandfathers to construction workers, businessman and office managers — as they undergo surgery to transition from one gender to another. We caught up with Dr. Marci Bowers (formerly Mark Bowers), who has performed over 550 male-to-female sexual reassignment surgeries, to find out more about the life-changing operations at her clinic in Trinidad, Colo., the compelling docudrama and the social stigmas involved with transgender patients.” — Transgender Doctor Talks Sex Change Hospital

[CA, USA] The Stanford Law School has honored transgender attorney Shannon Minter, legal director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR), with its National Public Service Award. — Stanford Law School Honors Public Interest Attorneys Shannon Price Minter and Julia R. Wilson with Public Service Awards

[USA] (Too bad certain Americans for Truth never focused on WMDs as they have on MWDs.) The latest from “Porno Pete” LaBarbera: “What will a President Obama do to protect the right to privacy of female federal workers who don’t want men wearing dresses – with male genitalia – sharing their women’s restroom?” LaBarbera said. “Will a President Obama request funds from Congress to embark on an ambitious ‘Transgender Restroom Construction Project’ to build special “trans” bathrooms in government buildings – so as not to subject female employees to sexual harassment and violations of their privacy?” — Will Federal Female Employees Be Safe from Cross-Dressing Men Using Ladies’ Restrooms in the Obama Administration?

[MD, USA] “So — a foreign guy went into the ladies fitting room with his wife and baby. That’s the story.
The letter writer, Bunny Galladora, hints that this is supposed to have something to do with our county’s new nondiscrimination law. The guy wasn’t dressed as a woman or claiming to be transgender, he was speaking a foreign language and maybe comes from a less puritanical country than ours, where men help their wives pick out clothes and watch the kid. As long as he isn’t leering at the women, exposing himself, or molesting anyone, there is no law — and never has been a law — against him being there … The WCTU lady says she was uneasy saying something to the store employee “with the new law having been passed.” Was she afraid somehow that she was going to accidentally discriminate against someone on the basis of gender identity? If there was something unusual about the man’s gender identity you would think she’d mention it. Let’s see how quickly Channel Seven gets this “challenge to the new law” on the air. And to think, they don’t like it when we call them “nuts.”" — WCTU Leader Outraged by Foreigner at Kohls, Blames New Law

[USA] “We need to start rebuilding for a fully inclusive ENDA. Start making strong alliances, start reaching out, start laying the bare strategic groundwork for the next battle a year or so from now. Let the lawyers continue to fight to overturn Prop 8, it was in some respects a red herring primarily designed to build and test a religion-based political machine, but it did serve (hopefully) as a fertile source of lessons learned and an insight as to how we need to fight the upcoming fight for our rights.” — Forward Thinking

[USA] “This statement and its supporting literature, that hypothesize sexual deviance as a cause of transsexualism, have sparked dissent among clinicians and researchers and outrage within the transgender and transsexual community [4-8] While theories around “autogynephilia” seem exceptionally impervious to contrary evidence, the controversy has raised questions about tolerance and bias in American Psychiatry– at what point do bad stereotypes preclude good science? The term “autogynephilia,” meaning “love of oneself as a woman,” was first introduced by Dr. Raymond Blanchard of the Clarke Institute of Psychiatry, now known as the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto. He is currently chairman of the Paraphilias Subcommittee for the upcoming DSM-V. Blanchard stated that, “All gender dysphoric males who are not sexually oriented toward men are instead sexually oriented toward the thought or image of themselves as women.” [9] The absolutism in this statement, in the words “all and “instead,” seems astonishing. [10] It reduces a broad continuum of sexuality among transwomen to two narrow maligning stereotypes: either “homosexual males” in denial of a “homosexual” identity or pathological narcissistic “males” sexually attracted to themselves.” — Autogynephilia: The Infallible Derogatory Hypothesis, Part 1

[USA] “The gender alternative to ENDA would still be far from perfect. Even the most inclusive version of ENDA proposed so far was startling in its embrace of stark gender binarism, protecting transgender employees only to the extent they clearly declared themselves to be one sex or the other. The political process may continue to demand caveats on affirmative action and disparate impact claims. Judicial treatment of the new law could go in several directions. Judicial enthusiasm for the PDA, for example, has been mixed. Courts have sliced and diced sex, pregnancy, sex-plus, and sex stereotyping claims in defiance of Congress’s view that all are of a piece. There is no guarantee that their enforcement of a gender amendment would be more enthusiastic. A gender amendment would, however, create at least a chance for some progress, and a chance to avoid creating new problems for intersectional and other non-archetypal plaintiffs.” – Instead of ENDA, A Course Correction for Title VII

[Indonesia] “Heavyset and wearing the pink Islamic headscarf and matching flowing clothes of a pious Indonesian housewife, 48-year-old Maryani says her penis is a gift from God. Born as a boy and raised as a Catholic, Maryani spent years of drinking and selling sex on the streets as part of this city’s transgendered community before discovering Islam. Now, with her eight-year-old adopted daughter Rizky Aryani scrambling across her sturdy thighs, Maryani says her job is to bring Islam to her fellow “waria,” as transgendered people are known here. Tucked into a small alley in Yogyakarta, Maryani’s house has been turned into Indonesia’s first Islamic school set up specifically for waria.” – Indonesian transgendered find refuge in Islamic school

[Finland] “A local Imatra vicar’s announcement that he plans to undergo gender reassignment surgery is forcing the Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Church to take a stance on sex change. The minister, Olli Aalto, who is taking a temporary leave of absence, intends to begin hormone treatments. After this, he will undergo surgery and physically become a woman. Voitto Huotari, the bishop of the local Mikkeli diocese, says Aalto can no longer continue in his job. Aalto considers this view to be blatantly discriminatory. Aalto says he has been encouraged to leave the Church. However, firing him would break equality law. Aalto says he’s considering taking the Church to court if he is expelled from his job. “Pressuring me to leave is already discrimination,” says Aalto.” — Imatra Vicar Plans Gender Reassignment Surgery

News and views for Monday, November 10th …

[TN, USA] As Autumn has mentioned here, troubled trans woman Duanna Johnson was found shot to death in Memphis today. The news reports as of Monday evening …

The victim of a shooting early today in North Memphis has been identified by a local attorney as the transgendered person who was beaten by police earlier this year … Police are looking for suspects in this morning’s shooting. A witness told investigators three people ran from the scene after a shot was fired.

Shooting victim identified as person who was beaten by police

The lawyer for a transgender woman who was preparing to sue Memphis police says his client has been killed … Wells said Johnson’s family still intends to sue Memphis police because of the jailhouse beating

Lawyer: Shooting victim was woman beaten by police

A statement from the Mid-South Peace and Justice Center: “Duanna bravely confronted the Memphis Police Department officers who brutalized her while she was in police custody. At great personal cost, Duanna was the public face of our community’s campaign against racism, homophobia, and transphobia. There was no justice for Duanna Johnson in life. The Mid-South Peace & Justice Center calls for justice in the investigation and prosecution of Duanna’s murder.”

Transgender Beating Victim Found Dead in North Memphis

[IL, USA] “Even a dreary, drizzly Chicago November evening did not deter a strong crowd of at least 300 from gathering to protest the Museum of Broadcast Communications’ induction of James Dobson into the Radio Hall of Fame on Saturday at the downtown Renaissance Chicago Hotel … “They said they couldn’t do anything because he won the vote,” explained Thayer while addressing the crowd early in the evening. “At one point in the history of our country, the premiere broadcaster [of the 1930’s] was Father [Charles] Coughlin, a notorious anti-semite and racist. They did not, rightfully, choose to honor him, but unfortunately a double standard still persists in this country for haters of gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgendered people.”‘ — Chicagoans Protest Dobson’s Hall of Fame Induction

[NY, USA] ” ‘Malcolm Smith, the Queens Democrat who will be the new majority leader, appeared at ESPA’s annual Manhattan Fall Dinner last October and enthusiastically pledged to “forward” the marriage equality bill on “the first day of our session,” and to put it at “the top of the list” when discussing agenda items with the governor.’ I’m fine with that happening on the first day – so long as a bill to rectify the 2002 Gays’ and Lesbians’ Right to Discriminate Against Trans People Act (sometimes referred to as SONDA) is ‘forwarded’ first on that first day and so long as not one thing is done on the marriage bill until the bill to rectify the 2002 Gays’ and Lesbians’ Right to Discriminate Against Trans People Act has passed both houses of the legislature and has Gov. Paterson’s signature affixed to it.” — Marriage My Ass

[NY, USA] “I’m sure there were plenty of transwomen who wanted to vote in New York City who could have been profiled in this article. Or the Times could have done an article about voter apathy and used Michelle Carver as an example. So good on the Times for at least referring to Michelle Carver with female pronouns and a female honorific. But this issue deserves serious coverage, not condescending commentary on a someone who isn’t even facing the problems outlined in the beginning of the article.” — Traditional media still has trouble covering transgender issues

[USA] “In their first interview since the birth of their daughter, Susan, this past summer, Beatie and his wife, Nancy, speak candidly to Barbara Walters. Find out about the childbirth experience, how they’re raising their daughter, and what the future holds for them on “What Is a Man, What Is a Woman? Journey of a Pregnant Man” Friday on “20/20″ at 10 p.m. ET ,,, The hour also explores how gender boundaries are dissolving, and how transgender couples create families amid the social and legal complexities of this brave new world.” — Barbara Walters Exclusive: ‘Journey of a Pregnant Man’

[USA] “Today, I have no problem with my self-worth. I don’t need laws that protect my employment or include me in hate crimes legislation to justify my humanity. My self worth and humanity is based on me and me only. My renewed belief in God has also been very helpful. Trans people all over the country have come to realize that they will not relinquish their humanity to anyone. No one decided our humanity or self worth but us. Maybe our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters need to take a little lesson from the trans community when it comes to self worth. We have been put down and marginalized for such a long time and for so many reasons that we had to make peace with our humanity. We have been left out of legislation so many times that we had to build the strength within us to move on. We have seen so many trans-related bills fail that it has dampened our self worth. Yet, we keep moving forward.” — Devaluating Your Self Worth

[USA] “That is exactly how many of us feel about ”friends and neighbors” who somehow found a way to justify leaving trans people behind on ENDA. And although I hate to compare griefs the fact of the matter is that it’s all the same. Fundamental rights are fundamental rights, whether it be the right to have a job and earn a living or the right to have loving committed relationships recognized and to raise a family. Denial of both are materially harmful. No difference. Yet you made a conscious decision to harm us, Joe. You did. Perhaps you’ll recognize that you were that friend and neighbor – to me personally and to our community in general – who made that hurtful decision yet can somehow justify still being a “friend”. I hope that you recognize that the crowds still protesting the Prop. 8 outcome in cities throughout California and across the country are the same as gender variant people and allies who protest at HRC events around the country, upset with the injustice that has been forced upon us and needing to express that anger and frustration.” — What’s the Point?

[UK] The Department of Health has authorised the publication of “A guide to trans service users’ rights” (PDF here), the sixth in the series of booklets that it has commissioned the Gender Identity Research and Education (GIRES) to develop.

[Canada] “Put yourself in the place of someone who’s trying to transition. Many people simply just don’t understand why you would do that. Then add to that the realization that the APA, a socially-recognized mental health authority, considers you to be diseased, simply out of who you are. Ask yourself if you would be willing to trade a bit of your dignity for medical treatment. If not, why should anyone else have to?” — Non-normative gender is not a disease

[Sweden] “Jan-Olov Ågren, a male cross-dresser from Norrbotten in northern Sweden, has been handed a victory by the county administrative court in his bid to go by the name Madeleine. Ågren has a penchant for dressing up in women’s clothing and when he does, he likes to go by the name Madeleine, reports the Norrbottens-Kuriren newspaper. But the Swedish Tax Agency had previously rejected Ågren’s application to have his name changed to Jan-Olov Madeleine Ågren on the grounds that it’s not appropriate for a man to have a woman’s name.” — Cross-dressing Swedish man can be named Madeleine

[Peru] “In the city of Iquitos, in the Peruvian Amazon, attitudes towards gender roles and sexual orientation are comparatively relaxed. But despite the thriving gay and transvestite scene, members of the cross-dressing community, known as chivas, still face prejudice and violence. Sixteen-year-old Rober has been working as a transsexual prostitute since he was 12. Donning his girlish clothes and wig every night, he says that he’s happier on the streets than at school, despite the risks to his safety.” — Walk on the wild side: Peru

News and views for Saturday, November 8th and Sunday, November 9th …

[USA] “Those waiting to see the change in Barack Obama’s presidency can look no further than his transitional Web site. The site, which is recruiting for a new administration , bluntly states it will not discriminate based on sexual orientation or gender identity among other protections.” — Change, Already?

[USA] “After experiencing job discrimination first-hand, a Milwaukee woman decided to launch her own Web site to assist transgender individuals in finding employment with truly inclusive companies and organizations. Jillian Barfield created TJobBank.com, described as the first and only organization dedicated to providing employment services to the transgender community-a historially underemployed population. TJobBank.com launched in July, and there are several job openings already listed on the site.” — Web site finds jobs for trans individuals

[USA] “Nicole Kidman as the world’s first post-op transsexual, married to Charlize Theron? You betcha. Kidman will star in and produce “The Danish Girl,” based on the true story of Danish artists Einar and Greta Wegener. Their marriage took a sharp left turn after Einar (Kidman) stood in for an female model that Greta (Theron) was set to paint. When their portraits become wildly popular in 1920s Copenhagen, Greta encouraged her husband to adopt the female guise. What began as a harmless game led Einer to a metamorphosis and landmark 1931 operation that shocked the world and threatened their love.” — Nicole Kidman to star in ‘Danish’

[CO, USA] “The 3rd annual Transforming Gender Symposium kicked off Friday night with keynote speaker Monica Roberts and a local transgender activist panel. Roberts has been involved in transgender activism since the mid-1990s. Having transitioned 15 years ago, she is aware of many issues regarding transgender rights, with her experiences lending to a specific emphasis on “transgendered people of color.” After outlining some of the long history of the transgender community and its search for rights, Roberts brought her speech to a theme of the symposium: “The future of transgender activism.”" — Transforming Gender Symposium

[OR, USA] “As the nation’s first openly transgender mayor, Rasmussen cuts a distinct figure among his flannel-clad neighbors, from the wavy red mane, past the ample breast implants, along the maroon stockinged legs, over the crimson tips of his manicured nails and down to the size 11 black Mary Janes. “This is a place that takes you for who you are,” Rasmussen says, the sweep of his elegant hand taking in the Main Street of Silverton, population 9,588.” — Silverton gives its vote to transgendered mayor

[MI, USA] “”It was because of the fear and hate…that this issue lost,” [Hamtramck City Council member Scott} Klein said. "We're not done. We'll be back. We've got a good start and the Mayor and I are not deterred. We're ready to go for the next round." -- Hamtramck ordinance fails, supporters vow comeback

[NY, USA] “As CNN, The New York Times and Inside Edition rang her phone over and over, Genna Suraci pulled back in to the quiet of her work. People still called her Gary in those days … Fast-forward to Genna in a well-tailored pantsuit, to Saturday in a crowded Holiday Inn conference room. The people attending the LGBTQ conference (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning) have filled every table and are standing along the walls.” — A journey from he to she

[VT, USA] “People from all over the country were at UVM Saturday for the Translating Identity Conference, which focuses on transgender issues. Those who went were able to listen to speakers, sit in on discussions and visit vendors. More than 700 people signed up for the event. Last year some came from as far away as the Mid West and Canada. The event is entirely student run and is hosted by the University’s Free to Be group.” — Conference On Transgender Issues Held At UVM

[UK] ““I think we would do well to remember that Stonewall is named after a riot by drag queens. That is all I want to say.”” — Celebs split over trans protest at Stonewall Awards

[UK] From Julie Bindel writing in The Guardian, “Being nominated for an award is supposed to be a nice thing, right? Well not for me. When I was told a few weeks ago that I had been shortlisted for a journalist of the year award by the gay rights organisation Stonewall, I knew I would not win. I was certainly a worthy contender, but I knew from that moment that all hell was about to break loose.” — It’s not me. It’s you

[UK] There’s more on Julie Bindel and the Stonewall Awards protest at Sarah, Bringer of Tea and bird of paradox, among other places.

[UK] At Gender Variant Biography, “These are the mayors and mayoral candidate that I can think of. Who else should be added?” — Transgendered Mayors

[UK] The Gscene editors blog had three posts on Friday on the Natasha Thoday transgender discrimination case. — Guilty on 6 Counts!, Natasha Thoday claims tribunal victory, Natasha Thoday talks to Richard Smith about her recent discrimination cases

[Malaysia] “Several protesters walked through the city centre denouncing the National Fatwa Council’s decision against tomboys. The protesters yesterday claimed that Muslim women should have the right over how they want to express themselves or dress. Under the edict announced by the council on Oct 23, girls are forbidden to sport short hair and dress, walk and act like boys, due to recent cases of young women behaving like men and indulging in homosexual behaviour.” — Protesters denounce ruling against tomboys

[India] “A 16-year-old boy, who was kidnapped and coerced into prostitution by eunuchs after his sex was changed, was rescued by the city police on Saturday. With this arrest, the police claimed to have busted a major racket in the city.” — Boy forced to get sex changed

[International] Yesterday, November 8th, was Intersex Solidarity Day. — Barbin the hermaphrodite, Intersex Solidarity Day – An International Success

Via Andrea Brown (thanks) …

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2007/aug/01/mytransmission

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2004/jan/31/gender.weekend7

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/apr/10/gender.gayrights

http://www.transfeminism.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=46&Itemid=1

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/nov/08/lesbianism

http://zoeimogen.livejournal.com/

http://www.intersexualite.org/Bindel-trans.html

http://www.intersexualite.org/ultimate-obscenity.html

http://www.intersexualite.org/nr11.jpg

http://www.intersexualite.org/Stonegate.html

http://www.intersexualite.org/Radical.html

http://www.intersexualite.org/Stonewalling.html

http://www.intersexualite.org/Stonewall-Migraine.html

http://www.intersexualite.org/Julie-Bindel.html

http://www.intersexualite.org/Stonewalled.html

http://www.intersexualite.org/Salmacis-Trilogy.html

http://www.intersexualite.org/PFC.html

http://www.liberalconspiracy.org/2008/11/08/stonewall-demonstration-freak-power/

http://www.liberalconspiracy.org/2008/10/25/pantomime-dames/

http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9523.html

http://www.homovision.tv/the-stonewall-awards-2008-2/

http://www.lesbilicious.co.uk/campaigns-politics/150-people-protest-at-%E2%80%98transphobic%E2%80%99-stonewall-awards/

http://www.pinke.biz/news/454/2008-Stonewall-Awards-Winners-Announced/

http://www.drpetra.co.uk/blog/?p=735

http://birdofparadox.wordpress.com/2008/11/06/stonewall-was-a-riot/

http://auntysarah.livejournal.com/

http://auntysarah.livejournal.com/169831.html

http://auntysarah.livejournal.com/170163.html

http://www.transfeminism.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=46&Itemid=1

http://www.transfeminism.org.uk/stonewall/

http://www.transfeminism.org.uk/Stonewall.pdf

http://rozk.livejournal.com/229383.html

http://www.eurotrib.com/?op=displaystory;sid=2008/11/7/15210/4257

http://www.flickr.com/photos/1queer1/sets/72157608714712844/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/blahflowers/archives/date-posted/2008/11/07/

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=OOHcV5yu0Ys

http://www.pfc.org.uk/node/1540

http://www.pfc.org.uk/audio/download/1540/R5L-Bindel.mp3

http://www.pfc.org.uk/node/1544

http://www.pfc.org.uk/audio/download/1544/Hecklers2.mp3

http://podcast.plain-sense.co.uk/2008/10/17/lunch-with-julie-bindel/

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=34046747524

http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=34046747524&topic=5148

http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=34046747524&topic=5137

http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=34046747524&topic=5143

http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=34046747524&topic=5099

http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=34046747524&topic=5093

http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=34046747524&topic=5141

http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=34046747524&topic=5090

http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=34046747524&topic=5110

http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=34046747524&topic=5098

http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=34046747524&topic=5095

http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=34046747524&topic=5101

http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=34046747524&topic=5084

http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=34046747524&topic=5079

http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=34046747524&topic=4978

http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=34046747524&topic=4981

http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=34046747524&topic=5065

http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=34046747524&topic=4953

http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=34046747524&topic=4991

http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=34046747524&topic=4961

http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=34046747524&topic=4915

http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=34046747524&topic=5074

http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=34046747524&topic=4949

News and views for Friday, November 7th …

[OR, USA] “This election marked the first African-American President. The first time in 40 years an Oregon Senate candidate beat an incumbent Senator. And in tiny Silverton, Oregon, residents have elected the man who’s believed to be the first ever openly transgender mayor in the United States.” — Transgender Man Elected Mayor of Silverton

[OR, USA] From Radical Russ at Pam’s House Blend, “Now things get tricky, because Rasmussen was born male but looks female but identifies male, while other transgendered people I know were born male but look female but identify as female. I’m all for everybody being themselves, but it sure makes communications with gender-specific pronouns a little difficult.” — Silverton, Oregon, elects nation’s first openly-transgender mayor

[GA, USA] “Doraville became the third metro-area city to include gender identification in its nondiscrimination statement with a unanimous vote on Nov. 3. The city not only expanded its nondiscrimination policies to cover transgender workers, but also approved a set of policies that detail how a city employee seeking to transition genders should proceed.” — Doraville approves transgender protections

[MI, USA] “Glenn [of the American Family Association of Michigan] believes the victory is something political candidates can latch onto in the future. “The results in Hamtramck, Michigan, ought to be a wake-up call to Republicans who are now going to be casting about for issues that are consistent with the party’s platform but also appeal to minorities and Democrats,” Glenn concludes.” — Michigan town turns back ‘gay rights’ ordinance

[USA] “Discrimination against transgender workers, of course, doesn’t end with this [Schroer] ruling, no matter how groundbreaking it is. Trans-related employment discrimination cases have been on the rise, a “side effect of visibility as more and more transgender people come out,” Thaler says. “The upside is judges are finally starting to understand this discrimination is very real — and with this case and others, we now have a good legal argument to stop it.”” — Sex. Gender. Employment Discrimination

[USA] “If Jesse Ream has her way, terms like “men’s sports” and “women’s hoops” will one day seem as archaic as leather football helmets and basketball bloomers do now. Everyone who plays sports is an athlete, Ream says; separating them arbitrarily by gender is unfair and close-minded … Ream now identifies as transgender or genderqueer. Though female-bodied, she usually passes as a man. Since age 3, Ream has been called Jesse, not Jessica. She wore her brother’s clothes and played with his friends, and no one cared. Ream has no pronoun preference, advising people to use whichever words feel most comfortable to them.” — Putting the “T” into athletics

[USA] “One thing we can learn from the history of DSD treatment is that “common-sense” assumptions don’t always apply in these unique cases. Currently, practitioners who recommend elective surgery for children with DSDs rely on the belief that parental consent is sufficient authorization. However, given the medical, legal and ethical complexity of the decisions involved, it may be time to reconsider the entire decision-making process, beginning with who should be at the table.” — Medical decision-making and the child with a DSD

[Canada] “Though being white and heterosexual are commonly understood to carry privilege, most people wouldn’t consider transsexuality to be all that sweet a deal. The most accurate summation I’ve heard for the transsexual experience is that “it sucks.” But it sucks only insofar as there continues to be no space for transsexuality within a system that only recognizes two genders. In itself, though, transsexuality is a gift, recognized in some cultures as an evolved state of being — housing both a female and a male spirit, and having the ability to see the world from two perspectives at once. This is privilege.” — Tapping into trans-feminism

[UK] “The decision to nominate Guardian journalist Julie Bindel for a Stonewall Award has angered some in the trans community, and a picket of tonight’s ceremony has been widely trailed on the internet as a wider protest against “LGB transphobia.” London Transfeminist Group said they are expecting a large crowd of protesters. They assert that Ms Bindel’s articles are transphobic.” — Trans protest at Stonewall Awards faces feminist counter-demo

[UK] “The Journalist of the Year award went to Dr Miriam Stoppard of the Daily Mirror.” — “Gay Cure” MP Iris Robinson voted Bigot of the Year at Stonewall Awards

[UK] There’s more on Julie Bindel and the Stonewall Award at Southern Voice, blahflowers and especially bird of paradox.

[UK] A press release from Zoe O’Connell at London Transfeminism Group about the Stonewall Awards ceremony can be read here. — Trans rights protest is the largest ever in the UK

[UK] From Sophia Siedlberg of OII, “If there is one thing I have learned recently from the Bindel-Stonewall controversy, it is that there are generation gaps when it comes to activism. I think it was when Christine Burns of Press for Change did her “Just Plain Sense” podcast with Julie Bindel that I became aware of this. It seems to have transpired that it is most probable that Christine Burns and Stephen Whittle had a lot to do with Julie Bindel’s nomination for the “Journalist of the year” award. It is public knowledge that they were very supportive of Julie Bindel. I just don’t know if they actually had any part in actually nominating her.” — Observation of a “Press to avoid Stagnation”

[India] “The transsexuals in India lead a miserable life. The society shuns and looks down upon them. They are often made fun of and are also sexually harassed. However, the government has hardly taken any steps to remedy the problem.” — Their cup of woe overflows

[India] “Human rights activists held a demonstration here Friday to protest the harassment of eunuchs by Bangalore police last month.The activists submitted a memorandum to the Karnataka Resident Commissioner here, demanding action against policemen who arrested five eunuchs from a traffic signal on Oct 20 without levelling any charge and later harassed them.” — Rights activists protest harassment of eunuchs by police

[Turkey] “In a cramped makeshift theatre in Istanbul, a Kurd in a purple dress titillates the audience with the story of how he was born a man but found he was a woman. During his act, Esmeray wields a sharp tongue to expose the systematic violence faced by fellow transvestites. “I am a Kurd, a transvestite and a feminist, so I am screwed all round,” he says.” — Gender-benders: Transvestites test the limits of Turkey’s tolerance

Alex Blaze is doing “Rebel Girl” by Bikini Kill (which reminds me of this photo which I saved for I’m not sure what reason some time back) at Bilerico Project. Check it out there.

No, this is Otis Redding’s rendition of “A Change Is Gonna Come” and the only really “queer” thing here is why it took so long …

News and views for Thursday, November 6th …

[Australia] “Dr Hamid, of Glenroy, is standing trial in the Victorian County Court for eight sex-related charges including rape, sexual penetration of a cognitively impaired person by a provider of medical services and indecent assault.” — Doctor ‘raped suicidal transsexual’

[Turkey] “Discrimination: The legislation about discrimination does not include the sexual discrimination. The lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transsexuals and transvestites still face the charges of the “indecent exposure” and the “acts against public morality.” Lambdaistanbul, the organization that embraces individuals with sexual preferences other than heterosexuality, was closed by the Istanbul Governor. The discrimination against the gays in the military service is still strong. Transsexuals suffer attacks. The homophobic violence easily turns into sexual violence. Investigations are needed in these areas.” — The European Union Report Points To Lack Of Reforms In Turkey

[Canada] Toronto Sun fashion columnist Derick Chetty takes singer Kate (“I Kissed a Girl”) Perry to task for “ugly behavior” at a charitable benefit: ” … the pretty chanteuse who when on the red carpet, exclaimed rather loudly when she saw Enza “Supermodel” Anderson, “Oh, you’re a man!” The popular transgendered columnist for Metro and a fixture on the social scene in Toronto, said his heart sank when he heard her. “I felt like a freak of nature at this gay event,” he said. “Did this woman not know that there were going to be transgendered persons, drag queens, gays and lesbians at this event?” — Fashion Cares at Monster’s Ball

[Canada] A feature in The Martlet (the independent weekly student newspaper at the University of Victoria in Victoria, British Columbia) on the Transgender Day of Remembrance: “Turje emphasizes that the more we interrogate the ways gender controls our lives, the more we will be able to imagine a world where we will have the freedom to express all sides of ourselves without fear. If there is a message that the bodies of the 237 speak, a lesson in this long history of gender violence, then surely this is it. History needs to claim no further souls to make its message clear. By the light of the candles on Nov. 20, may a prayer be said and a determination made for the 237 to rest in peace at last.” — Remembered and celebrated

[USA] Human Rights Campaign (HRC) president Joe Solmonese “said hate crimes legislation, which passed in the House and Senate last year but was dropped from a defense authorization bill before final passage, would potentially be an easier victory in the short term, since lawmakers in both chambers have passed it and Obama has announced his support for the measure. ENDA would require more work, Solmonese said; last year the House passed a non-transgender-inclusive version of the bill, and the Senate has not yet voted on it, so there would be more work needed to build support for it in both chambers.” — What can we expect from an Obama administration?

[USA] The Washington Blade runs down the “mixed” results of Tuesday’s election. — Polis becomes 3rd openly gay member of Congress

[USA] An interesting item of (trans)Americana, “The Female Teamster – a girl in men’s attire was taken from the Bowery Theatre, New York – on her examination, it appeared she had been driven from home by her step-father’s cruelty and changed her dress to make a better life – lived out in the capacity of a servant boy, clerk, followed boating on the canal, driving team, etc – she states that situated as she is, without friends, she prefers her present dress as she is far more healthy than she formerly was and is enabled the better to gain her livelihood.” — New TG Archive Acquisition: 1828 TG Newspaper

[IL, USA] Reeling 2008 (The 27th Chicago Lesbian & Gay International Film Festival), the second oldest gay and lesbian film festival in the country, starts today. Among the festival’s showings — Trinidad, SqueezeBox!, a collection of shorts including Playing with Gender, and Out Late.

[FL, USA] From Palm Beach County, Florida, the county school board “is seeking to exceed the requirements of a new anti-bullying policy, mandated by state law, to specifically prohibit harassing students who believe they were born the wrong gender and those who may be perceived as being too masculine or too feminine for their gender.” — School board to expand protections for gay students

[TX, USA] In the San Antonio Express-News today, “4.67 implies that federal law, including Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, outlaws employment decisions based on sexual orientation or gender identity. The fact is Title VII does not outlaw employment decisions based on sexual orientation or gender identity. However, one unelected person has issued an edict to protect sexual orientation, a decision far beyond what is required by law.” — City manager overstepping her bounds

[MI, USA] Zoe Brain comments on election day in Hamtramck, Michigan: “”We don’t want any group to get special freedom and discriminate ourselves,” said Akm Rahman, co-chairman of Hamtramck Citizens Voting No to “Special Rights.” “This is unnecessary. We have a lot of other things that need to be done (such as) taxes, crime and economic development. Those are more important issues.” And yet it’s important enough to get a ballot specifically to remove existing Human Rights. We understand. Michigan, by the way, voted 57:41 for Obama. Some issues transcend Blue and Red.” — In Other News…

[USA] From Jillian Weiss, “Personally, I am strongly committed to moving ENDA forward, as workplace equality is my area of professional expertise, and a subject about which I have profound feelings. I am putting aside my hard feelings and concentrating on catching the ball. I hope that advocates of marriage equality do the same. Yes, we got dinged. Now let’s pick ourselves up and dust ourselves off and get back to work.” — ENDA, marriage equality and moving the ball forward

[USA] Via Curtis Hinkle of OII, OII is launching its site in Chinese as part of their commemoration of Intersex Solidarity Day. For more information on activities worldwide to celebrate Intersex Solidarity Day, November 8th, see here.

News and views for Wednesday, November 5th …

[IA, USA] On Monday, the Burlington, Iowa City Council, which was considering adding language to to the city code that would bar discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identification, “decided to leave it to the state of Iowa to add sexual orientation and gender identity as protected classes under city code.” — City speeds up work on train crossings

[MI, USA] In Hamtramck, Michigan residents “on Tuesday repealed a controversial human rights ordinance that’s less than a year old. But after voters approved eliminating the ordinance by a wide margin, Councilman Scott Klein, who introduced the measure, said he’s considering bringing the measure back. The ordinance, approved by the City Council in January, bans discrimination in areas such as housing, employment and city contracts. It includes protection for sexual orientation and gender identity or expression.” — Hamtramck repeals discrimination ban

[NY, USA] The prospects for enacting the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act (GENDA) protecting transgender New Yorkers were likely improved last night with Democrats gaining control of the state senate. — Democrats Are Poised to Control Albany

[NY, USA] Michelle Carver, a resident of Carmen’s Place, was not able to vote yesterday. — Fighting for the Rights of Transgender Voters

[OR, USA] “The woman at the center of a gender debate in Payette continues to speak out about what she feels is an assault on her rights as a transgendered woman, though jail officials feel that housing her in what they refer to as the “unisex” area of the jail is within their rights as law enforcement officers.” — Transgender woman continues to speak out

[PA, USA] From last Friday’s Philadelphia Gay News, the latest on the Nizah Morris case: “A contingent of the Police Advisory Commission met with representatives of the District Attorney’s office this week to urge compliance with the PAC’s subpoena of records related to the homicide of Nizah Morris. “Members of the Police Advisory Commission met with the D.A.’s office today [Oct. 28], and we will reconvene as a commission on Nov. 12, to further discuss the matter,” said William M. Johnson, executive director of the PAC. He said the Nov. 12 meeting will be open to the public after a closed-door executive session is held.” — PAC presses D.A. on Morris case

[USA] “It’s almost become de rigueur in daytime television for shows to have an episode devoted to transgender and gender non-conforming children and youth, so the TransActive staff wasn’t too surprised when we heard that “Dr. Phil” was planning to air such an episode. While initially optimistic the show could reach out to families that might not otherwise have the opportunity to learn about trans youth issues, we were, in the end, sorely disappointed.” — Dr. Phil’s “Gender Confused Children”

[Japan] “Beyonce Knowles’ Japananese trip to promote her new single took an interesting turn when she got to meet a devoted transvestite tribute band. The singer appeared on Japanese TV last night where she performed with Yajima Beauty Salon, a comedy musical troupe styled on the singer’s hit film Dreamgirls. The Japanese drag queens floated around the screen behind Beyonce as she gave her interview, repeatedly referring to her as their ‘sister.’ After the show Beyonce praised the performers saying,”You are all amazing.”" — Beyonce Knowles Meets Her Transvestite Fans

[New Zealand] With an election upcoming this Saturday, GLBT New Zealanders should bear in mind that “there are still issues affecting the lives of glbt individuals which require positive leadership in Parliament. For instance, equal adoption rights for same-sex couples, the striking down of the ‘gay panic’ defense, anti-discrimination protection and the tidying up of official identity procedures for transgenders, and the still difficult to define ‘hate speech’ and ‘hate crimes’ issues.” — Gay Vote08: Coverage and absences

[UK] “An unprecedented protest is to be staged on Thursday outside the £125-a-head “champagne and canape reception” for the Stonewall awards at the V&A Museum in London by transgender groups, who will be joined by gay and lesbian activists. They are outraged at the nomination of what they call “the notoriously transphobic Guardian writer Julie Bindel” for Stonewall’s Journalist of the Year award – and the silence from established ‘trans’ campaigning groups.” — Transgender Groups to Protest at High Profile London Awards Ceremony Against Stonewall “Bigotry”

[India] “They are not welcome in restaurants; auto drivers dont take them; passengers refuse to sit near them in buses; walking down the street is tough; getting a passport or opening a bank account is almost impossible and they are randomly picked up by the police and beaten mercilessly. Their crime not fitting into the gender roles society has determined.” — In their scarred world…

News and views for Tuesday, November 4th …

[USA] “The queen is dead. The drag queen, that is. Bridget Nickles, aka Anthony Jarrell, died last week of weariness after an illustrious career as a female impersonator. She was 25.” — Life becomes too much of a drag for this queen

[USA] “Kate Bornstein didn’t go through with her sex change operation with the intention of tackling gender theory. “No, I went through my gender change with the intention of being pretty,” the artist and author said at a performance last year at Virginia Commonwealth University. “I never set out to deconstruct a gender binary. I didn’t have a clue of what that is. I just wanted to be a pretty girl.”” — Kate Bornstein: ‘Don’t Be Mean’

[India] “Bharathidasan University has come forward to offer free education and job training to bring about academic and economic inclusion of transgenders … ” — Transgenders to get free education

[Israel] “Israelis placed in a witness protection program will be able to have cosmetic surgery to change their appearance, but will not be allowed to claim that they have a new religious identity or to undergo a sex change, according to a bill to be brought before the Knesset plenum for its second and third readings this week.” — As Knesset approves bill, witness protection program makes aliyah

[USA] “At Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, surgeon Howard Snyder says he and his colleagues repair the genitalia of roughly 300 baby boys every year – about double what they did when he started his practice 30 years ago … Snyder suspects that while in the womb, some of these boys may have been affected by hormone-disrupting chemicals called phthalates, found in dozens of consumer products … Phthalates fall into a group of chemicals called endocrine disruptors because they either mimic or block the action of human hormones. Phthalates interfere with the synthesis of testosterone. Bisphenol A, another controversial chemical that is found in plastics, can mimic female hormones.” — Male, interrupted

[UK] “A Muslim doctor who claimed homosexuals ‘prey on society’ was guilty of misconduct by undermining confidence in the Islamic medical community, a disciplinary panel ruled yesterday. Dr Muhammad Siddiq, at the time president of the Islamic Medical Association, wrote to a GPs’ magazine accusing homosexuals of spreading disease and said they needed to feel ‘the stick of the law’. He also branded transsexuals ‘twisted’.” — Top Muslim doctor suspended for saying ‘transsexuals are twisted and society needs protection from gays’

[VT, USA] “The University of Vermont will be hosting the sixth annual Translating Identity Conference on Saturday at the Davis Center. The conference is a free, student-run, non-profit conference focusing on transgender communities and gender identities. The conference is open to the public to help further educate all about gender.” — Gender identity conference planned at UVM

[USA] ““Our goal, after a very long and tough Presidential campaign, is just to have a little fun with our studio audience and viewers at home,” Povich says. “Maury” returned this fall for its 11th season. The show continues to deliver more than 3 million viewers per episode and finished the 2007/2008 season as the second youngest-skewing talk show (behind only “The Tyra Banks Show”).” — Maury Povich’s Transgender Election

[UK] “This document gives practical best practice advice for NHS organisations to address their responsibilities relating to trans employment and healthcare delivery.” — Trans: a practical guide for the NHS

[Canada] “There are many schools of feminist thought, and many divergences in trans philosophy as well. I’m not trying to paint all feminism as an “enemy” when I know the two concepts can be resolved and have comfortably done so for my own personal perspective, as have many others. But there are times — such as the current debate featuring the writings of Julie Bindel and an associated journalism nomination — when certain branches choose to set themselves up in an adversarial position.” — Julie Bindel and the Trans vs. Feminism Tug-of War

[UK] “I have written on Julie Bindel before, and of course she is the cause of an outcry from transsexuals etc because she has been short-listed by Stonewall UK for an Award as Journalist of the Year. She has issued a statement in reaction to this outcry in which she cites the case of Claudia again. I, and I think most transsexuals, feel that Bindel is incapable of understanding us, and wish that she would stop writing about us. Her current statement contains reactions from transsexual and intersex persons, some of whom are well known activists. The statement is worth reading, but do continue on through the comments, and notice that initially Bindel responds, but then doesn’t. Many of the most salient points elicit only silence from her.” — Claudia (1958 – ) opera singer, drag performer

[USA] “What I’ve learned … is that coming out as a transgender person often times has a much greater impact on one’s finances than coming out as a gay person. In a way, it seems like the workplace treats the trans community today much like the treatment of the gay community thirty years ago.” — Back to Mike: Money, Career, Transitioning and Tolerance

[UK] “All I ever originally wanted was a safe space for people like me and trans folks as well. Was that too much to ask? Well, it seems so, doesn’t it?” — All I ever wanted

[Europe] “The Steering Committee of Transgender Europe lends its support to the joint statement of May 28, 2008 issued by the American organizations National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE), the Transgender Law and Policy Institute (TLPI), the Transgender Law Center (TLC) and the Transgender Youth Family Allies (TYFA) … We, the Steering Committee, are firmly of the conviction that the stigmatization, which in part is grounded in the mistaken assumption that gender variance is prima facie a medical disorder, is discriminatory … ” — TGEU Statement on DSM/ICD-Revision

News and views for Sunday, November 2nd …

[UK] Julie Bindel responded yesterday to criticisms over the past month (Autumn, Blah Flowers, Helen G, Lisa Harney, Sophia Siedlberg and OII, among many others) from the trans and intersex communities to her nomination for Stonewall’s Journalist of the Year award. — Julie Bindel’s statement

[USA] Tuesday, November 4th is Election Day. Please remember to Lose Weight Exercise your right to vote — if you have not already done so. If you feel you’ve experienced discrimination based upon gender identity or expression at the polls, you may wish to give the Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund a call. — Protecting Your Right to Vote

[MD, USA] “What’s next in Maryland on gay rights? We’re continuing to push for a statewide gender identity anti-discrimination measure. If people knew how blatant discrimination was against transgender individuals, they wouldn’t even believe it.” — 5 years of substance, meaning

[Thailand] “Although gender reassignment surgery has been a big business in Thailand for many years, both of the two doctors interviewed said they did not perform these procedures.” — Towards a more perfect world

[Philippines] “Can a hermaphrodite (and I use the word loosely) choose its sex? Yes, said our venerable Supreme Court. In the aptly-titled case of Cagandahan vs. Republic of the Philippines, Jennifer Cagandahan asked the court to change her sex, as indicated in her birth certificate, from female to male. Surprisingly, despite its very recent pronouncement a few months back that a man (Rommel), who had gone sex re-assignment surgery, could not petition for his sex to be changed from male to female, this time, the Supreme Court gave the go-signal.” — Mighty hermaphrodite

[USA] “The Noughties have been an outstanding time for literary hoaxes … But the best – the most extravagant, most starry, most decadent – literary hoax de nos jours, was committed in the name of JT LeRoy.” — This is the woman who played the man who became a transsexual and fooled the world for six years

[USA] “All she had to do was act the part of a young boy — a transgender truck-stop prostitute turned author — for a few hours so a magazine photographer could snap some pics. You know the rest. Knoop didn’t stop with one performance.” — Girl, Interrupted: Memoir offers a new angle on hoax

[USA] Ethan St.Pierre’s Radical Trannies radio talk show returns this Sunday evening (8:00 PM ET here in the U.S.), with Ethan interviewing singer-songwriter Cathy Worthley and speech-language pathologist Kathe Perez. — LIVE! Tonight, Sunday November 2, 2008 on TransFM

News and views for Saturday, November 1st …

[USA] This Tuesday, November 4th, there will be a more important (no, this is not my opinion) election than that one involving Barack Obama and John McCain, and I see that early voting is still available. — Maury Povich marks Election Day in typically classy fashion

[USA] Another “vote,” as it were. Read the original Bossip post on “Single Ladies” here … “A Bossip source has revealed that the man in drag in the “Single Ladies” video might actually have a vagina. Peep the pic with formerly accused “snake-stuffing” choreographer, Jaquel Knight, and the mystery gendered dancer. We’ll let you be the judge as to whether she has to stand or sit to pee.” — Update in the Single Tranny Files

[UK] From the ongoing medical disciplinary hearing of Dr. Muhammad Siddiq, “Anthony Lithgow testified that the GP thought homosexuality should be illegal, gender reassignment surgery is a waste of money and gays “prey on society.”" — Doctor accused of homophobia storms out of disciplinary hearing

[UK] “Highlights include Somewhere In Between, which traces the formation of an Asian girl’s androgynous identity through documenting real life images with first person voice over narration, and Two-Spirited People, an documentary about historical and contemporary Native American concepts of gender, sexuality and sexual orientation.” — London hosts its first trans film festival

[UK] More on the London film festival, “The festival is about trans awareness and education, it’s about non-violence and getting away from the narrow definition of gender, it shows us how to accept difference, diversity and love for each other and how that creates freedom and true happiness, that we actually can all get along together.” — Interview: Docu-porn, transfeminism and cafe parties at London film fest

[USA] “Then there are the sexuality experts who continue to espouse the notion that homosexuality has a biological cause. They insist sexual orientation is genetic and innate. A person, they say, is born homosexual, bisexual or transsexual and there is nothing anyone can do about it. Ask any of these sexuality experts to produce one definitive study (note the word ‘definitive’) to back up their claims and all you will get is stammering.” [Good thing one's "faith" is real definitive, huh?] — Lay those experts end-to-end!

[DC, USA] “In the past couple of years there have been several failed attempts to repeal gender identity non-discrimination policies in jurisdictions where they have already passed. Washington, Colorado, Oregon, and Maryland are the most recent and most public sites of our victories preventing such repeals. But now we face a different, much quieter and subtler threat in Washington D.C.” — DC Set to Rollback Trans Rights

[MD, USA] Congratulations to Marisa … “Marisa Richmond, president of the Tennessee Transgender Political Coalition (TTPC), has received the 2008 Baltimore Black Pride Chairwoman’s ICON Award for her years of work toward advancing GLBT-issues. She accepted the award in Baltimore, Md., on Oct. 11.” — TTPC president awarded by Baltimore Black Pride

[USA] “Gender stands, or perhaps sits, as an invisible, and also constantly visible, aspect of our lives. We cannot walk the street, attend the cinema or theater, ride a trolley or buy a gallon of milk at the grocery or convenience-store without someone, maybe everyone, gendering us.” — Deconstructing Gender: Diversity and Exclusion

[USA] “Nobody should be afraid of their body. I knew I was “different” but had no idea what this difference was, or how to verbalize it to anyone. This was most likely due to the fact that I did not see any role models or have examples to learn from on how to handle the issues I was facing.” — Living with P.A.I.S.

[USA] “As the complexities of my brother’s transition threaten his newfound tranquillity, my whole family has turned to the sea horse to give us perspective. It’s easier for me to think about the unimaginably tough choices my brother has had to make if I can crack jokes with him about pregnant sea horse fathers bucking the gender binary from the depths of the ocean.” — The Sea Horse, Our Family Mascot