It seems I’m always posting “bathroom news” at Transgender News, most recently various news and commentary on the flap involving the women-only gym in St. Catharines, Ontario.

Well, we should be seeing quite a bit more “bathroom news” shortly.

Coming up on March 24th, voters in Gainesville, Florida will decide whether “sexual orientation” and “gender identity or expression” remain protected in the city’s anti-discrimination ordinance.

A while back, as a means to convince (flimflam) the citizens of Gainesville that they should strip gay and transgender citizens of their civil rights, Citizens for Good Public Policy chose to turn this into a “Keep Men out of Women’s Restrooms” fight and aired their now infamous television commercial, “The Pervert.”

“The Pervert” is longer available on YouTube (you can see that if you try to play it here).  The other day though a reader of Transgender News pointed out to me a “commercial” (by Ed) that is available on YouTube, one which seems timely and topical …

“The Corzine administration also announced a new regulation allowing transgender New Jerseyans would to provide an affidavit of their gender identity to get the Motor Vehicle Commission to change the gender on their license to drive.  In the past, the state had required gender reassignment surgery.”  (NJ Politicker)

I was fortunate enough to be in attendance at the Garden State Equality Legends Dinner as a guest of Mark Beckwith, the Episcopal Bishop of the Diocese of Newark, and I must say it was quite the affair.  No way I could have afforded the ticket prices – and I work for a living!  I actually heard about this little bit of very good news through one of the television reporters that was there covering the event.  Luminaries abounded – two governors – Corzine and McGreevey, a multitude of state legislators, led by one of the LGBT community’s biggest supporters – Loretta Weinberg, and celebrities such as Fran Drescher, Judith Light, George Takei and Andrea McArdle.  

To the point Autumn made on PHB, it is true that the Governor’s remarks in support of the Marriage Equality bill are not new, but it was nice to hear in a room of about 800 or so, that counted most – if not all – of the bill’s co-sponsors among the attendees.  Steven Goldstein, the chair of Garden State Equality, has always been a strong supporter of the transgender community and was an instrumental player in getting the trans-equality bill passed in New Jersey two years ago.

As someone who had to first deal with changing my name, but not my gender marker on my license, and then going back after my GRS with surgeon’s letter in hand to do it all over again, it is wonderful news that no one has to deal with that any longer.  Yes, as a born and raised Jersey Girl I am proud that the majority of the legislators in my state “get it”.

So, Autumn – when you moving here???  :o)

(Also Posted at Pam’s House Blend . . .)

Ford, GM, Chrysler, um, no  … Beaver … coming back in Detroit …

In a stunning sign of ecological recovery, beavers have returned to Detroit for the first time in perhaps a century.

Leave it to beaver to prove river cleaner

A propitious omen, no doubt.

As the NYT obit says, “she helped redefine rock ’n’ roll femininity” back in the 60s … big hair, short skirts … and a sad, sad life.

I just finished reading Ethan St. Pierre’s blog on the recently held IFGE conference in Washington, D.C., and I wholeheartedly agree with his characterizations.  You can talk all you want about how lighter-than-usual the attendance was, but once the Board found itself locked into a poor time slot (February in D.C., are you kidding me?) the decision was made to make the most of it – and to Denise LeClair’s much-deserved credit, the conference went on.

Was it smaller than past IFGE conferences?  Of course it was.  We can thank, to some degree at least, the economy and the  aforementioned time of the year (it was a balmy 14 degrees when my partner Mari and I pulled into the hotel on Thursday morning).  Was the hotel less than perfect?  Not at all.  Actually, the Hilton at Mark Center was quite nice, albeit a bit spacious for a conference of 125 or so.  Were there not enough workshops?  Hardly.  There were well over 60 sessions – the same as at any past IFGE conference -  with a wide array of topics and speakers.  Did any noteworthy speakers show up?  Of course they did, why wouldn’t they?  Because it was too cold??  Diego Sanchez, Mara Keisling, Phyllis Frye, Kelley Winters, Denise Leclair, Bree Hartlage, Yvonne Cook-Riley and myself took turns at the podium during the conference.  As did the very-deserving Trinity Award winners for 2009 – Lisa Mottet, Spencer Bergsted and Gunner Scott.

But an interesting thing happened in Alexandria that I never felt at any conference I attended before.  A  sense of togetherness and camaraderie seemed to permeate the proceedings.  It was present everywhere, from the luncheons and dinners, to the workshops and to the lobby bar each afternoon and evening.  It’s a bit hard to explain, but I believe it had much to do with the intimate nature of this year’s gathering.  The attendees, more than at previous conferences, seemed to be there with a purpose, with a sincere desire to connect with one another for the greater good of the transgender community.  Work was being done.  Relationships were forged.  There existed a profound positive energy, a feeling of connectedness.

This feeling carried over to the IFGE Board meeting where Bree Hartlage was installed as the new Chair along with Andrea Von Kaenel as Vice Chair and new Director Allyson Robinson.  While we adjourned with a renewed mission, the entire IFGE Board understands that it cannot end there.  Quite the contrary.  We have to go out and back up what we say – to have our actions as a Board and as an organization align with what we say we’re going to do.  And it’s not just about putting on a dynamite conference once a year.  Yes, that is hugely important, but IFGE cannot be a one-trick pony, and we do not intend to be.  We have to be much more than that to a community that can clearly benefit from our collective actions.  
 
So, do we run off half-crazed in an effort to prove our relevance to the transgender community?  Not at all.  A mindful approach to the task ahead, with clear and consistent direction from the Chair, as well as shared accountability across all the officers, directors and comittees - will ultimately carry the day for IFGE.

Well, not exactly, but I can’t help but believe that one of “the usual suspects” will put some of that spin on this news story …

COEUR D’ALENE – Police in the Lake City are investigating a reported rape on North Idaho College’s campus involving a cross-dressing man who attacked a student in a bathroom.

Coeur d’Alene police are not commenting on their investigation at this point only to say they do not feel students are not in danger because the victim said she knew her attacker.

NIC student Janea Kelso heard about the alleged rape from a friend who got an emergency alert on her phone.

“It’s scary considering this is a small school,” Kelso said.

The text message said a man dressed as a woman was hiding in the first floor bathroom of the Meyer Health and Science Building and raped a woman last Friday. Kelso says teachers warned female students to be careful.

“They just said be careful when leaving class go in buddy system,” she said.

The victim told police she knows the rapist, who is described as being white with brown hair and is clean shaven. The attacker is 48-years-old and is not an NIC student. Police are not releasing the man’s name and no one has been arrested

NIC administrators notified students of the attack and said security officers are watching for suspicious people but they are not adding additional patrols.

“We have no indication since this was according to police someone known to her, we don’t believe nor does our security or police that is someone looking for targets at this time but still urging everyone to be vigilant,” NIC vice president John Martin said.

Police have declined comment on the case but did say that a rapist is not roaming the streets.

Students on guard after alleged rape at NIC

Danae (my callow alter ego) has been on a roll this past week …

(Speaking of lost, I’m “not dead, justing resting” here at The Heights … family illness and caregiving have left me a bit stessed and down in the dumps.)

In the mode as a credentialed new media reporter for Pam’s House Blend, I’ll be heading up to Los Angeles early tomorrow morning to cover the Equality Summit. It’s billed as follows:

The Equality Summit is a gathering of community leaders committed to winning back marriage equality in California to network, share information and resources, and plan next steps.

You can read about the goals of the Equality Summit here.

Personally, I’m extremely pleased to see in the schedule that I there is a transgender interest/constituency group listed for the 11:30 AM breakout session. About to the same level that I’m pleased seeing the transgender specific breakout session, I’m concerned that I don’t see the phrase lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender used anywhere in the description, goals, or anywhere else on the webpage for the summit.

My concern stems from the lesson I took away from watching the film Milk: The LGBT community must be visible with our identifications in our political campaigns, and seeing that the phrase lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender is used in our campaigns is paramount. The lack of on the phrase lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender on the summit’s webpage seems like a huge omission.

To me, clarity matters; inclusivity matters; and language matters.

There are going to be a lot of mainstream and new media reporters at the event who are likely going to do a good job in covering the main thrusts of the Equality Summit. As someone who identifies and transsexual and transgender, I’m going to cover from a very militantly trans and you-”leaders”-better-say-the-phrase-lesbian-gay-bisexual-and-transgender perspective.

How I’m going to report goes to the core of what blogging is — new media reporting is reporting with a visible agenda.

I’ve been preparing for the summit this week. For those who follow my tweets on twitter, you know that I recently bought a new RCA Small Wonder just for covering events like the Equality Summit. I’ve been trying to figure out today who I want to get one or two minute interviews with, and what’s the one or two questions I’m going to ask all of those folk I have an opportunity to get on camera.

And hey, I like even steamed the wrinkles out of two blouses for wearing tomorrow! — I haven’t decided whether to go with a light blue or a white blouse. Hardly a world-shattering decision to make on blouses to wear, but I really do need to look somewhat professional at the summit.

It’s going to be a really long day, Saturday. The summit starts at 7:45 AM PST, and is scheduled to close at 7:30 PM. Add to it a 2-1/2 to 3 hour drive each direction from San Diego.

So hopefully I’ll have some interviews and a report or two from the summit up tomorrow. If not, Sunday for sure we’ll have something up.

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Related:
* January Prop 8-related summit will restrict media access?
* Wockner: Equality Summit drops restrictions on media
* Taking A Short Break To Think About Freedom To Marry
* Writing A Toast; Being A Maid Of Honor
* Marriage Equality Beyond Just Gays And Lesbians

Reality doesn’t want reality when it comes to trans people. Note this RealityWanted.com casting call, entitled Talk Show Casting for Transexuals & Drag Queens (emphasis added):

Are you an over the top drag queen who performs in nightclubs??

Are you new to the drag scene??

Are you or do you know of an over the top transexual who would like to share their story on TV?

If you said yes to any of the questions please reply with a recent pic, contact information, and a brief description of what you do.

“Over the top transsexual who would like to share their story on TV” seems to me to be a euphemistic way of asking for “freak” trans people to exploit and mock.

I’m dismayed and discusted by the idea that an “Emmy Award Winning Talk Show” isn’t looking for trans people with real experiences to talk to; they’re looking for “reality show” trans people they can point to as freaks. Considering how many trans people have trouble finding housing and employment, and how many have been violently killed and listed on the Remembering Our Dead list — in large part due to the societal stigma associated with being trans — having this kind of a casting call to search for trans people to exploit and laugh at is absolutely unconscionable.

I wish the casting call listed exactly which “Emmy Award Winning Talk Show” was making the pitch — I’d like to have a chat with the show’s host and the show’s producer about the abysmal blackness of their souls.

As I think about race and racism during the week of President-elect Obama’s Inauguration and the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, I’m stuck that Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) has released a report entitled Shared Differences: The Experiences of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Students of Color in Our Nation’s Schools. The report looks at student experiences at intersections of race, sexual orientation, and gender identity.

As many of us already suspected was true, ethnic minorities who also indentify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender experienced increased discrimination and safety issues. Key findings from the report, as reported in the media release for the report:

• Across all groups, sexual orientation and gender expression were the most common reasons LGBT students of color reported feeling unsafe in school. More than four out of five students, within each racial/ethnic group, reported verbal harassment in school because of sexual orientation and about two-thirds because of gender expression. At least a third of each group reported physical violence in school because of sexual orientation.

• More than half of African American/Black, Latino/a, Asian/Pacific Islander, and multiracial students also reported verbal harassment in school based on their race or ethnicity. Native American students (43%) were less likely than other students to report experiencing racially motivated verbal harassment.

• About a quarter of African American/Black and Asian/Pacific Islander students had missed class or days of school in the past month because they felt unsafe. Latino/a, Native American, and multiracial students were even more likely to be absent for safety reasons – about a third or more skipped class at least once or missed at least one day of school in the past month for safety reasons.

• Native American students experienced particularly high levels of victimization because of their religion, with more than half reporting the highest levels of verbal harassment (54%), and a quarter experiencing physical violence (26%).

• Less than half of students of color who had been harassed or assaulted in school in the past year said that they ever reported the incident to school staff. Furthermore, for those students who did report incidents to school staff, less than half believed that staff’s resulting response was effective.

• Native American (57%) and multiracial (50%) students were more likely than other students of color in our survey to report incidents to a family member.

• Performance at school also suffered when students experienced high levels of victimization. Students’ overall GPA dropped when they reported high severities of harassment based on sexual orientation and/or race/ethnicity. Students experiencing high severities of harassment also reported missing school more often.

• The report also looks at differing experiences based on the racial/ethnic make-up of students’ schools. For all groups, LGBT students of color who were minorities in their school were much more likely to feel unsafe and experience harassment because of their race or ethnicity than those who were in the racial/ethnic majority.

The media release spoke to why they released the report now:

GLSEN is releasing the report in conjunction with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Organizing Weekend, which takes place January 16-19. Dr. MLK Jr. Organizing Weekend provides an opportunity for students and Gay-Straight Alliances to honor the coalition-building work of Dr. King and other civil rights leaders, such as Bayard Rustin, by reaching out to others committed to working toward safe schools for all students.

For those youth who want to be activists for civil rights in their schools, Bayard Rustin has a poignant quote on the protesting, dignity, and humanity:

When an individual is protesting society’s refusal to acknowledge his dignity as a human being, his very act of protest confers dignity on him.

[Below the fold: Looking at the demographics of this report - especially the trans-related demographics.]

Read the rest of this entry »

No doubt, be considerate of Sandy’s sense of esthetics and get a (“complete”?) make-over — before using the Ladies’ Room in Gainesville …

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Related …

Fla. Conservatives Fight Transgender Restroom Rule

Stop right there, ma’am … er, sir

I don’t get this at all. I got a note from Twitter this morning:

Stacy L. Harp (stacyharp) is now following your updates on Twitter.

This Stacy L. Harp of Active Christian Media.

I can’t imagine that I’m a significant enough blogger for any consevative “Christian” media type to keep an eye on me on Twitter, even a fellow third of fourth tier New Media type like Stacy L. Harp.

I hoped she liked my tweet about my Sunday trout fishing trip.
.

I’ve read about studies on the subject of LGBT healthcare. I know one needs to out oneself when seeing healthcare providers because there are some medical issues associated with being LGBT (here, here, here, and here, for example).

It’s really unlikely that there are any significant intersecting health concerns with my toothache and LGBT status — but in the past I would always out myself to healthcare providers “just in case.”

Yesterday (January 16, 2009), I didn’t. Even being as out as I am about my sexual orientation and gender identity to just about everyone, I didn’t out myself to the unfamiliar, new dentist. I didn’t because I was concerned someone would invoke their right of conscience and decide not to treat me because I’m transsexual…because I’m transgender.

It’s a real worry. Folks who aren’t even trans are already suing the federal government because they believe the regulations were written way, way too broadly. From the Washington Post:

Seven states and two family-planning groups yesterday asked a federal court to block a controversial new federal regulation that protects health workers who refuse to provide care that they find objectionable.

In three lawsuits filed in U.S. District Court in Connecticut, the states and groups sought an immediate court order preventing the regulation from going into effect Tuesday and a permanent decision voiding the rule.

“On the way out, the Bush administration has left a ticking political time bomb that is set to explode literally on the day of the president’s inaugural and blow apart women’s rights,” said Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, who filed one of the suits on behalf of his state, California, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Oregon and Rhode Island. “This midnight rule is a nightmare for hospitals and clinics, as well as women.”

Blumenthal’s lawsuit challenges the regulation on several grounds, charging that it is too vague and overbroad and conflicts with other federal laws and state laws…

[More below the fold.]

Read the rest of this entry »

I personally believe some of the quiet mistakes of LGBT civil rights movement make are in not knowing our enemy what our enemy believes out of our collective earshot, and not thinking clearly about how to counter what they say/what they do.

Well, below is some text and a link to some readily available reading from the Concerned Women for America…They talk about the perceived evils of the upcoming Obama Administration.

So, from the Concerned Women For America‘s Spellbound by Obama: What it Means for America, discussing The Good and the Bad about Obama (bolded emphasis added to text below):

The Bad

The bad news about an Obama Administration far outweighs the good news. We can count on it: Obama may wait awhile, but he will do the things that will assure his second term, and he is definitely a Marxist “true believer” who will not deviate from his socialist goals, even when the current financial or political climate means their implementation has to be delayed. He chose Rahm Emanuel, a member in good standing of the down-and-dirty Chicago political scene, for the White House Chief of Staff position—which means the president can count on strong-arm tactics for any opponents who have to be “persuaded” to come into alignment with the president’s goals.

Even before his inauguration, Mr. Obama has revealed plans for an enormous domestic spending package–the largest public construction program since the 1950s, including roads, bridges, schools and technological development. It is also essential for his reelection that he establish national health care, a Democratic priority, by 2012; he will do so by implementing its various aspects incrementally–an “under the radar” scheme that will achieve his goal without raising public objections. He will likely try the same strategy with abortion, the feminists’ top priority. He has promised to sign the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA), a measure that would turn back all prolife gains and remove all regulations and restrictions on abortion. He probably won’t use all his political chits to fulfill that promise immediately, as he said he would, but ultimately he will give the feminists that victory and he will give the homosexual activists their two priorities, federalizing same-sex “marriage” and revoking the current “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy that bans open homosexuality in the U.S. military services. Though he campaigned as a candidate opposed to same-sex “marriage,” he fully intends to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA)–legislation that has been enacted in 44 states to protect husband-wife, traditional marriage at the state level.

Obama will support the so-called Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) and indicates his support for expanding the bill to cover “gender identity.” Further, he favors adoption rights for same-sex couples as well as condom distribution throughout the world as an AIDS prevention measure. He has also said that he will strengthen and expand dangerous federal “hate crimes” legislation…

The CWA goes on to state that “the greatest threat” of the upcoming Obama Administration (their words: “of the Obama agenda”) will be his left-leaning judicial appointments.

(Frankly, I’m more worried that all Obama will lean too far to the center with his appointments. I want civil rights protected; I want to see judges who consider how the fundamental rights of minority individuals and groups need to be protected from governmental or corporate abuse.)

As we all can see, the Concerned Women For America (CWA) is thinking about the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell and the civil rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people in relationship to America’s current Democratic Congress and America’s soon Democratic President.

And hey, the CWA — their founder and chairman in particular — has a lot to say about a woman’s right to choose too. Mainly, they don’t want women to have a right to choose, and they’re motivated to push back against that fundamental right.

Know your enemy. We don’t always know enough about what they believe considering how well they have been mobilized in the past. When you think about it, it usually takes identifying clear enemies to get people motivated enough to create a movement — think about what the removal of fundamental civil rights of LGBT Californians has done recently for the LGBT civil rights movement. We have identifiable enemies that did wonders to mobilize the broader, LGBT community when they took away LGBT Californian’s fundamental right to marry.

The CWA trying to manufacture an enemy in President-elect Obama to mobilize their concerned women troops. They haven’t succeeded as yet, but you can bet the Concerned Women For America going to keep trying. We need to be ready if they and their peer “Christian” organizations again succeed in mobilizing their troops against the fundamental civil rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Americans.

Besides having our own, positive, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender messages about civil rights and equality, we need to be ready to counter their arguments…their movement to crush equality, liberty, and justice for all.

If you are a member of an LGBT family with young children, or the friend or the ally of an LGBT family with young children, or your an friend, family member, or ally who wants to expose your children to what the broad, LGBT community looks like, you need to expose yourself and these children to the picture book 10,000 Dresses. This is the first picture book aimed at 5 to 7-year-olds I’m aware of with a transyouth as the main character.

And, 10,000 Dresses is an absolutely beautifully written and illustrated book (written by Marcus Ewert; illustrations by Rex Ray). Frankly, I was expecting a mediocre children’s book when I received a copy to review, and was extremely surprised at the quality of the book — my eyes welled with tears the first three times I read it. From this artsy, trans woman’s perspective: yes, the book is that good. This children’s book is no doubt as important a work as Heather Has Two Mommies, and it certainly is as well done.

In fact, Lesléa Newman, the author of Heather Has Two Mommies, gives a back cover comment for 10,000 Dresses:

Three cheers for Bailey, whose creativity and artistic vision will inspire readers of all ages to celebrate exactly who they are.

The transyouth at the heart of the 10,000 Dresses is a child named Bailey. She’s a child that is being told she’s a boy when she really knows she’s a girl. Each night she dreams of one of 10,000 magical dresses, and each day she tries to figure out a way to have significant people in her life help her obtain a magical dress. Many days she discovers she’s not ever going to have that special dress she imagined in her dreams that night before. The story has a very happy ending — I won’t spoil it by describing it.

Perhaps the most important endorsement of 10,000 Dresses comes from Shannon Garcia, the president of TransYouth Family Allies (TYFA). She wrote a short review of the book for their Recommended Reading section:

10,000 Dresses by Marcus Ewert is a charming tale of a “boy” named Bailey who dreams of wearing dresses. His parents and brother tell him that boys don’t wear dresses and Bailey is sad because she doesn’t feel like a boy. Bailey finally meets a friend that understands the desire to wear dresses and helps her achieve that goal. It is a story with beautiful illustrations by Rex Ray that uses just enough words to say what is needed. I highly recommend it for children of all ages (adults too), although it is definitely a book that would be enjoyed by the under 10 crowd. 10,000 Dresses helps us understand the workings of the gender variant child’s mind from their point of view and it is very nicely done.

10,000 Dresses is a very important book. If you’re involved with LGBT families at all, don’t skip this book. If you have a local bookstore nearby you — especially a local LGBT bookstore — ask them for a copy of the book. If they don’t have a copy, ask them to order you a copy. Hey, you won’t be sorry, and neither will the bookstore.

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10,000 Dresses

By: Marcus Ewert
Illustrated by: Rex Ray
Publisher: Seven Stories Press
Hardcover: $14.95

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FaceBook: Ten-Thousand Dresses

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Further Reading:
* San Francisco Chronicle: ’10,000 Dresses’: A book about gender identity