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Jess 07-11-2011 02:58 PM

Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy Signs Transgender Non-Discrimination Bill
 
from: http://glaadblog.org/2011/07/11/conn...mination-bill/


On July 5, Connecticut Gov. Dannel P. Malloy (D) signed legislation that will prohibit discrimination in employment, housing, credit and public accommodations based on gender identity or expression. The law (“An Act Concerning Discrimination,” or HB 6599) was passed by the House of Representatives (77-62) on May 19 and the Senate (20-16) on June 4. It will go into effect on October 1, 2011, at which time Connecticut will become the 15th state (along with the District of Columbia) with a law that protects transgender people from discrimination.
Immediately following the Senate vote in June, Gov. Malloy called the bill’s passage a step forward “for equal rights for all of Connecticut’s citizens.”
“It’s the right thing to do,” said Gov. Malloy in a written statement released shortly after the Senate vote was taken. “It’s difficult enough for people who are grappling with the issue of their gender identity, and discrimination against them has no place in our society.”
In the lead-up to the Senate vote back in June – the bill’s final hurdle – GLAAD worked closely with Dr. Jerimarie Leisegang, the director of the Connecticut TransAdvocacy Coalition, to ensure that journalists throughout Connecticut reported on the bill in a fair, accurate and inclusive manner.
Gov. Malloy signing the Connecticut bill into law is but the latest in a string of remarkable gains on transgender issues across the country.
GLAAD thanks Gov. Malloy for signing this important bill into law, and we congratulate all of our colleagues in Connecticut, many of whom have worked tirelessly for seven years to see the passage of this bill come to fruition. We look forward to October 1, when the law goes into effect, and to the day when it is illegal to discriminate against transgender people in all 50 states. In the meantime, we strongly encourage the media to report on the significance of what passing this non-discrimination bill will mean for transgender people in Connecticut. For more information on the prevalence of discrimination within the transgender community, please see the report “Injustice at Every Turn: A Report of the National Transgender Discrimination Survey,” released earlier this year by the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF).

Jess 07-15-2011 10:51 AM

Transgender Flight Attendants Recruited
 
from: http://www.gayrva.com/2011/07/15/tra...nts-recruited/



In January, 2011, the newly formed Thai airline company, called PC Air, hired six transgender women to be flight attendants. Over 100 transgender women applied for the job with more to be hired in the future.

As reported by the Daily Telegram, PC Airline president said, “I think these people can have many careers – not just in the entertainment business – and many of them have a dream to be an air hostess. I just made their dream come true. Our society has changed. It’s evolution. I’m a pioneer and I’m sure there will be other organizations following my idea.”

Oddly, the transgender air hostesses will be required to wear special gold name badges, that will identify them to passenge.


This last bit, I agree, seems "odd". I'm not sure why they are asked to wear a different color name tag and I wonder if the author of the article contacted the airline owner to ask.

Jess 07-15-2011 11:03 AM

Curiosity got the best of me, so I found a couple more articles regarding this. I am also writing the airline and asking them about the "gold" name tags.

This article was a little more in depth:
from: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...i-airline.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Come fly with us! P.C. Air launches as the world's first 'ladyboy' airline

A new Thai airline is hiring transsexuals as flight attendants, aiming at a unique identity to set itself apart from competitors as it sets out for the skies.

Known as 'katoeys' or 'ladyboys,' transgenders and transsexuals have greater visibility in Thailand than in many other nations, holding mainstream jobs in a variety of fields.

They are especially common in cosmetics shops or health stores, which almost always have a ladyboy shop assistant.

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/...35_634x408.jpg

PC Air, a charter airline set to start operations on Asian routes in April, originally planned only to hire male and female flight attendants.

But it changed its mind after receiving more than 100 job applications from transvestites and transsexuals.

Four were chosen, along with 19 female and 7 male flight attendants.

While the airline strives for equality, PC Air president Peter Chan, who chooses the transsexual cabin crew himself, said he needed to spend longer with interviews for such applicants.

'For male flight attendants, if I don't want to hire them, it's because of their attitude or their characters, like the way they walk and smile.

'When I knew that I got this job, I burst into tears because I'm very happy,' said 24-year-old Chayathisa Nakmai.

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/...87_634x459.jpg

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/...29_634x452.jpg

'I had sent many applications to different airlines.'

The airline said that the qualifications for the ladyboy flight attendants were the same as for female flight attendants, with the additional provisos that they be like women in how they walk and talk, and have a feminine voice and the right attitude.

Though there is very little discrimination against ladyboys in Thailand, they are not officially recognised as women and their identification cards will always say 'male'.

'For female flight attendants, if they have no patience and their character does not qualify, we won't hire them,' he added.

'For transsexuals, we can't just spend five or 10 minutes with them, we have to spend the whole day with them to make sure they have feminine characters.'

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/...44_634x451.jpg

The airline said it may hire more flight attendants from the 'third gender' in the future since the Department of Civil Aviation has no objections.

Though excited by the opportunity, the transsexual flight attendants said they were aware they needed to prove themselves.

'People will keep their eyes on us... There will be more pressure,' said Dissanai Chitpraphachin, 23, who was crowned as Thailand's most beautiful transvestite in 2007.

'We have to prepare ourselves more than the women.'

The airline is initially set to fly to South Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore and China.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Based on the comments from the airline, while they are willing to hire transsexuals and transvestites, I would be willing to bet my beautiful old beast of a truck that they would NOT hire effeminate men or butch women. So, I'm not so sure PC Air really is PC. Moreover, I think they may well be very misogynistic, in their intense "need" for women to be beautiful and "feminine".

Wolf/ sheeps clothing?

EnderD_503 07-24-2011 07:43 PM

I think it's very important to look at the transphobia related to hiring only katoeys, in particular. I say transphobia especially, because I firmly believe that it's important for trans rights to recognise the differences/uniqueness between transphobia vs. misogyny or homophobia. It's important for trans visibility to recognise transphobia as distinct and within its own right. I think it's important to discuss that when it comes to an article or topic relating to trans issues.

I do think the airline in question is being extremely transphobic as it is intent on using katoeys as commodities. Katoeys may have achieved a higher level of visibility within Thai culture, but they have not necessarily reached a higher level of respect, given that most katoeys are employed in sex work, the beauty industry or other similar industries. They have a difficult time finding work outside those industries in Thailand, and so I think it's rather telling that this airline is intent on hiring katoeys and using them for publicity.

It's also interesting to note that transmen are pretty much entirely invisible in Thai culture, so when you say (or the article says) that the airline is now hiring transfolks, they are actually only hiring katoeys who are distinct from a number of others along the trans spectrum. Why? Because of the "notoriety" and "image" of katoeys specifically.

Just like the thread I started a while back about Pakistani transwomen in particular being targeted by the government to be hired as tax collectors, it's obvious trans people are once more being used by people who really couldn't care less about them, and non-trans society's curiosities and fears regarding trans people being played up in order for the role/publicity to be successful.

Edit: Also about your comments about not hiring effeminate men (who can also be considered katoey) or butch women. I'm not sure how correct you are there, unless you've read something I've not. Thai society interacts with these identities differently than Western society.

Jess 07-25-2011 09:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EnderD_503 (Post 384947)
I think it's very important to look at the transphobia related to hiring only katoeys, in particular. I say transphobia especially, because I firmly believe that it's important for trans rights to recognise the differences/uniqueness between transphobia vs. misogyny or homophobia. It's important for trans visibility to recognise transphobia as distinct and within its own right. I think it's important to discuss that when it comes to an article or topic relating to trans issues.

I do think the airline in question is being extremely transphobic as it is intent on using katoeys as commodities. Katoeys may have achieved a higher level of visibility within Thai culture, but they have not necessarily reached a higher level of respect, given that most katoeys are employed in sex work, the beauty industry or other similar industries. They have a difficult time finding work outside those industries in Thailand, and so I think it's rather telling that this airline is intent on hiring katoeys and using them for publicity.

It's also interesting to note that transmen are pretty much entirely invisible in Thai culture, so when you say (or the article says) that the airline is now hiring transfolks, they are actually only hiring katoeys who are distinct from a number of others along the trans spectrum. Why? Because of the "notoriety" and "image" of katoeys specifically.

Just like the thread I started a while back about Pakistani transwomen in particular being targeted by the government to be hired as tax collectors, it's obvious trans people are once more being used by people who really couldn't care less about them, and non-trans society's curiosities and fears regarding trans people being played up in order for the role/publicity to be successful.

Edit: Also about your comments about not hiring effeminate men (who can also be considered katoey) or butch women. I'm not sure how correct you are there, unless you've read something I've not. Thai society interacts with these identities differently than Western society.

I get your point in wanting to separate the trans issues from the other obvious issues of sexism. Point taken. I do get the "sideshow/freakshow" attention the airline seems intent on profiting from.

Regarding your "edit", I am quite sure I said it was my own take on what the article read to "me". I gathered my guess on the statements of how long they spent with the transwomen to "make sure they were feminine enough", which at least in my 48 years I have rarely found many butch women who would pass that test, mostly because we wouldn't have the patience to tolerate the bullshit of it.

Not being familiar with the specific ways in which the population of Thailand interacts with these identities, you may be correct in that I may be wrong. I am reading this article strictly from my limited knowledge base and to me, it seems quite clear the airline exercises several forms of gender based discrimination. I placed it in the trans issues thread, as the title of the articles were geared toward how "trans-friendly" they "appear" to be.

Blade 08-27-2011 09:17 AM

http://www.transpoc.com/default.html
TransPeople of Color Coalition (TPOCC) is the only national social justice organization that promotes the interest of Trans People of Color. TPOCC is an organization to inspire and nurture collaboration among communities of color dedicated to anti-racism and fighting transphobia and the empowerment of transgender persons of color. We work to strengthen and mobilize individuals, families, and communities by changing laws, educating the public, and building social and economic strength among all persons of color

http://www.awarenessmovement.org/default.html
We are a Not-For-Profit Organization and support group with the sole purpose of providing a better life for all Transgendered individuals. Our organization is based on the belief that all Transpeople should have a voice and have equal rights. We will not continue to sit back and be invisible.

weatherboi 09-15-2011 02:40 PM

10-year-old trans girl on being bullied by adults and accepted by her peers
 
http://feministing.com/2011/09/15/10...medium=twitter

I love it when we get to hear from young people about what’s going on in their own lives. Too often, the voices of those most impacted by youth issues are ignored in favor of adults. So I was glad to read the words of a 10-year-old trans girl in England who returned to school this year presenting her actual gender.

The girl’s mom told the Worcester News (in an article unfortunately trapped in the “trapped in the wrong body” frame, but which does keep the girl’s identity anonymous) that the school administration has been supportive of letting her daughter present as a girl, but some parents have walked by them muttering, “That’s that freak family. That’s that freak child.”

Her mom said there has been some bullying from the girl’s peers, but that the cruelty has mostly come from adults. Now let’s hear from the girl herself about how she’s been treated by her friends at school. From an interview on BBC 5 Live, via Pink News:

Of her friends, she said: “They haven’t really said anything. It’s been a little eye-up and then, ‘Whatever’.

“They haven’t really taken any notice. There have been a couple of little glitches but that’ll pass.”

However, she said she was forced to change for games in the disabled toilet after parents complained.

“It is split for girls and boys, but in PE and stuff I do have to be with the boys’ team,” she said.

“But my friends stick up for me and say, ‘He feels like a girl so he can be on the girls’ team’.”

I hope it’s clear that the acceptance she’s felt from her peers is much more important than the specific pronoun they use. Yes, language matters, but I know I greatly prefer the support I get from a friend who genuinely accepts me as myself, even if they’re not up on all the lingo, to someone who talks the talk but doesn’t ultimately treat my identity as valid.

Further, this girl’s experience is a pretty great refutation of “won’t somebody think of the children!”-type moral panic. Actually, seems like the kids will be fine, provided adults don’t poison them with their own hateful ideas.

h/t Dr. Jillian Weiss

J. Mason 09-22-2011 12:38 AM

What does everyone think about the repeal of don't ask, don't tell? Does this apply to the trans community?

Jess 09-22-2011 07:45 AM

Interesting question, J. Mason. I am not really sure how the military "deals" with or doesn't "deal" with trans persons. I guess I see it ( and this maybe my lack of knowledge) as a separate issue.
DADT, I think, speaks exclusively to the homosexual population within the ranks. I would think that trans issues may be different in a couple of ways, in that a) not all trans persons are homosexual and b) housing/ job assignments/etc are based on physical expression of gender/sex in the military. There really isn't a way to enter the military and "pass" as a sex/gender other than birth assigned, as everyone goes through a pretty thorough physical exam.

It is a very interesting question. I don't personally know any trans people serving ( past or present), but would be interested in hearing how they dealt with it ( serving actively) and how they were treated.

Thanks.

Corkey 09-22-2011 12:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by J. Mason (Post 422573)
What does everyone think about the repeal of don't ask, don't tell? Does this apply to the trans community?

To answer your question. DADT was only dropped for LBG people. Trans people were never in the equation, ever. I do think this needs to be addressed as there are Trans people who have served, but did not transition during their service. For a person such as myself who did serve, I did so as a female bodied person, even though my mind said otherwise. So far the legal issues have been only for our LBG sisters and brothers, it has left the Trans community high and dry. So will out LBG sisters and brothers get behind including their Trans brothers and sisters? I guess we'll have to wait and see. Personally I don't see LBG folks racing to include Transpeople in most anything. This site being the exception to the rule.

DapperButch 09-22-2011 05:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by weatherboi (Post 418325)

Actually, seems like the kids will be fine, provided adults don’t poison them with their own hateful ideas.

Exactly. Kids don't think there is something wrong with "difference" until we tell them there is.

J. Mason 09-24-2011 10:49 AM

Ugh that just sucks that us trans folks were not included in the DADT.

Corkey 09-24-2011 03:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by J. Mason (Post 423870)
Ugh that just sucks that us trans folks were not included in the DADT.

Nor ENDA, there still time to fight for this one.

J. Mason 09-24-2011 07:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Corkey (Post 424069)
Nor ENDA, there still time to fight for this one.

True but still I feel the trans folks should have been included in the DADT

Toughy 09-24-2011 10:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Corkey (Post 424069)
Nor ENDA, there still time to fight for this one.

The ENDA passed by the House (under Speaker Pelosi) in 2011 was trans-inclusive. It died in the Senate like hundreds of other bills passed by that House. Obama has said he will sign a trans-inclusive bill if it ever gets to his desk.

Nadeest 09-25-2011 09:21 AM

Jess, I didn't even realize that I was trans until long after I got out of the military. Therefore, I was treated as a male and was fine with that.
However, from what I understand (and I could certainly be completely wrong), the military would probably treat it as if it were a mental illness and immediately discharge the person if they disclose that they are transsexual. Most of the people that I know that are vets didn't disclose or do anything until after their enlistment had expired.

DapperButch 09-25-2011 09:25 AM

Yep.
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Nadeest (Post 424530)
Jess, I didn't even realize that I was trans until long after I got out of the military. Therefore, I was treated as a male and was fine with that.
However, from what I understand (and I could certainly be completely wrong), the military would probably treat it as if it were a mental illness and immediately discharge the person if they disclose that they are transsexual. Most of the people that I know that are vets didn't disclose or do anything until after their enlistment had expired.

http://www.sldn.org/news/archives/nc...y-lead-to-dis/

Jess 09-25-2011 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nadeest (Post 424530)
Jess, I didn't even realize that I was trans until long after I got out of the military. Therefore, I was treated as a male and was fine with that.
However, from what I understand (and I could certainly be completely wrong), the military would probably treat it as if it were a mental illness and immediately discharge the person if they disclose that they are transsexual. Most of the people that I know that are vets didn't disclose or do anything until after their enlistment had expired.

That's kind of what I was thinking. That it would be viewed as an "illness" and a psych discharge would probably ensue.

Thanks for sharing your story.

weatherboi 10-05-2011 04:29 AM

WOW!!! Way to go NYC police AND Bloomberg!!!
 
Occupy Wall Street: NYPD Chains Transgender Man To Jail Restroom For 8 Hours



A transgender man arrested Saturday as part of the Occupy Wall Street protest at the Brooklyn Bridge was verbally and physically humiliated by the New York Police Department (NYPD), including being inappropriately patted-​down, segregated from other arrested persons, refused repeated requests for food — despite the fact that other prisoners were fed — and chained for eight hours to the wall of a restroom in an NYC jail, according to a statement he released.

“The NYC police department needs to have a protocol and train its officers on how to treat transgender people. No one should experience the blatant discrimination and embarrassment that I did,” writes justin adkins (who spelled his name in all lower-​case letters) in a statement he released that includes the following:

They took me away from the cellblock where they had all of the protestors locked up and
brought me to a room with 2 cells and a bathroom. One small cell was empty and the
large cell had about 8 men who had been arrested on charges not related to the protest.
Unlike me, these men had been arrested for a variety of crimes, some violent. When I
entered the room they had me sit down in a chair on the same portion of the wall as the
restroom, and then handcuffed my right wrist to a metal handrail. I thought that this was
a temporary arrangement as they tried to find me a separate cell as part of some
protocol regarding transgender people, which I later discovered does not exist in New
York City. After about an hour I realized that they had no intention of moving me. I
remained handcuffed to this bar next to the bathroom for the next 8 hours.

The cells, on the other side of the precinct where they had locked up the other 69
protestors, did not have working toilets so every person who had to use the toilet was brought to the one next to where they had me locked to the railing. This was not only
disgusting but also embarrassing. The smell of urine was so strong that I, and the men
locked up in the cell in the room that I was in, mentioned the odor on more than
one occasion.

Once they started bringing women in to use the bathrooms, a short young female officer,
who was in charge of people locked up in the room where I was handcuffed, harshly
turned my chair around with my arm still locked to the railing but now pinned behind my
back. She said that she knew it hurt but that they were bringing in women to use the
restroom and she could not have me watching. I had no interest in watching anyone use
the bathroom, and every-​time a male had come into use the restroom I had respectfully
turned away. This process of people coming in and out to use the restroom went on for
the full 8 hours.

I was distinctly treated differently than the other protestors during my entire time at
Precinct 90 in Brooklyn. At one point in the night all of the protestors were given a
peanut butter sandwich and water. I asked for a sandwich three times but of all of the
officers who came in and out of the room where I was handcuffed never acknowledged
my request. I think this was because when I asked for a sandwich the men locked up in
the room I was in asked for one too. I do not know when or how long those men were
being held but I was there for eight hours and had sat on the bridge for about 2 hours
and was never once offered water or a sandwich when my fellow
protestors received both.

The New Civil Rights Movement has reached out to Speaker Quinn’s office for comment.

In an unrelated statement, NY1 reported yesterday on Saturday’s protest:

Mayor Michael Bloomberg called the Wall Street protests “misguided” on Friday, and on Sunday, in the wake of hundreds of arrests the previous night, the mayor said the New York City Police Department is handling the demonstrators the right way.

“The police did exactly what they were supposed to do,” said the mayor. “It’s very easy to get a permit to protest, to parade in New York City, as long as it doesn’t interfere with other peoples’ rights.”

Organizers at Zuccotti Park did not want to respond to the mayor’s remarks.

Protesters claimed NYPD officers led them onto the roadway on the Brooklyn Bridge Saturday night, then detained and arrested more than 700 demonstrators.

Police said the protesters were warned beforehand.

It was the latest confrontation between the anti-​corporate group and police. A week ago, police pepper sprayed some protesters during a march in Manhattan.

If the demonstrators were expecting much support from local elected officials, they had not received much of it. On Sunday, City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, a leading mayoral candidate, agreed with Bloomberg’s assessment of the latest event.

“We all have the right to protest. The police, when it spills over into civil disobedience, have the right to arrest individuals who are engaging in civil disobedience, as has happened to me a few times,” said Quinn.

Additionally, adkins also states he is “a trans activist and website developer living in Williamstown, MA. He works at Williams College as the Assistant Director of the Multicultural Center where he coordinates LGBTQ programing, advises students and advocates for LGBTQ-​inclusive policies on campus and beyond.”

J. Mason 10-05-2011 05:33 AM

Seriously, wtf? Shakes my head.

Linus 10-05-2011 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by weatherboi (Post 431621)
Occupy Wall Street: NYPD Chains Transgender Man To Jail Restroom For 8 Hours



A transgender man arrested Saturday as part of the Occupy Wall Street protest at the Brooklyn Bridge was verbally and physically humiliated by the New York Police Department (NYPD), including being inappropriately patted-​down, segregated from other arrested persons, refused repeated requests for food — despite the fact that other prisoners were fed — and chained for eight hours to the wall of a restroom in an NYC jail, according to a statement he released.

“The NYC police department needs to have a protocol and train its officers on how to treat transgender people. No one should experience the blatant discrimination and embarrassment that I did,” writes justin adkins (who spelled his name in all lower-​case letters) in a statement he released that includes the following:

They took me away from the cellblock where they had all of the protestors locked up and
brought me to a room with 2 cells and a bathroom. One small cell was empty and the
large cell had about 8 men who had been arrested on charges not related to the protest.
Unlike me, these men had been arrested for a variety of crimes, some violent. When I
entered the room they had me sit down in a chair on the same portion of the wall as the
restroom, and then handcuffed my right wrist to a metal handrail. I thought that this was
a temporary arrangement as they tried to find me a separate cell as part of some
protocol regarding transgender people, which I later discovered does not exist in New
York City. After about an hour I realized that they had no intention of moving me. I
remained handcuffed to this bar next to the bathroom for the next 8 hours.

The cells, on the other side of the precinct where they had locked up the other 69
protestors, did not have working toilets so every person who had to use the toilet was brought to the one next to where they had me locked to the railing. This was not only
disgusting but also embarrassing. The smell of urine was so strong that I, and the men
locked up in the cell in the room that I was in, mentioned the odor on more than
one occasion.

Once they started bringing women in to use the bathrooms, a short young female officer,
who was in charge of people locked up in the room where I was handcuffed, harshly
turned my chair around with my arm still locked to the railing but now pinned behind my
back. She said that she knew it hurt but that they were bringing in women to use the
restroom and she could not have me watching. I had no interest in watching anyone use
the bathroom, and every-​time a male had come into use the restroom I had respectfully
turned away. This process of people coming in and out to use the restroom went on for
the full 8 hours.

I was distinctly treated differently than the other protestors during my entire time at
Precinct 90 in Brooklyn. At one point in the night all of the protestors were given a
peanut butter sandwich and water. I asked for a sandwich three times but of all of the
officers who came in and out of the room where I was handcuffed never acknowledged
my request. I think this was because when I asked for a sandwich the men locked up in
the room I was in asked for one too. I do not know when or how long those men were
being held but I was there for eight hours and had sat on the bridge for about 2 hours
and was never once offered water or a sandwich when my fellow
protestors received both.

The New Civil Rights Movement has reached out to Speaker Quinn’s office for comment.

In an unrelated statement, NY1 reported yesterday on Saturday’s protest:

Mayor Michael Bloomberg called the Wall Street protests “misguided” on Friday, and on Sunday, in the wake of hundreds of arrests the previous night, the mayor said the New York City Police Department is handling the demonstrators the right way.

“The police did exactly what they were supposed to do,” said the mayor. “It’s very easy to get a permit to protest, to parade in New York City, as long as it doesn’t interfere with other peoples’ rights.”

Organizers at Zuccotti Park did not want to respond to the mayor’s remarks.

Protesters claimed NYPD officers led them onto the roadway on the Brooklyn Bridge Saturday night, then detained and arrested more than 700 demonstrators.

Police said the protesters were warned beforehand.

It was the latest confrontation between the anti-​corporate group and police. A week ago, police pepper sprayed some protesters during a march in Manhattan.

If the demonstrators were expecting much support from local elected officials, they had not received much of it. On Sunday, City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, a leading mayoral candidate, agreed with Bloomberg’s assessment of the latest event.

“We all have the right to protest. The police, when it spills over into civil disobedience, have the right to arrest individuals who are engaging in civil disobedience, as has happened to me a few times,” said Quinn.

Additionally, adkins also states he is “a trans activist and website developer living in Williamstown, MA. He works at Williams College as the Assistant Director of the Multicultural Center where he coordinates LGBTQ programing, advises students and advocates for LGBTQ-​inclusive policies on campus and beyond.”


I don't think anyone would question the arrest. I would, however, question the treatment after the arrest. I hope he sues their asses for this!

J. Mason 10-06-2011 09:22 AM

I found this and thought maybe you guys would wanna read it, I couldn't find a good place to put it but here is a good read.

http://www.xtra.ca/public/Vancouver/...asy-10868.aspx

DapperButch 10-06-2011 10:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by J. Mason (Post 432624)
I found this and thought maybe you guys would wanna read it, I couldn't find a good place to put it but here is a good read.

http://www.xtra.ca/public/Vancouver/...asy-10868.aspx

Really great article. Thanks for posting.

J. Mason 10-06-2011 07:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DapperButch (Post 432669)
Really great article. Thanks for posting.

Your welcome, it kinda showed something from a femmes side of things, which I have never had to experience but its a good read in general.

EnderD_503 10-06-2011 08:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by J. Mason (Post 432624)
I found this and thought maybe you guys would wanna read it, I couldn't find a good place to put it but here is a good read.

http://www.xtra.ca/public/Vancouver/...asy-10868.aspx

While I do agree that partners should be heard when they voice their concerns over a partner transitioning, there are ways to say it without reducing the word transphobia to something that trans people throw at people at random and framing trans people who call out transphobia when they see it as the "bad guys" in the situation.

I definitely do see transphobia in comments like these:

Quote:

I looked for support but found very little because partners don’t generally talk about the difficulties we face in transition. Nobody wants to be the one to say, “This fucking hurts,” lest we be judged by the politically fuelled who would label us transphobic.
Quote:

The Rah-Rah Tranny people on the sidelines say we’re not supposed to grieve the loss of our soulmate to a new gender. We should a) keep it quiet and support the transgender person or b) leave the relationship or c) both.
This, to me, has nothing to do with dealing with your partner's transition and voicing your feelings. I'm really tired of getting this sort of attitude from some LGB folks where other people are entitled to say all sorts of things about trans people, and when trans people respond or even mention the word transphobia, then they're "overreacting/making a big deal out of nothing," "not being sensitive," "being selfish" or trying to "guilt" people into agreeing with them on something.

It actually reminds me a lot of straight people's reactions when queer folks call them out on homophobia. Or people who make sexist comments when they're called out on their sexism. Yet somehow when it comes to trans people, some queer folks can't see how their behaviour mirrors that of those who, in turn, oppress them.

What does "Rah-Rah Tranny people" (seriously, if you're trans and identify as a "tranny", that's cool, but a cis person using the word "tranny" to refer to trans people in general is offensive, in the same way as a white person using the "N" word or a straight person calling gay men "fags") even mean? Apparently they are "politically fueled"? Again, what does that mean? Cause to me a "politically fueled" trans person is someone who fights for their own rights in a society where they don't have equal rights with the rest of the LGB spectrum. In the country the author is from, for example...

Like I said above, I have no problems with partners going through their process of coming to understand or accept their partner. But I feel the author made some comments that were transphobic (zomg, I must be a "rah rah tranny person":blink:). I understand the frustration if the community she is a part of tells her that it's not acceptable to voice her feelings and grief over her partner's transition. I don't think that's good of them to do at all, and it's not something I would support. On the other hand, I don't think she should be expressing her frustrations while make transphobic remarks. It's like justifying homophobia because you had a bad altercation with a queer person, or sexism because you had an altercation with someone of a certain sex. Neither is acceptable in my eyes, and I don't think trans people should have to put up with anymore than anyone else should have to put up with discriminatory comments.

J. Mason 10-06-2011 08:44 PM

I am sorry I didn't see it that way, I saw it as someone who was in pain and hurting, thats the part I could relate to.

EnderD_503 10-06-2011 08:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by J. Mason (Post 432972)
I am sorry I didn't see it that way, I saw it as someone who was in pain and hurting, thats the part I could relate to.

Nothing wrong with being in pain and hurting and everyone deserves a supportive environment. A lot of trans forums have sections for SOs and parents to discuss their reactions and feelings to their partner's/children's transitions. A lot of trans support groups up here also offer counseling for SOs and parents. We should all be supportive of that and if I see any SO/parent struggling with this I wouldn't think twice about helping them find a supportive environment.

My point was that using slurs and talking about transphobia like it's something trans people say to guilt trip cis people is channeling that pain into phobic language and accusations is not the way to deal with it. For example, is the parent of a recently "out" queer person entitled to call queer activists "rah rah fags" who "label" them as homophobic for their pain and difficulty in accepting their child's "new sexuality" (which is not necessarily new to the child)?

EnderD_503 11-08-2011 06:12 PM

Detroit police search for teen missing for 2 weeks
 
Quote:

Detroit Police investigators are searching for a transgender teen who has been missing for two weeks.

Henry Hilliard, Jr., 19, also known as Shelley or Treasure, was last seen at 1:20 a.m. Oct. 23 in the 900 block Longfellow wearing a silver dress, according to request for help issued by the Detroit Police Monday.

A cab driver that Hilliard often used for rides dropped Hilliard off at a home where three men were waiting for her, his mother, Lyniece Nelson, said today.

But Hilliard immediately called the driver back, voicing concern about the situation, Nelson said.

The driver "started to hear her say, 'What are you doing,' then scream out loud 'No,' then her phone dropped, a few muffling noises, then the phone went dead," Nelson said. "By the time he got back around the corner, there was no one in sight."

Hilliard, who models and does hair, hasn't contacted family members or posted on Facebook, both which typically happen every day, Nelson said.

Hilliard has a piercing on the left eyebrow and several tattoos including a design of cherries on the upper right arm, according to police.

Anyone with information is asked to call Detroit Police at 313-596-2200 or Crimestoppers at 1-800-SPEAKUP.
Source: http://www.freep.com/article/2011110...xt|FRONTPAGE|s

atomiczombie 11-08-2011 06:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EnderD_503 (Post 458776)

OMG that's scary, I hope they find her safe and sound.

Nadeest 11-09-2011 12:00 AM

I hope to god that they find her, safe and sound, but I fear for her. If you noticed, the paper actually used the correct pronouns for her twice out of three times, which is at least an improvement, though an uneven one.

EnderD_503 11-09-2011 04:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nadeest (Post 459050)
I hope to god that they find her, safe and sound, but I fear for her. If you noticed, the paper actually used the correct pronouns for her twice out of three times, which is at least an improvement, though an uneven one.

Yeah. The one place where they mispronouned her is kind of weird, though, cause they use the correct pronoun like quite literally directly before. Very odd. It just looks like really poor editing or something:blink:

EnderD_503 11-11-2011 11:09 AM

Shelley Hilliard's Body Identified
 
Unfortunately it seems that Shelley's body has been officially identified by her mother.

I'm a little confused by the reports, though. They say that she's been missing since the 23rd of October, but that they found a torso later the same day, that was only identified by the mother yesterday. It just seems a bit odd to me. If she was missing since that day, wouldn't they have considered the torso they found the same day and had it identified sooner?

Quote:

Torso found in Detroit identified as missing transgender teen
Josh Katzenstein/ The Detroit News

Detroit— The Wayne County Medical Examiner's office has confirmed the death of 19-year-old Shelley Hilliard, a transgender teen also known as Treasure, after her mother identified her torso this morning.

The teen, who was born Henry Hilliard, went missing in the early hours of Oct. 23 and was last seen on the 900 block of Longfellow on Detroit's west side.

The Medical Examiner's office received her torso later on Oct. 23, and Lyniece Nelson, Hilliard's mother, identified her this morning.

Nelson said she had no idea who might've done this.

"She was loved by a lot people, a lot of friends a lot of family," Nelson said. "She just brought joy to everyone that she came in contact with. She was always there for her family."

jkatzenstein@detnews.com

(313) 222-2019

From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20111110/...#ixzz1dPwSwqVq

EnderD_503 11-11-2011 03:21 PM

Further Update on Shelley Hilliard Murder
 
I've just read some more details about the murder, which is apparently more gruesome than the above article really articulated. Apparently, her torso was found burned and hidden under a mattress by a highway.

Quote:

DETROIT (WJBK) - A mother is in tremendous pain after learning her 19-year-old child, who she thought was missing, was in fact murdered in an horrific way.

The body of Shelley Hilliard, a transgender also known as Henry, was found on Detroit's east side on Bewick, just a torso that had been set on fire and covered with a mattress.

"I don't know anybody that would want to do this to her, to do anything to her," said Lyniece Nelson, the victim's mother.

The last anyone had heard from Hillard was the night of October 23rd. Nelson says her daughter had a date and a cab driver dropped her off at a home in the 900 block of Longfellow.

Hilliard asked the cab driver to stay on the phone until she knew it was safe.

"She didn't feel comfortable, to stay on phone with her. He heard her saying a few phrases and heard her saying 'no,' her phone dropped and it was muffled, scuffling noises and then it went dead," Nelson explained.

However, that cab driver never called police, just a friend of Hilliard's who eventually told her mother about what happened.

A few days later, Nelson filed a missing persons report with Detroit Police.

Nelson held out hope, but nearly three weeks later her worst nightmare came true. She got a call from the Wayne County Morgue. Investigators identified Hilliard by some cherry tattoos on her upper arm.

"They showed me the pictures and that was my baby," Nelson said.

It appears Hilliard was killed some time after she was dropped off at that Longfellow address and when parts of her body were discovered on Bewick early that next morning.

"Michele's death wouldn't be the first in our community," said Laura Hughes.

She is the director of the Ruth Ellis Center in Highland Park -- a safe place for lesbian, gay and transgender youth. Hilliard had spent a lot of time there over the last couple of years.

"It's a time for us to reach out an outpouring of love to support her, her friends, her family and to really demand that within our community it's not acceptable for this to happen to a child," Hughes told us.

Hilliard's vicious murder will continue to haunt her mother, who says she will not rest until her killer is caught.

"Whoever did this, you can't hide from God. You can try, but you can't hide from God," she said.

We're told it was a police liaison that works with the morgue that was able to make the connection between the missing persons report and the body.
Source: http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/dpp/news...en-20111110-ms

God, this is really sickening.

Greyson 11-11-2011 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EnderD_503 (Post 461551)
I've just read some more details about the murder, which is apparently more gruesome than the above article really articulated. Apparently, her torso was found burned and hidden under a mattress by a highway.



Source: http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/dpp/news...en-20111110-ms

God, this is really sickening.


I don't pretend to understand why and how such heartless acts, the taking of a human life appears to be so easy to do, for some. May she rest in some sort of peace and her mother, may she find some relief from the hell she must be going through.

Nadeest 11-15-2011 10:21 PM

I found this very interesting: http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_N...ss_DMV_Fiasco/

I, too, wish that they would make up their tiny little minds. How on earth can they arrest her for performing a female-specific crime, when they claim that she is a male?

msW8ing 11-16-2011 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EnderD_503 (Post 461551)
I've just read some more details about the murder, which is apparently more gruesome than the above article really articulated. Apparently, her torso was found burned and hidden under a mattress by a highway.



Source: http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/dpp/news...en-20111110-ms

God, this is really sickening.

Why didn't the cab driver call 911?? Is the cab since he is the only witness giving a description of these animals to the police?? It said that this cab driver was one that she used regularly. Why wouldn't he have walked her to her door to make sure she was safe?? I personally would never allow a young lady to get out of my vehicle with 3 men standing there. I don't understand how some people can live with themselves.

EnderD_503 11-16-2011 12:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nadeest (Post 465377)
I found this very interesting: http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_N...ss_DMV_Fiasco/

I, too, wish that they would make up their tiny little minds. How on earth can they arrest her for performing a female-specific crime, when they claim that she is a male?

Lol, for sure. Honestly, if there is any logic in the American legal system she should be able to win her case easily...but that not to say that there is any such logic when it comes to how legal systems deal with trans people.

Those laws forbidding women to go topless are ridiculous anyways, imo. They should just get rid of it. They do not protect women as the law claims it does, and neither are topless women "obscene" as such a law suggests they are.

Quote:

Originally Posted by msW8ing (Post 465728)
Why didn't the cab driver call 911?? Is the cab since he is the only witness giving a description of these animals to the police?? It said that this cab driver was one that she used regularly. Why wouldn't he have walked her to her door to make sure she was safe?? I personally would never allow a young lady to get out of my vehicle with 3 men standing there. I don't understand how some people can live with themselves.

Yeah, the cab driver's story is really fucked up, too, imo. I haven't seen much follow up on him online, unfortunately, other than police say they were going to re-interview him. That he didn't even call 911 when he heard her being attacked over the phone is pretty ridiculous. Not to mention that he only called her mother after some time had passed. Even if he hadn't waited around to make sure she was safe, he should have called the cops after hearing her being attacked.

Sparkle 11-16-2011 01:28 PM

Great news in Massachusetts!
 
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/1...n_1097476.html

Massachusetts will become the 16th state to treat transgender citizens as a protected class after legislature passed the Transgender Equal Rights Bill, which not only adds protections to the state's civil rights laws against employment, education, housing and credit discrimination, but also adds gender identity and expression to the state's hate crimes law.

http://www.masstpc.org/

Senate Passes Trans Rights Bill
November 16th, 2011

By a voice vote, the Massachusetts State Senate this morning passed the Transgender Equal Rights bill. Exactly when the Governor, a strong supporter of the bill, will sign it is not yet known. But transgender people across the Commonwealth – approximately 33,000 in number, according to the best available estimates – have cause for celebration today. And advocates can take pride in a broad coalition effort that brought about this significant victory. MTPC is grateful to all who helped make this happen, especially including those legislators who supported the bill’s passage.

EnderD_503 11-17-2011 07:18 PM

Transgender 8-Year-Old Danann Tyler Explains Why She Is Happy Living As A Girl
 
Quote:

Danann Tyler, who was born male but now dresses as a little girl and has long hair, says she was bullied at school and felt hurt by other children telling her she was a boy. These stories of transgender children never cease to amaze me. See photos and watch the video of Danann here…

Follow us @MomsDirtySecret

The eight-year-old MTF (male to female) from Orange County, California, is the subject of a new feature length documentary about transgender people. In a special edition of the Anderson talk show, ‘Children &Teens Caught In The Wrong Bodies’ which is scheduled to air on Wednesday, she told journalist Anderson Cooper: ‘My school, people were telling me that I was a boy and it made me really sad.’

Danann’s parents, Sarah and Bill Tyler, who also appeared on the show, said they did not know what was wrong with their son when, from aged two, he insisted he was a girl. He never had any interest in the toys his elder brother Liam had loved. His sippy cup had to be pink. When a family friend playing dress up put him in a princess gown, he refused to take it off.

Sarah, a yoga instructor, wrote on her blog:

‘When I picked Dana up at Daycare, he was always with a group of girls, playing in the fabulous faux kitchen or with dolls, dressed in one of the many worn princess costumes that had been donated by parents from the past.’

He insisted on being bought, and wearing a pair of Target high heeled slippers -just like hers, she remembered. The family pediatrician dismissed it as a phase. But for her parents the child’s angst was heartbreaking.

Sarah said:

‘Aged about four she [Danann] said, ‘I don’t think God is so great because God made a mistake when he made me.’ Shortly after she talked about cutting off her penis and that concerned me a lot.’

By age six Danann was so unhappy she was threatening to hang herself. Doctors diagnosed the child as bipolar, dyslexic and ADHD and prescribed various medications. The Tylers consulted gay friends, who said that she was probably more than just a gay child.

Eventually the Tylers took the troubled child out of school, as she was getting bullied and was not getting the support she needed from teachers. Bill Tyler, a police officer, said:

‘They would say things like, ‘She has to stop bringing princess backpacks to school, lunch boxes. It’s confusing the kids, and it’s causing a distraction.’

When a therapist eventually showed them a DVD and told them that their child could have gender identity disorder, the Tylers were relieved. The diagnosis immediately rang true, they said, and despite her young age, the concerned parents made the controversial decision to let Danann live her life as if she were female.

Now, a year and a half on, they say it’s like parenting a new little girl. Danann said she is much happier now:

‘I am who I want to be, and that’s well, how I want it.’

The understanding parents say they want to tell their story for two reasons, to educate people and to support those who are dealing with a similar situation. The hardest part is dealing with other people’s reactions when they find out, the Tylers told Anderson. But parents should not feel personally responsible, according to Sarah.

It’s vital that transgender children are given the freedom to be themselves, Danann’s parents believe. Sarah has begun writing a blog about being a transgender parent.

The special episode saw Danann meet other transgender children for the first time. Jackie formerly Jack, Singer, and Tammy, formerly Tom Lobel.
http://mommysdirtylittlesecret.com/2...ing-as-a-girl/

There's also a short video of her at the bottom of the link.

I think this is so great how accepting her parents are. I wish the article was more consistent with pronouns, though. Media still has the annoying tendency of referring to trans people pre-"transition" as the pronouns they were assigned at birth. Especially when she even says in the interview that it hurts when people at school bully her and call her a boy. Notice how her parents use female pronouns no matter what age they refer to her, but yoga teacher and reporter use male pronouns. But overall good to see a more positive reception of trans children! :D I love that we are now seeing more and more cases of accepting parents.

Linus 12-02-2011 09:23 AM

*GASP* Happy employees are productive employees! Who'd thunk it?!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/1...ef=transgender


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