Trans News/ Issues

[Ebon]

My friend just found this out just wanted to let you guys know.

"Head's up to trans people with changed legal names who have Direct Loans for student loans. Your loan may have been transferred to a new servicing company that sends you physical mail under your old name. I called and they are going to look into the glitch (which is the term used by system-makers when systems they develop don't think about us)."

That's what he typed in verbatim.

[Nadeest]

Thanks for passing this info on. My roommate just got her name changed today, and I go to court for mine at the end of the month. We both have student loans out, as well.

[MsTinkerbelly]

I'll post more if I can get a hold of a print story later, but in a nutshell...

The police in LA are no longer allowed to call anyone Maam, Sir, or even question gender. If a person is Trans they will now be housed in the women's jail regardless of being male or female for saftey purposes.

The story was on news radio on my way in to work, so that is what I have for now.

[Nadeest]

Interesting. Thank you for posting this. It sounds like this action was the result of a lawsuit of some kind. Also, it sounds like some judge got PISSED at someone's transphobic actions. In a lot of ways, I hope that this is accurate. As a transwoman, I feel that it is great for us, but how about for the transmales? What do y'all think about this?

[Thinker]

These two articles give good information. The jail piece says that transgender individuals will be held in the women's jail BUT in a section reserved for transgender individuals (up to 24 people).

With regard to addressing individuals, the department encourages officers to go with how the individual presents him/herself (clothing, language, demeanor) and bans frisking for the sole purpose of determining anatomical sex.

http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-...stops-searches

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lano...ansgender.html

[Nadeest]

This is excellent news. Now TG people will, hopefully, be a lot more safe, when waiting to see the judge, in LA. I hope that the Los Angeles County Sheriff's department soon starts following this same policy. As it stands, they are safe until they see the judge, after that, all bets are off.

[EnderD_503]

Originally Posted by Nadeest

Interesting. Thank you for posting this. It sounds like this action was the result of a lawsuit of some kind. Also, it sounds like some judge got PISSED at someone's transphobic actions. In a lot of ways, I hope that this is accurate. As a transwoman, I feel that it is great for us, but how about for the transmales? What do y'all think about this?

I'm skeptical about it. Having the location situated in a women's prison supposedly for the sake of safety in a way seems a bit of a denial of transmale identity. The main issue that puts transguys who are on T or who pass decently at risk in male prisons are basically mandatory "public" strip searches upon entering the prison and before/after court dates. If male prisons started handling strip searches with more sensitivity and especially were more sensitive toward transmale prisoners, they could in many ways at least partially avoid the risk of outing a guy and putting him in a dangerous situation.

Ultimately, I think there should be a choice whether a guy feels safest in a male prison or in a designated trans block in a women's prison.

[~ocean]

that is deff another way to look at the issue

[Nadeest]

I can definitely see that, EnderD. Nor can I blame you at all for it. I certainly didn't like staying at a men's shelter, when I didn't have a place to stay, yet I had to, at least until I got some help.

[DapperButch]

Originally Posted by EnderD_503

Ultimately, I think there should be a choice whether a guy feels safest in a male prison or in a designated trans block in a women's prison.

I like the idea of choice for the transmale.

[Nadeest]

Um, from the few times that I have stayed in jail, I haven't really observed much in the way of choice, for inmates.

[EnderD_503]

Originally Posted by Nadeest

I can definitely see that, EnderD. Nor can I blame you at all for it. I certainly didn't like staying at a men's shelter, when I didn't have a place to stay, yet I had to, at least until I got some help.

Transguys I know (on T) who stayed in male prisons have basically said it was strip searches that compromised their safety primarily. Having to be paraded naked in front of other inmates who were being brought in or out to court dates. Personally, I'm 100% for the ethical treatment of prisoners and think there's a lot of shit that needs to change, including providing inmates with secluded strip searches if you're going to put people through that to begin with.

[Mike]

http://video.msnbc.msn.com/melissa-h...54424#47054424

[Nadeest]

Thank you for posting this. I hadn't found a way to watch this show, until now; and I wanted to do so, very badly.

[EnderD_503]

I've never heard of this show before. Does it air on mainstream daytime television?

If so, I was surprised to see them invite Kate Bornstein, to hear them talk a lot about the trans narrative, and to talk more about trans prisoners and homeless.

I think it was still a bit to disproportionate as far as representation. Yes, they talked about racism, yet the entire panel other than the hostess appeared to be white, middle to upper class trans people. If they wanted to bring more awareness of other narratives and experiences than the typical one (as they said they wanted to), then they should have had a bit more diversity of speakers sharing their experiences. Trans people who have been imprisoned, experienced discrimination etc.

[Corkey]

Originally Posted by EnderD_503

I've never heard of this show before. Does it air on mainstream daytime television?

If so, I was surprised to see them invite Kate Bornstein, to hear them talk a lot about the trans narrative, and to talk more about trans prisoners and homeless.

I think it was still a bit to disproportionate as far as representation. Yes, they talked about racism, yet the entire panel other than the hostess appeared to be white, middle to upper class trans people. If they wanted to bring more awareness of other narratives and experiences than the typical one (as they said they wanted to), then they should have had a bit more diversity of speakers sharing their experiences. Trans people who have been imprisoned, experienced discrimination etc.

Melissa Harris Perry is on MSNBC on weekend mornings right after UP with Chris. I can see he revisiting this when folks bring the conversation to her.

[EnderD_503]

I read it a few days ago, but thought I'd share it with people here as well in case some haven't heard.

Very exciting news for trans people in Ontario:

Hi All

We have received breaking news from Susan Gapka of the Trans Lobby Group informing us that the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal may have struck down the surgical pre-requisite for a legal change of gender in Ontario. Susan has just received communication from legal counsel and is reading the decision now. It is expected to be posted on the CanLII website very, very soon. The relayed message is as follows:

BREAKING: There's a report that an Ontario court may just have struck down the surgery requirement for change of legal gender. Waiting to read the decision.

"In a decision released on April 11, 2012, in the XY v. Ontario case, Ontario Human Rights Tribunal found that the Vital Statistic Act's requirement for "transsexual surgery" prior to sex designation change on birth certificates discriminates against trans people. As a result of the decision, Ontario cannot enforce the surgical requirement and was given 180 days to revise the criteria for sex designation change.

The decision is not yet on the Canlii HRTO decision page (http://www.canlii.org/en/on/onhrt/nav/date/2012.html) but it should be soon." — via Caro Lyn


I will circulate the decision as soon as it becomes available.

and then:

Hi Everyone,

I can share that Chief Commissioner Barbara Hall of the Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) confirmed that the court ruled that surgical pre-requisite is no longer a requirement for legal change of gender in the province, at a meeting I attended with her yesterday morning.

I haven't read the official announcement yet, but it appears this is going to be announced very soon. If that happens, I think it's only a matter of time before changes can be made to federal identification like passports. I think this will be a groundbreaking decision on the part of the province of Ontario!

[Nadeest]

I hope so. That would be marvelous for people in Canada.

[Linus]

Originally Posted by EnderD_503

I read it a few days ago, but thought I'd share it with people here as well in case some haven't heard.

Very exciting news for trans people in Ontario:



and then:



I haven't read the official announcement yet, but it appears this is going to be announced very soon. If that happens, I think it's only a matter of time before changes can be made to federal identification like passports. I think this will be a groundbreaking decision on the part of the province of Ontario!

Sweet! That could mean I could get my passport changed along with birth certificate (although I have had surgery). If I don't have to provide any info as to why I want it done that would be even better.

[TCB]

We, Happy Trans is a great resource for the trans community. They recently featured me on their network. Check it out and thanks for your support!



http://wehappytrans.com/uncategorize...h-cris-august/