Trans News/ Issues

[Nadeest]

It seems that a California university expelled a transgender student for 'fraud', as she told the truth on her application to that university, in the question that asked her gender. She did so, and now they are upset about it. Here is the link: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/0...ef=mostpopular

[Greyson]

Originally Posted by Nadeest

It seems that a California university expelled a transgender student for 'fraud', as she told the truth on her application to that university, in the question that asked her gender. She did so, and now they are upset about it. Here is the link: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/0...ef=mostpopular

I read about this woman's story earlier this week online in a local paper for that area of Southern California. That article was more in depth. It explained that this California University is a private college affiliated with the most conservative conference of the Baptist Church. There is the rub. It is not really clear if these private Universities affiliated with churches are exempt because of religious beliefs. "Churches" are exempt from some federal and state law that would require them to act against the teachings of their church. (I am not an attorney so I am giving the jest of this in laypersons language.)

Apparently the young woman was accepted into the Nursing Program at California State University San Bernadino but she declined the offer. If she had chosen a public university her legal case would be much stronger. I think what happened to her is morally wrong, but I am unsure if her case will meet the legal requirments in place to determine discrimination.

[Nadeest]

I think that she will prevail, as they accused her of 'fraud'. Apparently, the application/questionaire asked for her gender, and she answered it. Her gender IS female. Since a person's gender is determined by their gender identity, therefore, she answered the question truthfully.

[Linus]

So I'm on the road tonight and there isn't nothing really on so I stopped at one channel that has Whitney, the comedy show on. As it turns out, its about Whitney dealing with the transition of her sister (soon brother) from Female-to-male. The whole discussion as to what will happen and the side effects of T, IMO, puts a nice humourous spin on the FTM transition. The episode is called "Lost in Transition".

[Nadeest]

It appears that the country of Malta has finally started coming to it's senses. http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2013/04/03...nt-drops-case/

[Nadeest]

I found this to be a very interesting article, and may be of use to many here. http://www.policymic.com/articles/33...-becomes-daddy

[Greyson]

Originally Posted by Nadeest

I found this to be a very interesting article, and may be of use to many here. http://www.policymic.com/articles/33...-becomes-daddy

Thanks for bringing this article to our attention. The part of the article that really spoke to me was about the accusations made by the disgruntled spouse in court about the Trans person. My now wife, had recently separated from her cisgender male husband when I met her. I met her by chance at a B-F dance.

Her ex is a Psychologist and the accusations he made in a court of law were outrageous. (The fact he is a licensed Psychologist makes it even more scary and sad. Some give added cache to doctors, law enforcement, psychologist.) Things like "I have lesbian friends and they have told me that FTM's are very aggressive and prone to violence because of the testosterone." Or, alluding to the possibility there may be sexual misconduct on my part with the minor daughter they share custody. I did not attend any of the divorce hearings. The divorce had nothing to do with me but the remarks, accusations made by a heterosexual cisgender male were sadly familiar.

Living the majority of my life as Butch left me and others vulnerable to homophobia. I had never dated a woman with children previously but many times the heterosexual parents, siblings and friends blatantly expressed their outdated, fearful and homophobic beliefs.

Thankfully, I live in Northern California, a large metropolis with many LGBTQ people living their lives here. The judge was not swayed by the Queerphobia. Then the age old threat that I would be outed as Butch or Trans was made. (Duh.... I have always wondered how some can believe they are outing me, us. My gender expression speaks for itself. Hello, I am not in the closet.)

Thankfully the worst of my "criminal" background is a parking ticket. What happens to others that may have a mistake, blemish from when they were younger and dared to live an authentic life.

Some may believe this post is snarky, perhaps. My motivation is a lifetime of queerphobia, trying to educate others, sharing so that others may not feel so alone or crazy.

[Nadeest]

Here is a link to an article about the US's top 100 trans community activists. I found it quite interesting. I am acquainted with one of the people on the list, and have been at a presentation by another person on this list. http://chicagophoenix.com/2013/04/09...ates-released/

[Nadeest]

Interesting, isn't it? They arrest her for displaying her breasts, and throw her into the male side of the jail.

http://www.wsav.com/story/21966635/trans

[Nadeest]

I happened to run across this article, this morning. http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013...troom-use?lite

IF she has been standing up, while urinating, in the women's restroom, I can see the other people's reason for being upset. I probably would be, too. Mind you, I'm not necessarily convinced that that was what she was doing. It is certainly a possibility that someone is lying on that bit of information.

If it is true, however, I would say that she is very new to her transition, and it is likely that she has very little contact, at present, of other trans people, particularly trans women. I hope that she finds some mentors soon, that will help her get herself together, and make her transition a lot smoother.

It has been a long time, in my transition, since I had to face that issue. I do remember a bit about it, though. I hope that she is keeping a journal, about her transition. I was advised to do so, and I think that it helped me a lot, overall.

[Corkey]

Tomorrow is Day of Silence.
Will *you* be participating?
I will.

[Teddybear]

Originally Posted by Nadeest

I happened to run across this article, this morning. http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013...troom-use?lite

IF she has been standing up, while urinating, in the women's restroom, I can see the other people's reason for being upset. I probably would be, too. Mind you, I'm not necessarily convinced that that was what she was doing. It is certainly a possibility that someone is lying on that bit of information.

If it is true, however, I would say that she is very new to her transition, and it is likely that she has very little contact, at present, of other trans people, particularly trans women. I hope that she finds some mentors soon, that will help her get herself together, and make her transition a lot smoother.

It has been a long time, in my transition, since I had to face that issue. I do remember a bit about it, though. I hope that she is keeping a journal, about her transition. I was advised to do so, and I think that it helped me a lot, overall.

I recall back in the day prior to my transition that going to the restroom was almost a covert mission. There were times I was reported for being in the "wrong" bathroom. This dates back to elementary school.

When I "officially" began I lived in an area where my gender wasn't questioned however within months of starting my company moved me to a state that at the time had NO laws protecting any person of the lbgt community as a matter of fact I was "informed" by my manager that as long as I had "f" on my drivers license I better keep using that restroom or I could be arrested in that state.

I lives there less then a yr the moved far away. I don't know if theyhave changes the laws or not and really hope I never have to deal with such closed minded ppl again.

[Nadeest]

This article seems very interesting, and would be of interest to ftms, I would think. http://openmindedhealth.com/2013/04/...anssexual-men/

[Nadeest]

A new article seems to have come out, about this transgender woman that is in a legal disgreement with a California religious university. One thing, I found particularly interesting:

"Southwick said state law requires universities that admit students regardless of religious affiliation – as Cal Baptist does – and that receive financial support from the state cannot discriminate against transgender people. The financial support, Southwick said, comes from Cal Baptist’s participation in a state tax-free-bond program."

Southwick is the presiding judge in this matter.

If this is true, it seems to me that Cal Baptist is going to be found wrong, in expelling her from school. Here is the link to the whole article:

http://blog.pe.com/multicultural-bea...set-precedent/

[Nadeest]

A Hong Kong transgender woman has just won the right to marry her boyfriend, thru the courts there. http://news.yahoo.com/hk-transgender...072149587.html

[DMW]

Originally Posted by Nadeest

Interesting, isn't it? They arrest her for displaying her breasts, and throw her into the male side of the jail.

http://www.wsav.com/story/21966635/trans

This article isn't very clear as to whether or not Miss Del Valle was placed in a cell with bio males. I believe that she was placed in an area where the male population could see her but not touch her. I hope that this is the case. However, this is really beside the point of actual harms done.

This is the point and fact that makes this experience harmful to Miss Del Valle...
First and foremost, she has been recognized and outed to several people whom will be able to recognize her among the general public. Her life, therefore, has been put into jeopardy by these officers and this jail.
Good news is that she doesn't live in there.

Legally, if they booked her as male...how can they arrest her for (having a see threw blouse on that shows her chest) indecent exposure baring her chest?

Interrupted by phone call...I am.

[DapperButch]

Originally Posted by Nadeest

This article seems very interesting, and would be of interest to ftms, I would think. http://openmindedhealth.com/2013/04/...anssexual-men/

Thanks for posting this, very interesting.

Recently, I have been interested in the similarity of brains differences in trans vs cis brains (both in form and in function). They find transwomen's brains more similar to cissexed women's than cissexed men's. Less studies have been done for transmen, of course, but there are some small ones done.

The article you linked helped me find this one. It is a bit dense, but worth the read in my opinion. Thanks!

http://openmindedhealth.com/2012/01/...brain-studies/

[Nadeest]

That link that you posted was most interesting. Thank you for sharing it!

[alexri]

A Navy SEAL member, who was part of the Seal Team Six (the team that captured and killed Osama Bin Laden), has come out as transgender and has written a book. The book is available on Amazon Kindle.

http://www.theatlanticwire.com/natio...-memoir/65823/

[EnderD_503]

http://www.xtra.ca/public/National/F...tee-13707.aspx

Federal trans rights bill C-279 was adopted unamended at a Senate Committee on Human Rights meeting June 10.

The bill aims to add gender identity to the list of grounds protected from discrimination under the Canadian Human Rights Act.

Witnesses who testified include Rebecca J Bromwich and Robert Peterson with the Canadian Bar Association; Noa Mendelsohn Aviv, a director of the equality program of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association; Susheel Gupta, acting chair person of the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal; N Nicole Nussbaum, president elect of the Canadian Professional Association for Transgender Health; and Sara Davis Buechner of the University of British Columbia.

Diane Watts of REAL Women of Canada also appeared as a witness.

In November, Watts testified against the bill at the Parliamentary standing committee on justice and human rights, saying that if the bill passed children would be put at risk by pedophiles using the bill to their advantage.

The bill’s originator, NDP MP Randall Garrison, called Watts’ testimony “offensive.”

The bill will now go to third reading in the Senate. If C-279 passes third reading, it will then require royal assent before becoming law.

C-279’s Senate sponsor, Senator Grant Mitchell, is hopeful the bill will pass third reading. He told Xtra last month that he has confirmation from 16 Conservative senators that they will vote in favour of the bill.

“But you don’t know until you actually get there. If all 16 voted with us then it would pass. It would be a little bit close but it would pass,” Mitchell said at Ottawa trans support group Gender Mosaic’s 25th anniversary reception, May 29.

Xtra is following this story.

Still unsure how I feel about it, and it won't actually change much for a lot of trans people when it comes to housing and employment...in most cases people don't tell you to your face that they won't rent to you or hire you/fired you because your trans and this kind of stuff only really helps in the "obvious" cases. It's society and the education system itself that needs to change so that people aren't such assholes generally, and I don't think this piece of legislation will really help it do that.