500 March for TransJustice in New York City

500 March for Transgender Justice in New York City! We have been promised change. We have been promised equality. We have NOT even been given JUSTICE!






Pop over to te Bilerico Project to Dr. Jillian T. Weiss's article 500 March for TransJustice in NYC for some more incredible videos and pictures.

My spell checker NOW recognizes 'TransJustice' as a word! Share on you facebook wall, tell your friends, tell your uncle Pete! Tell it to the Government. TransJustice NOW!

Dallas Transgender Advocates and Allies Calls on DART to Write "Unequivocal" Transgender Protections

For Immediate Release
June 25, 2010

Contact
Kelli Anne Busey
kellibusey@yahoo.com

Dallas Transgender Advocates and Allies(DTAA) Calls on DART to be faithful to resolution 950155 passed on June 22, 2010.

The DTAA calls on DART to craft it's nondiscrimination policy so that DART protects it's transgender, Gay, Lesbian and heterosexual employees "unequivocally" as promised.

Retaining or revising DART's current ambiguous nondiscrimination policy and definitions would invite interpretations that could allow discrimination and potentially costly litigation.

Transgender advocates and allies attending the June 22, 2010 Board meeting applauded the unanimous passage of resolution 950155 which states;

"It is the intention of the DART board to adopt language at DART that unequivocally prohibits discrimination against persons based upon their gender identity and gender expression.

The DTAA calls on DART to examine the Fort Worth Municipal nondiscrimination Ordinance passed in 2009 as a example that it my use in writing a nondiscrimination policy that is faithful to Resolution 950155.

Sec. 17-66. - Definitions.

"Sexual orientation shall mean heterosexuality, homosexuality or bisexuality or being identified with such orientation."

"Transgender shall mean a person who experiences and/or expresses their gender differently form conventional or cultural expectations including, but not limited to those who express a gender that does not match the sex listed on their original birth certificate or who physically alter their sex."

Sec. 17-67. Discrimination prohibited.

"It shall be unlawful for any covered entity to discriminate against any individual because of age, race, color, religion, sex, disability, national origin, sexual orientation, transgender, gender identity or gender expression in any manner involving employment, including the recruitment of applicants for employment, advertising, hiring, layoff, recall, termination of employment, promotion, demotion, transfer, compensation, employment classification, training and selection for training or any other terms, conditions or privileges of employment."

************************************

Dallas Transgender Advocates and Allies, a worldwide organization of Transgender, Transsexual, Gender Gifted. Intersexed, Questioning and allied people advocating for equality in politics, religion and society.

************************************

Jose Rodriguez Texas Gay Man, OUTED and DISCHARGED under DADT

Source Dallas Voice Instant Tea: "An El Paso man says he was discharged from the Navy under “don’t ask don’t tell” because a commander found out he was gay when he sought treatment at a hospital after being drugged and raped at a gay nightclub in San Diego."

"Jose Rodriguez, who was missing for three days when he was kidnapped and sexually assaulted by a group of men last June, says he woke up in a hotel room with no clothes. He doesn’t recall much about the incident:"

“Me being forced down, held by my neck with a couple of hands holding me down and opening my mouth while I’m yelling, ‘Help,’” said Rodriguez.Dallas Voice

Via JoeAnthony Rodriguez Facebook
~~~NEW RESPONSE FROM US NAVY~~~DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVYNAVY PERSONEL COMMAND
5720 INTEGITY DRIVE......MILLINGTON, TN 38055-00005730Ser00L3E10U000231C
March 30, 2010
The Honorable Susan A. Davis
Member,
United States of Representatives
Attention: Katherine Fortner
4305 University Ave, Suite 515San Diego, CA 92105
　
Dear Representative Davis:
Thank you for your letter on January 5, 2010 on behalf of Mr. Jose A. Rodriguez a former member of the United States Navy regarding the alleged harassment and his administrative discharge.

Your continue desire to assist Mr. Rodriguez is appreciated. The USS PELELIU (LHA 5) has conducted an immediate through investigation into the claims that Mr. Rodriguez medical treatment was disclosed among members of the LHA 5. The investigation has found that only authorized personnel handled Mr. Rodriguez navy medical record. However, it was concluded that a former shipmate who visited Mr. Rodriguez at the hospital was provided information by the civilian hospital staff member. The former shipmate upon returning to LHA 5, after the visit, did tell Sailors of the incident. Immediately upon learning of the divulgence personal information, the service member in question was disciplined accordingly.

　　　　　　　　Sincerely,E. A. Wrighitt Congressional Affairs
By direction of the Commander



"My dream was forcefully taken away. To serve my country as a patriotic gay american. I have a new dream. Equality for all! I will continue to fight for equality for all! we are the ones comming up in the world. We must continue to push this movement foward. End Don't Ask, Don't Tell!" JoeAnthony Rodriguez June 24 2010

Unity in the Community! DART vote unanimous: Adopt 'Unequivocal' Transgender Protections

Today June 22, 2010 DART entered the 21st century, pressured by state advocacy groups and the Dallas city Council to do so. DART finally agreed in a surprising unanimous vote to adopt a amendment to it's nondiscrimination policy protecting its transgender employees.

DART board members first voted to remove the wording that would have left open the interpretation of there nondiscrimination policy and to a standing ovation passed without debate resolution 950155.

Committee member William Tsao then proposed Resolution 950155 "It is the intention of the DART board to adopt language at DART that unequivocally prohibits discrimination against persons based upon their gender identity and gender expression."



I sat next to the transgender woman the state LGBT organizations had united so passionately to protect. In my mind I had envisioned a woman early in transition, perhaps someone DART supervisors would not clearly recognize as female.

I can be such a idiot. Robin is a beautiful fully transitioned rose in full bloom. I was bewildered that anyone could actually deny her the opportunity to live as the woman she is. I had to ask her, if now that the protections were in place would she feel free to transition on the job. Robin simply said, "I have been, I couldn't have done otherwise."

Robin did go on to say that "untill the LGBT community started petitioning DART to change it's nondiscrimination policy I had to put up with harassment from my supervisors" she went on "but now things have been different."

Pam Curry, her friend who brought her plight to our notice was close to tears, her voice quivering as she explained to the board, "my friend, my sister has been crying each time she called me in the past years because of the harassment at work. Maybe now she will be able to live in peace".

I was left amazed by this tiny beautiful woman who stoically braved oppression silently and patiently waiting for her LGBT family to rescue her. I was also in awe of our LGBT family. They send goose bumps down my back transgender back, I am so proud of each and everyone.

And Robin is too! She says THANK YOU!

Kelli Busey
June 22, 2010

Dallas Transgender Advocates comments to DART Board

Chairman Velasco, board members and General Council Simmons,

I stood before you a few months ago and praised you for your selfless dedication to DART, encouraged by your stated desire to transform DART into a corporation that would no longer persecute it's transgender employees.

I stand before you today angry, disillusioned but focused and empowered.

We ave worked these months in good faith petitioning your corporation to simply allow the human rights that are allowed by common decency to be extended to your employees.

In return for our efforts we initially saw a spark of hope in that DRT would amend it's nondiscrimination policy to protect it's most vulnerable, transgender people.

But as time went on DART began to assemble a nondiscrimination policy with proposed language that was vague and ambiguous strangely inviting an interpretation which would allow open discrimination against the people that DART purportedly desired to protect.

My worst fears were confirmed after Council Member Raymond Noah announced the nondiscrimination policy was crafted so DART could in fact openly discriminate against transgender people as it has done selectively against all other protected classes!

Mr. Raymond Noah t has been reveled in the past week that you in your capacity of Judge you misgendered and humiliated a transgender OFFICER of the law, Diana J. Powe repeatedly during a seven year post transitional period. Your intentionally misgendered her while she was n the witness stand and making a production of correcting your self, insueing her humiliation.

As a young transgender woman I made some mistakes which cost me a night in jail. I was repeatably embarrassed by jail employees and guards who striped me to the bare essentials of clothing and continually paraded visitors and staff past my cell to embarrass and humiliate me. And you did the same thing to a officer of the law who's served a seven year sentence imprisonment by her belief your indiscretions were of less importance than her commitment to her job.

Mr Noah I beleive this example of transmisoyony and homophobia is just the tip of the iceberg since you were the one who inserted the changes that would have allowed DART to discriminate at will.

General counsel Hyattye Simmons, you earn a six figure income yet you took it yourself to direct your legal team to influence a family court judge so she would vacate a ruling finding a transgender woman legaly female. I know you deny any involvement in that and I am calling you a lie. The judge would never have done that with out your interference.

I suggest you should be fired and your six figure income be used to support the minor increase to your insurance plan that would allow for the funding of sexual reassignment surgeries for your transgender employees and benefits for your partnered gay and lesbian employees.


This goes out to all the transgender girls who like myself were rejected by friends and family. If you make the same mistakes I did and end up in a cell, demand respect and common decency and nothing less from your jailers.

This goes out to all te transgender police officers who unselfishly endure harassment and disbasement from judges while performing your duties, You do not have to accept this mistreatment anymore! Demand respect and dignity and nothing less.

This goes out to Robin a fellow driver. God bless you girl. You have endured this inhumanity silently and anonymously trusting in our LGBT community to rescue you because you were held incarcerated by a system so institutionalized with bigotry to do otherwise would have cost you your job.

I beleive DART will amend it's nondiscrimination policy as we have asked, maybe not from a feeling of obligation but protectionism.

And if they do Robin from this day forward your suffering from this oppression is over and you will be free to live your life with arms wide open.

LGBT Response to manipulations by DART allowing Discrimination

”Time: 6:30 p.m.
Location: Board Room
DART Headquarters
1401 Pacific Ave. (Akard Station)
Dallas, TX 75202
MAP

The Dart Committee meeting of the whole proposed changes to be voted on June 22 have according to Ken Upton at Lambda Legal commented that,

“They just screwed you guys over royally,” Upton said. “By adding that word in there, they’ve said we can discriminate all we want. It’s exactly the opposite of what they promised they were doing."

DART board member transphobic Raymond Noah changed the wording of the proposed changes to it's nondiscrimination policy "hoodwinking" the good members of the DART board and is ruining the LGBT's faith in DART's promise it will become a entity that does not openly persecute it's transgender employees.~Kelli Busey

The North Texas LGBTQ community is encouraged to attend this meeting. You will be given three minutes to voice your opinions.

Changes proposed for the DART Nondiscrimination policy to be voted on June 22 2010,

• DART Board Supplemental Information PDF

Background informantion:
Word Switched by DART's Raymond Noah encourages discrimination| Judge Raymond Noah's Decade of Transphobic Courtroom Behavior EXPOSED!

Word Switched by DART's Raymond Noah encourages discrimination| Judge Raymond Noah's Decade of Transphobic Courtroom Behavior EXPOSED!

The closed door 'Executive' meeting DART conducted to discuss it's nondiscrimination policy was indicative of the systemic bigotry and duplicitous abuse of authority that pervades DART's management.

There was 'passionate' discussion about amending the nondiscrimination policy according to DART chairman William Velasco in a possibly illegal closed door meeting after receiving general counsel Hyattye Simmons explaination of 'gender'.

Was it decided by Simmons and forced on some members in this closed door meeting that sneaking a word in that expressly allows discrimination was in the best interests of DART?

The motion by Raymond Noah (pictured left) to change the wording to allow discrimination against gay and transgender people was passed without debate. Was part of that 'passionate' discussion about what defence the Board members should offer in case this sham was exposed?

A woman's life is at stake. Being simply ignorant about language changes to a human rights amendment to protect her reeks of collusion.

What was the DART Board's main concern? Protecting one of there employees from discrimination or protecting themselves from Council Simmons?

Who is DART's General Counsel Simmons to have influenced a FAMILY judge so that she reversed her findings that DART employee, Ms T Dart (Robin) was female?

Why was General Counsel Simmons given the responsibility of presenting a impartial and subjective definition of gender to the DART board?

We need more than DART's Human resource director Ben Gomez's word that they will rewrite there employees handbook to prohibit discrimination against gay and transgender people regardless if the amendment to there nondiscrimination policy clearly not only allows but encourages this discrimination to take place!

WE need full accountability and open management of DART if the re written employees handbook is to have ANY value.

We need to seriously consider if General Council Simmons is performing his duties in the best interest of DART or are the Board members simply pawns of the General Council's bigotry.

We need to attend Tuesdays meeting in support of board member William Tsao and other well intentioned board members in there effort to remove the extraneous and ambiguous wording DART has inserted in there Nondiscrimination policy proposed changes.

We need the addition of Gender Identity/Expression without ANY provisions to discriminate.

Kelli Anne Busey
June 19, 2010

DENNY'S Gender Grand Slam Ban's Transwoman from Ladies Room

As transfolk we understand our moral obligations to society and none more so than respecting others right to privacy. Accordingly, we often are perplexed when Cisgender people make a big deal about us using the restroom.

Brianna Freeman of Lewiston Maine was banned because of a alleged complaint from a anonymous source complaining about Brianna. No official complaints were lodged and police have none on file.

Denny's feels it is doing the right thing even though the state has legislation protecting the rights of transgender people to use the proper public accommodations. "The problem is that another individual with inappropriate motives could abuse the policy that permitted a male to use the woman's restroom." according to Denny's attorney, Patrick Mellor.


Maine Public Broadcasting Network interview with Brianna and Denny's.

Brianna feels her rights have been infringed on and Glad is representing her in a case that asks for no monetary restitution. She just wants to be free to pee.

DART Board Member Raymond Noah Gut's Gender Amendment Screws Gays: TAKE ACTION!

Dallas Area Rapid Transit's final draft gender inclusive nondiscrimination proposal had a word added in the last moments while the Committee had there Mic's turned down, effectively making it a regulation PERMITTING discrimination against GLBT people in the workplace not expressly forbade by state and national laws.

Another words? Sans ENDA, Texas being a "AT WILL" state this amendment allows DART to discriminate, officially and legally.



At the 35 second mark board member Raymond Noah, who has opposed this amendment asked that the word "and" be changed to "except" which was rubber stamped by committee. Ken Upton at Lambda Legal commented that,

“They just screwed you guys over royally,” Upton said. “By adding that word in there, they’ve said we can discriminate all we want. It’s exactly the opposite of what they promised they were doing.”

The DART nondiscrimination policy only needed the inclusion of the words "Gender Identity/Expression to make DART a organization that protects equally transgender people in the work place. Instead DART has manipulated the amendments language in a way that it ultimately denies transgender and gay people protection!

Please contact these Dallas City Council Members BEFORE the June 22 board meeting and ask they relay your concerns about the amendment to the DART Board.

Sample email

Dear Councilmember ,

Please pass my concerns to the DART board that the work that the GLBT community has done in good faith has been for naught.

The DART nondiscrimination policy only needed the inclusion of the words "Gender Identity/Expression to make DART a organization that protects equally transgender people in the work place. Instead DART has manipulated the amendments language in a way that it ultimately denies transgender and gay people protection.

Thank you
[your name]

Councilmember Pauline Medrano
Deputy Mayor Pro Tem
Email
Phone: 214-670-4048
Fax: 214-670-3409


David A. Neumann
Email
Phone: 214-670-0776
Fax: 214-670-5117

Delia Jasso
Email
Phone: 214-670-4052
Fax: 214-670-5117

Linda Koop
Email
Phone: 214-670-7817
Fax: 214-670-5117

Demand Accountability for Neda Agha-Soltan and Respect for Angie Zapata

Neda Agha-Soltan, aged 27, was shot to death on 20 June 2009 during a peaceful demonstration in Tehran, protesting the results of the 12 June 2009 presidential elections. She was apparently shot by a Basij (paramilitary) sniper. The video of her last minutes, as Dr. Arash Hejazi and other bystanders tried to save her while blood poured over her face, galvanized people around the world. Although the one-year anniversary of her death is approaching, the Iranian government has as yet not carried out an investigation into her death, or the dozens of other killings of peaceful post-election protesters. The following link takes you to Amnesty Internationals campaign demanding accountability for Neda.

No Iranian exploitation comedies have been made using Neda's legacy in a cheap advertising ploy.



Angie Zapata was a young transgender woman who was brutally murdered in 2008 for her gender expression and a American gay man used her legacy and the thousands of murdered transgender woman in a cheap advertising ploy.

Both murderers thought that by killing woman they could snuff out the same candle of hope and faith that we share. Both murderers had this in common, they were so very wrong!

The world united to condemn both these horrendous crimes, so why should Angie Zapata or any other of the thousands of murdered transwoman be of such less value that a American gay man felt entitled to use her name to advertise a comedy about murdering transgender woman, much to the much to the horror of her mother?

Because film director Israel Luna is a misogynist who would use his ability to kill the will of all transgender woman if able. Being a gay misogynist, Luna would not pick on Iranian cisgender woman to use in this fashion. But like the two murdering cowards the preceded him, Luna is finding universal condemnation.

Israel Luna picked on transgender womankind, often made fun of in drag by gay men because of all of woman we remain the least protected and most vulnerable.

Demand that Philly Q Fest artistic director Raymond Murray removes TO#WK for the same reason you demand accountability for Neda,every woman counts.

Philadelphia Cinema AllianceCineFest / QFest
234 Market St 4th floor Philadelphia, PA 19106
267-765-9800
Artistic Director: Raymond Murrayemail:
Raymond Murray

Houston Councilwoman Wanda Adams EPIC FAIL: Aids Housing and Transgender Youth Shelter Efforts Abandoned

Houston City Councilmember Wanda Adams Walks Out on LGBT Community… Again

In a move that has the Houston LGBT community asking “Where’s Wanda?” Houston City Councilmember Wanda Adams was absent Friday from a meeting to discuss housing for homeless transgender youth. The latest absence comes just over a week after Adams was publicly chastised by the chair of the Houston GLBT Political Caucus for walking out on a City Council vote to fund AIDS housing. Video right >

The meeting, which had been scheduled for over a week, had been set up between Transgender community leaders and Covenant House, a faith-based housing program for homeless youth in Adams’ city council district. Covenant House receives funds from the City of Houston. Their policy against allowing Transgender clients to dress as their identified gender has long been a frustration for Transgender advocates.

Adams mentioned the meeting during a radio interview with the program “Queer Voices” last Monday, in which she defended her record with the LGBT community and claimed to be surprised at the anger caused when she walked out of council chambers just before the vote to extend city funding for Marjo House, a facility offering housing for people with AIDS.

The Covenant House meeting was scheduled to start at eleven o’clock. A few minutes after eleven Adams (who was previously employed by Covenant House) called to say she would be running late. At about 12:30 a staffer for her office arrived and explained that she would not arrive.

The good news is that Covenant House has agreed to work with the Houston Transgender community to revise their policies. The bad news is that ‘Absentee Adams’ has missed another opportunity to represent her constituents.

By: Anonymous,
Houston Texas
June 14,2009

DART Tuesday's meeting to decide fate of transgender employee TAKE ACTION

Tuesday Committee meeting will decide whether a proposal will be forwarded to the Board for a vote on amending its nondiscrimination policy to include gender identity.

Transgender people are well aware that being denied transition can be a life destroying event, so please help Ms.T DART!

The proposal was not passed to the Board during the last committee meeting because of one vote. Committee member Ms. Dunlop Gates changed her vote from a yes to a no, thereby stopping the committee from passing the amendment to the Board.

DART council members who voted against passing the amendment to the DART Board:
Mr. Velasco,
Mr.Strauss,
Mr. Noah,
Mr. Enoch,
Ms. Ellerbe,
Ms. Dunlop Gates

Please contact the following Dallas city council members and ask them to pass on to the above listed Dart council members your wish that the DART nondiscrimination policy be amended to include gender identity.

David A. Neumann
Email
Phone: 214-670-0776
Fax: 214-670-5117

Delia Jasso
Email
Phone: 214-670-4052
Fax: 214-670-5117

Linda Koop
Email
Phone: 214-670-7817
Fax: 214-670-5117

Questions? GLBT advocates with answers:

Rafael McDonnell
Strategic Communications and Programs Manager
Email: rmcdonnell@rcdallas.org
Web Page
P: 214-528-0144
F: 214-522-4604

Patti Fink
DGLA: Dallas Gay & Lesbian Alliance
contact
By telephone
You can call us at: (214) 528-4233
or fax us at: (214) 521-6424

Kelli Busey
Dallas Transgender Advocates and Allies(DTAA)
DTAA Web site
972-693-1988

Protesting TO#WK an Affirmation of GLBTQ UNITY

Recently there has been a misconception circulating that transgender people consider drag queens and female impersonators of less value because we are protesting TO#WK.

Not on this blog we don't and certainly we do not hold that belief at the Dallas Transgender Advocates and Allies.

"Traditionally" Drag Queens are cis-men who wear womanly attire in performance that parody femininity.

'Traditionally.'

'Traditionally' the reality is, transgender woman who enjoy performing drag, cisgender men and drag kings have always been murdered for the same reason, their gender expression.

Ours is a beautiful rainbow precious in its diversity.

I originally got the idea for the The Dallas Transgender Advocates and Allies when I was attending a protest for "Drag Queens" who were thrown out of a local gay dance bar called "Crews Inn" on what was billed as "Trashy Tuesday"

@ccording to the D@ll@s Voice there were three 'dr@g queens' thrown out on 'Tr@shy Tuesd@y' (not a le@p to s@y 'tr@shy tr@**y Tuesd@y', is it DV?).

I can tell you this. They were some of the most awesome, courageous woman I have ever met. That protest was the place I had the good fortune of meeting Daniel Williams, pictured right, the first advocate without boundries I ever came in personal contact with. We protested with the entire GLBT community every "trashy Tuesday" untill we successfully forced the owner to accept a agreement mediated by the Dallas fair housing's nondiscrimination

These woman pictured left Sierra Andrews(L)Ceeste Nunez(R), actually had conceived of the Dallas Transgender Advocates long ago but declined my suggestion they take it on line, which I did.

So, it's a cornerstone of the Dallas Transgender Advocates and Allies that we advocate for equality and social justice, focusing on not one part of our beautiful gender or sexual orientation spectrum but every part with equal enthusiasm and commitment.

Absolutely critical for our survival that we love each other, respect each other and go to bat if necessary for each other.

That is why we are protesting TO#WK. It's not the actresses and actors. I actually enjoyed the passion of there performance, admired there facebook profiles, but tragically I abhorred the overall message of TO#WK.

TO#WK makes one dimensional the transgender experience and injects a unreal and potentially disastrous proposition that violence committed against transgender woman can be righted with violence.

TO#WK suggests that "real Woman" do not have penis's and those that do and who "fool" men into sex have committed a crime so horrendous that they may expect and indeed accept any violence that the 'victimized' man deems necessary to right this wrong.

TO#WK must be stopped not just for people who's gender gift blessing is manifested every moment, visually and physically (transgender people), but drag queens (2009 Jimmy McCullough was murdered after a performance) and female illusionists because they are as much at risk from the misconceptions of TO#WK as transgender people.

Most importantly we must protest TO#WK for the LGBT children to come that they may have lives free from this senseless divisiveness and violence.

Kelli anne Busey
June 13, 2010

*TRANS EMPOWERMENT IN SEATTLE* to Protest "Ticked off Tra##ies Wih Knives"

*TRANS EMPOWERMENT IN SEATTLE* TICKED OFF TRANSPEOPLE WITH KNOWLEDGE*
PROTEST TICKED OFF TRA**IES WITH KNIVES

JUNE 12-11PM*
JUNE13- 8:30 PM*
Egyptian Theatre 801 E Pine
MAP

An Info/ Educational Demonstration Event
Violence against a woman is hate crime against all women!
We are *WOMEN! * We're not *TRANNIES*!
We're not your *VICTIMS* of misogynistic hate!
We gather at Broadway & Pine, Seattle 30 minutes prior to the event.










Hello Everyone! For those of you who don't know or for those of you who haven't read my Facebook profile, My name is Teresa Reeves. You can see in the photograph the green button that I'm wearing. I have owned and worn this button for 30 years! On it is a butterfly that is made of women's heads and faces and there are three words:

*EVERY WOMAN COUNTS*

I have been a woman for 34 years and I believe those words with my heart and soul!
I believe that I was born to be a woman and I will be a woman for the rest of my life, I am proud to be a member of the greatest Sisterhood of all, to be a woman among women!

I knew from long before my transition how our culture and others has mistreated all who were born and raised as females. To be treated as inferior, made to be submissive and subservient, and designated as victims to male domination was of great pain to me, since i was labeled a member of dominant group and supposedly the beneficiary of male privilege. It took me some 21 years of my life to escape the chains that bound me away from uncountable male tormentors who treated me as inferior and targeted me with their hatred of all that was not manly. Most of my tormentors were straight "heterosexual" men. Some were gay. All of them hated women and took out their misogynistic anger on me. Practicing for the day when the straight men would take it out on their girlfriends or wives or when the gay men would take it out on their drag queen partners or upon their transsexual and transgender sisters whom they hold contempt for as being "traitors" to gay men because they didn't want to be men at all!.

Our popular culture has long celebrated the violent victimization of women in books and movies. We've romanticized the serial killers and serial rapists, most all of them men with their dozens or more of women victims. We made great leaps forward to even admit the common occurrence of rape, incest, child molestation and domestic violence and provision has been made for treatment centers and more responsive policing for female victims. But if you're a male victim or a Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual or Transgender victim, particularly of a sexual assault, usually by a male perpetrator, just where do you go? Some of the people you may turn to are homophobic and think that you asked for it for not being heterosexual and you got what you deserve! Others are misogynists who think that all women or all less than manly men deserve it. Still others are transphobic who may react in panic to the idea that there some women who are out there who used to be identified as male or who no longer want to be so identified, and some will react the same about a man who used to be female. In any case, all justify their violence toward others in the same way, particularly if the violence comes out in a sexual situation or opportunity. Those situations are the leading cause of murder of L G B T people collectively and is a even more prevalent in the murders of transsexual & transgender women.

Israel Luna"s film, "Ticked Off T......With Knives" claims to be innovative in a new genre of films that he designated as "transploitation" but it is actually good old fashioned misogyny with a twist.. All you would really have to do is substitute transsexuals or transgender victims for those of jack the Ripper, Charles Manson or Gary Ridgeway.. "Transmisogyny" is a gay establishment way to create an acceptable class of victims for the purposes of exploitation in art.-- supposedly a class of victims who are too weak, too ineffectual to fight back.

The film follows an often used formula like in the Charles Bronson 'Death Wish" series in which at the beginning of the film Bronson's character's wife, daughter or girlfriend, is beaten, raped or murdered and then the rest of the film is devoted to his rampage of vengeance! The story and lives of the victims really don't matter,only his vengeance matters!

This film follows the same premise. and if you buy the premise you'll buy a movie ticket. The victims in "Ticked off..." don't matter because they are characters created to be victimized, portrayed by or as drag queens, such grotesque imitations sf women.that some will enjoy watching their torment and torture with glee!.

So the premise is set for justifiable revenge! And to tempt moviegoers, an actual account of a transgender woman's murder was used in the promotional trailer of this film. over the objection of the dead woman's mother who saw her daughter's image and likeness being used to promote what is called a comedy! Even the image and likeness of another murdered transgender woman Gwen Araujo, murdered by 4 men in Newark California in 2002, is being used by internet marketing companies to promote their services on a profile as if she was alive and well on Facebook!

And the method of revenge is bizarre. You cannot reasonable expect to seek revenge against multiple perpetrators with knives. You have to get to close to the victim. You may be overpowered and the weapon used on you or a superior weapon like a gun may kill you! Even a successful attack is likely to get the victims blood all over you and you are more likely to cut yourself because when wet with blood, knives become slippery! And how many more times can you do this! I guess there are a certain number of people out there who will drool at the bloody revenge, but it's not ever, ever happened that way in the real world.

The people who track these kinds of numbers for the Transgender Day of Remembrance report that 160 trans people are known to have been killed since this film's debut in January 2009. But it would be very hard to attribute any of those deaths to this film. But what this film does and particularly if Luna succeeds in creating this new genre of 'transploitative' film is that it creates an atmosphere in which transsexual & transgender people in general and trans women in particular will become acceptable targets for real life violence because they are popular and acceptable targets for fictitious violence. and the stereotypical portrayal of trans people as something less than human will make violence in the street more justifiable to those who would select a victim for a hate crime.

Seattle this evening and tomorrow evening is the next stop for a film that opened in Ft. Worth Texas last Saturday June 6 and it was met with protests led by Kelli Anne Busey of Dallas Transgender Advocates and it was she who was able to reach out to us here in Seattle Washington to put together an informational educational demonstration that addresses the evil of this motion picture this weekend.. Through her efforts with Dallas Transgender Advocates and in combination with the efforts of us at Gender Identity Empowerment Coalition (Washington State) , Gender Alliance of the South Sound (Washington State),, Transhaven Missouri, Transangels.ORG Arizona and other allies, we have succeeded in this film not being selected for showing in St. Louis and at UCLA, Los Angeles with trans positive films being shown instead.

But the jury is still out in some cities where one festival organizer in Philadelphia asked us to get a sense of humor! And even some blogs by transgender women here in Seattle have taken the situation much too lightly one referring to the movie as "Ticked Off Tr*****s Gonna Git You Sucka" the other saying that "Watch out Luna, the "Tr*****s" Are Coming for You"!

So the Info/ Educational Event is tonight- Saturday and tomorrow night- Sunday
If you think that making a movie that exploits the torment and torture, the blood and suffering of trans women and using it as a comedy about a bloody rage of vengeance and creating a new genre of film with trans people as acceptable victims-- If you think this is horrible, disgusting and inhuman then JOIN US TONIGHT & TOMORROW NIGHT AS WE TAKE A STAND AGAINST HATE !

VIOLENCE AGAINST A WOMAN IS A HATE CRIME AGAINST ALL WOMEN!
WE ARE NOT "TRANNIES"! WE ARE NOT YOUR VICTIMS!
We are women and we are men just like you. We are everywhere. We are white collar professionals and blue collar laborers. We are parents and school teachers, doctors and lawyers, scientists and engineers, art, entertainers, politicians and public servants. We protect and serve as police and in the military. We are the rich and the poor, the young and the old, the middle class and the middle of the road. We are liberal and conservative, progressive and reactionary, religious and secular humanist, evolutionist and creationist. We are the homeless and the housed, the healthy and the sick, the single and the coupled We are racial minorities and of the silent majority, We are all of the above and none of the above and something in between.

We aspire to all the good things that life can bring, We have a right to live out our hopes and dreams in peace.

HUMAN RIGHTS, CIVIL RIGHTS, EQUAL RIGHTS ARE FOR EVERYONE!
HOMELESS PEOPLE INCLUDED!
NOT JUST FOR STRAIGHT WHITE MEN!
NOT JUST FOR LESBIANS,GAYS & BISEXUALS!
SAY YES TO TRANSSEXUAL, TRANSGENDER, INTERSEX & GENDER DIVERSE PEOPLE!
AND TO A TRANS-INCLUSIVE EMPLOYMENT NON-DISCRIMINATION ACT (ENDA)

Thank you for reading and for your consideration
Teresa Ellen Reeves 6/12/10

(c) 2010 Teresa Ellen Reeves

TRANS EMPOWERMENT IN SEATTLE* TICKED OFF TRANSPEOPLE WITH KNOWLEDGE

Q Fest Philadelphia: Transgender people "Get a Sense of Humor" about your Murdered

The Q Fest, Philadelphia representative answering my questions about the specifics for next stop for the movie "Ticked off Tra**ies with knives" said she had heard there was a outcry from transgender people but "the protesters should just get a sense of humor".

Tell Philly Q Fest artistic director Raymond Murray how you feel about them exploiting our dead for there amusement.

Contact Information:

Philadelphia Cinema Alliance
CineFest / QFest
234 Market St 4th floor
Philadelphia, PA 19106
267-765-9800


Artistic Director: Raymond Murray
email: Raymond Murray

Q Fest.com

Dallas Voice Interview of Protesters at Ft Worth "Ticked Off Tra**ies with Knives"

First interview is Pamela Curry, health activist. Pamela is a loyal friend and advocate to all who find themselves discriminated against, but she doesn't call herself a "transgender advocate" and she will correct you if do do. I think whatever she calls herself she is one awesome person.

Next to speak is my pastor, Curtis Smith. I love this mans bravery and courage. After learning about this movie he brought me to speak in front of the "Would Jesus Discriminate" council comprised of our MCC Church's where it was decided unanimously to buy a FULL page in the Dallas Voice and express there love and support for there transgender parishioners. Curtis is truly one of the few, the brave and the blessed.

Next is a cisgender male, Gary Lidell, a female impersonator whom I have never met. Our experiences as transgender and and transsexual woman really have very little in common with impersonators baring perhaps our earliest days of going "full time", before our skills and personalities had not had a chance to grow and mature. I like Gary though, he has a air of sincerity about him and he is part of of our rainbow.

Lastly is a interview with myself. As you can tell we had been out in the 100 degree heat all day and that really served to get may juices going so I was pretty animated, maybe to much so I had thought immediately following the interview.

The last splice segmented me into a disjointed conversation stating "that's the reaction I get from gay men".

What you didn't hear.

The interviewer had just asked me "What do you find most offensive, the tittle or the content of TO#WK".

I answered him with a question, "What would you find more offensive about a movie called 'F@ggots chained, dragged to death behind cars'? The name, the content or that I could could fill theaters with homophobes, institute discussions normalizing the word f@ggot after screenings, or my me saying gay people should be proud of the word "f@ggot" get over it and claim it?"

And whats wrong with a little body dragging as long as we can have a discussion about it?

The interviewer lost his affable smile, his features clouding with anger and the small space between us became became charged with tension. That's when I said "That's the reaction I get from gay men" because in a instant I had demolished his detached sense of security, I had made us mutual owners equally responsible for the letter "T" in "them transgender" and made this interview as personal to him as it was to me.

I would ask the Dallas Voice, you are the only ones to blur the word tra**y with an "@" to this point. You have long used the word "tra##y" to bait us on you blog. You claim a right to do so because you beleive there is nothing wrong with the word, it is empowering and we should "own it".

You have admitted by your own actions by replacing the "a" with the symbol @ in Tra**y that you acknowledge that the transgender people find this word highly offensive yet you superciliously slap us in the face by inserting a symbol @ in the place of the letter a.

That is the same as me writing smugly about the movie 'F@ggots chained dragged to death behind cars' and feeling smugly justified in having blurred the letter a in faggot with @.

Gay Misogynists, I know you hate that I am an you face advocate for transgender dignity and respect, well thats tough. We did not ask for your hate. We could have lived longer and happier lives without you.

Israel Luna should know this. What you have done is an injustice that we will not forget or forgive. Wherever your movie goes there will be two or three transgender people out front, protesting and educating about it.

Where ever.

"TOXIC TO*WK Clearinghouse" to Warn, Inform, Advocate, Protest

TOXIC TO#WK clearinghouse is a outreach to transgender organizations and indivuadals who wish to make a premtive move to stop "Ticked off tra**ies with knives" from being shown at local Film Festivals and a resource for those who need to protest and educate at venues screening TO#WK.

TOXIC TO#WK Clearinghouse was founded to warn, inform, advocate and lastly, protest.

TOXIC TO#WK Clearinghouse establishes contact with Transgender organizations country wide and informs them about the toxicity of TO*WK.

TOXIC TO#WK Clearinghouse will provide suggestions on pro trans movies and the steps needed to have these movies shown instead of TO#WK.

Mission: TO#WK Clearinghouse will provide suggestions on protest/educational material and historical information if requested from Transgender groups.

"TOXIC TO*WK Clearinghouse"

Metropolitan Community Churches Supports Protesters of "Ticked Off Tra**ies With Knives"

The MCC's of the DFW bought this full page of the Dallas Voices June 4th print edition so their unedited message of love and support for transgender people would be heard loud and clear.

*************

Dear Dallas Voice Readers:

The recent release of Ticked-Off Tra**ies With Knives (TO*WK) has sparked both critical acclaim and public outcry. This movie positions itself in the Transgender narrative and is highlighted in local Dallas-Fort Worth LGBT community venues. We the Metropolitan Community Churches that make up the Dallas-Fort Worth “Would Jesus Discriminate? WhyWouldWe.org” Campaign; wish to state our position of support to our Transgender Sisters and Brothers.

MCC churches have been in the Dallas-Fort Worth Area over 40 years. Since our beginning, MCC churches have been at the vanguard of civil and human rights movements and addressing the important issues of racism, sexism, homophobia, ageism, and other forms of oppression. We are called as Christians to stand in solidarity with those that are marginalized and oppressed, and to be partners with those for change.

From the MCC Statement of Purpose: “At MCC, we believe that Jesus led the way in acts of compassion and acts of justice. Because we have been a people in the margins of society, we understand fully the grace that God has extended to us. We seek to distance ourselves from exclusion and draw ourselves closer to including all those who are marginalized in any way. We stand boldly with those who resist the structures of exclusion, as Jesus did, and work to insure freedom for all people. In the margins, we are blessed.”

Transgender people and the transgender experience lack adequate representation in legitimate cinema. Therefore, the potential for negative stereotyping damage is exponentially multiplied in that:
“The film, its title and its marketing misrepresent the lives of transgender women and use grotesque, exploitative depictions of violence against transgender women in ways that make light of the horrific brutality they all too often face.” (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) Call to Action, March 25, 2010)

We know there is power in our words, either to heal or harm. The names we call ourselves and allow others to call us can be either inspiring or devastating. “Tranny” is a pejorative word. The cavalier usage of insulting and derogatory words in media (movie titles and newspapers included) is unacceptable.

We understand that Q Cinema (Fort Worth’s GLBT Film Festival) will be featuring this film during their festival. We understand that there will also be positive and pro-trans films and shorts featured the same weekend, including the documentary "Would Jesus Discriminate?” featuring some of our local MCC churches.

Before and during the screening of TO*WK, we choose to stand with those that will participate in an Informational Rally/ Protest. We respect Q Cinema and Mr. Luna’s rights to feature this movie, we also respect that many (even some from our churches) may choose to watch it. The Director and Q Cinema have invited us and others with opposition to this movie to sit on an educational panel Sunday Afternoon. We appreciate and accept that extension of hospitality.

We encourage those that choose to view the film, to use their God-given conscience and in the future endeavor to understand and support the transgender community and other marginalized peoples in more positive engagements. Please understand that it is only fictional entertainment and not a complete and true narrative of transgender people and the real violence they too often face.

Truth and TO$WK Scorching Sunday Edition: No place to Hide.

Our intense methods employed to protest of TO$WK demanded the full attention of the morally responsible theater goers, made others angry and sent a few scurrying away in fear like mice from a feline telling of truth and humanity.


The ghosts of the sidewalk, now impressed permanently into the souls of Q Cinema patrons held memorized in the blistering sun, unmoving, while learning of the horrors of their demise. "They are OUR sisters" I heard myself and others repeating "who were used by Luna as a cheap advertising ploy to promote his unrepentant reprehensible grab for cash."

We drew the outlines of our murdered sisters there to instill a sense of reverence and reality to those patrons who questioned us about them....

It was extremly effective as most all of the patrons had no idea we are getting murdered at a rate of over two per week and the way to$wk's violent images further endangers us by empowering those who may have otherwise not acted on impulses to harm us. It was extremly effective in opening a direct pathway to peoples hearts as we explained why we objected to this movie.

I am fully aware that we will never advance in equality without our LGB community, I love them and value them. I pray with our community weekly and they supported us in this protest because we are there sisters and brothers. This was not a attack on the gay and lesbian people, but a statement protesting Israel Luna's movie.

We will not be silent in the face of tyranny. There are people all across our county who see this as a campaign for human dignity and women's well being.

TO$WK will be protested and educated about where ever it goes by a ever widening swath of society led and inspired by some of the most passionate human rights campaigners, transpeeps!


kelli anne Busey
June 7, 2010

Transgender Blogger Monica Roberts reacts to TO*WK Using Angie Zapata's memory as a cheap advertising ploy

Monica Roberts, pictured left, who authors the award winning blog TransGriot wrote about Angie Zapata's mother Maria Zapata's Comments On TO*WK

Protesting Educating and Opening Hearts at Q Cinema TO$WK Saturday Edition

Today, we transgender advocates and allies, sisters and brothers gathered together at Q Cinema in Fort Worth. It was HOT but our message was even hotter. We were there protest and Educate about "Ticked Off Tra**nies With Knives"

We needed to help the patrons of Q Cinema to understand how damaging this movie is to the transgender community and instill in them a intimate experience in 30 seconds of being in close emotional contact with a transgender person.

We wanted to make this experience real and for the moments before they entered the building one that they would always remember as the most powerful, meaningful moment when asked by anyone, well how was it? (comments heard often from patrons "They said there would be awful protesters outside but you people are so nice")

Many were so unbelievable sensitive and receptive to our concerns when after the protest, the police commented to me on how peaceful the protesters were I told her "It was peaceful thanks to the patrons, they were so nice."

This held true for most, save the few transgender woman that entered the building. I was abused by some with divisive name calling and even one telling me to "SHUT UP"!

That energized me like a thousand volt shock sending me parading again down the side walk laughing because every protest I have ever participated I was never told to "SHUT UP". Well ladies I didn't and will not acquiescent to your demand.

Future protesters of TO$WK. Contact your local police department and ask them to define the laws that govern public gatherings.

In Fort Worth Texas you do not need a permit and you are within your rights to protest as long as you stay on public property and do not impede the public or block entrances or exists to buildings. Vital to know!

When we arrived in front of the building a Q Cinema attendant officially tried to tell us where we could protest at, which was a building down from the front of there building.

After he finished, I looked him in the eye and told him "Thanks for your input but we will be protesting directly anywhere we want to as long as we do not violate any laws mentioned above. He became extremly agitated and told us he was going to call the police.

Imagine his response when he saw me drawing ghost outlines with chalk on the sidewalks! He was livid and told me to stop, that I was defacing public property, was going to get arrested, well I kept on drawing.

The police just looked on and the little man scurried back inside his building.

After the protest and Q Cinema was only able to fill 3/4 of their seats a theater representative invited everyone to see the movie FREE OF CHARGE! I was not present at for that invitation probably by design because it was made in a attempt to subvert and humiliate should everyone accept.

NOT ONE SOUL ACCEPTED. They told him if it comes on TV I still would not watch this horrendous movie.

We owned the day. The message is ours. The protest was a fantastic success.

We will be back Sunday,

Fort Worth Weekly Article on Our Protest of TO$WK and my response

Friday Jimmy Fowler of the Fort Worth Weekly fwweekly.com published this article. Below it is my response.

"Dallas director Israel Luna’s “transploitation” thriller Ticked-Off Trannies With Knives seems to attract attention wherever it goes – and usually not the positive kind. Ticked-Off is receiving its Southwest premiere at Q Cinema this weekend. An activist group called Dallas Transgender Advocates and Allies has announced two protests (7pm Saturday June 5 and 4:30pm Sunday June 6) at the Rose Marine Theater, where Q holds its screenings. DTAA spokesperson Kelli Busey said in a statement:

“Humor can be used to challenge and subvert, but this movie fails on both counts. In a society where trans people struggle to be accepted and have their lives viewed as equally valuable, this film does them no service at all. Instead, it perpetuates harmful and negative stereotypes.”

"I haven’t seen Ticked-Off, though I’m a fan of the lurid and the ironic if they’re done well. But just as Q has every right to screen the movie, so do Advocates and Allies have the right to express their concerns with (peaceful) protests. That’s what keeps free expression alive and healthy in America."

My response....

Jimmy Fowler,

You are the only journalist in North Texas to this point, with enough integrity to report fairly on transgender concerns which otherwise would remain unheard because of conflicts of interests with the Dallas Voice's gay readership and sponsors. Thank you!

The Dallas Transgender Advocates are protesting at the Q Cinema presentation of "Ticked Off Tra**nies with knives, but the Sundays protest time has been changed to 2:30pm.

I would like to comment on a couple of things on your article.

Please blur out at least a couple of letters in the word "Tra**ies" in the future. That is a concession we have won from Luna and many in our community are asking everyone, including myself to adhere to that standard in the future.

It is unfair to categorize the Transgender Advocates and Allies as "ticked off'.

The DTAA is comprised of an incrediably diverse group representing nearly every continent on earth. Many of our members are people of different faiths who do not allow anger to be the guide post to advocacy.

We are not seeking to infringe on anyone's right to freedom of speech.

We will be seeking to educate Q Cinema patrons who are predominantly gay, about the damaging effect that this movie has on transgender people.

There is a misconception among the Gay community. Many feel that because the the inclusion of the T in the acronym LGB gay people have a innate knowledge of and the authority to speak on behalf of the transgender community.

That is simply not true and this misconception manifested itself most recently in this gay film makers mistaken beleive that this movie would actually 'empower' transgender people.

Does TO$WK enable trans people? Nothing could be further from the truth or reality.

The truth is transgender people have been murdered at a rate of over 2 people week for a total of 160 deaths, just for our gender expression, since Luna first introduced in January of 2009 TO$WK under a firestorm of condemnation from the worlds transgender community.

The truth is that the murdered transgender woman that Luna originally used as a advertising ploy in the trailer, Angie Zapata's mother Maria, recently spoke out in horror after learning Israel Luna had used her daughters legacy to promote TO$WK.

The truth is there are thousands more mothers of murdered transgender people who will be enraged after they learn Israel Luna has invoked the memories of there dear departed to sell this horrendous movie.

In fact TO$WK only serves to empower Luna's and his film crew's financial well being.

TO$WK sensationalizes in gratuitous grotesquely sexually suggestive images that the act of murdering transgender woman is the ultimate thrill, thereby enabling those who harbor hatred towards transgender people to act on those impulses which will result in even more transgender woman and men being memorialized and grieved over at the next Transgender Day of Remembrance.

This, my dear Jimmy, is why people of conscious from the Metropolitan Community Church's of north Texas will be standing with there transgender congregants in protest.

This why many gay and straight people who are not religiously active will be standing with us.

I do pray for our gay communities enlightenment that they will cease enabling the murderous behaviour TO$WK portrays by not attending TO$WK.

I do pray that Israel Luna's conscious will demand of him to place the concerns for transgender lives over this shameful grab for fame and wealth and that he removes this movie from distribution.

I hope you will be reporting at our protest Jimmy,

Kelli anne Busey
founder/organizer
Dallas Transgender Advocates and Allies
Author
planetransgender

Angie Zapata's Mother Speaks Out Against "TICKED OFF TRA**IES WITH KNIVES"

Maria Zapata, whose slain daughter Angie’s image was used in the
film’s initial trailer, also spoke out in opposition to the film.

"This week we found out that there was a film that used Angie’s name and the circumstances around her murder as a way to promote what is supposed to be a funny film. There is nothing funny about Angie’s murder and we are deeply offended that someone would use Angie’s name and memory to promote the film, Ticked-Off Tra**ies With Knives.” Glaad Blog

In case you are not aware of the importance of Angie Zapata life. Angie, beloved daughter and friend to all, was slain in 2008 by a man who later claimed he did so because he was 'surprised' that Angie's genitalia did not match her gender expression.

Allen Andrade's murder trial of Anjie captured the worlds attention because he became the first to fail to escape justice when his "Transpanic" defense was thrown out and his sentencing was more appropriate for someone committing violence against a transgender person under Colorado's new hate crime laws.

But Angie's life and death became much more to the transgender community. Her family was embraced by the worlds loving peoples straight and LGBTQ alike, as a symbol of hope. Her death became a symbolic turning point we felt was "A end to hate."

Israel Luna decimated her memory by including her name in the movie "Ticked off trannies with Knives". Luna was successful in igniting a transgender firestorm and the subsequent media attention must have warmed Luna's heart, to a point.

Israel Luna was not prepared for the unabated rage from the transgender community, unmollified by his half hearted and delinquent attempts to remove Angie's name and his refusal to disassociate transgender people from TO$WK as later film festivals the pejorative "trannie" is used with no letters blurred despite promises Luna made otherwise.

The damage had been done. Israel Luna has left a scar on our souls as "TO$WK" retains a prologue dedicating this movie to "those who do not fit in" a refrence to transgender people.

Israel Luna has placed this movie as a tribute, a testimony in the memory of our transgender slain, which to the transgender community is blasphemous.

TO$WK slanders of our community, it cheapens transgender womanhood in it's indulgence of those who delight in violence against woman, gay misogynistic men and heterosexual transphobes by the millions, in gratuitous and disgusting portrays of transgender woman as sex craved, morally deficient and expendable targets of violence.

We transgender people who live in north Texas, the birth place of TO$WK and home to gay misogyny will protest on June 5th and 6th at Q Cinema, Fort Worth and fully intend on showing ourselves as we truly are.

Kelli anne Busey
June 3, 2010

Protest "Ticked Off Tra**ies with knives" (TO$WK) ON for Saturday and Sunday!

160 transgender people murdered for our gender expression since January 2009, when Israel Luna first introduced TO$WK amid a firestorm of transgender condemnation. 160 killers who agreed in thought and deed with Luna's murderous gay lead who shouts gleefully after dismembering a transgender woman "NOW THIS IS EXCITEMENT". Transgender Day of Remembrance

Israel "dedication" of TO$WK to transgender victims makes a mockery of the transgender experience and then he further degrades our existence as he laughs all the way to the bank since RedBox just agreed to distribute it "Before it was even released."

It's time transgender people stand up and expose this movie for the fraud it is.


Start Time: Saturday, June 5, 2010 at 7:00pm
End Time: Sunday, June 6, 2010 at 4:00pm
Location: The Rose Marine Theater
Street: 1440 N. Main St.
City/Town: Fort Worth, TX
Map

Description Education Rally/Protest

Now Two Dates to Participate! Saturday protest Rose Marine at 7:00pm. Sunday regroup at 3:00pm at Rose Marine.

It will be hot, wear SPF, dress lightly & bring water.

Recently Q Cinema, Fort Worth has announced that it will be screening the movie "Ticked-Off Trannies With Knives" directed by Israel Luna. Billed as comedy/thriller/‘transploitation’, it exploits violence against trans women for cheap laughs.

Humour can be used to challenge and subvert, but this movie fails on both counts. In a society where trans people struggle to be accepted and have their lives viewed as equally valuable, this film does them no service at all. Instead, it perpetuates negative and harmful stereotypes.

Crucially, the movie fails to be funny because of the social context within which trans people live: transphobia is systemic, trans people experience disproportionate levels of violence and discrimination, and each year hundreds are murdered just for being trans. Portraying trans women as murderous vigilantes hunting down their abusers is hardly going to improve understanding about this heavily marginalized group of people.

Those of us who are trans, or who love and respect trans people, won't let this movie go unchallenged.

Dallas Transgender Advocates and Allies call to action
http://dallastaa.ning.com/events/protest-ticked-off-trannies

GLAAD supports Q Cinema protest

For background information about "TOTWK" GLAAD Call to Action

Protest facebook page