Gov. Perry's temporary digs costs Texans 10G a MONTH!

AUSTIN, Texas – With the state facing a budget shortfall of at least $11 billion, Texas Gov. Rick Perry has spent almost $600,000 in public money during the past two years to live in a sprawling rental home in the hills above the capital, according to records obtained by The Associated Press.

It costs more than $10,000 a month in rent, utilities and upkeep to house Perry in a five-bedroom, seven-bath mansion that has pecan-wood floors, a gourmet kitchen and three dining rooms. Perry has also spent $130,000 in campaign donations to throw parties, buy food and drink, and pay for cable TV and a host of other services since he moved in, the records show.

The public spending on Perry's rental comes as the state grapples with a budget shortfall forecast to reach at least $11 billion over the next two years. Perry has asked state agencies to cut their budgets by 5 percent and the Republican House speaker has begun to consider furloughs and shortened workweeks for state employees.

UNITED ENDA LEADERS mum about why it's FAILING!

Bathroom cop Barney says SNIP~SNIP~SNIP

To transgender people it is or will be as plain as the dangly thing or absence of, between your legs.

• Who is responsible for this EPIC ENDA FAIL?
  
  Homophobic and transphobic 'religious' zealots mixed in with generic right wing political doomsayers, some sadly disguised as Democrats prognosticating the downfall of society should 'men with penises' be allowed in the women's room and in our classrooms.
  
  
• Who among our supporters and benefactors would be so ignorant, transphobic or self serving to completely abdicate their responsibilities and refuse to vote for ENDA?
  
  The Congressional blue dogs of the United States Congress.
  
  
• Who in the goverment has rejected these outrageous fear mongering tactics?
  
  The local and state governments who have previously passed like protections because they feel a moral obligation to protect ALL of the citizens within in their Cities and counties!
  
  
• Who is NOT talking about this?
  
  The transgender people who are positioned in Washington to advocate on our behalf! They see this "concession" as something they can sneak past the transgender population so they can claim a historic victory!
  
  At your expense poor transwoman. Transmen are not exempt who have not had 'bottom surgery'! AS unjust as this concession may be the law MUST act equally regardless if you are a MTF or FTM.
  
  Pass or fail in Congress this is a no win. In fact it could be a draconian defeat sending transgender people back twenty years, ensnared in spiderweb designed to limit there growth and be all but prohibitive to gender questioning!
  
  This could mean death to so many yet to come.
  
  
• What can you do? We have lobbied senators and Representatives. We have talked and emailed, educated untill our jaws and fingers have gone numb and to NO EFFECT!
  
  First lets contact the transgender 'leaders' who remain silent NOW! Demand they stop putting there ambition before our well being and TALK about the real reason ENDA is FAILING us so miserably.
  United ENDA
  ENDA NOW .com

IDAHO - International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia

Monday, May 17, 2010
Time: 12:00am - 11:55pm
Location: Worldwide
Web: dayagainsthomophobia.org

The International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO) is celebrated every May 17 around the world.

It is coordinated by the Paris based "IDAHO Committee" founded and presided by French academics, Louis-Georges Tin. It is celebrated in more than 50 countries in the world, and recognised officially by the European Union, Belgium, United Kingdom, France, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Mexico, Costa-Rica, etc.

The international day against homophobia aims to coordinate international events to call respect for lesbians and gays worldwide. Unlike the LGBT Pride Day, which is meant to emphasise proudness of one's sexuality and refusal to be ashamed of it, IDAHO is held to highlight:“ "... that in reality it is homophobia that is shameful and must be deconstructed in its social logic and fought against openly."

May 17 was chosen as the day of the event because homosexuality was removed from the International Classification of Diseases of the World Health Organization (WHO) on May 17, 1992.In 2008, sexual relations between persons of the same sex were punishable by death in 7 countries and considered to be some form of crime in more than 80 others. In most countries in the world, people from the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, transexual, intersex, queer, ... community are being denied their fundamental human rights as defined, inter alia, by the Universal Declaration of Human Right, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

The Day has been launched with the idea of creating a worldwide community of activists and committed people, sharing the ideal of a world without homophobia nor transphobia in which everyone can freely live their sexual orientation and the gender identity they wish to live in.

National Press Club Tuesday site of LGBT Org.'s Demanding Congress Vote on ENDA

MEDIA CONTACT:

Inga Sarda-Sorensen
Director of Communications
(Office) 646.358.1463
(Cell) 202.641.5592
isorensen@theTaskForce.org

National lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights leaders, community members demand vote on Employment Non-Discrimination Act

At Tuesday press conference, LGBT rights advocates will highlight congressional inaction on ENDA as part of National ENDA Action Week

What: Press conference to demand immediate action in both the House and Senate on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), a federal bill prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. It is part of a series of nationwide actions this week calling for a vote on ENDA.

Who: Rea Carey, Executive Director, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
Jody M. Huckaby, Executive Director, PFLAG National
Frank Kameny, longtime activist who was fired from his job over five decades ago due to sexual orientation discrimination; 50-plus years later, he is tired of waiting for equality as he turns 85 this week
Mara Keisling, Executive Director, National Center for Transgender Equality
Sharon Lettman, Executive Director, National Black Justice Coalition
Michael Mitchell, Executive Director, National Stonewall Democrats
Gloria Nieto, California resident, former member of the Democratic National Committee, former executive director of the People of Color AIDS Foundation, currently unemployed
Liz Seaton, Director of Projects and Managing Attorney, National Center for Lesbian Rights
Peggy Shorey, Executive Director, Pride at Work
Terrance L., a gay man who has been closeted in previous employment
Donna P., a transgender woman from the Baltimore area who was fired from two jobs


When: Tuesday, May 18, Noon (ET)

Where: National Press Club, 529 14th Street, N.W., Lisagor Room, Washington, D.C.


Why: Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights advocates have been lobbying for ENDA’s passage for years. There is more support for ENDA than ever before in Congress, growing every day. Congress needs to prioritize ENDA for passage to secure the most basic of civil rights, the right to work, for LGBT people. LGBT rights leaders and community members are demanding an immediate vote on ENDA and are sending a united message to Congress: No more excuses, no more delays: Pass ENDA now.

Belarus and Slavic Gay Pride Marchers Hunted Down and Jailed By Police.

Live updates about the human rights violations being committed by police against the Belarus and Slavic Gay Pride marchers. As of Sunday 8 remain in imprisoned for holding our flag and walking down the street. Via tweeter MizzM2_bi
Belarus: gay pride march violently attacked: http://bit.ly/cv2iCX via web



Blogging from Belarus and Slavic Gay Pride

Federal Sentencing Guidelines Amended to Include Gender Identity

Changes to will go into effect November 1, unless Congress disaproves.

source the Leadership Confrence: The U.S. Sentencing Commission recently adopted changes to the federal sentencing guidelines to permit crimes in which the victim is intentionally selected on the basis of gender identity to be eligible for sentencing enhancements.

The federal sentencing guidelines are rules that set out a uniform policy for sentencing people convicted of felonies and Class A misdemeanors in federal courts. The new rule will apply to every federal crime and is designed to align federal guidelines with the recently enacted hate crime law, the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, which authorizes the federal government to investigate and prosecute bias-motivated crimes based on the victim's actual or perceived race, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or disability.

Many civil and human rights organizations supported the proposed changes, including Human Rights Campaign, the Anti-Defamation League, and The Leadership Conference. "This is the first time gender identity has been included in the sentencing guidelines – and another ancillary benefit of enactment of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act," said Michael Lieberman, Washington counsel for the Anti-Defamation League.

The commission has submitted the changes to Congress and if Congress doesn't disapprove them before November 1, they will go into effect. Source The Leadership Confrence, May 14, 2010

Also from HRC:


Source HRC Back Story: "The U.S. Sentencing Commission has promulgated amendments [PDF] to the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines after receiving public comment, including comment submitted in March by the Human Rights Campaign, along with the Anti-Defamation League, the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights and the National Council for Jewish Women. In our public comment, we wrote to ensure that amendments were promulgated to make the Guidelines conform with the recently enacted Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act."

"The amendments promulgated by the Commission broaden the Guidelines to include the new hate crime offense in the criminal division of the Guidelines that applies to “offenses involving individual rights.” The Commission’s amendments also expanded the definition of a hate crime in its penalty enhancement provision to include victims who were targeted because of their gender identity (the penalty enhancement provision of the Guidelines already accounted for hate crimes based on sexual orientation). These amendments are an important step towards fully implementing the federal hate crimes law passed last year, and HRC remains committed to seeing that the federal hate crimes law is well-implemented and firmly enforced."

"The Commission submitted these amendments to Congress on April 29th and they will be enacted if they are not disapproved by Congress before November 1st." Source HRC Back Story may 11, 2010

Great work HRC. Thank you!

TO Transfolk

Dear Q Cinema Patron, please consider this handout especially if you decide to view "Ticked off Tra**ies With Knives" (TO*WK)

**THIS MOVIE GROSSLY MISREPRESENTS TRANSGENDER PEOPLE**

Transgender people lack adequate representation in legitimate cinema. Therefore, TO*WK's potential for negative stereotyping damage is exponentially multiplied in that:

1) The film, its title and its marketing misrepresent the lives of transgender women and glorifies grotesque, exploitative depictions of violence in ways that make light of the horrific brutality they all too often face.

2) Although TO*WK positions itself in the transgender narrative, it isn't really even about transfolk as a whole.

3) “Tranny” is a pejorative word. This movie suggests the caviler use of the word is acceptable.

5) TO*WK has been billed as a revenge fantasy mixed with camp humor. Most movies suspend reality for the viewer, but because the transgender community more commonly experience violence, this movie fails to be humorous.

The real transgender woman or man is a blessing. We are loving, considerate, intelligent and most of all, we are not expendable or violent caricatures. Please bring that knowledge home with you when you leave and the next time you chance to meet a transgender person may you regard her or him differently.



Pamela and I feel the meat of our message is contained in this handout. With the correct font it will convey our talking points well.



If you agree I will send this and our longer statement to Stephanie Stevens for word checks.

--- On Sat, 5/15/10, Pamela Curry wrote:



From: Pamela Curry
Subject: Re: Hand out
To: "Kelli Busey"
Date: Saturday, May 15, 2010, 12:28 PM


Looks great; enlarge the fonts for impact make sure it just fills the page

On 5/15/2010 12:24 PM, Kelli Busey wrote:
Dear Q Cinema Patron, please consider this about "Ticked Off Trannies With Knives"(TO*WK).

**THIS MOVIE GROSSLY MISREPRESENTS TRANSGENDER PEOPLE**

Transgender people lack adequate representation in legitimate cinema. Therefore, TO*WK's potential for negative stereotyping damage is exponentially multiplied in that:

1) The film, its title and its marketing misrepresent the lives of transgender women and glorifies grotesque, exploitative depictions of violence in ways that make light of the horrific brutality they all too often face.

The number of Transgender Deaths had doubled in 2009 since the previous TDOR. As of November 2009 there had been 101 deaths, calculated for the same time frame the year before there were 47 http://bit.ly/aEqSxm

Satistics: Transgender Day of Remberance
http://www.transgenderdor.org/?page_id=4

The National Transgender Center for Transgender Equality Discrimination Survey conducted with The Task Force, found that 97% of the respondents had been harassed or mistreated on the job and 26% had been fired. http://www.transequality.org/

2) Although TO*WK positions itself in the transgender narrative, it isn't really even about transfolk as a whole.

3) “Tranny” is a pejorative word when used in a defamatory manner. This movie suggests the caviler use of the word is acceptable.

5) TO*WK has been billed as a revenge fantasy mixed with camp humor. Most movies suspend reality for the viewer, but because the transgender community more commonly experience violence, this movie fails to be humorous.

The real transgender woman or man is a blessing. We are loving, considerate, intelligent and most of all, we are not expendable or violent caricatures. Please bring that knowledge home with you when you leave and the next time you chance to meet a transgender person may you regard her or him differently.


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


Pamela and I feel the meat of our message is contained in this handout. With the correct font it will convey our talking points well.



If you agree I will send this and our longer statement to Stephanie Stevens for word checks.

--- On Sat, 5/15/10, Pamela Curry wrote:



From: Pamela Curry
Subject: Re: Hand out
To: "Kelli Busey"
Date: Saturday, May 15, 2010, 12:28 PM


Looks great; enlarge the fonts for impact make sure it just fills the page

On 5/15/2010 12:24 PM, Kelli Busey wrote:


Dear Q Cinema Patron, please consider this about "Ticked Off Trannies With Knives"(TO*WK).

**THIS MOVIE GROSSLY MISREPRESENTS TRANSGENDER PEOPLE**

Transgender people lack adequate representation in legitimate cinema. Therefore, TO*WK's potential for negative stereotyping damage is exponentially multiplied in that:

1) The film, its title and its marketing misrepresent the lives of transgender women and glorifies grotesque, exploitative depictions of violence in ways that make light of the horrific brutality they all too often face.

2) Although TO*WK positions itself in the transgender narrative, it isn't really even about transfolk as a whole.

3) “Tranny” is a pejorative word. This movie suggests the caviler use of the word is acceptable.

5) TO*WK has been billed as a revenge fantasy mixed with camp humor. Most movies suspend reality for the viewer, but because the transgender community more commonly experience violence, this movie fails to be humorous.

The real transgender woman or man is a blessing. We are loving, considerate, intelligent and most of all, we are not expendable or violent caricatures. Please bring that knowledge home with you when you leave and the next time you chance to meet a transgender person may you regard her or him differently.

Chanel Larkin Milwaukee Trans Woman Murdered

Another Transwoman of color stolen from us.

Pride Fest Milwaukee "FORGE is deeply saddened to report the death of Dana A. Larkin (also known as Dade and Chanel), 26, of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Larkin was killed on Friday, May 7, 2010, in part because of anti-transgender hate bias."

"While we are grateful that the suspected killer has been caught, we urge the District Attorney to consider adding a hate crime charge to the current charge of first-degree reckless homicide. We also note that some media outlets have been inaccurately characterizing Larkin's gender and pronouns; we encourage the respectful, consistent use of feminine pronouns to refer to her."

"FORGE sends its condolences to Dana's family and friends. We also note that when anyone is killed or harmed in a hate-motivated crime, those who share the victim's identity are harmed as well, and may react with the same fear, anger, and despair as other crime victims. We ask our community members to be caring, compassionate, and supportive of each other as we all try to cope with this terrible crime."

Despite assurances from NCTE Barney Frank say's there will be Gender police.

Full disclosure by Washington transgender groups demanded. Talk about the real reason ENDA is failing transgender people.

Washington Post "Rep. Heath Shuler, D-N.C., the chief whip for the Blue Dog Coalition, a group of moderate House Democrats, says he opposes voting on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act this year. Shuler also said he "can't imagine" the bill will make it to the House floor. Meanwhile, some Democrats on Capitol Hill say while a vote is still expected, they worry that Republicans will try to derail the bill by offering motions that could weaken its transgender provisions."

"Frank says he understands why moderate Republicans and politically vulnerable Democrats have "some uneasiness" about the issue. He has addressed two of the bigger concerns: workplace bathroom use and the appearance of transgender employees."

"People aren't going to be disrobing" in the bathroom in front of colleagues "with the opposite set of genitals," Frank explained. To that end, he said, the bill would seek to protect employers from lawsuits."

"The other issue, he said, is the "mustache and dress" (ick) factor involving transgender employees and the reactions of clients and customers. Employers would be able to enforce what Frank called "consistent gender presentation." Washington Post 5/13

I'll be a monkeys aunt if that ain't the penis police.

Pussy cops?

Frank, you will have make sure there ain't no pussies in the men's room. I mean, gender expression swings both ways. No smooth faces or effeminate sissies. Only knuckle dragging neanderthals allowed in this men's room by golly. We're grabbing crotches and you better have a working package and a face full of stubble or your OUT'a HERE!

Who's the deputy dog? It's your boss. UNBELEVIABLE!

ENDA up in the crapper again.

TELL your Congressperson a FULLY Inclusive ENDA or Nothing!

There has been firestorm generated by Congressman Barney Franks statements recently reported by Roll Call.com that essentially said Frank has bargained away the rights we are granted by common decency to appease 'moderate' Democrats in order to get votes to move ENDA.

Since ENDA HR(3017) remains in committee and the exact wording has not been released it is only conjecture that the bill will have a harmful affect on our lives but why wait untill it is TOO LATE to ADVOCATE?

Tell Frank and your Legislators you will not accept "Human Rights" legislation that dehumanizes you.

A link provided by Dr, Julian Weiss, co chair Inclusive Enda provides a one click link to your congressional representative, and I would recommend copying and pasting the following message to personalize the one provided by Julian to make your ENDA message gender inclusive;

Copy this, then click the link below to the Inclusive ENDA letter, paste it there to make your message unambiguous that you demand full rights even when we pee.

Transgender people have in the absence of the final wording of ENDA been given information that our rights to use the correct restroom are being bargained away in order to get votes to pass the House version of ENDA. This is unacceptable.

We demand full equality especially from legislation that portends to be a human rights bill.

Do not include stipulations that segregates transgender people or disallows pre SRS transgender people from using the correct restroom whether it is a multiple stall facility or not.

Do not include language that allows a employer to make a subjective judgement about the stage of our transitions.

Representative, if you can not create a bill that at least allows us the privilege to life that we enjoy now do not include transgender people in ENDA!

Then click Enda123 to send your message!

ENDA in danger of becoming incremental inequality

BUS Driver, our stop is FULL Equality or keep going!

The true reason ENDA has remained in subcommittee so long and has not seen a vote. This topic remained ignored by Washington transgender organizations that the trans community relies on to advocate for us in good faith untill planetransgender, the ENDA Blog and Pam's House Blend irritated NCTE's Mara Keisling enough to host a conversation about it.

Keisling invited us all to a public conference call and then she went on to insult us, calling us "IDIOTS" and humiliated me by calling my blog out by name and accusing me of perpetuating wild false rumors, in a effort to shut down the trans authors unbiased and bold enough to do honest investigative reporting.

That's a dirty dealing Mara Keisling, and not worthy of the transgender experience.

Unsubstantiated rumors Keisling? Hardly. Reality is, our well being is interfering with your ambition/birthday presents.

The debated issues, statements by the lead proponent of ENDA, Congressman Barney Frank, suggesting ENDA may become a law subjectively employed by your employer.

Rollcall.com reported recently that Congress Barney Frank is giving away the rights that common decency grants us now.

Frank was quoted also as saying "...concessions were made in the drafting of the language to address moderates’ concerns. For instance, Frank said, transgender people with “one set of genitals” would not be able to go to a bathroom for people with another set of genitals."

Incremental inequality? Yeah we got that. How but subjective inequality? Lots of that because the House democrats memories are long enough to recall the upheaval after they participated in running transfolk over in 07 and are making great efforts to write ENDA to appease the uninitiated and please the haves.

Yeah, this ENDA house bill might be chock full of ambiguous wording vague enough to insure "Moderate"/chickenshit democrats get reelected since they have already been given a free pass by House speaker Nancey Pelosi that they aren't going to be held accountable for being chickenshit if only they toe the National democrats line.

Why didn't these SAME democrats vote for a inclusive ENDA last time around? They pleaded and whined that they were junior legislators in red states and were afraid they would not be reelected if they voted for a inclusive ENDA.

One bright star is Tammy Baldwin, who according to Congess.com. "had little sympathy for the complaints of moderate lawmakers who question the political wisdom of pushing gay rights bills in a difficult election year."

Baldwin said “Name one issue where you don’t hear that?” she said. “They should choose another profession.”

Human rights legislation that is incremental or allows another to measure another persons right to be included or segregated is inhuman. Given our history in the united states we should easily recognize a failed concept when it's memory is so vivid.

Ask any person who was forced to use a segragated bathroom, expecially one in a school environment. I did and I was not allowed to forget that I was different. The harassment became so intense I became afraid for my well being and I left school.

Ask anyone who is in a contentious situation at work because of their gender. Those tensions were probably created by segregation which never, never works and is unjustifiable.

You may convince yourself something is better than nothing if you wish, but look at New Jersey's gay populations misery under a separate but not equal marriage law to see if a substitute for equality is acceptable. No its not.

Demand FULL equality!

Tell this Bus driver to get off the bus and we will find someone who will DRIVE.

Why we are protesting (one reason) "Ticked Off Trannies With Knives"

I was watching this TO*WK trailer and was actually enjoying the acting UNTILL one of the characters commiserating with another about her facial injures sustained during a beating suggested humorously that she should 'put a piece of meat on her eye'. This was a obvious sexual innuendo suggesting her pain would be alleviated and guilt assuaged if a penis and scrotum were resting on her face.

VIOLENCE against transgender woman OR any woman is NOT funny. It is odious to even suggest that rape is warranted, pleasurable or desired by the victim.



And BTW, transgender woman do NOT need to trick men into desiring us by "putting duct tape in all the right places." Those of us who are attracted to men present ourselves honestly and forthright. As all of who live 24/7/365 days a year authentically know, to do otherwise invites horrific violence and even death.

To save maybe (one) life. Those who are yet to transition must be spared this pain. It is unreasonable to expect our effort to expose this horrible movie will completely change the world but to not even try would be unimaginable.

GLBT Wedding and Anniversary Expo Dallas Texas

Few things for a Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual or Transgendered GLBT couple in a committed relationship is more exciting than their BIG DAY.

Some may call it a Pride Wedding, Holy Union, or Commitment Ceremony; either way it is a trade-marking event for any relationship.

Daniel Lewis, celebrity stylist and national fan favorite of Bravo’s Shear Genius and founder of Green Peridot Salon to host the 2010 GLBT Wedding and Anniversary Expo.

Planning this special day or just planning an anniversary celebration will exhaust every talent and effort to get all the many details complete from ordering the cake to planning the honeymoon. Our GLBT Wedding & Anniversary Expo, billed as a one-stop shop to assist couples, will showcase wedding and travel vendors, introduce specialists, present ideas and host a fashion show to help with the celebration. You’ll find an extensive array of wedding specialists at the Expo. All the major categories of wedding planning may be covered: photographers and videographers, function facilities, bridal and tuxedo shops, florists, cake bakers, DJs/bands and limousine companies may be in attendance.

In addition, you will find travel specialists ready to help you plan that special romantic honeymoon. Many vendors will be giving away items as a promotion of the show, and you can only benefit from these if you attend. Also join us for fabulous raffles, door prizes.

Sunday, May 16, 2010
Time: 12:00pm - 4:00pm
Location: Dallas Warwick Melrose Hotel
Street: 3015 Oaklawn Ave. Dallas, TX
(214) 521-5151
Map

Vendors are still being accepted, but hurry space is limited!!

Tickets are $10 can be purchased at the door or online at WhyWouldWe.org or buy.ticketstothecity.com

For more info: Kimberly Truax at (214) 924-9302

You may RSVP @ GLBT Wedding and Anniversary Expo Facebook Event Page

Girl Talk: A San Fransico Cisgender and Trans Woman Dialogue

Queer cisgender women and queer transgender women are allies, friends, support systems, lovers, and partners to each other. Trans and cis women are allies to each other every day -- from activism that includes everything from Take Back the Night to Camp Trans; to supporting each other in having “othered” bodies in a world that is obsessed with idealized body types; to loving, having sex, and building family with each other in a world that wants us to disappear. Girl Talk is a spoken word show fostering and promoting dialogue about these relationships. Trans and cis women will read about their relationships of all kinds – sexual and romantic, chosen and blood family, friendships, support networks, activist alliances. Join us for a night of stories about sex, bodies, feminism, activism, challenging exclusion in masculine-centric dyke spaces, dating and breaking up, finding each other, and finding love and family.

Date: Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Time: 7:30pm - 9:30pm
Location: S.F. LGBT Community Center - Ceremonial Room
Facebook event page Girl Talk: A Cis and Trans Woman Dialogue
Tickets: $12-$20 online at Brown paper tickets.com

CAST BIOS:

D. Rita Alfonso teaches LGBT and Queer Studies at UC Berkeley, and offers LGBT seminars to the queer public under the rubric of www.LGBTStudies.ning.com. Photography is another of her passions, and you will often see her about town documenting queer and trans events and performers; her photography can be found at dralfonsophotography.com.

Ryka Aoki de la Cruz is a poet, performer, and composer who has been honored by the California State Senate for creating Trans/Giving, LA’s only art/performance series dedicated to trans, genderqueer, and intersex artists. Ryka’s long poem “Sometimes Too Hot the Eye of Heaven Shines” has won RADAR Productions’ first Eli Coppola Memorial Chapbook Contest, and is forthcoming from Inconvenient Press. Her current project is Trans Office Hours, which matches trans-identified professors with trans-identified students entering or re-entering college. Ryka has a third-degree black belt in Kodokan Judo and is a professor of English at Santa Monica College.

Daughter and granddaughter of anarchist feminists, Danielle Askini is a feisty high femme hailing from all over. A queer activist since the womb, Danielle grew up doing battle with big boys--and winning. As a Trans activist Danielle has focused her work on creating safe schools, depathologizing trans and femme identities, and liberating health care for all people. Her writings have included "Social Work or Sex Work?" a critical examination of class inequality in social work education, and "Gender Refugee" a chapbook of poems and essays on gender transition and migration. She is fluent in Dutch and working hard on Swedish. Stockholm is her second home.

Annie Danger is a fierce and fearsome performer. Raised in the desert by a pack of drag queen werewolves who were themselves a litter produced by Leigh Bowery, Marina Abramovic, and Andy Kaufman, Ms. Danger wants nothing more than your allegiance to the tenets of your own thoughtful ethics and a sturdy but flexible sense of humor. She is a transsexual woman who lives and loves in the San Francisco Bay area mostly. You can find out more at: www.anniedanger.webs.com

Gina de Vries is a queer cissexual femme woman, a Paisan ex-Catholic pervert, and a writer, performer, and activist with a long history doing political organizing in and with queer and trans communities. As an activist, she is especially interested in the intersections of intersex, trans, reproductive justice, sex worker, multi-cultural, cross-class, and disability activism; and using art, writing, and performance as political tools. Gina's writing has appeared dozens of places, from the academic to the pornographic – recent publications include Issue #4 of Bound to Struggle: Where Kink and Radical Politics Meet, Girl Crush, and The Revolution Starts at Home. Gina has performed, taught, and lectured everywhere from chapels to leatherbar backrooms, and recent university appearances include Reed College, Yale University, and Harvard University. She is the founder and facilitator of Sex Workers' Writing Workshop, a writing class for current and former sex workers at San Francisco’s Center for Sex & Culture (where she also serves on the Advisory Board). And, she’s currently pursuing her MFA in Fiction Writing at San Francisco State University. She likes glitter, the color fuchsia, leopard print, and political discussion as foreplay. Find out more at queershoulder.tumblr.com.

Julia Serano is an Oakland-based writer, performer and trans activist. She is the author of Whipping Girl: A Transsexual Woman on Sexism and the Scapegoating of Femininity (Seal Press, 2007), a collection of personal essays that reveal how misogyny frames popular assumptions about femininity and shapes many of the myths and misconceptions people have about transsexual women. Julia’s other writings have appeared in anthologies (including BITCHfest: Ten Years of Cultural Criticism from the Pages of Bitch Magazine, Word Warriors: 30 Leaders in the Women's Spoken Word Movement, and Yes Means Yes: Visions of Female Sexual Power and A World Without Rape), in feminist, queer, pop culture and literary magazines and websites (such as Bitch, AlterNet.org, Out, Feministing.com, Clamor, Kitchen Sink, make/shift, other, LiP and Transgender Tapestry), and have been used as teaching materials in gender studies, queer studies, psychology and human sexuality courses in colleges across North America. For more information about all of her creative endeavors, check out www.juliaserano.com.

E. Rose Sims, a Filipina-Ashkenazic mixed-class trans dyke mestiza, is a writer, religion scholar, medic, and survivor from rural Oregon. Dedicated to the projects of media justice, radical love, and community building, she writes online as "little light" at http://takingsteps.blogspot.com and elsewhere, serves on the advisory board of the Allied Media Conference in Detroit, and was a charter member of the Speak! Radical Women of Color Media Collective. She has recently performed with such diverse organizations as Detroit's Allied Media Project, Seattle's TumbleMe Productions, the National Queer Arts Festival, and the Bay's own Mangos With Chili. Her writing has found its way everywhere from law school classrooms and academic conferences to bathroom mirrors and protest marches. Rose is currently busy being in good stories and getting preachy in Portland, Oregon, and is moving down to the East Bay this fall; she carries a pen, her ancestors, and the mismatched ID of a citizen of the borderlands with her at all times.

Zarah Ersoff is a queer musicologist, Southern dyke, teacher and activist. She divides her time in academia between exposing college students to the pleasures of camp, codes and concealment in LGBT popular music, and writing about the relationship between same-sex desire and colonialism in 19th-century French music. Originally from Winston-Salem, NC (illustrious home of Krispy Kreme donuts and Camel cigarettes), she now enjoys living richly without riches in Los Angeles with her lovely and talented partner Lauren Steely.

Meliza Bañales aka Missy Fuego writes books, sews clothes, and makes movies. She has toured with Sister Spit: The Next Generation and Body Heat: The Femme Porn Tour. She is currently working on a spoken-word album with Crunks Not Dead Records and another collection of short stories, Life Is Wonderful, People Are Terrific. She makes art in San Francisco.

***This event received a Creating Queer Community Commission from Queer Cultural Center funded through the San Francisco Foundation.***

Facebook event page Girl Talk: A Cis and Trans Woman Dialogue

Dallas Voice Belching Trans Toxic Trash again

Dallas voice attacks me. Again. At least this time they had the guts to call me out by name.

I stand accused by the Dallas Voice author Arnold Wayne Jones of promoting the San Francisco event called 'tranny Fest' while simultaneously protesting the movie 'ticked off trannies with Knives'. Presumably the offence is having a double standard because both events contain the word 'Tranny' in the title.

Yes I did publish that story about 'TrannyFest' I was asked to do so by a transgender person living in San Francisco who deeply wanted the this event to succeed.

In San Francisco it seems unlike most of the rest of the county, the word "Tranny" is more accepted by transgender people. It is used often casually within the transgender community while addressing each other with dignity and respect.

GAY PEOPLE, READ THIS!

Within the transgender community we occasionally use the word tranny to show affection in the same way some of my black friend call each other "Nigger".

Like the 'T' word, the 'N' word often makes me uncomfortable and I tell my friends so. None the less I have been called the 'N' and 'T' word on occasion by my friends and when they do, my chest pumps up with pride, because they are acknowledging me as an equal and as a confidant. I am proud to be considered their equals because in my heart I know I can only admire many of there qualities and aspire to emulate them.

That is what dignity is. That is what respect for yourself and others earn you.

I recoil in disgust when white people gather in little groups and hate on black people calling them "Niggers". God I despise that. I recoil in disgust when gay men gather in there little building to hate on transgender people. Same thing.

The Dallas Voice published a story here once again attempting to drag me to their pitiful depths all because I had once again asked to be interviewed so I might present a local transgender persons side of this issue. This has never been allowed by the Dallas Voice. And when I accused John Write the "News" editor of misogyny because he positioned a wonderful considerate and well written synopsis by transsexual advocate Ashley Love's on the movie TP*WK" as "Scathing'.

Reading that, Wright in a redux of 2009, puffed himself up and warned me "Do you know who I am?" Yes john you are a misogynistic pig and only a coward would encourage others to hurt people and then attempt to obscure themselves behind their Blogs coat tails. When I questioned him about this article he replies 'it's the blog and I don't feel anything ether way about it.' You are a low life coward John Wright.

You are the news editor of the Dallas Voice. The DV banner on your blog clearly indicates it is the Dallas Voice who publishes this tripe. You IP address indicates it is the Dallas Voice who publishes this blog.

Own Up.

I have to come clean. I'm ashamed to admit but I called John Wright's blog author a faggot at that point. Well you are what you are. I will be confessing this to my pastor tonight.

No john wright Ms. Love's dissertation about TO*WK was not scathing. It is a centralist and moderate response to gay peoples efforts to dehumanize and marginalize us.

The word controversy began in 2009 because the Dallas Voice used the word 'Tranny' repeatedly and intentionally in a defamatory manner.

The first paragraph in my first article explained my position when I asked them to treat transgender people with respect.

I wrote: "I hope everyone who watches[reads] this comes to appreciates how harmful it is to the self respect of transgender people when you call us "Trannie" and unless we are a entertainer with published articles which we identify ourselves individually as a "Drag Queen or Tranny" please do not call us by these names."

The promoters of "TrannyFest" identified themselves as 'trannies' a word I still find to be derogatory mainly because of gay people who love to sling it around in a demeaning and insulting fashion.

Wit the Dallas Voice.

I do not live in the vindictive hateful depths that these people seem to so thrive in. I will not revert to using slurs against the writer of this article or the Dallas Voice.

I will allow them to illustrate to the world once again who they truly are. They can do this filthy work themselves.

Translations 2010 - The Seattle Transgender Film Festival

$50 for a festival pass
$8 for single tickets
$6 for single tickets for Three Dollar Bill Cinema Members. Limit twotickets per member per screening.
$5 youth & senior discount (youth are 21 and under, seniors are 65and over). Youth and Senior discount is only available day of show at the boxoffice. Must present ID.
Reality TG is a free program.
Buy your tickets in advance and save $1 per ticket! (not available for passes or the youth/senior discount)

Buy a Festival Pass! Get into every screening at this year’s festival for just $50.

Translations: The Seattle Transgender Film Festival

Venues

The Northwest Film Forum
1515 12th Ave.
Seattle, WA 98122

The Erickson Theatre
1524 Harvard Ave
Seattle, WA 98122

Capitol Hill Library
425 Harvard Ave. E.
Seattle, WA 98102

Reality TG
Thursday, May 13
6:15pm
Capitol Hill Library
FREE

Is visibility a means to social acceptance? Do the drawbacks of too much (or unchecked) visibility outweigh the good it can accomplish? There has been an explosion of transgender people on talk shows, dramas, and especially reality television. We’ll screen some recent episodes of reality programs that feature transwomen as cast members and discuss how this representation affects the whole trans community.
Watch some TV and then join Sara Michelle Fetters, film and TV reviewer, and Three Dollar Bill Cinema Executive Director Rachael Brister for a discussion on this fascinating broadcast trend.
This is a FREE event. No tickets are needed.


Riot Acts
Friday, May 14
7:30pm
Erickson Theatre

Seasoned musicians, music aficionados, or anyone interested in world of music will enjoy this film about the transgender people who play it. RIOT ACTS follows the careers of some of the best and brightest musicians playing across North America today. With interviews and performances by first rate musical acts such as The Clicks, Coyote Grace, Katastrophe and The Degenerettes, RIOT ACTS explores the passion these musicians have for their craft, the impact gender has on their careers and their perspectives on a wide array of topics from their audience to their lyrics. Through interviews with artists across every genre and gender, RIOT ACTS gives transgender bands and musicians the chance to speak (and sing) from their own experiences, illuminating the challenges and triumphs of transgender people putting themselves out there by taking the stage.

RIOT ACTS,
Madsen Minax;
2009; US;
72 min.

Following the exhilarating screening of RIOT ACTS director Madsen Minax and featured musician Adhamh Roland will give an exclusive performance during our Opening Night party!
Madsen Minax is a filmmaker, musician and multi-media artist come hell-raiser currently living and working in Chicago, IL. He currently plays with the technically savvy and emphatically suave triad, The Homoticons, and actor slash model, a group that draws from vaudville, folk, and bluegrass roots.
Adhamh Roland is a guitar strummin’, accordion squeezing, whistling warbler who fancies reminiscing about his Midwestern roots while devising collective strategies for liberation. Adhamh has coughed up 4 solo albums in the last several years and is collaborating with musicians in his new home of Berkeley, California to form a Euro-folk inspired trio that has yet to be named.


Diagnosing Difference
Saturday, May 15
1pm
Northwest Film Forum

Most of us know that Gender Identity Disorder, or GID, is a disorder listed in diagnostic manuals used by the medical community and insurance companies to categorize transgender people. While some in the transgender and gender variant communities support the purpose of a GID classification, others say it’s completely useless and some believe it’s outright harmful. DIAGNOSING DIFFERENCE examines the issues surrounding Gender Identity Disorder through interviews with some of the best and brightest in the transgender and medical communities. This topical, informative, and occasionally humorous documentary brings an important issue facing the trans community front and center.
DIAGNOSING DIFFERENCE, Annalise Ophelian; 2009; US; 63 min.

Preceeded by:
DAY OF REMEMBRANCE
A student produced news report on the signing of the historic, gender identity inclusive, hate crimes bill and a memorial to those who lost their lives to anti-transgender hatred.
DAY OF REMEMBRANCE, 2009; US; 3 min


Forever's Gonna Start Tonight
Saturday, May 15
3pm
Northwest Film Forum

In her heyday, Vicki Marlane was part of the first wave of people on the performance circuit of what we currently understand to be drag. But Vicki is not just a drag queen. In fact, Vicki’s not in drag at all. Vicki is Vicki: a performer in her 70s who still works in San Francisco’s nightclubs, bringing down the house with her seductive routines and putting female performers more than half her age to shame. This revealing documentary follows Vicki’s wild journey through life, from carnival sideshows and romantic road trips to present day San Francisco. With both regalement and touches of sorrow, FOREVER’S GONNA START TONIGHT tells the story of an unparalleled woman and the losses, loves, and places that filled the spaces between her hot and racy burlesque performances.
FOREVER’S GONNA START TONIGHT, Michelle Lawler; 2009; US; 54 min.

Preceeded by:
JANENE
Seattle performer Anita Goodman plays a lonely escort, enjoying the last few hours of her day before a rendezvous with a sailor.
JANENE, Joriah Goad; 2009; US; 5 min.


Mainstay
Saturday, May 15
5pm
Northwest Film Forum

In the wintry landscape of rural Maine, Fischer has just returned home upon hearing of his ex-lover Hannah’s sudden death. After a two-year absence from his family, Fischer is well into his transition from female to male – an experience that he shared only with Hannah. With the loss of this source of validation, Fischer begins to rebuild his fragile relationship with his brother and mother. In the public realm of the small town, Fischer must engage with the people of his past, thus forcing him to negotiate the tenuous boundaries between his queer identity and his perceived “straight” male body.
MAINSTAY, Elliot Montague; 2009; US; 50 min.

Preceded by:
AMATEUR
A withdrawn country boy goes on a camping trip and becomes interested in a confident gender-bending girl named Sam. When she forces him to question his true feelings, he must confront his own insecurities before he can accept Sam and himself.
AMATEUR, Daniel Trevino; 2009; US; 15 min.


Maggots and Men
Saturday, May 15
7pm
Northwest Film Forum

In Russia, the Kronstadt sailors had a long tradition as radicals and courageous fighters. MAGGOTS AND MEN is an experimental historical narrative set in a mythologized, post-revolutionary Russia that re-imagines the 1921 rebellion of the Kronstadt sailors with a twist of gender anarchy. The film is set in the all male environment of a Russian naval base, but cast with actors from a range of masculine gender expressions, resulting in a film that redefines male, challenges the binary gender construct, and intentionally creates confusion. And acknowledging a long tradition of homosexuality amongst sailors, the film has provocative sex scenes that evolve organically out of teamwork in close quarters.
MAGGOTS AND MEN positions the struggle for gender equality within a larger struggle for peace and justice, while bringing together both transgender and queer communities. It documents a rapidly evolving transgender community and illuminates the gender revolution currently taking place in our society.

MAGGOTS AND MEN, Carey Cronenwett; 2009; US; 53 min. (in Russian & English)


Dinah East
Saturday, May 15
9pm
Northwest Film Forum

Have you ever heard the rumor that larger-than-life actress and icon Mae West was actually a man? DINAH EAST takes that story and runs with it in this campy cult classic from the 70’s. Jeremy Stockwell and Warhol superstar Ultra Violet star in this sexy and scandalous rags-to-riches story of a girl who makes it in Hollywood while hiding an explosive secret about her “true” identity. The movie itself spawned a new spate of rumors – did the real-life West have the film pulled from distribution and all copies destroyed, as the producers claimed? Or did she see it ten years before her death and find the whole thing hilarious? While it helps to have a sense of humor and imagination to enjoy DINAH EAST for what it is, at its core is a refreshing story focusing on the importance of individual human relationships, while steering away from labels and the conjecture of identity.
DINAH EAST, Gene Nash; 1970; US; 90 min.


Queerly Canadian
Sunday, May 16
1pm
Northwest Film Forum

These short films from our neighbors up north present two unique perspectives on gender queer experiences.

COMPROMISING POSITIONS presents a world where gay-bashings and trans-bashings menace, yet scrappy young queers willingly risk injury in one another’s hands in queer wrestling. This unruly combat sport is a sub-cultural phenomenon popping up in urban centers cross-Canada. Jimmy Stray and Johnny Trouble, two genderqueer rascals with a passion for kicking ass, embark on a filmmaking adventure to explore queer identity through combat. Along the way, they confront a series of unexpected demons and discover what they are truly wrestling.

AND THE REST IS DRAG, explores gender from the perspective of drag kings who consciously and politically queer their gender, both on and off stage. Using an eclectic mix of performance footage, still photography, and interviews with members of the Alberta Beef Drag King Troupe, the film draws audiences into the sexy, rebellious, and sometimes humorous world of drag kinging.

COMPROMISING POSITIONS, Auden Cody Neuman & Mik Turje; 2008; Canada; 35 min.
AND THE REST IS DRAG, Melisa Brittain; 2009; Canada; 31 min.


Love Interests: Short Films
Sunday, May 16
3pm
Northwest Film Forum

This collection of transgender short films examines the dynamics of love in myriad relationships. Calpernia Adams plays a woman unsure about coming out to her new boyfriend and goes through a hilarious process to make her apartment TRANSPROOFED. CAT’S CRADLE uses a childhood game to represent our relationships to others and ourselves. REMEMBER ME IN RED is the wish one woman tries to fulfill and to rightfully honor her friend’s memory, while a secretive SEÑORITA leads a double life to be a guardian to a young boy in her care. GOSSAMER WALLS shows an abstract memory of family and childhood through the negative lens. A rumination on the dangers of first crushes, BLINK also reveals the habits of sea cucumbers. And AMATEUR is about staying in the moment, taking a risk, and learning to forgive.

TRANSPROOFED, Andrea James; 2009; US; 14 min.
CAT’S CRADLE, Raymond Rea; 2010; US; 4 min.
REMEMBER ME IN RED, Hector Ceballos: 2010; US; 15 min. (in Spanish)
SEÑORITA, Vincent Sandoval; 2009; Philippines/US; 15 min. (in Tagalog)
GOSSAMER WALLS, Malic Amalya & Peter Miller; 2007; US; 5 min.
BLINK, Silas Howard; 2009; US; 11 min.
AMATEUR, Daniel Trevino; 2009; US; 15 min.
Total Running Time: 79 min.


My Buddy Claudia
Sunday, May 16
5pm
Northwest Film Forum


For over thirty years Brazilians came to know Claudia Wonder through music, magazines, and film. She was a transwoman from São Paulo who managed to come out of the newspapers’ crime section to become a highlight in the culture pages. MY BUDDY CLAUDIA follows this remarkable woman from her difficult childhood (she spent 15 days in jail by order of her military grand-uncle), to her role as the first travesti to act in ’70s mainstream soft-core, to her days of activism and being a rock star in the ‘80s. Through the film we learn much about Brazil itself, while being exposed to Claudia’s many facets from courageous to profane.

Warning: Contains brief nudity and sex on screen.
MY BUDDY CLAUDIA, Dácio Pinheiro; 2009; Brazil; 86 min. (in Portuguese)


Open
Sunday, May 16
7pm
Northwest Film Forum

Winner of the Special Jury Award for LGBT film at the 2010 Berlin International Film Festival, OPEN presents a visually striking and emotionally moving portrayal of relationships for a new millennium.
When the young hermaphrodite Cynthia meets Gen and Jay, a couple recovering from plastic surgery, she learns of Pandrogeny, in which two people merge their facial features in order to reflect their evolution from separate identities into one unified entity. Inspired by this, Cynthia abandons her husband and suburban life to embark on a road trip with Gen through anachronistic America.
A young transman, Syd, meets a young punk, Nick, and after a sexual encounter they find themselves falling in love. But are Syd and Nick ready to deal with the implications and consequences of their unique romance?
OPEN’s cast of real hermaphroditic, pandrogynous, and transpeople bring authenticity to this story of emerging possibilities for human connection.

OPEN, Jake Yuzna: 2009; US; 90 min.

Translations: The Seattle Transgender Film Festival

Ticked off trannies with Knives: Controversy Dogs Ticked off in Texas

Israel Luna's 'Ticked off trannies with knives' returns home. Transgender activists poised to protest.

Many cisgender men and a smattering of transgender people in north Texas beleive TOTWK has established an important new genre, camp transexplotion and are defending what they perceive as an attack on freedom of speech by trans activists opposed to TOTWK. Many of movies supporters and actors also feel the transgender community is over reacting to this violent revenge flick and have commented that they should just "lighten up" because it's 'just a movie'.

BBC Amrica interview of Transsexual woman Ashley Love and Israel Luna


Transgender people are not amused.

Conversely the transgender community has protested vigorously denouncing the commercial exploitation of the systemic violence committed against transfolk so graphically and gratuitously depicted in TOTWK as unethical and immoral. Most transgender people are also upset over the pejorative "tranny" in the tittle and have persuaded Luna to leave blank the letter 'n' in tra**y, ostensibly in a effort to obscure the dehumanizing effect of the movies title.

WNYC NPR Fresh air interview of transsexual activist Ashley Love and Israel Luna about the Transgender Controversy at Tribeca Film Fest

Controversy dogs ticked off trannies in Texas.

Tod Camp artistic director of Q Cinema Ft. Worth TX, the next stop for ticked off tra**ies defended his rational for featuring TO*WK in June despite the outraged local transgender community while commenting on a public facebook note:

Camp wrote..."I think the fundamental disagreement we have is what this film is actually about. This is NOT a film about the trans community, it's a film about drag performers, some of whom are transexuals, who call themselves "trannies," as many of them do. They're not PC, they're drag queens " Camp reasons.... "It is no more about the transexual community than "Boat Trip" is about the gay community. "As to his overriding the transgender communities objections.... "I will not be dictated to by anyone as to what i screen at this festival. You are welcome to protest, debate, preach and opine my decision to screen it, but know that this film will be screened."

The Texas transgender community is somewhat relieved that Tod Camp 'Gets it'. However his unlikely comparison of Boat Trip to the murderous characters of "ticked off' leads me to wonder if Camp truly grasps the differences between having light hearted fun poked at you and the end of a baseball bat slamming into your face.

The transgender community has a few small 'successes' to show for their efforts to this point

Luna has removed the references to real murdered transgender woman in the trailer and obscured the titles defamatory slur and in this way tacitly agreed with Camp's opinion that "This is NOT a film about the trans community, it's a film about drag performers". Sadly, however the misconceptions seeded by the tittle and information supplied by the producers still leads one to believe it is about transgender people.

As noted social commentator C. L. Minou recently wrote "This isn’t standing up to oppression. This is fucking illustrating it."

The North Texas community has identified the need to educate the greater LGB and straight community and will do so by holding a educational protest/rally on the opening night of TOTWK.

Protest/Rally information

Facebook event Protest 'Ticked off Trannies With Knives' at Q Cinema FT Worth

Dallas Transgender Advocates and Allies call to action.

Religious Leaders Take a Stand against "Ticked off trannies with knives'

A transgender person of faith responses to "Ticked off Trannies with Knives".

There comes a time when people of faith must look beyond ourselves and to our God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit solely for direction. There comes a time when our religious beliefs must be allowed to guide us past our earthbound alliances and interests.

That time is now.

There is a movie written and directed by a Dallas gay man, Israel Luna called "Ticked off trannies with knives"(TO*WK). This movie sensationalizes the murderous violence committed everyday against transgender woman. This movie commercializes on a fantasy concocted by Luna in which violent retribution is subsequently committed by these 'hot, sexy and fierce' transgender victims.

The movie TO*WK misrepresents transgender people as comical caricatures of females who intentionally "fool" men into believing they are 'real woman' who desire heterosexual sex. Upon being discovered by their intended partners as 'men in women's clothing' the transgender woman inconceivably allow themselves to be willing victims of these murderous men. These transgender victims are then transformed in the last moments of the movie into vigilantes who then violently exact revenge on the original perpetrators of the violent acts.

This movie lends credence to the discredited and abhorrent 'transpanic' defence. Prior to the trial of Alan Andrade for murdering Angie Zapata this tactic was successfully and often used in defence of the killers of transgender woman. Andrades claims that he murdered transgender woman Angie Zapata because she had 'fooled' him were not allowed by the court and he received the maximum penalty.

The 'Transpanic defence' has not been attempted since and the reality of receiving equal punishment for murdering a transgender person undoubtedly has played a major role in the demented minds of those considering this violence.

Israel Luna incensed the transgender community by placeing Angie Zapata's name in the begining of the TO*WK trailer and remained there untill he was forced to remove her name by outraged transgender people.

"Ticked off trannies with knives".

Nothing could be further from the truth about the transgender experience. Nothing could be more dehumanizing or damaging to transgender peoples welfare. The uneducated will be terribly misled and transphobic people, regardless of sexual orientations, will use this tragic movie to further there own hateful agendas.

Religion and "Ticked off trannies with knives."

Despite my objections my pastor is attending the showing of TO*WK at the Fort Worth Q Cinema in June and plans to engage in dialogue with other movie goers about it afterwards.

I contend that the a Cisgender male pastor of a MCC church should not enter into a discussion that normalizes the usage of 'tranny', a pejorative so dehumanizing, harmful and hated by transgender womankind.

I contend that the message that TO*WK communicates should not be supported by the Metropolitan Community Church in any way. My Church, Trinity MCC Arlington Texas, does this by supporting Q Cinema, which is featuring TO*WK at it's film festival despite the transgender communities pleas that it does not.

I contend that the primary mission of a pastor at a MCC Church or any other Church, is the well being and safety of their congregations and this priority should not be ignored so as to preserve a social association or obligation outside of the Church.

Will Trinity and all of the other Churches in North Texas who claim transgender people as welcomed by god and by their congregations as equals, sit in silent acquiescence to the damaging misconceptions of TO#WK?

Will Metropolitan Community Churches defend ALL of it's congregants, or will it's allegiance to a earth bound agenda prove more important.

I invite all LGBT welcoming Churches to consider this a invitation to take a stand against the transphobic violence inspiring misogynistic message of TO*WK. I invite all transgender inclusive churches to come to the informational rally at the opening night of TOTWK at Q Cinema in Fort Worth.

Kelli Anne Busey
Dallas Transgender Advocates and Allies

#########

Trans Forming Media (TFM): "An Image I'd Rather Forget" - My Synopsis Of TOTWK

Ashley Love of Trans Forming Media has watched Israel Luna's "Ticked off trannies with knives" debuting at the Tribeca Film Festival and offers this critical review;

"The film “Ticked Off Tra**ies With Knives” spreads a fear, misogyny and hate stemmed ideology. I have seen the film and it’s very upsetting that people unfamiliar with transsexual and transgender women will walk away from the film with a stigmatizing perception of trans women. This film is dangerous propaganda, whether intentional or not. TOTWK leaves the viewer with the false impression that transsexual and transgender women are unauthentic in their gender identity and really “gay men in drag.” The film portrays all trans women as hypersexualized, jokes, murderous and/or unstable. This is not only inaccurate, it's offensive and incites further misunderstanding and violence."

Read Ashley Love's review in full at Trans Forming Media (TFM): "An Image I'd Rather Forget" - My Synopsis Of TOTWK