Jennifer Boylan and Family Interview with Harry Smith's Rock Center

The Boylan family is redefining the new normal in America. Jennifer Boylan decided to transition to female from a male in the midst of her marriage and after fathering two sons. The family stayed together and says that their love for one another makes their modern family possible. Rock Center’s Harry Smith reports.

>>Harry: the children have grown since.... Zach is now a college sophomore. Sean is a junior in high school. Zach , do you feel like you live in a normal family?

>>Zach: If normal is a family that has a mom and a dad and two kids and a white picket fence, no. i don't live in a normal family. But if a normal family is one where everyone treats each other as equals and with love, then, yeah, i live in a normal family.

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Stuck in middle with you on kindle or print.

Fallon Fox responds to Bigots: I don't want to fight people who are scared of me. What Kind of Fight would that be?

Fallon Fox: “I don’t believe that a transgender fighter should have to disclose her personal medical history to other female fighters before they fight. Simply for the reason that the medical community and the scientific community has come to the consensus that post-operative transsexual fighters who have been on hormone replacement therapy and testosterone suppression, when they’re going from male to female, don’t have or haven’t been found to have any physiological advantages over other women. So, why should we have to disclose our personal medical history? There’s a lot of pain involved in having to disclose your post-transgender history, a lot of things that you might not want to disclose… so, I say no, I don’t think that we should have to disclose our information.”



Fallon Fox:“I do believe that it may deter some fighters from fighting me in the future. Some fighters have already said that they would not want to fight me. I think that’s because they’re scared, number one because I’m pretty good and, um, or they might just have a bias or they just might be a hate-filled person who doesn't want to touch me or whatever but, um, I don’t want to fight those people anyways because they’re scared and what kind of fight would that be? I want to fight someone who’s going to come after me aggressively and who wants to fight me and I want a good fight. That’s what I’m looking for in the future.”

I posted this article on the subreddit for MMA. The post has been down voted out of sight by bigots who claim there are no studies substantiating the claims by the trans community HRT levels the playing field for Male to female transgender athletes.

Ironically one of the commenter's said 'everyone' should read those reddit comments. He said that before I posted these studies. I wonder if he still wants 'everyone' to read it.

The bigots said "show me studies."

**You want actual studies? You got actual studies.**

>The Executive Board (EB) of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) confirmed the need to set up clear rules to determine the eligibility of female athletes with hyperandrogenism in female competitions, starting with the Olympic Games in London next year.

The IOC issued this press release IOC addresses eligibility of female athletes with hyperandrogenism

*hyperandrogenism* is a condition that produces abnormally high levels of testosterone in a cisgender woman resulting in what could be construed as 'unfair advantages". This condition is also associated with a transgender woman who has not undergone medical surgery and/or hormone replacement therapy(HRT).

>The International Olympic Committee (IOC) published the Stockholm Consensus Statement in 2003 (Appendix B) produced by a ad hoc (unbiased) committee. The requirement for transgender athletes to participate in the Olympics is that they have had "surgical anatomical change and hormone treatment for two years" as Fallon Fox has done.

AndNCAA policy the and studies supporting trans inclusive athletes

Yes you are a bigot is you summarily dismiss a transgender athlete claiming she has an 'unfair advantage' while purposefully ignoring scientific studies. That is an act based in bigotry.



Jones says she's going to win.

Not impressed with the transphobic announcer gleefully intentionally misgendering Fallon. Jones doesn't have the problem the idiot announcer has with understanding Fallon is a woman. Fallon, this sort of shit still happens to me at work after being their for two years if that's any consolation.

The last critical hours for Kickstarter "ASSIGNED SEX" and it's down to the wire.

ASSIGNED SEX: A DOCUMENTARY FILM by Shaun Dawson a Kickstarter documentary film, has JUST hours to go on kick Starter. As of this morning the movie needs just a few bucks to reach the $5000 goal and only a few hours left.

I am supporting this project because it will help to illuminate our wonderful transgender intercity youth's lives. You know them. The ones we read about almost daily. The ones being slaughtered by bigots, spawned by ignorance fueled hatred? It's a all or nothing with kick starter and it's all or nothing for these youth. Let them live. Please support!

Why Shaun needs our help:

Up until this point, we've funded this project completely out of our own pockets. We believe in this story that much. But, we've officially broken the bank. We need your help to raise the money necessary to keep the cameras rolling.

Here's exactly what your generous contributions will pay for:

•Sound design, sound editing, and mixing the sound
•Creating the musical score
•Procuring archival footage
•Polishing of the picture elements: color correction, titles
•Transfer to digital projection format
•Marketing and advertising for screenings in select cities
•Press and promotional materials

If you haven't been involved with something like this please give it a try. Those who have will tell you it's such a rush doing this. With your donation you become a integral part of a success when the film shows in your city. You can stand with pride. You will be able to pick us out at a screening. Many of us will be wearing an "assigned tee shirt". I will be. It is immensely rewarding supporting our community this way.



Columbia Journalism Review Slams Plain Dealer and FOX over Trans Womans Cemia Acoff Articles

The CJR headline "How not to report on a transgender victim" is spot on. The Plain Dealer's articles if let uncontested would have drop kicked journalistic standards on reporting transgender issues back twenty years.

Fox8 certainly jumped on that band wagon quick.

Fox8 in this painful exercise of transphobia revictimized Ce Ce by using male pronouns and her birth name despite being fully aware she was a transgender woman who went by the name Cemia.



However, I will have to come to defense of the Plain Dealer on one count. CJR criticized the Plain Dealer for using a mug shot of Ce Ce. I used the same picture on the planetransgender post "Plain Dealer reports the Murder of a Transgender Woman as A "Brutal Slaying" of a Oddly Dressed Man" because at that moment there were none better of her. I posted her mug shot because I wanted her murderers caught. As bad as that picture was it was all I had. I have since updated that post with a better photo of her.

I'm not implying the Plain Dealer had good intentions posting those mug shots only that they may not have had any options ether. The Plain Dealer has not updated their picture.

The rest of the CJR critique is on target particularly these paragraphs about the last article:

The second story, “Brutal slaying marks the end of Clevelander’s fight for acceptance,” at first seems like it might be better. Except that story, too, starts by identifying her as Carl, which means her fight is far from over. This is ironic, because at the end of the story an italicized note says, “This story has been edited since originally posted to bring it within the style recommended by the Associated Press involving transgender people.” I don’t know what the original said, but I do know what the AP Stylebook says, which is this:

Transgender: Use the pronoun preferred by the individuals who have acquired the physical characteristics of the opposite sex or present themselves in a way that does not correspond with their sex at birth. If that preference is not expressed, use the pronoun consistent with the way the individuals live publicly.

Instead, the story drops all pronouns and refers to Cemia as Carl, which seems like a half-hearted effort to be consistent with the AP’s recommendations.

Thankfully these article will not be accepted as status Que. They were mean spirited, hateful, malicious attacks on transgender people. Thank you Columbia Journalism Review for making this clear.

Coroner Report: Trans Woman Kayla Moore Od'd while being restrained By Berkeley Police

Source Berkeleyside.com "Kayla Moore died because of “acute combined drug intoxication,” according to the Alameda County Coroner’s report released today. The coroner ruled the death accidental. The 41-year old Moore stopped breathing while being taken into police custody for mental evaluation on Feb. 12 at the Gaia Building on Allston Way. She was pronounced dead at 1:34 a.m. on Feb. 13 at Alta Bates Hospital."

"The autopsy of Moore revealed 0.74 mg/L of methamphetamine and 0.34 mg/L of codeine in a blood sample, levels the coroner described as “toxic.” Additionally, the coroner identified cardiomegaly (enlarged heart) and morbid obesity. Moore weighed 347 pounds."

Many believe her death could have been avoided and in reality wasn't accidental at all. Many believe the police were pressuring the Coroners office trying to influence or delay the report. If they were, they succeeded.

A Coroners report usually only takes weeks but in extraordinary cases can take up to 6 months. It depends on the circumstances surrounding the death. It took nearly four months to produce this report precipitating numerous protests, vigils and a militant march culminating with loud protestations at the May 1st Council meeting. Did Kayla's advocates speed up the Police in depth report and the coroners report that were released just two days latter? Or was that just coincidence?





The police could have at least reached out to Kayla's family in the interim. That simple action probably would have squelched the angriest of the voices and eased the family's minds.

Read more at Berkeleyside.com

Jenny's Bridal Boutique Bigot Refuses To Let Transgender Woman Try On Wedding Gowns

Rohit Singh a transgender woman from Saskatoon was out excitedly shopping for that one perfect dress to wear on her special day and happened into Jenny's Bridal Boutique.

When she found one she wanted to try on she and her fiance were mortified when the shop's owner, Jenny Correia refused to serve her saying "....sorry we don't allow men to wear dresses here," Singh recalled to CBC News. "I said I'm not a man, I'm transgender."

When contacted Thursday by CBC News, the bridal shop owner, who declined to provide her surname, said she stands by her decision.

"To me it doesn't matter," the owner said. "He looked like a man. There was quite a few brides in the store. If you see a man trying on dresses, you're going to feel uncomfortable."

"Singh later found a red gown at My Lynh Bridal, on Idylwyld Drive North, where she described the service as excellent. Singh's marriage took place on Monday."

Krysten Hildebrand from Saskatoon posted this insightful comment by Rohit Singh's mother in law in the Jenny's Bridals google reviews: "I'm more than happy to share this, A friend of mine wrote this...."

"You may or may not know that my son was very recently married to a wonderful person, who is transgender. The reason I am sharing this is that she and my son were visiting bridal shops so she could try on dresses. At one of the shops, Jenny's Bridal Boutique (downtown on 2nd Avenue), she was not allowed to try on any of the gowns by the owner (Jenny).

I was so incensed when my son told me this I called the owner. I managed to stay calm but asked why she wouldn't serve my son's fiancee. She replied that she only serves female customers, that it is her business and she can set the rules.

I asked her she should become informed about transgender people, told her I feel this is a human rights issue (though not illegal), that she had made a wonderful young person feel bad, and that furthermore she would lose business from all the bad publicity that will follow because I work in a large organization, that I have two sisters at the U of S, and we will spread the word, so that's what I'm doing.

Even if she had been the least ashamed or apologetic, it might have been better, but she wasn't. So I am asking you to spread the word about this incident and please boycott her business--she deserves it! Oh, and the good news, my son's fiancee bought a stunning red gown at My Lynh's on Idylwyld--My Lynh is a sweetheart, has beautiful reasonably-priced dresses and is a skilled seamstress-- and was very good to her.

click here to watch video in new window 

This isn't the only instance of alleged discrimination. It has also been reported in the reviews Jenny Correia and her her staff told a woman in a wheel chair to leave because she was 'marking up the floor'. Another occasion a staff member sneered at a shopper and directed her without prompting to the discount rack making her feel about a inch high.

Is Blue Cross Trying To Deny SRS to a California Resident? Devil in the details

The following comment were posted on on reddit  by a reader regarding this picture.  I am not a expert on this and offer this comment for discussion..

*******

I believe that letter is intentionally trying to mislead you, by understating your rights under CA DMHC Letter 12-K[1].


I'm beginning the process of asserting my rights to medically necessary transition care. I'm posting my research and strategy, in the hopes that it may inspire others to seek the full range of care their insurers are obligated to provide.

First, let's hit the low-hanging fruit: SRS coverage. Blue Shield implies this will be excluded:

"... coverage for medical services related to gender transition will not be denied if coverage is available for those services when not related to gender transition."

Letter 12-K explicitly states SRS cannot be excluded:

Examples of EOC language that is inconsistent with the Knox-Keene Act (...) are those that seek to exclude coverage of "(1) transsexual surgery" and/or (2) "transgender or gender dysphoria conditions".

transgenderlawcenter.org's FAQ[2] on Letter 12-K agrees with this analysis:

What will be covered? Who decides?

The DMHC Director’s Letter states that medically necessary transition-related surgery and other care must be covered by health care insurance sold in California. However, if a claim is denied, what constitutes medically necessary care for a particular individual will be determined through the independent medical review process.

Now that we've established the right to SRS, let's explore what other transition-related care they can no longer deny us. To do this, let's first look at another section of Letter 12-K:

Required Action by Health Plans

1) Ensure that individuals are not denied access to medically necessary care because of the individual's gender, gender identity, or gender expression;

(...)

3) Revise all current health plan documents to remove benefit and coverage exclusions and limitations related to gender transition services;

If you add these two together, you get a very strong case that it's illegal to deny medically necessary transition services. I wish this part had zero ambiguity, but it becomes clear as day as each of us defeats insurance companies that seek to deny us this care.

Next, we consult WPATH's Medical Necessity Statement[3], for a broad list of medically necessary services:

"Medically necessary sex reassignment procedures also include complete hysterectomy, bilateral mastectomy, chest reconstruction or augmentation as appropriate to each patient (including breast prostheses if necessary), genital reconstruction (by various techniques which must be appropriate to each patient, including, for example, skin flap hair removal, penile and testicular prostheses, as necessary), facial hair removal, and certain facial plastic reconstruction as appropriate to the patient.

"Non-genital surgical procedures are routinely performed... notably, subcutaneous mastectomy in female-to-male transsexuals, and facial feminization surgery, and/or breast augmentation in male-to-female transsexuals. These surgical interventions are often of greater practical significance in the patient's daily life than reconstruction of the genitals."


"Furthermore, not every patient will have a medical need for identical procedures; clinically appropriate treatments must be determined on an individualized basis with the patient's physician."


So, the singular expert board lists a ton of services as medically necessary, and gives our physicians room to expand upon what's medically necessary for each individual, with different needs. We've already established Letter 12-K all but says medically necessary transition-related care must not be denied. Therefor, it follows that this class of care must be covered.


So, what if your insurance company pulls a Blue Shield, and still seeks to deny you care? Transgender Law Center has the answer:

What if I am denied coverage for my transition-related care?

If a patient is denied coverage, they should contact the DMHC Department of Managed Health Care’s Help Center at 1-888-466-2219 / www.HealthHelp.ca.gov

If you are covered by a PPO it is likely regulated by the Department of Insurance. Their helpline can be reached at 800-927-HELP / www.insurance.ca.gov/contact-us/

Patients should also contact Transgender Law Center’s helpline for assistance with the IMR process at 415.865.0176 x306 / www.transgenderlawcenter.org

The commenter continued explaining her plan:
I'm using all this as a basis to fight for my right to facial hair removal, which is in WPATH's medically necessary care list. More low hanging fruit. Kaiser Permanente claims this still isn't covered. They lie. I'm going to obtain advice from my Dr on how best to get this service, get it done, and then litigate reimbursement as outlined by the Transgender Law Center. Upon success, I'll post here, detailing how others can attempt to replicate my success, for this and all other medically necessary transition care.

No power in the verse can stop me. All the same, please wish me luck.

[1] Letter 12-K: http://transgenderlawcenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/DMHC-Director-Letter-re-Gender-NonDiscrimination-Requirements.pdf

[2] Transgender Law Center's Letter 12-K FAQ: http://transgenderlawcenter.org/archives/4273

[3] WPATH's Medical Necessity Statement: http://www.wpath.org/medical_necessity_statement.cfm

Radio Host Alex Jones Warns Trans People Will Be "Throwing up and Crapping All over the Place"

.;..because whatever they're injecting in there...

During his April 30th show Austin Radio host Alex Jones went on a hate filled transphobic rant recalling with extreme prejudice his alleged experiences with a transgender citizen.

JONES: "They're saying in high schools, in junior highs now, they're going to have - men can decide to be in the women's bathroom if they want. You're like 'well big deal, that's their gender.'

It's all about these fake rights that don't exist versus my basic liberty being taken. It's not that I'm against people that think they're a woman or a man or whatever. I don't even care. Give me a break. It's not even on my radar screen. I could care less. I care about people."

"I dealt at Access TV with a famous Austin transvestite, who died a few years ago, who they're talking about building a statue to, going in the bathroom, men and women, and vomiting all over the walls when they would do whatever they were doing in there. I mean, I'm talking about several transvestites cramming their way into the men's bathroom, the women's bathroom. You'd go in there to comb your hair before you went on air, there they were. And they finally got thrown out of there because of it and said it was because of discrimination because they were transvestites. No. It was because whatever they were injecting in there made them throw up all over - I mean imagine every week throw up all over the walls." ~ Media Matters




So who is this asshat Alex Jones? I live in Texas and never heard of him.

"As of 2010, he was estimated to have an audience of over 2 million listeners, with a demographic heavier in younger viewers than other conservative pundits In 2011, he had a larger on-line audience than Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh combined." ~ Wiki

Council Of Europe Calls For A End to Forced Sterilisation and Castrations of Transgender People

Click here for the Interview avec Liliane Maury Pasquier

Strasbourg, 25.04.2013 - “Never again”, Liliane Maury Pasquier (Switzerland, SOC) declared today when presenting her report on coerced sterilisations and castrations.

Reading the Council report "Putting an end to coerced sterilisations and castrations" it becomes immediately clear, this is human rights tragedy that must stop now.

From the report:

"Five groups of people have been particularly subject to coerced sterilisation and castration in the past: Roma women,10 convicted sex offenders, transgender persons and persons with disabilities (“eugenic” motives), and the marginalised, stigmatised, or considered unable to cope."

"There are very few sterilisations and practically no castrations in Council of Europe member states today and in the most recent past which can clearly be labelled as “forced”: most of these concern persons with disabilities. However, there is a small, but significant number of both sterilisations and castrations which would fall under the various definitions of “coerced”. These are mainly directed against transgender persons, Roma women and convicted sex offenders. Neither forced nor coerced sterilisations or castrations can be legitimated in any way in the 21st century – they must stop."

"In many European countries, either sterilisation or sex-reassignment surgery or both are a requirement for the country to legally recognise a transgender person in his or her new (authentic) gender. According to RSFL, the Swedish Federation for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Rights, 29 out of the 47 Council of Europe member states have a sterilisation requirement. According to the UN Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, Mr Juan E. Méndez, in 11 states where there is no legislation regulating legal recognition of gender, enforced sterilization is still practised."

"We must put an end to coerced sterilisation and castration. Who can read Ms Gächter’s testimony (Click this link, it's at the bottom of the report) or the history of eugenic sterilisation all over Europe without feeling an overwhelming sentiment of “Never again!”? There is an urgent task for us as parliamentarians to revise our laws and review our state policies in order to build up clear safeguards against future abuses. We need to prevent coerced sterilisation and castration also by working for a change in mentalities: we need to fight stereotypes and prejudice against those who appear “different” and thus sometimes considered by the bigoted to be worth less, be they Roma women, sex offenders, transgender persons, persons with disabilities, or any other marginalised or stigmatised group. We must fight paternalistic attitudes in the medical profession, and raise awareness of coerced sterilisation and castration as a serious human rights violation which brings shame not on the victims, but on the perpetrators."

"We must ensure proper redress to victims of coerced sterilisation and castration, whoever they are, and whenever the abuses occurred. In recent cases, this includes the protection and rehabilitation of victims and the prosecution of offenders. But in all cases, as rare, individual or historic as they may be, official apologies and at least symbolic compensation must also be given. Only then will we have lived up fully to the ideals of the Council of Europe."

Plain Dealer reports the Murder of a Transgender Woman as A "Brutal Slaying" of a "Oddly Dressed Man"

The Plain Dealer Doubles Down On Transphobia.

Plain Dealer reporter John Caniglia wrote three articles about the murder of a transgender woman in Ohio. The first Concrete block on body found in Olmsted pond was not entirely offensive, ignorant and crude, but factual.

Update 4/30: The plain Dealer under intense criticism from the trans community and allies has changed the title of the second and third articles and edited a paragraph calling her body a 'it'.

The second article's title was "Body of oddly dressed man found in Olmsted Township pond identified". This has been changed to "Oddly dressed body found in Olmsted Township pond identified."

The third article's title was changed from "Brutal slaying marks the end of Cleveland man's fight for acceptance" to "Brutal slaying marks end for Clevelanders fight for acceptance."

The PD posted this on the bottom of the last article. "This story has been edited since originally posted to bring it within the style recommended by the Associated Press involving transgender people."

The first article included police contact information. The next two still articles don't.

Caniglia didn't bother to include police contact information in his next articles. His editor probably didn't care if he did only encouraging him to step up his transphobia after noticing the attention the first article was receiving.

The second article published 1:11pm on the 29th"Body of oddly dressed man found in Olmsted Township pond identified" reflects Caniglia's hatred of transgender people as he intentionally misgenders the woman recounting with a vengeance her self defense and use of HRT.

The third article published later at April 29, 2013 at 8:15 PM, "Brutal slaying marks the end of Cleveland man's fight for acceptance." was nothing less than a all out assault on transsexuality.

John Caniglia ha absolutely no respect for the dead or any clue as to who we are. I invite everyone to comment on his articles.

This scan of the print version of the article can be better viewed here.

Gay Star News also has a article about her murder.

Police ask anyone who may know the victim, or have information about his death, to contact them at 1-440-235-3335. 

Virgin Air Mogul Sir Richard Branson Losses Bet Now Must be a "Tranny" Stewardess May 1st

While it's not clear if Virgin Airline CEO Sir Richard Branson said 'tranny' in describing his payment for losing this bet or if Global Travel News used this defamation to sensationalize it's article t's usage in that context doubles the misogynous denigration all of womanhood. Wonder how Virgin Air stewardess and stewards feel about being the last thing their boss would ever want to be?

Branson who also owns a race car team lost a bet with AirAsia X and Lotus Racing boss Tony Fernandes over who would do best in 2010.

AirAsiaX CEO Tony Fernandes has said Branson has to comply with his company’s grooming standards and that includes shaving his legs, donning high heels, putting on some makeup, and slipping into the AirAsia’s famous red uniform. This task does not only entail serving champagne to guests but “tranny-for-a-day” Branson is expected to take on regular duties on the flight, including cleaning the toilets. "He will be committed to carry out the responsibilities of a flight attendant, including offering coffee, tea, and other food and beverages to guests on the special six-hour Perth to Kuala Lumpur flight," Fernandes was quoted as saying. ~ Global Travel News

Obviously Sir Richard Branson feels the most humiliating punishment a man could endure would to be a female for a day told the press it "will be my first, and most certainly last time as a flight attendant!".

That's kind of funny since I feel the same if I was forced into 'TRANSFORMING' in a misogynistic pig. Even if it was just for a day.
You can comment om this at the F1 Racing Facebook announcement.

H/T Gorilla Angel Report.

Illinois does what With LGBT students HIV/AIDS status?!

Illinois currently reports all students who test positive for HIV/Aids to their school's principle which is bad enough, but this is especially devastating to our trans youth. Transgender teens and those in their twenties are more likely than any other sub demographic to have HIV/aids according to the CDC. And transgender people with new infections are less likely to acknowledge having HIV/AIDS or to seek treatment even if health care is available.

Compound these factors with the fear a young person would feel of being outed by their principal to whom ever he wants to and the inevitable subsequent rumors, stigmatization and social ostracization. That would make the first step, testing, unlikely.

This should never be the case. Advocates for Youth are taking action.

Students in Illinois need your help to correct an outrageous violation of privacy.

Illinois is the ONLY state in which health authorities are required by law to notify school principals of the names of students that test HIV-positive. Their principals can then disclose the information to any school personnel they like.

A bill before the senate, HB 61, would repeal this invasive and unnecessary requirement.

Urge the Illinois Senate to pass HB 61

Illinois’ disclosure law was written in 1987. Unfortunately, even in 2013, HIV remains highly stigmatized. Sharing students’ HIV status without their permission perpetuates this stigma and could discourage young people from getting tested for HIV. Plus, it is a violation of their right to medical confidentiality. Read more about this dangerous law.

Let’s change this law. Sign the petition and tell the Illinois Senate to pass HB 61.

Sincerely,

Diana Rhodes
State Strategies Manager
Advocates for Youth

Ponni, Transgender Woman Realizes Her Dream Teaching Dance In an Indian Slum

Ponni, a transgender woman from Chennai, India had a dream 20 year ago as a youth. She longed to dance, but because of her gender expression Ponni was denied the classes she needed to hone her skills. She was forced to watch dancers, secretly, alone from outside peering threw a window.

Ponni's life long dream is being realized and much to her amazement, with the support of her students parents. Ponni's story is an inspiration to all of us as she crosses bridges, creating friendship with respect, hard work and unselfish dedication while dancing to her own music.

CHENNAI: The clanging of the 'nattuvangam' resonates with the synchronised thumping of more than a dozen pairs of feet. Dressed in purple and blue, the children elbow one another in the cramped room, but they snap to attention when their guru dances to the invocatory song.

The room is small and in a ramshackle tenement, but the clutter does not hamper the passion with which Ponni, a transgender, leads her students. "I want to be as graceful as her," says 12-year-old R Supriya, trying to perfect her mudras in front of the mirrors that line one side of the class.

Located in a slum in Vyasarpadi on the outskirts of Chennai, Abhinaya Nrithyalaya is the outcome of Ponni's 20-year dream. "I've wanted to set up a dance school for slum children since my childhood in Tuticorin when I was rejected by a dance class because it was open only to Brahmin students. I used to secretly stand by the window and watch them dance," recalls Ponni, who underwent a sex reassignment surgery in her 20s. Read more at Times of India

Photo The Hindu "Carving an identity with dance
"

About TERF's, MEMF MRE and RADFEM2013

Trans Exclusive Radical Feminist's or TERF who are making quite a spectical of themseves. Seems like a week doesn't pass without them distancing themseves further from true RadFems. It seems at times the TERF's pperate under the assumtion that she who yells the lousest and most is the most believable.



That simplistic approach would work if the TERF's didn't invalidate it everytime they speak. From a realitivly new blog "Sisterhood" about page: "This Blog’s Purpose
I am a radical feminist, a revolutionary feminist, a radicaldyke. This blog is part of the radical feminist online resistence to ensure feminism remains about the liberation of women."

The first post you will find like most others attempts to meld feminism with transphobia by conflating the trans agenda with MRE's (Mens Rights Extremist groups).

The first paragraph of "Sisterhood":" This post is intended to shed light on all that has happened, so far, to radfem2013. What has happened should be important to those on the radical left and all feminists everywhere – but thanks to alliances made between trans/queers with MRE‘s, it’s very difficult for us to be heard in the public domain without the distortions flooding our truths and drowning them out."

A quick perusal of Reddits r/MensRights will qickly debunk that fallacy. Asd a trans woman I have very little in common with there concerns but I respect their desire for equality. I am sure some trans men would more readily identify with those concerns expresed on that Reddit.

Quite honestly I had never even heard of "MRE's untill a couple of weeeks ago. I'm a retired solider. MRE's had always meant "Meals Ready to Eat" untill now.

But regardless of where we are under the umbrella, with a few exceptions, we are diamenticly opposed to the Mens rights groups agenda.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Men's_rights_movement "Men's rights groups have formed in some European countries during periods of shifts toward conservatism and policies supporting traditional family and gender relations. In the United States, the men's rights movement has close ideological ties to neoconservatism. Men's rights activists have received lobbying support from conservative organizations and their arguments have been covered extensively in neoconservative media."

TERF's want to appeal to feminists. They envision themseelves as a 'radicals' fighting for womans rights. Most Radfems as it turns out, object to being lumped together with Radfems.

Việt Nam đồng tính sitcom trở thành "MY Best Gay Friends" Internet smash Hit With Transgender Actress Cindy Thai Tai

The you tube viral sensation "My Best Gay Friends" has taken Vietnam and the rest of the world by suprise quickly accumulating over 8 million views from April 2012 to April 2013. The series, a light hearted look at LGBT young peoples adventures and misadventures comes on the heels of a suprise announcement by the the country's authoritarian goverment last year announcing they were considering legalizing same sex marriages.

The actors are mainly gay and straight with one exception. Singer Cindy Thai Tai, the first known post operative Vietnamese transgender celebrity.

In episode nine a lesbian marriage is interrupted by the restaurateurs who complain

"The couple is female! This wedding goes against Vietnamese traditions and customs," the manager of a restaurant says as she forces the wedding party to leave the establishment. "They are violating the law."

Cindy Thai Tai protests, asking "so you think that the homosexuals have no rights to love and wed each other lawfully?" the manager quickly explains the establishment has no choice.

"Please madam, local authorities called us and forced us to cancel this wedding. If we go against the order we'll get a serious fine!" the manager adds.

The wedding is quickly moved to an alternative venue and goes ahead -- to the delight of the couple's friends and family present. mb.com

There are no subtitles, but they are not needed. love is universal and these emotions come through loud and clear.

$F Pride Demotes Bradly Manning From Grand Marshal back To Prisoner In a corporate Minute

Just hours after announcing Bradly Manning San Fransisco pride Grand Marshal Lisa L. Williams, SF Pride Board President posted this statement on facebook revoking Bradly's Marshalness:

SF Pride Statement about Bradley Manning

26 April 2013:
Bradley Manning will not be a grand marshal in this year's San Francisco Pride celebration. His nomination was a mistake and should never have been allowed to happen. A staff person at SF Pride, acting under his own initiative, prematurely contacted Bradley Manning based on internal conversations within the SF Pride organization. That was an error and that person has been disciplined. He does not now, nor did he at that time, speak for SF Pride.

Bradley Manning is facing the military justice system of this country. We all await the decision of that system. However, until that time, even the hint of support for actions which placed in harms way the lives of our men and women in uniform -- and countless others, military and civilian alike -- will not be tolerated by the leadership of San Francisco Pride. It is, and would be, an insult to every one, gay and straight, who has ever served in the military of this country. There are many, gay and straight, military and non-military, who believe Bradley Manning to be innocent. There are many who feel differently. Under the US Constitution, they have a first amendment right to show up, participate and voice their opinions at Pride this year.

Specifically, what these events have revealed is a system whereby a less-than-handful of people may decide who represents the LGBT community's highest aspirations as grand marshals for SF Pride. This is a systemic failure that now has become apparent and will be rectified. In point of fact, less than 15 people actually cast votes for Bradley Manning. These 15 people are part of what is called the SF Pride Electoral College, comprised of former SF Pride Grand Marshals. However, as an organization with a responsibility to serve the broader community, SF Pride repudiates this vote. The Board of Directors for SF Pride never voted to support this nomination. Bradley Manning will have his day in court, but will not serve as an official participant in the SF Pride Parade.

Reading the comments SF pride is paying the price. Discipline me baby.


The insult is how fast you caved to corporate concerns. I am not the only vet who has seen Prides go from a unabashed celebration of gayness by gay men to a outright red white and blue fight for cisgender corporate money. (not that thats a loss to trans people, just saying). The Prides have become nothing more than a big advertisement. So who are they inviting to assimilate the gay mans culture?

From the guardian's Glenn Greenwald "First, while even a hint of support for Manning will not be tolerated, there is a long roster of large corporations serving as the event's sponsors who are welcomed with open arms. The list is here. It includes AT&T and Verizon, the telecom giants that enabled the illegal warrantless eavesdropping on US citizens by the Bush administration and its NSA, only to get retroactively immunized from Congress and thus shielded from all criminal and civil liability (including a lawsuit brought in San Francisco against those corporations by their customers who were illegally spied on). Last month, AT&T was fined by OSHA for failing to protect one of its employees who was attacked, was found by the FCC last year to have overcharged customers by secretly switching them to plans they didn't want, and is now being sued by the US government for "allegedly bill[ing] the government improperly for services designed for the deaf and hard-of-hearing who place calls by typing messages over the web."

Tufts Joins at Least 37 Other US Universities By Including Transgender Healthcare

There is a wide range of insurance policies offered to trans people in academia. Some cover just staff, some include students too. Some policies only cover HRT while some cover limited SRS surgical procedures. Some cover all transitional costs from a2Z. It's a wide array of possibilities. But all have one thing in common. They value us so much as individuals they are making the effort to cover us to some extent. That says a lot.

Source Boston.com "Tufts University has adopted a new healthcare plan that includes benefits for transgender students, making Tufts the 37th university or college in the country to offer health insurance of this kind, according to university officials."

"Michelle Bowdler, the senior director of health and wellness services at Tufts, said that these benefits will include coverage of hormone treatment and gender reassignment surgeries."

“These are needs that are absolutely a medical necessity,” she said Friday in a phone interview with Katherine Landergan at Boston.com.

Thanks to HRC for compiling this list.

Employee Health Plans: transgender-inclusive coverage
Some colleges and universities with employee plans that provide minimum or better transgender-inclusive coverage including at least some transition-related surgeries (15 TOTAL):

•American University
•City University of New York (CUNY)
•Harvard University
•University of California Berkeley
•University of California Davis
•University of California Irvine
•University of California Los Angeles
•University of California Merced
•University of California Riverside
•University of California San Diego
•University of California San Francisco
•University of California Santa Barbara
•University of California Santa Cruz
•University of Michigan
•Yale University

Student Health Plans: transgender-inclusive coverage
Colleges and universities with student health plans that provide minimum or better transgender-inclusive coverage including at least some transition-related surgeries.

•California Institute of Technology (Fall 2010)
•Cornell University (Fall 2011)
•Emerson College (Fall 2007)
•Emory University (Summer 2010)
•Harvard University (2010, 2012)
•New York University
•Portland State University (Fall 2008)
•Stanford University (Fall 2010)
•The University at Buffalo (SUNY Buffalo)
•University of California Berkeley
•University of California Davis
•University of California Irvine
•University of California Los Angeles
•University of California Riverside
•University of California San Diego
•University of California San Francisco
•University of California Santa Barbara
•University of California Santa Cruz
•University of Connecticut (Fall 2010)
•University of Michigan (Fall 2007 - all students; Jan 2006 Grad Student Employees)
•University of Pennsylvania (Fall 2010)
•University of Vermont
•University of Washington (Fall 2008; updated 2011)
•Washington University in St. Louis covers surgical services only, and not hormone therapy.

Student Health Plans: limited coverage
This is a partial list of colleges and universities with student health plans that provide much more limited access to needed health care: hormone therapy but not medically necessary surgical procedures related to sex reassignment.

•American University
•Bridgewater State University
•Ithaca College
•Lewis and Clark
•Massachusetts Institute of Technology
•Ohio State University
•Pennsylvania State University
•Princeton University
•Reed College
•Suffolk University
•University of Chicago
•University of New Hampshire
•University of Oregon
•University of Southern California
•University of Wisconsin, Madison
•Vassar College
•Yale University

More detailed yet confusing data can be found at the HRC White Paper

A First! Transgender Actress Gets Lead In A Major Film, "Boy Meets Girl"

There are far too few films with a romantic lead who is transgender. There even fewer, if any at all, movies that appeal to cisgender audiences that features a female transgender romantic lead. That's about to change.

From the director: "BOY MEETS GIRL is a tender, human, sex-positive romantic comedy that explores what it means to be “real”: to live and love authentically to the truth of one’s heart, regardless of the sex or small town you’re born into. Our story focuses on Ricky, a beautiful twenty-one year old transgendered girl living in Virginia with dreams of becoming a fashion designer in New York. Bringing Ricky to life is our sparkling lead actress, Michelle Hendley of Columbia, Missouri, whom I was enormously lucky to discover in a nationwide search for a trans actress."



Michelle will be supported by an amazing cast, including lead actor Michael Welch (Joan of Arcadia; Twilight films), New York indie film and stage actress Alexandra Turshen, and a tremendous crew and production team. My two producing partners Elisa Pugliese, who has produced a number of independent feature films, such as Nanette Burstein's award-winning documentary American Teen, and August (starring Josh Hartnett, Adam Scott, Rip Torn and David Bowie) and Bruce Edward, who teamed up with me on my last film After Fall, Winter and my recent TV series Eric Schaeffer–Life Coach, will lend their wisdom, skill, and tremendous work ethic to the project.

The project is currently raising funds on Indiegogo.com

Huge thanks go's out to Queerty for their amazing article. For the record, I'm not overly concerned about "sexual orientation" Faux pas.

Red Lion High School Transgender Student Will Attend Prom Tonight With His Girl Despite Principal's Bullying and Threats

It's been a traumatic experience so far for transgender high school senior Issak Oliver Wolfe and girl friend Taylor in a story first broke on planetransgender. Issak will be allowed to attend his Prom in his correct gender and his girl friend will accompany him despite threats and bullying by Mr. Shue, Red Lion High School Principal.

The ACLU published this press release demanding that Red Lion High School Principal Shue allow Issak to attend graduation in his correct gender and have his correct name read.

When Wolfe's girlfriend, Taylor Thomas, posted a message on Facebook and created an online petition supporting him, Shue called Wolfe into his office and threatened to prevent him from bringing her to prom unless she changed the posts. Shue also wrote a scripted press statement that he then pressured Wolfe to give to media. After Thomas's online posts were changed, Shue continued to threaten to bar her from attending until Wolfe said he was contacting the ACLU.

Shue declined to say whether or not Wolfe's male name will be read at graduation, as he has repeatedly requested.

"Issak is accepted by his family, teachers, and peers for who he is," said Reggie Shuford, executive director of the ACLU of Pennsylvania. "He had no reason to expect to be treated differently by school officials, and Shue's efforts to silence Issak and Taylor and suppress their First Amendment rights are completely inappropriate and unconstitutional."

The full letter sent by the ACLU to the Red Lion School district can be viewed here.