Counter the Christian Family Coalition's Miami Dade Anti Trans Hate Tactics

This is the picture and message posted by the christian family coalition imploring readers to take action against the proposed transgender amendment to the Miami Dade county regulations embedded below.

"The Miami-Dade Commission wants to pass a dangerous law that will force all places to open bathrooms and dressing rooms to "transsexuals." (men who allege they are women, and women to allege they are men) If one objects, they will be fired, sued and fined!"

I would ask my readers to take action as the CFC asks except with a slightly more accepting, loving message. You know, one that is in line with the Bible's teaching. Or just do it because you're a decent human being.

The CFC's members are targeting two county commissioners with a hateful message.

This is the message I posted on  Commissioner Jean-Monestime and Jose Pepe-Diaz's  Facebook pages. Feel free to copy and past.

I am not a resident of Florida but I am appalled by the hate being displayed by the 'christian' family coalition. In all of the areas in the US where similar ordinances have been enacted there has not been one instance of it being abused by a transgender person.This is fear mongering by Christians and it is shameful and goes against the bible that they proclaim to follow.
Please enact the ordinance amending Chapter 11A of the code relating to discrimination in housing, public accommodations and employment based on gender identity and expression.

Thank you,
Kelli Anne Busey

You can also tweet Commissioner Jean Monestime.

Discrimination in Housing Et Al

Did Four transgender athletes compete in the 2012 Olympics?

There are now allegations that four top woman athletes who competed in the 2012 Olympics were in fact transgender by definition and that their of transitions had not progressed enough to meet the criteria set in 2011 by the IOC regarding hyperandrogenism. This is a condition found in both cisgender and trans people in which conditions exist allowing muscles to be larger and have more endurance than what would be normally found in females and is used as a benchmark when determining the gender of a athlete.

According to the International Business news (IBN) the four were castrated so they could compete as woman.  The competitors, who remain anonymous, were found to have XY chromosomes, which genetically define men, rather than the female XX. According to the IBN all four females had internal male testes which were removed prior to competition after being referred to the hospital by the the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).

The IAAF has since denied the woman had tested positive for hyperandrogenism, had the genetic makeup of a male or had gender reassignment surgery.

"The surgeons have neutered these individuals," a consultant from London Bridge Hospital is reported to have said.

"They have castrated them by removing the gonads, by which I mean their male testes, and they've had gender reassignment surgery.

"You could do that to any man."

However, the IAAF has told insidethegames  that "not one athlete was investigated at London 2012 and found to have had hyperandrogenism"  

Officially the only transgender athlete to compete was Keelin Godsey, a transman, who tried out for the woman's hammer throw but didn't qualify. Under The rules that was fine since Godsey hadn't begun hormones.

Stay with me it's going to get bumpy.

Video: Highest ranking Transgender Officer Lieutenant Colonel Cate McGregor Speaks About Transition

Transgender Lieutenant Colonel Cate McGregor speaks out about abuse and support in the Australian Army. Original news report by Ian McPhedran seen on ABC and uploaded to youtube by Trans Health Australia.

THE person behind the stirring speech delivered by army chief Lieutenant General David Morrison in the wake of shocking revelations about an army email sex ring was his transgender speechwriter, Lieutenant Colonel Cate McGregor.

Formerly Malcolm McGregor, Lieutenant Colonel McGregor is the highest ranking of six transgender people serving in the Australian Defence Force, as well as being a globally renowned cricket writer.

One of her strongest supporters is Lt General Morrison, who refused to accept her resignation when she went public and told him that she was causing embarrassment to his office.





The support was in place early and as soon as McGregor confided in her boss and friend Morrison told her that "I want you to know that I'm privileged that you felt you could tell me about the crisis you're facing and I will be with you every step of the way''.

"And I was very moved by that. I felt, up to that point, very isolated, I couldn't see a future in the army with this condition and he said 'let me know what you need to do, but you have my support.'

"More often than not I've quit and resigned and said 'I'm causing embarrassment to your office' and he has unfailingly supported me and insisted I continue to serve on,'' she tells ABC TV's "One Plus One'' program today.

Expanding on the themes touched on in the now famous speech, Lt Colonel McGregor says that her boss took the view that the army simply could not survive if it became a demographic ghetto, a smokestack industry in a changing world.

"He knew that there needed to be more women in the army ... that if you were physically and mentally good enough to be a soldier, then the army wanted you and he's rigorously enforced that, whether on grounds of gender, race or sexuality.''

The email ring, known as the "Jedi council'', distributed degrading images and messages about women, both in and outside the services, who might be exploited for sex.

"Those who think it is OK to behave in a way that demeans or exploits their colleague have no place in this army,'' Lt Gen Morrison told the troops by video.

"Show moral courage and take a stand against it.''

Lieutenant Colonel McGregor said the most difficult part of her transformation had been telling her then wife.

"It was very taxing for both of us. It was the hardest conversation I have ever had with another human being, telling her what was going on,'' she says.

"She had watched with growing alarm and sadness as I struggled with something that I couldn't put a name on and it was distressing in the extreme for her.

"She's experienced terrible loss in this in that she's seen a husband essentially die but not had the closure of a funeral. But we get on very well. We're soulmates, we're very, very close and she's the most wonderful person I've ever met."

* Lieutenant Colonel McGregor will today appear on One Plus One in her army uniform to tell Jane Hutcheon and the world about her struggles, including the "drumbeat of personal abuse'' she has suffered and the incredible support she has received.

As McGregor told her good friend and news.com political editor Malcolm Farr last November: "Actually mate, in the best tradition of the Australian army I have become Cate - or mate which represents the amalgam of mate and Cate.''

Court Upholds Arbitration: Sheena Monnin Owes Trump 5M for Transphobic Rigging Accusations

Rather than address her transphobia Monnin has been ordered to pay Donald Trump five million dollars according to the Post Gazette.

"A federal judge this week upheld a 2012 ruling that a Cranberry woman who resigned as Miss Pennsylvania USA, claiming the pageant system was fixed, must pay $5 million in damages to the Miss Universe Organization.
An arbitrator in December found Sheena Monnin, 28, had made defamatory comments against Donald Trump's organization last year and that there was "virtually no possibility that the judging was rigged."
In a 30-page opinion filed Tuesday, U.S. District Judge J. Paul Oetken of New York supported that ruling.
"The Court does not take lightly that Monnin is compelled to pay what is a devastating monetary award. ... Sympathy, or apparent inequity, may play no role in a court's legal analysis, and here, the law is clear," he wrote."

Monnin posted this on her support page and she ain't backing down:

On July 2nd, the Southern District Court of New York ruled on my appeal of the $5 million arbitration award.

I am grateful to Judge Oetken for his review of the case before affirming the award.

I was hopeful for a different outcome, but I am pleased that the true nature of the Miss USA judging procedure has been exposed by the testimony of the Miss Universe Organization (MUO) and Ernst & Young during the arbitration proceedings – testimony that reveals that the MUO does select the top 15 contestants irrespective of the preliminary judges’ scores.

This is not about me being a ‘sore loser’ or wanting my ’15 minutes of fame’. This is about the MUO’s admission under oath that they manipulate the judges’ results to suit their own ends. This is not what they advertise to the public.

Canadian Trans Rights Bill Fails Despite Having Needed Support

This is such a heartbreaker for our faimly up north. Once again our jn

CA Gov Brown to sign bill ensuring trans students have full access to athletic facilities and programs

Sacramento, CA, July 3, 2013 the California State Senate passed the School Success and Opportunity Act (Assembly Bill 1266), sending the bill that ensures transgender students have the opportunity to succeed in school to Governor Jerry Brown for signature. Authored by Assemblymember Tom Ammiano, the bill passed the Senate with a 21-9 (unofficial). The bill passed the California State Assembly last month with 46-25 vote.

Bill Text Source: leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/

"This bill would require that a pupil be permitted to participate in sex-segregated school programs, and activities, and facilities, including athletic teams and competitions, and use facilities consistent with his or her gender identity, irrespective of the gender listed on the pupil’s records."

"(f) A pupil shall be permitted to participate in sex-segregated school programs, and activities,  and facilities, including athletic teams and competitions, and use facilities consistent with his or her gender identity, irrespective of the gender listed on the pupil’s records."

AB 1266 will ensure that California public schools understand their responsibility for the success and well-being of all students, including transgender students, and will allow transgender students to fully participate in all school activities, sports teams, programs, and facilities in accordance with their gender identity.

A huge shout out to all of those who fought so hard to make this a reality including:

Erik Olvera, National Center for Lesbian Rights, 415.365.1324, EOlvera@NCLRights.org
Jesse Melgar, EQCA, 323.848.9801, Jesse@EQCA.org
Rebecca Farmer, ACLU of California, 415.621.2493, x374, RFarmer@ACLUNC.org
Jill Marcellus, GSA Network, 516.313.9659, Jill@GSANetwork.org
Mark Snyder, Transgender Law Center, 415.865.0176, x310, Mark@TransgenderLawCenter.org

PRESS RELEASE: CA Senate Passes Bill Supporting Transgender Student Success

ENDA To Be Voted On In Senate Committee July 10th

The Senate Health Labor Education and Pensions Committee is scheduled to vote on S.815, Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 2013 (ENDA) July 10th.

The Senate currently has 52 Democrats, 46 Republicans and 2 independent congress members. It appears by all accounts on the ground there's a good possibility ENDA will receive an up vote in Committee and move to the Senate floor were it needs 51 votes to pass.

But its prognosis is not so bright according to a new statistical formula provided by Gov. Track which says ENDA has a 5% chance of getting past committee and only 1% chance of being enacted.

In any case it's doubtful Enda would pass the House of Representatives since it would need 218 votes to pass and there are only 201 Democrats and 234 Republicans.

If somehow ENDA is passed S.815, Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 2013 will make it ...unlawful employment practice for an employer--

(1) to fail or refuse to hire or to discharge any individual, or otherwise discriminate against any individual with respect to the compensation, terms, conditions, or privileges of employment of the individual, because of such individual’s actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity; or

(2) to limit, segregate, or classify the employees or applicants for employment of the employer in any way that would deprive or tend to deprive any individual of employment or otherwise adversely affect the status of the individual as an employee, because of such individual’s actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity.

Read more about Enda at the Washington Blade and the Metro Weekly.

Update: Mia Macy The Trans Woman Who Won The Right To Fight Discrimination Under Title VII

With all of the despairing over the lack of movement of ENDA and a perception that without it trans people are powerless to fight workplace discrimination, just a reminder (to myself as well) we are protected.

Prior to transitioning Mia Macy, a veteran police officer, applied with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Agency in December 2010. She was told the job was hers pending a background check but when she contacted them again to inform them of her transition they first told her the job had been eliminated due to budget cuts. Unsatisfied with that response she pursued it again and they told her the job had already been taken.

On June 13, 2011 Ms. Macy filed a complaint with the EEOC.

In her complaint, Macy checked the box for "sex" as the basis of her discrimination claim. In addition, Macy typed onto her complaint form that "gender identity" and "sex stereotyping" also formed the basis of her complaint against the Agency. Macy further explained in her complaint that she had been discriminated against on the basis of her "sex, gender identity (transgender woman) and on the basis of sex stereotyping."



The EEOC sent her a number of replies indicating they would not process her complaint regarding gender identity stereotyping so Mia Appealed.

In a long and drawn out battle Mia finally won the right for transgender people to be included under Title VII because the EEOC ruled on appeal that the"...term “gender” encompasses not only a person’s biological sex but also the cultural and social aspects associated with masculinity and femininity.

Mia Macy,
Complainant,

v.

Eric Holder,
Attorney General,
Department of Justice,
(Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives),
Agency.

Appeal No. 0120120821

Agency No. ATF-2011-00751

DECISION

On December 9, 2011, Complainant filed an appeal concerning her equal
employment opportunity (EEO) complaint alleging employment discrimination
in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII),
as amended, 42 U.S.C. § 2000e et seq. For the following reasons, the
Commission finds that the Complainant’s complaint of discrimination
based on gender identity, change of sex, and/or transgender status is
cognizable under Title VII and remands the complaint to the Agency for
further processing.

Further reading:

Cal employment blog

EEOC decision

Mia Macy Facebook


Find more music like this on Swirl Radio

Mia Macy is a veteran, police detective, loving wife and radio and television personality - she became an accidental activist with ground breaking Macy V. Holder case
catch her each Saturday night on Swirl Radio .

@PhilaGayNews Gliterbombed for editorial Excusing Brownworth's TERF History

PGN you just got Glitterbombed in the finest trans tradition.

At issue is the Philadelphia Gay News (PGN) response to the trans community's outrage over allowing Victoria Brownworth, a known TERF, to use it's media platform to lecture trans people about the abhorrent social conditions the most vulnerable of our community face. Conditions she is responsible for creating through decades of violent anti trans TERF rhetoric.

I have posted the entire PGN post here in italic type and have made rational responses to it in bold type:

 "Keeping the dialogue open" 

3 days ago | 1143 views | 11 | 16 | |  

"Last week, PGN began a series about transgender sex workers, exploring these women’s lives, from the endemic discrimination they have faced to the physical and sexual violence they’re confronted with on a daily basis. Following the piece’s publication, there were a number of questions raised about the writer’s attitudes towards the trans community. As a publication that serves the entire LGBT community, PGN takes each and every reader response seriously and wants to ensure that all readers feel represented in and by this paper."

"While this piece has elicited a range of responses, no one could argue against the importance of examining the issues and people in this series. The “T” in LGBT represents a community that is disproportionately affected by a range of societal ills — discrimination in housing and employment, violence, access to health care and proper medical treatment, among many others. Sex workers, in particular, are at increased risk of being victimized, and because of stigma, these women continue to be in danger every day. But their plight is often off the radar of the rest of the LGBT community, not to mention the mainstream population; these women and their stories need to be heard and humanized — and this was the primary goal of this piece."

"This series was pitched to PGN by Victoria Brownworth, a former PGN staff writer and longtime contributor, who also writes for a number of other national LGBT publications and has won a series of national journalism awards. Some readers have contended that the piece should have been assigned to a transgender-identified writer. However, PGN does not take into consideration factors such as orientation, identity, race, age, religion, etc., when assigning stories; while it is vital that the writer has an understanding of the community about which he or she writes, PGN does not have a policy that the writer identify with that community. And, as always, PGN welcomes pitches by writers of all backgrounds."

Even ones who have dedicated their lives to marginalizing the transgender community and questioning our right to exist?

"That said, it has been also been argued that this particular writer has made comments in the past that suggested anti-transgender viewpoints. PGN was unaware of these previous incidents and that may have factored into our editorial discussion."

REALLY! Just a few days prior to Brownworth's PGN article she published saying the that trans woman are really men who can't partake of real woman's spaces because transwoman have penises!

Its ludicrously patently absurd that PGN continues to deny knowledge of that article or it's context.

"Each writer and staffer at PGN comes from a different background and holds different perspectives, based on his or her own experiences, about personal identity. Just as the LGBT is far from monolithic, ideas about what it means to be L, G, B or T are wide-ranging. Differences, however, should not close the door to discussions."

"Brownworth was criticized by some readers for instances in which she expressed support for women-only space, comments that some interpreted to mean that she did not include trans women in those spaces. Each comment, however, should be looked at separately and in full context. For instance, in a recent piece about the Michigan Women’s Festival, Brownworth wrote that the event should be a place for women to be women. But, she contended, she was not suggesting that transgender women should not be welcomed, rather that the event should be a time for celebration of women, of all identities, without political arguments. The festival has long been the subject of a debate about trans inclusion, which has drawn a range of opinions from throughout the LGBT spectrum."

Substituting a few words in Brownworth's MWMF article easily switches trans for gay, the minority that Brownworth was bashing. Would PGN have welcomed dialogue about that?

"MWMFLife is about woman who are oppressed by gay men every minute of every day being free of that oppression for one week of their year or possibly their lives and reveling in that and celebrating each other, just like the Greek picnic is about solidarity among African-Americans who are oppressed by racism every day of their lives being free of that in all-black space."

Brownworth then asks would it be appropriate for white people to have a 'camp Caucasian gay outside of the Greek picnic (comparing it to camp trans) ...

"But if you can’t leave your male privilege there, as well as your penis, then MWMF life is not the place for you gays and your presence will harm other women who, like me, have been brutalized by gay men. It will also alter the atmosphere for every woman who has come specifically to be in women-only space because they will feel just as constrained as they feel in straight society."


Regardless of where you fall on the Michigan Women’s Festival issue, or other conversations about gender and identity, having an open discussion about and respecting one’s differences should not be out of the question. As reporters, we at PGN talk with people every day — some of whom we share similar ideologies with, and others not so much. But we have seen firsthand how integral it is to not shut down conversation when another’s viewpoint digresses from our own; remaining open to the other’s experiential opinions can be dually productive.

To which gcvsa responded so succinctly pointed out :

“It may be politically expedient to hold people to what they wrote in college, but it’s not politically or intellectually honest.”

"No, actually, it is the height of political and intellectual honesty to hold people to account for their published views. What is intellectually and politically dishonest in the extreme is to whitewash those published views with a blanket statement of “that was in the past” without any kind of acknowledgement that those views were in error. In any case, this isn’t about what happened in the distant past, it’s about what the author published mere days ago, and about what is going on in our community, right now."

But, dialogue is key. If PGN readers have an opinion about a story, we always encourage letters to the editor so that these views can be shared with our readers. And writers themselves welcome individual contacts about their work.

Brownworth blocked me on twitter after I attempted to contact her.

No one has argued against the content of this series. And that’s important. But the debate that has surrounded it has detracted from its impact. Instead of this series being about the trans women who are facing harassment and violence each day and night, it has become about a writer’s personal views. This writer spent money of her own and countless hours with these subjects; there was no malintent to this series.

This response was word for word the same argument Brownworth used in comments defending the PGN article and so closely resembles the nefarious methodology TERF's utilize it left the trans community wondering if it hadn't been written by Brownworth herself.

As most journalists who write for community newspapers can attest to, this work is not motivated by love of money — it stems from a passion for the craft and for the community. And the community is what needs to be the focus here.

Really Mr Sir? I write but unlike your contributers remain unpaid so as to keep my standards.

The community of women profiled in this series has been cast aside, by society and by our community, for too long. All other issues can and should be addressed, but separately. The women profiled in this series have stories to tell. And we need to listen."

What dialogue?

 Many trans authors like myself unsuccessfully attempted to contact PGN about this prior to publishing a reply to Brownworth's original article. Oh, so it must be your dialogue dictating to the trans community. In other words PGN has just told the trans community to STFU.

That's a pathetic excuse you published PGN. Transgender people have had to many encounters with TERFs. we have learned there is no dialogue, they are our enemy the same as the most violent hater on this planet with one exception. If they play their hand right like Brownworth just did they can build capitol in their war against transgender people, using the LGB to do their dirty work.

It wasn't the content, it was whom wrote it. She is a TERF. She will use this capitol she gains by this to drive a wedge between gay and trans people. She knew that when she wrote it. She just owned you leaving PGN looking like fools.

Yes, transgender people are at war with TERFs,and make no mistake and if PGN wants to excuse them for it then you are no friend of trans people. That's what got you Glitterbombed.

That's not 'dialouge' PGN! That's gay tyrannically patriarchal misogyny reminiscent of gay journalism of bygone eras. Something we thought was on the decline but were sadly mistaken about.

Seriously PGN trans people were never idiots and with the advent of the Internet we are no longer victims to gay apologists of Trans exterminists. Excusing Brownworth's article, one that should not have appeared on you're pages in the first place is inexcusable.

As a transgender journalist and blogger I would never consider allowing a article from a known homophobic person to be published on planetransgender. If I did by my own fault I would strive to right the wrong and offer a full apology to gay people. I fully expect the same consideration from gay publications.

Video: Drag Queen Beaten by Two Woman But Puts UP One Hell Of A Fight

Trigger warning* Violent images and descriptions.

There have been four recent attacks in the DC metro area, an assault on a drag performer, two shootings one involving a trans woman one resulting in the death of a lesbian and a stabbing of a trans woman. None of these crimes are being investigated as hate crimes by the police.

One attack, the beating of a drag queen by two woman was filmed by an antagonist and posted on line. In the beginning of the attack it is clear the drag queen, Miles Denaro, was acting defensively and would have avoided the altercation if not further provoked. Incredibly the police are not pursuing this as a hate crime, rather they are making the victim out to be the aggressor!

The Washington Blade reports that one of two women shown in a video posted online punching and kicking a gay male drag performer while pulling him by his hair inside a D.C. carryout restaurant has filed a police report accusing the man of biting her leg and telling her “now you have AIDS.”

The report given by the woman, which D.C. police made public Tuesday afternoon, was the latest development stemming from an incident early Sunday morning, June 23, at Manny & Olga’s pizzeria on 14th Street, N.W., in which Miles Denaro, 24, says he was attacked by two women who called him a “tranny” and “faggot.”

If you are unable to stomach the asshole egging the fight on there is a mute button...

According to Denaro, no one, including about six Manny  Olga employees, came to his aid during the assault. Denaro said he chose not to call police at the time of the assault. He filed a separate police report on Monday, June 24, accusing the two women of assaulting him. He told the Blade the assault began after one of the women made fun of his makeup and words were exchanged between them, prompting one of the women to slap him in the face twice. “Then I flipped out,” he said. “I spit in her face and her friend jumped in and they started dragging me around by my hair while punching me in the face repeatedly and kicking me,” he said. 

 The police report taken from the woman, who is identified as Rachel Manna Sahle, 22, of Gaithersburg, Md., classifies her biting allegation against Denaro as a felony aggravated assault that carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in jail.

 The police report taken from Denaro classifies the assault by the two women against him as a misdemeanor simple assault, which has a maximum sentence of six months in jail and/or a fine of $1,000. Police spokesperson Gwendolyn Crump said police would have no comment on any details of the case because it remains under investigation. No arrests had been made in the case as of Wednesday.

Interview with "The man with a pussy": Buck Angel female to male porn icon

Buck on being the man with a pussy and acceptance from the porn and LGBT community.. "Oh clearly, first off with the porn industry" incredulously recounting the wide variety of porn available at that time... " for some reason when I chose to do what I was doing they really came down hard on me along with the trans community specifically the trans male community at the time."

"They didn't like what I was doing, they thought it was disrespectful, they thought I showing the whole world we were all men with pussies. It was difficult in the beginning but I've changed that now. Everyone embraces my work."

Growing up Buck said about his transsexuality "I didn't see my future, it was very dismal for me" His mother waving her arms said "we didn't know! We didn't know what to do" while his father sobbed saying he 'wrote him out of his life.'

That rejection almost killed him "It was a bottle of pills, I took them all" Buck tells of his almost becoming another youth trans suicide statistic.

Out of curiosity I created a profile on Buck Angel Dating since this seemed to be of great pride to Mr. Angel. I was hopeful that this trans dating site might have more to offer since it was created by a member of our community.

 But it appears the site is geared towards making money catering to those who want little more than a night of wild unabandoned uninhibited no strings attached kinky sex. But I could be wrong about that, like I said I created a profile for 'educational' purposes. Ya gotta pay Buck for the opportunity to hook up after creating your profile. Not what I'm into but I wouldn't 'buck' a friend if they did.

Georgia Cis Woman's Birth Certificate Gender Marker Discrepancy Gets Fixed By Fox News

Filled under 'why can't we do this too?'

A presumably cisgender Georgia woman went to renew her driver licensee but due to a new law she had to return with her birth certificate. When she looked at it carefully she learned a mistake had been made when she was born, the wrong gender marker had been 'x'ed.

She left the human services office humiliated and mortified because they told her they wouldn't reissue her BC with her correct gender until she provided a physicians letter proving she was really a woman.

Sound familiar gender peeps? Well lucky for her she had Fox News champion of civil cisgender rights to ride in and correct this wrong.

Fox 5's "Kaitlyn Pratt took Grimes' concerns to Vital Records Services. Their director said what happened is not protocol, and she's looking into the incident. She also promised to make things right."

Taaaadaa cisgender privilage.



Georgia's laws are typical of our country's double standards and subjective enforcement. From Transequality.org:

In Georgia: "A person may have the gender designation on their driver’s license changed after a gender reassignment operation upon the presentation to a driver examiner of either a court order reflecting such change, or a physician's letter certifying such change. The letter or court order shall state the person's name and date of birth, and the date of gender reassignment operation, as well as other identifying information. A person applying under Section (1) shall surrender all licenses in their possession and shall be required to pay either the renewal license fee or a duplicate license fee, whichever is applicable. No rebate will be given for any licenses surrendered. In all cases the decision to change the gender designation on the license is at the discretion of the Department."

There are numerous online examples of problematic non enforcement such as the one the cisgender woman benefited from:

megafamilyproject.or "in the last few years the Georgia Department of Motor Vehicle Safety has issued a regulation that requires transpeople to show a notarized affidavit of genital surgery to have the sex marker changed on their driver’s license. This policy is enforced unevenly, however, and many times a person who presents with a certified copy of their order for name change and legal change of gender can get their sex marker change, depending on who is working the counter that particular day."

Although a little dated, the TS Road Map has some more examples.

In my state of Texas there are no laws about this. Changing ones name is easy enough but getting your gender marker changed on the all important drivers license is more about knowing which county to 'live' in and how to approach the clerk to get the right judge.

You can get the up to date information on your states policies here but keep this in mind, some judges are more liable to use good judgement than others so its critical to ask around and contact someone who has recently done a gender marker change for advice.

First of Five Charged With Murder of Trans Rapper Evon "Yung LT" Young Convicted

MILWAUKEE: Ashanti Mcalister 19, was found guilty of shooting Evon Young three times and helping to throw his body into a dumpster New Years day. Although Young's body was never found the verdict was supported by testimony from two of the accused, Devin Seaberry and Victor Stewart have turned states evidence in return for a plea deal.

AP reports that Mcalister was found guilty Thursday of first-degree intentional homicide in the death of 22-year-old Evon Young and will be sentenced August 12.

According to testimony, Mcalister delivered three shots to Young's lifeless body after he was suffocated and strangled in the basement of his own home.

The first trial of the five accused, Billy Griffin ended in a hung jury. Griffin will be retried in September.

The murder of Evon Young is being followed closely by national media which to this point have done a exemplary job of reporting on this case.

UK court convicts teen for non disclosure of trans status prior to penetration

A recent court ruling in the UK sets into case law validating transpanic responses.

In a rather lengthy finding a British court ruled that a teenage trans man deceived a cisgender girl by not revealing his trans status prior to vaginal penetration with a strap on. The defendant admits to the sex act but denies using a dildo.

A very good breakdown of the case can be found at Complicity titled: Court of Appeal confirms: Stealth trans people having sex are criminals.

I'm uneducated about British law and American but to me there are a two points to examine. First this turns trans status into a liability.

Para 26 ".... where the complainant is deliberately deceived by a defendant into believing that the latter is a male.."

Paragraph 27: "deception as to gender can vitiate consent" making trans people guilty of deception simply for being trans. That finding is now case law in the UK potentiality criminalizing transsexuality and interex people who do not notify potential sexual partners (in writing?) prior to sexual contact.

Secondly, the case wasn't simply about being trans it was also about deception regardless of whether its about a trans of cis person. The issue is the vaginal penetration of a partner without her consent with a object other than what she expects I.E., a penis.

I'll probably get crucified for saying this but...supposing that both party's accurately described the circumstances prior to penetration I would have to agree the the ruling that aggrieved party was deceived. I am of the belief that disclosure of trans status with a potential sexual partner, before the sexual act occurs, is only right. Doing otherwise could be construed as deception. My opinion does not mean I think we as trans people are of less value, but we have undeniably different history in context with cisgender people and this history has a profound effect on whom we are today.

That being said, it us not right that all other other considerations, non disclouse of I.E. HIV status, age etc, to be considered OK, singling out trans status as the single criminalizing factor.

H/T to Lexie Cannes.

Scottish Trans and Intersex people no longer must divorce before legally transitioning but...

It's an amazing day for equality that makes me proud of my bonnie Scottish heritage. A new marriage equality bill that was made public today is arguably one of the best, but it is in need of revision to treat trans and intersex people fairly.

Up until today Scottish transgender people who wished to change gender markers legally were first required to divorce and resubmit a application for a civil partnership which was reserved for same sex couples. This process was stressful, costly and time consuming.



Under the new The Equal Marriage Bill, to be published today transgender people wishing legal gender recognition will no longer be forced to divorce first, however  if a trans person wishes to divorce a interim certificate would be issued during the process. The full Gender Recognition Certificate(GRC) will not be issued until the divorce process is complete unnecessarily delaying transition.

The Scottish Transgender Org. posted to facebook voicing their objection to Gay Star News misquoting them about the bill writing "We have NOT "applauded the bill for being tight and clearer" and have asked Gay Star News to remove that erroneous line. The Alliance commented almost immediately "Gay Star News have just apologized to us and confirmed they will correct the article. The article now reads:

Nathan Gale, a Development Worker for STA, said: ‘We are delighted that the Marriage and Civil Partnership (Scotland) Bill has been launched today.

‘We are particularly pleased that transsexual people will no longer be forced to divorce in order to have their gender legally recognized.

‘There are some outstanding issues for trans people which we will continue to press with the Scottish Parliament and Government. But this is a substantial step towards equal marriage rights for all, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.’

According to the Scottish Transgender org mailer:

What the bill means for married trans people where they and their spouse wish
to continue their marriage:
• An application to the gender recognition panel is made
o To confirm that the couple wish to remain married, a statutory
declaration will be submitted by the trans person’s spouse stating that
they consent to the marriage continuing after gender recognition
• If the application is successful a full Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC) will
be issued
• The Gender Recognition Panel will send a copy of the GRC to the Registrar
General for Scotland
• Regulations will be made by the Registrar General for issuing a suitable
additional revised marriage certificate to the couple (showing new name and
gender)

What the bill means for married trans people where either/both they and/or
their spouse do not wish to continue their marriage:
• An application to the gender recognition panel is made without any statutory
declaration from the spouse
• If the application is successful an interim Gender Recognition Certificate
(GRC) will be issued
• Either the trans person or their spouse can initiate divorce using the interim
GRC
• Once the divorce is completed the interim GRC is replaced with a full GRC

We are concerned that this process could lead to unreasonable delay in the granting
of a full GRC if the spouse is uncooperative and seeks to delay the divorce process.
We will be pushing to prevent such unreasonable delays being possible.

What the bill means for civil partnered trans people:

There will be two recognition routes for civil partnered trans people to select from.
First option:
• An application is made to the panel and an interim gender recognition
certificate is issued
• The couple either change their civil partnership into a marriage or dissolve
their civil partnership
• The interim gender recognition certificate will be replaced with a full GRC



It's interesting to note that by volume most responses were opposed to gay marriage - 64% of the 62,000 responses were against it, but most of those were generated by postcard and internet petition campaigns by religious groups; of the individual submissions on the Scottish government website, the vote was 65% in favour - a finding broadly in line with opinion polls.

Transgender Artist Arrested For Responding To Transphobia By Baring Her Breasts

Arsenault said the incident was provoked by questions from the flight attendant, which they deemed inappropriate.

"She came over and said, 'You guys have to teach us how to do our makeup,' " said the 39-year-old performer. "And then they were like, 'You know, because you used to be guys, right?' "

In response, Sanfino decided to strut topless down the aisle.

"She walked down the aisle with quite a bit of grace and flamboyance and had her arms out," said Arsenault. "And then the flight attendants came and covered her up, saying 'Think about the children!' "

When the plane landed officers arrested them despite there being no law against woman or men going topless in Canada. They then deleted photos and videos from their cell phones telling them that it was illegal for them to film the arrest.

It's interesting to note that while the officers arrested Sanfino for baring woman's breasts, her legal documents still identify her as male. When the officers saw their pasport gender makers indicated male they then began misgendering them, threatening to throw them in jail with men.

There are no law prohibiting Canadians from photographing and filming police as long as one is not obstructing.

Australia Passes Worlds First LGBT Anti Discrimination Laws That Includes Intersex People

Gay star news: Australian lawmakers have voted to make discrimination against LGBT people illegal at a national level for the first time, although religious bodies will still be mostly exempt in line with state level legislation when it comes to LGBTs.

But for the first time aged care providers who are owned by religious groups will no longer be able to exclude people from aged care based on their LGBT or same-sex relationship status.

"For the first time in Australia, and for the first time internationally, intersex people are recognised fully and authentically in anti-discrimination legislation." ~ Organisation Intersex International Australia (OII).

Morgan Carpenter (OII Australia secretary) said:

"Intersex people face discrimination because we have queer bodies. We face discrimination in access to healthcare, employment, schooling and even in interpersonal relationships. Intersex men and women face disbelief in the reality of our gender identities, and those of us who are physically most different are often the most vulnerable.

In February, the Senate agreed with us that intersex is a biological reality, and that all of us should be protected, regardless of our gender identity and without religious exemptions. This is now law, and a huge step forward that will have many positive repercussions."

Colorado civil rights division rules that Coy Mathis' School Discriminated Against Her

First-of-Its-Kind Decision Mandates Equal Treatment for Transgender Students

Source Transgender Legal Defense Fund: June 23, 2013 - Happy LGBT Pride Month! We are thrilled to announce that the Colorado Civil Rights Division has ruled in favor of six-year-old Coy Mathis, whose school had barred her from using the girls’ bathroom at her elementary school because she is transgender. This is the first ruling in the nation holding that transgender students must be allowed to use bathrooms that match who they are, and the most comprehensive ruling ever supporting the rights of transgender people to access bathrooms without harassment or discrimination.

NY Times: In a sharply worded ruling, the division concluded that the Fountain-Fort Carson school district needlessly created a situation in which the student, Coy Mathis, would be subject to harassment when it barred her from the girls’ bathroom even though she clearly identified as female.

Telling Coy “that she must disregard her identity while performing one of the most essential human functions constitutes severe and pervasive treatment, and creates an environment that is objectively and subjectively hostile, intimidating or offensive,” Steven Chavez, the division director, wrote in the decision.

But the state’s ruling went even further, saying that evolving research on transgender development showed that “compartmentalizing a child as a boy or a girl solely based on their visible anatomy, is a simplistic approach to a difficult and complex issue.”

Michael D. Silverman, the executive director of the Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund, which filed the complaint on the Mathises’ behalf, hailed the decision as a momentous victory and hoped it would sway how other school districts treated transgender students.

“This is the first ruling in the nation that holds that transgender students be allowed to use bathrooms that match who they are,” he said. “There are thousands of families like the Mathises who are feeling relieved and vindicated that the commission ruled that Coy is a girl just like any other girl.”

A lawyer for the school district did not return requests for comment. The school district had argued it acted reasonably in the dispute, saying Coy was permitted to wear girls’ clothing to school and was referred to as female.

“When Coy was told we won, she got this giant smile and her eyes bugged out. She said, ‘So I can go to school and make friends?’ ”

This win is important in the legal context, but its even more so to Coy and her wonderful family. I had the honor of getting to know this wonderful family and thank god things turned out as they have.~ kelli Busey

Some history of this case found on planetransgender:

TLDEF Files Complaint to Protect Transgender First Grader From School Discrimination

Colorado School District 8 Notches It Up saying Mathis Family Rejected Invitation To Talk

Pediatrician Dr. James Sears On CNN: Coy Mathis Will Walk Around The Girls Room With Her Penis Out, Like all Boys Do.

Dr. Jim Sear's Excuse is Not An Apology For Transphobic Bashing of Coy Mathis

Would You Sign Coy Mathis Parent's Petition?

Thousands march in today's Istanbul Trans Pride

Taksim square belonged to trans Pride Today! Thousands turned out for this celebration, although joyful there was a underpinning of discontent. Turkey is one of the most hostile of countries in the world to trans people but that didn't stop this from happening. Posted below are some of the Mobil uploads and photos posted on LGBT Istanbul facebook Enjoy!

Marchers were chanting Homofobik devlet, transfobik devlet or Homophobic state, transphobic state!

OutServe/SLDN Executive Director Allyson Robinson Fired By Board

Bilerico reports that Robinson was ousted in a suprise vote at Saterdays regular board meeting. Further updates indicate a third of the Board members and most of the senior staff have resigned in protest.

Visiting Allyson's facebook page just now she has not changed any of the information regarding her SLDN position.

My heartfelt condolences go out to Allyson with whom I finally had the pleasure of meeting in January.

Read the story as it breaks at The Bilerico project.

Ben Jealous @Netroots_Nation Voter ID Laws suppresses the Trans Vote

This is why we liberals win at the polls. We have an agenda the encompasses the vast majority of Americans and have become increasingly successful at meeting at the intersection of our communities concerns. But the most empowering element of our movement is we embrace the concept of freedom and democracy for everyone.

Jealous tells us that voting rights is the single thread that allow us to win "I'm a voting rights activist because I'm a senior citizen, I'm a voting rights activist because I'm a student rights activist, I'm a voting rights activist because I'm a marriage equality rights activist..." but all Fox heard was his comments starting at 1:19:32 about his transgender brother.

This rebroadcasting of a ultra right wings take on Ben Jealous' statement is a prime example of why the right wing is losing and will continue to lose. Their binding thread is hate.

(Red Alert Politics)Via Fox Nation Via Fox Nation

National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)President Benjamin Jealous threw out a bizarre, new reason Friday for Voter ID laws to be banned in the U.S. –transgenders.

“As many people know, I have an adopted brother who’s transgender and he typically doesn’t dress the way he does when he hangs out in the Tenderloin when he goes to a government office,” Jealous said, referencing a notorious LGBT community in San Francisco. “And so if you show his ID you know and he would hold it up to his face, it looks like two different people.”

Watch live streaming video from freespeechtv at livestream.com

Penny Arcade Creator Truly Sorry For TERF Tweets Donates 20G To Trevor Project

Not being a gamer this whole episode flew under my radar until I stumbled on a an apology by "Gabe" a Creator of Penny Arcade, apparently a highly successfully game dynasty. Gabe's apology to the trans community was so heartfelt I needed to find what happened.

Apparently he believed in the rigid gender binary construct, men have penis' and woman have a vagina. Period.

Gabe writes: "I was called a bigot and told that I was giving a stage to bigots. I had not even had breakfast yet. I said again that if they have a different opinion they are welcome to submit their own panel. I was then called “cis male garbage”. Someone then tweeted at me that I should die.

"I should have walked away from my computer at this point and played with my dog but instead I put on my asshole hat and went to work. I said if you use the word “cis” don’t bother tweeting me. This brought back another twitter argument from a week or so ago in which I defended a game about female masturbation. This game only included vaginas which I thought was reasonable given the point of the game was to teach women how to masturbate. It was pointed out to me that not all women have vaginas and I will admit right here in front of everyone that this came as a big shock to me."

"I don’t want to be the reason people don’t go to PAX or don’t support Child’s Play or don’t watch the shows on PATV. I hate the idea that because I can’t stop being an asshole I hurt all these other amazing things."

"I’m very sorry about yesterday. There are very few things that someone can say to me that will actually make me lose my temper. All my buttons got pushed yesterday though and I snapped. I doubt that will change anyone’s opinion but there you go. I’m not qualified to talk about the ambiguity of sexuality and frankly I don’t give a shit about it. I like drawing comics and playing video games. I’ll keep my mouth shut when it comes to all the other stuff."

What transgression caused Gabe to apologize so profusely?

I realized I wasn't that upset about Gabe's view about gender, then it hit me. I was giving him a pass when a few posts ago I took it to Brownworth for her TERF beliefs, essentially the same as Gabe's. Time for me to check my x-male privilege.

Anyways there's a couple more twists and turns and one admonishment. First a indie developer pulled out of a upcoming convention, Citing Penny Arcade Controversy. That was a blow to the industry but maybe not one of the magnitude that would have motivated Gabe to apologize as he did.

Turns out a close friend of his contacted him after his initial tweets and came out as transgender. . They had a heartfelt conversation, not something you can do in 140 letters.

But Gabe wasn't done making amends. He decided to donate $20,000 to the Trevor Project. That's what I call an sincere heartfelt apology.

Now apart for occasionally confronting BugBrennan in a unscripted response with a few doz other activists I have never been a participant in a twitter bomb and especially never one like the one that fell on Gabe. It was vicious and mean spirited.



I went all the way back and couldn't find one apology from a transgender person. There were many thank yous and tweets appreciating Gabe's apologia, but no apologies from the trans community I could find. (maybe there was one but I couldn't find it)

I would like to offer Gabe an apology on behalf of the trans community. I am sorry those mean things were said to you Gabe and in the spirit of good humor that has guided you through this mess I'd like to share a video I know you appreciate.