6/2/10

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

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

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

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


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

Description Education Rally/Protest

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

GLAAD supports Q Cinema protest

For background information about "TOTWK" GLAAD Call to Action

Protest facebook page

5/30/10

Zimbabwe: stop attacks and politically motivated arrests of GLBT advocates

Zimbabwe: Drop Charges Against Rights Defenders
Stop Attacks, Politically Motivated Prosecutions Against Gays and Lesbians

For Immediate Release

Contact:
In Cape Town, Chivuli Ukwimi, International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (English): +27-21-469-3700; or +27-79-440-3938 (mobile)

In New York, Juliana Cano Nieto, Human Rights Watch (English, Spanish): +1-212-216-1867; or +1-646-407-0020 (mobile)

In Brussels, Shaun Kirven, Protection International (English, Spanish): +32-26-09-4409; or + 32-474-276-555 (mobile)

In Halifax, Kim Vance, ARC-International (English): +1-902-488-6404 (mobile)

(Harare, May 30, 2010) - A police raid and apparently politically motivated arrests at the offices of Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe (GALZ) is an attack on all human rights defenders in Zimbabwe, a group of five international organizations said today in a letter to Margaret Sekaggya, the United Nations special rapporteur on human rights defenders.

A trial is set for June 10, 2010, for two persons arrested in a raid at the GALZ offices in Harare on May 21. The arrests occurred shortly before the opening of a national Constitutional Reform Outreach Program, through which GALZ is seeking to remove discriminatory provisions and secure constitutional protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people. The five human rights organizations believe that the context in which the raid and arrests occurred raises serious concerns that they were politically motivated.

"It is troubling-and ironic-that the government is persecuting people who are seeking to protect the rights of all Zimbabweans through the constitution," said Juliana Cano Nieto, researcher in the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Rights Program at Human Rights Watch. "This assault on the LGBT community threatens everyone in the country who is working for human rights."

In the raid on May 21, the police arrested a GALZ staff member, Ellen Chadenama, and a visitor to the offices, Ignatius Mhambi, charging them with possession of "dangerous drugs" and "pornographic material," and confiscating educational material. On May 24, a Zimbabwean Magistrate's Court added the charge of "undermining authority of or insulting [the] president" because the GALZ office displayed a placard that made a critical reference to President Robert Mugabe. Two days later, police searched the house of the acting director of GALZ, confiscating his birth certificate, several GALZ magazines, books, and business cards. The Magistrate Court in Harare granted bail to Chadenama and Mhambi on May 27 after they spent six days in detention.

The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), which is providing legal assistance to GALZ, said that Mhambi and Chadenama stated being physically assaulted by the police while in custody. Mhambi said that police hit him with empty glass bottles on his knees. Both told the lawyers' group that the police forced them to "sit in the air"- crouching in an uncomfortable position-for a long period of time.

"This is not the first time a state has used antiquated public decency laws to garner public support for intimidation and harassment of legitimate sexual rights work," said Shaun Kirven, advocacy officer at Protection International. "These attacks only inflame public intolerance and prevent the international community from taking action against state-sponsored homo- and transphobia."

Other GALZ staff members, including some who were out of Zimbabwe at the time of the arrests, are afraid to return home or to the GALZ office, and the work of the organization has effectively been halted, the human rights groups said. GALZ, the only organization of its kind in the country, provides critical HIV/AIDS and psychological support and services to the LGBT community in Zimbabwe.

"The raid on GALZ, the arrests and the charges severely impede the work of an organization that provides life-saving services to a marginalized population," said Chivuli Ukwimi, health and human rights officer at the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission. "It is time for the government of Zimbabwe to deliver on its promise of equality and justice to all members of society."

In their letter, the human rights organizations called on Sekaggya and the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, to investigate the raid on GALZ and the prosecution and alleged ill-tratment of Mhambi and Chadehama.

"This is a cynical and revealing move by Mugabe's camp to exploit the fact that the international community is in 'wait-and-see' mode vis-à-vis the unity government, which has also left the opposition toothless and vulnerable," said Lisa Veneklasen, executive director of JASS.

Government-sanctioned homophobia has led to attacks against GALZ in the past. In 1995, GALZ was denied permission to participate in the Zimbabwe International Book Fair because of government pressure. In May 1998, the state-controlled Sunday Mail published a front-page article accusing GALZ of running a brothel from its office and of showing pornographic videos. Subsequently, the same paper accused GALZ of holding "rowdy parties" featuring "public indecency." In no instance was there any evidence to support the allegations.

Speaking at a ceremony marking International Women's Day earlier this year, President Mugabe said, "Those who engage in homosexual behavior are just crazy." In the past, Mugabe has compared homosexuals to pigs and dogs and has stated that homosexuality "degrades human dignity."

The 1998 UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders calls on states to take all necessary measures to ensure the protection of everyone against any violence, threats, retaliation, adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of the rights referred to in the Declaration."

The letter was signed by the following organizations:ARC-InternationalHuman Rights WatchInternational Gay and Lesbian Human Rights CommissionJASS-Just AssociatesProtection International

The mission of The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) is advancing human rights for everyone, everywhere to end discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. A non-profit, non-governmental organization, IGLHRC is based in New York, with offices in Cape Town and Buenos Aires. Visit http://www.iglhrc.org for more information.

5/28/10

Understanding Gay Misogyny: Why "Ticked off Tra**ies with Knives"?

Ain’t nothin’ hotter than a dead girl

To many transgender people the whole concept of Misogyny is a mystery and to others like myself, it is not.

I once identified out of fear as male and played the male dominate role. It had been ingrained in my psyche and served as my cover so no one would get a glimpse of my true self, except.....

.....when I had to lower my defenses as I had to do frequently to engage in sex. Then I was feminine and emotionally accessible and afterwards I felt angry. Angry at myself for being vulnerable, at my sexual partner for seeing my vulnerabilities and in my momentarily sedated mind I was especially angy at my temporary sexual partners for capitalizing on my vulnerabilities.

Seeking retribution and a way to mend my broken self I would tell sexist jokes, visit strip clubs, act disrespectfully and generally try to makeup for my lack of self respect by exhibiting passive aggressive behaviour towards women.

Exit Mr and enter Ms. I am asking you to take a leap of faith with me.

In believing I have transitioned and have had many years introspection and spiritual growth thats allowed me to view that "me" with a rear view mirror. That intimate knowledge of misogyny and the resultant behaviour enables me with a unique vantage point.

But why are so many gay men so enthralled with stereotyping as sexually inferior transgender woman, usurping and denigrating transgender phraseology and whats up with this violence? First lets get a handle on what misogyny is and thanks to glbtq Social Science we will debunk it's mystery.

"Misogyny" literally means "hatred of women." However, in everyday usage, beliefs and actions described as misogynist range from intense hatred of women to a more subtle disdain that maintains women as inferior beings who must be dominated and controlled by men. There are some men who eagerly adopt the label of misogynist and others who take its definition literally to mean hatred and therefore absolve themselves of the charge."


Curious is the response of a few transwoman who defend "TO$WK"!

"Misogyny also infects women, including their attitudes toward themselves as well as toward others. Just as there are homophobic queer people, there are also misogynistic women."


So how is Misogyny exhibited socially?

"Misogyny, and societal acceptance of it, can be blamed for men's violence against female family members, as well as strangers; discrimination against women in employment, education, and politics; lack of appropriate health care for women (such as inadequate funding for research on female cancers); and continuing unequal divisions of labor in the home, among many other social inequities."


How does misogyny effect gay men?

"Gay men are both perpetrators of misogyny and victims of it. In all-male societies where women are neither necessary nor desired, gay men can create a misogynistic culture without the existence of any women to object."

"Gay men's use of drag, as well as campy humor imitating or making fun of women, can be seen as misogynist behavior. Drag exaggerates and flaunts over-the-top femininity in a way that few women would or could. While many drag artists and connoisseurs respect and appreciate women, others engage in drag with the conscious understanding that they are making fun of women, or at least of certain aspects of female behavior and existence."


So how as a transgender woman does gay misogyny affect my life?

"As individuals who reside in the borderlands between maleness and femaleness, or who try to cross this border, transgendered people are subject to particularly virulent misogyny (wit TO$WK). Men who are seen as "acting like women" are subjected to misogynist violence by men who see them as degrading masculinity. Women who are seen as "acting like men" are often especially targeted by misogynists, who believe such behavior is a corruption of nature. Fear of violence from misogynists and others forces many transgender people to try to hide who they are, an onerous task in daily life."


How can I better the transgender experience for people yet to begin there trip on our road less traveled?

I am working hard to expose this sickness in our LGBTQ community. You may also and we can help to open one gay persons heart, stop one gay man from attending TO#WK, stop one LGBTQ film festival from gorging at the temple of transplotation, we have succeeded for today.

For today! Tomorrow as our detractors have often noted much to there dismay, we will work again Never satisfied untill we are treated as fully equal in the Gay and Lesbian Bi Sexual world.


Interesting read: Hollywood’s Misogyny: Top Model’s Beautiful Corpses

5/27/10

DADT Repeal? WOOT-WOOT! Watch out you napping heterosexuals It's a free for all!

The cat's out of the bag! The jinks is up, so to speak. The real reason for our efforts to repeal DADT have been revealed! We want to s**k you off in your sleep!

Filed in I needed a good hysterical laugh circular bin is the latest comedy of idiocy from family research something or another titled "Family Research Council: End Of DADT Means More Gay Rape In The Military".

Are the good people at FRC concerned for our behinds? Oh no. This is too funny.

"Here's how the Family Research Council envisions things going if Don't Ask, Don't Tell is repealed: first, more straight soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines will be fellated in their sleep against their will. Then, commanders afraid of being labeled homophobes will refuse to do anything about it. Eventually, the straight service members will quit out of fear."

"On a conference call with reporters today, FRC Senior Fellow for Policy Studies Peter Sprigg delivered the results of what he said was the first-ever study of "homosexual assault" in the military. Joined by several former military officers opposed to allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly in the armed forces, he warned Congress that the DADT repeal language currently under discussion with the agreement of the White House will turn the U.S. military into a terrifying free-rape zone where no heterosexual is safe."
Source Evan McMorris-Santoro | May 26, 2010, 5:07PM

Have any of these fools ever spent a day in uniform? Woman getting raped by hetero men is EPIDEMIC in the military and unwanted pregnancy and disgraced woman make up the highest percentage of less than honorable discharges.

This gay hate groups propaganda is representative of the culture of denial in the military.

Man up generals. It's your precious subordinates you are protecting who are raping the daughters America has entrusted to you thats the cause of the ruination of so many good troops. Damn.

Kim Pearson Trans Family Youth Allies: We need a Grant Writer yesterday!

TransYouth Family Allies Executive Director Kim Pearson talks with Autumn Sandeen about the volunteer work that the TYFA accomplishes and how expense travel is frequently required. The Trans Family Youth and Allies needs a volunteer grant writer today! Thank you Autumn Sandeen and Kim Pearson, you are my heroes.



Source Pam's House Blend

5/26/10

Support St. Louis adding Gender protections to it's Nondiscrimination Ordinance

Start Time: Monday, May 24, 2010 at 3:30pm
End Time: Friday, May 28, 2010 at 11:00pm
Location: St. Louis City
Facebook page
TransHaven.org

The first reading was on May 21st so please contact your alderman and ask him/her to support Board Bill 67 adding Gender Identity and Expression to St. Louis' existing Nondiscrimination Ordinance.

Don't know your alderperson? Check here

You can see the entirety of the bill here: stlcin.missouri.org

e-mailing your alderperson is a quick and easy way to make our city take a step in the right direction!