6/6/13

AZ Rep. John Kavanagh's Bathroom Bill Flushed Until Next Year

The Arizona transgender community is sighing in relief as they can continue using the bathroom peacefully until such a time that Rep. John Kavanagh should reintroduce a bill making these ongoing bodily functions illegal. Pee in Peace Arizona. (or at least until the next legislative session anyways)

(AP) The sponsor of an Arizona bill targeting transgender people who want to use bathrooms of the gender they identify with says he's giving up on the issue this Legislative session.

Republican Rep. John Kavanagh said Wednesday there's concern in his caucus about some of his proposal's definitions, so it will have to be shelved until next year.

Kavanagh caused a national uproar in March when he proposed the bathroom privacy language.

The original bill would have made it a crime for a transgendered person to use a bathroom other than the one designated for his or her birth sex

After an outcry from advocacy groups, Kavanagh changed the measure to instead shield businesses from civil or criminal liability if they ban people from restrooms that don't match their birth sex.

6/5/13

Over Half of LGBT homicide victims in 2012 were transgender woman: NCAVP Reports

The National Coaltion on Anti Violence Programs report on hate violence against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and HIV-Affected Communities was released today.

The 2012 report found that 73.1% of all anti-LGBTQ homicide victims in 2012 were people of color. Of the 25 known homicide victims in 2012 whose race/ethnicity was disclosed, 54% were Black/African American, 15% Latin@, 12% White and 4% Native American.

The report also found that 53.8% of anti-LGBTQ homicide victims in 2012 were transgender women. This is a considerable increase from 2011 (40%) and continues a three-year trend toward disproportionate and severe violence experienced by transgender women.

Anyone who reads planetransgender with any regularity has seen the seemingly endless cascade of posts about the horrific violence being suffered by transgender woman of color, like the preceding article.

Nearly all of these murdered transgender woman worldwide were 'in the wrong place at the wrong time' meaning at a place of risk because of the prevalence of crime in that particular area. I am not victim blaming but I am skating on the proverbial controversial thin ice, being white and having the good fortune of being employed and having decent housing.

Socio economic conditions have forced our sisters and brothers into these situations, enforced by overwhelming daily stigmatization. They are told ever day by people outside the LGBT community they are 'less than', with glances, stares, shouts and violence. What can we do as a community to raise up the most marginalized of our community?

Be creative. This is a project for myself too. Think about this. What can I do. Myself. Personally? Then take action. I'm a poor blogger, but even that feels like a cop out sometimes. I cry every time I post another heart wrenching tale, but my tears won't solve anything. I need to do more. Now.




6/4/13

LA Transgender Woman Victor Diego Savagely Beaten And Left For Dead

According to family members Ms. Victor Diego 'dressed up' meaning she put on feminine attire before leaving work at Beso—a Hollywood hotspot co-owned by Desperate Housewives actress & Obama ally Eva Longoria. The attack is being investigated as a hate crime according to family members.

Editors note: During the KCal9 interview Ms. Deigo's family uses male pronouns to describe Ms. Diego who presents as female when she is able. They also unwittingly revictimized her indicating her gender expression misleads people and could have been a contributing factor for the attack. This blog will identify her as female until such a time that we learn differently.



LAPD Crime Stoppers On Line

TEXT-A-TIP
To provide anonymous tips, text CRIMES (274637) on your cell phone and begin the message with the letters LAPD.

You may submit an anonymous tip anytime, anywhere, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, by phone 800-222-TIPS (800-222-8477)



6/2/13

SheZow Transforming Saturday Morning Super heroines !GO GIRL!

OK so a boy finds a a belt tries it on and he suddenly has super hero powers except one thing. He becomes a girl externally, when he says 'Go Girl', but he retains all the bumbling innocent endearing ineptitude of a adolescent boy regarding all things female.

So is this child's superhero identity really a metaphor for transsexuality? Creator Obie Scott Wade tells Zap2it no.
"SheZow is not transgender. He's a boy, his gender never changes, he's just trapped in a silly costume."

Sounds like great harmless fun and a unique learning tool as boys come to respect and understand girls.



Not everyone feels the way I do though like the Christian Post which is pushing the Million bigot Mom petition calling for a end to the 'transgender' show saying "This appears to be a not-so subtle indoctrination attempt by the gay, lesbian and transgender community—this time with impressionable children."


Note to the Christian Post. This advertisement was on top of your website when I visited. It shows a hot young girl in an extremely short mini skirt on top of a pool table on her knees in what is inevitably construed as a sexual position by men. Is this what you want your impressionable children who visit your site to emulate? Really? Get off your high self righteous preposterous patriarchal bigoted 'christian' horse.

And so what if some kids assume SheZow is transgender? Your own bible tells you three times to love and accept transgender people. Open it for once would you?






Transgender Pole dancer Natasha Payne is representing Great Britain in the Masters Championship in London.

Natasha Payne's road to the World Pole Sports Championship 2013 wasn't a easy one however the difficulties she has had to overcome have all have centered around the physical challenges of the sport. Being able to concentrate on competing has allowed her a chance at the championship. Natasha told Sky : "The girls have been so welcoming. I've come across no barriers, they've been so accommodating it's unbelievable, even down to things like changing rooms.

"It can be hard, many people like me can end up just at home isolated. I'm so lucky, I've met so many friends through pole dancing."

"I'm really excited about the competition and I'm just looking forward to taking part. I've not met any other transgender pole dancers yet."


There's reasons for that Natasha! Many trans peeps including myself, haven't the physical abilities that you have and would be extremely uncomfortable being judged and scrutinized so carefully in phosphorescent lighting! A fact not lost on other competitors, I'm sure. You are our heroine! Go Natasha!



Watch Sky Tyne and Wear reporter Joe Daunt try out male pole fitness...



What Joe so bravely attempted is is captured here in this video clip of the 2012 championships.



Be inspired by our international athletes. Join us at the World Pole Sports Championships 2013 at York Hall Bethnal Green London. The IPSF is a not-for-profit organization run by dedicated members of the Pole Sports Industry, who donate their time and energy for the promotion of Pole Sports.



6/1/13

Puerto Rico's New Anti Discrimination Law Is A Transgender Screw Job

Monica Roberts post WTF Just Happened In Puerto Rico With SB 238? piqued my curiosity. Didn't Puerto Rico just pass a anti discrimination bill including public accommodations provisions for transgender people.

Monica wrote:
"Who the hell LGBT activist wise was watching the Puerto Rican legislature and the governor's office to ensure the tougher bill was the one that received Governor Garcia Padilla's signature? Instead of doing the civil rights job right the first time you'll now have to (like Massachusetts is painfully doing right now) go back to the Puerto Rican Legislature and refight the pitched battle you just fought to have those categories the Senate just stripped out added back into the law."

"A human rights law without public accommodations language in it is not only unjust, it's a worthless law."

It was all over the Internet via Gay media and the NGLTF saying they passed a inclusive law. Heck, even Mara Keisling said they did....Or did they?

It was really difficult to find out. The Puerto Rican Legislature website has no direct links to bills and nether does the Puerto Rican governments. So I had to trace the bill through both houses using multiple media reports.

I found out what happened not by what was announced, but what was not talked about. We were quietly thrown under the bus.

Apparently the House bill was stripped of public accommodation provisions in a deal with right wing politicans and fanatical religious zealots to get Bill 488 passed, amending the "Law of Prevention and Intervention in Domestic Violence" providing equal protection to all couples regardless of marital status, sexual orientation or gender identity.

To answer Monica's question, Pedro Julio Serrano a native of Puerto Rico and communications director for the NGLTF was the one we trusted to watch over the bill.

Serrano's May 16th video recorded his reaction when the Puerto Rican Senate on Thursday approved the non-discrimination bill that would ban anti-LGBT discrimination in employment, housing, public accommodations and government services in the U.S. territory.



But there was little fanfare when the house passed the legislature and subsequently signed by the Governor,  only this announcement and this press release on May 24th making no mention of what was sacrificed:
Statement by Pedro Julio Serrano
Founder, Puerto Rico Para Tod@s
Communications Manager, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force

"Today is a thrilling day in Puerto Rican history. A decade ago, LGBT Puerto Ricans were criminals under the sodomy law, today we're second-class citizens and when this bill is signed into law, we will be closer to achieving the first-class citizenship that we deserve. Equality is inevitable. Puerto Rico will be for all."

Statement by Rea Carey, Executive Director
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force

"We celebrate with the Puerto Rican LGBT community this amazing milestone. The nondiscrimination bill that will become law with the signature of Gov. GarcĂ­a Padilla is a testament to the resiliency and steadfastness of the Puerto Rican LGBT community and its allies.

"The Puerto Rican LGBT community has endured an epidemic of anti-LGBT violence that has taken more than 35 lives in the past three years. Nonetheless, this community has continued to stand strong in the face of adversity and today can celebrate this glorious victory. We thank all the activists that have been part of this effort, especially our own Pedro Julio Serrano, who has been a steadfast and uncompromising leader in this struggle."
The question then becomes "who is watching the NGLTF? We did it it in 2010 when the NGLTF and HRC tried to trade a non discrimination bill sans public accommodations for gay marriage in Maryland.

Equality Maryland left that battle with their tail between their legs, their lies exposed, humiliated with members deserting them by the hundreds. They learned the hard way not to fuck openly with the trans community. A lesson evidently not lost to Gay.com this year in Puerto Rico. Do it quietly. Keep it hushed, trans people will wake up under the bus not knowing what hit them.

It's a sad state of affairs when we as poor trans people without the resources that these behemoth gay.coms have must fight, scratch and claw, THEM for our most basic rights.

Like Monica said. What the fuck.