The Legalize Trans* Campaign

The Legalize Trans* campaign is an effort to draw attention to the lack of inclusivity in the popular clothing manufacturer American Apparel's "Legalize Gay" campaign and to highlight transphobia in the broader gay, lesbian, and bisexual community. The campaign is set to create dialogue and educate about issues pertaining to transgender and gender non-conforming individuals.

Get involved in the Legalize Trans* campaign by buying a shirt, buttons, downloading graphics, and getting updated on critical "T" issues.

Word of the Gay: "Bathroom Bill"

"Bathroom Bill" is a new term used by right-wing opponents of transgender non-discrimination protections. The term is used to incite the irrational fear that such policies will usher in waves of transgender people using female restrooms and that horror will ensue.

Open Forum: Will Part of the Trans Community Go Extinct?

Let me preface this open forum discussion with the fact that more transgender people are coming out than ever before and gender variation is the most accepted it has ever been (in modern societies that is). With the rise of gender bending, metrosexuality, feminism, and gender neutrality many males and females are expressing facets of both their masculinity and femininity. It is no longer uncommon in urban populaces to see cisgender heterosexual men neatly groomed displaying "feminine" attributes or stereotypically female products or to see a straight woman with short butch hair in a suit. Gender stereotypes are quickly dissipating and society is moving in a direction towards acceptance of gender expression. While we are still very far from being a truly genderless world we are growing increasingly tolerant and carefree about the irrelevance of someones gender identity or expression.

With gender (not sex) slowly becoming a thing of the past will there eventually be a contingent of the transgender community (crossdressers, drag queens/kings) who don't feel the need to opt for surgical changes but merely dress in the opposite gender from which they were born go extinct? In a world where cosmestics, mucles, facial hair, and expressions are no longer gender specific someone trying to genderbend will have no gender to play with because nothing will be distinctly male or female.

Family Guy's Transphobic Mother's Day Episode

Family Guy an animated television series on Fox aired an extremely transphobic episode on Mother's Day. The episode called "Quagmire's Dad" was about a big life change for his father, a recognized Navy war hero veteran. The episode is filled with homophobic and transphobic language and judgment.

It starts off with the father coming to town and Quagmire's friends commenting on how "gay" the father seemed, because he exhibited gay stereotypes including an (effeminate voice, desire to entertain, drinks Cosmo's, etc). When Quagmire confronts his dad he admits he admits he is not gay but really a woman trapped inside a man's body.

Quagmire asks for support from the Griffin's, the wife Lois offers that her husband Peter will go to the hospital for the sex change operation. Lois and Peter remark that the whole thing seems "pretty gay" but that it is "obviously weird" and Lois finishes off by telling the two men that they should "enjoy the circus" referring to the hospital visitation.

In the waiting room there is the talk of "he/she" and the "penis being chopped off" an obvious disregard of using correct pronouns and propagation of the myth that transwomen remove their penis.

When Quagmire's father transitions she takes on the name Ida and is invited over to the Griffin's for dinner. She brings a pie but Lois immediately tells her daughter to throw it away. This plays on the irrational fears of interacting with trans people. Over dinner Peter asks the inappropriate question "do you miss your penis?" and asks about the legitimacy of her "knockers".

When Ida meets the Griffin's dog, they develop a relationship. The dog (Brian) is thrilled at meeting a new and wonderful woman but gets disgusted and vomits when he finds out she is transgender.

Real issues came up during the episode which explored issues such as orientation & gender identity, coming out, surgery, and family and societal acceptance of transition. Unfortunately the show misrepresented facts about the transgender experience and instead exploited trans people for a few laughs.

Fox accepts feedback on their shows, please tell them transphobic material does not belong on the air and that they should pull the show.
askfox@fox.com

Request VH1 Continue Trans Affirming Makeover Show

TRANSform Me was a six season show that recently premiered on VH1. The show was a spin off of Queer Eye for The Straight Guy, whereby women get made over by three beautiful and confident trans women. The show had a diverse cast with Laverne Cox an African-American woman who offered emotional support and directed the makeover, Nina Poon an Asian-American who helped with the wardrobe, and Jamie Clayton who worked the makeup aspect.

All three women are beautiful, intelligent, and self-confident and are great role models for the transgender community. The show was groundbreaking because it showed cisgender people interacting with trans people, and always included personal experiences and information and resources about trans issues.

The entire season and bonus clips can be viewed online at TRANSform Me's website.

Please encourage VH1 to continue showing these episodes, and to create a season two for those of us fans, and people who feel the work is so important!

VH1 can be contacted at their parent company Viacom or on Twitter

CNN Documentary - 'Her Name Was Steven'

CNN presents the documentary 'Her Name Was Steven' on air nationally this weekend. The film followed Susan Stanton formerly Steve Stanton who was fired from her position as City Manager in Largo Florida when the desire to transition gender surfaced in the media.



Susan Stanton has quickly become not only a face for the struggle for equality in Florida, but she has become an icon nationwide. She even had the honor of being recognized at LOGO TV's Visible Vote '08 where questions were asked of the Democratic presidential contenders.

The documentary premiers on CNN this Saturday and Sunday 8 and 11 pm ET

Dr Oz Show Features Segment on Transgender Kids

Dr. Mehmet Oz a cardiothoracic surgeon and author who hosts the Dr. Oz Show had a segment today on transgender children. The show featured a child who is a trans girl, and a teen who is a trans boy as well as their supportive families, and a knowledgeable and trans-affirming surgeon.





The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation and Trans Youth Family Allies attended the taping and have said the show is one of the most supportive and informative mini segments to ever hit national television.

Dr. Oz has asked for feedback about the segment and we encourage you all to applaud his efforts and encourage more shows of this nature in the future.

http://twitter.com/DrOz

http://www.doctoroz.com/contact

Word of the Gay: "Transacademic"

A "transacademic" is a scholar on transgender issues.

Blog Spotlight: Trans Political

Trans Political is a journal that discusses transgender and broader LGBT political issues. The blog also features the author Vanessa's personal reflections and wide array of experience on queer subject matters.

Web Spotlight: Trans Christians

Trans Christians provides a space for transgender Christians and their allies to learn about gender variance in the Bible, affirming Christianity inclusive of gender identity/expression and much more.

Word of the Gay: "Transdar"

"Transdar" is similar to the concept of gaydar in that some people have the supposed ability to detect transfolk. Unlike gaydar where an out person would have no problem being seen as gay, some trans people do not want to be associated with or defined by their past. It would be offensive and wrong to try and out someone who is transgender.

David Letterman Show Promotes Trans Disgust

The David Letterman show on the CBS network has insulted Amanda Simpson, a trans woman who was recently appointed to the U.S. Commerce Department by the Obama administration. In the clip below David Letterman announces the news, followed by a guest on his show who breaks out in shock that "Amanda used to be a dude" the man is disgusted and outraged and runs off stage, the segment insinuates the man had some sort of relationship with Simpson and reinforces the sentiment that being transgender is somehow disgusting, misleading, and abnormal.



This isn't David Letterman's first transphobic problem, he made news on this blog two years ago when he insulted F2M Thomas Beatie the pregnant female to male transsexual. While we approve and acknowledge that Letterman has done some good, ie: standing up for marriage equality, his continual jabs at the transgender community cannot go on without consequence.

Contact David Letterman and tell him to apologize for this offensive jab at Amanda Simpson and the entire transgender community.

Email:cbsmailbag@aol.com

Sign the petition directed to the shows Executive Producers.

Stop Maryland Vehicle Admin's Gender Change Policy

Equality Maryland is asking people to take action to ensure that the proposed new rule at the Maryland Vehicle Administration regarding changing gender does not take place. The new rule would make it more costly, difficult, and lead to potential embarrassment and harassment for transgender Marylander's.

Click here to stop MVA drivers license changes.

Transgender Awareness Week Nov 15-20th

Transgender Awareness Week takes place from November 15th up until November 20th which is the Day of Remembrance, a solemn day to remember lives lost in the transgender community. The week is an opportunity to educate, engage, and get active on behalf of equal rights and fair treatment for transgender and gender variant people and their families.

Educational resources on Trans community:

Diversity Lesson 101: Transgender

Diversity Lesson 101: Genderqueer/Intergender


Activist organizations for Trans community:

National Center for Transgender Equality

The Transgender Law & Policy Institute

FTM International

Gender Education and Advocacy


Get involved locally and find events at your LGBT resource center by checking the LGBT center directory.

Word of the Gay: "Passable"

"Passable" is a term used among the transgender community and admirers to describe a person who is seen and treated as their desired gender identity.

Word of the Gay: "Benny Berdache"

"Benny Berdache" is a term for Native Americans to describe effeminate men who were either homosexual or transgender whom they believed to be spiritually superior and enlightened.

Word of the Gay: "Gender Bender"

A "gender bender" is someone who actively transgresses against the traditional gender norms. Gender benders can include anything from a biological male acting effeminate, or a female with masculine traits, to someone who alternates between the two.

Word of the Gay: "Transphobia"

"Transphobia" is the irrational fear, prejudice, or outright hatred and discrimination towards transsexual and transgender people.

Web Spotlight: ITPeople

ITPeople exists to provide information and resources for intersexed and transgender people. The name of the website is called "IT" because often gender-variant people are referred to in that fashion. This website boldly reclaims the noun for their own and IT can now stand for intersex and transgender.

Word of the Gay: "Transgendrify"

"Transgendrify" is to change the gender of the person in question.