Category Archives: Transgender
Transgender Artists and Contemporary Art
Photography, video, sculpture, classical music and the spoken word, transgender artists are sharing their stories and experiences, their trauma and hope, their pasts and futures — on their own terms.
HUFF POST featured 10 artists who are shaping contemporary artforms in their own unique ways…..SEE THEM HERE.
Gabourey Sidibe Under fire for Remarks about “Trannys”
Actress Gabourey Sidibe was on Arsenio recently joking about the “tranny on tranny” fights she witnessed in New Orleans, while filming “Coven”.
Executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality, Mara Keisling told the HuffPost:
Using the word ‘tranny’ isn’t OK anymore.
Using it to make fun of people is definitely not OK. And using it to
make fun of any kind of violence is just plain wrong. I know she meant
it in fun but that’s the problem in this case. It’s not just that she
used the word ‘tranny’ but that she’s making fun of violence in a city
where the police have a history of committing violence and
discrimination against trans women of color. It’s the kind of thing that
trans people listen to and say, ‘This is someone who is not thinking
about our lives. This is someone who is making fun of our problems.’
Gabby is someone who has approached lots of different social issues with
grace and class and so this is just such a disappointment.
Using the word ‘tranny’ isn’t OK anymore.
Watch the clip.
Barneys Has Bruce Weber Turn His Lense to Transgender for Upcoming Catalog
I am really surprised this has not happened sooner. New York Times reports, Arin Andrews and Katie Hill (left photo) do not look out of place in the new Barneys
New York campaign.
of six feet tall and aren’t yet old enough for a legal drink. But
there’s one marked difference between them and the models you ordinarily
see on runways and in the pages of Vogue and Elle: Mr. Andrews, 17, was
born a girl, and Ms. Hill, 19, a boy.
Weber who will appear in the new Barneys catalog and magazine campaign,
wearing clothes from designers like Ann Demeulemeester, Balenciaga,
Lanvin and Manolo Blahnik.
INTERSEX Rights – Whose Life is it, Anyways
Intersex, in humans and other animals, is a variation in sex characteristics including chromosomes, gonads, or genitals that do not allow an individual to be distinctly identified as male or female. Such variation may involve genital ambiguity, and combinations of chromosomal genotype and sexual phenotype other than XY-male and XX-female.
Intersex infants with ambiguous outer genitalia may be surgically ‘corrected’ to more easily fit into a socially accepted sex category. Others may opt, in adulthood, for surgical procedures in order to align their physical sex characteristics with their gender identity or the sex category to which they were assigned at birth.
From the NEW YORKER this week….
Jim Ambrose was born in 1976, with, he wrote last year, “genitals that
frightened my parents and caregivers.” He had one X and one Y
chromosome, but his sex organs were ambiguous, resembling a large
clitoris or a small penis. Doctors have an easier time eliminating
tissue than adding it, and so they decided to surgically remove the
organ and the nearby testes. The baby was raised as a girl, named Kristi
Bruce.
When Ambrose was twelve years old, he began to take female hormones. At
eighteen, he prepared to undergo a vaginoplasty, the surgical
reconstruction of the vagina. Suffering from depression, Ambrose
contemplated suicide. “I knew that I wasn’t a girl,” he later told a reporter.
The following year, Ambrose obtained his medical records, and
discovered what had happened to him as an infant: “I was sterilized at
birth—and no one ever told me.” Ambrose was born with a condition that
inhibited testosterone production; after adolescence, he began to take
testosterone shots, and had surgery to remove his breasts.
READ the full article.
Should LGBT be Changed to GSD?
First there was GLBT.
Pink Therapy director Dominic Davies and fellow therapist Pamela
Gawler-Wright suggested GSD, or “Gender and Sexual Diversities,” as a
more inclusive community term in a new video posted on the group’s Facebook page.
In the clip, Davies noted that the term LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual
and transgender) still excluded “a whole batch of people who didn’t feel
able to go to mainstream counseling organizations and also wouldn’t
necessarily be welcome at LGBT counseling organizations,” including
asexual people and those in otherwise non-traditional relationships,
such as swingers.
Added Gawler-Wright: “Now we’re allowing more of a spectrum…people
need wider language, people need better language to have that
conversation … We exist at this time in a different way of thinking
collectively and inclusively.”
Officials on the group’s Facebook page echoed those sentiments. “The
point we’re trying to make is not that our community shouldn’t be called
LGBT, it’ that actually our community is SO much BIGGER than simply
LGBT,” they noted.
Friend Film….Dealing with Sexuality, Gender Identity Issues and Bullying
Do you remember coming out?
Did you ever feel
different, unattractive, left out?
Do you ever ask yourself what is it
like to come out in 2012 or what it is like to be different from the
rest of the pact?
Is it easier? Is it harder?
Obviously, it is much
different than ten years ago…
by a bunch of writers in a Hollywood room, but rather by the very own
kids we see at the end of our streets.
PLEASE SHARE THIS MESSAGE WITH YOUR FRIENDS
Sahara Davenport Antoine Ashley Passes Away
QUEERTY and other sources are reporting Sahara Davenport, one of the more popular contestants on Season 2 of RuPaul’s Drag Race—and partner to fellow Drag Race entrant Manila Luzon—has passed away at age 28.
As Antoine Ashley, Davenport was born and raised in Dallas and
attended Southern Methodist University, where he earned a BFA in dance.
After moving to New York, Davenport scored appearances in One Life to Live, Judge Karen and the video for David Guetta and Chris Willis’ “Gettin’ Over.”
In addition to a successful performance career, Davenport released two singles: “Pump with Me” (2010) and “Go Off” (2011).
Though details have yet to emerge about Davenport’s passing, Drag Race judge
Michelle Visage confirmed the death via Twitter: “It’s true and I have
no words. Have to sign off for now kids, can’t handle this. XOXO.”
Other Drag Race performers took to social media to extend
their condolences: “A beautiful angel has been added to Heaven. Rest in
peace my sweet friend,” tweeted Jujubee. “We will miss you, Sahara
Davenport.” While Season One winner Bebe Zehara wrote, “I am deeply
saddened and at a lost for words. @SaharaDavenport – I Love you sis.”
Luzon tweeted simply, “I love him so much. “
Reports are flying online that Sahara Davenport, who competed on the second season of “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” has died. Various sources listed her current age as 27, but a New York Times profile had her at 29 in 2009.
When Karl Westerberg (Manila Luzon) found out that Antoine, his boyfriend of six years, died Monday of heart failure, he was devastated. But it also made him appreciate their time together even more.
Westerberg, also known by his stage name Manila Luzon, told PEOPLE on
Thursday. “I was lucky enough to have time with him.”
Still, he says, losing the fellow RuPaul’s Drag Race contestant is a struggle.
Transgender Permanent Hair Removal and Finding the Right Electrologist
Becoming the Beauty You Are Through Permanent Hair Removal
Experts Offer Tips on Finding the Right Electrologist for You
As a transgendered woman, chances are you struggle with
unwanted body hair. While shaving and tweezing can be done in the
privacy of your own home, they are time consuming and require daily
attention. Waxing can be done in salons, but requires regular
maintenance and can be costly. Increasingly, transgendered women are
turning to electrolysis as a safe, FDA-approved, permanent solution to
unwanted hair. But, how to choose?
- Electrologists are held to high standards for quality, yet it’s important for consumers to look for best practices:
- Electrologists
are professionals who have undergone extensive training. In many
states, electrologists are required to be licensed or certified. Look
for your practitioner’s certificate to be on display, or certification
from an electrology school. - Make sure the practitioner uses
needle electrolysis. Some places advertise electrolysis but use a form
of electronic tweezers or photoepilators for their treatments, neither
of which offer permanent hair removal. - Check your surroundings. Does the office look clean? Are the
workers professional? If the office doesn’t meet your standards, chances
are the treatment won’t either. - Take advantage of free consultations, when they are offered.
This is your chance to ask about the number of visits you may need, the
estimated cost, the practitioner’s experience in the field and any other
questions you might have. It is also an opportunity to determine the
professionalism of the practitioner and to determine whether you find
him or her to be trustworthy. - Seek out recommendations from friends who have had electrolysis.
Use
care when selecting an electrologist; the wrong decision can mean extra
treatments and expense. While these tips may amount to more legwork and
research, in the long run, you will be happier with your treatment
experience when you have done some research.
About AEA
The American Electrology Association, Inc. is the largest international
non-profit membership organization for permanent hair removal
professionals. Established in 1958, AEA exists to promote the highest
standards in electrology education, practice, and ethics and to champion
state licensing and regulation of the profession to protect the public
interest. To learn more, visit their website: Electrology.com.
Janet Jackson Truth Documentary Looks at Transgender Issues
The LGBT community has always embraced Janet Jackson – and she embraced them back.
Considered to be a gay icon, Jackson garnered a substantial gay following during 1990s as she gained prominence in popular music. Recognized as a long-term ally of the LGBT community, Jackson received the GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Music Album for her Grammy Award-winning sixth studio album The Velvet Rope (1997), which spoke out against homophobia and embraced same-sex love.
In 2005, Jackson received the Humanitarian Award from the Human Rights Campaign and AIDS Project Los Angeles in recognition of her involvement in raising funds for AIDS Charities and received the Vanguard Award at the 19th Annual GLAAD Media Awards (2008).
Now, Brainchild
Films, a film and television production company based in New York City,
has announced that iconic actress, singer and Academy Award® Nominee
Janet Jackson has signed on to executive produce “TRUTH”, a film to be directed by Robert Jason. Fresh off of her sell out tour and New York Times Best Seller True You: A Journey to Finding and Loving Yourself, Janet is set to begin production on “TRUTH” in
the summer of 2012. The film will be a groundbreaking documentary
examining the lives, issues and experiences of trans people around the
globe.
is our small chance to ask that you try and understand someone who
lives their life in a way that is a little bit different from yours,
even though all of our hearts are the same. We want to stop the hate
and find understanding.”
Jackson will take us on a visually innovative, cerebral journey through
the turbulent lives of transgendered people of all ages around the
world and their epic struggle for equality. This film will highlight
landmark mainstream stories and provide a glimpse at others that will
change the gender landscape of the world forever,” says director Robert
Jason. “Just as it is hard to believe that there ever was a
time when different components of society were required to use separate
drinking fountains, it is as incredible that one’s gender expression
remains just such a target for discrimination.”
organizations are taking a step forward in equality and changing their
rules of exclusion of transgender people including the well documented
case of the Miss Universe pageant, the Girl Scouts of America, and
progressive companies such as Google+ who, unlike other social
networking sites, provide “other” as well as “male” and “female” as
choices when signing up for the service.
That Ain’t No Man! Carmen Carrera Reveals She is Transgender
A svelte artiste with a body hot enough to ignite jealousy in her competitors,
Carmen Carrera is best known for her roles on RuPaul’s Drag Race and
RuPaul’s Drag U
on
LOGO TV, but few know this sophisticated beauty is more than a polished drag queen. Carmen, once known as Christopher Roman, is a transgender woman.
“I am now in the long process of transitioning from male to female.”, Carmen says.
“Transitioning is a life-changing decision. It’s empowering. I
plan on finishing the long and risky Hormone Replacement Therapy process, while continuing my work in television and movies. I look forward to being a positive role model for the transgender community.”
On May 4, ABC aired a special episode of “What
Would You Do?” In the show’s typical setup with performers
staging a conflict, Carmen plays herself, posing as a waitress at a
restaurant in New Jersey, while a male actor enters to blatantly harass
her in front of the patrons.
As these unsuspecting
people watched the man’s escalating abuse, the cameras capture the
scenario that ensues. Viewers saw more than a few surprises.
This
is Carmen’s debut as a transgender woman. Though she continues her
involvement in television and remains in demand on the nightclub
circuit, her career has advanced into acting
and modeling. In a November 2011 shoot for W Magazine, Carmen showed off her stunning physique in a Fabulous Fakes ad for La Femme perfume, by
Steven Meisel (Madonna, Linda Evangelista, Naomi Campbell).
From RuPaul alumni to social activist, Carmen Carrera has made her mark in the entertainment industry.
Jenna Talackova Talks to Barbara Walters
DONALD TRUMP has now changes the Miss Universe Pageant Rules. In the future, all transgenders MTF can compete!
That is pretty big!
Barbara Walters sat down with Jenna Talackova as well as Donald Trump and lawyer Gloria Allred. Jenna explained,who is now 19, started hormones at age 14. And has ALL of the surgeries. So she is 100% female.
WATCH THE VIDEO!
Will Transgender Jenna Talackova Prove She is All Female?
First she was out.
Now she might be back in.
Canada’s Jenna Talackova enlists help of
Gloria Allred, and pageant officials reverse decision. Therefore, Jenna
Talackova may compete in the Miss Universe competition and represent her
country as Miss Canada.
After being selected to be a representative of
Canada in the Miss Universe competition, Jenna Talackova was elated.
But then, some bad news came: she was removed from competition, for
being transgender.
In a statement dated March 23, Miss Universe officials said their
decision was based on their opinion that Talackova did not “meet the
requirements to compete despite having stated otherwise on her entry
form.”
But Talackova did not give up. She called ferocious lawyer for all publicly wronged people, Gloria Allred.
CNN reported late Monday night, pageant
officials released a statement saying Talackova can compete provided
“she meets the legal gender recognition requirements of Canada, and the
standards established by other international competitions.”
Jenna was born male, self-identified as female at age 4,
underwent hormone therapy starting at 14 and received
gender-reassignment surgery at 19.
“I am a woman,” she said Tuesday. “I was devastated and I felt that excluding me for the reason that they gave was unjust.”
Talackova presented her Canadian passport showing her gender as
female. – But did she provide her gender reassignment medical papers? I have to agree, if she has not completed surgery, she should not compete.
In addition to her client’s statement, Allred noted that her client never asked to see the Donald’s genitals, or asked him to prove he was a naturally born male. Trump, of course, had a reply regarding his penis.
“I think Gloria would be very, very, very impressed with me,” he told TMZ
on Tuesday, moving on to note that based on the laws of Canada and the
United States regarding gender, Talackova may compete if she wants to.
“We go by the law.”
“The Miss Universe Organization made the right decision and has taken an
important first step,” said Herndon Graddick, president of the Gay and
Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation. “Now, GLAAD urges the
Organization to include all women and use this incident to speak out in
support of the transgender community.” GLAAD said Tuesday that it was
working with the Miss Universe organization to review current policies.
Girl Scout Cookie Boycott – Over Transgender Inclusion
For better…and for worse, Social Media has given voice to millions. 20 years ago, these battles did not exist. Now, everyone’s voice can be heard and battles have begun.
A few days ago, HonestGirlScouts uploaded a 7 minute video to YouTube – calling for a boycott of Girl Scout Cookies this year. She rambles on and on about how she thinks it is wrong, that the Girl Scouts have decided to allow Transgender boys, to join.
In the last few days, MANY have responded to her call for a boycott. Including some transgenders!
WHY HATE? What will it take for the world to get along and ACCEPT??
Gay News From France For Transsexuals
Several decades have passed since the West stopped considering homosexuality a mental illness. But for transsexuals, that kind of milestone has been elusive — until now.
Last month, France became the first country in the world to remove transsexualism from its official list of mental disorders — a major victory when it comes to acceptance of this oft misunderstood condition.
Approximately 30,000 to 40,000 postoperative transsexual women live in the United States, and many thousands more are now in the process of gender transition here. These numbers are much larger than commonly assumed by the public because a veil of invisibility hides the true nature and extent of the transsexual condition. Especially hidden are large numbers of highly successful women who have fully transitioned. The reason is that most successful women live in “stealth mode” or are “woodworked”. They leave their pasts behind and hide in plain sight in order to avoid social stigmatization and get on with their new lives. Their personal successes insure that they assimilate and blend right into society.
TIME Magazine reports this is just a small step in the right direction. In practice, the declaration will do little to improve their legal or medical rights in the country. For example, transsexuals are still required to have a sex-change operation before they can change their gender in the eyes of the law. And to get the green light for surgery, they must still undergo extensive medical and psychiatric evaluations. “It’s a symbolic victory,” says Georges-Louis Tin, president of the Paris-based IDAHO committee, which fights homophobia and what it calls “transphobia,” or discrimination against transsexuals.
The tide may be turning. At least that’s what IDAHO’s president hopes. The French Health Ministry has already agreed to push other countries in the E.U. to drop transsexualism from their lists of mental disorders. And that, Tin says, is a start.
