Category Archives: Transgender
Gender Neutral Bathrooms coming to Airports
Picture it: Kansas City, 2023. A grandmother enters a restroom at the Kansas City International Airport (KCI), but stops abruptly when she sees a man inside, using a sink. She looks confused. The man glances at her over his shoulder.
“I’m just trying to figure out which way the ladies’ room is,” the woman tells him with a nervous laugh.
The man explains: There is no dedicated men’s or ladies’ room here. This is a unisex bathroom. Choose any stall with a green light over the door. A red light means a stall is occupied.
The woman raises her eyebrows and pauses, but says, “okay,” and walks toward the stalls.
“And then we can meet back here and wash our hands together,” the man says. They laugh.
This is the new all-gender washroom experience in KCI’s airport terminal, which opened in February 2023.
In July 2023, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport announced the opening of its own first multi-user all-gender bathroom, explaining in a statement that the change “helps create a better flow for travelers and reduces waiting and congestion.”
Andrea Gibson on Gender Identity
Andrea Gibson is not gentle with their truths. It is this raw fearlessness that has led them to the forefront of the spoken word movement– the first winner of the Women’s World Poetry Slam –Gibson has headlined prestigious performance venues coast to coast with powerful readings on war, class, gender, bullying, white privilege, sexuality, love, and spirituality. After 7 full length albums and 2 publications Andrea is working on their 3rd published book and 8th studio album.
Their work has been featured on the BBC, Air America, C-SPAN, Free Speech TV and in 2010 was read by a state representative in lieu of morning prayer at the Utah State Legislature.
“Your Life” from Andrea’s upcoming album HEY GALAXY (out January 12th 2018)
Pre-Order the new record at www.andreagibson.com
Lady Bunny on Donald Trump
She’s back! Roasting Donald Trump! WATCH
Unhappy parody lyrics by Lady Bunny & Beryl Mendelbaum
Video by Mikhail Torich / http://torich.nyc
www.LadyBunny.net.
twitter @ladybunny77 instagram official_lady_bunny
Costumes by Garo Sparo
DJ Austin’s Oil Can Harry’s July 6th
Seattle/Tacoma Pride performance July 8th
DJ Disco Sundays The Monster NYC 6-10 July 9th
Perform Trans-Jester! Fire Island Ice Palace July 14th w/ Daniel Nardicio
DJ Hamptons annual benefit Tea Dance 4-8 July 15th
DJ Disco Sundays The Monster 6-10 NYC July 16th
Perform July 22nd The Lodge, Maryland
DJ Disco Sundays The Monster July 23rd 6-10
DJ Disco Sundays The Monster July 30th 6-10
Vancouver Gay Pride August 6th
Fire Island perform August 11th and DJ August 12th
August 26th Gay Naturists at Poconos Valley Resort (I won’t be nude)
August 31 Klub Kids tour Dublin
September 1 Klub Kids tour Cardiff
September 2 Klub Kids tour Manchester
September 3 Klub Kids tour London
September 5 Klub Kids tour Birmingham
September 5th DJ gig in Lisbon
September 8th Klub Kids Amsterdam
September 9th Klub Kids tour Glasgow
September 10th Klub Kids tour Newcastle
September 17th Virgin Islands Drag Brunch
September 22 North Carolina Outer Banks Pride
September 24 Bushwig Festival in Brooklyn (unconfirmed)
September 26th Trans-Jester! in Perth, Australia
September 28th Trans-Jester! in Sydney, Australia
September 29th-30th Trans-Jester! at Melbourne’s Fringe Festival
Gay News – LGBT HATE BUS FreeSpeechBus
Anti-LGBTIQ Hate Bus
Tours The United States
The so-called FreeSpeechBus, is currently spreading its hateful message through the streets of New York City. The organizers behind the bus include the International Organization for the Family, labeled a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, and the notoriously anti-LGBTIQ group National Organization for Marriage. The bright orange bus is covered in the message, “It’s Biology: Boys are boys…and always will be. Girls are girls…and always will be. You can’t change sex. Respect all.”
Jessica Stern of OutRight Action International commented,
“Free speech is a constitutional right, but language has consequences. Trans youth already have an extremely high risk for violence, discrimination, and suicide. Broadcasting a message that erases and denies the reality that transgender and intersex children and youth exist is irresponsible, factually misleading, disrespectful, and dangerous. This vehicle is part of the reason trans youth are driven to suicide.”
A group of individuals and organizations advocating for the human rights of LGBTIQ people have banded together calling attention to the bus’s harmful message. They are asking New York City’s political and civil society leaders to join them in speaking out against the harmful, untrue and discriminatory message it promotes and the violence against trans individuals it will likely encourage.
Gillian Kane, Senior Policy Advisor at Ipas, an international women’s reproductive health and rights organization, a member of the coalition, stated,
“We call on politicians everywhere that the bus is traveling to take a stand for diversity and respect for all people—including intersex, transgender, and gender non-conforming people— and to speak out against the hate and transphobia propagated by this bus.”
A similarly styled bus received strong pushback in Spain earlier this year and was recently banned in Madrid on the premise that it was discriminatory and could incite hate crimes. After the bus was banned, it received high-profile attention from the likes of Chelsea Clinton who Tweeted, “Please don’t bring these buses to the U.S. (or anywhere).”
Kimberly Zieselman, JD Executive Director of “interACT: advocates for intersex youth, commented,
“This isn’t biology–this is hatred rooted in an entirely false understanding of the human body. Being a girl or a boy isn’t about biology, it is about gender. The reality is that biological sex is on a spectrum, and no amount of argument will prove otherwise. Approximately 2% of children are born intersex, meaning they transcend typical notions of what the “FreeSpeechBus” says is “boy” and girl.” This bus attempts to erase the lived realities of the incredibly brave young people I work with every day who do not fit into this binary. In the same way that gender is not limited to strict male and female categories, neither is our biological sex.”
Haven Herrin, Executive Director of Soulforce, an LGBTQI social justice organization that challenges Christian Supremacy through spiritual healing, radical analysis, and strategic direct action, added their perspective commenting,
“Religion that denies the sacred being of trans and intersex children is no religion at all – it’s a gross abuse of power. We need to send the message to trans and intersex youth that they are cherished just as they are and that they don’t have to conform to pressure from hateful ideologies.”
The bus will also be stopping in New Haven, Boston, Philadelphia, and Washington, DC.
TRANSGENDER Category at TINDER
Tinder’s founder, Sean Rad, announced that since GLAAD worked with Tinder to make the platform trans-inclusive, Tinder has matched over 250,000 trans users. That’s a huge number and shows that transgender inclusion really works.
When Tinder released its “More Genders” update last November, it sent a strong message to tens of millions of people that trans people were welcome at Tinder.
It’s particularly important that this news came out at an event in Texas, where the message is sorely needed — Texas is currently considering a law, SB6, that would codify discrimination against trans people.
From working with companies like Tinder and the cast of Transparent, to fighting back against SB6 and the Trump administration’s efforts to roll back protections for trans kids, GLAAD is fighting on the front lines to accelerate acceptance for trans people. Today, we’re asking you to be a part of that work.
Your contribution of just $25 is an important way for you to voice your support for all trans people — and to make an unequivocal statement that all of us deserve nothing less than full acceptance:
| Derrick, donate $25 |
Thank you for being one of GLAAD’s best supporters. We can’t do this without you.
Gavin Grimm Transgender Case goes to Supreme Court
There was nothing remarkable about Gavin Grimm’s first trip to the boys’ bathroom at Gloucester High School. It was a little more than a month into his sophomore year, when the transgender teenager had begun quietly reintroducing himself to the student body as a boy.
Grimm had used men’s restrooms at restaurants, stores and the local amusement park, and using the boys’ bathroom at his school felt like “the natural progression of things,” he said. Just like cutting his hair short, just like wearing baggy pants and graphic T-shirts, just like beginning testosterone shots. He started using the boys’ bathroom shortly after he got word from Principal Nate Collins that it would be okay.
But that decision to use the boys’ bathroom one fall day in 2014 clashed with this town’s sensibilities and led to an acrimonious public debate. Now, Grimm’s case has made this quiet, out-of-the-way community in Virginia’s Tidewater region the unlikely center of the national debate over how public schools should accommodate transgender students.
The U.S. Supreme Court announced Friday it will hear a school board’s appeal of a lower court decision affirming transgender students’ access to facilities appropriate for their gender identity — and if it lets that decision stand, it will be a major victory for transgender rights relating to students.
After Donald Trump‘s election, there was some question about whether the court would uphold last October’s decision to hear the case of transgender teen Gavin Grimm, who is suing his Virginia high school for the right to use the restroom and locker room that corresponds with his gender.
The justices are scheduled to hear the case on March 28 and Grimm is preparing for the spotlight. Grimm was initially allowed to use the boys’ restroom at his high school, but after receiving complaints, the school board adopted a policy requiring students to use the restroom that corresponds with their sex assigned at birth or be segregated to a single-stall restroom.
His case drew headlines as it advanced from remarks before the school board to federal courts. That’s because it’s not just Grimm’s life on the line. The Supreme Court’s ruling could settle, one way or another, the debate over whether transgender people should be regarded as the gender they say they are, and allowed equal access to public spaces like restrooms, for years to come.
SHARE this Transgender Video
I was born in the 60’s.
Being GAY was a struggle. And I never thought I would see gay marriage in my lifetime. But something happened in the last 10 years….gays were accepted more and more. Equality. Marriage. What slowly started in 2001, snowballed by 2015!
TRANS had always been around, but in 2013, 2014 and 2015 IT SNOWBALLED, faster than the speed of light. TRANS was out of the closet and everywhere!
This is a GREAT video – please share it! Moms are calling on all who dare to use the transgender community for dishonest and divisive politics: Meet my child.
Sherry Vine QUEER Network
Drag Darling Sherry Vine Launches Queer Network, gaySVTVworld
The Internet is getting a whole lot gayer! International drag darling Sherry Vine and former Here-TV executive Josh Rosenzweig are combining their style, humor and sensibility into a one-stop, digital destination for all of the world’s LGBTQ entertainment needs. gaySVTVworld premieres February 14 with original shows, specials, music videos, short films and more: all free at YouTube.com/MissSherryVine.
“The world needs gaySVTVworld because they are hungry for original programming from top queer talent,” says Sherry Vine. “We got ‘em all: Haus Of Mimosa, Pickles, David Serrano, Chris Semers … and this is only the beginning.”
“gaySVTVworld is created by and for LGBTQ audiences,” adds Josh Rosenzweig. “Nobody is going to tell our stories like we will. While our visibility has increased enormously over the last decade with the launch of several LGBT television networks, it is essential that the community have an online space to call our own. A destination where we can go to find like-minded artists and feel the power of the collective.”
While gaySVTVworld draws inspiration from a traditional television model, it also presents a modern digital age spin with all shows under-seven minutes long. “We’re offering short content so people can view several episodes in the same amount of time as one traditional TV show,” explains Vine. “Maybe you only have five free minutes on your way to work or during a lunch break. That’s enough time to catch a hilarious episode of Fashion Puhleez on your smart phone!”
The network will kick off its first season with a slate of eight programs, releasing daily, beginning with Sunday’s Sherry and the Greek, an original talk series starring Vine and Chris Semers, discussing a variety of fun topics and performing skits, characters, and musical numbers.
On Monday, queer notables share their pop culture picks on EduGAYtion. Then Tuesday, The Rachel Zoe Show meets Project Runway in Fashion Puhleez, with lead players in the beauty industry discussing fashion, club couture and styling.
House of Mimosa presents The Anita & Gina Marie Show, a comedic show that chronicles the daily antics of two women as they cause mayhem throughout Astoria, Queens (singing out – or rather, airing out – all their dirty laundry) gets viewers over hump day. Then its Throwback Thursdays with Pickles, a look back at a public access show that offers a glimpse into the gay, downtown art and nightlife scene of New York in the nineties.
Celebrate the end of the workweek with The Flames of Hell’s Kitchen, a telanovela about the life of Sherry Vine, her manager Gloria, assistant Busted and sexy Latino boyfriend, Diego. In the first season, Sherry wins big, loses everything, slips back into a life of drugs, and faces an intervention. The show stars David Serrano, Busted, Patty McKeever and Al McKeever.
Finally, on Saturday, it’s movie night as gaySVTVworld presents The SVTV Short Film Fest, an online festival dedicated to spotlighting the very best LGBTQ filmmakers from around the world. Each week is a new short film along with interviews from the filmmakers and special bonus features.
In addition, What’s In Your Purse?, a hilarious two-minute segment featuring Vine cornering nightlife celebrities and forcing them to reveal the contents of their bags, will run throughout the week.
“We knew launching a network was an ambitious endeavor but there are so many things we didn’t think of,” admits Vine. “Josh and I and our amazing team have literally been working every day on gaySVTVworld for almost a year now.”
“So much of that time has been spent on brainstorming ideas, reaching out to people we wanted to work with and deciding on a slate we felt confident about,” continues Rosenzweig. “We have several shows that are in various stages of development. Our intention is to continue to keep rolling out new programs, music videos and comedy sketches.”
Sherry Vine’s hilarious video parodies have made her a YouTube sensation, being viewed over 14,000,000 times! She got her start in downtown NYC but today tours the world with her live singing and comedy shows. Vine has appeared on the off-Broadway stage, in numerous films including Stonewall and Wigstock and she starred in two seasons of Here TV’s variety show, She’s Living For This, produced and directed by Josh Rosenzweig.
Josh Rosenzweig served as SVP of Here TV for ten years where he produced over two hundred hours of television programming including She’s Living For This and Heart of Broadway: An Inside Look at Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. He was also the host of the hit TV talk show Just Josh. Rosenzweig has directed many music videos, award-winning films and over forty productions for the theater. He has been nominated for two Daytime Emmy Awards.
gaySVTVworld premieres February 14 at YouTube.com/MissSherryVine.
Say YES to the Dress – First Transgender Bride
Friday’s episode (Jan 15th, 2016, 8pm Central time) of Say Yes to the Dress Atlanta will mark a first for the show when it features a transgender bride.
In a sneak peek of the episode, Precious Davis visits Bridals by Lori to find the perfect gown for her wedding. Davis and her fiancé Myles — both of whom are activists — will share their story on the show before getting married in Chicago in front of 1000 guests from their community. (@ Rockefeller Chapel at the University of Chicago ).
“We want people to be inspired of what love can look like in its many forms,” Davis says. “We want to bring this kind of royalty because we feel we are royalty.”
Precious Davis is lauded both locally and nationally as an award winning diversity professional, social justice facilitator, and performance artist. She currently is the Assistant Director of Diversity Recruitment Initiatives at Columbia College Chicago , her alma mater from which she received a BA in Liberal Arts. Precious currently implements and oversees the Campus Wide Diversity Initiative and is the first woman of color to hold this position. see more HERE.
SNEAK PEAK of the show HERE.
Laverne Cox in Rocky Horror Re Make
Well this is interesting….Following a lengthy casting process, Fox has found the star of its upcoming “Rocky Horror Picture Show” reboot. Laverne Cox has just been cast to play Frank N Furter. Adam Lambert and Lady Gaga previously were offered the part.
The character was made famous by Tim Curry in the 1975 cult classic, which celebrated its 40th anniversary this year and continues to be screened at midnight in theaters across the country. The two-hour Fox special, due in fall 2016, will be directed, exec produced and choreographed by Kenny Ortega (“High School Musical”) and filmed in advance.
For the uninitiated, Frank-N-Furter is the self-described “sweet transvestite from Transsexual, Transylvania” and a scientist. The movie is a satire of sci-fi movies and horror B-movies and originally starred Susan Sarandon and Barry Bostwick as a couple who stumble upon Frank-N-Furter’s odd castle in which he is creating a living man in his lab.
Linda Thompson Shares a Look at Bruce Jenner
The Huffington Post is the exclusive outlet for a compelling blog written by Linda Thompson, former wife of Bruce Jenner.
Cory Wade Host & Walk Queer Fashion Week
America’s Next Top Model finalist Cory Wade will be taking Queer Fashion Week’s runway as one of the celebrity models.
Wade, who dropped his last name Hindorff recently, will be joined by a top celebrity model, who also recently signed on to walk the QFW catwalk.
On the 20th edition of ANTM, Wade took the show’s host Tyra Banks and crew by storm as one of the first openly gay models. He caused such a stir they asked him back as a guest on the 21 edition.
Now the 24-year old biracial model will be dazzling audiences at the first-ever Queer Fashion Week, April 16 – 19 in Oakland, California.
To see the hottest designers, celebrities and models you have to get your tickets now, http://qfw.eventbrite.com
QFW producer Christine De La Rosa said “Featuring celebrity models alongside seasoned and newly minted models is at the core of Queer Fashion Week. I wanted to have every level of experience showcased not only in the models but also in the designers. I believe we are at our best when we are able to break the glass ceiling and bring everyone else with us. Cory is one of those ceiling breakers and a role model to many in the LGBTQ community. I am thrilled and honored that he is participating in the inaugural year of QFW.”
The biracial openly gay model from Philadelphia is excited, proud, and a little bit “pissed off” that there hasn’t been a fashion week highlighting LGBT designers and models before now, he said.
At the same time, he believes Queer Fashion Week is a part of a revolution and might even push the boundaries toward change in the fashion industry as Banks wanted him to do on the show. As Wade learned on the show fashion isn’t as all-inclusive and queer-friendly as it is assumed to be, but it showed him “where we actually are as far as fashion is concerned and some of the hurdles that we still have to overcome,” he said.
That’s changing though. He feels that Queer Fashion Week could shake up the fashion world as a part of revolutionary change that’s on the verge of reshaping fashion.
“It’s important that we emphasize that it isn’t important how we classify ourselves sexually, [but by] just showing everyone that we are just as good and just as qualified to be those household names,” said Wade, who is excited to be “on the forefront of the fashion industry really breaking boundaries … starting a movement that is all-inclusive.”
“This could potentially change the fashion industry in a very, very positive way,” he added.
Reflecting on Banks and his experience on the show, “It seemed like she was always in my corner and really wanted me to push the envelope and always wanted me to be that model to like break that boundary in the industry,” said Wade, noting that “a few of the other judges couldn’t stop harping on my femininity.”
Currently, Wade’s experience flipping through the pages of magazines all he sees is the hunky all-American men and the fashions they model don’t exactly fit his style sensibility.
“As a gay man, when I flip through magazines and I see that all-American muscle bound male over and over the first thing I think is, ‘Oh, I can never wear that,'” he said.
Wade believes he’s not alone in wanting to see models who reflect back to him or themselves rather than “the same carbon copy guy just over and over again,” he said.
“I think that we are at a place now where there are so many people who want to explore different facets of themselves [that] now that there is a market for designers who want to go that route,” said Wade, who hopes the fear to create different lines of clothing fades as people buy and start seeing them in the pages of magazines.
“Something like this, it just makes it I feel like it’s going to give a lot of people hope. Like they are going to see that there are so many different walks of life and they are all beautiful,” said Wade. “It could really change this whole experience. It could really change the whole fashion industry in a very positive way.”
Diversity & Inclusion – Love Has No Labels
BRILLIANT!
No wonder this went viral this week! The Ad Council did an excellent job communicating love is love.
While the vast majority of Americans consider themselves unprejudiced, many of us unintentionally make snap judgments about people based on what we see—whether it’s race, age, gender, religion, sexuality, or disability. This may be a significant reason many people in the U.S. report they feel discriminated against. Subconscious prejudice—called “implicit bias”—has profound implications for how we view and interact with others who are different from us. It can hinder a person’s ability to find a job, secure a loan, rent an apartment, or get a fair trial, perpetuating disparities in American society. The Love Has No Labels campaign challenges us to open our eyes to our bias and prejudice and work to stop it in ourselves, our friends, our families, and our colleagues.
Rethink your bias at LovehasnoLabels.com. WATCH
Saks Fifth Avenue Transgender Discrimination
I could see WALMART doing this….but Saks Fifth Avenue???
Leyth O. Jamal, a transgender woman living in Texas, has filed a federal lawsuit against her former employer, Saks Fifth Avenue, alleging that she was exposed to a hostile working environment at the luxury department store’s Houston-area location, reports local news station KPRC.
In a statement from her attorney, Jamal describes being harassed and belittled by coworkers, being forced to use the men’s restroom, withstanding intentional and repeated use of male pronouns by her coworkers, and ultimately being fired. Following this alleged mistreatment, she filed a claim of workplace discrimination with the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the federal agency that enforces Title VII of the Civil Rights Amendment of 1964, including protecting workers from sex-based discrimination. Full story at ADVOCATE.
Attorneys for the company also blatantly misgendered Jamal in court documents and alleged the retailer isn’t bound by its own nondiscrimination policy, which covers transgender workers.
BuzzFeed reports:
“Saks’ arguments are hugely concerning to us,” the director of HRC’s Workplace Equality Program, Deena Fidas, said in a statement provided to BuzzFeed News. “In its court filings, Saks attempts to secure a motion to dismiss Ms. Jamal’s allegations by simultaneously calling into question the validity of its own non-discrimination policy and the larger, crucial protections afforded by Title VII.”
Regarding its Corporate Equality Index, an effort to alert consumers to pro-LGBT or anti-LGBT policies of companies, Fidas added: “The policies our CEI advances are not window dressings for any company to prop up or disregard in the face of individual allegations of misconduct. Saks is publicly undercutting the applicability of its own policies reported in the CEI and we must suspend Saks’ CEI score until further notice.”
A huge backlash AGAINST SAKS has already started.
Military Will Look to Lift Ban on Transgender Service Members
I am truly amazed how rapidly the transgender movement is advancing.
Being a child of the sixties, I have seen the gay movement grow baby steps over the last 40 years. But now, since the transgender movement was really brought into the public eye in the last 5-10 years, it’s really making some leaps and bounds and the public is accepting, as they should be.
Under Pentagon approval, national security WikiLeaker Chelsea Manning is set to start undergoing sex change treatments in military prison, officials said.
The transgender ex-intelligence analyst will begin receiving early-stage gender reassignment treatments at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., where she’s serving 35 years for leaking a trove of sensitive state secrets to the whistleblower site.
What is like Growing up Transgender
For most of you reading this – you know what is like to grow up gay.
But transgender – most of us do not understand that. What it is like. How do they feel.
Maybe you think you are trans and reading this. Many people felt transgender 20 years ago, but didn’t know what it really was; how to react or even who to turn to.
Now, thanks to social media and sharing, transgender is really coming out of the closet.
In a brand new Aussie -made video, five transgender young people are asked: “What’s it like to be you?”
The results are compelling. Each speak openly about their awesome times along with their challenges, and how they’ve gotten through them.
The In My Shoes video is an initiative of the Transgender Anti-Violence Project at The Gender Centre.
“We hope that this film will serve as a resource for the wider community to better understand the issues facing young transgender and gender diverse people,” says the Gender Centre.
“We also hope that it encourages transgender and gender diverse people of all ages to come forward and access support if they need it.
“Thank you to these extraordinary young people for sharing their stories and to the incredible co-directors Monique Schafter and Mat Govoni.”
Take a look at the In My Shoes video .
Starbucks Big Gay Pride Flag in Seattle
At the Starbucks headquarters in Seattle this week, an enormous 800 square foot LGBT Pride flag was raised in celebration of the 40th anniversary of Seattle Pride.
Starbucks hold a ranking of 90 of 100 points with HRC. Their only short coming is
Does not offers equal health coverage for transgender individuals without exclusion for medically necessary care.
Photographer Nate Gowdy was on hand and shared these images with Towleroad of the clock tower and flag, as well as CEO Howard Schultz, who observed the flag raising with employees.
Seattle Pride Communications Director Adam McRoberts applauded the gesture in a press release:
“We are thrillled that Starbucks is showing their support for the LGBT community in this very big, very public way. The flag flying over their headquarters will welcome thousands of visitors coming to seattle to celebrate Pride this week and is a testament to the support Starbucks has shown the LGBT community over the years.”
Janet Porter Warns Families about Gay Days @ Disney
ANTI GAY NEWS…..Janet Porter, a well known WINGNUT! who in the past has warned that homosexuality is more dangerous to your health than smoking, is urging families to leave Disney World out of any vacation plans next week because of the HOMOSEXUAL AGENDA– fearing that children may be exposed to “public displays of perversion, cross dressing men and pedophiles” at the park’s upcoming ‘Gay Days’.
LISTEN TO HER HERE!
The Florida Family Association hate group is also planning on flying its annual Gay Day ‘Warning’ banner across the park next week, which they do every year and increasingly just seems like free publicity for the inclusive, celebratory event! LOL
Heklina Heklina talks Tranny and Trannyshack
TRANNY has been in the news a lot lately.
Are people over reacting? Why can’t we “own it” like “fag”?
Heklina Heklina — the organizer of San Francisco’s “Trannyshack” party — publicly announced that she would drop the word “tranny” from her party and re-brand it with a new name by 2015.
ON FACEBOOK, she said: a public Facebook post, Heklina said, “Whether I like it or not the very name of my legendary nightclub has become political.”
“First, a little history about the name Trannyshack, and the club itself. When I started the club (waaaaaay back in 1996) the word “tranny” did not have the charged weight to it that it has today. Simply put, it was not (arguably) considered a slur word, and not even thought of on the same level as the words “dyke” or “faggot” (two words which, maybe ironically, have somehow become less charged and have been “reclaimed” to a certain degree-for instance, leading the Pride Parade in San Francisco every year are the Dykes On Bikes. I can’t imagine in this day, a contingent called Trannies On Bikes). There are people who might argue this, but I’m sorry it just was not a word thought of as a slur on the same level as today. It was just not. I considered the name transgressive, and cutting edge…
Every walk of life came to, and performed at, Trannyshack. Gay men, lesbians, drag kings, drag kings, M to F’s, F to M’s, Faux Queens, and yes, even straight people. It won every award for Best Drag show in SF every year, and is generally thought to have redefined drag on the West Coast. It didn’t matter (and still does not) what gender you were, or what you had between your legs, if you were a great performer you were welcome on the Trannyshack stage. It grew to mean a great deal to a great many people…
However. Increasingly, and in the past year especially, it’s become clear to me the meaning the word tranny has taken on. I’ve tried to avoid the issue because I’ve spent almost 20 years branding and promoting my club. But more and more, I am asked on the street, in interviews, and online about my thoughts on the word, and the name of my club. I’ve given the answer “Oh, my club is different, it means so much to so many people, it’s this it’s that, etc.”, but it’s been nagging at me.
I started to talk to people close to me about the need for a rebrand. What really was the clincher for me was a post I saw on Facebook by a performer at my club . I wasn’t tagged in the post, but came across it anyway. He said how excited he was to be performing at my club but, out of embarrassment, he couldn’t type the name of it, and something along the lines of “you all know where it is”. Ouch, OK. Time for a rebrand.
I am in the business of (hopefully) entertaining people. It’s never been my intention to hurt people. I am not another Shirley Q. Liquor, wanting to offend just for sake of it. Also, on a purely business level, I don’t want to be viewed as archaic, out of step with the times, like an ostrich with my head in the sand.
As I see it, there’s two ways we can deal with this. We can see this as progress and a step forward, or we can engage in fighting and divisiveness. Whichever one you choose I am going for progress, and away from hurt and anger.”
Until the 2015 roll out, Heklina has decided to use “T-Shack” as a temporary name while she researches a better one. She then refused to engage the matter further via Facebook, but invited people to talk with her about the old and new names face-to-face.
DOUCHEBAGS of the Day- Kimberly and Beck Radio Show NY
WOW – how do these people get these jobs??
98.9 ‘Breakfast Buzz’ morning radio hosts
Kimberly and Beck
are douche bags of the week!
They took the opportunity to unleash a torrent of mockery upon trans people during a sarcastic 12-minute segment in which they cackled about genitalia and insulted a caller who dialed in to tell them how offensive they were.
Some of the choice quotes (although you really must listen to the audio, AFTER THE JUMP…)
“Transgender or gender nonconforming. What the hell does that mean? Like you’re not a woman or a man??
“The dude can look like a lady and the city is going to pay for it!” (cue “Dude Looks Like a Lady” music)
“Does that mean then if women want a boob job they’ll pay for a boob job because that’s only right.”
“The services that will be paid for under the new coverage – gender reassignment surgery, PSYCHOLOGICAL COUNSELING, because you’re probably a NUTJOB to begin with!”
“It’s a slippery slope. Then if some woman can go to a doctor and it’d be proven that she’s got mental issues because her rack’s not big enough then you know what? she deserves a boob job, Right Kimberly? Or she deserves liposuction.”
LISTEN HERE
Call or write the station and urge them to be FIRED.
These people are paid to spread misinformation and are bullying!
Sue Munn
VP/General Manager
smunn@entercom.com
Bob Barnett
Ops Manager
bbarnett@entercom.com
Mike Danger
Program Director
danger@entercom.com
Mike Johnson
Director of Sales
mjjohnson@entercom.com
Buzz Numbers
Business Line 585-423-2900
Studio Line 585-222-BUZZ
Studio Text 52545
Address
98.9 The Buzz
High Falls Studios
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Conchita Wurst Shakes up EuroVision
Thomas “Tom” Neuwirth (born 6 November 1988), better known as his drag persona Conchita Wurst, is an Austrian singer. In the role of Conchita Wurst, he will represent Austria at the Eurovision Song Contest 2014 in Copenhagen Denmark this week.
“For me the most special and honoring thing is that Austria shows tolerance and acceptance and I’m so happy to be this statement. I’m allowed to be the voice of their beliefs during this time and this really makes me very proud. We, and not at least myself, want to stand for a society without hate and discrimination. And if I’m honest, I think everyone of the contestants should stand for the same, cause we are joining a very open minded project, so they should be open minded too.
For me as a musician it’s like the biggest thing so far. I really want to reach a good place in the ranking for my country, and for myself, I want to be proud of my performance. Cause I’m my worst critic. Besides that, I really hope that I get the chance to change some minds all around Europe. I want to show them that you can look whatever you want and that everybody must have the right to live their life however they want it, if nobody gets hurt.”
Read More about Tom / Conchita
GEENA ROCERO IS FIRST TRANSGENDER SPEAKER AT “TED” CONFERENCE
To coincide with the celebration of International Day of Transgender Visibility, activist and model Geena Rocero today launched her new a global awareness campaign, Gender Proud, which calls attention to the fact that there are only 8 countries where transgender individuals are able to change their gender marker without having to first undergo surgery. In addition, her recent TED talk, which garnered an immediate standing ovation and praise, goes live on the TED site at 11am EST.
‘I want people to realize that while gender identity is core to our being, sometimes our gender assignment doesn’t match. There should be space to self-identify,’ says Geena.
In the months ahead, Gender Proud will work alongside the ground-breaking LGBT justice organization AllOut to target countries where gender marker legislation is at a ‘tipping point’.
As it launches, Gender Proud has initiated a petition on Change.org (www.change.org/genderproud) that seeks to bring awareness to the issue at a broader level; simultaneously, an IndieGogo campaign will raise money for a national speaking tour by Rocero about the organization and the need for all transgender people to self-identify with the fewest possible barriers. The campaign will feature donation perks including a limited edition t-shirt designed by world-renown street artist Seizer One, and limited edition prints from award-winning Russian visual artist Uldus.
Geena’s talk marked the first time that TED has tackled transgender rights issues on the main stage.
“Every year we work to bring inspiring ideas and speakers from a wide range of backgrounds to the TED stage,” said Kelly Stoetzel, Director of TED Content. “This year, we were thrilled to have Geena join us. Her courageous story stands to help people everywhere think about gender in a new and nuanced way.”
