Julia Serano is an Oakland, California-based writer, performer, biologist, and activist. She is the author of several books on transgender issues and contributed to many national publications. She is the subject of Shelley Anne’s first interview of 2023.
Today Shelley Anne interviews Oklahoma City trans activist Tessa White. Ms. White was President (and first ever transgender President) of Oklahoma City Pride 2021. She currently serves as Treasurer of Oklahoma City Pride. Other community roles include Former Vice President of PFLAG OKC, Board Member, the Oklahoma City Diversity Center, Board Member and Guard, Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, Oklahoma City LGBTQ+ Advisor at the Veterans Hospital in Oklahoma City on LGBTQ+ related issues.
Fallon Fox is a retired professional Mixed Martial Arts Fighter specializing in the art of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, wrestling, and Muay Thai. Shelley Anne interviews Fox to find out what she’s doing in retirement. Turns out it’s a lot.
Sophie Lynne, Penn State University graduate student got and email from the school with the subject line, “Are You Prepared? Real Talk About Race and Identity in the Classroom.” The talk will be by Dr. Seria Chatters and will take place over Zoom. Participants are to submit questions ahead of time. Sophie felt it incumbent on her to ask the doctor what about transgender students on the PSU campus? How “safe’ can a transgender or non-binary student be at PSU? Read the full text of her question today and in coming weeks she will, if she gets one, post the answer.
Today Rabba Rona, a disabled queer trans rabbi who served in the U.S. Navy writes that she was appalled and outraged when federal agents beat a Navy veteran on the street in Portland, Oregon when he did nothing wrong except ask them a question about what they were there to do. Whether you are conservative or liberal you should read Rona’s post and view the video of the vet being beaten. It should be a warning to all of us.
Looking around at the things she sees going on in our country, particularly the separation of children from their families that was happening at the southern border, Sophie Lynne decided she had to do something. The question though was “What?” She decided to organize a local protest in her town. Today she blogs about how it went.
In 2008 the Democratic Party platform was trans inclusive for the first time. A big part of how that happened can be attributed to the chair of the Democrats’ LGBT Americans Caucus, Rick Stafford. Stafford was a gay man, HIV+ and a real fighter for LGBT inclusion in the political process. He passed away on September 2 and our political correspondent Babs Casbar Siperstein sings his praises. Babs worked with Stafford for many years and today she reveals all of the contributions he made to the advances the community has seen in the past few years.
June is LGBTQ+ Pride Month and there will be several events around the country that focus on trans people. Our political correspondent Babs Casbar Siperstein has good advice when she says it’s time to stand up and show up. Most of the legislators who are busy passing restroom bills have never met a trans person. That makes June the perfect time to get out there, be seen, and if possible meet the legislators. Babs has some info on some events at the national and state level.
With all the negative news about anti-trans laws keeping us out of public restrooms of our choice it’s important to know that we have big guns on our side — from major corporations to rock stars — many powerful people have got our backs. Babs Casbar Siperstein today presents an in-depth look at the blow back North Carolina is experiencing since they passed HB 2, and she looks at Target’s restroom policy. Babs believes that the Jedi Nights will win.
Babs Casbar Siperstein reports on three things that just might get your riled up. She looks at why the first trans person to ever be nominated for an Oscar decided to boycott the ceremony. She discusses the startling fact that the Republican National Committee has issued an official statement urging Republican legislators to vote in favor of bills to restrict trans restroom rights. And she gets you riled up in a positive way over a new trans movement to support Hillary Rodham Clinton as the Democratic Party nominee.
There’s a new voice in Pennsylvania engaged in the fight for LGBT rights. Daye Lily Pope is a young woman who has the title Transgender Rights Organizer at Equality Pennsylvania. Equality PA is a state-wide organization working to assist LGBT people. We had the opportunity to interview Ms. Pope and asked her to define her organization’s […]
Josy is proud of the way that transgenderism has been brought out of the shadows and made visible to the general public. She thanks trans icons like Jazz Jennings and Caitlyn Jenner for their work in making people aware that trans people are here and we aren’t going away. But she has concerns that some in the community don’t wish to do their part to further acceptance of trans people.
Kimi Cole is a trans activist and Chair of the Douglas Country Democrats in her home state of Nevada. Recently her cellphone rang and when she answered it the person on the other end of the call was Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. Why was Mrs. Clinton reaching out to Kimi Cole and what did they discuss. Kimi shares the detail with us.
Babs Casbar Siperstein wrote a response to an op-ed by Elinor Burkett titled “What Makes a Woman?” that ran in The New York Times on June 6. Burkett stated that trans women could be undermining women’s identities. The Times did not choose to run Babs’ response so we bring it to you on TGF.
Sophie Lynne asks some questions about just who has put trans people in the crosshairs. News stories abound about the progress trans people have made but there are also news stories about the states and municipalities where legislators are targeting trans people with discriminatory bills based on a fundamental lack of knowledge about trans issues. Who are these legislators? Sophie asks that — and then answers the question.
Every week we make more progress in acceptance of trans people and more and more localities amend their human rights anti-discrimination laws to add protections for trans people. But while this goes on in the legislative bodies and the courts are charged with enforcement we still hear of incidents of violence and discrimination against us. What can we do to change that? Dana Bevan believes we need to work harder at changing our culture. Today she tells you how.
Recent changes in the military have given some hope that the estimated 15,000 plus trans soldiers will be able to serve openly in the near future. Is it reasonable to assume that since a few signs of progress have been seen that the services will quickly change their transgender policy? Babs Casbar Siperstein takes a look at the progress made.
On March 15 the U.S. Attorney for New Jersey held a “get acquainted” meeting with 15 LGBT attorneys and activists. During the one and a half hour meeting the U.S. Justice Department’s involvement in LGBT matters was discussed and the outreach was appreciated by the LGBT group. Our own Leslie Farber, attorney, activist and TG attended the meeting and outlines what happened.
Congressman Rob Andrews, a 12 term member of the House from New Jersey has resigned from office to go into a private law practice. While in Congress he was a staunch supporter of equal rights for the LGBT community. Today Bas Casbar-Siperstein thanks Congressman Andrews for his efforts on behalf of the community and in specific for his efforts to include transgendered people in anti-employment discrimination legislation.
You might wonder what “Bridgegate,” the closing of several traffic lanes on the George Washington Bridge, has to do with transgender rights. A bit more than you might think. Our political correspondent Babs Casbar Sieperstien has filed a report that debunks the idea that the bridge closing was retaliation against the mayor of Fort Lee. It may have been retaliation against the biggest ally of transgendered people in the Garden State. Get the politics and why they’re important for TGs from Babs.
An incident earlier this year, one that many in the TG community would have gritted their teeth over and silently fumed, provoked Our Man in a Dress, Graham Holmes, to take action. After being pushed aside in at the payment window by a man who took the opportunity to insult Graham with an anti-gay slur when he made a mild protest, Graham decided to take it to the law. He filed and report, at first just so the police would have it as a hate crime statistic. Then the police convinced Graham to deal with it as a hate crime. Read on and find out what happened next.
Linda Jensen has sent us this: Ottawa, Canada had its annual Gay Pride Week and parade last week. The local TG support group, Gender Mosaic, is very closely allied with the local gay community. As you can see by the report below one of the GM’s most active members, Amanda Ryan, was chosen as one of the parade marshals, the Lifetime Achievement Parade Marshal. Here is her report to the Gender Mosaic members.
Now that the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell has opened the military to openly gay service members where does that leave TGs who want to serve their country? Babs Casbar-Siperstein runs down the advances transgendered people have made in regard to military service and speculates on what will happen next. Citing the results of surveys and personal experience with trans soldiers Babs postulates that it won’t be long before TGs can proudly, openly server their country.
For all of our gains in recognition and rights there we still often face transphobia. As Babs points out in this post some of the transphobia isn’t coming from the straight world. It’s coming from the gay, lesbian and bisexual parts of the community. Is there a resurgence of gay and lesbian transphobia menacing the T in GLBT? Babs looks a a few examples, like the firing of Allyson Robinson, after only 9 months on the job at Outserve-SLDN. And what about Janice Covington being told it would be better for her to join her state’s Democratic men’s auxiliary rather than the women’s. It’s enough to make you wonder. See what else Babs has to say about G&L transphobia.
A big part of activism is being prepared to answer questions that will come your way. TransJen is glad she was prepared to provide the information a transgendered person in Africa needed. She could quickly provide the information that would help the TG because she had already done the research.
