The Week In Trans 11/22/21
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This week was Transgender Awareness Week. By coincidence, a transgender woman, Amy Schneider of Oakland, California, became the champion on Jeopardy! on Wednesday. It is the second time a transgender person has been Jeopardy! champion. Newsweek has this story.
Saturday, November 20, was Transgender Day of Remembrance. On the floor of Congress, Representative Ayanna Pressley read the names of 45 transgender people who died from violence in the United States this year. This story comes from LGBTQ Nation.
St. Petersburg, Florida, mourns Jenny de Leon, a transgender woman whose body was found on November 2. She was a victim of anti-transgender violence. Fox 13 News has this story. Thanks to Alyssa Washington for a link to this and other stories this week.
Also this week, Angel Naira, a Black transgender woman from Aliquippa, Pennsylvania was murdered. Forty-seven transgender people were violently killed in the United States this year. This story comes from The Human Rights Campaign. Thanks to Alyssa Washington for a link to this story.
In LGBTQ Nation, a filmmaker remembers Poe Black, a transgender man who was part of a documentary he filmed. Poe was one of the transgender people who were murdered this year.
Human Rights Watch has a report about how transgender people, and especially Black transgender women, are at high risk of violence in the United States.
Refinery 29 reminds us that the violent murders of transgender women of color are not limited to the United States. This year alone, 375 transgender people have been murdered.
Violence is sometimes used to intimidate transgender people. Shantae Payne, a student at Pebblebrook High School in Georgia, was attacked by fellow students, who recorded the attack and shared the video on social media. The students who did this are still at that school, according to WXIA-TV News. The victim says that she is still being threatened by the attackers. Thanks to Alyssa Washington for a link to this story.
Berlin High School in Berlin, Wisconsin, was the scene of another attack. Some students forced a transgender boy to lift his shirt and to lower his pants. The good news is that classmates have rallied around the victim. The Advocate has this story. Thanks again to Alyssa Washington for a link to this story.
A transgender woman was beaten viciously while in a cell with three cisgender male prisoners at San Diego Central Jail. The victim had a broken jaw, and her mouth has had to be wired shut. Her lawyers have filed a case in federal court, WIO News reports.
Nicole Maines sat for an interview with PinkNews about her role on Supergirl, her life, and hopes for the future.
President Biden signed an executive order aimed at protecting Native Americans from violence. In signing the act, the President called out to LGBTQ Native Americans and 2-Spirit people in particular. LGBTQ Nation has this story.
An editorial in The Hill calls on lawmakers to quit picking on transgender people, as a way to curtail the violence against us.
North Carolina still requires sterilization surgery before it will change the gender listed on a birth certificate. A lawsuit filed this week hopes to overturn that policy. The Advocate has this story.
Shortly after a judge issued an injunction stating Tanner Cross was to resume teaching despite his intention not to respect transgender students, the Loudoun County School District came to an agreement with the gym teacher. This story comes from The Hill.
We reported last week that the Department of Health and Human Services wanted to return the rule on religious exemptions to what the rule stated prior to a change made by President Trump. This week, The Advocate reports that the policy has reverted to what it was.
WPIX-TV reported a story about an LGBTQ community center in the Bronx which is a safe haven for transgender people.
PinkNews reports on seven transgender rights protests that happened this year. Thanks to Alyssa Washington for a link to this story.
Although this year saw 102 anti-transgender bills come up in state legislatures, the word “transgender” only appeared seven times in that legislation. That is not an accident, according to The 19th. It’s an attempt to hide the intent of the legislation.
Transgender discrimination complaints in employment continue to evolve, and businesses need to keep an eye on what is happening, according to the National Law Review.
A financial tech startup called Jiko has teamed with Euphoria to offer Bliss, a banking app aimed at transgender people. Tech Crunch has this story.
A transgender veteran was rejected by dozens of long-term care facilities, simply because she is transgender. Many said she would need a private room, which her insurance would not cover. This story comes from LGBTQ Nation.
Twenty-five Republican members of the Ohio state legislature have signed on as sponsors of a bill that would outlaw gender-affirming medical care to minors. The Columbus Dispatch found that the current situation is quite different from what the bill’s sponsors describe.
Dr. Sarah Pickle was profiled by The Health Collaboration for her work in providing gender-affirming medical care to transgender and nonbinary patients.
Ann Thomas, the founder of Transgender Talent, is profiled by Out.com, which named her as one of the 2021 Out100.
Many transgender people have weight issues. Many medical professionals want transgender people to lose weight before they start on medical treatments for gender dysphoria, and surgeons sometimes require weight loss prior to surgery. PinkNews considers this to be fat shaming, although to be fair, in some instances there are good medical reasons for having patients lose weight prior to treatment.
There is also pressure on non-binary people to be thin, according to an article in LGBTQ Nation.
Cisgender people have access to some medicines and procedures which are also used in gender-affirming healthcare. An article in PinkNews asks why transgender people have trouble accessing the same medicines and procedures.
The International Olympic Committee has withdrawn any restrictions it had on transgender and intersex athletes participating in the games, including rules on testosterone levels, but they will not tell the ruling body of any sport that it needs to be more accommodating to transgender or intersex athletes. Yahoo Sports has this story.
The Utah state legislature failed to pass a bill which would have banned transgender women from school athletics. A new bill was introduced this week which allows transgender athletes to compete in school athletics if and only if they have changed the sex listed on their birth certificates and they are undergoing hormone therapy. This story comes from The Salt Lake Tribune.
An Iranian film of a person who transitions genders after giving birth has found a distributor. Son Of Man will be distributed by Silver Mountain Distribution from Ireland. Deadline has this story.
The short film A Day Of Trans follows four transgender people in China, trying to navigate that country’s society. Business Wire has this story.
PinkNews has a list of 16 books by transgender authors.
Dominick Evans talked with The Advocate about his new video Spaces, which shows transgender and disabled people in places where they don’t usually get to go.
Dwayne Wade talked to The Today Show about his reaction when his daughter Zaya came out as transgender.
Transgender activist Charlie Craggs and TikTok star Bella Fitz (a.k.a. NoseBleedFitz) talked about coming out as trans and their experiences with the U.K. healthcare system on a podcast, with Popbuzz.
The newest international version of RuPaul’s Drag Race will be Drag Race France. Out.com has details.
RuPaul is quite upset at some knockoff Christmas ornaments, which depict what is clearly her face. This story comes from Out.com.
Vanity Milan talked with PinkNews about the third season of Drag Race UK, among other things.
Trixie Mattel released a new single, titled Hello Hello. You can read about it at them.
Someone is telling police officers horrible–and untrue–things about drag queens who appear on Twitch. The police follow up with very heavy-handed investigation. So far, these investigations have not resulted in an injury, but that is always possible in this sort of thing. The Advocate has this story.
Transgender parents in the U.K. are getting several barriers thrown in their way, according to PinkNews.
The 2022 Philadelphia Trans Wellness Conference General Track and Continuing Education track call for proposals is now open. The 2022 Philadelphia Trans Wellness Conference will take place in person at the Pennsylvania Convention Center Thursday, July 21 to Saturday, July 23, 2022. To submit a proposal visit their website.
A gay bookshop in Manchester, Queer Lit, is giving MPs “comprehensive trans history,” in the form of copies of Trans Britain by Christine Burns. It’s a lovely gesture, but unfortunately, the ones who need the lesson will not read the book, and the ones who will read the book don’t need the lesson. PinkNews has this story.
A major French dictionary, Le Robert, has added “iel” and “iels,” third-person singular and plural nonbinary pronouns. This story comes from LGBTQ Nation.
Bobbi Pickard, the founder and CEO of Trans in the City, rang the bell to close the London Stock Exchange on last Monday. She is the first out transgender person to ring the bell to close that stock exchange. This story comes from PinkNews. Thanks to Alyssa Washington for a link to the story.
PinkNews has an article explaining the difference between gender expression and gender identity.
LGBTQ Nation has an article which explains what it means to say you are “nonbinary.”
Education Week feels that transgender students are not getting enough support from faculty and staff at school.
An editorial in them says that transgender people do not need more visibility. Cisgender people are very aware of us, but just refuse to accept us.
An editorial in USA Today says that transgender rights is not a “both sides” issue.
A short list of ways to show up for transgender people can be found in PinkNews.
PinkNews has a list of 10 transgender people who made news this year.
Small-town Pride events show that LGBTQ people are everywhere, and are accepted by their neighbors. So says an article in The Conversation.
In a recent TikTok video, a transgender woman explains why “You don’t look trans” is not a compliment. Yahoo has this story.
Charlie Middleton writes in PinkNews about mentoring transgender students who are being bullied like he was bullied.
Three transgender people shared moments that give them transgender euphoria in an article for PinkNews.
Trucks bearing the message “Trans lives are precious” are driving around Texas, spreading that message. The Advocate has this story.
A transgender teen came out to his mom in a somewhat humorous way, and the mom responded with humor and an acceptance that he wasn’t sure he would get. This story comes from Upworthy.
TWITs
A new study by Media Matters For America shows that discussions of transgender matters on Facebook tend to get a lot more interaction on right-wing sites. For not questioning their anti-transgender biases, the people who interact with these pages get a TWIT Award.
We reported last week that the Denton Public Library in Texas planned to have a reading of I Am Jazz to coincide with Transgender Awareness Week. It seems the event was cancelled due to backlash from the community. Workers at the library say that those Texas residents who claim to be so friendly turned hostile towards them over the idea of treating transgender people like people. All those allegedly friendly Texans who took to mistreating library workers get a TWIT Award. This story comes from Newsweek.
The American Independent reports that parents in Virginia and Florida are suing to try to stop any policy that protects transgender students in school. Of course, these same parents want their own children to be treated with respect, but they feel that it is all right to disrespect the children of other parents. For failing to do unto others as they wish it was done unto them, these parents get a TWIT Award.
Representative Lauren Boebert referred to gender-affirming care as “genital mutilation” and compared trans healthcare to grafting “aborted babies. . .to lab rats.” Of course, she has no idea what she is talking about, but of course, she does not stop talking about it. She even introduced a bill to stop funding research and publication regarding gender-affirming care for those under the age of 18. For showing a preference for ignorance, and for claiming to protect children through ignorance, Representative Lauren Boebert gets a TWIT. LGBTQ Nation has this story.
The National Review has an article using all the social conservative buzzwords to condemn an event at one Connecticut school which attempts to show kindergarten students an age-appropriate introduction to the humanity of transgender people. For an amazing negativity towards presenting others as human, the National Review gets yet another TWIT Award.
A group with the ironic name Moms For Liberty is offering a $500 reward for anyone who turns in a “divisive” teacher. For describing inclusiveness as “divisive,” and for offering a bounty for turning in anyone who disagrees with them, Moms for Liberty gets a TWIT Award. LGBTQ Nation has this story.
Youtube removed My Genderation, a project by two transgender filmmakers who wanted to show transgender people how other transgender people live. Worse, it happened on the first day of Transgender Awareness Week. For insensitivity on top of insensitivity, YouTube gets a TWIT Award. This story comes from PinkNews.
TWIT is assembled by Cecilia Barzyk with additional content and editing by Angela Gardner. Care to make a comment on this post? Login here and use the comment area below.
Category: Transgender Community News