The Week In Trans 8/9/21

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Becky Pepper-Jackson’s lawsuit against West Virginia’s law banning transgender females from school athletics is continuing, slowly. During pre-trial hearings, several of the parties to the suit are asking to be dismissed, according to The West Virginia Metro Times. Each is arguing that he or she did not initiate the law, but is only implementing it as the law orders.

A second lawsuit was filed against Tennessee’s new law which forbids transgender students and schools staff from using the restroom that aligns with their gender identity. NBC News has this story.

A suspect was arrested in Texas in regard to the shooting death of Sophie Arrieta Vasquez in Brookhaven, Georgia. The murder took place on May 4 of this year. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has this story.

Three men were charged with the murder of Alexa Negron Luciano in Puerto Rico last year. They have been charged with a hate crime under U.S. law. This story can be found in The Los Angeles Blade.

A man who assaulted two transgender teens in a park in La Crosse, Wisconsin, has been charged with a hate crime, in addition to charges of assault. News 8000 has this story.

Shai Vanderpump, a Black transgender woman who was known as an LGBTQ advocate, was murdered in Trenton, New Jersey. She was 23. Police have arrested a suspect in the shooting death, according to The Trentonian.

In reporting on the murder of Shai Vanderpump, them notes that more than half of the transgender people murdered this year were Black transgender women.

The special session of the Texas legislature ran out on Friday, so on Thursday, Governor Greg Abbott announced a second special session, to begin on Saturday. Although changes to the election law are the first priority by far, several other items are on the announced agenda, including “youth sports.”

The San Antonio Express News felt that this was an appropriate time to repeat a series they ran four years ago, looking at what life is like for transgender people. At that time, transgender people were worried about a bathroom bill.

Amelia Marquez talks about fighting Montana’s new law against amending birth certificates in a story for them.

Scripps Media takes a look at the changes for transgender people in the military which have been announced since President Biden took office.

Lauryn Farris, a fighter for transgender rights in San Antonio and in Texas, has died of a heart attack. She was 65. The San Antonio Express News has an obituary.

A new ruling from the Michigan Court of Appeals finds that transgender people are protected under Michigan’s law against ethnic intimidation. Michigan has not amended its civil rights law to cover gender identity, but the ruling finds that the protection from discrimination on the basis of gender also covers gender identity. This story comes from M Live.

M Live reports that a homeless shelter for transgender people in Grand Rapids, Michigan, is about to double its size.

LGBTQ people have a higher average student debt than cisgender heterosexual people, according to them. Over half of transgender people have student debt, the study by the William Institute found.

Fleischer’s, a chain of upscale butcher shops in and around New York City, found itself with a labor shortage, after the owner removed Pride flags and Black Lives Matter signs from the shops. LGBTQ Nation has this story.

Scent Beauty involved transgender people in the creation of five new fragrances in their Scent Elixir Collection, a part of their Break the Binary campaign. This story comes from The Advocate.

Jennivee’s Bakery in Chicago is owned by a transgender Filipina. It survived the pandemic, and even grew during that troubling time. Inc has a profile of this business and its owner.

Fans of The Cuban Legend, female impersonator David de Alba, will be happy to know there is another video of David featuring an interview and singing the song By Myself. It’s available on YouTube.

Transgender adults have more Subjective Cognitive Decline than do cisgender adults. This can lead to problems such as Alzheimer’s and dementia. This report comes from Legal Reader.

The American Medical Association came out with a recommendation to remove sex designation from birth certificates. The AMA feels that this causes problems for transgender, non-binary, and intersex people. WebMD has this story.

California is considering offering menstrual products to college students, and the proposal is deliberately not limited to those who identify as female. This story comes from them.

Transgender men and non-binary people are often not as aware as they should be about the need for cervical cancer screening. Healio has this story.

The Texas Tribune has a primer on gender-affirming care.

Transgender medicine as offered by Planned Parenthood can change a patient’s life, as The Springfield News-Leader points out.

The Journal of Medical Ethics has an essay which argues that a right to gender-affirming healthcare should be grounded, not in a right to be cured or to mitigate an illness (which is inconsistent with the designation of gender dysphoria as not a mental-health illness), but in a right to live and act with integrity. This puts it on a par with a right to religious accommodation.

Tori Cooper will serve on the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS. She is currently the Director of Community Engagement for the HRC Foundation’s Transgender Justice Initiative. She is the first out Black transgender woman to join the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS. The HRC has this story.

There was a protest against non-consensual surgery on intersex patients at New York hospitals. The protest was previewed in them.

Laurel Hubbard finally appeared in the Olympics, during the second week of competition. She missed all three of her attempts to lift 125 kilograms. Her attempts can be found at NBC Sports. Li Wenwen of China won the gold, Emily Campbell of Great Britain won the silver, and Sarah Robles of the United States won the bronze.

Before competing, Laurel Hubbard thanked the International Olympic Committee. Them has this story.

As some online commenters complained about Laurel Hubbard being included in the competition, BBC Sport responded with a message of support and the hashtag #HateWontWin. They announced an intention to “block people bringing hate to our comments sections,” and added, “We will report the most serious cases to the relevant authorities.” PinkNews has this story.

In her first interview since being selected for the Olympics, Laurel Hubbard said that she doesn’t feel that her performance should be seen as historic. She also said she would likely retire from international competition after this performance. You can see the interview here.

Quinn did better in the Olympics. Quinn was a significant part of Canada’s gold-medal women’s soccer team. ESPN has this story. Thanks to Alyssa Washington for a link to this story.

The other non-binary Olympian, U.S. skateboarder Alana Smith, wrote on Instagram, “For the first time in my entire life, I’m proud of the person I’ve worked to become.” This story comes from PinkNews.

The Netherlands women’s field hockey team posed for a picture while standing in the shape of a heart, to show support for LGBTQ people. Out.com has this story.

In India, there is an all-transgender soccer team. They have been invited to play in the Hong Kong games. This story comes from them.

The Advocate has a profile of Lindsay Hecox, the runner who is challenging Idaho’s ban on transgender athletes.

The NCAA is reconsidering its policy of scheduling championships in states that discriminate against transgender athletes, according to Diverse Issues in Higher Education.

Netflix has a new documentary about conversion therapy, entitled Pray Away. The review in them seems to focus on its effects on gay people, who were the majority of the victims of conversion therapy. Several transgender people were also victims of conversion therapy.

Non-binary artist Amani Lewis is part of a new platform for Black-owned businesses on Google Shopping. The ad agency BBH New York is also a part of this enterprise. the Advocate has this story.

Nadine Smith reports in them that there is a subtle transgender theme to the movie The Empty Man, which played to mostly empty theaters last year (when many theaters were closed, and those that were open had few patrons).

Jeff Steizer, who is best known as the announcer for Halo, spoke out in a video for transgender rights. He says that the battle for transgender rights reminds him of the battle for civil rights a few decades ago. Out.com has this story.

Ariel Nicholson will make history as the first transgender model to appear on the cover of the American version of Vogue. She will be in a group of eight models, in what is referred to as “American Beauty Now.” This story comes from Yahoo.

Messenger-Inquirer has a list of ten beautiful transgender models.

Lehlogaonolo Machaba is the first transgender contestant in the Miss South Africa contest. She says that she hopes to inspire greater acceptance for the LGBTQI community in that country. Reuters has this story.

RuPaul has been cast in the new Netflix series Chicago Party Aunt. It’s an animated comedy series with adult themes. PinkNews has this story.

West Hollywood may soon have the the nation’s first Drag Laureate. This story comes from them.

In The Know has a roundtable with transgender and gender-nonconforming drag queens.

Jayne Matthews, who was on RuPaul’s Drag Race, is about to be homeless, after the moratorium on evictions ends. This comes from a report in them.

Caitlyn Jenner’s campaign is in trouble. It is in debt, and both Republicans and LGBTQ people are not Caitlyn fans. Meanwhile, she is working on a television show in Australia, not campaigning in California. LGBTQ Nation has this story.

A large protest in London complained about the state of transgender rights in Britain. They demanded changes from the government, including a change of leadership in the Women’s and Equality Ministry. This event was covered by PinkNews.

U.K. Health Secretary Sajid Javid has been accused of “sexualising young trans people.” The charge comes from his order to review NHS policy towards trans people. The review follows a transphobic report of “trans sex offenders” which appeared in the Telegraph. PinkNews has this story.

Pride in London is again cancelled this year due to the fight against COVID-19. The event was scheduled for September 11. This story comes from The Advocate.

The Daily Mail has a profile of a teenager who has been self-medicating because of the long wait times to see a gender councilor through the NHS.

Sunday World takes a look at calls for reform in housing transgender prisoners in Ireland.

Jules Sherred has been leading the fight to ban conversion therapy in Canada. It went well for a while, but now, the bill keeps being delayed and weakened. Them has this story.

Sia Sehgal, a transgender teen in India, has initiated a campaign to vaccinate the transgender people of that country, according to PinkNews.

Turkey is set to deport a transgender refugee to Syria, where the refugee would arrive in the middle of a war zone. Her story can be found in PinkNews.

The Philippine Commission on Human Rights will look into the killing of transgender woman Cindy Jones Torres inside her own beauty salon. The Manila Bulletin has this story.

Japanese activists had hoped to use the international focus on the Olympics to highlight the conditions of life for LGBTQ people in that country. COVID-19 caused the Olympics to be held with few spectators, but the activists have been able to get some attention to their cause, according to The Advocate.

A group of U.S. senators continues to press the State Department on the cause of LGBTQ people seeking asylum. The Advocate has this story.

The Advocate tells us of the Black Nite Brawl, a protest 60 years ago in Milwaukee, which predated Stonewall.

To celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Black Nite Brawl, the Hoan Bridge in Milwaukee was lit up in the colors of the rainbow pride flag, then the colors of the transgender pride flag. WDJT has the story.

Military.com tells us the story of how Monica Helms created the transgender pride flag. WDJT-TV has this story.

A mother asks Texans to help support her transgender son’s rights in an opinion column for The San Antonio American-Statesman.

A column in The Roanoke Times tells us, “Transgender issue isn’t left vs. right.”

An article in Queer Theology asks, “Can you have a healthy relationship with your LGBTQ child if you don’t ‘affirm’ them?” The short answer, according to the article, is “no.” Thanks to Alyssa Washington for a link to this article.

TWITs

We mentioned that Laurel Hubbard failed to complete her performance at the Olympics. However, this humiliating showing did not stop her critics from continuing to attack her. All those who piled their hate on her get a TWIT Award. LGBTQ Nation has this story.

Lauren Boebert, the Colorado congresswoman who seems to be giving Marjorie Taylor Greene and Matt Gaetz a run for their money in the loony department, retweeted a patently silly column from right-wing pundit Jesse Kelly, who claims that Laurel Hubbard faked being transgender in order to compete as a female athlete, and now is “stuck” with being a woman. And the fifteen year gap between weightlifting as a man and weightlifting as a woman was all part of this plan. For silliness which is detached from reality, Representative Lauren Boebert and Jesse Kelly share a TWIT Award. You can read about it at LGBTQ Nation. Thanks to Alyssa Washington for a link to this story.

Earlier we mentioned the recommendation that sex assigned at birth not be a part of the birth certificate. Some of the expected sources of anti-transgender sentiment overreacted, as expected. For taking advantage of any chance to get their names in the public, and for spouting the same lack of concern for others while not presenting a single good reason other than “it’s what we have always done,” the people who complain about the AMA’s recommendation get a TWIT Award. PinkNews has some of this reaction.

We mentioned above the article about basing our right to transition on a right to live authentically rather than a right to health care. The article mentioned that a right to live authentically is also essential to rights of religious freedom, and that got a nasty response from The National Review. The author takes this too narrowly, saying in effect that changing genders is not religion. No, it isn’t, but the argument is that it comes from the same place as a right of religious freedom. For over-literal thinking that misses the point of what he was arguing against, Wesley J. Smith gets a TWIT Award.

The National Review also has another article about “The Troubled Girls The Transgender Movement Ignores.” Yes, it’s detransitioners again. The number of “ex-transgender” people seems to be smaller than the number of former Republicans who have left the party in recent years. Moreover, they are not ignored by the transgender movement; we are looking for ways to figure out who will detransition, and to keep a close eye on them from early on. If anyone is ignoring anyone else, it’s the anti-transgender folks ignoring the vast majority of transgender people, who do much better after transitioning. For using a tiny population to condemn something that works for most people, the National Review gets a TWIT Award.

Panti Bliss, a drag queen, who helped employees of her bar in Dublin  get vaccinated against COVID-19, was accused of forcing her employees to get the vaccine. This opened the door for others to complain about her “pedo bar.” For general silliness, and for lack of contact with reality, those who complained get a TWIT Award. PinkNews has this story.

Josh Mandel is running for U.S. Senate from Ohio. He is also claiming a position as a guardian of the gender binary, which he seems to feel is sacred. He insists that there are only two genders, despite the existence of intersex people. He pretends not to understand what it means for people to put their pronouns in their profiles on social media, although really he knows what they mean, but just refuses to grant the courtesy of using a person’s pronouns. For disrespecting the integrity of others, and for being a jerk about it, Josh Mandel gets a TWIT. This story comes from LGBTQ Nation. Thanks to Alyssa Washington for a link to this story.

Jackie Doyle-Price is a British M.P. from the Conservative Party. When Dove beauty bar tweeted, “History in the making. Congrats to Laurel! Here’s to more trans representation in sports”, the MP responded with, “There will be no more Dove for me. Which is a shame because I have always associated their products with positive messages for women.” For TERF-like talk, and for calling attention to herself as she leaves, because she thinks everything is all about her, MP Jackie Doyle-Price gets a TWIT Award. PinkNews has this story.

Marcin Urbas, a former sprinter, complained that Christine Mboma of Namibia, who won the silver medal in the 200-meter dash at the Olympics, should be investigated because she does not look female enough to please him. “She has the parameters of an 18-year-old boy,” he said. He said her “construction, movement, technique” all indicate that she is male Since she was competing as a woman, her testosterone level was checked. So, really, he is complaining that she trained like a boy and has the style of a male runner. For anti-trans statements that actually cast aspersions on cisgender female athletes, Marcin Urbas gets a TWIT Award. This story comes from LGBTQ Nation.

A cannabis dispensary tried to keep a transgender man out of the restroom, saying he would be “looking at men’s parts.” Everyone who has ever used a public men’s room is laughing hysterically at this. For sheer silliness, this cannabis dispensary employee gets a TWIT. LGBTQ Nation has this story.

The Lincoln Children’s Museum in Nebraska received threats of violence over Drag Queen Story Time. Children are smart enough to know that drag is an act. For threatening unwarranted violence, and for not having as much brain as a three-year-old, those who made these threats get a TWIT Award. This story comes from LGBTQ Nation.

Aberdeen, Washington, city Councilwoman Tiesa Meskis was rudely surprised when she went into a Star Wars memorabilia shop and found a sign which said, “Just out Dr. Seuss’ new book ‘If you are born with a dick, you are not a chick’. Period. This new release is out now because the Cancel Culture banned his early books?” Yes, the message on the sign ends with a question mark, despite the fact that it does not ask a question. The owner claims that “everybody loves” the sign except Councilwoman Meskis. Perhaps people did not complain because they figured the owner would chew them out if they complained. For being a first-class jerk, for misunderstanding silence as agreement, and for attempting to appropriate a left-of-center celebrity as supporting a far right (and anti-science) position, Don Sucher, owner of Sucher & Sons Star Wars Shop gets a TWIT. This story comes from The New York Post.

The late author Sir Terry Pratchett was claimed by TERFs this week as one who, if he were alive, would be agreeing with them in their anti-transgender sentiments. Rhianna Pratchett, Sir Terry’s daughter, wrote, “This is horrifying. My father would most definitely not be a GC if he was alive. Read. The. Books.” She added, “If you’re desperately trying to recruit the dead to your cause then you should probably have a big think about just what you’re supporting.” Many fans rushed to support Sir Terry and Rihanna, citing just a few examples to disprove the claim. For misreading the works of the author, and trying to claim the author had a view that was clearly not what he stood for, the “Terry Pratchett would agree with TERFs” supporters gets a TWIT. PinkNews has this story and a follow-up.

Many of the same people who thought Sir Terry Pratchett would agree with TERFs went after his frequent collaborator, Neil Gaiman, next. Mr. Gaiman was quick to dismiss the attempt to draw Sir Terry as agreeing with TERFs, which prompted some to claim that Mr. Gaiman was transphobic. For confusing the sentiments of a character with the sentiments of an author, and for missing the bigger point that the author is making, those who claim transphobia on the part of Neil Gaiman get a TWIT. PinkNews has this story.

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.

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Category: Transgender Community News