The Week In Transgenderism 10/27/14

Scottish queen Romy Deepcheeks

If your impression of Scotland is filled with men in kilts eating haggis and drinking a lot then you need to revise you impression of that northern land. Well, you’ve just got to add that it’s lousy with drag performers and they’re all beloved by their Scottish fans. While Scots have a reputation for frugalness the “royals” of Scotland have all spent extensively on their drag personas. Meet several of them the the KaleidoScot website.

A U.S. Army veteran who was working for the Army in Alabama was the subject of discrimination from her bosses and co-workers after she transitioned on the job. Tamar Lusardi was a software specialist at the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Research Development and Engineering Center when she transitioned in 2010. While this is a TWIT Award worthy degree of discrimination she had to put up with we’re not putting the story in TWIT since she just won a landmark determination against the Army. Read all about it in The Washington Post.

Robert Konrad, a social studies teacher in Florida, last week announced to the whole school that he would be transitioning to a female identity by August of 2015. Not just the staff and students were informed but the principal sent emails and robocalls to all the parents of students enrolled in the school to let them know. It was Konrad’s decision to put it all out there up front rather than have subtle and not so subtle changes be noticed as the transition process advanced. Do you think that’s the right way for a transition? Use the comment box below to let us know. Read about Konrad’s choice at MTV.com.

Brooke Guinan

The only trans fire fighter if the Fire Department of New York City is being featured in an ad campaign designed to bring awareness of LGBT issues surrounding gay and transgender rights around the world. Her name is Brooke Guinan and she is a third generation NYC fire fighter. How the Department feel about her appearing on posters for the campaign? Find out in The New York Daily News.

Irish trans author A. V. Perry has written a book about her life. The book unveils important issues such as gender identity, religious morals, child abuse, corporal punishment, parental neglect and bullying; while also giving a very personal insight into living through these controversial experiences. However, the focus remains on positivity and what can be achieved when you turn your life around. Visit the book’s Facebook page for more information.

Jane Doe is back in the news. That’s the 16-year-old trans girl who the state of Connecticut has locked up in a boys’ detention center. That might be a bit better than having her in solitary at an adult women’s prison but things are still not going right for Ms. Doe. They’re so bad that she has filed a lawsuit against the child welfare and prison officials for treating he like a boy. The facility is providing hormone treatments that are feminizing her but they insist she be called by her male name and wear male uniforms. Learn more about this complicated case at ABC News.

The young woman who was the subject of an award winning documentary called Transmormon is in trouble with the Mormon Church. While the film was edited to make it seem as if she was very religious Eri Hayward doesn’t consider herself to be particularly devout. But that doesn’t keep the Church from making negative statement about her. Find out just what it is they object to and why Ms. Hayward is actually happy to be censured for that particular thing in an article in The Daily Beast.

Ms. Needles

Halloween is growing nearer and what could be scarier than being at an event hosted by Sharon Needles? This past Saturday she hosted a Halloween show in New York and she has other things coming up this week. As you might expect Needles has standards for Halloween costumes and activities. Find out what they are, if you dare, at Out.com.

As our founder JoAnn Roberts, always used to say, Halloween is a holy day of obligation for the crossdressing community. It’s the one time of year when a man can put on women’s clothes and offer a perfectly logical reason for doing so. No need to “come out” about your hidden desires, just say it’s your costume and as they say in Britain, Bob’s your uncle. (You might meet him in a dress on Halloween, too.) But if you’re going to do it you need to do it right and who would be better to give you some instruction than drag expert Miz Cracker? View her video tips on how to do your first time the right way at Slate.com. (TGF wishes to make clear Miz Cracker’s views are her own and do not reflect the advice or values of TGF, unless you look fabulous.)

Good news Rhode Island TGs! The state has introduced new regulation regarding getting your birth certificate re-gendered. The rules had been that reassignment surgery was necessary before the sex marker on your certificate could be changed. Last week a new policy went into effect allowing a looser standard. Read all about it in the Providence Journal.

Geena Rocero and escort.

Geena Rocero, the fashion model who came out as a trans woman during a TED Talk earlier this year, was a guest speaker at the Human Rights Campaign’s 18th annual National Dinner in Washington, D.C. last week. Get the story in On Top magazine.

Fallon Fox

Trans woman Mixed Martial Arts fighter Fallon Fox was all over the TWIT news last year when her gender status was revealed. Women didn’t want to fight her fearing that being born male gave her an advantage. The regulating authorities weren’t sure if they should issue her a license and her detractors were saying she was a flash in the pan and would go away in a short while. Instead Fox has been fighting steadily and racking up wins which is a bit of a problem for some fight promoters. Find out what the problem is in Bleacher Report.

Anyone remember Madonna’s book, Sex? That little item made a big splash 22 years ago. Back then it was groundbreaking and considered pretty darned artistic of the Material Girl. Now a New York man who is also artistic has put together a new photo book that parodies Sex. It’s called Sex in Drag. Over 70 photos from Madonna’s book have been recreated featuring drag queens. Take a look at some of the shots (NSFW) in The Huffington Post.

Have you been living in San Francisco and pining for a place to go where drag is appreciated and art rules? There may be a light on the horizon for you. A shuttered space that closed some time ago is being renovated and will open New Year’s Eve under it’s original name, Oasis. One of the owners of this 6000-square-foot club is Trannyshack founder Heklina. She promises that the club will be an “…oasis of performance, drag and glamour…” Learn more at Tablehopper.com.

TWITs

We’re holding a TWIT Award for Jenny McCarthy. In case you didn’t know she is an actress/celebrity and she recently made a statement that deserves a TWIT. She said in an interview with PrideSource that her favorite role ever was playing a post-op TS on the comedy Just Shoot Me! When asked why she said she “always felt like one of the guys” and could relate. The former Playmate of The Year said that even in the bunny outfit she felt like a dude. We get the feeling that Ms. McCarthy doesn’t really have a clue about what a trans person feels like. Ergo the TWIT. Read all about it in The Daily Mail.

Here now! No of that. At least that’s what someone should have said to the man in drag who threw paint through a pharmacy’s service window in the U.K.. As a result of this action a female employee had to go to the hospital to have the paint irrigated out of her eyes. The paint thrower was appended and a disguised stun gun was found upon his person. Since we are very much opposed to throwing paint at anyone or into businesses in general we issue a TWIT Award to the perpetrator and once agains admonish, if you must commit crimes please do not do so en femme. Read all about it in the North Devon Journal.

Tags: Eri Hayward, Fallon Fox, featured, Geena Rocero, halloween, Jane Doe, Jenny McCarthy, Miz Cracker, news, Scotland, Sharon Needles, TWIT

Category: Transgender Community News