The Week In Transgenderism 9/24/12

TranSquat

Ya know how there’s a commercial that uses the tag line, “There’s an app for that”? Most likely there is an app for almost any activity you might possibly engage in during the course of your modern 21st century life. Whether it’s Angry Birds or an app to find the best sushi in your neighborhood, you can find it in the app store that serves your smart phone. Now the world of apps has done something for us. Those of you who are afraid to use a lady’s room when you’re out and about en femme can now find the closest gender neutral or gender free bathroom by using an app called TranSquat. find out about the app and the supporting website in Passport Magazine.

The Southern Comfort Conference has just wrapped up in Atlanta, Georgia. Last week it was featured in The Ga. Voice.

TS Teacher

There’s a teacher in Buenos Aires who gave her students a lesson in transgender issues at the end of the school’s winter vacation. She showed up for the first day of school for the first time as a woman. The headline proclaims she is Buenos Aires’ “first transsexual teacher” but from reading the article it sounds as if she is either a non-op TS or a transgenderist. Read about how she managed the transition and what the kids had to say about it at Worldcrunch.com.

Rev. Dennison

We turn from teachers below the equator to ministers in Illinois. A Unitarian Universalist Church was moving to a new town and as part of their move they wanted to get a new pastor. Their new minister, who was hired by a unanimous vote of the parishioners, is Rev. Sean Parker Dennison, a FtM who transitioned 15 years ago. Read about his plans for the congregation in The Daily Herald.

We told you a few weeks ago about a new television show in South Korea that would feature gay and transgender people. The show, XY That Girl, premiered a couple of weeks ago in a midnight time slot. We must sadly report that the host Hong Suk-Chon is now looking for a new job. Find out why the show got pulled in The Standard.

Peacock

Many of us had a hard time learning that we could express our feminine side in public. We stayed in the closet the door locked for way too long out of fear of what might happen if anyone found out. Now and then you come across someone in the transgender world who, for who knows what reason, has always been pretty open about their “hobby.” One of them is Bert Peacock from Maryville, Missouri. He’s been dressing up publicly for most of his adult life and now does drag shows for even more fun. The article is in the Northwest Missourian. They need more education, as they introduce Bert as a “drag queen” when it’s obvious he … she, is not just into it for the time on stage.

Locked up with ladies.

Now we’ve heard it all. The normal lawsuit brought by a transgendered person against a prison system seeks redress for the male to female TG plaintiff being locked up with a male prison occupation. In Nashville a self proclaimed female impersonator and drag performer, who was arrested on theft charges, was locked up in the women’s section of the prison. When he complained that he was a man he was told to keep his mouth shut and do his time with the ladies. Huh? “He” also is only identified with a female name and “his” attorney refers to “him” as “her” and “she.” We’re so confused. Read the story and watch video at NewsChannel5.com and see if you can figure this one out. It has a hint of TWIT about it, does it not?

Back to the more normal type of lawsuit against a prison system. After that last story it’s a relief to just have to deal with a regular MtF convicted murderer who wants gender reassignment paid for by the state. Of course we’re talking about Michelle Kosilek who won her suit against Massachusetts and will now have her surgery covered by that state. When the story first hit the papers it caused many conservative’s heads to explode. Just as they were putting their heads back in place comes this story which says Kosilek will be able to submit a bill for her legal fees. What’s that sound? Sounds like more explosions. The story is at UPI.com.

Ladyboy elephant polo.

The people in Thailand are mad for polo. Not Ralph Lauren, real polo with mallets and balls. If that were all there was too it we wouldn’t be interested in including this story in TWIT, but, Thailand also has elephants and ladyboys. The King’s Cup Elephant Polo tournament happened last week in Thailand and members of the New Zealand rugby team, the All Blacks, competed in a rousing match against the ladyboy performers from the Tiffany’s Cabaret Show. Check out CNN International for some photos of ladyboys on elephants and more info than you ever wanted on elephant polo.

If you’re in St. Louis in September you might want to consider slipping into your most draggy drag and joining a conga line that will dance through the streets of the city. It’s all for charity of course, in this case to promote LGBT diversity and visibility. The event is called Dancing in the Street 2012 and it features all sorts of people doing all sorts of dancing as well as the drag queen conga line. Get the details in The Vital Voice.

Whose old wartime memories don’t include a drag queen or two? Certainly not the lads of the British 2nd Battalion Parachute Regiment who served in a dust up with Argentina back in 1982. The Regiment sailed down to the Falkland Islands to fight the “Argies” and one of the stewards on the vessel that was used to transport them had a femme persona named Wendy. Wendy kept their spirits up by playing the piano and leading sing-a-longs as tension mounted and the troops steeled themselves for the coming battle. Read all about Wendy and the paratroopers who made her an honorary member of their regiment in the Yorkshire Post.

Linda Martinez

In the U.S. many teachers resort to part time or summer jobs in order to make enough money to live comfortably. Who hasn’t heard of teachers who do house painting or landscaping during their summer break? It’s just the same in Guatemala. But there the teachers, or at least one of the teachers, finds it more lucrative to work in the evening as a hooker. Our “meet the Guatemalan teacher who moonlights as a sex worker” article is about Linda Elizabeth Tylor Martinez and it is in The Huffington Post.

A memorial candlelight walk was held last week to mourn for Kyra Cordova. Cordova was shot on Labor Day and found in a wooded area of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania’s Frankford section. Her killer is still at large and police have no suspects. The story about the murder and the candlelight walk are in the Philadelphia Gay News.

TWITs

What is it about Micky D’s and violence against TGs? A gay man and his transgender girlfriend were standing in line at a McDonald’s in Greenwich Village and discussing the rising incidence of gay bashing in New York City when they were drawn into a situation with another customer that resulted in a fight and and wounds from a straight razor. Who carries a straight razor these days? The TWIT who used one when the fight turned against him. Get the details in The New York Daily News.

Our second TWIT Award winner is the Orono School District. Orono is a town in Maine. The district had a transgender girl who came out in the fifth grade. The school made her use the staff bathroom and an adult started following her around when she entered the 6th grade. Things got so bad for her at the school that her father stayed in Orono to work while his wife and the children moved to Portland where the school system was better able to handle trans students. The family is seeking to file a lawsuit against the school district and a judge will decide if the case can move forward. Get the details in the Wisconsin Gazette.

Tags: featured, news, TWIT

Category: Transgender Community News