The Week In Trans 4/5/21

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Monica Helms, the creator of the transgender pride flag, wrote for LGBTQ Nation about what Transgender Day of Visibility means to her.

President Biden issued the first-ever Presidential Proclamation recognizing Transgender Day of Visibility. The proclamation recognizes the long history of activism by transgender and nonbinary people, as well as the need for continuing work. NBC News has this story, while the proclamation itself can be found on the White House web site.

CNN has a story about the importance of Transgender Day of Visibility, while PBS News Hour has a story on the history of Transgender Day of Visibility.

Kris Hayashi, the executive director of the Transgender Law Center, wrote an editorial for NBC News about Transgender Day of Visibility.

GLAAD released an open letter, signed by more than 190 activists and organizations, which expresses support for transgender people and denounces current attempts to limit the legal rights of transgender people. Deadline has this story.

Mila Jam releases a new video for Transgender Day of Visibility. The song is titled Pretty One. This story comes from Huffington Post.

Chase Strangio and Raquel Willis write for The Nation that visibility alone will not protect transgender people.

An editorial in The Advocate proclaims March 31 as a day to celebrate and defend transgender and non-binary people.

On Transgender Day of Visibility, the Pentagon released its new policy regarding transgender applicants. President Biden had announced that he would allow transgender recruits to join the military, but there was some concern about the need to update policies. Stars And Stripes has this story. Thanks to Alyssa Washington for a link to this and other stories.

Meanwhile, several states continue to work on passing anti-transgender legislation. In South Dakota, the legislature failed to pass an amended version of the legislation, which would apply at the K-12 level but not include the college level, as the governor required. Planet Transgender has this part of the story.

Because her veto of the transgender athletics bill was more expansive than is typical of this type of veto, it is feared that a court might not allow the ban as amended by the governor. So, Governor Kristi Noem simply issued two executive orders to forbid transgender females from participating in girls’ sports. One covers the K-12 level, and the other covers the college level. (The apparent idea is that, even if the executive order covering the college level is overturned, the executive order covering the K-12 level will remain in place.) This story is covered by CNN.

Jazz Jennings was told that she was not allowed to play soccer on the girls’ team. This ban was put in place when she was 8, and finally lifted two years later, after she and her family put up a big legal fight. She wrote in an Instagram post that it was a terrible blow to her. Yahoo Life has this story.

The Mooresville Tribune reports that some believe the governor’s executive order on transgender athletes is little more than a suggestion. How much weight it actually carries may not get resolved too soon, as there are not many transgender females wanting to join girls’ sports teams in South Dakota.

Governor Noem was seen as a rising star earlier this year at CPAC, but her reluctance to go along with the social conservatives on this ban has diminished her standing, according to CNN.

Megan Rapanoe wrote an editorial, telling of how much she enjoyed being able to play sports while growing up, and how it taught her so many lessons. She says that transgender children should be given that same opportunity. PinkNews has this story. Thanks to Alyssa Washington for a link to this and other stories.

Vox has a long article about transgender females in sports. Much of the article shows that the current science on transgender females shows that they lose many of the supposed male anatomical advantages.

For the third year, a campaign is using the week of Transgender Day of Visibility to fight for the inclusion of transgender women in soccer (which much of the world calls “football”). The movement is called Football v Transphobia, and PinkNews has its story.

On Transgender Day of Visibility, the National Women’s Soccer League announced that it would continue to allow transgender women to participate, following a policy similar to that which is used for Olympic competition. The Orlando Sentinel reports that the policy includes testing for testosterone level.

Arkansas is one of the states which bans transgender females from competing on teams with cisgender girls. The 2022 UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup and World Championship bicycle races will be held in Fayetteville, Arkansas, or so it was announced. Now, that seems less certain, as the groups is attempting to see if the ban on transgender women applies to them, and also argues whether they should move the event in protest of the new legislation. Cycling News has this story.

The Arkansas state legislature passed a bill which would forbid doctors from medically treating gender dysphoria in transgender minors. The bill is on the desk of Governor Asa Hutchinson, who has five days to veto the legislation before it becomes law with or without his signature. This story can be found in Business Insider has this story.

Yahoo Life has a profile of a 24-year-old from Arkansas, Wolf Espinosa Villegas, who says that as a transgender person, “I felt like I didn’t belong.”

THV 11 talked with Willow Breshears an 18-year-old who began her gender transition at the age of 13. Growing up in rural Arkansas was not easy for this transgender teen.

NPR talked to Syrus Hall, a 17-year-old transgender male from Mobile, Alabama, about that state’s recent legislation and proposed legislation regarding transgender people. He says that the idea that he is a “gender-confused child” who is “going through a phase” is not only inaccurate, it is hurtful.

One speaker at a recent protest of proposed transgender legislation in Alabama was Trace Trice, who said that her son “knew he was a boy before he knew what trans meant.” She describes her son as a typical teenager. PinkNews has this story.

An article in The New York Times notes that the increased efforts to ban transgender athletes from girls’ sports is well organized, despite the lack of transgender athletes creating a problem that needs an immediate solution.

A rundown of the many bills and new laws regarding the rights of transgender people can be found at CNN.

The new laws and bills regarding transgender people in U.S. states was the top story for the “In the Americas” column of France 24 on Thursday.

The Human Rights Campaign released a new ad, which shames governors who sign anti-LGBTQ and especially notes the signing of anti-transgender legislation. The Advocate has this story.

While other states are banning transgender athletes or forbidding doctors from treating transgender minors, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam just signed a law which bans the use of Gay or Trans Panic as a legal defense, especially for manslaughter or murder. This story can be found in The Advocate.

Vic Parsons of PinkNews notes that transgender people are more visible than ever, and yet, Transgender Day of Visibility finds increasing legal and social attacks on transgender people.

LGBTQ Nation has four simple pro tips for being the best transgender ally you can be.

New research in the U.K. shows that nearly all young people say that they would support a friend who came out as transgender. While it is one thing to say you would support a transgender friend in the abstract and another thing to do it in the concrete, the same survey found that 57% of secondary school pupils know someone who is transgender. PinkNews has this story.

Aidelen Evans was found dead outside an oil refinery in Port Arthur, Texas. While she died earlier this month, it was only this week that it was revealed that she is transgender. Police do not suspect foul play. PinkNews has this story.

A member of the MS-13 gang, Gabriel Orellana, was charged in an attack on a transgender woman in MacArthur Park. This story made The Los Angeles Times.

Taylor Parker-Dipeppe is a transgender man who used to belong to a violent group associated with the neo-Nazi movement. He was found guilty of threatening journalists, but was given a suspended sentence and a warning. The judge noted the abuse of his family and high school bullies in deciding to issue no jail time. Buzzfeed News has this story.

A transgender student of Asian-American descent won election to the University of Virginia student council. He received 80% of the vote, enough to give him the title of Student Council President, according to Planet Transgender.

Ebony Harper, a Black transgender woman who is a human rights activist and a philanthropist, was give the award as Assembly District 7 Woman of the Year. She is the Director of California TRANScends. ABC 10 has this story.

Lorena Borjas, a transgender activist who was one of the early victims of COVID-19, was honored when a street in the Jackson Heights area was co-named for her. This story comes from Queens News Service.

Healthline talked to two Black transgender artists about the healing power of art.

In Jackson, Mississippi, the ACLU of Mississippi organized their fourth annual Transgender Day of Visibility Beautification Project. WJTV-TV has this story.

In Brooklyn, the GHOST project held a wig-and-clothing drive for the benefit of transgender people who are just coming out. This story comes from Bronx News 12 has this story.

ABC News reports that tech companies are getting better with transgender people, but there is still room for improvement.

As employees return to companies after being laid off for the pandemic, some are returning in their real gender for a change. USA Today has this story.

Corey Rae wrote a piece about what life is like for a transgender person. It appears in Medical News Today.

A study in Pediatrics finds that, while HRT in adults is associated with an increased risk of thrombosis, the risk of thrombosis for adolescents on gender-affirming hormone therapy is not significant.

Columbia School of Nursing in New York now offers a Certificate in Professional Achievement in Transgender/Gender Non-Binary Health Care. The first classes in this specialty begin this September, according to The Advocate.

Dr. Jerrica Kirkley writes in The Advocate that transgender people should not be alone in the fight for health care.

Dr. Rachael Levine feels that transgender health care is an equity issue, rather than a political issue. She said this in an interview with NPR.

Trace Lysette, Teddy Quinlivan, and Alexandra Grey talk to Out.com about being visible as transgender people.

The new version of Charmed has cast transgender actress Mareya Salazar to play Josefina. The character is described as, “a strong, opinionated young woman who shows up on their doorstep with surprises and secrets. She also has a mission of her own.” The cast already includes JJ Hawkins as Kevin, a transgender college student. Out.com has this story.

Out.com has a list of eight transgender coming-out scenes that made an impression.

Mariette Pathy Allen has been documenting transgender people in photographs since the 1980s, and has collected some of them into a book called Transformations. Now her work is on exhibit at ClampArt, 247 W. 29th St., Ground Floor, New York, NY 10001. The Advocate has a story about Transformations.

Nikki Hiltz, an elite runner, announced that she is non-binary in a social media post. This story comes from PinkNews.

Lucasfilm revealed the cover of Star Wars: Pride on Transgender Day of Visibility. The cover features two non-binary Jedi. Games Radar has this story.

Legendary game player SonicFox was introduced at a video game tournament, not in front of a national flag, but in front of the transgender pride flag. The announcer introduced SonicFox as “the defender of trans rights.” This story comes from Out.com.

Ariana Grande has just claimed the title of most lip-synched singer in RuPaul’s Drag Race history. Out.com has this story.

Drag Race UK star Bimini Bon Boulash has just signed a modeling deal. This could be huge for non-binary fashion, according to Out.com.

Candy magazine has been celebrating transgender people and others who break the gender binary. Candy has now created a book from its first 12 years of publishing. It is one of five books recommended by CNN Style.

Nikkie de Jager has released a new video, describing how she was attacked and assaulted for being openly trans. PinkNews has this story.

Open Barbers in London have been specializing in affordable and accessible gender-affirming haircuts. The non-profit barber shop is led by trans people, and is profiled by PinkNews.

An editorial in PinkNews feels that transphobia in the British commonwealth is a leftover from British colonialism. Another editorial in PinkNews notes that transphobia has racist and colonial roots.

England Rugby has received criticism over its proposal to restrict transgender female players according to their height and weight. The plan calls for a group of coaches to assess individually if a taller or heavier player poses a safety risk to other women. PinkNews has this story.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison made some changes to the cabinet, introducing Amanda Stoker as the assistant woman’s minister. Ms. Stoker has a long history remarks that are far from friendly to transgender women. This story comes from PinkNews.

Rian Ross Toyer, a former Corporal in the Royals Australian Air Force, has been sentenced to jail time after all. He was originally given a suspended sentence for manslaughter in the death of transgender woman Mhelody Bruno, but it was discovered that a sentencing error occurred. He will serve 22 months in prison. PinkNews has this story.

Reverend Jo Inkpin says that she cried “tears of joy” when she was given her assignment as minister of an Anglican parish in Australia. This story can be found in PinkNews.

UNAIDS takes a look at transgender communities in Asia and the Pacific Islands.

The country of Georgia is known to be very socially conservative. For the first time, the government of Georgia granted a request for a legal change of gender status. PinkNews has this story.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken celebrated Transgender Day of Visibility by formally rejecting the Trump administration’s blueprint for human rights, of which the right of religious freedom beat all other human rights. The Biden administration’s view holds that women’s rights and LGBTQ rights temper religious freedom, as LGBTQ Nation notes.

FOLX Health, a digital healthcare company for LGBTQ people, has bought a giant billboard outside Mar-a-Lago, which displays the message, “Trans Lives Matter.” PinkNews has this story.

Billy Porter delivered the LGBTQ State of the Union, and the state for transgender people can be summed up as “needs improvement.” This is the third such speech for the actor, as PinkNews notes.

Out.com breaks the news that Robina Asti’s foundation has raised $100,000 for trans elders.

Transgender Day of Visibility brought a list of 21 very visible transgender people. The list can be found in PinkNews.

A list of ten times that transgender and non-binary people showed tremendous strength this year can be found at PinKNews.

Adventures In Time And Gender is a three-part podcast looking at the history of transgender people. It features an all-transgender cast and an all-transgender creative staff. PinkNews has a story about this.

An article in Sapiens requests that we stop erasing transgender people from history.

Two U.S. bishop and several Catholic organizations signed a letter released through the Human Rights Campaign, which says to transgender people, “God resides in you.” The letter notes that transgender people are often marginalized, and calls on Catholic leaders to “do everything we can to prevent any further discrimination or harm. This must start with more Catholic leaders underscoring the humanity of our dear neighbors.” This story comes from the National Catholic Reporter.

Julia Serano criticizes the way that some writers talk of “trans activists” as demanding greater acceptance for transgender people, while draping opponents of transgender rights in the clothing of “science”. In fact, real science is showing that transgender people are not mixed-up kooks, but rather, have an awareness about themselves and their place in the universe. The article in on her website.

TWITs

As if to show how little some of these opponent of transgender rights know of science, Minnesota state representative Eric Lucero said in opposing a bill to strengthen the state’s hate crimes provisions, “I believe in science. I believe if you have an XY chromosome you’re a male, if you have a YY chromosome you’re female.” This twit gets our first TWIT Award today. LGBTQ Nation has this story. Thanks to Alyssa Washington for a link to this story.

The Family Foundation of Virginia, along with the Founding Freedoms Law Center, have asked a court to reject the state of Virginia’s new guidelines on acceptance of transgender students, saying that the guidelines infringe on parents’ rights and on religious freedom. For demanding that others give them a respect that they will not give to others, the people behind this lawsuit get a TWIT Award.

A three-judge panel of the U.S. Appeals Court has reinstated a lawsuit by a college professor, who says that he was wrongly fired because he has a free-speech right to misgender a transgender student. He was fired for violating Shawnee State University’s nondiscrimination policy, but argues that he was exercising his “free speech” initiative. For claiming that a show of proper respect is a violation of free expression of religion, these judges of the appeals court get a TWIT Award. This story comes from LGBTQ Nation.Thanks to Alyssa Washington for a link to 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