Transgender Rights

Transgender rights are constantly evolving. Updates on proposed legislation and laws that affect your rights as a transgendered person. Whether you’re transsexual, a crossdresser or somewhere else on the gender spectrum it’s important to protect your rights.

When Hate Has Been Said And Done, Let Love Remain

By Vanessa Law | Published December 7, 2008 | 5 Comments

Julie Nemecek wrote a moving article a few weeks back on her website, that I believe is a transcript of the speech she gave at the MSU rally protesting proposition 8. Within it are words of wisdom for those fighting injustice, as many in the transgender community are passionately doing.

She starts strong, saying:

We are here today to celebrate the beginning of the end of the political power of the extreme right. They have lost their self-proclaimed moral authority and we have now claimed the moral high ground.

Indeed, I have felt for a long time that those on the far right claim to be followers of Jesus, but look more like those Jesus spoke out against. The higher moral authority comes from those who do as Jesus commanded – to Love others as you love yourself. To love your enemies as your friends.

Julie continues with the wisdom of how to fight prejudice, and is Martin Luther King-esque in the admonition to maintain the moral high ground. To speak with dreams of a better future, not out of hate and hurt but channeling our righteous anger into peaceful change this world needs.

We are angry today. It is a righteous and just anger but we must avoid words and deeds of violence or hate and harness that anger into positive expressions of the dreams we have. We are angry at some religious leaders, but we must not forget that many religious leaders, and true religious expression, are on our side.

Yet in this time we shouldn’t remain quiet – there are those who want to take away the gains we’ve made – to de-legitimize our claim to the fundamental rights every person should have.

Keith Olbermann’s comments on proposition 8 nearly brought me to tears, and are well worth watching:

Transgender Rights / Transgender Discrimination

I believe that despite all the challenges we face in the transgender community – despite the challenges that our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters face – that the United States was founded with a declaration that promises a bright future for all. I’ll end this post with Julie’s words of hope, because when all the hate has been said and done, love will remain.

230 years ago our country – our country! – issued a bold declaration proclaiming ALL are created with the inalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It took awhile before ALL included blacks, but we got there. It took awhile until ALL included women, but we got there. “ALL” still does not include lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transgender people, but we will get there!

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End Transgender Discrimination – Take This Transgender Survey

By Vanessa Law | Published October 11, 2008 | 4 Comments

This is important enough that I’ll make do without literary decorations – Take this transgender survey [update, survey has now been taken down] to help end transgender discrimination before you continue reading.

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Right, now you’re back from the transgender survey [update, survey has now been taken down] you took. You did take the survey, right?
….

When we are divided we are powerless. A lone transgendered voice is soon silenced, her bruised and beaten body left untended on the side of the road. For years we have experienced transgender discrimination – whether we are part time crossdressers or post-op transsexuals we have all felt the burden when our gender identity does not meet societies expectations.

This treatment is reserved for the lucky ones who are brave enough to live their life with freedom from their own judgement. Yet it is as we take the first steps to self acceptance that we collide with the intolerance and hate in society. For many of you the intolerance is not just a drunk heckling at the bar, it’s your employer firing you. It’s not just nasty comments from a teenager in the mall, it’s your landlord evicting you.

This is unacceptable in a free society.

And for some about to begin their journey of self discovery, the threat of being left desolate keeps you from finding who you really are. Your life is lead in a half-chorus. Singing stoically along, but never rising to the hallelujah’s. Clapping out of tune, and too ashamed to dance.

This is unacceptable in a free society.

There is a historic survey of the transgendered community, sponsored by NCTE and NGLTF. By understanding your experience they can work to end transgender discrimination. Please, if you have a few minutes take this survey and stand up for transgender rights [update, survey has now been taken down].

Should crossdressers care about transgender rights?

I recently wrote about crossdressing action that encourages crossdressers to stand strong with their transsexual and transgendered brothers and sisters. If you are a crossdresser who has never thought about transgendered rights please read this.You may not be willing to risk being outed, or have the financial means to support a transgender organization, but surely you can spare five minutes to make your voice heard online?

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