Transgender News and Issues

The latest transgender news and information. Find out what is going on in the world that affects the transgender community.

The Thin Pink Line

By Vanessa Law | Published August 27, 2009 | 15 Comments

You may have heard the news a few weeks ago that the first openly transgender mayor, Stu Rasmussen had a complaint filed against him (his chosen pronoun) for inappropriate attire.

I won’t repeat the whole story, the Statesmen Journal, and Feministing (with a counter point) do a good job describing it all. The short, short version is that Stu attended a youth event in high heels, a very short skirt and a revealing halter top. The director of the youth event filed a formal complaint about Stu’s outfit with the city council president. News ensues.

Oregon’s Transgender Mayor

I’ve been stewing on this (pardon the pun), for a while now, quite unsure how to comment on this. On one hand Stu has tremendous courage running for public office as a transgender person. His self expression doesn’t fit within the ‘norms’ of the transgender community. He has breast implants, presents as a woman, and chooses to be referred to as “he”. More genderqueer, and less “crossdresser” or “transsexual”. I’m tremendously proud of the self assurance he has shown to overcome not just the biases of society, but even the labels the transgender community tends to use.

There is not doubt that certain news organizations will jump on any opportunity to reinforce biases. It’s not fair, but it’s the world we live in. Stu showed a lack of judgment when he wore a skimpy outfit to a youth event. Worse, his lack of judgment reflects poorly on all those in the transgender community.

Do We Thwart Self Expression?

Yet for all I’ve said about, it’s a thin line that divides “self expression” from “responsibility to a group”. Society tells us we cannot wear dresses and makeup. Are we just as wrong to deny Stu his right to self expression? Perhaps in fighting so hard for our rights we treat the rights of other’s as expendable.

Tell me what you think. Where is the balance between self expression and group responsibility. Was Stu wrong to wear that outfit? Or are we wrong to get down on our first transgender mayor for his choice of clothes?

15 Comments | Tagged , | Trackback URL.

Let The Transgendered Child Inside You See The Light

By Vanessa Law | Published May 23, 2009 | 3 Comments

The other day I was reading the touching story of a young transgendered girl in Omaha. Her parents had made the courageous decision to allow their child, born male, to dress and present as a girl. Naturally, the headline in the story reads ‘Transgender Boy Barred From Catholic School’, because ‘Transgender Boy Receives Support From Loving Parents’ doesn’t have quite the same ring.

Unfortunately the Catholic school has decided to come down on the side of intolerance. I would normally make some ill humored remark about love and acceptance of the church, but I’ll forgo that for this post. Since the young girl-to-be has a bright future ahead of her. A short quote from the article struck me:

Omaha mental health therapist Ellie Hites said she’s worked with more than 200 transgendered clients in Omaha over the past 35 years.

Hites said she does psychological evaluations on all of her clients.

“One hundred percent of the time, I’ve never had anybody show up anything other than healthiest in the chosen gender role, as opposed to biological,” Hites said.

She said her adult transgender clients have lived through nervous breakdowns, suicide attempts and deep depression because they could never truly be themselves. She has four transgendered clients right now.

“The story that I get is that ‘I’ve known since I was real little, but everybody laughed or nobody paid any attention,’” Hites said.

The therapist said transgendered children insist they are the opposite sex, consistently.

“It’s like they arrive here with one biology but the mental set is counter to that,” Hites said.

Her adult transgender clients have lived through nervous breakdowns, suicide attempts and deep depression because they could never truly be themselves. How beautiful it is, that the young girl in the article gets a chance to grow up as a happy, normal child. One who doesn’t need to hide the person inside.

I think this is the true blessing that her parents have given her. Their selfless love will reap rewards through her entire life, and for generations to come. I think the urging of her mother is something all of us should take to heart:

“Just take the time to listen. It is different. It’s something most people have never heard of, but it doesn’t make it scary or pathological,” she said.

3 Comments | Tagged , | Trackback URL.

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.

….
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?

4 Comments | Also posted in Transgender Rights | Tagged , , , | Trackback URL.

What did you think about Isis getting voted off America’s Next Top Model?

By Vanessa Law | Published September 27, 2008 | Leave a comment

As you may know, Isis was voted off America’s Next Top Model. What do you think about this? Was it a tragedy of intolerance, or was Isis just not good enough to be America’s Next Top Model, transgendered or not?


What did you think about Isis, the first transgender contestant, being voted off America's Next Top Model?

View Results

Loading ... Loading ...
Leave a comment | Tagged , , , | Trackback URL.

Isis – You’ve Done the Transgendered Proud!

By Vanessa Law | Published September 25, 2008 | 2 Comments
Isis does the transgender community proud

Isis does the transgender community proud

Isis has left America’s Next Top Model. In the last episode Isis, the first transgendered contestant on America’s Next Top Model was voted off. Isis, you have done the transgendered proud! Thank you for your courage, your beauty and for representing the transgender community at a national level.

Isis made it through three rounds as a transgender model on AMNT, and shared some of her transgender secrets with eonline. I am extremely happy to see Isis make it this far and I share some of the same feelings as others in the community. Isis – you handled the questions and inappropriate remarks with dignity, and you competed with heart.

From watching Isis, I learnt a few things about crossdressing and being who I am as a transgendered person. Most importantly about confidence – be confident, don’t let spiteful remarks from others throw you off. Confidence is sexy, confidence is appealing. Isis’ godfather said it best, “It’s not what you are, it’s who you are. It’s not what they think you are, it’s who you know you are inside… Unless you believe it, they’re not going to see it.”

I’m sure we’ll hear more from Isis in the future. You can see the last few minutes of the episode below, and hear some parting words from Isis.

2 Comments | Tagged , , , | Trackback URL.

A Crossdressing Lesson from Isis – America’s Next Top Transgender Model

By Vanessa Law | Published September 23, 2008 | 4 Comments

As many of you know Isis is a transgender model competing in America’s next top model. She has already done incredibly well, passing through the first two rounds of the competition, despite being perilously close to being eliminated last week. (For those counting, I may be a week behind thanks to the wonders of Tivo – I’ll try and keep up with the episodes in the future).

Isis has two valuable crossdressing lessons for us from last week’s episode. The first has to do with handling yourself in the face of intolerance. One of the other girls in America’s next top model was clearly uncomfortable with Isis being transgendered. Even pushing her away during an evening when the girl’s where partying and hanging out. I was very impressed with how Isis responded – she didn’t get angry or upset, and pretty much just ignored it. Therein lies a valuable crossdressing lesson for all of us. As crossdressers and the transgendered there will be people in our lives who show us disrespect, disgust and discrimination. In many situations the best answer is to treat the other person with respect, ignore the insult and carry on with your life.

The next valuable lesson was more akin to a crossdresser beauty lesson. When doing modeling shoots, Isis struggled with her face – she would often forget to use the full range of expression, most often ending up in a stony look. One more suited to chopping wood in the forest than modeling in a beauty contest. The lesson for crossdressers and the transgendered is to watch your face! If you notice women they are often smiling. A scowl, frown or stony look is the first sign that something is amiss. Don’t let your face give you away. Smile – it’ll make you feel better, and help you to pass!

Here’s a brief video about Isis, for those who aren’t yet familiar with her.

—
P.S. Take the next step in your crossdressing career and read these crossdressing beauty lessons!

4 Comments | Also posted in Beauty and Makeup | Tagged , , , | Trackback URL.

Transgender Discrimination Is Deemed Illegal

By Vanessa Law | Published September 21, 2008 | 2 Comments

Just recently a transsexual person won a lawsuit against the Library of Congress. Former Army commander Diane Schroer won her lawsuit after a judge determined that her upcoming transition was the primary reason why she was denied a job. Many in the transgender community have been impacted by the threat of transgender discrimination at the workplace. Even as society has made progress against sexual orientation discrimination many transgendered people still live in fear of losing their livelihoods.

I spoke about the financial plight of the transgendered a few months ago, urging financial help for the transgendered – and that we take our financial health into our own hands. While I believe those who are able should take their financial future into their hand, it is also important to end harassment and discrimination in the workplace.

Cheryl posted a good summary on her blog about the implications for transsexuals.

“I don’t think this will make a huge difference to actual employment rights for transgender people. To start with, if I am reading Dr. Weiss correctly, all companies have to do is have a policy of “we don’t employ transsexuals” and they are automatically covered by existing precedent – they don’t have to say anything else and risk getting into a mess like the Library of Congress did. In any case, refusing to hire someone because they are transgender, or firing them when you find out that they are, is ridiculously easy for a competent HR department. Even in the San Francisco Bay Area, 75% of the transgender population does not have full time employment. Furthermore, it takes someone with the sort of bravery and determination that Diane Schroer has shown to fight a case like this. Nevertheless, this is a landmark ruling, and one that will send shock waves through HR departments all over the USA. It will also act as a welcome kick in the pants for the Democrats in Congress, many of whom still believe that transgender rights are an issue that they dare not touch.”

You can also find some insightful commentary from the Bilerico Project, such as the below:

The most important aspect of the decision is the ruling that discrimination based on gender identity is literally discrimination based on sex. Schorer’s lawyers argued, and the judge agreed, that gender identity is a component of sex, and therefore discrimination based on gender identity is sex discrimination. This might sound like a simple proposition, but previous federal courts have “carved [transgender] persons out of the statute by concluding that ‘transsexuality’ is unprotected by Title VII.”

Personally I believe that any victory in the courts is good news for the transgender community. It is unacceptable to see people with twenty five years of service to their country discriminated against. I believe that many reasonably minded people will also find it unacceptable. By shining a light on this transgender discrimination and prejudice we build up awareness and support of others in this great country.

Diane’s words after the trial seem to sum it up best:

“I knew all along that the 25 years of experience I gained defending our country didn’t disappear when I transitioned, so it was hard to understand why I was being turned down for a job doing what I do best just because I’m transgender. It is tremendously gratifying to have your faith in this country, and what is fundamentally right and fair, be reaffirmed.”

2 Comments | Tagged , , , , | Trackback URL.