Helen Boyd Kramer's journal on gender and stuff
Rush Limbaugh (kinda) apologizes for calling a woman a slut, and does so by explaining that birth control is somehow a conversation about “sexual recreational activities.”
Talk about not getting it. Amazing how arrogant someone who can’t get pregnant can be about birth control.
So there’s a new series with a trans woman as killer heroine.
Expected criticisms?
amongst others.
That said, to me it looks like she’s portrayed sympathetically, not demonized, which would be a vast improvement. Second, she looks like she could be a really interesting character.
A gay veteran’s spouse is not as equal as a straight veteran’s spouse.
Interesting clip, no?
Here’s a nicely told story of a trans woman’s transition that’s pretty funny in parts – it’s audio, but worth the listen.
I liked this piece about a woman’s experience when her nanny transitioned from female to male.
Y’s transition changed me too. Watching Y’s struggle with weekly hormone therapy, decide when to come out to his family, friends, and employers, and select the appropriate public restroom, transformed my beliefs on gender identity. Even though I always supported the notion that people could be born into the wrong gender, I now view gender as more fluid — if there is a spectrum for sexuality, maybe there is also one with gender. I started making sure that I approach gender more sensitively with my own girls, allowing them to tell me who they are.Because of Y’s influence in our lives, I made the conscious effort to choose gender-neutral toys and clothing. When the decisions were still mine to make, I purchased balls and blocks, in lieu of Barbies and Hello Kitty, and opted for brown and green shirts, instead of pink and purple. Once the girls began to exert their own unique fashion sense, I encouraged them to select their own clothing, making sure that they had a variety of colors and styles to pick from.
That any parent would need a trans person in their lives to make these kinds of choices surprises me, but so much of gender is a default, an assumed and not examined role, that I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised at all.
It tires me that the only time people write about African American history, or individuals, is February, so I waited until March to post a link to this cool article in Ebony on African American trans people by the one & only TransGriot, Monica Roberts.
In 1967, civil rights and transgender advocate Lady Java stood up against discrimination and struck the blows that eventually brought down the odious codes used by the LAPD to harass her and other LGBT people in Los Angeles. Meanwhile, the Johns Hopkins Gender Program in Baltimore opened its doors and welcomed one of its first patients, an African-American transwoman named Avon Wilson. In the 70s, 80s and 90s, Black transpeople played key roles in the emerging trans advocacy movement. A. Dionne Stallworth helped organize and sign the incorporation papers of GenderPac. The late Alexander John Goodrum was not only a founder of TGNet Arizona, but sat on the City of Tucson’s LGBT commission. Lorrainne Sade Baskerville became an award winning leader in Chicago, a role which was eventually picked up by the late Lois Bates.
And of course I would add all the unnamed trans African Americans who are not out.
There’s a “group” here in Appleton called Appleton Taxpayers United who have filed a formal complaint against the city’s common council president because she brought donuts to otherwise unpaid poll workers. Her name was not on the ballot, mind you, and apparently this is an old tradition here.
& No, no one much is taking it seriously here, except the people who have to, as well as a couple of blowhards.
But the comments section is hysterical.
If you’re wondering if things are really all that cool & groovy in Appleton that the city has time to waste on bullshit like this. it isn’t. I mean, it is a pretty quiet city, all told, but it’s not like there aren’t better things for everyone to do.