A simple, matter-of-fact article by a retired gynecologist in her 80s talking about what it was like to treat women who had tried to abort themselves or who had been worked on by an abortionist (who was not medically trained) in the days before Roe.
Blogging for LGBT Families
This year, to blog for LGBT families, I want to highlight the fantastic new work by COLAGE called the Kids of Trans Resource Guide (pdf). I’m not sure if I can express how desperately this guide was needed nor how happy I am to see it published. It includes not just tips for people who are children of trans people – whether they are still children or have become adults – but it also gives great advice to trans people who are parents, as well, including this gem:
“As a parent, remember that your children come first and your transition comes second. Transition is an inherently self-focused process, as you align your body and appearance with your gender identity. The best way to be a responsible parent during transition is to make your children a major priority throughout the process. Sometimes this means that you have to compromise your ideal time frame for your transition in order to keep relationships with your family healthy.”
Shock and revelation! Trans people are parents, children, spouses; they have families, extended families, and can adjust their transition goals to help the people who love them transition around them. How much does that rock? You can also access COLAGE’s Kids of Trans pages on their website.
(cross-posted to Trans Group Blog)
Sign the Petition
On the Task Force, named as Sexual and Gender Identity Disorders Chair, we find Dr. Kenneth Zucker, from Toronto infamous Centre for Addictions and Mental Health (CAMH, formerly the Clarke Institute). Dr. Zucker is infamous for utilizing reparative therapy to Ccure gender-variant children. Named to his work group, we find Zuckers mentor, Dr. Ray Blanchard, Head of Clinical Sexology Services at CAMH and creator of the theory of autogynephilia, categorized as a paraphilia and defined as man paraphilic tendency to be sexually aroused by the thought or image of himself as a woman.
Also Dr Ann Lawrence, a supporter of his JUNK SCIENCE.. is understood to be in consideration as an alternate member.
We, the undersigned hereby object to their inclusion on this committee, and object to the hurtful theories they promote.
In order to have any credibility in the field of gender identity, the DSM must not include discounted theories or junk science. We ask that they be removed at once as members.
(Thanks to the 1000+ of you who have already signed.)
Bee a Mensch
The honey bee colonies in the US are dying. We really are up shit’s creek without them, since they pollinate most of our food so it grows. Haagen-Dazs has created a site, Help the Honey Bees, to raise awareness. You can donate there, find out more, & even buy “Long Live the Queen” t-shirts (profits go to the people researching the problem).
Me, I wish them good health when I see them.
Party with the Sexerati
It just so happens that some of our sexed-up friend are throwing a double book launch party on our 39th birthday, so of course we’re going, & you’re free to join us:
On May 13, 7:00-10:00 pm, you and your peeps are invited to….Party with the Sexerati!
Come celebrate the release of two exciting new books:
- Opening Up: A Guide to Creating and Sustaining Open Relationships by Tristan Taormino and
- Tantra for Erotic Empowerment: The Key to Enriching Your Sexual Life by Mark Michaels and Patricia Johnson.
Tantra teachers Mark Michaels and Patricia Johnson and sex expert/Village Voice columnist Tristan Taormino will party with the Sexerati as they schmooze, dance, and sip on special complimentary cocktails provided by Espiritu del Ecuador. You’ll get an exclusive sneak preview of their latest collaboration: see Mark and Patricia teach Tantra techniques to performers in Tristan’s latest volume of her award-winning porn reality series, Chemistry 4: The Orgy Edition. Every person who purchases a book will get a free tantra, sex ed, or porn DVD. Guests will also be treated to fabulous gift bags full of sexy, sensual, fun goodies hand-picked by the authors. Plus, don’t miss an exciting performance at 9 pm by a very special guest!
(Directions & other info below the break) Continue reading “Party with the Sexerati”
Guest Author : Mercedes Allen
(crossposted in several places, and people are welcome to forward this on freely to others in the transgender and GLBT communities, as I see this as being very serious — Mercedes)
A short time ago, I’d discussed the movement to have “Gender Identity Disorder†(GID, a.k.a. “Gender Dysphoriaâ€) removed from the DSM-IV or reclassified, and how we needed to work to ensure that any such change was an improvement on the existing model, rather than a scrapping or savaging of it.
Lynn Conway reports that on May 1st, 2008, the American Psychiatric Association named its work group members appointed to revise the Manual for Diagnosis of Mental Disorders in preparation for the DSM-V. Such a revision would include the entry for GID.
On the Task Force, named as Sexual and Gender Identity Disorders Chair, we find Dr. Kenneth Zucker, from Toronto’s infamous Centre for Addictions and Mental Health (CAMH, formerly the Clarke Institute). Dr. Zucker is infamous for utilizing reparative (i.e. “ex-gayâ€) therapy to “cure†gender-variant children. Named to his work group, we find Zucker’s mentor, Dr. Ray Blanchard, Head of Clinical Sexology Services at CAMH and creator of the theory of autogynephilia, categorized as a paraphilia and defined as “a man’s paraphilic tendency to be sexually aroused by the thought or image of himself as a woman.â€
There is Nothing Like a…
… No, not a dame. (Or a Dane, for those of you who saw Betty’s performance with the Butch McCloud cast).
Rather, there is nothing like a resume for making you aware of what exactly you’ve been doing with your time. There are moments, reviewing and updating mine, that I want to put things in parentheses
- 2008: survived Wisconsin winter
- 2002: wrote unpublished novel
- 2001 – 2008: played Sims for sanity’s sake
- 1993 – 1997: traveled extensively through SE Asia
- 1991 – still: worked on novel that I still can’t seem to get right
… stuff like that. It is interesting to see things drop off as time goes by – my job with NYPIRG in the early 90s is gone, as is my time working as an office assistant at CCNY. A long time ago my jobs at RKO Video and at my sister’s bakery disappeared.
Though sometimes, you know, I still want to mention that I was a paperboy: nothing like delivering papers to develop strong thighs and self-motivation. (I know you’re out there, fellow former paperboys! & If there are any female fellow paperboys, say hello!) I did come to suck at it because I developed a healthy fear of dogs. Amazing that I still went on to canvas door to door years later. It’s amazing what you can do to avoid the 9-5 grind.
No job yet.
Sleep Aides
Betty’s a poor sleeper so I’ve looked up stuff you can do:
- make sure you create a habit around going to bed (ie, do things in a certain order, which signals your brain that it’s time to go to bed)
- drink warm milk
- take a warm bath
- make sure you have clean sheets & a made bed
- add a few drops of lavender to your bath or your pillow
- try meditation or some relaxing yoga poses (Child’s Pose, Corpse Pose)
- & my favorite – put a tennis ball in your mouth for a minute before sleeping. it helps stretch out the jaw muscles where a lot of us hold our tension. good for those who grind their teeth, & recommended by my favorite masseuse. (alternately, you can put the tennis ball under your chin & hold it in place for a minute by keeping your jaw extended.)
Otherwise, Valerian is a non-addictive herbal remedy that is readily available at health stores. It’s stinky, but the stuff is amazing for relaxing & good sleep, and doubles as a cat treat (since cats respond to it like they do to catnip). You can try some of these suggestions, too.
Race + LGBT
I heard Jasmyne Cannick speak at the Bodies of Knowledge conference at USC Upstate, and the focus of her talk was race and the LGBT community. She made a couple of important points about the failures of the white LGBT set in dealing with black LGBT people. I use “black” because she did; she mentioned that she dislikes the phrase “people of color” but didn’t explain why exactly.
One of her main issues was that minorities are often used to trump up “diversity” numbers for primarily white LGBT organizations but aren’t then given any real power to choose issues within those organizations. Gay marriage in particular was way down on her list of priorities, after things like universal healthcare, jobs, access to education, immigration, access to power/politicians, and other issues of poverty. Her point was that in LA, it’s the white LGBT who live in West Hollywood, but that black LGBT people tend to live in their neighborhoods of birth: Compton, East LA, etc., exactly because of the issues of dicrimination and access.
As she put it: “Just because someone doesn’t agree with you that gay marriage is the most important issue doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be at the table.” Continue reading “Race + LGBT”
TG Veterans Survey
New Transgender Veterans Survey
Immediate release. Please post this everywhere.
Transgender American Veterans Association
Contact: Monica F. Helms, President
president@tavausa.org
www.tavausa.org
A new survey has been created to achieve a more accurate picture of the state of the transgender American veteran population. Many of the issues facing transgender veterans are no different than those facing the rest of the transgender community. However negotiating healthcare thru the Veterans Administration and dealing with the Department of Defense poses its own unique set of challenges. This survey is also for those transgender people who are still serving in the military and those veterans who identify and are diagnosed as intersex.
Continue reading “TG Veterans Survey”