Clipmarks | Transgender Clips

Out in Hollywood: Starring Roles are Rare

Sun, 28 Sep 2008 05:08:43 GMT

clipped by: dulios
clipper's remarks:

“The industry is persuaded that being known as gay will undermine your credibility both as romantic lead or an action star,” said Larry Gross, director of the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Southern California and author of a book on media portrayals of gays and lesbians.

“They don’t test it,” he said. “We’re waiting for the Jackie Robinson moment when someone tests that assumption and discovers it’s not true.”

Clip Source: www.nytimes.com

STAR COUPLES Clockwise from top right, Jasika Nicole, at right in photo, and Claire Savage; Mark Cornelson, left, and T. R. Knight; George Takei, right, and Brad Altman; Neil Patrick Harris, right, and David Burtka; Portia de Rossi and Ellen DeGeneres.

Never before have gay story lines been so prominent. Nor have there ever been so many gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender characters on television — 83 by a recent count from the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, not counting reality shows, daytime dramas or gay-oriented cable networks.

Yet for most gay actors, Hollywood is not a warm and fuzzy episode of “Will & Grace.” Today, it is certainly more acceptable to be openly gay. But these actors must still answer wrenching questions: Just how candid do you want to be? Would you be happy appearing only in comedies, or being pigeonholed as a character actor? And what does the line “You’re just not right for the role” really mean?

Tags: lgbt, gay rights, hollywood

Thai school offers transsexual toilet

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 15:28:51 GMT

clipped by: haraya
clipper's remarks:

Thailand is well known for its tolerance of transgender men, and they are very visible in everyday life. Sex-change surgery has become a speciality of the Thai health industry, and it is relatively inexpensive; patients come here from all over the world for the operation.

Despite their high profile in Thailand, transsexuals complain that they are still stereotyped - they can find work easily enough as entertainers, in the beauty industry, the media, or as prostitutes, but it is much harder to become a transgender lawyer or investment banker.

And their biggest complaint is that they cannot change their legal status.

Despite a proposal during the drafting of a new constitution last year, to allow them to change the gender on their identity cards, this has not yet been approved.

What the third toilet looks like [video].

Clip Source: news.bbc.co.uk

Kampang is proud of its toilets. Spotless, and surrounded by flowering tropical plants, they have won national awards for cleanliness.

But there is something else about them too. Between the girls' toilet and the boys', there is one signposted with a half-man, half-woman figure in blue and red.

The headteacher, Sitisak Sumontha, estimates that in any year between 10% and 20% of his boys consider themselves to be transgender - boys who would rather be girls.

"They used to be teased every time they used the boys' toilets," he said, "so they started using the girls' toilets instead. But that made the girls feel uncomfortable. It made these boys unhappy, and started to affect their work."

So the school offered to build the transgender boys their own facility, and they welcomed it.

The pupils have to wear boys' uniforms, but use feminine accessories

Tolerance, said Suttirat, is not the same thing as acceptance.

Tags: gender, society, asia, thailand, discrimination, news, toilets, school, transsexuals, culture

Closet UK: 49% of gay people are too scared to come out at work

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 13:24:12 GMT

clipped by: yewtree
clipper's remarks: This was a 2006 article. No stats for bisexual or transgender people.

Clip Source: www.independent.co.uk

When Christine Smith told her colleagues at work that she was gay she thought they would be sympathetic. Her friends had been supportive; her family had not batted an eyelid. Her job as an office assistant at a publishing firm was going well. She was enjoying it and her line manager was happy with her work.

Within a week everything changed. "I got called in by my manager. She said, 'We have grave concerns over the lifestyle choice you have taken. We do not think it fits the company ethos.' She gave me a cheque for a month's salary and I was escorted off the premises. It was awful."

Tags: gay, lgbt, lesbian

94.2% of the 2008 Fortune 500 Provide Sexual Orientation Nondiscrimination

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 10:48:33 GMT

clipped by: queah

Clip Source: www.marketwatch.com

PHILADELPHIA, Aug 27, 2008 /PRNewswire-USNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Senator Obama and Senator McCain Take Opposite Positions on Sexual Orientation Workplace Protection

Equality Forum, a national and international gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) civil rights organization, reported that 471 (94.2%) of the 2008 FORTUNE 500 companies voluntarily include sexual orientation in their employment nondiscrimination policies. This year marks the fifth anniversary of Equality Forum's FORTUNE 500 project, which is a collaboration with Professor Louis Thomas, Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, and Ian Ayres, William K. Townsend Professor, Yale Law School.

Legislature Approves Harvey Milk Day

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 13:55:16 GMT

clipped by: queah

Clip Source: www.commondreams.org

Bill Authored by Assemblymember Leno, Sponsored by EQCA,
Honors One of Nation’s First Openly Gay Civil Rights Champions

SACRAMENTO - August 5 - The full Legislature has approved a bill that would establish May 22 as Harvey Milk Day in California, honoring the late civil rights pioneer with a day of special significance. On Tuesday, the Senate approved Assembly Bill 2567 with a 22-13 vote. The measure passed the Assembly last month, and will now go to the governor’s desk for signature.

AB 2567, authored by Assemblymember Mark Leno, D-San Francisco, and sponsored by Equality California, creates a day of special significance commemorating Milk’s birthday. If the governor signs the measure, California would become the first state in the nation to designate a day honoring a leader of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community. The bill first returns to the Assembly for a concurrence vote before going to the governor for his signature.

Clip Source: inmyheartblog.files.wordpress.com

Stonewall Democrats Report 27% Increase in Gay & Lesbian Convention Participants

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 13:49:40 GMT

clipped by: queah

Clip Source: www.marketwatch.com

WASHINGTON, Aug 05, 2008 /PRNewswire-USNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Today, National Stonewall Democrats announced that a record number of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) delegates -- more than 350 -- will attend the Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colorado. This represents approximately 6% of total convention attendees and is 27% increase from the 282 LGBT participants in 2004.

Tributes left to gay hate victim

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 13:36:59 GMT

clipped by: queah

Clip Source: news.bbc.co.uk

Michael Causer, 18, from Whiston, Merseyside, was attacked in Tarbock Road, Huyton, on 25 July.

He was treated for serious head injuries at the Walton Critical Care unit but died on Saturday.

Matthew Fox, from the Liverpool Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Network, said a decision on how to mark his death will be made on Wednesday.

'Transsexuality gene' makes women feel like men

Sat, 02 Aug 2008 18:46:38 GMT

clipped by: Silkweaver
clipper's remarks: Complex behaviors are never the result of a single factor, or a single gene.

Clip Source: www.newscientist.com

A gene variant has been identified that appears to be associated with female-to-male transsexuality – the feeling some women have that they belong to the opposite sex.

While such complex behaviour is likely the result of multiple genes, environmental and cultural factors, the researchers say the discovery suggests that transsexuality does have a genetic component.

The variation is in the gene for an enzyme called cytochrome P17, which is involved in the metabolism of sex hormones.

Its presence leads to higher than average tissue concentrations of male and female sex hormones, which may in turn influence early brain development.

However, Janett Scott, former president of the Beaumont Society, a UK support group for transgender people, is concerned that positing a biological basis for transsexuality may encourage people to try and cure it

Tags: gender study, transexuality, genetics

World's First 3rd Toilet: Transgender Logo Hits Thailand

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 01:29:12 GMT

clipped by: digitalsistere
clipper's remarks: That logo would look more appropriate in a Saw movie.

Clip Source: news.bbc.co.uk

With its spacious, tree-lined grounds and slightly threadbare classrooms, there is nothing obviously unusual about the Kampang Secondary School.

Every morning at 0800 they all gather outside to sing the national anthem and watch the flag being raised.

Then they have a chance to use the toilets, before heading off the first classes of the day.

Kampang is proud of its toilets. Spotless, and surrounded by flowering tropical plants, they have won national awards for cleanliness.

But there is something else about them too. Between the girls' toilet and the boys', there is one signposted with a half-man, half-woman figure in blue and red.

This is the transsexual toilet, and outside, in front of the mirrors, some decidedly girly-looking teenage boys preen their hair and apply face cream.

The headteacher, Sitisak Sumontha, estimates that in any year between 10% and 20% of his boys consider themselves to be transgender - boys who would rather be girls.

Vichai Saengsakul, 15, agrees.

Tags: sex, thailand, transgender, male, female, toilet, bathroom, teens, school

Nancy Pelosi: So what are these "San Francisco values", anyway?

Tue, 29 Jul 2008 23:11:10 GMT

clipped by: Lexica
clipper's remarks: "Nancy Pelosi said aloud today what everyone knows implicitly and no one ever acknowledges: when the right-wingers talk about "San Francisco values," they're condemning San Franciscans for not spitting on the LGBT community with a wink and a nod." -- from the Jezebel post about this

Clip Source: www.huffingtonpost.com

San Francisco values to me means that every child in our city has health insurance until they are 25 years old. San Francisco values say we don't have a minimum wage, we have a living wage. In San Francisco we respect the dignity and worth of every person and respect is the order of the day there. Issues like protecting the environment aren't issues for us -- they are values and ethics.

"I think they highlight them because they are the forces that are fighting health insurance for our children... they are the forces that are fighting increases in the minimum wage. So when they sort of use their winks and nods about San Francisco values, they are talking about the fact that we respect our gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community. But what they are really afraid of is economic justice.

Tags: san-francisco, values, ethics, morals, equality

Pro-bullying Christians

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 14:00:52 GMT

clipped by: JohnWaterman

Clip Source: friendlyatheist.com

Why would conservative Christian groups in North Carolina be against a bill that would “require more detailed school policies about bullying” at school, protecting students from abuse and school violence?

Take a wild guess.

Yep… because gay students would be protected under this bill as well.

And we can’t have that now, can we…?

Mark Creech, executive director the Christian Action League of North Carolina, warns there is a “hidden agenda” behind the bill to negate what he describes as the “strongest voices of criticism” against homosexual, bisexual, and transgender behavior in society.

“The evil of the legislation,” says Creech, “is that it elevates sexual orientation and gender identity or expression on the same levels with the enumerations of race, color, ancestry, national origin, gender, physical appearance, mental, physical or sensory disability — which are all immutable or unchangeable characteristics.”

4 Teenagers Are Arrested in Attack at Gay Shelter

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 20:21:27 GMT

clipped by: zasel
clipper's remarks: As much as things have improved in society in its acceptance of glbt people, these kinds of horrible incidents occur on a daily basis. It is important for the members of the gay community to NOT fall into a state of complacency, because homophobia is still alive and well.

Clip Source: www.nytimes.com

Four teenagers have been arrested on charges that they harassed and struck a priest who runs a Queens shelter for transgender and gay youth. Some of the shelter’s residents were also attacked, officials said on Tuesday.

Father Braxton, an Episcopal priest who is the shelter’s director, said he shouted at the attackers and they fled. But four youths returned soon after holding a paint bucket, a miter box, steel brackets and a belt. By then other shelter residents had gathered outside, Father Braxton said.

Two residents of Carmen’s Place argued with the four and were punched in the face and body, Kevin Ryan, a spokesman for the Queens district attorney’s office, said.

Father Braxton said the group used obscenities and homophobic and anti-transgender slurs. He met with detectives from the Police Department’s Hate Crimes Unit on Tuesday to discuss safety concerns.

Helen Peterson, a spokeswoman for the district attorney’s office, said that “hate crime charges are being investigated.”

Pictured: World's first pregnant man mows his lawn just weeks before giving birth

Tue, 20 May 2008 16:41:31 GMT

clipped by: digitalsistere
clipper's remarks: WTF? I didn't know this was even possible! Wow

Clip Source: www.dailymail.co.uk

Pictured: World's first pregnant man mows his lawn just weeks before giving birth

Keeping the lawn in tip-top shape is a matter of pride for many men and bearded transsexual Thomas Beatie is no different - despite being seven months' pregnant.

Thomas, who was born Tracy Lagondino, said he first felt he was trapped in the wrong body when he was in his 20s and quickly went from a Miss Teen Hawaii finalist to taking testosterone and growing a beard.

The transsexual says he is carrying a child on behalf of his wife because she has had a hysterectomy.

Thomas said his first attempt to have a child resulted in an ectopic pregnancy with triplets. They had to be aborted, he said, and he lost his right fallopian tube.

"I will be my daughter's father and Nancy will be her mother. We will be a family."

"A transgender man can be pregnant because he has the same organs as a woman," said Dr Lisa Masterson, an obstetrician at Cedars-Sinai Medical Centre in Beverly Hills.

Tags: weird, bizarre, pregnant, sex, human, feminism, news

Transguy Pregnant With His Child

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 14:35:07 GMT

clipped by: spolastre
clipper's remarks: This is pretty cool.

Clip Source: www.womenshealthmag.com

Thomas Beatie, a transgendered male, is approximately 6 months pregnant with his own child. In a story he wrote for The Advocate, a well-known Los Angeles-based magazine, he explains that he is "legally male, and legally married" to his wife Nancy.

Because Nancy cannot bear children due to a severe case of endometriosis when she was younger, the couple decided Beatie would carry the child. Beatie was born female and had sex assignment surgery to remove his breasts, but kept his other female reproductive organs. The child was conceived through home insemination.

He says in the article, "How does it feel to be a pregnant man? Incredible."

Tags: transgender, transguy, pregnancy

Gender-bending: the original spirit of Pride

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 11:43:31 GMT

clipped by: spherepet

Clip Source: www.theglobeandmail.com

Gender-bending: the original spirit of Pride

June 25, 2008 at 12:18 AM EDT

AIDAN JOHNSON

Downtown Toronto will shut down Sunday as people gather to celebrate homosexuality and gender-bending. The occasion is Pride Day, one of Canada's largest cultural events.

Some complain that the event's mainstream acceptance has left Pride without soul, a massive corporate-sponsored opium-farm. Where, the radicals ask, is the deep iconoclastic spirit of the very first Pride marches, before it was safe to be gay?

More than ever, the answer is in the second part of what the Pride revellers gather to be proud of: not homosexuality, but gender-bending. Today, in most parts of Canada, almost anyone can be gay. But to be transgender takes a particular courage.

Canadians are steadily approaching the new cultural battleground of transsexual rights mindful of ethical lessons from previous debates about minorities

cisgender

sexual liberation

personal expression

identified with one's birth sex

invaluable social wealth

Tags: pride, pride day