NEXT MEETING at the Center August 13, 2016 Meeting 6:00PM

A Florida social and Support Group for TG’s and Their spouses/partners. Located in Central Florida

Volume 29 August 2016 Number 8 NEXT MEETING at The Center August 13, 2016 Meeting 6:00PM FEM mailing Address FEM Board of Directors Volunteers President: Carolyn Interviews Sheila Phi Epsilon Mu Vice President: Jessica Interviews Carolyn P.O. Box 158 Treasurer: Lynn GNO Coord. Jessica Highland City Newsletter Editor: Darlene Web Chief Stephanie FL 33846-0158 Librarian: Jennifer Social Activities open Director at Large Denise Social Activities Open Chapter Web Page Director at Large Stephanie http:// crossdressflorida.com/

ed our own Dana Ng. I was lucky enough to attend both the Stonewall Reception and the Street fest and both were fabulous, especially with those in attendance showing that we will not be pushed aside by terrorists or draconian politicians who have chose the LGBT community as the en- emy de jour for the upcoming elections.

St. Petersburg Pride enjoyed 260,000 attending all the events and a $22,321,700 financial impact on the local economy (I’d like to know how they got the $700.).

Our July meeting was held at the LGBT Center in Orlando. It’s an OK place and that we were able to enjoy great food at nearby ASH Restaurant was a plus. We had a very good discussion con- cerning our fears from the recent attack and the anti-Trans legislative proposals and the hatred resulting from them. We were very luck to be joined by Ann Currier, a therapist with Dr. David Baker-Hargrove’s Two Spirit Health Services and welcomed new member Mark and guest

SOUTHERN COMFORT CONFERENCE JUST AROUND THE CORNER September 27th through October 1st.

If you’ve spoken with anyone who’s been to an For August, we’ll be going back to the Orlando SCC in the past, you know why you shouldn’t LGBT Center located at 946 Mills Ave. The miss this one. Great seminar, events, meals, and phone is 407-228-8272 should you get lost. It’s best of all, friends, new, old, and not yet met. actually in the very same strip center with Ritzy You simply have to go. There’s a great Yahoo Rags. We’re able to get in at 6:00, so we’ll do site called SCC Lounge you can subscribe to that our monthly GNO at The ASH Restaurant begin- will help you find a roomie if you want to share a ning at 4:30. ASH is a few doors east and locat- room. https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/ ed at 912 Mills Ave. scclounge/info

We will have limited facilities for changing and So get busy and register for the 2016 Southern applying makeup, but should be able to provide a Comfort Transgender Conference today! Sept. little bit of privacy to do so. We’ll have bottled 27th thru Oct. 1st at The Bonaventure Resort & water on hand too. Since we’re saving quite a bit Spa in Weston, FL!!http:// over the Maingate, the meeting fee will be only www.sccatlregistration.org/ $5.

We’ll be returning to the Maingate in September Statewide Transgender Resources Guide so we can iron out details for our October Pro- gram on Travelling Trans by Taylor and our Hal- An online guide published by Trans Action Flori- loween Party. da / Equality Florida that includes the entire state of Florida in addition to a wealth of information on St. Petersburg Pride was a breath of fresh air af- subjects near and dear to us, like name change, ter the tragedy at Pulse. A group bussed over driver’s licenses, etc., is available by going to from Orlando to lead the parade carrying signs Transgender Resource Guide or in the Files sec- with the names of the victims. The group includ- tion in our Yahoo Group.

ed Alabama’s height and weight requirements for Gender Is More Than Just Anatomy prison guard applicants, a policy that screened out most women. By Gillian Thomas THE showdown between the Justice Department The next year, the court ruled against the Los An- and North Carolina officials over a new state law geles Department of Water and Power, which re- restricting bathroom access for transgender peo- quired female workers to pay nearly 15 percent ple has brought a question into sharp relief: Does more of their paychecks into an employee-funded Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which pension plan, because women, as a group, out- bars discrimination because of sex, also prohibit lived men. That ruling has been cited again and discrimination because of gender identity? again by other courts: Title VII was “intended to strike at the entire spectrum of disparate treat- The Obama administration thinks so, as do sev- ment of men and women resulting from sex ste- eral district and circuit courts. But North Carolina reotypes.” officials call that a “baseless and blatant over- reach” and a “radical reinterpretation” of Title VII. Other court rulings have recognized myriad forms They argue that the authors of the law did not of sex discrimination that would likely blow Rep- have transgender people in mind when they resentative Smith’s mind. A gas company that erased women’s seniority while they were on ma- wrote it. ternity leave, while keeping other leave-takers’ But that position not only misunderstands how credit intact, was ruled in 1977 to have discrimi- legislative interpretation works, it also fails to nated because of sex. A few years later, the Su- grasp the historic complexities of Title VII’s sex preme Court found an employer’s health plan that provision. The provision has always been con- provided less extensive care for the wives of tested. Since we don’t know much about why male employees than for female employees to be Congress enacted it, we have to look at how discriminatory. courts have interpreted it over the years — and they have constantly expanded its meaning. Sexual harassment, a concept that didn’t even have a name in 1964, was finally acknowledged In the original bill, Title VII prohibited on-the-job by the court in a unanimous 1986 decision to be discrimination only on the basis of race, color, discrimination because of sex. About a decade national origin and religion. But shortly before it later, the court expanded Title VII’s coverage of passed the House, Representative Howard Smith sexual harassment by outlawing same-sex har- of Virginia added “sex” — perhaps as a poison assment, too. Justice Antonin Scalia wrote the pill, or to protect white women as well as black opinion and responded to critics who argued that women. In any case, because the amendment harassment of men by men was unquestionably was made during floor debate, we have almost not what Congress had in mind when it passed no record of what representatives were thinking Title VII. He wrote that legal protections “often go when they voted on it. beyond the principal evil to cover reasonably comparable evils,” and what matters is the law Once the act passed, it was largely up to courts itself, “rather than the principal concerns of to interpret the sex provision. At the beginning, our legislators.” the most blatant barriers fell — for example, re- jecting employers’ attempts to limit certain jobs Ann Hopkins’s successful lawsuit against Price only to women (flight attendant) or only men Waterhouse in 1989 became the template on (switchman for a telephone company). which later gender identity (not to mention sexual orientation) lawsuits have been based. Ms. Hop- Over the years, the courts deepened and broad- kins claimed that the accounting firm refused to ened their interpretation of sex discrimination. In promote her to partner because she was the Supreme Court’s first Title VII case, in 1971, “macho,” “overcompensated for being a woman” the justices unanimously ruled against a defense and didn’t look or act stereotypically feminine. contractor that refused to hire mothers of small children, but not fathers, because it considered The court ruled, in effect, that punishing a woman them less committed to the job. In 1977, it reject- for failing to conform to her employer’s notion of “womanhood” was just as discriminatory as

DeeRay as treating her poorly because she was a woman. The punishment a transgender person faces It is with deep regret that I announce permanent for violating sex stereotypes is just as much dis- closeting, nay being locked in a safe and the key crimination because of sex as it was for Ms. Hop- thrown away, of Deeray. kins. Deeray joined FEM in November 2003 and was In May 2016, when Attorney General Loretta VP and treasurer for many years under Carolyn’s Lynch compared today’s bathroom bans on trans tutelage. employees to “white” and “colored” bathroom signs of the past, she placed trans rights on a Two years ago Pati, Frank’s wife, passed away historical spectrum. and Frank has had trouble coming to terms with that. So much that Deeray no longer brought him North Carolina’s supporters don’t get that sex is relaxation, comfort or joy. He said to me many about more than just anatomy. It also includes times that since her death he had never felt more family roles, romantic desires, cultural expecta- lonely as he and Pati had been together 46 years tions and ideas of masculinity and femininity. The courts get that. In its fight with North Carolina, the A few months ago Frank met a lady and has tak- Justice Department asks for something quite sim- en to this lady strongly. He did date other women ple: that Title VII be allowed to mean what it says. but this was the one.

(Ed’s Note—The shame is that we have to have She is not favorable to transgender people or “laws” to protect some against the bigotry of oth- aware of Frank being transgender, albeit part ers) time. Frank wants to keep it that way and so has locked Deeray away. He would sooner have the company and relationship with this lady as being transgender has not been the same to him these past couple of years. He recently announced to me that he has sold his house in Florida and is moving to Tennessee with his new friend and buying a house there. He wants to leave the memories he has here and have a fresh start. We all wish Frank bon voyage and hope everything works out for him and he gets what he desires for his remaining years.

AUGUST BIRTHDAYS

August 3rd Amy Wagoner (Texas Cowgirl) August 4th Bobbie Croxford August 6th Jan Brown August 17th Jessica Yong (Where’s WaWa) August 23th Sheila (Downtown Abbey) August 25th Miranda Franklin August 29th Jennifer

MEETING FEES :- $12.00 Wives :- Free

Meeting room opens 4:30 to 5:00PM Maingate Lakeside Resort

7769, W. Irlo Bronson Memorial Hwy.(192)

Directions: On 192 continue west of I-4 to the light at Formosa Gardens Blvd. Turn right (Walgreens on corner). Hotel is straight back.

Updated: Making Reservations at the

Maingate Lakeside

Mari is now handling our account, so for room reservations, call Krista, at 407-997-1110. Tell her you’re with Phi Epsilon Mu and make your reservation. If you get voice mail, leave your message and she will get back to you. She’s the fastest way to reserve a room.

The rate is $49.95 + tax for our group with no resort fee.

The procedure for taking the changing room for the night has not changed. You still must reserve it through Lynn. We permit our members to stay over in the changing room for a fee of $25 to help offset costs.

To help coordinate the arrangements Lynn schedules this. If you intend to stay over, please contact Lynn and let her know. Lynn can be The New Phi Epsilon Mu Website is reached at [email protected] You MUST Up! arrange this with Lynn beforehand.

. Stephanie has gone live with our new website. It

can be accessed by going to transsupportfl.com

There will be a lot of new features accessible

soon including a members only group for pictures

and video, a forum, resources and links, and a

link directly to a public Facebook Group. Please

thank Stephanie for all her work making this most

recent edit happen. AND, a Big Thank You to

Desiree for her work as webmistress the last two

years or so. As things are changing so rapidly,

we’re fortunate to have these two ladies helping

us keep abreast of the changes. Yep, pun in-

tended

6 Meeting Dates for 2016 in the Palm Room Unless otherwise stated in the Newsletter

January 9 July 9 February 6 August 13 March 5 September 10 April 9 October 8 May 14 November 12 June 11 December 3

Other Recurring Monthly Events

Gamma Kappa Gamma Meetings 2nd Saturday … St. John the Apostle Metropolitan Community Church 3049 McGregor Blvd Fort Myers, FL 33901

Trans Support Network of West Central Floria 3rd Saturday...St. Petersburg

Gender Identity in Florida Today (G.I.F.T.) 1st and 3rd Tuesdays … The Center, Mills Ave Orlando

T Network of Orlando last Wednesday of each month 6-8pm at a restaurant (restaurant location announced on FB group page). Contact [email protected]

MBA Orlando - LGBT Chamber of Commerce meet the first Wednesday of each month at the "monthly Mixer" at a restaurant to be announced via FB Contact [email protected]

Friday August 12, 2016 TBD

Saturday August 13, 2016 The Ash 912 North Mills Ave. Orlando Dinner at 4:30 PM RSVP: Jessica by 8/11/16

2016 MEMBERSHIP FORM

TO BE FILLED OUT WHEN YOU JOIN OR RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP

PLEASE PRINT NEATLY AND RETURN IT WITH YOUR DUES THE DUES THIS YEAR ARE $30.00 FOR SINGLE AND $45.00 FOR A Family $12.00 Per Meeting Spouse Free

FEM NAME______

MALE NAME______

WIFE OR SO NAME______

MAILING NAME______

Birthday Month______Day______

Spouse Birthday Month______Day______

ADDRESS______

CITY______STATE______ZIP______

CELL PHONE NUMBER ______

E-MAIL ADDRESS______

DUES PAID BY:

CASH______CHECK______DATE PAID______

AMOUNT______

(IF PAYING BY CHECK, PLEASE MAKE CHECKS PAYABLE TO: PHI EPSILON MU)

I hereby release and hold harmless Phi Epsilon Mu and any board member for loss, harm or any unlawful act to, from and at any Phi Epsilon Mu function.. I also will abide the By Laws of Phi Epsilon Mu as posted on the web site.. Sign ------

Please Mail To: Phi Epsilon Mu PO Box 158 Highland City FL 33846-0158

who had lost loved ones or friends at the vigil hit Trans Advocacy and Groups in Cen- me hard. We hugged each other, hugged tral Florida strangers, and then the tears. Speakers spoke but most deafening was the si- By Dana Ng lence of thousands with candles lit, the reading of

each vic- Although I did not personally know any of the tim’s name, Pulse victims I have friends who did. and then the Phi Epsilon Mu is not the only group I’m part of. echoing of a When not on travel I attend T Network, MBA Or- bell’s gong lando, Equality Florida, and Body Art Showcase fading away Event. The T Network is for transgender FTM, before the next name MTF, MM, FF, their family, friends, and support- was read. ers. This group has monthly meetings where And then we you’ll meet parents, siblings, children, and we all sang Let It Be at the end which gave us a meet in a public restaurant averaging 40 per sense of unity and hope. meeting. MBA Orlando is the Metropolitan Busi- ness Association for the LGBT Chamber of Com- On 17 June, I went to the BASE Pulse Rainbow merce of business owners. MBA has a few meet- event. When artists hurt they paint! Mandi Ilene ings per month and I attend the MBA Mixer which Shiff organized a rainbow themed group painting averages around 100-150. We usually meet at downtown in Thornton Park where 49 models various LGBT owned businesses where you can were painted the colors of the rainbow. They get first hand info on transgender rights, transi- showed support for the Pulse Victims and sup- tioning in the work place, finding a job as a port for the LGBT community through their art! transgender person, and just making friends and Thank you Mandi BASE artists and models! meeting folks. Equality Florida is a very politically active organization for LBGTQ rights with the fabulous Gina Leigh Duncan as the Transgender In- clusion Director. They have lots of activities and events, such as the Pulse Candlelight Vigil at Dr Philips Center and the Thank Target for support day. The Body Art Showcase Event (BASE) is where body painting artists and models have a quarterly show where a lot of the artists and models are supporters of the LBGTQ community. I Had to go to NYC and missed the Lake Eola Through these organizations I have made lots of Vigil but I followed friends in attendance through friends in the LGBTQ community. Guessing at their posts and vids. Most disappointing was see- this point maybe a fifth of my FaceBook friends ing posts of friends out and about somewhere are cross dressers or transgender MTF. among the many of Pulse vigils and Pulse fund- raisers occurring at the same time. So here’s what I’ve been up to through June and July: The first Pulse event I went to was the Candle- The next event I was able to attend was the lay- light Vigil for Pulse Victims and Survivors on ing of the Aloha Lei on 22 June where a 150 foot Monday night 13 lei was hand made in Maui and flown to Orlando. June at the Dr. The lei was divided into thirds where 1/3 was laid Philips Center. I was at the hospital, 1/3 was laid near Pulse, and I was kind of numb and in at the Dr. Philips Center where the last 1/3 was awe seeing the hor- laid. Each 1/3 of the lei had 49 seashells with the ror in the news. Now name of a Pulse victim inscribed in the shell being with friends

Hawaiian prayers and horns were blown to honor silence the victims. This were service concluded shouts of with us holding support hands and a which had Priestess praying me in tears. for the victims and their families. We This was my view after we turned onto Central Ave. The were all in tears. crowd out pouring was over whelming and had That night I had dinner with friends and the topic me in tears. of grief came up. I know each of us grieve in our own way and there is no right or wrong way On 11 July I was asked to help the honoring of the Pulse victims in Kissimmee at the Angels Around Pulse event. We dressed up as angels and each held a A fund raiser on 23 June was my next event sign with a pic- which was for the Pulse ture and some workers. This event was brief words at the Wildside Bar n about the victim. Grille to hear a band, some dancing, and dinner with friends where During the event proceeds went to sup- we lined up port the out of work around the audi- Pulse family. Pictured here are friends who lost ence. Then we moved upfront for the singing of friends and the 49 victims were listed on the the song Forty Nine Times written and sung by back. Brandon Parsons. There wasn’t a dry eye.. . Here’s a web add to a vid with the Angels Around The St Pete Pride parade on 25 June was my Pulse event https://www.youtube.com/watch? next event which honored the Pulse Victims. v=6cbIRZHoEjw Come Out With Pride Orlando (part of MBA Orlando) was invited to lead the St Pete Pride parade and they reached out to the various Orlando LGBT Groups. The parade was the most emotional and heart felt event I’ve ever attended. Over 100 of us marched as the Come Out With Pride group. The first 49 marched in a single file with each holding a sign with the name of their friend who was a Pulse victim. What was really touching was that couples had been victims together and couples who were friends of those victims marched side by side holding hands to honor their friends as a couple. The rest of us followed as a group holding lit candles. The outpouring of support and emotion from the parade watchers was incredible! Among the The last few weeks have been extremely emotional.

Except for maybe 5 or so FaceBook friends who Dana;s Story have survived my friend purges, I’ve met and have a picture with each and every one of my So briefly I started cross dressing in the early friends! These moments of meeting, learning, ed- 1980’s. Basically a couple of girlfriends dressed ucating, acceptance, or just plain fun are what I me up as the payoff for some bets I had lost. cherish. That’s when I realized something was missing in my life where I discovered a new inner peace and Make a difference and provide support! I’ve felt complete. learned that just being there provides support. Just seeing the numbers of folks who show up at I always knew something was missing but I nev- an event provides comfort and encouragement to er knew what until I was cross dressed and out in others there. You don’t have to donate money, public. My friends took me out bar hopping and you don’t have to buy something, you don’t even I’ve always gone out when I’m dressed where I have to cross dress (although I do), just show up! don’t partially dress or dress up and not venture To paraphrase Gina Leigh Duncan in that only out. Around the late 1980’s I joined Phi Epsilon thru visibility and education will we gain ac- Mu (PEM) where meetings were held in adjoining ceptance. By the way visibility does not mandate Days Inn hotel room suites with about 30-40 per being dressed, just showing up sends a message meeting back then. I moved to Atlanta in 1993 of support! Just being there does make a differ- and stopped going to PEM meetings. For the ence! next 20 or so years when I was on a business trip away from home I’d venture out as Dana to t- groups and LGBT bars and a few stores I had learned were accepting. Around 2007 is when my life really changed in that I discovered Fantasy Fest (FF) in Key West! I joined a group called the Krazy Krewe which has a few hundred straight members attending each year. Out of necessity I made a lot of Krewe friends who invited me over so I could change. I received lots of invitations to see my transfor- mation and the ladies luve to help me! On Face- Book about 200 or so of my friends I met at FF and most of them have seen my male side. Fan- (T Network group pic (recognize a few?) tasy Fest has become my yearly pilgrimage and this year will be my 9th consecutive FF! (ED’s note—Dana told me she especially likes FF because it’s a place she can really let her hair down and let her female “wild side” be free—perhaps something we all need to do occasionally ) ( Ed’s Note: I’ve seen Dana at meetings on and In 2014 I started working here in Orlando. off for the past five years but never really sat and Through the Central Florida Transgender Social talked to her. I’m happy to say over the past Meetup Group I found and joined the T-Network. twelve months I have made amends for that . I The T-Net lead me to the MBA and Equality found Dana to be a very honest caring person groups and those lead to other groups. A few of and am privileged to call her a friend. the Fantasy Fest body painting artists live here in Reading this article I was taken aback to know Orlando and now I’m attending the Body Art that Dana had been a member of FEM when the Showcase Events. In Orlando, I’ve made very group started—wow ) few new t-sisters but I’ve made over a couple hundred new LBGQ and straight friends!

5 Places To Meet Online you’re not in school and you’re not meeting peo- BY CASSIE SHEETS @CASSIELSHEETS ple at work, it’s a good way to find a group of LGBT people with common interests. There’s noth- 3) Try dating sites and apps. ing more affirming than A lot of people create dating profiles for the sole purpose of making friends, while others are open having a group to new friendships and dates. State that you’re of LGBT looking for friends in the first line of your profile. The dating app Her is geared toward lesbian, bi, friends. queer, and trans women and non-binary people. OkCupid has the world’s greatest feature—“I don’t want to see or be seen by straight people.” OkCupid focuses a lot on compatibility questions Whether you’re in a small town or a major city, and a lengthy profile, and has a wide selection of there are other LGBT people near you. The hard options for gender and sexual orientation. part is actually finding them. There’s nothing more affirming than having a group of LGBT 4) Get out there with Empty Closets. friends, but if you’re struggling to meet people near you, try finding friends online. Empty Closets is an online forum for ages 13 and up, with a chat room for members who apply. The 1) Find friends through Facebook, Twitter, forum covers a ton of topics, from entertainment and Tumblr. and media to coming out later in life. I’m always a little iffy about meeting people who are essential- One of the easiest ways to meet LGBT people ly anonymous in real life, so if you’re doing an in online is through Facebook. It’s still possible for person meet up from Empty Closets, add some- people to conceal their identity or present a false one on Facebook or get some proof they are who identity through Facebook, but it’s a little harder, they say they are first. and there are usually more red flags (an empty profile, no pictures, no friends). Search LGBT + 5) For ages 13 to 24, try TrevorSpace. [Your City/Closest Large City] or Queer Ex- change [Your City] to find groups of LGBT people TrevorSpace is a monitored youth-friendly site in your area. where lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning youth ages 13 to 24 can connect with Tumblr can be a mess. Tumblr is usually a mess. other young people throughout the world, and But if you start following LGBT blogs you like, can get involved in their local LGBT communities. send a message. There are even some Tumblr blogs dedicated to finding LGBT friends. Most (Ed’s note: I realize probably a lot of these Tumblr users are in their teens and early 20s. sites are a bit young for most of the girls at FEM. I just wanted to show how things have Twitter can also be a good place to meet LGBT improved over the last few decades,. From friends for all ages. Search tags you’re interested purchasing magazines in brown paper. To in, follow a group of people with common inter- looking at pictures on the internet. Meeting in ests, and search for meet ups in your area. hotel rooms with curtains drawn etc.

But every time girls huddled together in 2) Meet up with Meetup.com. “secret”, the fact was you where “huddling together” and from those beginnings of girls Meetup.com can be a little hit or miss, but try getting together the trans movement has searching LGBT, queer, lesbian, gay, bisexual, or grown to be more accepted. If we had re- transgender to find groups near you. You’ll find mained separate we would still be in that po- LGBT book clubs, hiking groups, improv groups, sition today. It’s because of groups like FEM softball teams, foodies, bar hoppers, and more. If in the past we can enjoy going out today)

In the past, Heritage also The Stunning, Hilarious Hypocrisy Of The has not been especially complimentary towards Christian Right’s Top Legal Team Roe v. Wade. By Ian Millhiser Another organization that, in the past, has dispar-

aged Roe and the right to privacy that it rests up- Tweet From: on is the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), the largest and most prolific legal organization advancing a conservative Christian agenda in the Heritage Foundation nation. “I hope you and your family will join me in ✔@Heritage praying for a speedy end to the horror of legal- Before we sacrifice our constitutionally protected ized abortion in America,” ADF president Alan right to privacy at the altar of gender identity poli- Sears wrote in 2015. Earlier this month, ADF criti- tics... http://dailysign.al/1NytAZN cized the right to privacy that forms the backbone 12:20 PM - 29 Jun 2016 of decisions like Griswold and Roe as “invented.”

Followed by: So it is a bit discombobulating that, if you click the link in Heritage’s tweet endorsing a constitutional right to privacy, you will be taken to an article hosted on a Heritage website and authored by Matt Sharp, an ADF attorney.

In it, Sharp breaks with his organization’s longstanding opposition to the legal theory under- lying cases like Griswold and Roe, emphasizing that the right to privacy is “most important for those” who are “most vulnerable.” It’s the sort of line that could have been written by pro choice Our Constitutional Right to Privacy Is Missing groups opposed to laws that force poor women to From Bathroom Debate drive long distances and overcome financially burdensome obstacles in order to obtain an abor- Before we sacrifice this constitutionally protected tion. right at the altar of gender identity politics, let us consider the consequences. But, of course, Heritage and ADF are not actually reversing their position on the constitutional right Although Heritage’s tweet concerns the ongoing to an abortion. Instead, Sharp’s piece is about a battle over whether the state should dictate which pair of lawsuits filed by ADF which attack school bathroom transgender people use, it is grounded policies that allow transgender students to use in a much older fight. The notion that the Consti- bathrooms and locker rooms that align with the tution protects an unenumerated “right to privacy” gender identity. forms the basis of many of the Supreme Court’s decisions protecting sexual freedom and bodily As one of those lawsuits explains, ADF’s new po- autonomy. sition is that permitting trans students to use such facilities violates “a fundamental right to bodily In Griswold v. Connecticut, a decision Herit- privacy” which is “grounded in the Fourteenth age previously criticized as “activist” because it Amendment’s Due Process Clause.” created “a ‘right’ not found anywhere in the text of Constitution or our nation’s laws and traditions,” It’s a legal claim that, to borrow from Heritage, is the Court held that a right to privacy protects “not found anywhere in the text of Constitution or married people who wish to use contraception. our nation’s laws and traditions” (ADF contests More recently, in Roe v. Wade, the justices clari- this point by, among other things, comparing a fied that this privacy right is “founded in the Four- trans-inclusive bathroom policy to child pornogra- teenth Amendment’s concept of personal liberty phy). and restrictions upon state action.”

Just as importantly, it is also a profound break from the conservative legal community’s well- established approach to arguments that the Four- Tyra Hunter Anniversary teenth Amendment protects a “right to bodily privacy.”

“There is no right to privacy, no generalized right to privacy,” the late Justice Antonin Scalia announced in a 2012 interview. When interviewer Chris Wallace pointed out that the Supreme Court said otherwise in Griswold, Scalia replied “indeed it did, and that was — that was wrong.”

Similarly, Judge Robert Bork, the failed Supreme Court nominee who is still spoken of by many conservatives as if he were a martyr who died on a cross for their sins, labeled Griswold “an un- principled decision, both in the way in which it de- rives a new constitutional right and in the way it defines that right.” Heritage’s Edwin Meese, who previously served as attorney general under This month is the twelfth anniversary of the death President Reagan, labeled the right to privacy of transsistah Tyra Hunter. “nonconstitutional.”

This has been the position of Roe v. Wade‘s The major differences in her death is that it didn't most prominent opponents for as long as most happen at the hands of a violent transphobe lawyers can remember — a principled position wielding a knife or gun. Her death was preventa- that the Fourteenth Amendment right to privacy is ble. The disgusting part of it is that the tran- not protected by the Constitution, and that it sphobes in this case were a doctor and a Wash- should be scrapped by the Supreme Court. ington DC firefighter.

And now they have abandoned that principled Tyra Hunter had been transitioned since she was position. Because they don’t like trans people. 14 years old. On the morning of August 7, 1995 the popular 24 year old hairdresser was on her (Ed’s note this article is catered against ex- way to work as a passenger in a car. That vehicle treme right wing fundamental groups/ ended up being involved in an accident at the churches and not against the real Christians.) corner of 50th and C streets in Southeast DC.

Tyra and the driver had been pulled from the smoking ruins of the vehicle by onlookers and were lying on the ground when fire department personnel arrived at the scene. The neighbor- hood began gathering to watch as a male firefighter began treating Tyra for her injuries. That is, until he cut open her pants leg and noted she had male genitalia.

At that point, according to eyewitnesses, the firefighter, later identified as Adrian Williams stood up and backed away from Tyra. She was semi- conscious, complaining about pain and gasping for breath as he was quoted as saying by one witness, "This bitch ain't no girl...It's a nigger, he got a dick."

Williams began joking with the other fire depart- accident ment personnel at the scene as the bystanders involving pleaded with them to resume working to save Tyra Tyra's life. One bystander is quoted as saying, "It made de- don’t make any difference, he’s [sic] a person, rogatory he’s a human being." comments about The firefighters on the scene didn't share that as- Tyra's sessment. They were more concerned with hon- personal ing their comedic skills than doing their duty. An- appear- other witness at the scene heard one of the fire- ance and fighters say, "look, it's got a cock and balls." withdrew While the firefighters stood around doing their not emergen- ready for prime time act, Tyra's treatment was cy medical discontinued for 5 to 7 critical minutes while by- treatment. Mrs. Hunter also charged that Tyra standers pleaded for them to resume treatment. died as a result of medical negligence while, or Finally an EMS supervisor arrived and resumed after being treated at D.C. General Hospital. treating Tyra. She was rushed to DC General

On December 11, 1998 a jury awarded Margie Hunter $2.9 million in damages. The jury determined that DC Fire Department employees violat- ed the 1977 DC Human Rights Law, and that Ty- ra Hunter's death was caused by medical mal- practice at DC General. Experts testified during the trial that had Tyra received proper medical care at either stage of treatment, she had an 86% chance of surviving the accident.

The city further angered DC transgender resi- dents by immediately appealing the decision. The case was later settled for $1.75 million. DC trans- Hospital where she arrived at 4:10 PM. people were further enraged when they discovered that not only were none of the firefighters at But the nightmare was just beginning for Tyra. the scene disciplined, but Adrian Williams had The DC General Hospital ER staff compound- subsequently received a promotion. ed the insulting neglect of the fire fighters. A doctor refused to treat her and she died of blunt force In Washington DC the Tyra Hunter Drop-In Cen- trauma at 5:20 PM in the now closed hospital's ter is named for her and the sensitivity train- emergency room. ing that DC fire department personnel attend is named in her honor as well. The case alarmed and enraged not only African- American transpeople nationally, but the entire We must never forget what happened to Tyra on transgender and local African-American commu- this day. We must also dili- nity. Over 2,000 people attended her August 12 gently work to ensure that funeral. what she suffered at the hands of emergency person- Tyra's mother Margie Hunter, who ironically nel is not replicated in our lo- works as a nurse, filed a $10 million civil lawsuit cales. The message must be in February 1996 in DC Superior Court against made crystal clear to our first the District of Columbia, the firefighter and a DC responders that when they General Hospital physician. The allegations con- swear to serve and protect, tained in the suit alleged that the D.C. Fire De- that means ALL citizens. partment personnel called to the scene of a car

laborate on a book This Trans Pioneer Has Been about the history of Fighting For The Trans Community a local military camp. That expand- For Decades ed into an amazing “My philosophy is afflict the comfortable collaborative pro- and comfort the afflicted.” ject. From there I By James Michael & Nichols Queer got increasingly interested in writing Andrea James at and journalism. I the Intelligence started working with computers in 1979 and have Squared debate remained an early adopter since. I won my col- in Sydney, Aus- lege’s Phi Beta Kappa Prize for digitizing produc- tralia, 2016. tion of all student publications. They had been Andrea James literal cut-and-paste productions when I took may not have a over. I was planning to teach English, but once I name as instantly got to grad school, I didn’t like the stifling political recognizable as climate. Ironically, working at the Chicago Trib- Laverne Cox or Caitlyn Jenner, but there are few une convinced me to walk away from journalism activists who have done as much to connect, ed- as a full-time career. Even in 1990 I knew that ucate and help the trans community as this writ- newspapers were not sustainable businesses as er, producer and educator has over the past sev- they operated. So I got into advertising, where I eral decades. really learned how to write and made enough money to transition successfully while keeping James, along with other prominent activists my ad job. like Kate Bornstein, used the internet to connect trans and gender-nonconforming people to facili- A college friend started working at America tate discussions about trans experiences long Online in 1993, and the Tribune was collaborat- before the online space became regulated or cor- ing with them on a localized content delivery ser- poratized. Her own site, Transsexual Road Map, vice, so I started to see that the internet was go- became one of the first websites to focus on and ing to change everything. educate individuals on the practical aspects of The first time I got online, I transition. knew without a doubt that it was going to be the most Calling herself a consumer activist who works historically significant in- with trans issues, much of James’ work has vention of my lifetime, and been out of the public eye but monumental in its the most important for trans significance for the queer community. In this in- people as well. Back then it terview with The Huffington Post, James reflects was a violation of AOL’s on her journey from rural Indiana to where she is Terms of Service to set up today, the current state of trans politics and her discussion groups with legacy as a writer, producer, educator and so names containing much more. “transsexual” or “transgender.” The Huffington Post: Can you pinpoint the be- Andrea James in 1998. ginning of your career? What were some of the first defining moments for you as a trans Many prominent activists were on AOL in those activist, writer, film producer and mainstream early days, including Kate Bornstein and Gwen voice? Smith, who led the efforts to change AOL policy and set up a Transgender Community Forum. Concurrently, several activists were expanding Andrea James: My career as a writer started in discussion groups for trans people on Com- middle school in rural Indiana. Two remarkable puserve, BBSes, and Usenet, which was much teachers chose four students at our school to col- more freewheeling and lively.

What role has Hollywood and the entertain- I consider myself a consumer activist who works ment industry played in your journey to live on trans issues, not a trans activist. I believe as your authentic self? Ralph Nader is the greatest living American. As I was transitioning, I wrote what I wished I’d found It’s hard to imagine how difficult it was to find in- as a child looking for practical transition infor- formation on trans issues growing up in the ‘70s mation. Before that, our community’s collected and ‘80s, let alone see ourselves in mainstream wisdom was largely an oral media. My local library had nothing, and I wasn’t tradition. My site, Transsexual about to ask the librarian. Once in a while there Road Map, grew into one of would be something in a magazine, but our local the first major consumer web- newspaper never discussed it, unless a syndicat- sites on the practical aspects ed column like Dear Abby had a letter about it. I of transition, and I helped a knew it was possible to transition but had no idea generation transition efficient- how. The only two books I found that mentioned ly and keep their jobs. I trans people were Everything You Wanted To helped thousands of people Know About Sex But Were Afraid to Ask and The save time and money and Book of Lists 2. The former had a couple of very avoid the heartache of getting grim and dismissive pages at the end of the ripped off. “homosexuality” chapter, and the latter had a list of 10 Renowned Transsexuals. I would read that Facial feminization results photo, office of Dr. list almost every day. We got five TV channels on Douglas Ousterhout, 1997. a good weather day. No way to record the TV. I popularized facial feminization after putting pic- Not even a remote control to change channels. tures of my results online. For about ten years, I The only hope was that “TV Guide” would men- was answering emails several hours a day trying tion something. Usually it was a daytime talk to provide information and resources for readers. show like “Donahue” when I was at school. One My thinking was that if we had a large enough time “Real People” or one of its competitors fea- population of financially stable trans people, we tured a trans couple where both were transition- could support a professional class of lobbyists, ing. That’s the only time I remember seeing any- activists, legal and health professionals, and art- thing except an occasional mention of tennis ists. That turned out to be true! player Renee Richards. Of course, I was watching with my parents, so I just sat completely still, I even like to write for fun. Here’s a little trivia: I’m hoping they didn’t notice how intently I was one of the most prolific contributors in Wikipedia’s watching. history. I haven’t edited in years, and I am still in the Top 40 for articles and redirects. Andrea James, “Casting Pearls” premiere 2007.

’ve always loved movies, and I watched a ton of TV as a child. It was the best escapism available. Once I moved to Chicago, I saw “Paris Is Burn- ing” and “The Crying Game” and loved both. Someone at my agency left to be a filmmaker, and director John Hughes had famously started Finding Your Female Voice,” 2002 in Chicago’s ad world, so I had it in my mind that My career as a filmmaker started in 2002 as a advertising was preparation for a film career. complete career shift at age 35. I had been film- Around the time I transitioned, two films came out ing ads I wrote in LA for many years, but the two that had a profound effect on me: “Ma Vie En industries operate very differently. At the time it Rose,” and “Boys Don’t Cry.” Both were deeply seemed like the next major challenge facing our moving, but “Boys Don’t Cry” truly inspired me. It community made me think, “I should be doing this.” .

a scripted series pitch, but they were interested in I’ve since had the honor of meeting director Kim- unscripted programming, including a trans ver- berly Peirce, and I thanked her for being such an sion of “The inspiration. Bachelor.” There had You founded Deep Stealth Produc- been a really tions alongside Calpernia Addams. Why did exploitative you two take on this endeavor? What was the British ver- initial goal? How has that vision grown and sion, and we changed? wanted to do one with an I met Calpernia in 1999, shortly after her boy- out trans friend was murdered by soldiers in his unit. We bachelorette. had mutual friends in Chicago, and she needed Andrea James, Eve Ensler, Lynn Conway, 2004. to get away from everything in Nashville. She had been treated so disrespectfully by the media, and I’d like to talk about the unique work you’ve she had no experience dealing with any of that done over the years helping businesses be- until she was under the media glare. The more come more sensitive and accommodating to we hung out, the more I thought, “Why am I sell- the needs of trans and GNC people. How did ing cereal and beer when trans people are con- you get into this line of work? What does it stantly mistreated and misrepresented by the me- entail? What have your experiences been dia?” like?

Calpernia Ad- A lot of the corporate trans advocacy I do is cov- dams and Andrea ered by NDAs, but I can share a little. My corpo- James, Chicago rate activism has two parts. One is to help people 1999. keep their jobs during and after transition. That means outreach to organizations and companies Eventually she working to make that happen, whether it’s speak- moved to Chicago ing engagements at nonprofits like Out & Equal and we started or going on-site at companies like Warner Broth- talking about cre- ers or P&G. I believe trans people are especially ating some instructional videos for trans people. adept at jobs that require both analytic and crea- Showtime was also preparing to produce Sol- tive thinking. That’s why trans people index high- dier’s Girl, and I saw how art could transform a er in fields involving languages: writing, music, horrible tragedy into an opportunity to change computer coding, engineering, visual arts. Once hearts and minds about trans people and those employers see that trans people are good for who love us their bottom line, it’s a win-win for everyone. I’ve been proud to participate in some cultural diversi- I took a 90% pay cut, we bought a bunch of gear, ty training programs over the years, so trans em- and we moved to LA. We produced the first all- ployees will have an easier time at work. transgender Vagina Monologues with Eve Ensler as our first major project. That was covered in the The other part of my work is to help consumer- documentary “Beautiful Daughters.” Felicity Huff- facing companies improve their products and ser- man contacted me after seeing my instructional vices so they are more trans-friendly. That in- video “Finding Your Female Voice,” and we end- cludes consulting on a lot of media projects, ed up working with her on “Transamerica.” We checking them for red flags, but it also means ed- spent a couple years doing pitches and getting ucating companies on the benefits of trans cus- used to rejection, eventually making a short film tomers. Transgender Americans have an estimat- about it called “Casting Pearls,” excerpted from ed buying power of around 50 billion dollars, one of our feature screenplays. When Logo TV maybe as high as 70 billion. launched as a channel, “Beautiful Daughters” and “Casting Pearls” were both early acquisitions. During the writer’s strike in 2007, Logo passed on

The hair removal and cosmetic surgery fields are badly this time because we are more organized both much more trans-friendly because of efforts and have greater numbers. Still, when things go by myself and others. Right now I’m working with south, they tend to go south quickly. Historically, Tinder to improve the user experience to reflect trans and gender-variant people are often among the modern diversity of sexualities as well as the first to get persecuted in times of national cri- gender identity and expression. Thanks to trans sis. We are constantly engaged in asymmetrical people who went public with their experiences on information warfare with the forces of intolerance, Tinder, I was able to work directly with Tinder de- so we have to work harder and smarter to prevail. velopers on this. Effective activism requires out- side agitation as well as diplomatic face-to-face You haven’t been afraid to very publicly chal- work internally. This is a very exciting project, be- lenge those that you disagree with — even cause there are about 50 million active Tinder other trans people. Why do you think it’s so users, so this will have an enormous impact on important to be vocal about what you believe attitudes about trans people, and it will likely help in, even if your view isn’t always the most reduce the stigma and shame some feel about popular or widely agreed upon. being attracted to trans people. I don’t challenge people simply because I disa- What are your thoughts about the “trans com- gree with them. I challenge people who are caus- munity,” especially as it’s seen by the main- ing significant harm to the trans community. I only stream? How do you view where “the commu- go after charlatans, bigots, self-righteous posers, nity” is right now and where it’s going? scammers, trolls and other assorted idiots who are causing what I consider palpable damage to The trans community entered a decadent phase trans people, even if they are trans people them- of activism in 2014. We got bloated, lazy, and we selves. My philosophy is afflict the comfortable, took our eyes off what mattered. In 1999 we and comfort the afflicted. I have learned some came together to do something about the epi- hard-earned facts. You can give no quarter to demic of anti-trans violence, which evolved into charlatans. You can get so much more done if the Transgender Day of Remembrance. In 2003 you don’t care who gets credit. And, as RuPaul we joined together to fight the academic exploita- says, “what other people think of me is none of tion of trans people. The community has de- my business.” volved from presenting a unified front into balkan- ized petty fiefdoms. We’ve always had interne- I’ve been sued and threatened with litigation by cine squabbles, but trolls were always a fringe all kinds of scumbags. I filed my first police report element, and we’d never really had an issue with for a credible death threat in 2002. I’ve been opportunists until recently. Those distractions and doxxed, called every name under the sun, mis- errors meant we were caught flat-footed on the quoted, libeled, you name it. I’ve been misrepre- inevitable backlash that came in the form of sented and vilified by people of every political or “bathroom bills.” ideological persuasion who don’t like what I have to say or how I say it. I worry that the mainstream currently thinks the “trans community” is Caitlyn Jenner and her en- That kind of stuff makes me dig in deeper. I cut tourage, when most of the community is a lot my activism teeth in the world of direct action: more like the women on “Transcendent,” a show Coalition for Positive Sexuality, women’s clinic on which I’m a consulting producer. They are defenses against Operation Rescue, registering dealing with serious challenges around hundreds of voters in the wake of Alan Dixon’s healthcare, housing, employment, and personal vote to confirm Clarence Thomas, picketing the safety. I’ve been pleased to see other unscripted American Psychiatric Association. Media activism shows chipping away at how we’re viewed by the and online activism are no substitutes for boots- mainstream, and now more scripted shows are in on-the-ground, in-your-face activism. Changing development. As someone who lived through the your avatar color or signing an online petition Renee Richards era backlash, I see a lot of paral- doesn’t do shit. It’s entertainment masquerading lels with the Caitlyn Jenner era backlash. We lost as activism. Get out in the street and stop pre- so much ground in 1979 that it took about 15 tending like activism is a fucking video game. years to recover. I don’t think it will happen as

According to the recent survey in the Journal of Craniofacial Surgery identified 14 human nose What your nose says about shapes whereas Israeli professor of chemical en- your personality? gineering Abraham Tamir, PhD, surveyed images of 1,793 noses, as per Ibrahim they all fell into these basic types, ranging from the Greek nose It’s a fact that your sneezing style could be genet- (straight) to the hawk nose (sharp and ic, with an amazing information about boogers “downward hooking.”) Most common was the can boost immune system. Love your nose or “fleshy nose.” hate it, but you have to believe these amazing Sneeze Style is Genetic: facts about nose. Your sneeze style could be honk, shout or silent, Normal functions of nose: sneeze process starts when an irritant happens to the trigeminal nerve. This irritation starts with a sequence of reflexes to expel the intruder, a deep inhalation followed by the closing the glottis in the throat and a build-up of pressure in the lungs (“ah”), then the sudden opening of the glottis as the diaphragm forces air up through the mouth and nose, expelling the irritant (“choo!”). Nose is the most important and projecting part of human face, and noticed immediately. Nose shape are also indicator of characters…

Big Nose: Big noses can have either short or long bridge for the nose. They have wider tips Breathing with larger nostrils. The bigger nose, the more power, Preventing from infection drive, leadership, ego, and desire to work independent- Determining sense of smell ly. Big nose people hate re- Determining sense of taste ceiving orders and like being their own bosses. They Affecting the resonance of your voice prefer making bigger contributions and shows less interest in small task. Detect More Than 10,000 Scents Small noses: Just imagine life without all above mentioned functions could be unfortunate. Even a simple Smaller in length and sneeze involves carefully choreographed re- width, the tip is neither flat sponses from muscles all over your body. nor round. They are best in group activities where they Different Shapes: use their creative imagina- The shape nose determined by the positions of tions and best spontanei- nasal bones, lower lateral cartilages and upper ty. They are impatient and lateral cartilages. Any combination or differences frustrated sometimes, in these three areas can create a truly unique ap- which can lead to temper pearance of nose, which can even more depend- outbursts. But, they think of ing on ethnicity. others and are always willing to help out for the

Hooked Nose: greater good, usually making the task fun. They A person with a nose like this love what they do in order to work hard and do one has the same characteris- not have problems dealing with repetitive and tics as that of a big-nosed per- systematic work. son but with a bit of exaggera- tion. To get along with such a person make sure you respect Long Nose: him and make him feel important. People who have hawk The longer your nose, you type of a nose shape always have a good sense of busi- follow their own path and they are not influenced by masses. ness, common points, a healthy sense of ambition, great instincts, and people respond positively to your leadership. Your biggest Roman Nose: problems are often derived from your greatest People with Roman nose are strengths. said to be very headstrong and ambitious in nature. They are great leaders and have a very Short Nose: strong personality. They do not rush to making decisions and These people are loyal and con- efficiently organize things cern, but short on drive and ambition. They have the no emotional stamina in competitive conditions and are often wary and overwhelmed by those who have strong egos and drive. They are child like sweet, emotional, kind, Wavy Nose: high sensitive but not easy to get Noticeable because it has a to know well. typical bump at the tip of the nose and appear larger at the tip. They are fun-loving in nature and enjoying personalities.

Straight Nose: Also known as the Greek nose, generally have narrow nostrils

and are considered to be very appealing! These kinds of people with straight noses are considered to be very clever and helpful in nature. They show methodical discipline and is linked with suc- Nubian Nose: cess in life.

A long shape nose has a base that is very wide. It is the kind of Turned-up Nose: nose that Barrack Obama has A long, curved, and almost- People with Nubian nose are concave slope with a slight always seeking for new ways to upward peak at the tip are approach issues, they are very often very optimistic, kind and curious and open minded. They have a character that is full. are attractive, expressive and These nose shape people are emotions can be overwhelmed. loving, supportive and nurtur- ing personalities.

Why Having 100 Items Of Clothing In Your Closet Is ‘Not Enough’ The struggle is real. BY Jenna Amatulli

Getting dressed is the worst, but since it’s not so- cially acceptable to walk around without pants all the time, it’s a necessary evil. In a fun study done by Closetmaid, 1,000 U.S. women were surveyed on their closets, and apparently the average American woman has roughly 103 items of clothing. Despite this, it never feels like what we have is cutting it. We stand in front of the mirror, mur- muring to ourselves how the lighting at Loft was slimming and we should just never go out in public again.

Now, 103 items is sort of a lot, but let’s be real: We probably try on half of those things the sec- ond we get invited to a party. It’s why we have those heaping piles of worn-once-or-twice sweat- ers and disposable dresses from Forever 21 on the chair in our bedrooms. It’s also why, at the end of all the trying-things-on-and-then- abandoning-them, 61 percent of women just go out and buy something new.

So, if your skin is red and raw from all the sweat and tears exhausted from simply trying to make yourself look presentable, don’t fret! You’re not alone. We get your clothes woes — check out the rest of the stats here:

There’s no question that Madison Paige is abso- lutely stunning. One glance at Madison’s Insta- 23-year-old transgender gram account proves why over 216,000 people model Stav Strashko is around the world are so enamored by the model. proud of her body. But she needs you to know something: unlike many And now Madison is other transgender peo- speaking out about ple in the media, what it’s like to be a she has no plans for gender neutral role gender reassignment model for so many. surgery. Let her explain. “It means so much to The Israeli-born model recently told Teen Vogue, me—especially because every day, I feel myself getting I do consider myself a trans person. By definition, more and more com- transgender doesn’t include only those who have fortable,” Madison had surgery; it’s just someone who identifies with told Nylon. another gender. But I never wanted to go through the surgery — I feel comfortable in my body. I have a boyfriend who loves me the way I am. I And for those of you who don’t quite understand don’t want to change anything.” the concept of gender fluidity, let Madison explain Beautifully said! it to you:

But while Stav is currently comfortable in her A lot of people think that being gender fluid skin, it took her a while to understand her identity means that you’re trying to label yourself as gen- as a trans person. der fluid, trying to label yourself as another cate- gory, but the whole point is to try and rid yourself of labels.” “No one ever told me what be- And now with so many fans supporting Madison, ing gay or the Instagram sensation is officially collaborating transgender with Photo/Genetics + CO to create an androgy- was. The only nous fashion line consisting of tees, oversized time I heard shirts, hats, and necklaces. So cool! those words used was as an insult. So, when As for Madison’s advice to others who struggle I realized I was with their identity? Madison says, attracted to boys and to my feminine side, I didn’t know how to deal with it. It took me a long time to build the “You don’t have to know what you are or be the confidence to know that this is normal.” same thing every day. If you wake up feeling like you completely contradicted everything you were yesterday, it doesn’t mean you’re a bad person— She added, “I didn’t understand that I wanted to it just makes you human. Just go with it.” live my life as a girl.” Ugh, we’re so obsessed with Madison! And the We’re so happy that Stav found her way and now new fashion line is just as cool as you’d expect it she can be a role model for others. to be.

According to a study published in 2011 by The Williams Institute, an LGBT think tank, an esti- Being transgender: facts, myths mated 0.3 percent of the US population is transgender. There are no reliable global statis- and rights—AFP tics on the community, but India's historic transgender minority alone, known as Hijras, (I would call this article Transgender 101 for cis- number half a million according to the 2014 cen- people. The only reason I’m using it is when I sus. see an article like this I always check out the “comments” section – I’m a masochist I guess. The term "transgender" or "trans" refers to peo- There where 261 comments (I only went through ple whose gender identity -- their innate, deeply- the first 15/20), of the ones I went through all ex- felt psychological sense of being a man, a wom- cept perhaps two where violently negative. Of the an, or neither -- is different than the sex as- two positive each had numerous comments at- signed to them at birth. tacking not only transgender people but personal attacks on the commenters. I will not stoop to It includes people who have had reassignment their level except to say it’s like “road rage” these surgery, those who have had hormone treat- “Trump Supporters” can say the most vile things ments, or people who have had no medical from the safety of their computers. treatment at all. - A person who is born female and now identifies as a man is a "transgender man", or trans man. - A person who is born male and now identifies as a woman is a "transgender woman," or trans woman.

Note that it is considered pejorative to use "transgender" as a noun. It is an adjective, as in "a transgender person."

The term "transsexual" is increasingly avoided. - Transition -

A transgender person who is "transitioning" is Gender neutral signs are posted in public re- shifting into their new gender identity by chang- strooms on May 10, 2016 in Durham, North Caro- ing their "physical and sexual characteristics lina from those associated with their sex at birth," says the National Lesbian & Gay Journalists As- sociation in the US. Washington (AFP) - Transgender people live under dramatically varying circumstances around This can be a complex process that might in- the world -- often facing violent repression, but clude surgery and body modification, but it does also conquering crucial new rights most notably not always. It might also include hormone treat- in Europe and the United States. ments, group or individual therapy, telling family or friends, or changing one's name on legal doc- There are few reliable statistics on the communi- uments. ty, in part because many transgender people around the world are unable to come out. And - 'Sex change or 'reassignment'? - there are sometimes misunderstandings of the complex and changing vocabulary involved. Transgender advocacy groups warn against use of the term "sex change" to describe the surgical - Transgender people - processes that some undergo. The groups explain that this is an outdated term, and that

transgender people actually put "their bodies in line with who they are" rather than changing who they are.

Their stance is borne out by a growing body of research indicating that sexual anatomy and gender identity are the products of different bio- logical processes -- determined by genes as well as hormones -- that occur before birth. Sexual anatomy and gender identity usually match, but many events can lead to an incongruence between the two.

- Sexual orientation -

Gender identity is not the same thing as sexual orientation. A transgender man or woman can have any sexual orientation: gay, straight or bisexual.

- Anti-discrimination laws -

The situation varies greatly for transgender people around the world.

Human Rights Watch counts 80 countries that continue to criminalize consensual same-sex re- lations or discussion of LGBT rights, with pun- ishments including prison sentences, flogging, and even the death penalty.

In Europe, the European Parliament adopted a resolution in 1989 prohibiting discrimination against transgender people. But among the 28 member states, laws vary greatly. Only 13 states explicitly prohibit violence against transgender people, according to "Transgender Europe", a European association.

In the United States, anti-discrimination laws are among the most advanced. But whether those laws are also applied to transgender people varies from state to state.

A dozen states including New York, California and the District of Columbia ban the exclusion of gender transition-related care from both private insurance programs and the public Medicaid insurance program, which caters to the poorest segment of the population. Another half dozen states have rules ensuring a limited level of coverage, while the rest offer none.

WE HAVE MOVED TO METRO WEST PLA- ZA, CORNER OF WEST NEW HAVEN AND WICKHAM ROAD, MELBOURNE, FL. COME VISIT Address: 3034 W New OUR NEW Haven Ave, West Mel- STORE. bourne, FL 32904

La Boutique also stocks or can obtain up to size 15 shoes. Valerie will also give private instructions of feminine walking and be- havior.

32 Dr. David Baker-Hargrove Counselor , PhD , LMHC , DAPA, CCFC Domestic Violence Hotline

Mental Health Services for Transgenders If you, or someone you know is, or is suspected to be, the victim of domestic violence or abuse, the national hotline is 800-500-1119. Please make that call.

Crisis Hotlines:

Trevor Project Hotline –1-866-486-7386

VA (even if not a veteran: don’t press 1)

- 1-800-273-8255

As of August 2015 offering HRT services National Transgender Lifeline Crisis Line – in-house and electrolysis/laser hair re- Staffed by Transgender Volunteers moval. 877-565-8860 Call 1-407-963-5664 For more infor- http://www.translifeline.org/ mation about these services Suicide and Crisis Hotline Staffed by Transgender People Note: This organization needs Volunteers; 934 N Magnolia Ave locale is not a problem Suite 234 Orlando, Florida Contact Information phone: (407) 674-0137

http://drdavidbakerhargrove.com/

E-Mail: [email protected]

34 Trad- ing Faces

Josett is Central Florida's Premiere Beauty Consultant to the Transgender, Transsexu- al and Cross-Dressing community.

Specializing in "Male to Female" Con- sultations, she teaches Life-Changing techniques.

30 minute verbal consultation free, with a scheduled appointment Wigs & More 2705A Tamiami Trail Pt. Charlotte, FL 33952 941-979-9999

2306 Edgewater Dr Orlando, FL 32804 (407) 425-1801

23 S. OSCEOLA AVE Gina Duncan, President ORLANDO

http://mbaorlando.org/