DECEMBER 2015 | VOLUME 8 | ISSUE 2 — IN THIs Issue——————— Stiletto 3 Good News 7 Black Lives Matter & the Movement for Black Lives Current Events 8 Trans Liberation Tuesday 9 Justice for Jennifer Laude 10 L etters from the Inside 12 Pelican Bay Hunger Strike 12 Agreement to End Hostilities 13 Trans Sex in the City 13 Profile of trans entrepeneur Martine Rothblatt 14 TGI JUSTICE PROJECT says NO NEW JAIL IN SF 15 Ashley Diamond released from Georgia prison 16 Oakland Power Projects 17 The Intersex Basics 17 Legal Updates 18 Ally Updates LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT I want to thank you all for working with me and being part of the transitions and changes we’ve ALLY UpdatES (CONTINUED) gone through at TGIJP over the years. And I want to be placed in housing that is more appro- to assure you that while I’m stepping down as Hearts on a Wire priate for their gender identity and instructs Executive Director, my mouth is not stepping Check it out! New commissary policies in PA prison staff to give “serious consideration” down and I will continue to bitch and let people prisons! to people’s views as to their housing prefer- know what my community is going through. It’s Hearts on a Wire welcomes the announce- ences. The rules also state that housing should difficult living in our truth, but what better way to ment of the Pennsylvania Department of be re-assessed every 6 months, that all trans- survive? It’s important that we survive; we’ve got Corrections that it has revised its policies with gender and intersex people should be allowed to come out on top. Please continue to support regard to the housing and resources available to shower privately and that staff must treat and back up Janetta for taking on the responsibil- to people in Pennsylvania state prisons who LGBTGNCI people respectfully. These policies ity of taking TGIJP into the next phase. Wish her identify as transgender. As of June 30, 2015, go into effect on September 21, 2015. well and help her prosper. Be safe and stay strong. new commissary lists are available to trans- While we congratulate our members on this - Miss Major Griffin-Gracy gender people that offer gender-specific items victory, Hearts on a Wire reaffirms our com- that were previously viewed as contraband, mitment to end the policing and imprisonment I remember it as if it was yesterday: I was having a few conversations with Miss Major and describ- including undergarments and cosmetics. The of trans and gender variant communities. We ing to her my struggles and disfranchisement and disparities that I felt that I was facing living in prohibition on gender-specific items has been know that the liberation of our communities Florida. I asked her If she would be willing to help if I moved to San Francisco to create a better an issue of serious concern to Hearts on a will not arrive through policy, but through quality of living and she said “Sure baby, no problem. I’ll see you when you get here.” I think she Wire members. The outside collective gath- our collective empowerment. As our member was really surprised when I showed up 2 weeks later at her work. ered hundreds of signatures in support of a Adrian Lowe explains, “We need to find new She’s been my mother and friend; she’s been my sister as well as my mentor; and she taught revised policy over the past several years, while ways to address harm in our communities. In me how to advocate for myself and to live my truths. I’m just so eternally grateful because today our members on the inside have fought back the mean time, we need to support people fac- The St. James Infirmary is a peer-based I know how to fight because Miss Major taught me how to fight for me and my community and against this policy through their own advocacy. ing these impossible decisions inside, between health & safety clinic for current and TGI Justice Project is a group of trans- other underserved populations. She has always expressed to me that when she retires from TGI In the words of our member Najee Gibson, “If privacy and safety, identity and survival. If we gender, gender variant and intersex Justice Project that she wanted me to be the Executive Director. I feel very honored to accept the former sex workers and their current they were worried about our safety, they would can improve the quality of people’s lives at all, people—inside and outside of prison— position and I will treat her baby TGIJP with the same love that I watched her handle it with. It’s like primary partners. Since 1999 we’ve creating a united family in the struggle help us stay healthy, not worry about how we I think we’re doing important work.” We wel- walking in her shoes, which I will never fit, but then again, I literally have worn her shoes before. been offering services like primary for survival and freedom. We work express ourselves.” We are glad to know that come changes that lessen the struggle of our I’m looking forward to accepting the position as Executive Director. medical care, mental health care, in collaboration with others to forge these voices have been heard! members’ day-to-day lives while we continue - Janetta Johnson massage and acupuncture, support a culture of resistance and resilience The new policies also make several changes to fight for an end to the conditions that make to strengthen us for the fight against that should improve the treatment of intersex, these rules necessary. groups, harm reduction services, and imprisonment, police violence, racism, trans and gender variant people in prison. On a In solidarity, hormone replacement therapy by poverty, and societal pressures. We case-by-case basis, the new rules allow people Hearts on a Wire and for the trans community. All of seek to create a world rooted in self- our services are confidential, non- determination, freedom of expression, judgmental and free to the sex worker and gender justice. community. We have shared office space Janetta Johnson, Executive Director with TGIJP since the spring of 2014. It Woods Ervin, Administrative Director has been amazing to share community danni marilyn west, Development Director with an organization so dedicated and KellyLou Densmore, Esq, Staff Attorney driven towards justice and liberation. Tainay Pulphus, Re-Entry Coordinator Eva Alexander, Re-Entry Specialist Since TGIJP moved in with us, we’ve had Alejandra Cruz, Mail Night Coordinator some great opportunities to collaborate Peaches Banks, Leadership Team on political projects, to support each StormMiguel Florez, Leadership Team other’s work, and to coordinate our Malachi Garza, Leadership Team services to the maximum benefit of Billy Chen, Leadership Team our community. Between the legal and Paper Buck, Leadership Team Kris Hayashi, Leadership Team social support offered by TGIJP and the physical and mental health services of the SJI, there’s a lot happening by and New Postal Address: for the trans community in our shared space. If there’s any information about our services we can send you, let us 370 Turk St PMB #370 know! And if you’re coming home to San Francisco, CA 94102 the Bay Area, stop by and check us out. TGIJP is working on building our grassroots re-entry program, especially in the SF We’d love to meet you! [email protected] Bay Area, so if you or another TGI person you know is being released soon, be in touch and connect with us before and after you come home. Be safe and stay strong! 2 December 2015 | Volume 8 | Issue 2 Stiletto 19 ALLY UpdatES B UTreakO ! This year, BreakOUT! will be hosting Project WHAT Good News SPECIAL THANK YOU TO BEJA FOR COMPILING THE GOOD NEWS SECTION TMOR- the Trans March of Resilience. BreakOUT! was founded in 2011 by a small Project WHAT! is an organization that raises Every year on November 20th, all across the group of LGBTQ youth of color in response awareness about the effects of parental incar- country, the transgender community acknowl- to discriminatory policing in New Orleans. ceration on children, with the long-term goal made to the court, it is expected to become edges and participates in Transgender Day of improving services and policies that affect BreakOUT! has since grown to a powerful MARCh 2015 legal throughout the country. of Remembrance (TDOR), an annual day of these youth. WHAT! stands for We’re Here youth-led, membership-based organization observance to honor those who have lost their And Talking referring to the youth who make The Montana House on a tie vote Friday The Bathroom Surveillance Bill, otherwise of queer and trans youth directly impacted by lives to anti-trans violence, bigotry and suicide. up the Project WHAT! team, as well as the 2.7 rejected a proposed ballot measure that would known as HB 2801, has been withdrawn by the the criminal justice system, as we believe that Traditionally on this day, community members million children nationwide who have a par- have allowed people to cite their religious Texas House State Affairs Committee. It was those most directly impacted by discriminatory ent incarcerated. Project WHAT! is a youth- and organizations host vigils while reading the beliefs to justify disobeying certain laws or authored by Republican representative Gilbert systems must lead the efforts to transform led leadership development program that names of transgender individuals who have actions by the government. “This bill is about Peña with the intention of restricting bath- them.