6/9/13

Indian Transgender Activist and Actress Kalki Subramaniam Sexually Assaulted

Indian Transgender activist, singer, dancer and actress Kalki Subramaniam was attacked June 2nd while in route to her home in Auroville, near Puducherry India. Subramaniam was riding her moped when two unidentified men begun following her on bikes. When she crossed a unlighted section on the Karuvadikuppam bridge on East Coast Road the men sexually assaulted her ultimately pushing her to the gtound.

Kalki told Times of India "When I reached a dark spot, they suddenly came very close to me, sexually assaulted me and pushed me down onto the road. My moped was damaged and I was hurt in my left arm and right foot and was bleeding," said Kalki, who played the lead role in the film 'Narthaki' (embedded below), which won international acclaim. Kalki said her assailants fled soon after pushing her down. "A foreigner, who was passing by, came to my help," she said.

Subramaniam tried to report the attack at the Auroville police station but they refused to accept it saying she needed to know who the attackers were first. The police have denied that was the reason for not taking her claim saying they were unable to process Subramaniam complaint becuse she was unable to name the location of the attack.

Subramaniam responded to this on facebook "What an irresponsible answer and a lie it was for the police officer to say this to the press? I am a victim assaulted. Even if what they said was true, isn't it their responsibility to help me to find the place where I was assaulted?"

Perseverance paid off shortly later Kalki posted a facebook status update: "Finally, my FIR registered, promises made by the top level officers to take actions as soon as possible. protection for Auroville women assured with more police patroling and monitoring around Auroville. I believe, the crime prevention measures I recommended will surely be in action soon."

Kalki Subramaniam is founder of the Sahodari foundation empowering India's transgender community who's latest project teaching journalism would be very frightening to those who would desire our community's continued subservience. The world of transphobic haters need to know this, transgender people are one, united world wide. When you attack one of us you attack us all.

Kalki's lead roll in the critically acclaimed movie Narthaki is of great importance to the transgender community. The traditional role of transgender people in India's ageless culture validates our existence to pre biblical times.



The story begins with Kalki (Kalki) a transgender who is a classical dance artist, recounting her life's story to a journalist.

Synopsis:

Her life begins in Vilar, Thanajavur, as a young boy Subbu (Aswin), the son of a Silambam exponent (Karate Venkatesh) and a home-maker with a keen interest in dance. The boy grows up watching his mother, drawn to feminine adornments, and dresses.

He first discovers his attraction to his own sex as an adolescent, in itself an awkward episode. His cousin Meena (Leema) tries to engage his affections, but has no success. Matters explode when Subbu's parents come to know of this, and the boy, thrown out of his home, runs away.

It is after this point that the story actually picks up pace. You're shown the terrible strain faced by a young man who's confused by his sexual identity, and finds refuge with others like him in Mumbai. His gradual transformation into a woman, the pain he undergoes, both physical and mental, and his embracing of his identity is shown in neat and touching detail. A new world is thrown open to you, and it's a fascinating, although depressing, one.




6/8/13

Greek Transsexuals Are Being Rounded Up, Arrested and Threatened In a Pre Pride CrackDown

Amidst the Greek government's ongoing draconian reaction to the recent protests and the subsequent silencing of the media, there is yet another untold story of human suffering. The police at the bequest of the Orthodox church are targeting law abiding transgender residents of the northern city of Thessaloniki in a bid to terrorize the LGBT community by breaking the weakest link, before the city's second Pride.

*Update Aug. 12 Please sign the petition Tell EU Member States: Save Greek "undesirables" from internment camps!

The Transgender citizens of this city are already marginalized, and desperately need the world to know about this. This is not an isolated or one time occurrence. August 9th 2012 while conducting operation ‘Xenios Zeus’ Greek police detained and arrested 25 transgender woman during that one night. It wasn't until April 17th 2013 that the last of the woman were acquitted.

Source grr Reporter: The police in Thessaloniki has been carrying out a series of ungrounded arrests of transgender persons as stated by the Greek Transgender Support Association. "According to written complaints filed by our members who live in Thessaloniki, it is clear that from 30 May 2013 onwards, the police have been carrying out purges and arrests of transgender citizens on a daily basis. The same complaints state that those arrested are being taken to the police headquarters in Thessaloniki in Dimokratia Square, where the victims are waiting for at least three or four hours to be identified under the pretext that the authorities should establish whether the particular person was not a prostitute," reads an address of the non-governmental organization (NGO).

The Association stresses that the police behaviour during the arrests was offensive, humiliating and that it was intended to undermine the dignity of transgender persons. In three of the complaints, the victims note that traffic policemen had stopped transgender women while they were driving their cars without any proof or suspicion of any fault or violation of the law. Later, they were taken to the police station in order for their identity to be verified.

The testimonies of a large number of victims suggest that before being released from custody, the policemen threatened transgender women, warning them that if they did not "return to normal", legal proceedings against them would be initiated for indecent behavior in public places.



From the press release of the "Σωματείο Υποστήριξης Διεμφυλικών" (Greek Transgender Support Association) "Middle ages fascist police practices of Thessaloniki" the NGO's attorney, Electra Leda Koutra, talks about being arrested for trying to speak with the transgender people jailed during the sweeps that police begun on May 30th:
"I just got back from the police station, after a marathon night in Thessaloniki. [I]..suffered the most devastating mental violence experience of my life, from police officers, who I then sued for a multitude of crimes against me, including felony. Very briefly: When I wanted to visit my transgender client, who was in a detention center for the 3rd time in 4 days (like many transgender within the last 5 days, due to some sort of order they should be "cleared" from specific points in Thessaloniki), I was obstructed to see her. When I managed to get in, after calling the central alarm number of the police "100" and complaining about the obstacles being imposed on the communication of a prisoner with her lawyer, the officer on duty threw me too in the detention center of the police station and locked me inside, where there were mostly prostitutes, without informing me about the reason of putting me into custody."

The fascist police practices remind us of the middle ages and are not associated with any kind of rule of law.

The association for the Support of transgender people, declares that it will resort to justice, as well as to international organizations and forums asking for the condemnation of the Greek State, which on the one hand is responsible for the brutal trampling of the human rights of transgender people and of the lawyer who defended them, and on the other hand for the straight violation of every concept of application of law.

We honestly feel ashamed that the lawyer and President of the Greek human rights organization Pleiades Leda Koutra, Electra, suffered all this unbelievable humiliation and mental violence. We thank her from the bottom of our hearts for her perseverance and support to our struggle, and we apologize to her for those who made her suffer all this, giving the promise that they will be held accountable.

THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Electra Leda Koutra makes it known on her facebook page , she respects the majority of police:

"The fact that I have a very beautiful experience of my relationship with policemen who honor their oath and love out their duties despite the destitution, in terms of working conditions, salary, etc., to which and have condemned the policies of this site, I'm angry yet more serving persons as the perpetrator of the crime against me and sadly tarnished the image of the other. Please don't generalize on my wall with statements like "all policemen etc." because I have no appetite to help hate speech against any group.



The agenda for the ThessalonikiPride via Facebook:




Danish Transgender Victim Still In Danger Yet Perp Laughs and Smirks in Court

21 year-old denies hate crime was a motive for the attack

Smiling and grinning a 21-year-old trainee chef from Sønderborg in Copenhagen confessed to a magistrate today that he beat the 48-year-old transgender woman Cecillia Mundt down with a hammer in City Hall Square in Copenhagen.

The 21-year-old, who is on parole for assault, met the 48-year-old at the main train station by chance and asked why he (sic) was dressed as a woman. But the perpetrator denied that hatred of transgender people was the cause of the brutal assault.

“I asked why are you like this. I should not have involved myself, and then he (sic) called me a 'møgperker'” explained the 21-year-old to the police magistrate.

He was angry about this and followed the 48-year-old to City Hall:

“I happened to have a rubber mallet in my bag when I moved a few weeks ago, so I hit the back of his head”, the grinning 21-year-old in the told police magistrate.

“You laugh? You think this is funny?” asked senior prosecutor Maria Cingari.

“No, I just got something in my throat”, said the 21-year-old, but continued the rest of the hearing to smile and chuckle as he appeared relaxed in the dock.

Knows gay men
“I want to be accountable for what I've done. It is not acceptable. I have respect for people who dare to be different and I also know some gay men. It's okay that they are as they are”, said the 21-year-old. According to his explanation, he went only crazy because he was called 'møgperker'.
“He spoke rudely to me”, said the 21-year-old of the transsexual.

He beat Cecillia Mundt in the back of the head, so she fell. Then he ran off and threw the hammer away. He went home to Sønderborg, where he goes to the Technical School, and has a room. On Monday he should have been starting two weeks of work experience as a trainee chef at a hotel in Sønderborg.

Yesterday he called police and turned himself in. He was arrested at 10:10 yesterday.
The 21-year-old stayed at a hotel in Copenhagen when the attack happened. He should have gone home to Sønderborg on Sunday, but chose to stay in Copenhagen to 'get some fresh air'.

Victim in danger
At the hearing it emerged that Cecillia Mundt was in potential danger. She had a three-way fracture on the right side of the head and a piece of bone of 2.5 times 2.5 centimeters was pressed into the skull, but luckily without bleeding. Moreover, the 48-year-old had abrasions on the hands, face and scalp probably from the fall.

The 21-year-old denies that he struck the 48-year-old in the head more than once.

Prosecutor Maria Cingari doubts that the damage could have been caused by a rubber hammer, but according to defender Peter Giersing also a witness described the hammer as a rubber mallet.
The 21-year-old, who is heavily tattooed on the left leg and in the neck, sat in the police magistrate in short black pants and gray hoodie.

He has twice previously been convicted for domestic violence. In May 2009, he was sentenced to 60 days imprisonment for violence by a court in Sønderborg. In August 2011, he was given four months in prison for aggravated assault, also in Sønderborg and he is on parole with probation until 27 January 2014 with 42 days remaining to be served.

He was remanded in custody for 16 days until 24 June, both for the risk of new violent crime and the interests of the gravity of the pffence and the sense of justice.

“Can I go now?” asked the 21-year-old and was with a small smile on his face and was led out of the police magistrates court.

Click Here Opens In New Window, Cecillia Mundt Interview In Danish
Cecilia's Response: Attacker is full of lies.

That's just sickening that he comes out with that. I am not a racist and would not dream of calling someone 'møgperker'.

The 48-year-old transgender Cecillia Mundt is shocked by the 21-year-old violent man's explanation in Copenhagen magistrate today.

Here he claimed that the motive for his brutal assault with a hammer on Cecillia Mundt on the square was not due to that she is a transsexual, but that she called the 21-year-old for 'møgperker'.

The 21-year-old trainee chef claims he randomly met Cecillia Mundt at the main train station and asked 'why she looked like that' on the grounds that she was dressed as a woman.

Cecillia Mundt changed sex when she was 46 years old, and the police magistrate claimed the accused that he was told that “he (sic) hadn’t shaved” and then he was called 'møgperker'. Therefore he followed Cecilla Mundt to City Hall, where he beat her down from behind with a rubber mallet, which he happened to have in his bag.

“I have never spoken to him.”

“It is simply something he has done. I have never met him before or talked to him before. I have no idea what he looks like and no one stopped me or spoke to me before I felt the attack from behind and fell, said Cecillia Mundt to Ekstra Bladet from her sick bed.

She is convinced that the assault is a hate crime due to her sexual orientation, she is upfront about.
If someone asks me, then I explain to them that I am a transsexual. It's not something I hide. My neighbors are of a different ethnic origin and they respect me 100 percent as a woman. I would never call anyone for 'møgperker' says Cecillia Mundt.

Cecillia Mundt had eaten with a friend who is a journalism student and who is writing a thesis about transsexuals when she went to City Hall and sent a text message along the way. Suddenly she felt the attack in her head and it all went black.

According to doctors, she was in potential danger. Amongst other things there was a large piece of bone pressing into herskull.

“The attacker’s explanation was that he "only" used a rubber mallet, I think he did not.”

“I'm missing a piece of the skull for life. A rubber mallet did not do that, said Cecillia Mundt. Doctors have implanted a titanium mesh in her head instead of the broken skull pieces.”

“I do not know when I will be able to go home. There is enough for a while. I still have severe pain and have an increased dose of pain medication. It is slow sending an SMS message for example”, says the 48-year-old.

But Cecillia Mundt has only compassion for the perpetrator.

“I would like to meet him and ask him why he did it. He must be sick and in need of help,” she says.
The 21-year-old has two previous convictions for violence and was released on parole.


Original story at ekstrabladet.dk. Translated by Natacha Kennedy and posted on Uncommon Sense blogspot. Cross posted with full permission.

"møgperker" (possibly meaning Motherfucker or maybe a racial slur targeting Islam?)



6/7/13

Wisconsin man charged with Hate Crime For Brutal Attack on Gender Variant Person

Wisconsin Gazette reports: "Authorities have arrested Tom Pruett of Appleton in connection with the assault. Pruett faces a charge of substantial battery-hate crime, a felony, and disorderly conduct-hate crime."

The Fox Valley & Oshkosh Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer Anti-Violence Project (AVP), in a press statement, said, “We applaud the actions of Appleton Police Department and the Outagamie County district’s attorney’s office for their swift and thorough response and their sensitivity to the victim of the crime.”

The defendant, according to the AVP, used slurs, assailing the victim’s perceived sexual orientation and gender identity while committing the physical assault.

Kathy Flores, of both the AVP and Appleton's diversity coordinator, said the individual, who identifies as gender variant, was in the park at about 7:30 p.m. when the assailant began shouting "faggot" and "queer" and began beating the victim.

She said the victim suffered a broken orbital bone and suffered massive bruises, contusions and was bleeding. She also said that the defendant, who was homeless, had punched the victim in the eye the night before.

"We still have so much hate against people just trying to be themselves," said Flores.

Pruett made a court appearance on June 5 and is scheduled for a preliminary hearing in court on June 13.



Navy Seal Kristen Beck speaks with Anderson Cooper: Navy SEAL to a feminine woman.

AC: It must have been hard keeping this inside yourself. If it got out that you were transgender during those 20 years, what would have been the outcome?

Beck: I don't know I might have ended up dead.

6/6/13

DC Council set to vote on changing transgender birth certificate requirements

Currently the District of Columbia requires Sexual Reassignment Surgery and three weeks of advertising in local news papers before a transgender person can amend their birth certificate. But that's all about to change.

NBC Washington reports: The D.C. Council Judiciary Committee voted to wipe away a lot of those restrictions on sex identity changes, approving a proposal that would require only a certified statement from a medical doctor and would eliminate the publicity and surgery requirements.

“I'm proud that we are doing this during pride week,” Councilmember Tommy Wells said. “It's a time when we recognize equality among all District residents.”

If passed, the new law also would issue a new birth certificate rather than simply amending the old one. Amended birth certificates are clear tipoffs for more discrimination.


View more videos at: http://nbcwashington.com.