4/27/13

Red Lion High School Transgender Student Will Attend Prom Tonight With His Girl Despite Principal's Bullying and Threats

It's been a traumatic experience so far for transgender high school senior Issak Oliver Wolfe and girl friend Taylor in a story first broke on planetransgender. Issak will be allowed to attend his Prom in his correct gender and his girl friend will accompany him despite threats and bullying by Mr. Shue, Red Lion High School Principal.

The ACLU published this press release demanding that Red Lion High School Principal Shue allow Issak to attend graduation in his correct gender and have his correct name read.

When Wolfe's girlfriend, Taylor Thomas, posted a message on Facebook and created an online petition supporting him, Shue called Wolfe into his office and threatened to prevent him from bringing her to prom unless she changed the posts. Shue also wrote a scripted press statement that he then pressured Wolfe to give to media. After Thomas's online posts were changed, Shue continued to threaten to bar her from attending until Wolfe said he was contacting the ACLU.


Shue declined to say whether or not Wolfe's male name will be read at graduation, as he has repeatedly requested.

"Issak is accepted by his family, teachers, and peers for who he is," said Reggie Shuford, executive director of the ACLU of Pennsylvania. "He had no reason to expect to be treated differently by school officials, and Shue's efforts to silence Issak and Taylor and suppress their First Amendment rights are completely inappropriate and unconstitutional."


The full letter sent by the ACLU to the Red Lion School district can be viewed here.






4/26/13

Is the Kick Starter #AssignedSex NYC Trans Youth Film being Ignored Becuse So Many Are Black?

Looking at this project I see immense possibilities in every one of the young trans people featured. So why is it not receiving the support it deserves? It's not for a lack of commitment by those involved in the project. They have made four youtube promotional videos. That's three more than the norm. The project only has a few days left to be fully funded if it is to receive any of the pledges. My opinion? It's not getting money because the most of the participants are people of color. They are the easiest to ignore. That's right. Even within the transgender and LGB community there is a perceived stratification of privilege. In black and white, we are racists.

I always written reviews about transgender kick starter projects positivity, until now that is. We are failing and need to step up.

These young folks represent our vital link to our future. We all (privileged white trans peeps) have all attend a TDOR and silently shook our heads in dismay at every name read. We all know who is being victimized. People of color. I challenge our community, rich, poor, black, red, yellow, white, everyone, to walk the walk. Please support #AssignedSex on Kick Starter



Published on Jan 7, 2013

Kyrie, Angel, Lala, Jay'lin and L get ready to share their stories with the world. They have moved beyond the traditional gender labels assigned to them at birth and they aren't looking back.

#AssignedSex is a documentary that provides an up-close and personal look into the multidimensional lives of transgender individuals in the NYC metro area. The web series serves as a platform for transgender mentors and provides behind the scenes footage revealing the challenging emotional and physical barriers that transgender individuals are currently facing.

MUSIC BY: Fayola & O.N.E.

The Making of Assigned Sex - The Web Series' is the creation of
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