Namoli Brennet Seattle CD Release Concert Live Streaming In HD!

Facebook event "A rare and cool opportunity that I'm pretty excited about: My Seattle CD Release at Empty Sea Studios this Friday will be streaming LIVE in HD Video! Starting at 7:30 pm PST (concert starts at 8 pm). This is a great chance to catch a *super* high quality concert broadcast, and the cost is pretty darned cheap: just $6.99, and $2 of that goes to benefit Lambert House, Seattle's LGBTQ Youth Center. The quality is seriously amazing, hope you'll tune and tweet your requests and comments!"

More info and advance tickets at Empty Sea.com

Namoli invites you to tweet requests and comments to @Namoli during her show!



It's amazing music and for a great cause! I already have tickets for her fabulous show! With 50% of the profits going to the artist and two dollars of every ticket bought going to the Lambert House Seattle's LGBTQ youth center its a win win!

New Orleans PD looking For This Transgender Robbery Suspect

French Quarter Robbery Suspect Might Be a Transgender Woman.

Police are looking for the individual in the video below. They think this person might be a transgender woman but have failed to describe her as such. Instead they have desribed her as a male out of ether transphobia or just plain old ignorance. Maybe both.

But in any case misidentifying and misgendering this person makes her apprehension that much more difficult.

Source: The Times-Picayune, LA, USA "The first suspect -- featured in the above surveillance footage -- was described as a transgendered male with brown skin who's slightly under 6 feet and in his mid-20s to early 30s."



Detective Steve Nolan is in charge of the investigation.

Citizens with information that can help solve these crimes are asked to contact Crimestoppers at 504.822.1111 or toll-free at 877.903.STOP. You could receive a cash reward of up to $1,000 for information leading to an arrest and indictment. You do not have to give your name or testify to receive the reward

Video: Anonymous Hacks US Gov't Websites In Retribution for Reddit co-founder Aaron Swartz's Suicide

Anonymous hackers deface the official website of U.S. Sentencing Commission website (ussc.gov) on Friday under a new campaign called "Operation Last Resort" in memory of Reddit co-founder Aaron Swartz and also threatening to release a massive WikiLeaks-style exposure of sensitive U.S. government secrets.

IKEA Apologizes To Thai Transgender Alliance For "Forgot To Deceive" Advert

The IKEA letter Apologizing to the Thai Transgender Alliance and the world's trans community for the offensive advertisement:

The universal condemnation from the world's trans community easily transcended language barriers. The momentum we created quickly propelled our concerns into mainstream media bringing this issue front and center to this massive corporation's attention.

I appreciate the apology from IKEA and I hope other corporations will also understand trans people will not abide being mocked.

The offending advertisement "Forgot to Deceive":

Huffpost Piece on Sadie's Dream Prefaced With Awesome Commentary

I loved both the video commentary and Sadie's letter to President Obama published on Huffington Post so much I posted both.

"Sadie's dream" written in response to President Obama not mentioning trans people in his 2013 Inaugural speech.

"The world would be a better place if everyone had the right to be themselves, including people who have a creative gender identity and expression. Transgender people are not allowed the freedom to do things everyone else does, like go to the doctor, go to school, get a job, and even make friends.

"Transgender kids like me are not allowed to go to most schools because the teachers think we are different from everyone else. The schools get afraid of how they will talk with the other kids' parents, and transgender kids are kept secret or told not to come there anymore. Kids are told not to be friends with transgender kids, which makes us very lonely and sad."

"When they grow up, transgender adults have a hard time getting a job because the boss thinks the customers will be scared away. Doctors are afraid of treating transgender patients because they don't know how to take care of them, and some doctors don't really want to help them. Transgender patients like me travel to other states to see a good doctor."

"It would be a better world if everyone knew that transgender people have the same hopes and dreams as everyone else. We like to make friends and want to go to school. Transgender people want to get good jobs and go to doctors like they are exactly the same. It really isn't that hard to like transgender people because we are like everyone else."

Five Charged In Connection With Gang Murder of Transgender Rapper Evon (Yung LT) Young

The criminal complaint filed in Milwaukee county charges Devin Lattrez Seaberry and Allen Ron Joseph with first degree criminal homicide punishable with life imprisonment.

CBS 58 Reports That three others, Victor L. Stewart, Ashanti M. Mcalister and Young's roommate Billy R. Griffin are all charged with substantial battery as party to a crime, and face up to three years in prison.

The criminal complaint goes on to say that Stewart believed Young assisted in the burglary of his and Griffin's residence. The complaint alleges all men in the apartment, Griffin included, began to beat Young in the kitchen. They allegedly got Young to confess to playing a part in the burglary of their apartment.

Stewart told police the group moved Young to the basement before killing him. We're told the gang members used bleach in an attempt to get of DNA evidence in the basement.

"The criminal complaint refers to Evon Young as Ebony Young, his given name. Evon was a woman living his life as a man. It does not appear that Young's sexuality gender expression played any part in the homicide."

IKEA Transphobic ไทยโฆษณาคือก้าวร้าว Trans ชุมชนโลก

The "Forget to Deceive" advertisement features a normal appearing couple strolling into a IKEA store. When the female spots a sale so spectacular she forgets to deceive and shouts out in her male voice much to the astonishment of her partner.

The advertisement goes down hill from there as she is then seen lifting up the sale items weighing perhaps much more than a cisgender woman could carry as her male companion obviously realizing she is "really a man" runs in the other direction.

The Thai Transgender Alliance has publicly denounced the advertisement that ran in sky trains saying in a open letter that 'The transgender content of the advertisement is negative and stereotypical in nature, perpetuating misunderstanding transgenderism as human sexuality for "deceitful and deviant lifestyle".'

Source - Thai Transgender Alliance: "A marketing official at IKEA Thailand, which opened its first store in the country in November 2011, said on Thursday it had talked with the group in response to its January 9 complaint."

"IKEA has spoken to the group over the telephone and the conversation went very smoothly. We are now drafting a letter in response," the official said, declining to be identified.



My personal reaction.

This nasty advertisement is so disgusting I don't know where to begin.

I work in a warehouse. When I began there I was scorned by my co workers because I was a over weight and out of shape trans woman.

In the year since I have seriously undertaken a work out regiment and have been able to maintain my HRT resulting in substantial changes.

Now when I lift heavy objects and work with gusto I am scorned for the differences that I DO NOT Hide. I am not deceiving. I am making the fullest use of this transgender body.

This advertisement invites cisgender people to hate us for who we are and whom we might become.

Read more at Gay Star News

Parkland Sidesteps Trans Bathroom Use OPENING the door To Further Arrests

Rafael McDonnell a LGBT advocate from Dallas Texas confirmed to me that as expected Parkland Hospital amended their personal policy to include gender expression and identity. What I didn't expect though was that those provisions are not extended to non employees i.e. you and me. Sick people. Visitors etc.

Trans Crow in the Dallas County Hospital.

Should we have a medical emergency or a need to visit Parkland trans people may find themselves being directed by police to a single stall bathroom or even arrested if your driver licence is not corrected to your proper gender. It all depends on whether someone complains.

The controversy began after a cisgender woman complained to the police about a transgender woman, Paula Witherspoon using the ladies room. Parkland police then gave Witherspoon a ticket for 'disorderly conduct' despite her presenting a 'carry letter".

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Dallas Morning News Reports: " Parkland’s new rules, however, do not protect transgender patients and visitors from certain discriminating behaviors. Top officials said Parkland would strive to become a “more welcoming” institution." "The hospital recently set up a task force to find ways to avoid confrontations with transgender patients or visitors. The task force may recommend that such visitors use designated “unisex” bathrooms on each floor of the hospital.

" “The main issue with transgender people is they don’t know which bathroom to use,” said Dr. Roberto DE la Cruz, a hospital board member. “Somebody might be upset in the bathroom with them and wondering, why you are there.”

" Dr. Roberto DE la Cruz's statement is so insulting! Transgender people KNOW which bathroom to use Dr DE la Cruz. What is problem is there are people who will use the opportunity you just created to complain about my using the bathroom. Although myself and many trans people 'pass' well there will always be tells that differentiate me from cisgender woman. " Dr. DE la Cruz an openly gay board member dismissed the trans issue saying he had been employed by Parkland for many years and "never had a problem there." " YOU ARE GAY Dr. DE la Cruz! You can put your sexual orientation into your pocket when you use the bathroom and seamless merge with the heteronormative world!"  " We are TRANSGENDER NOT GAY. Everywhere we go its obvious to some extent that we ARE TRANSGENDER including the bathroom and from MY PERSONAL experience at Parkland we are unwelcome, even despised by the staff and police."  " Parkland's new employee policy change is basically meaningless as transgender people will continue to avoid medical treatment for fear of being humiliated or even worst, arrest."  " Seems to me its just a feather in the cap for gay advocates and a disaster for trans people." 

#Catfish : When A Cis Lesbian Pretends To Be Like Me To Get a Date

So this cisgender woman, Ebony pretends to be a transsexual, sends pictures of someone else to a man and they meet. Was the man pissed? Yes! He thinks he's gay and thought he was going to meet a transgender woman!

Wait!! Didn't he know the transgender person he was going to meet said she was a Male to female (MTF) trans woman? We aren't men! We are woman!

When Rod says in the end that he maybe gay courious, was he saving face by not admiting he's a 'chaser'. Its a set up for murder.

Uma transgênero irmã assassinada perto Clube Parque das Águas Brasil

Trans woman Fernanda Carrico da Silva was shot dead January 9th in broad daylight while riding her bicycle on ERS-118 near the Parque das Águas, (pictured left) Viamão, Brazil.

The police saw this happen yet the murderers still managed to escape.

Source Homofobia Mata (Grupo Gay da Bahia), Brazil: [Bing translate]

"The death of a parent heterosexual family gives news. If the death of a rich guy, gives up rally. If the dead person is gay, but has money or is the "high society", do demonstration, reporting on homophobia, no noise, posters, weeping and gnashing of teeth."

"But the death of a transvestite, a hustler, it seems that it is notmore important than the death of a cockroach."

"The event happened in daylight in a busy place, and there was just some media coverage. Alias, no, no. Had yes: I want to compliment, really compliment and congratulate, Radio Guaiba, who did a story about the crime. The mainstream press, only Guaíba did it. The rest gave no note, nor how peal."

Read more at homofobia mata.

Transitioning At the Inauguration

Will Obama's inauguration be the queerest ever now that he has chosen a transgender and gay affirming Latino priest for the Benediction?

Nope. Not unless President Barack Hussein Obama II uses the occasion to come out as gender gifted.

There was a gay president.

Although James Buchanan never came out he was in a long term relationship with another man.

Then there's GW Bush who reached out to the same LGBT affirming priest for his inauguration but I don't thing W will ever come out.

Personally I think Michelle Obama would rule if she stood in support alongside the 45th president during her announcement she is transitioning starting at the inauguration.

Fox Nation Uses "Mrs. Doubtfire" Image to Mock Trans Healthcare Needs

Media Matters Reports: "On January 13, Fox Nation posted a Newsmax.com article describing new regulations in California and Oregon that require insurance companies to cover medically necessary treatments for transgender patients if they also cover those treatments for patients who aren't transgender."

The Fox Nation website has since removed this picture of Mrs. Doubtfire holding two pans to her chest to belittle trans health care needs but the damage has already been done.

Take action!

Basic Rights Oregon the organization which championed the health care improvements has a petition demanding Fox News Stop Dehumanizing Transgender People

Dallas TransWoman's Need of Police Protection To Use Hospital Restroom May End

May 2012 transgender woman Paula Witherspoon received a ticket for using the ladies room at Parkland Hospital Dallas Texas.

The hospital said at the time the ticket she received was 'under review' casting doubt on the validity of the charge and the Parkland police actions.

In the meantime Paula Witherspoon must call for police protection before she uses the bathroom at the Hospital.

But this may change as Parkland Hospital announced they are reviewing there personal policies with the intention" to prohibit discrimination on the basis of gender identity, gender expression and genetic information."

I spoke with Rafael McDonnell Communications and Advocacy Manager Resource Center Dallas who said "Next Tuesday 1/22, the board of managers for Parkland Hospital are expected to add transgender protections to their nondiscrimination policy. The hospital has more than 8,200 employees, and is the largest public hospital in North Texas. The Dallas Business Journal broke the story but incorrectly stated that the policy will come up next month."

"Parkland has also agreed to take part in HRC's Healthcare Equality Index survey for 2013. They would be the first hospital in DFW to do so, and only the second in the entire state of Texas. With the policy addition, Parkland will become the only hospital in Texas to have a fully inclusive nondiscrimination policy and offer domestic partner benefits."

Rafael the driving force behind most of the DFW's incredible LGBT progress will be speaking at the January board of managers meeting.

Trigger warning: Outing and misgendering. The interviewer accusingly asks Paula 'Are you sure you didn't do anything wrong in that bathroom?"

PCC To Investigate Observer over Julie BurChill's Hate Speech

Hundreds of trans people and allies gathered outside the Guardian office in London protesting the publishing of Jule Burchill's hate speech 'Transsexuals should cut it out'. The article was taken down after it became apparent to the Guardian publishers there were enough complaints about it that they might be investigated.

The Guardian/Observer disagrees with the popular belief that left to run amok Bruchill's hate speech would have remained on there website. Today The Observer's readers' editor, Stephen Pritchard announced he will conduct a 'internal investigation' and will publish commentary about that later today.

The Guardian will have to convince the Press Complaints Commission (PCC) that they did not intentionally publish hate speech.

Lost Girl Producers Apologize for Unintentionally Perpetuating The TransPanic Meme

An outraged trans community made our concerns be heard and Lost Girl producers listened.

Yesterday I published guest blogger Diana O'Brien's article Thought SyFy Channel’s Lost Girl [Caged Fae] Was LGBT Friendly? Think Again!. Diana was incensed a show that portrays lesbians in a positive light would base it's season opener plot around what boils down to be transpanic.

Essentially it's about a female warden in a women's prison who turns out to be a man who is using his position to rape woman and sell the babies into slavery. Nice huh? Well its all cloaked in science fiction and sexualized lesbian domination fantasy so the producers reasoned is it wasn't overtly offensive.

 It wasn't offensive in that context if a person isn't a transgender/transsexual and isn't deathly afraid of dating for fear of someone murdering you after sex to massage their ego/silence you/is a gang member who doesn't want his homies to find out. As happens nearly every other day.

I couldn't find Prodigy's apology on their Facebook page or their twitter timeline. The only place I saw it was on Glaad's blog. So for the record here it is:

"We want to let you know that the Lost Girl writers base all episodic characters off of researched folklore, and that the character of The Warden in the premiere of Season 3 is a character based off the mythological shapeshifter known as the Liderc. The Warden was only intended to represent this mythic being. We did not intend this character to be seen as a transgender person, we apologize if the character was seen as such. We do hope that you accept that no comparison or discrimination toward the transgender community was intended by the depiction of this mythological character.

Lost Girl prides itself on being open and accepting to everyone, and are enthusiastic supporters of the GLBT community. We want to encourage a society in which everyone can feel comfortable to express and be who they are without judgment. Equality and a world without labels is important to all of us at the series. We strive to create three dimensional characters, who empower all viewers regardless of sexuality or gender."

Sincerely,
The Producers of LOST GIRL

A nice apology and explanation but it would have been a lot better if it had appeared somewhere else in addition to the Glaad Blog.

Now here's where we get real messy.

There is a disturbing amount of push back from this advocacy from some gay and lesbian cis people in the GLAAD article's comments. They are really upset we have criticized a show that portrays LGBT Bisexual and lesbians in a favorable light.

Not just upset, they are incensed that we are 'making a mountain out of a molehill"

Got a memo for them. We are trans. We have a voice and we are here. Respect us.

Atlanta Queer Bashing Victim Luke O'Donovan To Be Released on $35K Bail Jan 17

19 year old Luke O'Donovan was the sole person arrested after 5 men attacked him for dancing and kissing another man at a news year party. Luke has been held without bail since January 1st.

The mainstream media jumped at the chance to portray Luke as the aggressor when in truth he was the victim of an attemped queer bashing. Luke choose to fight back.

Video of 'friends gathered in support of Luke' has no start screen due to my disabling of the annoying 'autostart' function.

Read more at The GA Voice and East Atlanta Patch.

If you are able please help with Lukes defense fund. As of this post $3,700 has been raised. Donate at Luke O'Donovan Support Fund.

Thought SyFy Channel’s Lost Girl [Caged Fae] Was LGBT Friendly? Think Again!

Guest blogger Diana O'Brien is a transgender advocate, writer and licensed esthetician & electrologist in Wilton Manors, FL. She current writes a guest column for the South Florida Gay News.

The third season premiere of Lost Girl just demonstrated the well-worn path for advancing gay/lesbian/bisexual themes in the media. That path continues to be walking over the crushed public image of transgender people.

Lost Girl has received a lot of attention for its sexually charged plot lines and positive portrayal of lesbian and bisexual female characters. Even GLAAD has taken notice of the show, promoting it in The GLAAD Wrap and What to Watch.

Season 3 Episode 1 titled Caged Fae brings transphobia and trans panic back into the mix It depicts this week’s villain as a man impersonating a female prison warden so he can impregnate the all-female inmate population and sell their babies. After “outing” the corset-clad warden with a telling kiss, the show’s heroine Bo leaves justice in the hands (and riot sticks) of the female prison guards. The men-hating prison guards do a hands-on package check, and haul the warden away for some off-screen punishment. This whole scenario sets up the moment when Bo and her female love interest decide to make their lesbian relationship status official.

So here we have it – the whole reason our opponents say trans people (specifically trans women) should not have rights.

We are just a bunch of men that want into women-only facilities so we can “trap” them and violate them. We deserve whatever severe punishment our discoverers decide to meet out. We are the villains. Again.


It is particularly offensive that SyFy Channel takes a page out of the defense playbook of Angia Zapata’s murderer. Trans panic was the supposed justification for beating Angie to death in 2008, after her boyfriend “found out” she was trans. A jury saw through this defense and found her murderer guilt of first degree murder and a bias-based hate crime. This episode shamefully exploits trans panic violence as justified.

This kind of defamation has to stop. The media needs to take responsibility for its continued promotion of transphobic stereotypes and justification of trans panic violence. NBC Universal and the SyFy Channel need to be held accountable and take corrective action. We need GLAAD to take direct action on this now, and stop promoting Lost Girl until its content is friendly towards the whole LGBT community!

Guardian apologizes and Deletes Julie Burchill's Screed 'Transsexuals should cut it out'

 

The highly toxic Observer article 'Transsexuals should cut it out' was deleted but there was no mention Burchill's employment status or even an apology from her.

The following statement is from John Mulholland, editor of the Observer:

We have decided to withdraw from publication the Julie Burchill comment piece 'Transsexuals should cut it out'. The piece was an attempt to explore contentious issues within what had become a highly-charged debate. The Observer is a paper which prides itself on ventilating difficult debates and airing challenging views. On this occasion we got it wrong and in light of the hurt and offence caused I apologise and have made the decision to withdraw the piece. The Observer Readers' Editor will report on these issues at greater length.

The comments posted beneath the article have also been removed in line with our deletion process and as a result these comments will no longer appear in individual users' profiles.

Being a relative novice to British media treatment of transgender people I observed earlier that the brouhaha over 'Seeing Red: the power of female anger' was little more than a Tempest in a teapot. But then I started to learn about the atrocious treatment UK trans people receive by the mainstream media the angst over Moore's article began to make sense.

According to Gay Star News Moore returned to Tweeter and offered an apology for her comment about Brazilian transsexuals:

'I did not set out to offend and the murder of all women trans or not is clearly something I DO care about,' Moore said, adding that there had been 'much bridge building' between her and 'several trans people who I deeply respect' and she is meeting with more trans people.'

(Note I could not verify that she returned to tweeter or said this)


Even though some within the UK community would perceive this as just another episode of transphobia I would like to remind you of this.

We stand with you, planet wide. We are one, planetransgender and our collective voices can't be denied. Even though there has been no word of Burchill's employment status I venture you won't see her hateful writing being framed as an 'exploration of a contentious' subject again, in the Observer anyways.

So I think we can see this as a victory none the less.

Vicco: Smallest City In America To Pass LGBT Protections

Usually its the big cities that make big news when they institute LGBT protections but this time the big news is how small the city is and how big their hearts are.

Vico Kentucky is located in the southern tip of Perry County, 12 miles from the county seat of Hazard in rural Appalachia has 318 residents covering only .08 square miles.

Source Fairness Campaign: Vicco, KY) Today the Fairness Coalition joined the Appalachian town of Vicco, Kentucky as they approved the state's first lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) anti-discrimination Fairness ordinance in a decade. The measure, which prohibits discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodations based upon a person's actual or perceived sexual orientation and gender identity, received support from three of the city's four-member commission and mayor.

Vicco becomes the smallest municipality in America with such anti-discrimination protections and joins three other cities in the commonwealth with Fairness laws--Covington, which passed an ordinance in 2003, Lexington, and Louisville, which both approved laws in 1999.

"Vicco is a community that believes all folks should be treated fairly," shared Vicco City Attorney Eric Ashley. "We believe everyone deserves the opportunity for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Fairness is a Kentucky value, a Vicco value, and one of our most American values."

"Seeing Red" A tempest in a teapot. Now Sack Julie Burchill

A lot of trans people were upset by a Suzanne Moore piece in the New Statesman tittled 'Seeing Red: the power of female anger'. In all honesty I didn't find it offensive.

But then the piece didn't have the paragraph that angered so many people stereotyping Brazilian transsexuals when I read it. For the record Moore wrote:

" [Women] are angry with ourselves for not being happier, not being loved properly and not having the ideal body shape – that of a Brazilian transsexual.”

All and all not that offensive but that's just me. I have watched in utter amazement  trans Brazilian pageant contestants. So in a way its a complement as they have raised the bar so frustratingly high that many, both cis and trans people might see as unattainable. 

But reading into the comments I do find reasons the UK trans community would be offended since between 126 and 200 trans murders were reported in Brazil at the 2012 TDOR especially since the ink hasn't even dried and yet another Brazilian trans woman has been reported  brutally murdered today.

In that context Moore's comment is an offensive stereotyping of  a particular ethnicity of the trans community. The 126 who were murdered probably weren't drop dead gorgeous and didn't have wide hips or big breasts. They were most likely like me in appearance.  It then becomes obvious the Moore used that comparison as backhanded slap at trans peoples as she refused to become educated about that indiscretion.

Moore's true colors came out as she responded to trans people's indignation by tweeting

" “People can just fuck off really. Cut their dicks off and be more feminist than me. Good for them.”

So good riddance to Moore but that was nothing in comparison to what followed ber departure.

Columnist Militant Feminist Julie Burchill responded to Moore's leaving twitter on the Guardian with "Transsexuals should cut it out" saying it's a shame she' should be driven from her chosen mode of time-wasting by a bunch of dicks in chicks' clothing.

Burchill didn't limit her disrespect to trans people she obviously abhors other minorities as well.

"The reaction of the trans lobby reminded me very much of those wretched inner-city kids who shoot another inner-city kid dead in a fast-food shop for not showing them enough "respect"

That shouldn't be too surprising since in 2002 she narrowly escaped prosecution for incitement to racial hatred, "following a Guardian column where she described Ireland as being synonymous with child molestation, Nazi-sympathising, and the oppression of women. Source: Wikipedia

Burchill was just getting warmed up and refocused her hated on trans people cavalierly using the reviled word 'trannies' and threatening "these bed-wetters in bad wigs are "lucky I'm not calling them shemales. Or shims."

As you can guess the trans community is up in arms about this outrage. Many have already emailed complaints about Bruchill's article to Stephen Pritchard president of the Organization of News Ombudsmen  but don't let that stop you. Email him at reader@observer.co.uk

The Independent is running a poll to get a idea of how society in general feels about Julie Burchill's article.

This poll was shared 500+ times and of those shares I assume most responded to the poll to. Click Here to take the poll.

Quizzes by Quibblo.com

Personally, I don't want the article removed from the Guardian. I want Burchill fired. I want a full retraction and apology from the Guardian addressing each instance of Burchill's hate.