planet trans

10/22/13

SexMind's Mcalc Transgender Friendly Gender Neutral Menstruation Calculator

Sex Mind a group that describes itself as a interface between humanity and medical professionals is on Indigo seeking crowd funding for the development of a menstrual cycle app for mobile devices.

Why? With the advent of dads having children why shouldn't we have apps that treat us respectfully?

From the Indego site:

"There is a large amount of people in the world who do not identify with the traditional conception of gender, or who don´t express their gender in the same way as others. A gender neutral app like Mcalc is the perfect alternative for people who menstruate and have a hard time using overly feminized apps, or simply, for people who don´t want their tracking app to assume their gender and their sexual orientation. Aside from that, Mcalc helps to promote the inclusion of the LGBTQA community in the app market , joining plenty of other apps that have been supportive from the start."

Sex Mind has already released a beta version for Android. What bothered me was that I couldn't find a link to that app on their Tmblr or any other sites run by Sexmind. I found it by googling Sexmind and down loaded the app to my Android.

The App worked the first I used it but then it quit accepting input. Even if it is in Beta thats not too impressive but then nether are the reviews.

Being a trans woman I have never had period but one of my partners did make timing hers my business. And I think its a great idea from my experiences presenting as male. I don't think there are too many manly trans men who would appreciate the flowery designs or being misgendered on the other apps I downloaded.

Its defiantly a idea who's time is due. (pun intended). Maybe the funding will help them have the resources to work the bugs out.

10/21/13

ACT drops Transgender and Intersex people from the marriage equality bill at last moment

The Australian Capital Territory or ACT dropped transgender and intersex people from the territories new same sex marriage law. According to Out in Perth the changes were made so the bill would have a better chance of standing up to the federal government’s promised High Court challenge.

ACT Attorney General Simon Corbell had told the ABC that the government is following the advice of constitutional law experts and provisions for transgender people will be added at a later date.

“We recognise that the views of a number of constitutional experts are that we should put that issue beyond doubt and the terminology that’s applied in our bill.”

“If our bill is upheld we will certainly move at a later date to expand its scope,” Mr Cordell said.

Australian trans and intersex people express their frustration at being excluded at the last moment. Trans Health Australia had this to say about it on facebook:

Options

Trans Health Australia · 892 like this

17 hours ago ·

It is such a pity that "Gay Marriage Rights in Australia" also fails to change their name, and realise that "GAY MARRIAGE" or "SAME SEX MARRIAGE IS NOT MARRIAGE EQUALITY and now they wonder why the trans* and intersex communities have these types of problems? "

WHERE TO FROM HERE?
'Separate but equal' is not equal. It shouldn't matter where you live, who you love or what sex you are.

After the bill passes in the ACT tomorrow, thousands of Australian couples will be able to marry their 'same-sex' partner for the first time in the ACT but there will still be couples who are excluded and there will still be couples forced to divorce because of their legal sex status or the sex of their partner. This is not the 'fair go' Australians pride themselves on. This is not 'marriage equality' for Australia. This is 'same-sex marriage' in the ACT. The only way we can achieve full and inclusive marriage equality is to change the Federal Marriage Act. It's important that as we celebrate tomorrow that we remember that and most importantly tell all our family and friends and our Federal politicians.

We will not rest until ALL Australians in ALL states are treated fairly and have the right to marry the person they love and have their love recognised as equal. "No freedom till we're equal. Damn right I support it."

Listen to Professor George Williams, constitutional law expert at the University of New South Wales explain to ABC why he believes these changes challenge proof the law Click here (opens in a MP3 window).

Partying hard, Laid off, Depressed, Dating. Police still clueless about who murdered Texas Transgender woman Artegus Konyale Madden

The Dallas Morning News used those adjectives to describe my sister Texan Artegus Konyale Madden last days. I will use those same words at great risk of being condemned for not personally knowing this woman.

I do know that I live only miles away and in the same country as she did.

If the Dallas News article acutely describes how she lived her last days what is the take away. We must hold ourselves in high esteem not allowing ourselves to become to dependent on how others view us. Be careful of how and where we date. And it is my conviction its our responsibility to others and ourselves to let a potential romantic interest know if we have had any anatomical alignment surgeries, or not.

They haven't even found the bullet which ended her life. The police even admitted there were a lot of unanswered questions.

The sad truth is as time passes unless there is a break in the case most of our murdered become a static remembered on the TDOR then put into the back of our minds.

Her obituary in the Longview Journal made no mention of her trans status repeatably misgendered her in contrast to the woman in the obits picture.

If you have any information on the case, contact Denton County Sheriff’s Office investigator Donn Britt at 940-349-1667.

10/20/13

Pacific Justice Institute makes yet another blundering attack against Florence high school's transgender student

WMD interviewed Matthew McReynolds staff attorney at the right wing "Pacific Justice Institute" (PJI) which claims to represent students at Florence High School about alleged peer objections to a transgender student's access to public accommodations.

The interviewer was eager to nail down some specifics about what legal actions the PJI was taking against the trans girl. But all he was given was the same song and dance that we read in PJI's second backpedaling press release which was published immediately following TransAdvocate's Cristan Williams interview with the District School superintendent.

McReynolds stated "if there wasn't something to this the school wouldn't be conducting a law enforcement investigation which is what their doing"' suggesting they were looking to prosecute the transgender student.

Superintendent Rhonda Vendetti made it clear in her interview with Cristan Williams the ones who would be made being legally accountable were those who were propagating these lies targeting their transgender student.

Who is this child? Cristan Williams at the Transadvocate speaks with her mom and gives her the space to speak as well.

Please read Cristans incredible article on the Transadvocate.

McReynolds stated that Colorado law was vague on public accommodations and that there intent was to test it. The law in Colorado states very clearly that Places of public accommodation may not deny any person participation, entry, or services based upon the person’s sexual orientation, including transgender status.

The PJI has no evidence, no clients and no case at this time, only objecting to what they consider behaviour that is 'inherently harassing' when a transgender student uses the restroom.

In other words they are fabricating untruths and creating a condition in which a transgender high school student faces increased prejudice, discrimination and the inherent accompanying violence.

McReynolds said that we transgender activists, 'talk out of both sides of our mouths' by insisting that we have protections under Title IV and Title VII only because of the way we 'interpret it'. In fact courts have recently repeatedly upheld provisions protecting transgender and gender nonconforming people under both Title IV and Title VII

We've come a long ways baby.

Featuring two-time Olympian and Yale rower, Chris Ernst, who galvanized her rowing team to protest the substandard conditions facing female athletes in the 1970s. On a cold rainy day in 1976, Ernst led her teammates to the athletic director's office, where they stripped, baring bodies emblazoned with the phrase TITLE IX in blue marker. This event rocketed around the globe, leaving an indelible imprint on the nation in terms of what gender equity really meant. Directed by Mary Mazzio.

The Center for Transgender Equality Gender non conforming and transgender students Your Rights At School

10/19/13

Philippines Viral hit "That's my Tomboy" reclaiming defamation or network profiteering?

The Association of Transgenders in the Philippines posted this comment about Yahoo OMG post "Can ‘That’s My Tomboy’ raise equal rights? Almost but not quite, says activist:
"....it's noticeable that ABS CBN have been releasing news and feature articles about transgender people with incorrect pronouns.
We just hope that the launch of That's My Tomboy was to promote the rights of people with non-conforming gender instead of making them a laughingstock while it rakes king's ransom to the network's coffer."

Being totally ignorant I found this in Wiki: about "Tomboy"

"In the Philippines, the term gay is used in reference to any LGBT person. For Filipino gays, the Tagalog phrase paglaladlad ng kapa ("unfurling the cape"), or more commonly just paglaladlad ("unfurling" or "unveiling") refers to the coming-out process. Tibo, T-Bird and tomboy are derogatory terms for butch lesbians just as bakla is for effeminate gay men. Some lesbians, both butch and femme, use the terms magic or shunggril to refer to themselves. Neutral slang terms for gay men include billy boy, badette, bading, and paminta (straight-acting gay man)."

"While many of these terms are generally considered derogatory, they are sometimes used casually or jokingly within the Filipino gay and lesbian community. For example, gay men often refer to their gay friends as bakla when talking to each other."

There was a conflagration within the US trans community about the word 'tranny' that tore at the fabric of our community. A survey albeit unscientific, showed most trans people found the word offensive. Since that debate the "T" word has been generally accepted as defamation. I am curious if "Tomboy" is the same as "tranny" in that regard.

planetransgender has a growing number of visitors from the Philippines. Please share with the planet how you feel about this.

10/18/13

Florence Colorado Transgender student singled out again

The second day I begun my current job I was told about a rumor that was seen using the men's room. It was devastating to me this being the first full time job I had since beginning transition four years before. That rumor cut me so deeply since I had worked as a cashier for years at the Walmart just a few miles away in that small town. Whenever I entered a restroom or existed a stall for months afterward there was utter silence. People would star at my crotch. Whole tables would get up if I sat down at the lunch room.

I brought this to the management's attention and ended up with a department wide meeting that only served to spread that rumor. That was two years ago. Now I am more or less accepted. I have received over three dollars a hour in raises and am looking forward to my next advancement.

But for a young person with no previous life experiences to fall back on these rumors started by Pacific Justice Institute and amplified by Fox Nation are life threatening. The latest 'press release' from the PJI makes no mention of the child specifically but tries to reframe their intent with a wider brush. Curiously there was no mention of 'harassment' in there latest statement only a promise to bring wittiness forward. Again.

Trigger warning! The following video suggests that a transgender student is at fault.

The talking head begins with "Florance high school students say they are uncomfortable with sharing there bathroom with a transgender student." but this statement is not backed up by any of the students. It is a rumor. One propagated by the PJI.

Cristan Williams debunking the PJI lies.

Further exposing lies and rumors a excellent article cross posted from the HRC Blog:

Colorado School District Defends Transgender Students’ Rights

October 17, 2013 by Maureen McCarty, HRC Senior Digital Strategist

Earlier this week, conservative media outlets, including Fox Nation, circulated now debunked reports that bolstered a bigoted campaignagainst a transgender student at Colorado's Florence High School.

To its credit, school administrators have defended both the school’s policy and the transgender student victimized by extremist attacks.

“This is one parent basically bringing their view point about this situation to the media because they weren’t getting the responses that they hoped they would get from parents, from students at the high school or from the board and myself, “said Florence High School Superintendent Rhonda Vendetti in an interview with The Transadvocate’s Cristan Williams, who uncovered the truth behind conservative media reports.

Superintendent Vendetti continued, "I think it’s just an attempt to elevate the situation to a point where maybe some more attention can be drawn to that in the hope of having a different outcome. There’s not been any incident of harassment or anything that would cause additional concern.”

The Colorado Education Association has also come out in support of Florence High School and the student. The CEA has been working with local affiliates on issues important to LGBT youth and their families, including professional development for educators.

“Our promise to our students is that the Colorado Education Association will lead the way in guaranteeing every student access to the best public education," said CEA President Kerrie Dallman. "As educators we all have a responsibility to ensure a safe and inclusive learning environment for every student. No excuses.”

In August, California passed legislation – the first of its kind – to protect transgender students from this exact form of bullying.

The School Success and Opportunity Act (AB1266) addresses the exclusion of transgender students from classes and activities to ensure all students are provided the same opportunities.

Under this law, which Gov. Jerry Brown signed on August 12, California public schools must honor the students’ gender identity and expression, including the ability to use the appropriate bathroom.

The discriminatory National Organization for Marriage and other extremists have fought this effort – and any attempt protect transgender rights – using scare tactics around “privacy” and fictional stories of harassment like this one.

HRC applauds Cristan Williams for debunking the media reports and the Colorado school district for continuing its efforts to provide a welcoming learning environment for all students.

For more resources on creating learning environments that allow all students to thrive, check out HRC Foundation’s Welcoming Schoolsproject and the upcoming Time to Thrive conference.