Vietnamese youth fashion blurs gender lines

(05-04-2008)

by Bach Lien

HA NOI — In the past year, it seems beauty standards in Viet Nam have received a makeover. In urban areas, men are increasingly playing with earrings, hair dye and shirt styles and fabrics, while women are cropping their hair shorter and donning more "masculine" attire. And the trend is most prevalent amongst the young.

In unisex fashion clothing for men and women can draw from the same materials. Unisex watches lack the bulk associated with watches geared for men or the ornate, delicate features often found on watches marketed for women. Unisex haircuts mean anything goes. Girls can wear skirts layered over pants. Men wear long necklaces with pendants and carry handbags. . . .Read More

Transsexual soldier to enter Big Brother house

By Lucy Cockcroft

4/9/2008

A former soldier who became the first Army officer to have full gender reassignment surgery has been lined up to appear as a contestant on Big Brother this summer.

Jan Hamilton used to be known as Ian, a 16 stone captain in the Parachute Regiment, and even served in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The 43-year-old transsexual has already appeared in a television documentary which charted her change from a man into a woman.

The five-month process included surgery to give her feminine facial features and breasts.

Now Channel 4 executives are finalising a deal to bring her in as a house mate on the ninth series of the controversial 13-week reality show.

A source said: “There isn’t much that Jan hasn’t overcome in life.

“She is a real trooper. Combat, prejudice, life-changing surgery - nothing seems to faze her. “But the big brother cameras could be her toughest test ever.” . . . .Read More

Spotlight shines on drag show in University Room on Friday

Briana Hernandez

4/7/2008


t was the first time SJSU student Candace Christian had ever been to a show where the main attraction was men dressed as women and vice versa. She said, however, it may not be her last.

"It was great," said Christian, a junior social work major. "A lot of laughs. It was new."

Christian and others attended QTIP's, or Queers Thoughtfully Interrupting Prejudice, first ever Drag Show on Friday evening in the University Room where SJSU students, along with local performers, put on a show in order to raise money for the lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender club.

While Christian went to support her friends who performed, she stayed for the entire show.

"My favorite part," she said, "was how everyone took the time to really dress up, and some, I didn't even know if they were a girl or a guy.". . .Read More

POV, Critique, Opinion: Oregon's "Pregnant Man" Hoax

Right in a Left World

March 31, 2008


News out of Bend, Oregon is that male resident, Thomas Beatie, is 22 weeks pregnant. Articles have been written and an appearance on the Oprah Winfrey Show is scheduled. Looking closer, news of a Pregnant “Man” is just a myth.

Thomas Beatie, the Bend, Oregon man making news as a “Pregnant Man” was born Tracy LaGondino, a woman, 34 years ago. Tracy was a lesbian who fought for the right of gay couples to adopt children and against hate crimes in Hawaii, before moving to Bend 2 years ago.

Tracy fell in love with another woman, Nancy Roberts in Hawaii and they desired to be married, strictly against even Hawaii’s liberal laws.

Tracy decided she should obtain a sex change because Hawaii's laws did not support same sex marriage. She underwent a double radical mastectomy and began hormone therapy to change her gender to that of a male, but keeping her female reproductive organs. . . .Read More

Spotlight: Mak nyahs have not abandoned God

NSTonline

2008/04/06

DIANA (not her real name), a transgender, works as a nurse in a local hospital.

Recently, she had been given a Quran by her superior, who enrolled her into a counselling session and asked her to bertaubat (repent).

At the Mak nyah Drop-in Centre of PT Foundation, mak nyahs have religious studies, too.

But a marked difference is they are not asked to "repent".

Instead, every Thursday and Saturday for two hours, Ustaz Muhamad Kasim Mohd Osman from the Federal Territory Islamic Affairs Department (Jawi) explains Islamic teachings to his students using simple terms in a non-judgmental manner.

Mak nyahs learn about fardu ain - the fundamental obligations of an individual, which include solat (prayers), zakat (tithes) and puasa (fasting). They are also given guidance in self-motivation, personality-building and personal development.

Response, ever since classes started four years ago, has been nothing less than exceptional.

It's a misconception that transgenders do not believe in religion, says Khartini Slamah.

"I'm a Muslim and a transgender. I don't feel a conflict.

I still believe in God. Many Malay mak nyahs believe in religion. We pray five times a day, but we don't have to tell people that. We don't have to."

Twenty-five years ago, it was almost impossible to string the words "Islam" and "transsexuals" in one sentence without creating some sort of confrontation. . . .Read More

What's a 'ze' to do? A transgender approach

By Stephanie Innes

Arizona Daily Star
4.6.2008

For some people, "he" and "she" are limiting terms.

While many of the transgender people at last week's "Transgender 2008" conference in Tucson were transsexuals who strongly believe that at one time they were a woman trapped in a man's body or vice versa, others said the distinction is less clear.

Some say "man" or "woman" doesn't describe who they are. A few prefer gender-neutral pronouns, like "ze" for he and she, and "hir" (pronounced "here") for his and her. Others refer to themselves in written form as s/he to denote both their male and female sides.

Post-genderism or moving beyond the gender binary was a common theme during the conference, particularly among many younger transgender people who are more at ease than some of their older counterparts with calling themselves gender blenders, gender queer or nonconforming. . . .Read More

Transgender Talk Show Host Tackles Taboos in India

by Scott Carney

Day to Day, April 3, 2008 · India may be the home of the Kama Sutra, but for years frank talk about sex has been utterly taboo.

Lately, however, a transgender talk show host is changing the boundaries of dialogue. In recent episodes of her show Ippadikku Rose, Rose has tackled workplace harassment, divorce, premarital sex and the benefits of legalizing prostitution.

In the past, blunt discussion of such topics has drawn serious backlash. In 2005, for example, a popular Tamil actress was slapped with a lawsuit when she broached the subject of premarital sex. Around the same time, a nightclub was shut down after a photo in a local paper showed a couple kissing on its leather couches. . . .Listen and Read More

The New Dowse Celebrates Gender Diversity

7 April 2008


Trans-what? Assume Nothing: Demystifying and Celebrating Gender Diversity

Transsexual, intersex, pan-sexual – when you enter TheNewDowse’s latest exhibition Assume Nothing, you will be greeted by a series of intimate portraits and a long list of terms that illustrate the diversity of gender identity.

However, photographer Rebecca Swan says this list is by no means exhaustive.

“There are terms like transgender, transsexual, whakawāhine, fa’afafine, hermaphrodite or intersex, as well as drag kings and drag queens. But within those boxes, every person’s way of identifying their gender is unique. Not everyone fits neatly into these categories. The title sums it up – although sometimes it’s challenging, I try not to assume anything about anyone’s gender identity or in-fact anything about them including their sexual identity.” she says.

Swan’s intimate portraits of people who have alternative gender identities will be shown publicly at TheNewDowse from April 12, alongside new documentary footage by award-winning director Kirsty McDonald.

Featuring several well-known personalities, such as politician Georgina Beyer, performer Carmen Rupe, activist and educator Mani Bruce Mitchell and artist Shigeyuki Kihara, the exhibition profiles over 20 people who define their own gender identity. . . .Read More

Transsexual trucker wins sex discrimination claim

April 7, 2008 icWales


A transsexual trucker has won a sex discrimination claim after he was forced out of his job just weeks after arriving at work dressed as a woman.

Former soldier Mike Gaynor was well-liked and respected in his trucking job in Liverpool, which he landed in October 2006.

But trouble began when the twice-married father arrived for his shift to transport biscuits to a depot near Cardiff as Vikki-Marie, wearing make-up and jewellery.

The former scout leader, who obtained his HGV licence with the Royal Corps of Transport, told bosses in February last year that he intended to become a woman. . . .Read More

IFGE 2008 Conference Event Coverage Day 2: Tuesday

IFGE Conference Event Coverage from Lori D. - Tuesday, April 1, 2008

Genderbashing: The common root of Homophobic and Trans-phobic violence

by Nikki S., Transgender Section columnist

When young Simmie Williams was shot and killed in Fort Lauderdale , Florida , CBS 4 news ran the following headline:

"Gay Teen Gunned Down Dressed As Woman In Ft. Laud , FL"

The article goes on to describe the details of the murder, and questions whether Simmie was the victim of a hate crime:

Fort Lauderdale police are investigating whether a teen was shot and killed this week because he was gay.

Police said 17-year-old Simmie Williams was dressed in women's clothing at the time of the shooting and may have been a victim of a hate crime.

Now, any reasonable person would realize that Simmie was indeed murdered out of hate; the question is, what was it about Simmie that incited such a disgusting, violent reaction? Was it indeed, as the article suggests, because Simmie was “gay” meaning homosexual? Or was it because Simmie, assigned male at birth, dared to present a female appearance and attract male attention? In short, was Simmie killed or being gay, or for being transgendered? . . . .Read More

Gender-neutral housing explored

Committee will spend next year drafting report after LGBTQ students pressed administration

Raymond Carlson

April 2, 2008

In response to student demand, an “ad-hoc committee” of administrators is investigating the possibility of gender-neutral housing on campus, Dean of Administrative Affairs John Meeske said this week.

The committee, which was convened late last semester around the same time the Yale College Council formed a gender-neutral housing committee of its own, will spend the 2008-’09 academic year drafting a recommendation about the housing option, committee chair Meeske said.

Regardless of the group’s findings, he said the University will hold off on implementing any changes next year, even as the University’s Ivy League peers embrace gender-neutral housing options one by one. While Meeske said the committee cannot yet gauge demand for gender-neutral housing, students involved with the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community at Yale said additional housing options are badly needed — particularly to make the University more welcoming for transgender students. . . .Read More

Pregnant Man, April Fool's prank or reality

by JL Francis

April 01, 2008


Having a child is exciting news for parents. But, what if the expectant mother is a man? A transgender man, Thomas Beatie of Oregon is claiming that he is pregnant. Interestingly, Beatie was expected to hold a news conference today which had some speculating that this might be an April Fool's joke after all. However, the latest word seems to be that Beatie will appear for an exclusive interview on The Oprah Winfrey Show. The show is said to run on Thursday, April 3rd as an Oprah Winfrey and People Magazine exclusive.

Beatie is a transgendered male who has undergone hormone therapy to change his outward appearance. However, in order to conceive a child he stopped taking testosterone. Clearly, having never undergone surgery he is in fact a woman biologically and can then obviously become pregnant. . . .Read More

Kennedy Targets Job Bias Against Gays . . .TGs

By ANDREW MIGA

2 April 2008

WASHINGTON (AP) — Sen. Edward M. Kennedy is jumping into the middle of an uproar within the gay community whose causes he has long championed.

The Massachusetts Democrat is leading a push in the Senate for a federal ban on job bias against gays, lesbians and bisexuals — but not transsexuals, cross-dressers and others whose outward appearance doesn't match their gender at birth.

"We will strongly oppose it," said Roberta Sklar of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. "Leaving transgender people out makes that a flawed movement."

The House in November approved the bill, written by openly gay Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., despite strong protests from many gay rights advocates that it didn't cover transgender workers.

"It was made very clear in the fall that most LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) organizations, the vast majority of LGBT organizations, do not want Congress to shove a civil rights bill down our throat that we don't want," said Mara Keisling, executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality. . . .Read More

Pregnant Transmen

YouTube Video: Men and pregnancy

Changing lives

Frederick County transgenders speak out

March 28, 2008

By Nicholas C. Stern
News-Post Staff


Many people wouldn't be able to tell just by looking at her.

TerriLee Bell grew up as a man, married twice, divorced twice and fathered two children, a son and a daughter.

"At one point, I was living on the fringes, and just wasn't received in society or by my friends," Bell said. Some people categorized her as a freak, not knowing what to make of her.

That began the slow yet steady process, which has taken about 10 years, for Bell to become a woman, an identity she said was never really in doubt.

Bell, 56, will tell her story at the Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays meeting on April 2, at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Frederick. . . .Read More

Amazing photographs show 'pregnant man' and wife posing as body-builders in bikinis

Daily Mail

31 March 2008

These are the amazing before and after photographs of "pregnant man" Thomas Beatie.

They show the 34-year-old and his "wife" Nancy posing for gay magazine Odyssey in skimpy bikinis before his operation and then, just four years later, in a mocked up wedding-style picture.

The images were released as the Hawaiian native insisted his pregnancy was real and claimed he is "perfectly capable" of giving birth - despite years of hormone treatments to make him a male. . . .Read More, including Comments

What every woman needs to know

Hormones control the way our bodies work so it pays to look after your inner chemistry

By Rosie Shelley
March 31 2008

Women today face a bewildering amount of health advice -- but not many of us realise that when it comes to overall wellbeing, nothing is more important than our hormones.

These powerful chemicals control everything -- from the way we make energy out of food and how efficiently we burn it up, to our sexual, reproductive and mental wellbeing. An upset endocrine (hormonal) system can mean obesity and diabetes, fatigue and depression, poor skin and hair quality, premature ageing, menstrual and menopausal problems, even heart disease and certain cancers.

Dr Marilyn Glenville, a leading nutritionist specialising in women's health, says there has been an upsurge in diseases caused by hormonal imbalances, and that "regulating those hormones would be the single most important measure to take".

The rise in conditions such as fibroids, endometriosis and breast cancer, as well as falling sperm counts are, she says, directly linked to our being bombarded with "gender-bender" chemicals found in non-organic food and cosmetics. As well as this, our lifestyles, with increasing reliance on caffeine and other stimulants, sugar, refined carbohydrates and alcohol, are playing havoc with our most important hormonal systems . . . .Read More

The Glitter Ball Sparkles

By Maura McGraw

1 April 2008

Dressed to impress in wigs, stockings, and heels, student and professional drag kings and queens entertained a highly energized crowd of more than 200 people at Allied in Pride’s first ever annual Glitter Ball.

Last week's event was a fundraiser honoring the memory of four youth killed across the country in February in anti-gay, anti-transgender attacks -- Soneesha Stewart, 25, Simmie Williams Jr, 17, Lawrence King, 15, and Adolphus Simmons, 18. Allied said it raised more than $400 during the night for the Sexual Minority Youth Assistance League, a non-profit organization that supports lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning youth in the Washington-metro area. . . .Read More

Call for Submissions: Jews and Transgender Communities Anthology

by Noach

31 March 2008


Please consider contributing an essay for an anthology on the subject of Jews and Transgender. I am eager to hear from representative Jewish voices in trans, gender variant and intersex communities. Persons of any gender or no gender or shifting gender, please feel welcome to contribute. Jews with no relationship to Judaism, secular Jews and Jews along the denominational spectrum should feel equally welcome to reply. Political voices and religious voices all encouraged to respond. Please forward this call for submissions to appropriate lists.

If you have already written an essay on this broad topic that has been published elsewhere, please be aware that I am also interested in reprinting selected pieces that track transJewish voices in history.

I am looking both for new essays AND for permission to reprint certain essays from other sources. . . .Read More