"Breaking Gender Barriers"

Candis Cayne has a fraternal twin brother. . .and a history of a supportive family.

Sultry Blond On ABC Show Is Hawaii Transgender

Cayne Misses Islands, Comforts Of Home

15 November 2007


HONOLULU -- Local actress and transgender woman Candis Cayne is heating up the small screen on the ABC TV show "Dirty Sexy Money."The sultry blond on ABC's "Dirty Sexy Money" is Cayne.She is a 1989 graduate of Maui's Baldwin High School.

This island girl was born a boy. She was born Brendan McDaniel with fraternal twin Dylan.Cayne said she knew she was different from a young age."(Dylan) was off with his friends playing football and riding bike, and I was with my girlfriends playing Barbies," Cayne said. "My parents were very liberal, and amazing, and they kind of let me be who I wanted to be. They never really questioned it."They remained supportive when she decided a decade ago to transition to a woman.Now, Cayne is having the time of her life playing the role of the transgender Carmelita, the love interest of Billy Baldwin's character."It's something I've prepared for 15 years. So, I'm really, really… it's a dream come true kind of," she said.It's a dream come true for the Maui girl who still misses the islands."I'm obsessed with cone sushi and I love shoyu chicken. Those are my two favorites, and I go right to the beach, Makena, and go and hang out with my parents," she said. . . .

Candis Cayne on Project Runway!

Candis Cayne is taking over the world.

Ever since appearing on ABC’s Dirty Sexy Money as Billy Baldwin’s secret transsexual lover, this real-life transsexual has popped up on The View, Good Morning America, Hollywood red carpets and, well, right here in Planet Gossip.

And last night, there she was on the premiere of the new season of Project Runway! I spotted her in the modeling photos that contestant Jack Mackenroth used to show his designs during his audition for the hit Bravo reality show.

Cayne and Mackenroth have been good friends for quite some time. While Mackenroth hasn’t dressed Cayne for any of her public appearances, she tells me, “I’ll definitely be hitting him up for some."

As for the photo below, it's smokin' hot Mackenroth. I couldn't help but share it with you!

Gender is not a hobby

It is a fact for Finney Boylan

Kristen Miller

11/14/2007

Gliding across the stage in a floral dress and a black blazer, Jennifer Finney Boylan compared her surgical procedure in 2001 to "the feeling of leaving one country and going to another." Boylan, an author and professor at Colby College, is referencing her sex-change procedure when she officially and completely went from James to Jenny. Six years later, on November 6, 2007, she stood before a packed auditorium at Clark University in Worcester, MA to explain her personal experience with being transsexual. Her talk was not about the surgery itself, but how she dealt with this lifelong and nearly incomprehensible condition.

"The issue of transgender is so hard to talk about because the term refers to all sorts of people," Boylan said. The term covers territory from drag queens to homosexuals-which caused Boylan to exclaim, "So no wonder everyone's confused!" Boylan does not claim to be an expert on the subject, nor that she is the "emblematic transperson." She just has "a bunch of allegedly amusing stories," she remarked with a smile. These stories are outlined in her memoirs, titled "She's Not There: A Life in Two Genders." They range from stories of her time as a man, where she would practice public speaking with a bra on-to her life with children and their reactions to her fame as a transsexual.

It was at the age of ten when the feeling of "living in the wrong body" began, Boylan remembered. His mother was ironing his father's shirt, and when she was finished, she held the shirt up and said, "Someday you'll wear shirts like this." Boylan recalled the puzzling feeling that came over him, as he countered her remark in his mind with, "but you never wear shirts like that?"

This feeling of confusion was a crushing, invisible burden in his life that grew heavier and heavier. Boylan explained that it is too hard to identify with a person who is transsexual if you are not one yourself. "Imagine feeling something to which people say, 'that's really weird [stuff],'" she explained. "The fact you don't have to think about what it means to be a woman is a privilege. You have something that transsexuals don't have." . . .

Sister Mary Elizabeth - an Icon for the World

Update - March 19, 2005
Profile by Amber Thorne

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The list of selfless acts of kindness to others is as diverse as it is long for Crystal Heart Award winner Sister Mary Elizabeth. Her name is recognized throughout the world, and yet if you are not involved in the arena of the AIDS pandemic you may not have heard of her. Transsexuals in this state may not know that their ability to amend the sex moniker on their California birth certificate is directly attributed to her work. She has dedicated her life to God and is a tireless champion for her fellow man.

She was born Michael Clark in Pontiac, MI, in 1938 and by the age of 3 she knew that she was different from other boys. She felt more comfortable around girls because in her heart she knew that she was one. She tried to talk and act like a girl even though her feminine mannerisms prompted much taunting by the school boys. As is the case for many in our community, she suppressed her true nature and conformed to societal expectations.

In an attempt to live a normal life she joined the US Navy Reserve in 1955. Then in 1959 she got married and joined the regular Navy serving in Hawaii and Vietnam as an instructor in anti-submarine warfare, scuba diving, and sea survival. The marriage ended after 11-years in divorce.

Mary Elizabeth married again to another woman who would be pivotal in her life. Feeling guilty about her secret, she came out as a transsexual to her wife who then supported her as they talked about what they had to do. Her wife convinced Mary Elizabeth to tell her parents, and contrary to years of feared rejection, they understood. Encouraged by a loving spouse and parents she underwent a psychological evaluation which showed that she was a woman inside. When the Navy found out about this evaluation, Chief Petty Officer Michael Clark was discharged honorably. The discharge left her "angry" because she had often been commended for outstanding service.

After her Gender Identity Dysphoria diagnosis she began hormone therapy and in 1975 had sex reassignment surgery, emerging as Joanna Michelle Clark. In August of that year she was surprised by a Reserve recruiter who visited her office, urging her to enlist again. She told him that she was a transsexual, but he said he didn't think that fact would be a problem. With full disclosure to the Army she was accepted, becoming Sergeant First Class Joanna Clark in the WACs.

Eighteen months later during proceedings to promote her to warrant officer the military found out about her transsexual status and initiated discharge proceedings, claiming fraudulent enlistment. She fought against this discharge and her case was eventually settled out of court with a stipulation that the details of the settlement not be discussed. In the end, she received another honorable discharge with credit for time served in the Reserve. To this day it is still unlawful for transsexuals to enlist in the US military, in spite of its "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy.

Mary Elizabeth's involvement in the transsexual community began in 1975 while visiting a Los Angeles-based transsexual rap group moderated at the time by San Diego's own "Ar"lene Lafferty. She listened to its members sharing the problems they were encountering in establishing new identities. In classic form she said, "If you can't change your records because of the law, then change the law!" This was a task many thought impossible. "I believe the process will work for those willing to make it work," she said at the time. Many people thought the idea was crazy and couldn't be done. Even her father, a retired city council member, told her to forget it. But she went ahead anyway, determined to prove that the system can work.

She leased a Savin word processor and began a letter-writing campaign aimed at changing the law. With the sponsorship of Willie Brown, and significant support of the Gray Panthers, AB 385 (W. Brown-1977) became the law that everyone said could never be. For thousands of post-operative transsexuals in California the road to a consistent identity became a reality. AB 385 which permitted the State Department of Health to issue new birth certificates to post-operative transsexuals became effective on January 1, 1978.

Shortly thereafter, State Senator Paul Carpenter along with twenty-two co-sponsors introduced emergency legislation SB-2200 to prohibit Medi-Cal from funding sex reassignment surgery and related services. Mary Elizabeth argued the unconstitutionality of the bill before the state Legislature and his bill was defeated. Today, although it is extraordinarily difficult, Medi-Cal will pay for sex reassignment surgery.

In 1978, she wrote "Legal Aspects of Transsexualism," an important early document on the subject of transsexualism which is still referenced today. She was behind the creation of the ACLU of Southern California Transsexual Rights Committee, the first such committee in the history of the ACLU impacting existing laws and regulations on both state and federal levels.

Forming the community of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary with two other women at St Clements, Mary Elizabeth made her vows as an Episcopalian sister in 1988 "We got off to a good start until I made my vows," she explained. "And then, of course, the press descended and the church abandoned ship the next day." After the other two founding members left, she changed her affiliation to the American Catholic Church, an organization of independent Catholic churches. . . .

Groups Lambast New Gender Law

by Cynthia De Castro

LOS ANGELES - SB 777, a new law recently signed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has been getting criticisms from various sectors of California.

The new law requires textbooks, instructional materials, and school-sponsored activities to positively portray cross-dressing, sex-change operations, homosexual “marriages,” and all aspects of homosexuality and bisexuality, including so-called “gay history.” Silence on these sexual lifestyles will not be allowed.

Conservatives are worried that this new law will turn every government school into a sexual indoctrination center. It bans “discriminatory bias” against homosexuals and others with alternative sexual lifestyles. Some groups are already issuing calls to parents to get their children out of California’s public school system.

Authored by Senator Sheila Kuehl, a self-admitted lesbian, SB 777 amends the definition of “gender” to the Education Code: “Gender” means sex, and includes a person’s gender identity and gender related appearance and behavior whether or not stereotypically associated with the person’s assigned sex at birth.

SB 777 also deletes the true definition of “sex” from the Education Code. Currently, sex is defined as the “biological condition or quality of being a male or female human being.”

Because of the bill’s wide-open definition of “sexual orientation,” homosexual “marriages” and all aspects of homosexuality and bisexuality would be positively portrayed to children as young as kindergarten. SB 777 will teach these highly-controversial sexual subjects without parental permission.

The new mandate would be enforced by the attorneys of the California Department of Education, which would sue school districts that don’t comply.

One news article translated the new law into simpler terms. It bans the use of “Mom and Dad” and “husband and wife.” Also, a boy can go into the girls’ restroom if he pleases if that’s how he defines his gender. Consequently, a girl can also use the boys’ restroom for the same reason. High school Homecoming Kings and Queens may now both be either male or female, depending on how the person defines his/her gender.

“Parents are angry at the Democrats for passing this school sexual indoctrination bill and frustrated that Republicans did little to fight it,” said Randy Thomasson, president of Campaign for Children and Families (CCF), a leading California-based pro-family organization.

“The notion of forcing children to support controversial sexual lifestyles is shocking and appalling to millions of fathers and mothers. Parents don’t want their children taught to become homosexual or bisexual or to wonder whether they need a sex-change operation. SB 777 will shatter the academic purpose of education by turning every government school into a sexual indoctrination center,” he said.

Thomasson is calling upon every California parent to pull their child out of California’s public school system.

“The so-called ‘public schools’ are no longer a safe emotional environment for children. Under the new law, schoolchildren as young as kindergarten will be sexually indoctrinated and introduced to homosexuality, bisexuality, and transsexuality, over the protests of parents, teachers and even school districts,” he said.

Gov. Schwarzenegger vetoed similar bills last year when he was running for re-election, conservative groups noted. Surprisingly, he signed the bill three weeks ago without any comment.

Supporters said the new law is supposed to eliminate “confusion” about the State’s responsibility to ensure that all school programs, textbooks, instructional materials and activities are free from unlawful discrimination.

Schwarzenegger also signed a bill allowing domestic partners and married couples equal opportunity to change their surnames upon marriage or domestic partnership registration. Specifically, the bill would require that marriage license forms contain spaces for either party to indicate a change in his or her last name to his or her spouse’s last name.

Parents from all across California and the nation have been flooding concerned agencies with calls and e-mails, completely stunned that Gov. Schwarzenegger would sign the bill.

One plan filed with Attorney General Jerry Brown last week to stop the signed law from taking into effect is calling for a referendum. Once it is given a title and documentation, supporters will have only 90 days to collect enough signatures – an estimated 434,000 – to qualify the referendum for an election ballot. . . .

About The Day of Remembrance

The Transgender Day of Remembrance was set aside to memorialize those who were killed due to anti-transgender hatred or prejudice. The event is held in November to honor Rita Hester, whose murder on November 28th, 1998 kicked off the “Remembering Our Dead” web project and a San Francisco candlelight vigil in 1999. Rita Hester’s murder — like most anti-transgender murder cases — has yet to be solved.

Although not every person represented during the Day of Remembrance self-identified as transgendered — that is, as a transsexual, crossdresser, or otherwise gender-variant — each was a victim of violence based on bias against transgendered people.

We live in times more sensitive than ever to hatred based violence, especially since the events of September 11th. Yet even now, the deaths of those based on anti-transgender hatred or prejudice are largely ignored. Over the last decade, more than one person per month has died due to transgender-based hate or prejudice, regardless of any other factors in their lives. This trend shows no sign of abating.

The Transgender Day of Remembrance serves several purposes. It raises public awareness of hate crimes against transgendered people, an action that current media doesn’t perform. Day of Remembrance publicly mourns and honors the lives of our brothers and sisters who might otherwise be forgotten. Through the vigil, we express love and respect for our people in the face of national indifference and hatred. Day of Remembrance reminds non-transgendered people that we are their sons, daughters, parents, friends and lovers. Day of Remembrance gives our allies a chance to step forward with us and stand in vigil, memorializing those of us who’ve died by anti-transgender violence.

Veronica Klaus is brassy and confident onstage. . .

. . .discussing her sex change in 'Family Jewels.' In person, though, she protects her privacy.

Edward Guthmann

March 20, 2006

In her one-woman show, "Family Jewels," the flame-haired chanteuse Veronica Klaus picks up an antique tuba, hoists it over her shoulder and plays the upbeat lament "All of Me." It's a great image for a cabaret performer to offer a crowd -- a slice of 21st century vaudeville -- but also an ironic one, given that Klaus, 5-foot-10 and gorgeous, is a transsexual.

The song is mildly masochistic: "Can't you see, I'm no good without you," Klaus moans. But in her hands "All of Me" becomes an outsider's declaration, a demand for respect.

"Take me as I am," Klaus seems to purr between the lines. "This envelope, this reconstructed body, this hair color that doesn't exist in nature. This is good enough."

Klaus, 41, is one of an estimated 12,000 transsexual women in the United States, a population that's not only growing but inching toward social acceptability. Felicity Huffman won a Golden Globe and an Oscar nomination this year for playing Bree, a hapless sex-change candidate in the comedy "Transamerica." And Larry Wachowski, one of the co-directors of "The Matrix" film trilogy and producer of "V for Vendetta," has changed his sex and is now living as Lana Wachowski.

"Family Jewels," playing at Theatre Rhinoceros until April 1, might be subtitled "Everything You Always Wanted to Ask About Transsexuals But Were Afraid to Ask." Through music and anecdotes, Klaus takes us back to a small-town, Midwestern childhood and broken home, an adolescent passion for Bette Midler and showbiz roots in a puppet ministry called the God Squad. She was a "big-boned girlie boy," a red-headed kid with a Huck Finn face before she transitioned -- as we see in an onstage slide show.

Klaus doesn't scrimp on details, but devotes a funny chunk of the show to the gender reassignment surgery that resulted in a neovagina -- "my remodeled rumpus room." During the procedure, the male genitalia isn't so much discarded as "rearranged," she explains. "It's like 'organ-gami.' " . . .