Sweden removes transvestism and other 'sexual behaviours' from list of diseases

By Staff Writer, PinkNews.co.uk • November 19, 2008

The National Board of Health and Welfare in Sweden has decided to remove a range of 'sexual behaviours' from the official disease registry.

30 years ago the board removed homosexuality from list, which is primarily used to gather statistics on healthcare but is also viewed as an official list of diseases.

Some felt that the inclusion of transvestism, sadomasochism, fetishism, fetishistic transvestism, sexual preference disorders and gender identity disorder in young people led to social stigma.

"We don't want to contribute to certain sexual behaviours being thought of as diseases," Lars-Erik Holm, head of the national board, told Dagens Nyheter newspaper.

"These individuals' sexual preferences have nothing to do with society."

Maria Sundin from Sweden's Trans Oresund network said:

"The demand for the exclusion of certain diagnostic criterias such as transvestitism, sado-masochism and fetishism from the Swedish verison of ICD-10 (KSH97) has been supported by the GLBT community for quite a while.". . .Read More

Transgender community seeks end to violence, discrimination

Donna Jones - Sentinel Staff Writer

11/20/2008

Tara Sawyer was punished as a small child for acting like a girl so she tried to live as the boy she appeared to be at birth.

But four years ago, the 32-year-old admitted to herself what she knew instinctively as a toddler. Despite her male physical characteristics, Sawyer said, she isn't a man.

Coming out cost her family and friends, the Santa Cruz resident said. But after years of being detached from any emotion, she said she's regained her ability to feel and she can't go back.

"It's about being who I am. I'm just a woman. There's nothing I can do about that," said Sawyer, who will speak today at the Watsonville City Plaza during a candlelight vigil commemorating transgender people who have lost their lives to violence. . . .Read More

Transgender Day of Remembrance

Boulder event a memorial for victims of hate crimes

By Laura Snider
November 19, 2008

Last week, Duanna Johnson was shot execution-style in Memphis. In February, 15-year-old Lawrence King was murdered by a classmate in California. Last summer, Angie Zapata was beaten to death with a fire extinguisher just up the road in Weld County.

Thursday night, residents in Boulder County are invited to gather and remember these people, and a dozen others, who were victims of brutal hate crimes because of their gender identities. Today is the 10th annual Transgender Day of Remembrance.

“I’m concerned. We think it couldn’t happen here. It wouldn’t be one of us,” said Pat Mayne, a transgender man and longtime Boulder County resident. “For someone like me, I’ll never be sure if there’s a single person who hasn’t asked, ‘What would I do? If I found out one of my friends was a transgender person, what would happen inside of me?’”

When Allen Andrade, the man accused of murdering Zapata in Greeley, found out Zapata had male genitalia, the thing that happened inside of him was brutal. In his defense, Andrade said he was out of control, incoherent, panicked.

These are the things that scare Mayne, even in Boulder, one of the few cities that has an anti-discrimination ordinance that specifically protects transgender people. . . .Read More

Transgender: Feminine positioning of hands and feet

"A video for MTFs about achieving a better feminine presentation" Aragonpr

Gender diversity: A Transsexual Woman’s view of Sexism

20 November 2008

An interview with Julia Serano

by Debbie Rasmussen

The rising visibility of trans, intersex, and genderqueer movements has led feminists—and, to a lesser extent, the rest of the world—to an increasing awareness that m and f are only the beginning of the story of gender identity. With the release of Whipping Girl: A Transsexual Woman on Sexism and the Scapegoating of Femininity, Julia Serano offers a perspective sorely needed, but up until now rarely heard: a transfeminine critique of both feminist and mainstream understandings of gender.

As someone who has lived, at various points in her life, as male, genderqueer, and female, Serano brings unique insights to discussions of sexism and misogyny. In Whipping Girl, she weaves theoretical arguments through her compelling essays and manifestos in an attempt to bridge the gap between biological and social perspectives on gender, and calls our attention to the need for empowering femininity itself. In the process, she takes feminist and queer communities to task for dismissing male-to-female transsexuals while celebrating their counterparts on the female-to-male spectrum. . . .Read More

Discovery of a "Transsexual Gene" Raises More Questions Than Answers

New research suggests transsexualism is indeed a genetic trait. But how conclusive is the study?

By Julia Wallace

11.18.2008

Is Transsexualism Genetic? : New research suggests transsexualism is likely biological. iStockphoto

A few weeks ago, Hanna Rosin's wrenching and well-researched article about young transsexuals—including a girl named Bridget (née Brandon), whose first words were "I like your high heels"—zipped around the blogosphere. In it, Rosin discusses the unsettling work of a psychiatrist who questions the scientific basis for allowing children to "transition" to the gender of their choice, citing several kids who emerged from their gender dysphoria after a rigorous course of therapy. "If a 5-year-old black kid came into the clinic and said he wanted to be white, would we endorse that?" he asks. The prospect of letting pre-pubescent pipsqueaks take hormone-blockers that might have far-reaching effects on their health and future fertility is indeed a little nerve-wracking. . . .Read More

Fixing a transsexual gender bias

November 19 2008

Bang


Swedish authorities have agreed to give transsexual men free prosthetic penises.

Female to male transsexuals will be allowed prosthetic penises fitted by a plastic surgeon at no cost, but some have complained because the organs on offer aren't capable of erections.

Sexologist Cecilia Dhejne said: "It's pretty strange to approve prosthetics that can't get erect because that is, after all, what penises do - get erections. It would be appropriate to pay for those as well." . . .Read More

Teen Transsexuals - 1 of 6

"British documentary about teenage (and child) transsexuals, in US and UK." ewd34

A personal face for the transgendered community

VICTORIA HANDYSIDES/METRO EDMONTON

November 17, 2008


Whenever Aaron Cross would look at his naked form as a child, he would cover up his private parts, convinced they weren’t supposed to be there.

Aaron, now Josephine, felt for his entire life that he had been born in the wrong body, and should have been born female.

“Trying to go through everything in this guise of masculinity was really difficult for me. I couldn’t even use my real voice,” the 24-year-old receptionist said. “By the time I hit university, I was so depressed that I could barely leave my house. I decided it was time to do something.”

After four years of intense hormone treatment and making the transition to living as a woman every day, the then 23-year-old man travelled from his Edmonton home to Montreal for a sex-change operation. . . .Read More

Critique, Opinion, POV: 'Pregnant Man' doesn't deliver much depth

By Matthew Gilbert

Globe Staff / November 18, 2008


The idea of a man getting pregnant and giving birth is fabulously provocative. It implies some kind of biological miracle. No wonder America has been a little bit obsessed with Thomas Beatie, the "pregnant man," the guy in the People magazine photos with a hairy belly and a massive baby bump. He represents a challenge to the very basics of human reproduction.

Of course, it's a little inflammatory to call Beatie "a pregnant man." The more accurate description would be "a pregnant female-to-male transgender who identifies as a man but whose female reproductive organs are intact," but that probably wouldn't sell as many tabloids or draw as many viewers to "Oprah," "20/20," or, tonight at 9, the Discovery Channel documentary "Pregnant Man." When it comes to grabbing eyes, detailed descriptions can be inconvenient. . . .Read More

Students raise awareness of anti-transgender violence

Matt Picht

11/18/2008

This week, the University of Tulsa Bisexual, Lesbian, Gay, and Transgender Alliance is putting on Transgender Remembrance Week.

It is a week of remembrance for all transgender and gender-nonconforming people who have been victims of violence as a result of their gender identities.

The week is centered on the Transgender Day of Remembrance on Nov. 20.

The day is a nationwide event that honors the victims of anti-transgender violence.

Throughout the week, the group will be outside the bookstore in the Allen Chapman Activity Center distributing pamphlets with information about transgender violence and Transgender Awareness Week. . . .Read More

Barbara Walters Announces That Thomas Beatie Is Pregnant

"Barbara Walters Announces That Thomas Beatie Is Pregnant for a second time." silveryseven

Mara Keisling on CNN

"NCTE Executive Director Mara Keisling discusses transgender rights on CNN." NCTE

Transgender Couples: Changing the Face of Family

A Spectrum of Paths to Parenthood, Long Before Pregnant Man Thomas Beatie

by ALAN B. GOLDBERG and JONEIL ADRIANO

November 14, 2008


Is Thomas Beatie the first legal pregnant man? That's a question that can't be answered with absolute certainty.

Stephanie Brill, director of Maia Midwifery & Preconception Services and founder of Gender Spectrum, told ABC's Barbara Walters that Beatie was "by no means" the first pregnant man.

"He is the first man to go public with his pregnancy on such a widespread level," Brill said. . . .Read More

Transgender awareness, commit to tolerance

The Daily Evergreen

November 15, 2008

For a lucky few, the road to self-discovery is short and simple. Their identity is easily negotiated, and their struggle is ended. For most, finding identity is a tumultuous endeavor – navigating through doubt and vulnerability into some understanding of who we are. But for a tormented multitude, discovering identity is a journey filled with hardship.

For many lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender people, coming to understand personal identity is a struggle – one made harder by society. Many cannot appreciate the hardships others must endure unless they are forced to experience those hardships firsthand. Most straight people will never know what it means to be ridiculed, ostracized and sometimes physically assaulted because of sexual orientation.

This week, National Transgender Awareness Week, is a time for our community to stop for a moment and consider and appreciate the LGBT people as well as the rest of the community. . . .Read More

Ladies of "The View" still Grappling. . .

Seth

November 15, 2008


After Barbara Walters spilled the beans yesterday to her fellow Viewesses that Thomas Beatie—aka Coney Island's World Famous Pregnant Man ("$1 Gets A Glimpse At God's Pickle-Craving Mistake!")—was heavy with yet another biologically improbable child, the shit really hit the fan. They've had 24 hours to absorb the news, however, and today were ready to really tackle the nitty-gritty of this procreative mind-twister. . . .Read More

No Dumb Questions: Workplace

nodumbquestions

No Dumb Questions: Transgender 101

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BECOMING, PART 1: Understanding Transgender

Berlin, Vermont - November 12, 2008

A professional makeover: A gift Michele Todd desperately wanted to give herself for decades, but didn't.

Not because she couldn't afford a visit to the salon. She had the money. Michele feared a new look would devastate her family and friends and get her fired from her job, because the makeover she wanted would be drastic.

Michele lived most of her life as Michael.

"I want to work and breathe and live 24-7 as Michele," she explains.

Earlier this year, she legally changed her name, started wearing women's clothes in public, and now walks solely in Michele's shoes. The 51-year-old is transgender. She was born with male genitalia but identifies as female.

"I feel much more comfortable and that's what I want to be," Michele says.

As far back as she can remember, Michele knew she was different; knew she was more feminine than the other boys.

"I had a desire to do things that a girl might do," she explains. . . .Read More

BECOMING, PART 2: The Mental and Medical Sides of Transgender

Montreal - November 13, 2008

Christa Hoisington can barely utter her birth name. It still bothers her to this day.

"It just didn't feel right," she says.

It didn't make sense to her. Gary is a boy's name. And Christa says she knew, even as a child, she wasn't a boy.

So, in August of 2001 she legally changed her name. Christa was 49 years old, but says she felt reborn. Gary was officially gone and Christa could live full time as a woman.

"I wish I had done it when I was 20. I really do," she says.

Like many trans people, Christa's childhood was troubled.

She wanted to be a girl. But to her parents she was a boy; their son. And she felt pressured into more masculine activities. Her parents even sent her to a psychiatrist trying to change her mind. Christa says she tried to please them.

"You're born male. You're expected to do what males do," she says.

Experts say there is a clear difference between being transgender and cross-dressing for fun; that this is a condition that people are born with and not a choice.

"All of the clients I have worked with-- I can't think of an exception-- have said that they were 3, 4, 5 years old thinking they were different from the other boys or girls," psychiatrist Nancy Judd explains. "Your sense of who you are in that deep down place doesn't fit with the gender they were given at birth. It doesn't fit with their body.". . .Read More