Transsexual Activist Makes Bid in Indian Elections

by Mark Leon Goldberg - April 16, 2009

The world's largest democracy goes to the polls today for the first phase of multi-stage parliamentary elections. By mid May, 714 million voters will cast ballots at 800,000 polling stations. There are, all told, 1,715 candidates for office. But one of these political hopefuls is unlike any other candidate India has ever seen. Her name is Daya Rani Kinnar and she is a transsexual activist.

From the Hindustan Times:

Kinnar is a popular figure in Ghaziabad and will stand for election as an independent candidate. “I don’t mind taking on all the political heavyweights. I was born in Ghaziabad and people know me. I don’t have children. I will work only for people. I am going to give a tough fight to Rajnath Singh, who is an outsider. The sitting MP did nothing for the constituency,” Kinnar said. . . .Read More

Changing Sex to Escape Death: Homosexuals Dilemma in Iran

Arsham Parsi has been on several fact-finding missions in Turkey, meeting and helping many Iranian gay and lesbian refugees, as part of his Iranian Queer Organization. He says many of them have no choice but to undergo sex change operation or face death.

TelevisionWashington

Shelters slowly adapt to help transgender homeless

By DIONNE WALKER – April 3, 2009

ATLANTA (AP) — Twelve years heading the Salvation Army's downtown homeless shelter had done little to prepare Janeane Schmidt for the recent night when a soft-spoken biological male transitioning into a female walked in.

Schmidt didn't want to refuse someone in need. Having seen few such cases, however, and with limited space that winter night, she wasn't sure where to place the transgender woman. The shelter has space for homeless men and women but not anyone in between.

"Rather than turn them away, we give them a cot," said Schmidt, whose staff allowed the woman to stay a week in the shelter's lounge — the only space they could find.

"I don't even know of another shelter that takes the transgendered" in Atlanta, Schmidt said.

Nationwide there are plenty of holes in the safety net of shelters that catches men and women who have fallen on hard times. Activists say help is even harder to find for the transgender homeless, whose nontraditional gender status raises questions about sleeping arrangements and shower facilities. . . .Read More

California court of appeals affirms right of transgender individual . . .

14 April 2009

In a groundbreaking victory for transgender people born in California, the California Court of Appeal ruled on Friday that any person can amend their California birth certificate regardless of their current state of residence. Previously, only current California residents could amend their California birth certificates.

In a unanimous decision, the California Court of Appeal held that all people born in California, regardless of where they currently reside, can petition a California court for a new birth certificate. The strongly-worded decision was authored by Presiding Judge James J. Marchiano, who stated that “we discern no compelling state interest in treating California-born transgender individuals who reside out of state differently from California-born transgender individuals who reside in California when either class seeks issuance of a new California birth certificate.”

The case was brought by Transgender Law Center (TLC) on behalf of Gigi Marie Somers. Ms. Somers, a sixty-seven year old transgender woman, was born in California and now lives in Kansas. Ms. Somers underwent sex reassignment surgery in 2005 and has lived as a woman for a decade. When she sought to have a new California birth certificate issued reflecting her female gender, she learned that out-of-state residents were required to obtain a court order from the state in which they resided. Unfortunately, Ms. Somers was not able to obtain a court ordered gender change from her county of residence in Kansas. Left in legal limbo and unable to change her birth certificate, Ms. Somers contacted TLC for help. After the San Francisco Superior Court denied her petition due to the residency requirement, TLC Legal Director Kristina Wertz represented Ms. Somers before the Court of Appeal. . . .Read More

Austin transgendered woman fights for equal rights

by Michelle Valles

15 April 2009


Meghan Stabler's past is where she likes to leave it, in the past.

Stabler used to be a man. By the age of 10, she knew something about her was different.

Stabler recalls as a child, "I remember reading the newspaper and there was a tennis player called Renee Richards. And it had this big splash in the front page that said 'Sex change: Tennis player' and it was just like a brain click. I got it, that's what's wrong with me."

But Stabler continued to live as a man. He married to a woman. They had a daughter. But the image was all a lie.

To stop thinking about her identity crisis, she dumped all her energy on being a powerful executive, living lavishly and meeting with influential people all over the world. But still, nothing made her feel like a man. . . .Read More

Delisting transgender surgery may cost province

The Edmonton Journal April 12, 2009


As both a transsexual and an Alberta taxpayer I would very much prefer to see the controversy surrounding the delisting of gender reassignment surgery resolved before anything to the degree of legal or human rights actions have to be taken.

However, something that people don't understand is that GRS is in fact a medically necessary procedure and recognized as such by the medical establishment (and also recognized by the province of Ontario, which relisted GRS last year after a human-rights ruling). . . .Read More

Post Op Surgery w/ Dr. Garramone

April 6, 2009. Post op day. Bandages come off and drains come out.

notch12

Buddhist Thoughts for The Day

8 April 2009

A brahmin once asked The Blessed One: "Are you a God?" "No, brahmin" said The Blessed One. "Are you a saint?" "No, brahmin" said The Blessed One. "Are you a magician?" "No, brahmin" said The Blessed One. "What are you then?" "I am awake."...

7 April 2009

Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn't learn a lot today, at least we learned a little, and if we didn't learn a little, at least we didn't get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn't die; so, let us all be thankful. - Buddha ...

College Dems travel to Albany, lobby for transgender bill

by Carly Silver

April 8, 2009

The Columbia University College Democrats took their activism off campus last weekend, heading to Albany, N.Y., to lobby for a bill protecting the rights of transsexual and transgender individuals.

The idea for the trip originated when Dems members expressed personal motives for lobbying for the cause. Though it remains to be seen whether those students will have an impact on the passing of the bill, the Dems kept busy by meeting with state officials and receivinig lobbying training.

The current bill in the state senate is based on the Sexual Orientation-Non Discrimination Act—a similar piece of legislation—but, according to Dems Lead Activist Sarah Scheinman, BC ’12, “when SONDA became too controversial at the time for including transgender and transsexual individuals ... the transgender and transsexual provisions were dropped from the list.”

SONDA, which was signed into law in 2002, protects the rights of people of different sexual orientations, but not transgender and transsexual individuals. . . .Read More

Transgender activists fighting back after provincial budget ends funding for sex-change operations

10 April 2009

by ANDREW HANON

"This," says Kris Wells, "could be the next Vriend case."

The provincial government is about to drag all Albertans into yet another costly, shameful and needless legal battle - this time over the decision to stop funding sex-change surgery.

And like the landmark Delwin Vriend Supreme Court case that forced Alberta to protect gays in its human rights legislation a decade ago, or the former premier Ralph Klein's pigheaded - and ultimately futile - fight with Ottawa over same-sex marriage, this is one the government cannot possibly win.

After all, last year Ontario was forced to reinstate funding for sex-change surgery after losing a human rights case.

The Alberta government politicians insist their decision wasn't based on morality. They say they had to "delist" the service in order to save about $700,000 in the provincial budget.

Yeah, right.

Yes, that's the same budget that will see overall program spending hiked by $1.1 billion and a total deficit of $4.7 billion, the most profligate in Alberta history. . . .Read More

Transsexual granted right to change name to Immanuel

9 April 2009

by Charlotte West


The Swedish administrative court of appeals has granted a 28-year-old Sandviken transsexual the right to be called Immanuel. . . .

Both the Swedish Tax Agency (Skatteverket) and the county administrative court have previously denied the request for a name change on the basis that Immanuel was an unsuitable name for a woman.

This is not the first such case to come before the Swedish courts. In November, Jan-Olov Ågren, a male cross-dresser from Norrbotten in northern Sweden, was handed a similar victory in his bid to go by the name Madeleine.

But the Swedish Tax Agency (Skatteverket) had previously rejected Ågren’s application to have his name changed to Jan-Olov Madeleine Ågren on the grounds that it is not appropriate for a man to have a woman’s name. . . .Read More

First openly transgendered U.S. mayor to get reality show

by Bill Dalton

April 9, 2009

Silverton, Oregon, is the first US city to have an openly transgendered mayor. In just a matter of weeks, it might also become the first city in America to have a transgender mayor as a star of his own reality show for educational purposes, as Komo News informs and Oregon Live can confirm.

Stu Rasmussen is a 60-year-old software engineer who has over 20 years of experience in politics. He’s also in a stable relationship with his live-in girlfriend, who says they’ve been together for better and for worse for the past 35 years. . . .Read More

Transgender Reality Show Contestants - Tyra (Part 1)

The Tyra Banks Show - ''Transgender reality-show contestants'' (Recorded Mar 30, 2009, WWOR). Former "Top Model" Isis talks about her sexual reassignment surgery -- and gets the surprise of her life! Plus, the latest "ANTM" castoffs.

Megami284

Lake Worth hires transgender city manager

John Bachman

7 April 2009

At her last job she was hired as a man and fired when he was about to get a sex change. Lake Worth is looking past the transgender controversy and hiring Susan Stanton as its city manager.

Lake Worth Florida is a city known for being progressive and tolerant. So when you ask the locals about their new city manager, Susan Stanton, who used to be a man named Steve Stanton, you get reactions like these.

"How about just let everybody live, let's keep going and let her do the job and worry about not looking under everybody's bed," said Lake Worth resident Steve Saulsberg. . . .Read More

A Small Colorado Town Becomes "Capital of Transsexuals" And Houston Hears About It

By Olivia Flores Alvarez

April 6, 2009


More than three years ago cinematographer/director PJ Raval heard about a small town in Colorado that was "the sex change capital of America." Intrigued, he contacted the doctor, herself a transsexual woman, and began a conversation that resulted in a two-and-a-half year film project, Trinidad.

"I had never heard of this town," Raval told Hair Balls after a Saturday night screening here in town. "Then I read a couple of articles saying it was a town of transsexuals with an abnormal amount of large women's stores. I thought, 'That sounds crazy, I gotta go check it out.'"

When he got there Raval didn't find any super-sized stores, but he did find three post-operative transsexual women, all in their fifties and each with a different experience living in Trinidad. Marci is the doctor currently responsible for the town's "sex change capital" title (she does an average of six gender-reassignment surgeries a week, more than anywhere else in the U.S.). She's integrated well into the local community and has a female partner. . . .Read More

Unequal funding for gender reassignment surgeries

By Katherine Dedyna, Canwest News Service February 28, 2009

Not all transsexuals are created equal -- at least not in B.C. Male-to-female transsexuals -- those born with male bodies who identify as women -- can have genital surgery paid for by the health care system.

But female-to-male transsexuals -- those born with female bodies who identify as men -- have been cut off from Medical Services Plan coverage for nearly 15 years when it comes to construction of a male genitalia.

Alberta covers the complicated process of creating a penis, and Ontario has recently reinstated its coverage. But in B.C., "there is no consideration of that that I'm aware of," Health Minister George Abbott recently told Canwest News Service. He says the procedure has a "high failure rate" and "the best clinical medical advice is that to fund a high-risk procedure of that character may not wise."

Nor is Abbott aware that anyone has made a request for the province to reconsider Medical Service Plan (MSP) coverage for phalloplasty. "Were someone to tender such a request, like all other proposals, we would look at it. . . . And we would attempt, as we have to this point, to engage the best medical expertise possible." . . .Read More

FTM Mama Speaks

My Mama surprised me with a video she made. It touched my heart, and I hope it touches you. If you have family members that need some help, show them this. My Mom has come a very long way in such a very short time. She is the greatest and I love her more than she will ever know. Thank you, Mama.
Make sure to watch part 2

jadenkayne

Student Suspended for Dressing Like Girl

31 March 2009

Advocate.com


A male 11th-grader who came to school dressed in feminine clothing was removed from class on Friday, but nonetheless made the point he wanted to make.

Justin Reynolds said that one day prior he had told a teacher of his plans to show up at Dunnellon High School dressed in a simple black shirt, jeans, high-heeled boots, and a few accessories, according to Ocala.com.

The teacher said she would allow Reynolds the opportunity to speak to other classmates about gay and transgender rights. . . .Read More

Transgender a no go for Ladette to Lady

April 1, 2009

By Emily O'Keefe, ninemsn

Transgender reality TV aspirant Samantha Stratford's dreams of becoming a true lady appear to have been dashed after missing the shortlist of contestants for the next season of Ladette to Lady.

Despite providing a much-needed twist at the Sydney auditions for the show last week, the 28-year-old was a surprising omission from the final call back of 19 ladettes yesterday. . . .Read More

A pregnant man? Spain embroiled in sex identity debate - Feature

31 March 2009

by DPA


Madrid - His name is Ruben Noe, and he is nine weeks pregnant. The case of the 25-year-old, reportedly the world's first transsexual to be expecting twins, has sparked a debate in Spain on the limits of human sexual identity.

Ruben Noe Coronado was born Estefania Coronado. Like many transsexuals, the young woman from the southern region of Andalusia felt trapped in the wrong body, and realized eight years ago that she wanted to become biologically a man. Today, Ruben has a beard, a shaved head and looks as male as any man, after undergoing hormonal treatment and having his breasts surgically removed.

He has, however, not yet had a sex change operation to remove his female reproductive organs, a situation he decided to take advantage of after agreeing with his female partner Esperanza to have a child. At age 43, Esperanza felt too old to become pregnant, she told the daily El Mundo.

The mother of two is also losing her eyesight, and feared that a pregnancy would make her go completely blind. "This is my last chance," Ruben said to Esperanza about having a child before completing the transition into a man. "I can still make use of my body." . . .Read More