Midwest GenderQueer

Come on out, Ohio! Join us for an amazing show as we celebrate family and community!

Super proud of my protégé for kicking up a radical trans fuss at his university. He’s a little bit of a rock star, clearly.

Anonymous asked: Hi, I live in WI and i feel so alone at least in my state. thers no where for me to get help i dont think i can hamdle waiting till i'm 30 plus yrs of age to get help i need some help now. what am i to do?

I am so sorry you feel so alone. I feel you, it is tough out here and it is so, so hard to be all by yourself in this. I can assure you that you are not alone, in your state, or in the world. TheMidwestis full of people just like you, and we are all feeling similar feelings of isolation and frustration. Keep fighting, I know you can empower yourself without waiting until you’re 30 (which isn’t THAT old, PS lol!). Depending on what you can do, you might have to wait a little while longer, but maybe if instead of “waiting” you think of it as “working” – working to get to where you want to be, how you want to be, who you want to be… Every day, every action, is another step towards your goals for living. And please let me know if there is anything I can do to make that journey easier, even if it is just having someone to talk to. I am here. You are not alone.

Depending on where you live in Wisconsin, there are a couple little hubs of resources that hopefully you can access, even if only online for now. I put the info below, maybe other tumblr folks will have feedback too. Even if this stuff isn’t right near you, I try to never underestimate the power of a phone call or email. It sucks to not be in the same physical space as someone, but just being able to connect with someone else can make a huge difference. 

a lot of these are listed on my org’s website, http://transqueerwellness.org/, if you want to see where I got them.

FORGE – (http://forge-forward.org/) Michael Munson is the director and he is an excellent human being. If you reach out to him I know he will be able to help you out! Say I sent you, if you need a point of introduction. He is very well connected and will hopefully know of some resources near you. FORGE also publishes a very up to date physicians list for trans folks if that is something you could use- http://forge-forward.org/2011/02/wisconsin-physician-list/

Milwaukee Queer Cooperative  (https://www.facebook.com/MQCooperative) - this is a new group of activists that has recently fired up, they are very active and possibly will have some broad state connections.

The Milwaukee LGBT Center (http://www.mkelgbt.org/) also may be able to connect you with some resources. They don’t have TONS of trans focused programs, but they do have a really cool staff of people and a lot of resources.

Madison LGBT Center (http://www.lgbtoutreach.org/) I don’t have a lot of experience with these folks, but what I do know about them is pretty positive. They have a lot of programs and resources including a Gender Wellness program (http://genderwellness.lgbtoutreach.org/)

You can also check out UW Madison’s LGBT services (http://lgbt.wisc.edu/) sometimes they are plugged in, especially because they may have students or staff from other areas of the state. UPDATE: I’ve been told that most UW campuses have resources, so if you are near any of them (there are lots) you can check that out.

Integrity/Dignity Madison based LGBTQ Faith org (http://www.idmadison.org/)

Good Luck! Hang in there, friend. I am sending love and good vibes your way.

<3 JAC

Had such a great, fulfilling weekend at MBLGTACC 2012 at Iowa State University; I met so many awesome folks! Thanks so much to the amazing organizers - wonderful job making a little radical queer activist haven for the Midwest!

A Minneapolis transwoman is facing 2nd degree murder charges after being attacked last summer.

“CeCe and several friends, all people of color, were walking to the grocery store on June 5th, 2011 when several white adults standing in the patio area of a South Minneapolis bar started screaming racist and transphobic slurs at the youth. CeCe, who is only 23 years old, approached the group and replied that she and her friends would not tolerate hate speech… A fight ensued between the adults and the young people after this initial attack and one of the attackers, Dean Schmitz, was fatally stabbed.”

Help fight for CeCe, and for an end to racist, transphobic violence in our communities! Visit our What You Can Do page and find out how to get involved.

I told ya’ll the Midwest was best.

via ryansallans

“The city of Cincinnati is proposing health benefits for domestic partners in both gay and straight relationships.”

I knew all those votes would get us somewhere.  Next time you non-voters think you should skip an election, remember that SOMETIMES the system is actually useful. Here’s a video of my colleague Chris chatting up the issue.

Today has been busy! Now time to head out for a Midwest Trans* and Queer Wellness Initiative organizing meeting!

I’ve seen this in person so many times and I love it! How cute to see it on Tumblr. Yay Midwest!

[image: green, cartoon like octopus statue sign holding different car washing implements, sponge, soap, towel, bucket… the sign is photographed from below with a blue sky behind it.]

9ine6ix:

Octopus Car Wash.  Madison, WI 2009.

(via kitschyliving)

The Midwest Trans* and Queer Wellness Initiative (MTQWI) is seeking photographs by artists currently living in and/or originally from the Midwestern United States to use in its soon to be launched updated website! Photographs may be landscapes, cityscapes or towns, nature scenes, or any other broad scene that the artist feels is representative of their experiences as trans* and/or queer Midwesterner. 

The deadline for submissions is December 30th, 2011, 11:59pm. For more information, or to submit photographs, email MTQWIphotocontest@gmail.com or visit http://transqueerwellness.org/photocontest

The Midwest Trans* & Queer Wellness Initiative now has a tumblr! You should check it out for lots of fun, smart, and activisty trans* and queer things.

In Chillicothe, Ohio a teenage boy was jumped and brutally beaten by his classmates because of his perceived queer sexual orientation. One boy attacked the 15 year old freshman while a second filmed the incident. We talk about bullying a lot now days, but what do we actually do about it? Facebook blasts, Tumblr reblogs, and attention from national organizations are good for visibility but how can we touch the reality of those who are out in literal fields battling oppression and violence?

A little of my Ohio - shots from being on the road.

Tonight! National drag stars hit Ohio in Mind the Gap’s Showcase GAWD! Save the King!  Come out for some of the continent’s best gender performance artists in this groundbreaking show!

This weekend Columbus, Ohio is being taken by storm as Mind the Gap roars through with some of the continent’s best and brightest gender performers! Don’t miss out on this amazing series of shows and workshops!