Midwest GenderQueer

I find this interesting.

transgenderstudentlife:

knowhomo:

LGBTQ* Terms and Definitions

Transgender V. Transsexual - As defined by different organizations, dictionaries and websites

(Graph from Northwestern University’s Medical Department)

(via projectqueer)

Anonymous asked: So seeing as dysphoria is used a lot in the trans* community for when individuals are hurting from not being seen socially as we'd like or not having our bodies look or function how we'd like, are you against this usage of the word? I've always seen it as a way for trans* people to articulate our pain, as we feel it, not as a medical professional interprets it.

I’m really glad you asked this question, because in looking back at a recent post, I think I could have been more clear about my feelings on the word “dysphoria.” I think I even came off a little closed-hearted, and for that, I apologize. 

I am definitely not “against” someone using dysphoria to describe their experience. Part of what makes language so amazing because it is organic and personal. Because the trans* experience is one (of many) that society has never wanted to have a voice, it was never given a language. The result was we had to make our own, which included adopting words that may not have originally been [what some consider] empowering, such as dysphoria. Just as you said, for many people dysphoria is a word gives voice to their feelings. I don’t think anyone has the right to refuse a person a word that describes or empowers their identity. And yeah, I know, that’s when we get into the conversation about if someone has the right to use a word even if it is hurting others (like if someone claims homophobic languages empowers a straight identity etc). And for some folks, dysphoria could  be one of those words that hurts them. To me, dysphoria represents a pathologizing system that tells me I am “in the wrong body,” which has caused a lot of hurt for me in my own, continual process of body acceptance and ownership. That is my personal reason why I choose not to use it. However, I don’t feel that someone else using it to describe themselves is wrong or even directly oppressive to me (as long as they are not using it to describe me). If it is a good descriptor for their experience, who am I to say they are being un-PC? There is a tendency, especially in the queer community, to play a ‘holier than thou art’ game with words. “I’m better than you cause I use this word… you use that old word, shame on you…” I don’t think this is conducive to building a loving, supportive community. I think we must support each other in our own, respective journeys. The path to self acceptance is a hard enough road to walk without being held up over semantics. The words I use to describe myself don’t have to be the words that describe you. It is our common experience that matters, not the words we used to describe it. So, to answer your question with an essay, as I tend to do: No, I am not against people using dysphoria to describe themselves – even if they were using it exactly as a medical professional would. To each their own, all with love.

Thanks so much for reaching out and asking this question! <3

I find this super interesting. It’s no secret I’m avidly opposed to pathologizing trans* difference, so I’m not generally into things relating to “dysphoria” but the game is presented as an individual’s story and that makes all the difference. Looks like a great artistic project in a medium lots of folks don’t think about.

sqs-tec asked: Hi there! I'm an organizer for SQS, a Chicago based trans* empowerment collective. We're putting together a program for self defense for the trans* community. Do you have any quick advice concerning self defense and community inclusion/protection within the trans* community? I don't mean to trouble you, I would be most appreciative to hear your thoughts. I respect the work you do--in solidarity!

Sounds like a great project! Welp, of course there is the foundational stuff you probably already have covered such as considering all-gender language in the discussion (as opposed to a men/women narrative that usually comes with self-defense conversations), recognizing body difference (such as not all men have certain levels of strength, not all women are a certain size, etc), and thinking about what language is used in violence against the trans* community specifically and use that in your exercises. Another thing to consider – body comfort levels; some people may be more or less comfortable with a lot of physical contact, for whatever reason. Think about multiple ways to do your lesson plan so folks of different persuasions can all participate comfortably. Familiarize your folks with any and all laws and policies that relate to your community, including things like trespassing (relevant to gendered spaces like bathrooms), sex offenses and sex work (for our people who are in SW as well as to combat stereotyping that all our people are in SW), prisons/arrests, and discrimination/hate crime laws. Ask your community if there are particular issues, fears, concerns they would like addressed and work that in to your curriculum. Oh, and then there’s the little things like all gender dressing rooms/bathrooms if people need to change clothes for the event. Is it a physically accessible building? Can it be reached by public transportation?

 We all (hopefully) know about what happened to CeCe and how complicated that situation is, so it is also good to make sure people understand their rights when it comes to self-defense and the law. The ACLU has a great little worksheet called “Know Your Rights” that is useful for everyone and check out these sites for ideas and/or information that may be relevant to you.

http://www.transgenderlaw.org/

http://srlp.org/resources/resources

http://transgenderlawcenter.org/cms/

 Also, providing resources in the case people are survivors. Do a disclaimer about triggering language and or experiences, and you might want to include a ‘vibe watcher’ in your “staff” who will have the specific job of checking in with people who may be upset by the training. You can find some useful links here: http://transqueerwellness.org/discrimination

 Another thing that, I think, is always useful is to promote a dialogue about why this violence occurs and talking about what systems of oppression are at work here. It doesn’t need to be a lecture; you can work it in interactively as you go. Asking questions like, “Why does gender non-conformity make people angry?” and “What makes people afraid of us?” can help people think about their experiences without the prospective hurdle of academic words that might not be well suited for a community workshop like this one. I think that when we are able to mentally understand oppression, it is easier for us to confront it because we are less distracted by the fear based“Why is this happening to me?” and more focused on the power based “I know how to stop it.”

Hope this helps, this is definitely “quick” suggestions, so let me know if you’d like to chat about it more. I’m happy to help in anyway I can. And I’d love to hear about what you come up with and how it goes!

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.

A look at African-American Trans Trailblazers by Monica Roberts 

via thegang

wilterna asked: Hi JAC, I'm thinking of doing a project in my speech class on gender. I was wondering if you had any sources to share? With most research being very cis-centric, it can be hard to find information related to gender variance. I'd greatly appreciate it.

Sure! Welp, a lot of what I’d send would come from my mass pile of compilings here: http://transqueerwellness.org/ - I’m a one human show for the most part, so I have more stuff that isn’t up there yet, I need a volunteer webmaster like its my job!…. and it is my job…

Anyway, what sort of research are you looking for? For general gender variance articles, a couple good resources are:

http://www.trans-academics.org/ - archived but has a lot of good stuff on it.

http://www.genderpsychology.org/

http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/wijt20 International Journal of Transgenderism – used to be able to get all articles for free, but now it is weird and sort a pay site (since WPATH reorganized it) but if you are a student and find an article of interest, you can likely find it in your school library’s article database. This would be more of a tool for finding what topics are out there.

You’ll also likely be able to make use of discussing/analyzing the standards of care, which you can find here: http://www.wpath.org/publications_standards.cfm

For GID specific stuff, there are some good article links here: http://transqueerwellness.org/GID

Also, maybe seek out some “non-academic” resources like blogs and personal narratives. I would think in a speech class it would be useful to have that little personal edge to your project.

Hope that this is helpful! Good luck!

I was just very pleasantly surprised by a fellow human being. This evening I was very suddenly tossed into a resources search for a local community member in need. I called the local YWCA hotline, but honestly was not expecting much. I started to describe what I was looking for and dropped the word “transgender.” The operator gave a long pause, “Can you say all that again?” I repeated my statement, a little slower this time.  She paused again and, to my amazement, she was able to give me an answer, instead of another question.

I could hear the operator flipping through pages of her referral manual. She said to herself, ”I’m just not findin’ what I’m looking for. Seems like there should be something for that ‘cause everybody deserves help, no matter what they’re like.”

Her language was all wrong, but her warmth and willingness to help was everything that is right about humanity. I am so grateful for the moments when we, the trans* community, are reminded that we are not alone. 

my new favorite way to do a trans training - personal potluck style

photo by Jeff Burkle

Finding Me: Looking Past the Surface to Discover My Transgender Identity 

This week is National Eating Disorders Awareness Week. In order to help raise awareness surrounding eating disorders and transgender identities, Ryan Sallans wrote an article to be included in the NEDA’s resources. Check it out and other resources too! 

via ryansallans

Members the Swedish government who had been a primary obstacle to ending the policy of forced sterilizations have announced that they’ll be supporting a ban on the practice. Activists are pushing for reform as soon as possible. 

Anonymous asked: How did you get started in LGBTQ activism? :]

This is a question with a long answer, let’s see how succinct I can be! I became interested in activism in high school which, like for most, involved joining clubs. My first connection to LGBTQ stuff was when I was fourteen and I joined my high school GSA, but it didn’t give me the launching point that you might expect. My GSA didn’t talk about activism as much as we focused on “tolerance” - it was just about all we could afford. Not being informed about the queer community likely contributed to my lack of understanding for my own identities or even kept me from realizing I was or could be queer (I didn’t even know trans existed). Without that structure of understanding, I never fostered anything more than a supportive interest in queer issues. So technically the GSA is where I started, but I’m hesitant to pin point that experience as solely how I “got started.” When I think of how I got into activism, queer and trans issues don’t actually come into play until a ways down the line. My activist work originated in environmentalism, and then when I was eighteen, I took interest in the anti-war movement and joined the radical activist community. This broadened my scope, giving me an understanding for global politics, human rights, oppression and privilege, equality and social justice, and otherwise built the foundation for the kind of activist I am today. Then, completely unrelated to activism, I came out as trans and queer. When I did, I didn’t know anyone gay, let alone queer or trans, and there were no viable trans resources on campus or anywhere in the city. Having a mindset that is rather stubborn and demanding, I started to direct my activist interest towards trans and queer issues. My queer activist jumping off point was, admittedly, driven by selfish motivations. I was lonely, confused, and extremely angry about my difference and the isolation that resulted from it. I turned to activism to pull me out of my misery. I figured that if I could find a way to be useful, and make some resources to help myself and others like me, then I would feel better about my situation, and maybe make my life a little easier.

It was a very slow growth process. First, I looked at what I had – which was nothing, and then I figured out what I wanted to have – which was everything. When I got that all I figured that out, I started taking stumbling steps forward. I did a lot of research, took the few available classes on queer topics, and sought out like minded folks. In the beginning, A major part of my learning was by doing; I started a trans* student group, formed a movement for a campus LGBTQ center, started a campus drag show, and tried to address the lack of queer education by my making my own ‘classes’ and asking professors and organizations if I could present to their audiences. I looked for knowledge anywhere I could find it and found that most of the resources were not where I was – they were outside Cincinnati, or even outside the Midwest. So I did what I had to do to reach those resource hubs (like conferences), so that I could bring that info back home. I made a fair amount of sacrifices, but even at the time, it didn’t feel too much like a sacrifice because I knew I was gaining new perspectives, education, and a network of people doing similar work. It was, and continues to be a  wild ride! Presenting at conferences was a big jumping off point for me because it enabled me to gain an understanding for what resources people needed so I could start to figure out what how do to address that need. And it still does this today! When I graduated college, I did more to connect with local and national organizations and projects that I respected; applying for boards and committees and volunteering in areas I want to learn about. Along with that, I continue to create my own local projects to serve the community where I live. And that’s where I am today; others may arrive in similar places through different methods but no matter who you are, I think a common factor is that a big part of “getting started” in activism lies in hands on learning; interacting with people, seeing and experiencing oppression, and thinking – always thinking about how to create pro-active change. The more you work, the more you learn. The harder the work, the better an activist you become. So after explaining all this, I guess I never really “got started” in queer activism so much as it crashed down on me like a wave. And once that wave landed, I really only had two options: start swimming or drown. I think that is the story of a lot of activists. I never imagined I would become a trans and queer activist, but now I can’t imagine being anything else. Finding this work is possibly the best thing that has ever happened to me. It gives my life purpose, and it gives my soul direction. I wonder what I would have thought if someone came to me in that GSA when I was fourteen and told me this is where I would end up. I honestly don’t think I would have believed them, but I’m glad I got here! Thanks for your question and the little walk down memory lane it stirred up. :)

Wonderful project by my friend and mentor S. Bear Bergman. Check it out!!

Flamingo Rampant! Gender Independent Kids Books

Persistence contributor S. Bear Bergman has launched an amazing new project -  Flamingo Rampant!, a children’s book series featuring trans characters. You can support this project through Kickstarter. Tell your friends!

via persistenceanthology

(via genderqueer)

Today I had an amazing experience helping a local high school GSA with trans activism. The students were so smart and involved. They laughed at my wacky white board drawings, ask tons of questions, and told me I should “be a professor of awesome.” lol, fabus! 

Southerners! Check out this survey being done by my pal and an amazing fellow activist. Spread the word!

“Transmasculine folks in/from the South! Please help with my friend’s survey on trans* community and ID in the South”