Transgender activists and allies plan to demonstrate at a New York City J. Crew store over their accusation that the store is not hiring trans employees. Organizers have filed a complaint with the Attorney General and plan to raise awareness through their demonstration.
Through a report called 'Transgender Need Not Apply: A Report on Gender Identity Job Discrimination'...
"Researchers have identified J. Crew as a violator of the New York City Human Rights Law. When equally qualified job applicants applied for positions at J Crew, non-transgender applicants were consistently hired over transgender applicants, the study found"(SDGLN).
Activists will demand that the store include gender identity/expression as part of its non-discrimination policy and train employees about these practices.
The rally and news conference will be at 1:15 p.m. Sunday, March 14, in front of the J. Crew store, 91 Fifth Ave., between 16th and 17th streets.
Gender JUST (Gender Justice United for Societal Transformation) is a multi-racial, multi-ethnic, and multi-generational grassroots organization of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Allied (LGBTQA) young people, LGBTQA people of color, and grassroots folks developing leadership and building power through organizing.
Paul Scott (R-Grand Blanc) is running for the GOP nomination to be the next Secretary of State in Michigan. He has made stopping transgender people from changing their sex on their license part of his four most important priorities.
"I will make it a priority to ensure transgender individuals will not be allowed to change the sex on their driver’s license in any circumstance. It’s a social values issue. If you are born a male, you should be known as a male. Same as with a female, she should be known as a female" (Michigan Messenger).
He made clear that this was a priority of his in order to stop biologically male trans women from using female restrooms.
Michigan law currently allows transgender people to legally change their sex. The representative is threatening to turn back the tide on civil rights even though just a few months ago residents of Kalamazoo, Michigan reaffirmed their commitment to protections based on gender identity at the polls.
Tell Paul Scott to stop using transphobia as a political tool to advance his candidacy.
Paul Scott Secretary of State PaulScott@house.mi.gov Phone: (517) 373-1780 PO Box 693 Grand Blanc, MI 48480
The David Letterman show on the CBS network has insulted Amanda Simpson, a trans woman who was recently appointed to the U.S. Commerce Department by the Obama administration. In the clip below David Letterman announces the news, followed by a guest on his show who breaks out in shock that "Amanda used to be a dude" the man is disgusted and outraged and runs off stage, the segment insinuates the man had some sort of relationship with Simpson and reinforces the sentiment that being transgender is somehow disgusting, misleading, and abnormal.
This isn't David Letterman's first transphobic problem, he made news on this blog two years ago when he insulted F2M Thomas Beatie the pregnant female to male transsexual. While we approve and acknowledge that Letterman has done some good, ie: standing up for marriage equality, his continual jabs at the transgender community cannot go on without consequence.
Contact David Letterman and tell him to apologize for this offensive jab at Amanda Simpson and the entire transgender community.
Today, November 20th marks the eleventh Transgender Day of Remembrance, a solemn time to think back and honor our transgender brothers and sisters who were murdered for being who they are. Sadly 2009 witnessed an alarming increase in trans attacks and deaths and many of these were horrific acts of brutality simply because a person has a different gender identity or expression than society expects of them.
Suggested actions for the day: -Candlelight vigils / marches -Visual representation of the number of deaths with: -Cardboard tomb stones of remembered people -Paper cutouts of remembered people -Body outline chalkings of remembered people -Art / photography displays -Conversation & awareness about trans issues
Transgender Awareness Week takes place from November 15th up until November 20th which is the Day of Remembrance, a solemn day to remember lives lost in the transgender community. The week is an opportunity to educate, engage, and get active on behalf of equal rights and fair treatment for transgender and gender variant people and their families.
Screaming Queens: The Riot At Compton's Cafeteria is the 2005 documentary produced by Victor Silverman and Susan Stryker about San Francisco's 1966 Compton's Cafeteria riot. It preceded the more famous Stonewall one by three years.
Here's a link to more information about it, and enjoy these clips from the documentary.
This is a great piece of LGBT and trans history rarely shown or heard of.
9/5/09: Lil Mama has issued an apology to the trans community and to the contestant Leiomy.
"I would like to clarify anything that was misunderstood from Sunday's show,” Lil Mama said in a statement released by the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation. “My remarks were never meant to be disrespectful regarding Leiomy's gender nor offensive to the LGBT community, which has been a community that has supported me in all my endeavors. However, in hindsight, I recognize that my words may have come across as hurtful. I spoke with her privately after the taping to express that it was not my intent to offend her or any member of the transgender community and that I still live for Vogue Evolution" (Advocate).
8/31/09: Underlying conflict rose to the surface for Vogue Evolution last night on America’s Best Dance Crew as Leiomy said she was homesick and was shown acting out in rehearsal footage. After their performance, judge Lil Mama waded into controversy with some of her comments to Leiomy.
“Leiomy, come on. Your behavior…it’s unacceptable. I just feel that you always have to remember your truth. You were born a man and you are becoming a woman. If you’re going to become a woman, act like a lady. Don’t be a bird, like ‘Oh my god, I’m not doing this!’ You know what I’m saying? It gets too crazy and it gets confusing. You’re doing this for America. Even though you’re the face for transgenders, you’re the face of America right now with this group and it’s not about anybody else. It’s about y’all. You know what I’m saying? So do it for the team. Do it for the team.” (GLAAD).
Here is the segment featuring the Leiomy controversy:
What does Leiomys behavior have to do with the fact that she is transgender? It is one thing to call out a contestant for being confrontational with team mates but quite another to relate that to their gender identity.
Contact Lil Mama via twitter and let her know your thoughts about what it means to "act like a lady" and what a true "voice of the young people" as she calls herself should promote.
The Fox News show Red Eye hosted by Greg Gutfeld continues to air transphobic remarks at the expense of various transgender people in the public spotlight, now focusing his attention on a boxer who will transition from male to female. We first called Mr Gutfeld out for his outrageous transphobic and horrific remarks about the "Pregnant Man" FTM, Thomas Beatie. He also spewed out offensive remarks against openly gay congressman Barney Frank.
His attention has now turned to British professional boxer Rob Newbiggen who will undergo sex re-assignment surgery. To report on and discuss the controversial and sensitive topic of transgender athletes competing against their newly assigned sex is one thing but Mr. Gutfeld takes it further.
Mr. Gutfeld not respecting the gender identity of the athlete continues to reference them as "he". Mr. Gutfeld also goes on to joke about the athletes desire to model as saying "you go girl, or boy, or whatever" which mocks not only trans modeling but also continues to disrespect gender identification.
One of the guests on the panel jokes about him fighting and losing to another contestant and that "he will probably go back and want to be a man."
But most offensive is the fact that Mr. Gutfeld questions whether this is a "PR stunt" which they laugh about and say "no man would do that, and of course you lose your friends"
It ends with the suggestion by another panelist for a new show called "Million Dollar Tranny"
As always some will say that we are being too sensitive and looking to pick a fight while not understanding the true nature of this 'intelligent comedy'. There is a fine line between funny and offensive when it comes to comedy, and the line has clearly been crossed in this case and in multiple other situations as evidenced by the links above.
Please contact Red Eye and tell them how you will boycott their transphobic program:
Transgender activists and allies plan to demonstrate at a New York City J. Crew store over their accusation that the store is not hiring trans employees. Organizers have filed a complaint with the Attorney General and plan to raise awareness through their demonstration.
