Tag Archive for "Trans Activism"

Posts Tagged Trans Activism

American Eagle Outfitters Anti-Trans Policy Changed

This may seem like a small victory, but it’s an important one.
After discovering American Eagle Outfitters had an anti-LGBT policy on “personal appearance” for their employees requiring folks to wear gender-specific clothing, Attorney General Andrew Cuomo and workers’ rights group Make the Road have pushed the store to include trans-friendly policies at the chain — and have won. Now not only will the 2,000 employees in the 61 stores across New York be allowed to wear whatever they damn well please, but will also be given trainings on transgender issues.
We aren’t too surprised that gender policing existed at American Eagle considering the ridiculous, gendered and sexist clothes they’ve sold in the past,

By Jos Truitt • 13 years ago

Barney Frank, that’s not what I call an inclusive ENDA

Representative Barney Frank spoke with Roll Call recently about the prospects of passing a transgender inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act in the House this year. Frank was optimistic, that is if you ignore the word “inclusive”:

…Frank said that he is optimistic about the vote count and that transgender protections will remain in the bill.
“There’s no chance of doing it without it,” he said of the transgender protections.
Frank said he’s told wavering Democrats that “the principle is the same. It’s discrimination.”
He said concessions were made in the drafting of the language to address moderates’ concerns. For instance, Frank said, transgender people with “one set of genitals” would not be able to go to a bathroom for people with ...

…Frank said ...

By Jos Truitt • 14 years ago

Advocate honors social justice leaders

I am surprised, impressed, and actually overjoyed to see queer and transgender leaders who push for an agenda excluded from mainstream LGB (and often T in name only) organizing included in the Advocate’s Forty Under 40. I want to highlight some folks from the list who would also be included in any collection of movement leaders fighting for liberation that I would compile:

Every time I’ve heard Mia Mingus speak she’s begun with her own identity: “A queer physically disabled woman of color, Korean American transracial and transnational adoptee.” In Mia’s fired up voice this sounds like a cheer and a rallying cry. Mia fearlessly calls out the ableism in our movements, pushing us to move beyond the goals ...

By Jos Truitt • 14 years ago

Today is International Transgender Day of Visibility!

March 31st, 2010 is the second annual International Transgender Day of Visibility. Rachel Crandall, who leads Transgender Michigan, started the day last year and it’s already catching on in the community. Since Transgender Day of Remembrance is focused on remembering and mourning those we have lost to violence it is good to have a day to celebrate the amazing lives of trans folks as well. You can demonstrate your participation in the day by RSVPing to this Facebook event, which includes some info about local celebrations.

Visibility is a loaded concept for members of the transgender community. Being out about our transitions – or being outed – can be incredibly dangerous. Trans folks, especially trans women of color, ...

By Jos Truitt • 14 years ago

Transphobic film *Ticked-Off Tra**ies with Knives* not fixed by trailer changes

The new movie Ticked-Off Tra**ies with Knives, which is schedule to screen at the prestigious Tribeca Film Festival, is drawing serious criticism from the transgender community for its advertising and content.

The film is about trans women who seek revenge against men who attack them and murder two of their friends. Part of the criticism has been about references to the brutal murders of Angie Zapata and Jorge Lopez Mercado in the film’s trailer (which I am not including in this post and do not recommend viewing, as it is incredibly triggering). As a result of pressure from GLAAD and Dallas area activists (the filmmakers are based in Dallas), director Israel Luna will remove mentions ...

The film is about trans women ...

By Jos Truitt • 14 years ago

TRANSform Me: Is the transgender Queer Eye a good thing?

TRANSform Me, a new reality show in which three transgender women give cisgender women makeovers, premiered on VH1 Monday. The show stars Laverne Cox from I Want To Work For Diddy (and this Transgender Basics video), Jamie Clayton, and Nina Poon. The three leads give cis women makeovers while relating these women’s experiences to their transitions.

TRANSform Me is open to pretty much the same critique as any other makeover show. It celebrates a certain standard of beauty, exemplified by its three stars who, while trans and racially diverse, all meet a very mainstream definition of female beauty. The trio does emphasize that a physical makeover is really just one part of changing how someone sees themselves, though. This ...

By Jos Truitt • 14 years ago

Interview with Christine Smith, creator of Eve’s Apple and The Princess

Christine Smith is a San Francisco Bay Area cartoonist, freelance illustrator, and activist. Her webcomics Eve’s Apple and The Princess tell the stories of a trans woman and a young trans girl. I think the comics are funny and human while also engaging with some very real issues facing trans folks.
I interviewed Christine Smith about writing comics about trans characters, her art style, and place in the world of webcomics.
Jos Truitt: What inspired you to tell the stories of a trans woman and now a young trans girl in web comics form?
Christine Smith: At the risk of sounding glib, ‘These are the stories of my people’.
Okay, that may be overstating the case, but ...

By Jos Truitt • 14 years ago

Video: Transgender Basics

When you have 20 minutes free check out this new video from the Gender Identity Project, “Transgender Basics.” It’s Trans 101 in video form, an excellent resource to have and something I know I’ll be using a lot. I never agree with everything in a Trans 101 curriculum – the ways we teach this information are constantly growing and evolving as we try to find the best and most inclusive ways to explain trans and gender non-conforming theory and experience. But I’m impressed by this straightforward, comprehensible, and compassionate video.

I checked with the Gender Identity Project and unfortunately there is currently no transcript available. If anyone out there would like to volunteer their time to help transcribe the ...