New at This Year's New York State Fair: Pride!
It’s a sign of how far lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transgender people have come in the Empire State.
Dawn Ennis
www.advocate.com/pride/2015/06/22/new-years-new-york-state-fair-pride
Monthly Archives: June 2015
My Transgender Life: Where Do the Children Play?
My Transgender Life: Where Do the Children Play?
I know we’ve come a long way
We’re changing day to day
But tell me, where do the children play?
– Cat Stevens
It was early Friday morning as I entered my car and held down the home button on my phone. The familiar message “What can I help you with?’ appeared, and I spoke into it, “Directions to ESPN, Bristol Connecticut.” The day’s adventure had begun.
I met Stephen Alexander a little over a month ago and he graciously invited me to attend a panel discussion he was going to be on at ESPN on Transgender athletes. I was a fly on the wall as I got to meet some amazing and great people who were sharing their stories with ESPN’s internal employee LGBT group, which was also internally broadcast within the parent Disney corporate world. The title of the discussion was Understanding the T: Transgender Athletes and the Challenge to Compete.
ESPN’s Christina Kahrl was the moderator of this panel which included:
Stephen Alexander, America’s first openly transgender multi sports coach www.transitiongames.com
Chloe Johnson, transgender cross fit athlete
Chris Mosier, transgender dualthalon athlete who is a member of Team USA www.transathlete.com
Wade Davis, Executive Director of the You Can Play Project, www.youcanplayproject.org
Jazz Jennings and her mom on the phone.
It strikes me that we see and hear about someone in the trans community on a daily basis. We hear the good stories, the sad stories and the outrageous, sensationalized and indescribable stories. It is easy for many to lose sight that transgender people are first and foremost just people, each trying to hopefully live their best possible life, without a burden of being defined by being transgender. I continue to say that we are all so much more than just gender.
Recently, when Janet Mock appeared on Oprah’s Super Soul Sunday program, she stated, “For most people the most interesting part of me is my transness.” This conversation was about her willingness to “own” her “transness” in order to make a positive difference for others in the world. For the athletes above, their discussion points out that their transness, which is their authenticity, has blocked them and so many other trans people from being involved and playing, competing in sports as who they truly are. Each of their stories and experience is unique. As such each is an important building block to help all people learn that transgender athletes hold no special advantages and are just people trying to live, work and play like most of us desire to do.
By being in the audience this was a time for me to have many learning moments as I listened to the participants. Here are some of the comments I heard:
Chloe told the group that she never thought of herself as being transgender. She was just female, period. She said she transitioned at the age of 16 and was never an athlete until she got into competitive Crossfit a few years ago, and was “outed” by the organization’s refusal to allow her to compete, as she was not assigned female at birth. She shared it was never her intent to be public or an activist but in order to stand up for her rights and those of others. Chloe appeared to know this was important but it was clear that her primary goal was to just live her life. At this point in time, her “transness” has blocked her from her life’s passion.
Chris shared that prior to his transition when he was competing in women’s triathlons, he never felt he belonged, as he did not feel like a woman. His personal challenge was to believe he could compete in his passion if and when he transitioned. Not only was he be able to compete but he has now become a member of TEAM USA. However, there are still many rules that may hold him back at competing at the highest levels of his sport. He reported than one goal of making the team has been achieved but there are still many blocks in his path to compete, as he desires. He told us it is not the winning that matters; it is the chance to perform that is important. I was able to relate to this from my experience as a coach of little league sports for many years.
Stephen has proved to perhaps be the prodigal son, and shown that one can go home again. Prior to his transition Stephen had guided his high school’s girls teams to multiple state championships, and now post transition he has returned to that very same school and coaches five different sports. Stephen is putting himself on the line each and every day and makes a difference to others by guiding, listening and teaching teamwork as his passions and goals. Stephen said that there are still people in his community, in the schools who hold his “transness” against him, but progress is being made day to day.
As an ally to the T community, Wade Davis taught the audience, including me, that being an ally is not a passive role. He said, “Allies need to take ACTION.” They need to speak and be heard. He also said, when you do not know about someone or his or her life, there is only one thing to do, which is to listen. This will lead to learning and acceptance, not judgment and denial.
Jazz Jennings and her mom shared a variety of stories of the battle to allow Jazz to paly competitive children’s soccer and now high school tennis. It appeared that nothing was ever easy, but this family never gave up, and are an inspiration to us all.
Wade Davis, Stephen Alexander, Christina Kahrl, Chloe Johnson, Chris Mosier
During Q&A and a question regarding the advantage of transwoman playing women’s sports, I was able to relate to Christina’s personal experience when she shared, ” I have been on HRT for 13 years now, and I cannot even open a jar. Why did they ever invent jars anyway?” I myself being on estrogen for 5 years get it. I can barely carry the grocery bags up the stairs now. I wouldn’t have it any differently.
The bottom line: From childhood through colleges, all amateur sports and even on to professional sports, the rules for allowing trans people to belong and perform are inconsistent at best, and outlandish and ignorant at worst. Sports are a must for so many of us to keep our heads on straight in this increasingly complex world. For trans youth, they must be allowed to play and play equally and not singled out. Panels like this are just a start to point this out. There is still much work to do. We need to know where will the children play!
There is another Cat Stevens song that leaves me with some hope.
Now I’ve been crying lately
Thinking about the world as it is
Why must we go on hating
Why can’t we live in bliss‘Cause out on the edge of darkness
There rides a peace train
Oh, peace train take this country
Come take me home againOh, peace train sounding louder
Glide on the peace train
Come on the peace train
– Cat Stevens
###
Grace Stevens is a transgender woman who transitioned at the age of 64 and holds a Masters Degree in Counseling Psychology. She is a father of three, grandparent of two, athlete, advocate and author of No! Maybe? Yes! Living My Truth, an intimate memoir of her personal struggle to transition and live her true life authentically as a woman. Grace is available for speaking about authentic living with Living on-TRACK, and Gender Variance Education and Training. Visit her website at: www.graceannestevens.com/. Follow Grace on Twitter: www.twitter.com/graceonboard .
— This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.
Ben Cohen’s Been To More Prides Than Most Gays; Chris Pratt Taught Sick Kids To Tame Dinosaurs
Ben Cohen’s Been To More Prides Than Most Gays; Chris Pratt Taught Sick Kids To Tame Dinosaurs
NBC has announced the cancellation of Hannibal, its ultra-creepy prequel to Silence of the Lambs, after three seasons.
Ben Cohen can put most of us to shame, and we’re not talking about his stunning physical appearance. “I’ve actually been to more Prides than most gay guys, and I’m straight,” the former rugby player-turned-activist told Gay Star News, adding “Every country does it differently, they have their own style, but the underlying message is always the same.”
Just in case you’re the one person on the planet still immune to the charms of Chris Pratt, the box office superstar visited Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital in Baton Rouge, Louisiana over the weekend and lifted the spirits of sick kids with his raptor-wrangling skills.
It feels like centuries since we’ve had new music from Janet Jackson. Rather than release a club-banger out of the starting gate, the iconic entertainer has dropped “No Sleeep,” a sexy, old-fashioned slow jam.
Harry Potter‘s Matthew Lewis got undreamed of publicity for his revealing photo shoot for Attitude magazine, but his mother, a court magistrate, wasn’t pleased. “She knew I’d done something for a magazine,” he told The Standard. “Anyway, someone showed her and she was mortified. So I got bit of ear ache from her. Apart from that it was great.”
Duran Duran wants you to know they’re also back in the game with the new single “Pressure Off” featuring Janelle Monáe and the legendary Nile Rodgers.
Caitlyn Jenner celebrated Father’s Day by off-roading with her family, including Kim Kardashian and Kanye West.
Great day yesterday for Father’s Day. We had so much fun off-roading. So much love and support! Love my family! pic.twitter.com/xemTJPuySv
— Caitlyn Jenner (@Caitlyn_Jenner) June 22, 2015
Equinox has launched #POWEREDBYPRIDE, an interactive social media and art activation that encourages Instagram and Twitter users to pose near one of the company’s three giant Pride murals. Cazwell and pal Amanda Lepore are among the photogenic folks who’ve snapped selfies in front of the New York mural.
Out in Brooklyn with the gurls @amandalepore ?? @yasminepetty #brooklynlove #poweredbypride @equinox A photo posted by CAZWELL (@cazwellnyc) on Jun 16, 2015 at 11:31am PDT
Jeremy Kinser
What To Watch This Week On TV: LGBT Housemates On ‘Big Brother'; ‘What Happened, Miss Simone?’
What To Watch This Week On TV: LGBT Housemates On ‘Big Brother'; ‘What Happened, Miss Simone?’
Check out our weekly guide to make sure you’re catching the big premieres, crucial episodes and the stuff you won’t admit you watch when no one’s looking.
— Get your pride on Saturday with the largest televised pride celebration, Logo’s Trailblazer Honors. Presenters include Samira Wiley, Raven-Symoné and Titus Burgess, while American Idol runner-up Adam Lambert is honored. Catch the broadcast Saturday at 8 p.m. Eastern.
— Revisit the story of The New Jersey 4 tonight at 10 p.m. Eastern on PBS and Logo. The documentary Out In the Night recounts what happened when four African-American lesbians were convicted of assault while attempting to defend themselves.
— It’s a special episode of Royal Pains Tuesday at 10 p.m. Eastern on USA. The episode showcases the story of a trans teen seeking help with her hormones. Trans teen Nicole Maines (who gained notoriety when she won the first U.S. case in which the court ruled that transgender students shouldn’t be prevented from using the bathroom of the gender with which they identify) stars.
— Three LGBT contestants join the house on Big Brother Wednesday at 8 p.m. Eastern on CBS. There’s lesbian poker player Vanessa Rousso, gay supermarket checkout attendant Jason Roy and trans digital media consultant Audrey Middleton.
— Netflix takes a look at the life of one the most gifted singers and powerful Civil Rights activists, Nina Simone in the new original documentary What Happened, Miss Simone?, premiering Friday.
What are you watching this week?
The post What To Watch This Week On TV: LGBT Housemates On ‘Big Brother’; ‘What Happened, Miss Simone?’ appeared first on Towleroad.
Bobby Hankinson
What To Watch This Week On TV: LGBT Housemates On ‘Big Brother’; ‘What Happened, Miss Simone?’
DTL_7054r
'Relentlessly Gay' Fundraiser Surpasses $43K, Homeowner 'Speechless and Awed'
'Relentlessly Gay' Fundraiser Surpasses $43K, Homeowner 'Speechless and Awed'
A woman targeted for her rainbow-themed yard decorations says she is ‘flabbergasted, in shock and also a wee bit terrified’ at the overwhelming show of support.
Dawn Ennis
White Girl Tries To Sell Drugs To Cops, Proves White Privilege Is A Thing
White Girl Tries To Sell Drugs To Cops, Proves White Privilege Is A Thing
What does a white girl gotta do to get arrested around here??
Comedian Jessie Kahnweiler wanted to know if she would get preferential treatment from the police simply for being a white woman. The results are hilarious — and frightening.
Kahnweiler pretty brilliantly shows how a funny, bubbly white girl can get away with a lot more things around police than, say, a black or hispanic person might be able to.
In one particularly crazy moment, Kahnweiler tries to sell two officers her leftover depression medication. They tell her she’d be committing a crime, and then let her go on her merry way when she apologizes and claims ignorance. So if you commit a crime, just say sorry and feign ignorance? Cool, got it.
That’s the lesson here, non-white people. When police stop you for doing nothing at all, just apologize for being a law-abiding citizen.
SO SIMPLE!
— This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.
#MarriageMonday: There’s Still a Chance to Stand on the Right Side of History
#MarriageMonday: There’s Still a Chance to Stand on the Right Side of History
While we didn’t hear from the Supreme Court today on Obergefell v. Hodges, the historic case that could bring nationwide marriage equality, there’s still a chance to stand on the right side of history.
HRC.org
Maggie Gallagher Thinks Gay Conversion Therapy Is Harmless Fun
Maggie Gallagher Thinks Gay Conversion Therapy Is Harmless Fun
Real-life Harry Potter villainess Maggie Gallagher took quill to papyrus scroll on June 22nd, penning a somewhat nonsensical screed in the National Review titled “If Race and Gender Are Social Constructs, Why Not Sexual Orientation?” (Isn’t that a Morrissey song?)
Attempting to throw Rachel Dolezal, Bruce Jenner, and the consumer-fraud case against JONAH (Jews Offering New Alternatives For Healing) into the same bubbling cauldron, The National Organization for Marriage founder writes:
“Apparently, you can change your racial identity, but if you do, you are lying. You can dress up as a woman on the cover of Vanity Fair, and everyone must believe you are in fact female. But when it comes to sexual orientation, even the attempt to change your identity or behavior must be viewed as an imposition against the laws of nature, if not nature’s God.”
Related: Maggie Gallagher Loves To Wallow In Her Defeat. And Blame Others For It.
As a smothering fog rolls in from the moors, Baggy Maggie continues: “[JONAH’s] weekend retreats incorporate some bizarre elements, but nothing stranger than the Esalen Institute and other hippie happenings in the 1970s did… it is the attempt to live a Torah-observant or Biblical life that is intolerable to the SPLC and must be shut down.”
We’ll remind you that JONAH’s “bizarre elements” — which you can read about here — include (but are not limited to) stripping off your clothes, beating effigies of your mother, being ridiculed in public with cries of “faggot” and “gay boy,” and violently grabbing two oranges that are meant to symbolize your testicles.
Sorry, but that’s not exactly assuming the lotus position and singing Kumbaya.
Derek de Koff
President Of Racist Hate Group That Influenced Dylann Roof Is Also An Anti-Gay Bigot Who Donated to Ted Cruz, Others
President Of Racist Hate Group That Influenced Dylann Roof Is Also An Anti-Gay Bigot Who Donated to Ted Cruz, Others
Earlier this month, we told you how the mayor of conservative Longview, Texas, issued a proclamation declaring June LGBT Pride month.
Among the many Longview residents who criticized Mayor Andy Mack over the proclamation was Earl Holt III, who wrote in a letter to the editor of the local newspaper:
With his recent proclamation declaring June our Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Month (news story, Tuesday), Mayor Mack has demonstrated that he is unable to say “no” to well-organized leftist interest groups demanding favors or privileges.
Many naïve businessmen enter the political arena clueless about the political environment to which they aspire. Since avoiding controversy seems to be an almost universal concern among them — so bad publicity won’t translate into lowered profits — businessmen are extremely vulnerable to manipulation by the left and its endless public relations firms within the Corrupt Leftist Media.
As it turns out, Holt (right) is the president of Council of Conservative Citizens, a white supremacist hate group that heavily influenced Dylann Roof (above), the 21-year-old who’s accused of shooting nine African-Americans in an apparent hate crime at a Charleston, South Carolina church last week. In a manifesto posted on his website, Roof said he first learned about “brutal black-on-white murders” on the Council of Conservative Citizens’ website in the wake of the Trayvon Martin case.
Holt, meanwhile, has made political contributions to numerous Republican politicians and causes across the country, including current GOP presidential candidates Ted Cruz, Rand Paul and Rick Santorum, as well as the likes of Reps. Michele Bachmann and Louie Gohmert.
The New York Times reports:
Mr. Cruz, a Texas senator, said Sunday night that he would be returning about $8,500 in donations that he had received from the Texas donor, Earl Holt III, who lists himself as president of the Council of Conservative Citizens. …
Mr. Paul’s campaign said Monday that it planned to send $2,250 received from Mr. Holt to a victims’ fund set up in the wake of the shooting. …
The group is regarded by the Southern Poverty Law Center, a leading authority on hate crimes, as a white supremacist extremist organization that opposes “race mixing” as a religious affront and that vilifies blacks as an inferior race.
More from the Southern Poverty Law Center about the Council of Conservative Citizens:
The Council of Conservative Citizens (CCC) is the modern reincarnation of the old White Citizens Councils, which were formed in the 1950s and 1960s to battle school desegregation in the South. Among other things, its Statement of Principles says that it “oppose[s] all efforts to mix the races of mankind.” Created in 1985 from the mailing lists of its predecessor organization, the CCC, which initially tried to project a “mainstream” image, has evolved into a crudely white supremacist group whose website has run pictures comparing the late pop singer Michael Jackson to an ape and referred to black people as “a retrograde species of humanity.” The group’s newspaper, Citizens Informer, regularly publishes articles condemning “race mixing,” decrying the evils of illegal immigration, and lamenting the decline of white, European civilization. Gordon Baum, the group’s founder, died in March of 2015.
Ironically, one of the politicians who received money from Holt was Ohio Republican Sen. Rob Portman. But that was in 2010, before Portman’s son came out as gay, and the senator came out for marriage equality.
The post President Of Racist Hate Group That Influenced Dylann Roof Is Also An Anti-Gay Bigot Who Donated to Ted Cruz, Others appeared first on Towleroad.
John Wright
