transgender

Sandi Toksvig has prompted an outpouring of support for expressing her anger at anti-trans people in politics and the media.

The former Great British Bake Offpresenter said: “I am so distressed by people who call themselves ‘radical feminists’ but are anti-trans. I could weep. I don’t get it. It’s beyond me.

“When the feminist movement started in the 60s and 70s, lesbians were often excluded, because we were told that we would make the movement less palatable. I have been excluded myself, so how could I do that to someone else? It fills me with rage.”

Toksvig was speaking in an interview with The i newspaper to promote an upcoming performance with the London Gay Men’s Chorus.

A vocal LGBT+ rights campaigner for decades, Toksvig was one of Britain’s most visible lesbian women when she came out publicly in 1994.

She also founded the Women’s Equality Party in 2015 and is working on a campaign to remove unelected Church of England bishops from the House of Lords because of its opposition to same-sex marriage.

She said: “It’s shocking. They don’t deal with gay people or women in an equitable manner. And they aren’t some sort of obscure organisation – this is our state church.

“None of them have been elected. This is our parliament and it’s not OK. Be a bigot if you want to, in your own back yard – but don’t come and play in mine.”

Responding to Toksvig’s comments on social media, people immediately jumped to the TV stalwart’s side.

Broadcaster India Willoughby wrote: “Now here’s a classy lady. Graham Linehan [the screenwriter and prominent anti-trans campaigner] will be along shortly to tell Sandi she’s not a real feminist.”

Another person said: “Sandi had such an impact on me when I was growing up and watching number 73 [a 1980s British TV show].

“I'd never seen another woman like her and being a non conforming teenage lesbian who didn't understand herself or her sexuality, Sandi was pivotal in helping me figure it all out.”

And a third added: “She’s fabulous isn’t she.”

As for Toksvig, she promised to go on campaigning.

She said: “I’ve been an activist all of my life. It’s a core part of who I am. We’re here, we’re making noise – and we’re not going away.”

link: https://www.indy100.com/identities/sandi-toksvig-trans-lqbt

Right-wing conservatives and those who identify as "gender critical" are up in arms after World Eightball Pool Federation allows trans women to participate.

In recent years, transgender athletes have been targeted by laws and internal policies aimed at barring their participation in sports. Initial bans on transgender participation were mainly in elite swimming and high school athletics, but increasingly, these bans are extending to areas where the argument of an “unfair advantage” is even more challenging to justify. Recent controversies and bans have included transgender participation in disc golf, beauty pageants, and chess. Now, a new target has emerged for those opposing trans participation: pool.

On Saturday, the Daily Mail reported that Alexandra Cunha, currently ranked fifth in World Eightball Pool Foundation (WEPF), quit, stating, “I recently played against a transgender player and was devastated by the loss.” Her decision followed a policy change by the organization. Two months prior, their policy required participants to be “born female.” Following criticism, the organization amended its policy to allow transgender players, incorporating guidelines about medical transition and testosterone suppression in accordance with International Olympic Committee standards.

Cunha, along with other players against transgender inclusion who had started a Signal chat, argued that transgender women possess an unfair advantage in pool. They told The Daily Mail that transgender women might execute a stronger “break” in the game. It's important to note that no studies have been cited to confirm any such advantage for transgender women in pool.

Outrage from far-right newspapers and “gender critical” accounts was swift. Riley Gaines, also famous for placing in 5th place in a swimming race in which she competed against a transgender woman, retweeted a post calling a trans competitor a “trans identified male,” a derisive acronym used towards transgender women that shortens to “TIM,” a stereotypically masculine name. Helen Joyce, who has openly advocated for a “reduction” in trans people, called one of the women who quit “a bloody heroine.” News stories decrying trans participation in pool were pushed on the far-right website Breitbart as well as the “gender critical” magazine Reduxx.

Quickly though, people began to mock the idea of trans women having an insurmountable advantage at pool. Speak Out Sister, a trans-inclusive feminist organization, remarked, “Amazed to find out that strength is an advantage when playing pool. Guess the cues and balls are heavier than we knew.” User She Guevera jokingly responded, “Rightly so, they have a clear unfair advantage in judging angles and distances.🙄” Many others pointed out how the outrage over trans people in pool is similar to outrages of transgender people in other competitions with dubious “advantages” that transgender people supposedly have.

In recent months, transgender people have been targeted in a much wider variety of competitions than one might expect. Earlier this year, the Disc Golf Pro Tour announced it would shut down five events for all women just to stop a transgender woman from competing after she won a court case allowing her to compete. FIDE, the world’s largest chess organization, also made headlines earlier this year whenever it announced that under new guidelines, transgender women have “no right to participate” in women’s chess. Earlier this year, Italy banned transgender women from beauty pageants after a trans woman won the title of Miss Netherlands. Increasingly, the rationale for banning transgender people from these competitions has grown suspect.

It is important to note that the initial focus on transgender people in sports in the current wave of legislative attacks on trans people was a political calculation designed to usher in discrimination on transgender people. Terry Schilling, leader of The American Principles Project, described his organization’s initial relentless focus on trans people in sports as a means to an end: “The women's sports issue was really the beginning point in helping expose all this because what it did was, it got opponents of the LGBT movement comfortable with talking about transgender issues.” In a later interview with the New York Times, he stated, “We knew we needed to find an issue that the candidates were comfortable talking about, and we threw everything at the wall.”

Evidence does not support the claim that transgender athletes are dominating sports. Transgender women have been eligible to compete in the Olympics for two decades, yet no transgender woman has secured any medal. Furthermore, policies targeting transgender individuals often end up being used against cisgender athletes who face accusations of being transgender following their victories. In states where bans are not in place, individual organizations may implement various medical criteria related to transition for competition eligibility, as was the case with WEPF. Despite these measures, those opposing transgender inclusion remain discontent with the participation of transgender athletes in competitions against cisgender counterparts, regardless of the competition involved.

link: https://www.erininthemorning.com/p/now-trans-women-supposedly-have-an?publication_id=994764&post_id=138844697

OK. I'm going to jump on my soapbox for a moment because of a recent article that I'm sure most of you are painfully aware of at this point, and if you're not, you will be now...

I began transitioning about 5 months ago. Before I had come to the conclusion that I was transgender, I experimented in the privacy of my home with my wife a part of it. I would write erotic stories and post pics online. It was very kink centered, as it gave me the excuse to experiment with my femininity while still doing the mental gymnastics required to convince myself that I wasn't trans, or that it was "just a kink." Although, I felt that I was an ally to the trans community and would still encourage others who were questioning to be themselves and do what they feel is right for them. Turns out, I was really just giving that advice to myself.

F.L. "Bubba" Copeland was the mayor of Smith Station, AL. He was a local pastor and community leader and he was adored by everyone in his community. He did so much good for the people around him.

Privately, he and his wife would explore his feminine side. He created a persona named Brittini Blaire Summerlin and SHE began posting SFW and NSFW content to Reddit. (In fact, I think I remember some of her posts). She wrote erotica that was based on actual people she knew. One of those stories, apparently, was about murdering a woman and taking her place. Probably a woman he envied and wanted to emulate. This is being framed as Brittini having bad intentions and mental health issues. Actually, most writers would probably agree that real world inspiration has a lot to do with the creation of fiction. I've written some pretty crazy erotica with characters based on real people I know. It was part of the process I had to go through to cope with my true self conflicting with my conservative upbringing. It's like opposing magnets pushing against each other inside my brain, and I've felt it since I was a child. When you bury such a powerful part of yourself, it tends to come out in other ways, like starting smoking at 8 yrs old, or drinking and smoking weed at 11. I've spent 3/4 of my life either doing drugs or drinking, those opposing forces inside me just kept getting stronger. I had to make a change. I literally HAD to. By 40, I was beginning to have blackouts and bouts of uncontrollable rage. I'm not lying when I say, HRT saved my life. I haven't been intoxicated since before my apiphany that I was trans, or simply "since my egg cracked."

My transition has been, by far, the hardest thing I've ever had to go through internally, and I've lived through drug addiction, MRSA, a fire, car wrecks and a whole list of other stupid things I was involved in in my youth. But, I am thankful that I was able to follow a path that eventually led me here, in my current self-awareness, to a place of contentment. Unfortunately, that contentment is paired with an incredible amount of fear surrounding the inevitable time when I will no longer be able to pass as a cis hetero male. When that time comes (probably by Spring) I could easily become the next target of the local conservative groups in my town. Some of these groups are extremists and have a history of being involved, if not directly responsible for violence and MURDER of the local LGBTQ community out here next to rural Idaho. Yes. I said that right. Fucking MURDER of a gay high-school student, the night of his graduation.

So, I will be transitioning socially soon. I will almost certainly become the target of hate and rumors spread about me, and I am fucking terrified that my wife and kids will be targeted as well. I have two daughters, and one of them identifies as lesbian. She came out to my wife and I before I had even come out to myself. I'm proud of her and I'm excited to see her grow with her new found confidence in who she is.

I read the article about F.L. "Bubba" Copeland the day he shot himself in front of the cops. He was outed by a right-wing conservative news blog called "1819 News" and Craig Monger is the "reporter" who wrote the story highlighting Bubba's private life, despite Bubba pleading with them to not publish the article. Unfortunately, Michael Craig Monger of Prattville, AL decided that the repercussions of publishing the article did not outweigh his need for recognition in his conservative echo chamber. He wanted to make a name for himself and this was his big chance. It doesn't matter to these people if entire lives and communities are destroyed, just as long as they can manipulate the narrative to match their rhetoric.

Today I woke up feeling different. Something changed in me when I read that article. My fear is melting away and being replaced by anger, maybe even rage. I feel my inner berserker wanting to smash some skulls or chew bubblegum, and I'm fresh out of bubblegum.

The actual truth about transitioning, is it's a battle being fought, not only internally, but externally in society. It's a whirlwind of emotions and mental and physical changes that one goes through, and chances are, it's in complete opposition to their current lifestyle and cultural expectations from their peers. So, really, a transgender person is forced go through extreme mental and emotional turmoil if they decide to transition, which is really the lesser of two evils when compared to the extreme mental and emotional turmoil they will be locked in for the rest of their lives if they choose to not transition.

NO. Transgender people are not a bunch of crossdressing perverts trying to sneak into public restrooms. I have personally experienced a major drop in my sexual fantasies and desires since getting on hormones. It's as if I lost interest in my kinks after I gave myself permission to transition. I acknowledged that side of me, and now I don't even watch pornography because I don't really need to anymore.

NO, they do not "chemically castrate" children. This is the biggest right-wing lie that I can even think of. It's seriously ridiculous. Anybody can spend 5 min online looking up the actual laws pertaining to transgender healthcare by state. The only options that kids have for trans healthcare is: 1. Change name 2. Change pronouns 3. Therapy (counseling) 4. Puberty blockers during mid teen years until adulthood. 5. At age of 18, the (now adult) transgender individual can decide whether or not to start Hormone Replacement Therapy. 6. If the transgender individual is on hormone therapy for a year and has been living as their preferred gender socially for that time, they can elect to pursue surgical changes, like facial feminization or masculinization, top surgery, bottom surgery, or a whole list of other surgeries to help your outer self match your inner self. 7. There are still requirements to get those surgeries however, like months of hair removal to prep for bottom surgery,  multiple letters of approval from licensed therapists and approval by a general practioner or specialist.

"The transgender are forcing our kids to go to drag shows! Look! There's video online!" OK..  that was Florida, and no, the trans are not putting on drag shows to indoctrinate your kids. DRAG PERFORMERS put on drag shows, because it is PERFORMANCE! It is THEATER! There are Straight people, cis people, gay people, trans people, all of the different ethnicities and personalities and backgrounds, coming together to perform for their audience. It doesn't mean that drag performers are trans or vice-versa. I am transgender but I sure as hell am not a drag performer. Imagine being a straight cis drag performer getting labeled as trans with non of the benefits.

I am sooooo disgusted by this conservative bullshit getting shoved down everyone's throats. Meanwhile, all these conservatives are dropping one by one because they're getting caught for the exact things that they project onto the left. That's why G.O.P. stands for Gaslight, Obstruct, Project.

If you consider yourself a conservative and have your whole life, I have bad news for you. The conservative party that we all grew up with, doesn't exist anymore. All there is anymore is MAGA extremists calling themselves "conservatives" while they line their pockets and watch the world burn.

I for one, will no longer be silent. I'm not going to hide. I'm not going stand back and watch this happen while simultaneously waiting until I, or someone close to me, becomes the inevitable next target. I'm going to give into my darkside and act accordingly by LOUDLY and BLATANTLY get in the faces of shitty fucking people doing and saying shitty fucking things. I will not tolerate the intolerant. Fuck fascists.

Thanks Conservatives! Now I'm an ANTIFA radical! That's your fault! See ya at the next protest, I'll be the one handing out bricks. BTW, I can't wait to see what happens to Michael Craig Monger of Prattsville, AL. Turn out it's pretty easy to track down the personal info on someone if you just put your mind to it. Things like (but not limited to) addresses, phone numbers, social media profiles, emails, photos, family members, schools, work history, work schedule, arrest records, etc. Because now, us trans folks, are pissed and we have that information. I looked all of that up last night in about an hour. Aaaaaaaaaand... Michael Craig Monger's home isn't bad looking from Google Street view. He's doing quite well for himself considering he is only 28. He just bought that home this year in fact! Living the American Dream, I'll tell you what. Seems like things are just starting to work out for Mr Monger.

But, unfortunately, he decided to prey on someone else just to make a name for himself. Fucking disgusting human being.

Rest in peace Bubba Copeland and Brittini Blaire. My heart goes out to their family. I have nothing to offer to the family, as I am poor as he'll, but I can promise that Bubba will not be forgotten and, unfortunately for 1819 News, neither will the actions of Michael Craig Monger.

https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/11/06/fl-bubba-copeland-alabama-dies-trans-online-persona/

I am a week and half from having bottom surgery. The surgery went perfectly and the healing is going way better then my doctor normal see. I just wanted to come on here and say ladies thinking about surgery feel free to ask your questions?

Surgery: Penile Inversion Vaginoplasty

Surgeon: Dr. Gerhard Mundinger

I know ive made post like this before, but I really do feel pretty defeated, I just dont look anything like my selfies to others, I look pretty awful to be honest, I weight 200 lbs and its been a struggle to loose weight, I know the solution is to see a dietation, and only stock my home with healthy foods and go to the gym maybe but the truth is I can't really afford that and I dont feel like I can really cook until I move since my mom is kinda defensive over the kitchen. Ive struggled with binge for a while and I just look at photos other people take me and want go vomit, I look so awful. I look like zero months hrt dispite a bit over two years of hrt. My selfies only look okay cause of angles. People have also tried to convince my male fat will redistribute but I know that isn't true and that it will stay until I get rid of it. Also I apologize for the grammer in this post, I'm writing this as I'm about to mentally explode.

Scary times. I just want to live in peace.

I feel like the selfies are basically fake, a trick of software and good angles, I'm also kinda convicened the one st a distance in the black top is pixel camera shangeans. I feel like realstixlly the graduation one is how most people see me. I just hate how I look, and I feel awful. I almost feel like HRT hasn't done anytging, maybe it can't for me. Maybe male puberty just hit too hard? If I got off of HRT lost 100 pounds than started again would it see acual effects

https://imgur.com/a/sdtFxqf

Hello, I've been curious about transgender issues from a mainly medical/biological perspective and I'm wondering if there are good books in this area that trans people would recommend. Something like 'Gay, Straight, and the Reason Why' but for transgender people?

Really great documentary!

In the 1950s and ’60s, an underground network of transgender women and cross-dressing men found refuge at a modest house in the Catskills region of New York. Known as Casa Susanna, the house provided a safe place to express their true selves and live for a few days as they had always dreamed—dressed as and living as women without fear of being incarcerated or institutionalized for their self-expression. Told through the memories of those who visited the house, the film provides a moving look back at a secret world where the persecuted and frightened found freedom, acceptance and, often, the courage to live out of the shadows.

I grew up in a strict religion and moved away from friends and family when I graduated high school. I've been living out on my own for 2 years now and my gender dysphoria which I thought was "under control" is kicking my ass. I don't have any sort of friend group other than some people I kinda know on discord and my 40+ year old co-workers. I desperately need people I can talk to about this. The only time I have acknowledged these feelings out loud was to my mormon parents when I was young which did not go well and led me to shoving this shit down in the first place. Any discord servers or recommendations for places to look for people who won't hurt me for opening up? I've heard that there are good trans communities on vr-chat but I'm terrified of running into trolls before people who would actually listen.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.blahaj.zone/post/523219

Gov. Laura Kelly issued a directive that allows agencies under her control to defy a legal opinion issued earlier this week by Republican state Attorney General Kris Kobach, telling them to follow their lawyers’ narrower view of the law. Kobach has told reporters that if Kelly's administration did not follow his opinion, he might sue her.

The new law is set to take effect Saturday and legally defines a person's sex as male or female based on their “biological reproductive system” at birth, a standard that would apply to “any” law or state regulation. Kansas driver's licenses and birth certificates list a person's sex, and Kobach said they can't contradict what doctors assigned at birth.

He also said the state must undo changes in its records — more than 1,200 in the past four years. Lawyers in Kelly's administration rejected that idea, saying the law is not retroactive.

Kelly, a strong supporter of LGBTQ+ rights, took office in 2019 after defeating Kobach, then the Kansas secretary of state, for her first term. Kobach narrowly won the attorney general's race last year.

People don't wanna talk about it at all because it's too close to trans-ness being a mental illness but imma come at this from entirely the opposite direction:

The NO.1 predictor of a cluster B personality disorder is a consistently invalidating childhood environment.

What's more invalidating than spending your whole childhood saying "hey I think I'm actually a-" and every single person around you cutting you off right there and saying "no you ain't." Psychiatry ain't shit without social context but psychiatry is also coming to accept that being constantly invalidated as a child gonna do your brain the fucky-wucky.

It's ok to accept that trans ppl are at an increased risk of personality disorders due to our completely fucked societal norms. Accepting that we're at increased risk of mental disorders due to societal bullshit =/= saying being trans is a mental illness. If anything, it's an indictment of the society we live in.

TLDR; trans ppl are at increased risk of mental illness =/= transness IS a mental illness and we still deserve to acknowledge the trauma society done did to us.