Upcoming Group Meetings & EventsJune 1999 - Online Edition
June 12-Discussion Circle
July 10-TBA
August 14-Cookout
October 9-Halloween Party
December 11- 7th Annual Anniversary/Holiday Party
Future Board Meetings:
June 27, July 25, August 22
TN Vals Special Events:
Saturday, June 12: Night in White, Regal Maxwell House Hotel
(I-265 & MetroCenter Blvd.), 8:30-2:00
The
Queen's Throne
By Marisa Richmond marisaval@aol.com |
The past few years, I have found myself looking increasingly forward
to the month of June. This is the time of the year when the Nashville-based
Southern Baptist Convention makes total fools of themselves and
exposes their hypocrisy and bigotry for the world to see. In recent years
at their annual meeting, this denomination, founded in 1845 in order to
defend slavery, has renounced its original stance (a mere 130 years after
the institution finally ended), declared the Walt Disney Corporation is
not "family friendly", and said that all women must be submissive to men.
Over the past year alone, we have also seen two Southern Baptists (Pat
Robertson and Jerry Falwell) make singular fools of themselves. At this
point, I have no idea what this year's idiotic resolution will be, although
I have heard lately they have put American Airlines on their hit list because
the company refuses to pass judgment on the private lives of its employees.
But if recent history provides any clue, you can bet it will be a real
rib-tickler--if only they were not so serious. Still, it's no wonder that
recent news reports show their membership has declined....
Another example of religious intolerance has come out of our own state.
Many of you may have heard of the case of 21-year-old April Divilbiss of
Memphis who recently lost a custody battle for her three-year-old daughter.
The Shelby County Juvenile Court ruled that Divilbiss provided a home "detrimental
to the moral upbringing of the child" because she was in a plural, consenting
relationship with two men simultaneously. There was no evidence that the
child was ever harmed or in any physical danger at any time. This case
calls into question the very definition of morality, since Divilbiss is
a Wiccan and they, like traditional Mormons, do not define plural marriages
as immoral. The last time I checked, the First Amendment of the Constitution
guarantees freedom of religious worship, and since her views are clearly
religiously based, it seems to me that her basic rights are now being violated.
This is very relevant to the gender community, especially here in Tennessee.
Many of us are responsible parents whose religious beliefs are tolerant
of diverse views of morality. This case suggests that we can be deemed
"detrimental to the moral upbringing" of our own children simply for being
ourselves. In a similar case in Texas, a judge ruled recently that the
Metropolitan Community Church was not one of the acceptable, "standard
religious institutions" in which to raise children. The reason we have
a Bill of Rights is to protect individuals from the tyranny of the majority.
Sadly, those whose religions preach love and tolerance can still feel the
sting of persecution from those who pass judgment.
Of course, few columnists this month will probably ignore the tragedy
out of Littleton, Colorado, and I certainly cannot do so. I have already
seen plenty of fingers being pointed in many directions to help explain
this tragedy. What happened in Littleton has similarities with other school
shootings around the country--including in Tennessee-- and some unique
features. It is sad that the killers felt ostracized by others, a feeling
many in the GLBT community have long felt. It is worth noting, however,
that they expressed hatred for others different from themselves, especially
African-Americans and Jews. It does suggest that one solution should be
to step up our teaching of tolerance and acceptance of diversity. We are
all different and there is nothing wrong with that. But when some believe
that diversity is bad, as many continue to teach and others believe, then
a person can justify destroying that which they perceive to be evil.
This month also sees the beginning of what figures to be the largest
sporting event for women ever held: the Women's World Cup. This event,
hosted by eight U.S. cities, promises to help further destroy gender lines
and give lie to the notion that athletics is a masculine endeavor. Many
in our society still believe in the virile male/docile female dichotomy.
This is especially quite visible within the gender community as evidenced
by much transvestite fiction. As we claim to blur the distinctions of gender,
we fall back into the stereotypes of gender.
In March 1981, the right-wing military dictatorship of Brazil banned
anyone from providing financial support for women's football clubs because,
as sociologist Janet Lever noted in 1983, it "is a man's game requiring
masculine endurance and involving violent contact." In contrast, during
the last WWC in 1995 when I was attending the Be All Convention
outside Cincinnati, I went to the hotel bar to watch the match between
the USA and Australia. I asked the bartender if they had espn2,
and he said "Sure!" When he changed the set and saw the action, he blurted
out, "Soccer?! That's a girl's sport!" I replied, "Of course!" He then
looked at me quite startled and said, "I'm talking to the wrong crowd!"
and stomped off in disgust. How can the exact same sport be readily identified
with masculinity in one culture and femininity in another? (For more on
Brazilian society, see this month's book review.) To me, the answer seems
obvious: gender is socially constructed. We can choose to adhere to stereotypes
or discard them.
I am pleased to see more in our society challenge these stereotypes
and move outside of the narrow definitions of gender. In January 1997,
the National Soccer Coaches Association of America had their annual convention
at the Nashville Convention Center. I went down there on the last day and
had to stand in line to get the autograph of forward Shannon MacMillan.
Besides all the women and girls who were there who see MacMillan as a role
model, there were also quite a lot of men and boys in that line who recognize
that talent and ability in any field is not limited by gender. Later that
same year, I went to a friendly match in Chattanooga between the USA and
Sweden. In the 69th minute, midfielder Michelle Akers powered an incredible
shot past goalkeeper Ulrika Karlsson that left the audience stunned for
seconds. Akers suffers from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and yet despite the
stereotype that women are weak, she carries on year after year, accumulating
over 100 caps, and continues to provide excitement. This March, I even
stopped by the Nash Bash, Nashville's annual rugby festival. Although I
have never played the sport and know only a few of the rules (no blocking,
no forward passing, no biting when the ref is looking), I did have a long-term
relationship with a rugby player and have worked and socialized with several
others. Anyway, I watched two of the women's matches that day: Ball State
vs. Purdue; Stone Lions (Nashville) vs. Smoky Mountain (Knoxville). Those
women went a long way towards shattering myths of female fragility, although
the best statement was made, not surprisingly, on a t-shirt for the University
of Nebraska women's rugby club: a leather-clad dominatrix with a whip and
the caption "We Like It Rough". What a contrast that provides to the signing
of midfielder Paul Merson by Aston Villa last fall, in what is easily England's
(like Brazil's) quintessential male sport.
The club's manager, John Gregory, noted that since Merson likes to wear
women's clothing and likes having his bottom spanked, "he should fit in
well." Ya just gotta love English football players....
There will always be those, both in and out of the gender community,
who accept the stereotype of women as bubble-headed Barbies ("Math class
is tough"), as opposed to acknowledging strong, athletic heroines like
historical legends such as Jeanne d'Arc or Mulan, or more recent fictional
characters like Lara Croft, Kitana or Xena. The recent events in Littleton
have led many psychologists to offer explanations of why this sort of violence
pervades our society and, in particular, why the perpetrators are always
male (although the fact that they are also all white has conveniently been
ignored even though lacks are the ones often portrayed as the most violent
and dangerous members of society). Anyway, many have suggested that one
cause is our own society's stereotypes of masculine and feminine behavior
that force people to behave in ways unnatural to them personally. This
suggests that if we each learn to accept the diversity in all people, then
both internalized and externalized hatred just might disappear.
And in case you are wondering, I predict the USA will recapture the
Cup in Pasadena over Norway. Of course, my recent prognostications do leave
a lot to be desired, so I'll hedge my bets and say that Germany, China
or Brazil--and the Samba Queens have managed to overcome their slow start
internationally caused by that 1981 law which was repealed once the country
transitioned to democracy--can also win. Just don't run off to Vegas expecting
to get rich off my predictions.
Another topic I wish to address briefly this month can be summed up with a single word: Netiquette. Since my picture appears in quite a few places these days, I often receive notes by e-mail from people claiming they wish to "chat." I have no objection to doing so, but when those notes are the online equivalent of grunts, it does not provide much of a beginning. If a person does wish to "chat"--whether it is with me or someone else-- then it is up to the initiator to begin some actual discussion of a topic of interest. Just before I went to New York in March,
I was contacted by a person whose e-mail address included "NYC". They
claimed they wanted to chat but did not say anything even after I asked
them to do so. If this person had introduced themselves and written coherently
in complete sentences, I would have said I would be in New York a few days
later. Instead, that person will just have to suffice fantasizing about
me from looking at my photo on the Southern Comfort website. And
unless one is specifically in a sexually oriented chat room, the discussion
should not begin "Voulez-vous coucher avec moi, c'est soir?"
It should also be noted that the recent Lambda Literary Awards were
held recently in Los Angeles. One category of note is "Best Transgender
Book". This year's winner is The Empress is a Man: Stories from the
Life of José Sarria by Michael Gorman (New York: Harrington
Park Press, 1998). Sarria is the first admitted drag queen to run for Mayor
of San Francisco...before Sister Boom Boom! Congrats are in order for this
honor. And, yes, it is already in the Vals' library.
Finally, I hope everyone has marked Saturday, June 12, on their calendars. That is when The Night in White takes place at the Regal Maxwell House Hotel right after our meeting. This is an annual fund-raiser for Nashville CARES. I thought last year's party was simply the best social event I had ever attended in Nashville. Ever. I just hope they turn on the air conditioner a bit earlier this year. You'd be surprised how much heat 1000 people shimmying together can produce....
Wigged
Out
By Jennileigh Love jlove1@ix.netcom.com |
A slender black man is prancing on the stage. He sings, goading the
crowd into singing along with him, "Tonight I'm gonna party like it's 1999!"
It is 1999 after all. However, the man on stage is NOT Prince or The Artist
or whatever he calls himself these days. The man on stage is an amazing
impersonator of him and one of the featured impersonators at Legends
in Concert, one of the longest running shows in Las Vegas. I sip my
Zombie cocktails as "Madonna", "Michael Jackson" and "The Four Tops" spin
medleys of their greatest hits. The "Righteous Brothers" were there also,
and for all I know, it could have been the REAL Righteous Brothers. After
all, we were in Las Vegas, where entertainers are put out to pasture.
The climax, of course, was "Elvis Presley" (who sang young skinny Elvis
songs dressed as the fat, old Elvis). After the show, the featured impersonators
were outside for excellent photo opportunities.
"Elvis" offered a kiss to my sweetie Cindy, but no kisses for your esteemed trans-gendered columnist. Boo hoo.. I was heartbroken.
Jenn, Cindo and the Faux Elvis
Yes, this is Las Vegas. What is real and what isn't? What is merely
a façade and what is the genuine article? Walking out of the Excalibur
hotel and casino, a stiff wind was stirring and Cindy and I asked each
other "Is this real wind, or just a simulation?" Can you really walk from
New York, New York to Monte Carlo? Yes, they are actually adjacent to each
other in Las Vegas. I was fortunate enough to spend a spring vacation in
Sin City in April. My sweetie, Cindy had a professional conference out
there and I got the invitation to tag along.
Was Las Vegas trans-friendly? Well, overall I would say yes. I did get
a few stares from some uneducated desert rats and various Northerners who
had obviously never encountered a transperson in their entire life. I was
certainly no big deal to Southwest Airlines. "Hey, this is Las Vegas!"
was all the baggage checker said as he scanned my driver's license. I was
just another tourist gawking at all the bright lights. We rode into the
Strip in a limousine (Vegas has the cheapest limos anywhere - $4 per person)
and debarked at one of the tackiest places
of all: Caesars' Palace. Well, to the high rollers who get suite
comps, I guess it's a palace. My personal opinion was that it looked pretty
much like any other hotel room I had stayed in--except for the Roman column-shaped
shampoo bottles in the shower.
Caesars' really is a mixed up place. It's as if they can't decide
whether or not to be a Roman palace or an ancient Greek palace. Of course,
only the biggest nerds in the world would be in a casino pointing out the
various historical errors in the decorations. At least all the pagan gods
in the statues were referred to by their Roman names. We got to experience
Casears' Magical Empire which is a new attraction including dinner and
lots of magic shows. One magic show host in the Sultan's Theatre seemed
to particularly enjoy his nice purple outfit with satin and sequins certainly
a drag queen in the making.
While in Vegas, we got to go through the Star Trek Experience at the Las Vegas Hilton. The "Experience" includes a long winding passage, which obviously serves as a place for a line when
the crowds are heavy. Along the passage is a complete "history of the
future" as told in Star Trek lore. There are also exhibits featuring
props and costumes from the movies and television shows. The experience
ends up with your tour group being abducted by Klingons into the future
where you ride a shuttlecraft back to the Las Vegas Hilton. I can't share
the exact storyline of the ride because the Starfleet officers present
swore us to secrecy.
Suffice to say, our mission in the future affected the whole human race.
(Yeah, right!) The ride ends up on the promenade of the space station Deep
Space Nine where you can buy lots of Star Trek souvenirs (all rides
in Las Vegas end up in souvenir shops) and have a tall Romulan Ale at
Quark's Bar. Various characters from Star Trek wander around
the area, intimidating the children and causing the adults to chuckle a
bit. Klingons are apparently very keen on having their photos taken with
humans.
Later that night we got to experience the ultimate in tackiness, Circus
Circus, with its constantly running circus acts (which were actually
very entertaining). Cindy and I skipped the casino and cruised the carnival
midway. Cindy played a game where you used a hammer to knock a chicken
into a stew pot and won a stuffed animal. Only in Vegas can knocking a
chicken into a pot be a major excitement. We also went to the el cheapo
Circus Circus buffet for dinner. In Las Vegas, one is required to
consume at least one buffet meal per day. There are no exceptions. On the
way back to Caesars' we caught the sinking ship show (say that ten times
fast) at Treasure Island. That was absolutely the most elaborate advertisement
for a casino I've ever seen.
Being a swishy transperson on vacation with my swishy girlfriend, we simply had to pay tribute the king of all things that are swishy. Yes, the Liberace Museum (www.liberace.org) is in Las Vegas. It's located in a tacky strip mall which also contains (surprise, surprise) Goodtimes, a Vegas gay bar. Wladziu Valentino Liberace had to be the queerest man in his time, which he denied publicly, but embraced privately. His outfits, cars and furniture were all featured in the museum, including "the world's largest Austrian rhinestone", tipping the scale at 50 pounds. I read on the Web that Liberace was actually almost killed by his costumes. In November of 1963, he was put in the hospital for kidney failure because his skin had absorbed so much of the dry-cleaning chemicals (tetrachloride) used to clean out the sweat he put in his costumes onstage. When was the last time your favorite dress tried to kill you? We sat in Goodtimes after the museum tour and meditated on what we had just witnessed and realized that Liberace was absolutely peerless in queerness.
Liberace: Did anyone ever actually believe he was straight?
Later in the trip, we visited Bugsy Seigel's casino, The Flamingo,
now operated by Hilton. Bugsy was a tough guy/mass-murderer, but
his hotel is mostly decorated in soft pinks and pastels. His hotel makes
a hell of a buffet (note that this fulfilled our one-buffet-per-day requirement).
Bugsy's photo is even featured on the Strange Currencies at the casino.
He appears on the $5 casino chip. Later that day we went to New York New
York (a hell of a town) and rode the Manhattan Express, a rollercoaster
encircling the hotel that was positively bone-jarring. The casino replicates
the Big Apple in miniature complete with the Chrysler building, the Brooklyn
Bridge, rudeness and even graffiti all over the place. We even had a drink
in the Motown Café, with its perpetual show of Motown
songs.
Later that night was our finale on the Strip at "The Realm" Excalibur where we fair maidens did see the "Tournament of Kings". The king we cheered for was supposed to be the King of Ireland. The King was quite swishy with his long hair. All he needed was a nice maiden's dress and he would have been a maiden most fair. The tournament was a blast, and we were exhausted at the end from cheering so much. At Excalibur's Medieval Fantasy Faire, I won a big stuffed pink bunny playing darts, so I had to carry around this big stuffed animal for the rest of the night.
Jenn and the Pink Bunny trying to look inconspicious
You would think I would do everything in my power to "pass" when I'm out in public, but noooooo.. There I was in drag on the Strip in Las Vegas carrying around a giant pink bunny rabbit! Oh my, I hope I didn't draw any attention!
Oh yeah, and I think I won $3 on blackjack but lost some money on slots. Don't go to Vegas to win money. Go there to be entertained. We certainly were.
Left
of Center
By Pamela DeGroff |
A friend of mine who recently turned 50 told me, "You know, I went out
to the mail box the other day and the AARP found me already. Amazing. How
did they do that?" I told her I didn't know, having had no previous dealings
with the AARP. I sympathized with her, but forgot about this conversation
until another incident brought home the fact that I'm...well, older now.
I'm in my forties--let's leave it at that; but I am old enough to remember black and white TV, with only three channels. Technically, I guess this makes me "middle aged". Several of my closest friends, who are all younger, have been telling me that it's time I get a prostate exam. My girlfriend, who is only a few years older than my daughter, has hinted that if I don't go get a physical, I might be spending a few nights on the couch with the dog. I like her dog, but... (I guess it's really a relationship when you have to start using sex as a bribe in order to get your partner to do something they don't want to do.) Anyway, I remember seeing a comedian do a routine about having a prostate exam. He talked about a device called a sigmoidoscope that was used in the procedure. "I felt like I had the Chrysler Building shoved up my ass!" he said.
I vowed right then and there never to have a prostate exam. No thank
you, you could never get me drunk enough.
Okay, so health considerations are a part of growing older. But what
else am I going to have to look forward to? And how does all this tie in
with being transgendered? Does the American Association of Retired Persons
recognize the fact that there are a bunch of greying trannies out there
who might need their information? I wonder if they have any literature
for the middle aged TG?
"Greetings from the American Association of Retired Persons. So, you
are a transgendered person of retirement age now? Well, welcome to the
Golden Years of your life. Please take a few moments to look over the enclosed
information.
"Remember those spider veins you noticed a few years back? You know,
you could have had them worked on when you went for electrolysis treatments.
But nooo. Tried to save a few bucks, didn't we?
Now your left leg looks like a road map. Just like a road map, with all those red and blue lines.
Oh well, you're too old for short skirts now anyway.
"For all you female to male TG's, have you ever wondered why Grandpa always wore suspenders
that pulled his pants up to his armpits? We always thought it was because
all that tension made him walk straighter, but we really don't have a clue
either. Anyway, if you haven't had top surgery done, you won't have to
worry about binding anything anymore. You can use your belt for that.
"For all of you who thought it would be real cute to get a tattoo of
a butterfly, anywhere on your body, have you noticed that your cute little
creature now looks like a pterodactyl?
"But hey, let's go back and talk about something we've only briefly
touched on. Hair. You spent all that time and money to have unwanted hair
removed, only to now find it poking out of places you never dreamed it'd
show up? Do you have nose hair so bad you're starting to look like a party
favor every time you sneeze? What about all that hair growing from the
edges of your ear lobes?"
"How many times have you gotten some of it twisted up in an earring?
You've got the pesky stuff growing out of your toes and your knee caps,
don't you?
Well, so much for the negative side of aging. You're going to have a
lot more free time after you're retired. Think of all the conventions you
now can attend now. And with all the seniors benefits and discounts you
are entitled to, you really go hog wild at the vendors' area.
"And speaking of vendors, remember how you used to laugh at those clunky,
orthopedic shoes your uncle used to sell? It might be time to give him
a call. (Fortunately, they're back in style this season.)
"For you FTM's, while the ladies are fretting about hair growing in
unwanted places, you're probably ecstatic about the pattern baldness you're
now experiencing. Have fun, but remember, the top of the head sunburns
too.
"For everyone who is transgendered, guess what? As a retired trannie,
you no longer have to be a fashion slave. People will no longer expect
you to get your patterns and colors co-ordinated, all the time. And welcome
to the joys of having to put together a summer wardrobe based around sweaters.
"Please read through the entire packet we've sent, and all the good
parts are underlined in red, in very large type. Then send back the reply
card with your membership fee, and welcome to the wonderful world of Geriatric
Trannies. (Or, Granny Trannies.)"
My time's coming, I know. I've already complained that I can't spend
the entire day in heels like I used to when I first came out, I've gotten
lazy enough to not shave my legs and go for pants, even for a semiformal
occasion, and I've actually had to buy a girdle.
Of course, with age always comes wisdom, so they say. I have learned
a lot about being TG, the least not being how to color coordinate. Perhaps,
though, the most important bit of wisdom that comes with age might be this:
tolerance. To any, and all, because that is what I want.
Next time, girlfriends.
Behind
Blue Eyes
By Anne Casebeer agc@cwix.com |
If you are working for rights for transpeople, you are absolutely full
of bovine residue if you do not work at the same time for civil rights
for all who lack them. To do otherwise is the height of hypocracy, but
I still hear of those who would be doing just that. Of course, HRC's done
that with regards to us for years, but that's a topic that I've hashed
enough in the past. The movement to gain rights in employment for GLBT
people has its roots at Stonewall, but the smart ones among us learned
what to do and how to do it by listening to others who fought for civil
rights in the past. When you do that, the trail will lead you to Ebenezer
Baptist Church in Atlanta, where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., preached.
Dr. King's words still apply-- and live today for all people who fight
for civil rights; and they also live in the legacy that he left to his
wife, Coretta Scott King.
So, now flash to May 3, 1999. What possessed two trannies with the urge
to drive six hours each way to Youngstown, Ohio on a one-day trophy dash?
Well, my compadre in crime, Dawn Wilson, was asked to present a seminar
on transgenderism at a diversity conference at Youngstown State University.
The keynote speaker for the afternoon session was Coretta Scott King. Dawn
could bring one guest.
She didn't have to ask me twice. So, there I was standing in front of
the mirror at 3:30 AM, a time when I would normally be getting to bed or
asleep, cutting myself shaving and attempting to cover up the resulting
wound with massive amounts of makeup. Despite this, we hit the road at
5AM, made the trip in record time, and were greeted by the security personnel
at YSU, who courteously directed us to our parking and building. No "tin
soldiers or Nixon coming", and we were not on our own.
Dawn had admission to a luncheon with Mrs. King, which I didn't have,
so I went to the lobby of the student center, and accessed the internet
with their campus system. After being online for a few minutes, I'd noticed
that the lobby was full of minicams and news media people, and at that
moment, a white Lincoln limousine pulled up and disgorged Mrs. King and
her entourage. I got a minor wave in before the wave of humanity swept
on by. She is a petite woman (about 5'3 I'd say), resplendent in a maroon
pantsuit that was obviously well tailored, and she was immaculately mannered
and groomed. She appears to be 25 years younger than the 72 years of age
that she is. She gave a short press statement (I couldn't hear what was
said), and swept on towards the luncheon.
That was my cue. I had 90 minutes to kill before her keynote address,
and proceeded to the food court in the basement. Ordering a grilled chicken
sandwich from Arby's, I found myself greeted by two male students,
about my size, who wanted to know why I was crossdressed. That resulted
in a pleasant 20-minute conversation, in which I was able to open their
eyes--they were amazed to learn that many transpeople suffer discrimination
and hate crimes and are not protected by law from that; that most transpeople
never have SRS and that many don't want it; and that many crossdressers
(this one included) are otherwise heterosexual males who date women and
have happy family lives. Their only knowledge of transgenderism came from
attending the Rocky Horror Picture Show, and it was fun to be able
to point out to them that I was attending that conference with a transsexual
with a degree from Transylvania University. After this encounter, I proceeded
to gather a souvenir for Amy (a keychain with the Youngstown State Fighting
Penguin , which resembled a very pissed-off prom date) at the campus bookstore,
where I received a nice compliment on my makeup and outfit from the young
lady at the checkout. Things were slow, and I related that I'd had a big
makeup problem that morning, and she let me know that I'd repaired everything
properly. After this, I visited the campus music exchange, picked up a
couple of used CDs and had a nice chat with the clerks.
The time for the keynote address had come, and I met Dawn in the lobby
where she related the news that she'd had a chance to chat with Mrs. King
for a few minutes, and that she had seemed knowledgeable and supportive
of transgendered people and issues.
Pictures had been taken, of course, and Dawn had a chance to give Mrs.
King the birthday card that she'd purchased for her. We then were treated
to a very forceful forty-minute address by Mrs. King, who stated that the
fight for civil rights for all must continue, that we must learn to work
in new ways (with business, with religious leaders, with local governments,
and by running for office), and that to support rights for one interest
group and not support rights for all is the height of hypocracy. She did,
when speaking of GLBT rights, did say the T-word.
The address concluded; I checked myself over again (you know you are
out as a transperson when you can fire up an electric razor in the ladies'
room before retouching your makeup), and prepared for Dawn's seminar on
transgenderism, knowing that I'd be involved in an unofficial sense. The
seminar was well attended, with about forty students there, actively asking
questions of both of us: ranging from sexual preference to religious affiliation
to workplace issues. Most were supportive--a couple were not--and some
minds were opened and changed. The students revealed that Youngstown is
not considered a particularly friendly place to be queer, and most of the
students identifying that way that we spoke to prefer to do their socializing
in Pittsburgh, Cleveland, or other major cities, instead of in Youngstown
or Akron/ Canton. Further, nearly all allowed that they planned to leave
Youngstown after their college years, which doesn't bode well for Youngstown.
That is precisely why employment rights legislation is needed: intelligent
young people need to be made to feel welcome in their own hometowns and
not feel that they have to move to be themselves.
On the way back to Louisville, we stopped at a favorite pizza place in Montgomery, Ohio, LaRosa's. When we walked in, one of the waitresses jumped to attention, immediately seated us, and gave us great service, despite both of us looking road-ravaged after 16 hours. The truth came out when the pizza arrived; her "father" was a former member of CrossPort who had undergone SRS is the early '90s. The restaurant was empty, and she spoke to us openly about her journey of acceptance, as well as having to teach "Dad" the craft of womanhood. She was refreshing, good humored, and very outgoing and upfront in her support of us. I hope that I get to meet her "dad" someday, if I haven't already.
If you consider yourself a supporter of rights for trans-people, learn
this lesson fast: we need to build co-alitions with as many interest groups
as possible, work with business and clergy, show that we are honorable
and reasonable people with something to offer. Why? Because it's common
sense and it works. Besides, Coretta Scott King said so. That, my friends,
is good enough for me. But will others listen? I hope so.
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Living
Day to Day
By Susie Grant grantdg@bellsouth.net |
Five days a week Monday - Friday, I get up and go to work. I work for 10-12 hours a day beginning around 3-4 in the afternoon, and ending somewhere around 2 in the morning.
I am the night shift supervisor for my department at work, doing such
things as supervising my employees, making management decisions, writing
computer software, and sometimes handling hundreds of calls a night on
the help desk for which I am in charge. After the night is through, I go
home, sit up for a short time, relaxing, preparing to go to bed. Then I
go to bed, and then get up the next day and start again.
On the weekends, I go places and do the normal things that any woman my age would do. I go
grocery shopping, clean the house, pay the bills, get gas for the vehicles,
go to the bank, do the laundry, and handle problems that my four children
and seven grand-children seem to come up with all the time. I attend support
group meetings, have tires put on the family vehicles, meet and talk with
my neighbors, meet friends for lunch, spend as much time as possible with
my spouse when work schedules allow, and try my best to live the best way
I know how.
Now that doesn't seem like much out of the ordinary, right? At least that is the way that it would
seem, until you take into account the fact that I am Transgendered. I am a Male to Female trans-
sexual. This throws a whole different light on things, or does it?
I am very fortunate that I have a very supportive family (except parents),
spouse, friends, community, and workplace. At work, I became the night
shift supervisor of the department in which I work, AFTER I made them aware
of my Transgendered Self. I had worked there approximately six months when
I started making them aware of my desires to become a female. I worked
at telling my workmates one person at a time until they all knew about
me. The company heads came to me approximately two weeks after telling
them, and called me into a meeting. This was probably the scariest time
of my job life, because I was not sure what they were going to say to me.
I was looking at the possibility of no longer having a job. We sat down
and they started by saying, "We want you to know that we will do anything
necessary to make your transition easier. And if anybody harasses you in
any way let us know. We are behind you 100 percent. "And they made me aware
that they knew of my needs. I was very fortunate that the company I work
for, is open minded and looks at my abilities and not my looks and gender
preference. I have also made a lot of good friends here who don't seem
to mind one way or the other. They all refer to me as Susan (my chosen
name-and also my legal name), not the "old" name I used to have. Some of
my employees have even taken to calling me by a nickname, "Mama", since
I am their overseer and mentor as well as their supervisor. They have made
the transition very easy and also enjoyable. We joke and have fun. I tell
jokes with them; they tell them back. We don't take life too seriously.
We just have fun.
At work, I have what I like to call "my fashion advisors". This is a
group of 3-4 women, who constantly comment on my clothe, and hairstyles.
One day after talking about hair styles, and them commenting on how they
liked mine, I told them how I fixed it. One of the biggest compliments
I feel I could get came the next day when one of the girls came in with
her hair fixed exactly like mine after using my method of fixing her hair.
This made me feel good, to have this type of relationship with these women.
Come to think of it, I have yet to hear one of them say anything bad. We
make plans for going to lunch and have even talked about going shopping
together. We bring in clothes magazines and discuss styles and what to
wear to work--and even what to wear for different special occasions that
we may be getting ready to attend.
The company seems not to have any problem with me representing the company in any way. I recently went to Atlanta to attend a seminar pertaining to my work--totally paid for by the company. The seminar was hosted at a large hotel in the Atlanta region and lasted for two days. The people I met there were very friendly and I made friends easily. I had purchased new clothes just for the event and I don't think that it could have went any better.
In this type of situation, the people who attended the seminar had the
perfect opportunity to shun me because of what I am, but they did no such
thing. When I arrived at the seminar, I was the first there. I was a little
apprehensive because I was out of my comfortable little work environment,
away from home and out in the REAL world.
I went in and chose my seat. The others started filtering in. There were 25 people who attended:
three male, the rest female in the age range of 22-70. Some of the first
people in came on over and sat down next to me, and started chatting up
a storm. Even at lunch, I chose a table and had people crowding in around
me. It did not seem to matter to them WHAT I was as much as WHO I was.
Over the two days there, I had a fantastic time. After the seminar, we
chatted, went to dinner and had a grand old time.
Another area that seems to be a major concern for all involved is the
restrooms. The ladies there did not seem to care one way or the other.
During breaks from the seminar, we would all go to the restroom, and while
waiting in line, would continue to chat and have a good time. Never was
there an indication that there seemed to be a problem.
I think that what all this adds up to is one thing: ATTITUDE. If you
have the right attitude and are out-going, people will not seem to care.
I think you can also take attitude too far. I have seen those that tend
to go overboard in the female attitude by being too "girly". Personally,
I think that this tends to take away from what I am trying to do--and that
is live a normal life. I have not had a single problem anywhere I go.
Although I do get some funny looks occasionally, I tend to shrug them
off. I know that I will not always pass; I have good days and bad days.
But as long as you keep a good attitude and outlook, people will let you
be yourself.
I always try to dress appropriately for whatever I am doing. With the help of my spouse and my "fashion advisors", I have gone through many different styles and fashions until we found the correct attire that suits me. (That, of course, has been a long road but I can relay that in another story.) If I am attending a business meeting (such as my Atlanta trip), I dress accordingly, which is business casual. I don't try to overdo the makeup or try to be more than I feel I am.
I like wearing dresses, so I have lots of casual dresses and business casual dress attire. (But,
maybe again, this is another story. Shopping has gotten me in trouble
more than once with my other half).
I guess this may not always work for everyone but I feel it may for
most. Just be yourself, keep a positive attitude, keep a good outlook on
life and always keep smiling.
I guess what I try to do is simply live my life. I keep the thought
that I am just being my real self. I act and feel like I think I should
(and would) as a natural-born woman. I think that my living--acting the
way I do--reflects on our community. I think it helps simply because of
the exposure. I am out to all and living full- time; I work, and play full-time.
I am constantly exposed to people everywhere. In my line of work, not only
am I on the phone with hundreds of people each week, I am occasionally
going out to our on-site stores and dealing with the public there. I try
to educate people, to help rid our society of the ignorance surrounding
our community. I let them know that we are not just a group of weird people.
We live, work and play just like they do; we are smart and hold jobs
with important positions. In everything I do, I try my best to act and
look like the woman I feel that I am, and try to give an overall good impression.
And, once again, I keep up the positive attitude, and the smile.
To all- live well and be the Woman you wish to be.
A Blonde,
Brunette and Redhead
By Julie Phillips Fabulbabe@aol.com |
My trip to the Vals board meeting last month was important for two reasons:
it was my first Vals board meeting AND it one of my rare trips out into
that frightening, horrifying territory known as...(cue the orchestra)....
(The Psycho shower music plays here. )
Unlike Susan (in the preceding column), I just don't have the daylight
thing down yet; its a scary proposition to me. As much as I hate to admit
it, I'm just not the bravest girl sometimes, especially when I'm out by
myself. I'm much more daring and secure within the security blanket of
another person or a group. All I can say is "thank heaven for the Vals"!
(Now don't let me influence you; I'm also unnecessarily nervous
about clowns and those fat-free potato chips.) I'm not sure that this will
change very much, as I tend to be like that anyway. However, making the
occasional daytime trip--and being relaxed and comfortable doing it--is
my last real hurdle--and one that I can overcome.
There are those in our group who plow full-steam ahead with no concern
or fear of the random busy-body giving them the feared and dreaded "funny
look". I have great respect for these not-easily-deterred girls; they inspire
me to push my own boundaries. While the threat of someone giving me a "funny
look" doesn't have the power it possessed in the fifth grade, it still
has an unjustified power over many of us. (Thankfully, Darth Vader never
discovered this dangerous weapon.) These daylight-be-damned girls don't
run into any real hassles because the old saying is true: if you project
confidence and act as though you belong, then you do belong and people
won't mess with you. It's hard to give a confident person much grief. I
know this is true and I sometimes even I'm surprised by my confidence;
those situations, though, have generally been after sunset.
One of my favorite sayings is "Revlon ain't no friend of the sun." I'm
only half-kidding when I say that. Sure, genetic women wear make-up every
day of the week to work, to shop, to dine--but odds are they aren't wearing
quite as much as I am. (This is an interactive column, so insert your
own
Tammy Faye Bakker joke here.)
OK, so I don't go that far overboard with the mascara, but I
do generally sport what the make-up books call a "glamour" look. Every
CD has her own "look", and this is mine. The only way I can explain why
is to say, "It's just sooo me."
But I realized "Sooo Me" was not going to cut it on a Sunday
afternoon drive down Demonbruen. I knew I had to go for subtle if I wanted
to fit in my surroundings. Yes, I wanted to pass; No, I didn't want to
be mistaken for a Deja Vu dancer just getting off work. That would
guarantee several hundred "funny looks"--far more than I was up for that
day. If I wanted to pass, this meant scaling back. "What the hell," I thought.
"I'll give it a try." Temporarily forgetting my recent birthday, I convinced
myself that I really wasn't too old to learn a new trick
There was no way for me to cut down on the foundation, but I could underplay
the rest of the make-up. While you do see a lot of short shirts, I decided
to go for broke and throw on a pair of jeans and a simple top. (This may
not sound unusual to you, but it's a major departure for me.)
I was determined to challenge myself totally and drive the longest way
possible to the meeting, taking as many downtown streets and stop lights
as possible. Why not? I was actually pleased with the new downsized look
and I had my courage up.
I think you already know how this story ends: My car hits an iceberg and Leonardo DeCaprio pledges his undying love to me just before he sinks like a rock. Wait--wrong story. Sorry. In this story, I drive all over Nashville during the broad daylight without one single "funny look" or problem. In fact, it was even better than I could have expected. I actually had a couple of guys a traffic lights look over and smile.
At the risk of sounding trite and cliched, I ended up learning what
I already knew: if you use common sense and dress for the occasion, you'll
fit right in. Perhaps more importantly, if you have confidence in yourself,
most people won't give you any grief. Once I "bit the bullet", I ended
up having an excellent and much-needed confidence building adventure.
Different Topic/Same Column:
Having successfully turned purse-carrying non-gendered Tinky Winky into
a national celebrity and a lovable symbol in the fight against intolerance,
Jerry Falwell has decided to work his magic once again and improve beer
sales.
Upon learning of a Budweiser print-ad showing a same sex/gender couple
holding hands, the Rev. is declaring a boycott of Anheuser-Busch products.
(If he'd gone to more "Pride" celebrations he'd know A-B has been dumping
cash on the queer community for years.) Calls for a boycott are nothing
new from Jer-- but this one is more perplexing than usual: exactly WHO
is he asking to boycott Bud? Couldn't be his loyal followers? Al-key-haul
never touches their lips. Couldn't be us in the GLBT community; he doesn't
talk to us. That just leaves people who pay no attention to him. Nice target
demo, Jer.
There comes a time when each of us has to make a stand. (At this point, cue the band to play Yankee Doodle.) I am willing to do just that. That's why this Tinky Winky-owning hand-holding GLBT-magazine-reading crossdresser, whose love of screwdrivers is well-known in certain circles, will forgo "the usual" this weekend---- and order a beer. (I'll pause a moment while the patriotic music builds to a crescendo.) I know, this shocking behavior is totally out of character, but none's talking me out of it. Make it a long-neck, too. This one's for you Tinky, my
sister or brother...this one's for you!
Speaking
of Books
By Marisa Richmond, PhD marisaval@aol.com |
Travesti: Sex, Gender and Culture Among Brazilian Transgendered
Prostitutes by Don Kulick (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1998,
ISBN 0-226-46099-1)
In many of the works being done today on the transgender community,
the focus tends to be on those who are often from middle-class backgrounds
in the United States and the struggles they face. Often overlooked is how
transgendered life varies in othercountries, and even more so, how those
further outside the mainstream of society struggle to maintain a day to
day existence in professions such as prostitution. In Travesti, Don Kulick,
an anthropologist from the University of Stockholm, attempts to shed light
on this particular subculture of the transgender community.
Travesti focuses on those who are anatomically male, but live as women,
in the city of Salvador, a community of over 2 million people, making it
Brazil's third largest city, behind only São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.
For eight months in 1996 and 1997, Kulick lived among the travestis along
Rua São Francisco, the main street housing, at any one time, approximately
35 travestis who migrated to Salvador from Bahia province (of which Salvador
is the capital) and elsewhere in northeastern Brazil. The room in which
Kulick lived was directly below that of an old man who had a dog with a
urinary problem that literally trickled onto Kulick's papers and mattress.
He describes having to battle the native ten centimeter (four inch) long
roaches while the basement of the house was euphemistically called favela
de cocô (slum of shit).
The travestis with whom Kulick interacted were nearly all prostitutes.
At an early age, many had begun to exhibit effeminate behavior, or in some
cases, began sexual affairs with men, leading their parents to throw them
out of the house. Despite religious based intolerance from family, many
travestis retain their own religious beliefs and many are fairly devout.
In addition, Brazil, like many countries (including the USA) has no laws
protecting people against discrimination, so attempts to work in mainstream
society was often met with hostility and many were fired. This forced them
to, in their own words, cair na vida (fall into the life) of prostitution
in order to survive as they quickly realized they were sexually desirable
and could make money from it. It is worth noting that the majority of the
travestis openly admit to enjoying sex.
The life of the travestis is very hard and filled with danger. While
some, like model Roberta Close, have become national icons, most face severe
economic problems and political oppression in a society that only eliminated
slavery in 1888 and ended decades of military dictatorship in 1985. Kulick
observed that the life span in Brazil is 65, but among the travestis, it
is only 45. One factor is violence perpetrated against travestis. Due to
their low wages and low social status, they live and work in crime ridden
neighborhoods. Sometimes, their clients will attack them. More common,
however, is police harassment which is a continuation of the practices
left from decades of rule by military dictatorship. A second factor behind
the short life spans are health problems. Many do contract AIDS since they
do not always use condoms with their partners. In addition, the poor conditions
lead to other diseases such as tuberculosis which are rarely treated properly
due to the lack of health care in Brazilian society. The health problems
are exacerbated by the fact that virtually all travestis receive direct
silicone injections, called bombada (pumped), in order to present a more
feminine image. These injections are extremely dangerous and help shorten
life spans for the travestis.
The physical transformations the travestis undergo is an important part
of their lives. By going to bombadeiras (pumpers), often retired travesti
prostitutes, they change their bodies to look more like women. The focus
in Brazil is on the bunda (buttocks) which are seen as the symbol of femininity.
Many travestis then exhibit their new physiques by wearing revealing bikini
bottoms called fio dental (dental floss). Some do get pumped in the chest,
but many do not because they are afraid of a phenomenon called peito de
pomba (pigeon breast), in which the silicone settles in the middle forming
one huge lump (Fig.1). One thing that is not common to all travestis is
drug use. One who did, named Chispita (Fig.2), began her transition at
age 8 and wandered into traffic while stoned and was hit by a car and killed
at age 13, but Kulick emphasized that many travestis do not drugs at all.
They are vulnerable enough to physical violence even when they are in full
control of their senses.
While the travestis will use hormones or silicone to alter their bodies,
they reject full genital surgery. They tend to look down upon transsexuals
and refer to them as objetos (objects) and bucetas (cunts), but never as
mulher (women). The travestis still enjoy the physical act of ejaculation
and place transsexuals in a different category.
With few exceptions, the travestis are all seeking relationships with
strong young men who can make them feel mulheríssima (like a total
woman). Their boyzinhos (boyfriends) and maridos (husbands) are all stereotypically
masculine and sexually heterosexual. Kulick notices, however, that the
husbands do not fit traditional western standards of masculinity. Virtually
all are unemployed and live off of the travestis. The travestis actually
prefer it this way because they insist it gives them control over their
lives at home. The travestis will not enter into a relationship with any
man they consider a bicha (queen) or viado (fag), and if they find their
husband is one who dá o cu (gives his ass), they will perder respeito
(lose respect). In general, they define relationships between two men as
safadeza (abomination or atrocity). For that matter, they not only define
transformistas (transvestites, drag queens, female impersonators) as safadeza,
but also as estranho (strange), horrível (horrible) or ridículo
(ridiculous).
Kulick attempted to offer some analysis of the work of the travestis,
but he faced limitations. For one, their customers tend not to identify
themselves publicly because of the (justifiable) fear of harassment from
the rest of Brazilian society. Also, he tended to respect the privacy of
the travestis and their clients and did not follow them into their programas
(programs) with his notebooks and tape recorders. Still, he was able to
draw several inferences. They mostly work from 8PM to 2AM. The people out
on the streets at those hours generally expect to see the travestis and
are less likely to harass them, although harassment and physical attacks
can occur at any time. Brazil is a country of severe economic problems
and the average salary is only 100 reais ($100) a month, and prostitution
is simply not very lucrative. A cupadinha (blow job) can cost as little
as 3 reais ($3), and sometimes, if a client is sexually attractive, a travesti
will even provide a vício (free sex). The majority of the clients
identify as straight and are often in relationships with women. Kulick
discovered that most travestis claim their clients preferred to be penetrated,
but when he conducted a survey asking the travestis each night to recount
the specific acts performed, he discovered that only 27% of the clients
are anally penetrated while 52% penetrate the travesti. Furthermore, because
the pay is low and erratic, many travestis rob clients, usually
by pickpocketing, but occasionally by knife assault, although Kulick noted
that guns are not used because this only serves to increase the hostility
from police they already receive.
Kulick's study clearly exposes the vast spectrum of gender and sexual
orientation among the travestis, their clients, and their husbands. Kulick
concludes, however, that while gender may not be binary, the travestis
themselves do see identity in binary terms, but based on sexuality, not
gender. They tend to define all people either as penetrators (homen, men)
or penetratees (viado, mulher). In analyzing the categories offered by
the travestis and described by Kulick, however, it seems as if the penetratee
category can be further broken up into at least five parts--mulher, transsexual,
travesti, transformista, viado--giving no less than six different gender
identities.
Travesti is a book that forces one to confront the harsh realities of
transgendered life for many whose families have tossed them out, and whose
society condemns them. Still, Kulick portrays an active subculture, which
he suggests may not be unique in Latin America, that has managed to find
ways of surviving. This book goes a long way in exposing divisions within
the transgender community as well as to expose a little known segment of
it.
We're the Cover, Girl
The May 25th issue of The Advocate, the award-winning
newsmagazine, addresses transgender issues by spotlighting "sexual orientation
and gender orientation".
Where does the transgender movement fit into the gay movement? The introduction
to this issue acknowledges it's not an easy question for some to answer:
"...We have had our share of criticism from activists and organizations,
both gay and transgender, wondering why the magazine excludes transgendered
people by identifying itself only as the national gay and lesbian newsmagazine.
Many gay men and lesbians have little understanding of the transgender
movement and what it means to be transgendered..."
The issue offers insight to the uninformed with articles on individual transgendered people, trans-activists, a woman who's former girlfriend who now considers himself to be transgendered, as well as the obligatory slice-and-dice listing of sex reassignment medical procedures.
The issue offers a glossary of terms that "covers the spectrum of sexuality
and suggests that sexual and gender roles may be more fluid than we ever
imagined."
While this issue of The Advocate is now off newsstands, back
issues can be ordered and many of the stories are included on their website:
www.advocate.com.
-from The Advocate on-line 5/25/99
website: www.advocate.com
Hide the Trannies, the Queen is coming!
Note: Salvador de Bahia is the city profiled in Travesti: Sex, Gender and Culture Among Brazilian Transgendered Prostitutes. The book is reviewed in this month's newsletter by Marisa Richmond.-jp
It has been revealed police in the Brazilian city of Salvador de Bahia
cleaned up the streets for the weekend visit of Denmark's Queen Margrethe
by locking up 18 transvestites.
Gay groups say the 18 were arrested on Friday and held until the Queen
and Prince consort Henrik left the city early on Monday.
They say police told them they were being arrested because of the visit. Police have since admitted the detentions were not legal, but say they are
investigating local thefts allegedly carried out by transvestites.
-Received from QAnnounce News
website: announce.queer.org.au/
reported by Australian Broadcasting Company 5/12/99
Union OK w/"gender expression"
At its 64th international convention in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, the Newspaper Guild (AFL-CIO, CLC) amended its human rights policy to include gender expression. The Guild, which represents about 30,000 workers in print and electronic news media, is an autonomous sector of the Communications Workers of America (CWA) with its own national structure, officers and policies.
According to one knowledgeable unionist, it was the first time a national
labor union has explicitly included transgender people in its human-rights
policy. The amended document reads:
"In all aspects of union activity it is our commitment to create
a culture of respect and tolerance and a work-place free of discrimination
because of irrelevant factors such as race, religion, ethnicity, language,
sex, age, sexual orientation, gender expression, disability, family, parental,
marital immigration or citizenship status."
-from GAIN news update
You Never Write, You Never Column
This is from Dina Amberle's "Vis a Vis" column in Transgender Community
News. It was under the title "Do You Like To Write?" Look for two key words.
-jp
That was the come-on line of a commercial for a correspondence school
for creative writing a few years back. There doesn't seem to be a lack
of writers in the world at large, but in our transgender community we could
certainly use some new talent.
I fashion myself as the world's leading authority on transvestite newsletter
journalism (a dubious distinction, if ever there was one), reading through
a couple dozen publications each month. And boy, or sister, could we use
some people who like to write! Let me qualify that. We could use some people
who know how to write.
Most of the TG newsletters being published are merely house organs (if
you'll pardon the expression), filled with mundane group business and the
recurrent first person essay on drag adventures. Almost all of the newsletters'
editors have begged for more contributions from their members, and some
have dwindled dangerously to a few sheets of meeting notes and advertisements.
The newsletter is an important part of a group's existence because it signals
the vibrancy of the group for it's current membership and acts as a public
relations piece for potential members. The decline of the newsletter is
a forward indicator of a group's viability.
Aside from the cases where there is almost no content, the other major
weakness in TG journalism is the heavy reliance on very personal essays.
These take the form of either mere fluff like "Dottie's Trip to the Mall"
or far too serious and long-winded philosophical discourses on transgender
self-discovery and so forth. The problem with relying on these types of
personal essays is that they do not necessarily connect to other's reader's
experiences or ideas. The better newsletters have writers who can step
outside of their own personal experiences and report on topics of interest
of us within the context of the real world at large. A very good example
of this is the Tennessee Vals newsletter which has a stable of columnists
who comment on a wide range of topics, which do not necessarily bear directly
on TG issues, but rather run them through the prism of crossdressing to
make a point with which the readers can identify on some broader level.
Our community counts among it's members some of the best educated and
widely experienced people in a variety of fields. Certainly more of our
"sisters" could contribute to our literature by bringing their intellect
to comment on any number of topics that would be interesting reading, even
if only marginally related to crossdressing or transgenderism in general.
One needn't feel constrained to report only on their social adventures
in women's clothing to write for our newsletters. We would all be enriched
by greater levels of contributions from our community.
-from Transgender Community News 4/99
Honoring H'Wood's Tom Hanks, our one-time Buffy
Tom Hanks looked out upon a sea of faces honoring him in the Grand Ballroom
of the Waldorf-Astoria hotel... Twenty-six motion pictures, a handful of
blockbusters, hundreds of millions of dollars at the box office, and two
back-to-back Academy Awards later, Hanks was saluted Thursday night at
the 14th annual gala of the American Museum of the Moving Image. On hand
were colleagues including Steven Spielberg, Sally Field, Geena Davis, Ron
Howard, Nora Ephron, Ed Burns, and Heather Graham and 850 gowned and tuxedoed
fans...
Before the movies, before Splash, there was, for a young Tom Hanks,
television. The 1980-82 sitcom Bosom Buddies introduced audiences to Hanks
and co-star Peter Scolari as crossdressing roommates -- Hanks in blue,
Scolari in pink -- who lived in a women-only building Scolari, still Hanks'
best friend, talked of how his bosom buddy, "helped me see a future that
I could not envision," and how the Hanks of today is on the rising crest
of "a career that is still very young as we grow older."...
-by Jerry Tallmer Mr . Showbiz on-line 4/30/99
webpage: www.mrshowbiz.com
Best Couple on British Soaps? Transexual and her S.O.
The British Soap Awards were presented at a gala this past weekend and
the judging panel awarded "Best On-Screen Partnership" to Coronation Street's
transsexual Hayley (Julie Hesmondhalgh) and her domestic partner, Roy Cropper
(David Neilson). Although Britain's transsexual activists were angered
that their offers of consultation were rejected when the venerable soap
first added Hayley to its lineup, the mainstream has credited the show
with advancing public understanding about some of the issues transgendered
people confront, an awareness which is paying off in improved protections
from job discrimination and a government review of other problems.
-from PlanetOut 5/17/99 website: www.planetout.com
Vote for TG Films in Movie Poll
GLAAD is conducting online voting for the "The 20 Best Lesbian &
Gay Films of the 20th Century". Though the title doesn't include
"Transgendered", the project commemorates the first 100 years of depicting
lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and transgender individuals in film.
You get to vote for up to 20 of your favorite LGBT films (or favorite films with significant LGBT characters) from the past century in films that have screened in the U.S. or Canada.
The ballot includes practically all of the transgender classics, from The Crying Game to Different for Girls. If they omitted your favorite film, you can write-in your choices.
The "The 20 Best Lesbian & Gay Films of the 20th Century" will be unveiled by GLAAD in 2000.
GLAAD is The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, a watchdog
group that fights for accurate representation of gay/lesbian/bi/transgendered
people by the media.-jp
-from glaad press release website: www.glaad.org
COMING MOVIE ATTRACTIONS
Entertainment Weekly's "Summer Movie Preview" edition profiles
trick, starring Christian Campbell (Malibu Shores) and Tori
Spelling (Beverly Hills 90210). The film was bought by Fine Line
Features at this year's Sundance Film Festival. The comedy depicts
an evening in the life of a theater composer (Campbell) who picks up a
go-go boy but runs into many diversions.
Despite the title and apparent subject matter, director Jim Fall says the movie is actually about "... first impressions, objectifying people, and not getting to know who someone really is."
One of the people Campbell's character gets to know is a drag queen named Miss Coco Peru. Miss Coco is the creation of an actual New York City entertainer (or, as they say at The Connection, entertaintress) who has been performing critically acclaimed cabaret shows in NYC for a decade. Miss Coco is said to bear a striking resemblance to co-star Tori Spelling. Spelling told E.W. "I did notice it, but I never said anything to anyone," says Spelling. "When I first walked on the set, I was like, 'She has the same color hair as me! Actually, hers is a richer tone -- I like it better! Can I take a snippet of your wig and take it to my colorist?"
trick opens in major cities July 23, elsewhere August 6th.
-from EW on-line at www.ew.com and Fine Line Features
at www.flf.com-jp
N'ville Flick With a Hee Haw Chick
A small-budget film made in Nashville (by Nashvillians) was a smash at the Los Angeles Independent Film Festival in April. It's Existo, a musical comedy that's said to have "cult favorite" written all over it. Director Sam Cokes co-wrote the film with Bruce Arnston, who stars as Existo. Check out the plot synopsis from their webpage:
" ...In a future where Jesse Helms and Strom Thurman are gods and morality is state-mandated, a rag tag gand or art revolutionaries, led by performance artist Existo, wage a guerrilla war for perversity, drugs and the American way...Revolutionary headquarters is "The Sewer"--an underground nightclub run by full-figured drag queen Colette (Gailard Sartain)..."
You'll recognize Gailard Sartain. (His resume includes Fried Green Tomatoes, the Ernest movies, Mississippi Burning and Hee Haw). The official website guarantees, though that you've never seen him before in a floor-length gown.
It shows at the Nashville Independent Film Festival, June 12th at 9:30pm.-jp
website: www.existo.com