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What's Hot for June Tennessee Twisters Interview With The Barrister Lobby Dazed And Confused? Lord Cornbury: Was He Or Wasn't He? New Transmissions At the Movies Transbabble |
Upcoming Meetings and Local Events
June 13: Monthly Social and Support Meeting, Topic TBA
September 12: TBA
October 10: 4th Annual Halloween Party
November 14: Dr. Bill Turner, Lesbian and Gay Coalition for Justice. Bill will speak on the Equality Begins at Home Lobbying initiative in March 1999.
December 12: 6th Annual Anniversary/Holiday Party
Tennessee Vals Special Events:
(Note: Thursday, June 11, Transgender Mixer Has Been Canceled)
Saturday, June 13, Night in White Party, Absolut Arctic, Maxwell House Hotel (I-265 and MetroCenter Blvd.), 8pm
Friday, June 19, Dinner, Pinnacle, Crowne Plaza Hotel, (623 Union Street), 7 pm
Friday, July 17, Dinner, Commerce Street Bar and Grille, Renaissance Hotel (611 Commerce Street), 7 pm
Future Board Meetings: June 25, July 23, August 27
THANKS ARE IN ORDER!
We would like to thank everyone who attended the May meeting and participated in the
50/50 raffle afterwards. The money raised that would normally have gone into our general
operating fund was instead earmarked for the local tornado relief fund, to help the victims of
last month's storm that tore through Nashville. We had other contributions from individual
Tennessee Vals members, bringing our total to $86. Thanks to everyone who participated.
You have all helped those who need it! The Queen's Throne
By Marisa Richmond
April 16 is a day that will long be remembered here in Nashville.
The storms that bombarded Middle Tennessee all day were
absolutely incredible, but the tornado that skipped down
Charlotte Avenue, tore right through downtown, and then ripped
up East Nashville and part of Opryland, produced devastation
(including the belated death of a Vanderbilt student) unlike
anything I have ever seen. Although the tornado reportedly
formed directly over my home, I was fortunate, but the images I
saw, both on television and with my own eyes, were a sobering reminder that none
of us can be safe even in our own homes. I have been around tornadoes many times
in the past, but never around my home or office, and like many here, I assumed the
center of town would not be hit as it was. There was, obviously, the tornado that hit
Rivergate Mall in May 1995, but that is 12 miles from downtown. This time was
completely different. But of all the places damaged or destroyed, the one that
distressed me the most was St. Ann's Episcopal Church at South 5th and Woodland.
Several members of the Vals, myself included, have attended GLBT community
meetings there. Many religious denominations are hostile to diversity, but St. Ann's,
which was built in 1882, deserves credit for being supportive and reaffirming. The
Vals are providing some money and food to local tornado relief agencies, but if you
wish to find a specific charity that needs your help, I can think of none better than
St. Ann's. They have been there for many in our community in the past. It is the
least we can do.
Just a couple of days before the tornado, we were contacted by a teacher and
counselor from a local high school. It seems she wanted to know more about the
transgender community since she was talking about us in her classes and she wanted
to make sure she was using terminology correctly and knew what she was
discussing. Needless to say, I was astounded to discover that any high school was
talking about us in such a responsible manner, and I was quite thrilled to see an
educator willing to keep learning. During our conversation, she also took me aback
when she called herself the school's "Director of Diversity." It never occurred to me
that any school would have such a position, but to hear that one did, and for that school to be my alma mater, just warmed my heart. It would be
great if more educational institutions and professional organizations also had
"Directors of Diversity." If we saw such positions more often, people might
actually learn to be more accepting of diversity and less bigoted than their parents,
but then, that is probably what many closed-minded adults fear and what prevents
more young people from learning tolerance and acceptance of others.
When I read the stories about the sentencing of Theodore ("Unabomber") Kaczynski
in Sacramento, I found myself feeling the same trepidation I experienced last
summer during the manhunt for Andrew Cunanan. Kaczynski's diaries were
released showing that he had visited a psychiatrist in Ann Arbor in 1966 to discuss
the possibility of sex reassignment surgery. He wrote in his diary that he hated, and
wanted to kill, the psychiatrist. While some medical professionals are incompetent
or ignorant, that sort of reaction to a bad psychiatrist is certainly extreme, and we do
not even know if his psychiatrist was knowledgeable and friendly or not. There are,
however, many in society who stereotype others. Some already believe transies are
potential homicidal maniacs, and such examples will only confirm their worst fears
about us. We need to continue our various social and political activities around the
country to show that we are, in fact, quite sane and responsible. Although we will
not eliminate small minded bigots overnight, we can never stop our efforts or else
we run the risk of allowing people like Kaczynski to set us back.
At this point, I will admit something that I have never previously stated in my
column: my favorite Beatle was Paul. Like many of Paul's fans, I hated to hear
about his marriage back in `69. I was still saddened, however, to hear the news of
the death of Lady Linda McCartney. I did miss running into them around town in
1974 when they lived in Wilson County while recording here ("Junior's Farm"), but I
have had the thrill of seeing Sir Paul in concert on three occasions, and on the last
two, Linda was part of the band (1990, RFK Stadium; 1993, Liberty Bowl). When I
heard about Linda's passing, I read the inevitable stories about all those other Beatle
fans who cried when Paul married her, blamed her and Yoko for the breakup of the
band, and of those who ridiculed her for thinking she could actually play keyboards
for her husband. Yet through it all, she maintained her confidence and dignity while
her husband maintained his love and devotion. She made no excuses for anything
she did or believed. I certainly did not share her vegetarianism (as anyone who has
ever seen me devour a plate of nachos can attest....), but I have long admired her.
Many transgendered people remain closeted because of their fears about what
others might think. We can learn much from Lady Linda.
Moving to national gender community news: for the second consecutive year, the
national convention of Tri-Ess, scheduled in 1998 for Minneapolis, has been
canceled. As of this writing, I do not know the details behind this year's
cancellation, but for a major organization to cancel a national meeting two years in a
row does suggest they may be having problems. I have already read at least one
criticism of the national body in a local Tri-Ess group newsletter, so this is clearly
undermining their reputation within their own organization.
It is also now official--AEGIS and ITA! are going to merge. The new organization
will be called Gender Education and Advocacy. It will combine the best features of
both organizations as it maintains the educational and professional outreach
programs of AEGIS and the political activities of ITA! Structural details remain to
be hammered out by the combined boards, but we hope to have new by-laws written
over the next few months.
Regular readers of my column will recall remarks of mine in March about a claim
made by Gary Bowen of American Boyz, that most support groups are not inclusive
of youth. My only comment was "I have never seen any studies confirming this."
Of the 263 groups in the United States, some may actually have an `adults-only'
policy, but I have never seen any numbers showing the majority of groups have such
a policy. Unfortunately, Gary is at it again. Recently, he made a claim of a
"disparity" in earning power between MTFs and FTMs. I immediately responded
that I have seen no evidence of this. Since then, I have been on the receiving end of
a lot of heated political rhetoric as others try to convince me that I am somehow
ignorant. With the exception of Dr. Jason Cromwell of Seattle, all of those
respondents have ignored my challenge and have simply offered only thoughts and
opinions. Jason, at least, responded with a small study of the economic status of a
little over 100 transmen, but even he did not provide any comparative study that can
be interpreted as evidence of a disparity. If y. Their argument is that it would virtually
kill any chance of passage. I am not aware of a single supporter who would turn
against the bill if it was inclusive, while those in the pocket of the religious right
(including both of Tennessee's Senators) have no intention of voting to end job
discrimination for gays or trannies. I Can't Explain the transphobic attitude adopted
by HRC and am very disappointed with it. Recently, the Gulf Gender Alliance
(New Orleans) has announced they will begin boycotting HRC functions. In the
past, some groups have leafleted HRC functions but have not resorted to actual
demonstrations. On the other hand, It's Time Georgia! (Atlanta) has decided to
change HRC from within. Clearly, all of this symbolizes a significant split.
Personally, I am torn over how to move HRC, so I am not endorsing either the GGA
or ITG! actions at this time. The Vals have not taken any official stand regarding
our relationship to HRC. We are willing to work with them, but the main reason
none of us attended their local dinner in March is due to cost ($150) not politics. I
wish, however, to paraphrase the words of that great American philosopher,
Groucho Marx: I would never join a group that did not want me. I just hope that
some day, they will recognize their bigotry for what it is and realize that
discrimination against any is discrimination against all.
As I was looking at a list of this summer's movie offerings, two openings caught my
eye. The first is for Mulan (June 19). This animated Disney film is about a
Chinese girl who dresses and lives as a man. And just when the Southern Baptists
were gloating over the cancellation of Ellen....The second film is Divine Trash, a
documentary being released in August about John Waters, the Baltimore filmmaker
who introduced the world to Divine. If these don't interest you, there is always Uma
Thurman in black leather pants as Emma Peel in The Avengers (August 14).
On June 10, the World's Biggest Sporting Event will begin in France, Coupe du
Monde 98--proudly sponsored by Soft, the first Official Condom in the history of
sports. I plan to spend much of those 33 days glued to the screen, although I don't
expect to be putting any condoms to use anytime soon given the current state of my
sex life. It has been so long, I've forgotten who wears the handcuffs. Anyway, what
has football got to do with being transgendered? Well, aside from the fact that Sir
Elton John, who has been known to perform in drag, owns Watford FC, and Jayne
County published reminiscences about two unnamed British football clubs,
absolutely nothing. But since this is my column, I am free to talk about anything I
like! Obviously, I hope Sampson's boys do well, especially in the Mother of All
Matches when they play Iran, but I expect Germany to take the Cup beating Brazil
at Stade de France in St.-Denis. The side worth watching, however, is England.
For starters, midfielder David Beckham of Manchester United made worldwide
headlines when it was announced he was engaged to Victoria (Posh Spice) Adams.
Of greater fascination for me is another midfielder, Paul Gascoigne. At this point, it
seems unlikely the injured Gazza will even be selected to play in France, but if so, I
will be watching with great interest. Prior to his transfer from Rangers to
Middlesbrough in March, he expressed an interest in crossing the Atlantic to play in
MLS. He said, "In America, once you're famous, you're famous for life. And they
make great piña coladas!" Ahhh, a man of my own heart. If Gazza does follow
through and decides to move over here, and we begin to socialize together, I
guarantee I will give him headlines beyond anything he could get from marrying a
Spice Girl.
If you wannabe my lover....
Wigged Out
By Jennileigh Love
The Storm "In the courtyard at the downtown YMCA, a rain-soaked brunette wig. 'Oh my God,' somebody
gasped between reps, 'Do you think we should take a drag queen head count?'" - John Bridges,
The Nashville Scene, 4/23/98
As many of you know, Nashville recently became the center of national news. Yes, it was tough,
but we all managed to survived the death of Tammy Wynette. No, seriously, the weather was
wild and wooly in April in Nashville. Luckily I did manage to avoid any tornadoes at my place. I
wasn't too anxious to do my best Judy Garland impersonation, especially when that imitation
would involve being tossed around in a cyclone a la The Wizard of Oz. Besides, my cats are a lot
cuter than Toto.
I work in downtown Nashville which got hit by a reported 3 "mesocyclones". For some reason
(and I swear I'm not making this up), the night before the storms hit, I took cold chills and a
fever. I got up the next morning intending to go to work and still felt bad. I decided to call in
sick. Still in my nightgown, I grabbed something to drink to settle my stomach and flipped on the
television. The bad weather had already begun. From 4am until around 8pm that night, the
weather was the only thing to watch, on television and in the sky. Throughout the day, the worst
I got at my house was thunder, lightning and heavy rain. Around 3:45pm, the tornado hit
downtown Nashville. At that point, I was convinced that my guardian angel must be a drag queen
because I would have been getting off work right at the moment when the downtown tornado hit.
There was also significant wind damage in what used to be the Opryland area, which is just north
of my house. A tornado also touched down in the Hermitage area, which is just east of my house.
It was like a crap shoot - just roll the dice and hope your neighborhood doesn't come up on
Channel 2's Stormtracker 2000.
I was lucky that my life and property wasn't threatened, but others were not so fortunate. One of
the three big ones hit East Nashville doing significant damage to homes. Many of you may know
that East Nashville is sort of the "gay ghetto." It's the home of Lockeland Springs, which is
where the famous Nashville drag group, The Lockettes, originated. I do know of a few folks who
had their homes damaged, and two of my friends rent a place that was condemned. St. Ann's
Episcopal Church was also leveled, which absolutely broke my heart. St. Ann's is the meeting
place for Nashville's Lesbian and Gay Coalition for Justice and I've been there many times.
The new Tennessee Oilers football stadium also got shook up quite a bit. Strangely enough, one
of the proposed nicknames for the new team when they first moved here was the "Tennessee
Tornadoes". You would think Oilers' owner Bud Adams would see this as an omen. Change the
nickname, Bud!
We were all very fortunate here, because there was no loss of life in the storm. Sure, we had
some broken glass, twisted metal, dented automobiles, a few loose bricks and uprooted trees, but
everyone was alive after it hit. There were deaths in other Tennessee counties due to the storms.
Nature does have incredible powers of destruction, but we also have to consider that for every
tree that was uprooted, another tree will have a chance to take its place. Nature takes care of
itself that way. I want to sincerely thank everyone who emailed or called me to make sure I was
okay. It's touching to know so many people care.
During all this excitement, I was planning another of my ventures out of Nashville. I had a
quarterly Southern Comfort Meeting in Atlanta that weekend. Because of the weather, I was
beginning to wonder whether I could even get out of Nashville. The day after the storm, the
Governor canceled work because of storm damage to State office buildings, so I got a head start
on the trip. Lucky I did, because Al Gore was on his way to tour the storm damage and his
entourage has been known to block up interstate traffic. That pesky Vice-President is always
getting in my way! He invaded Atlanta back when I was down there in '96, blocking traffic and
bringing the Secret Service invasion. One of these days our paths will collide again. The Atlanta
trip was fantastic as usual. Atlanta Gender Explorations (AGE) hosted the first Dogwood
Weekend at the same hotel we usually have the Southern Comfort Conference.
Freaknik was also in Atlanta this same weekend and I resisted the urge to stop my truck in the middle of the road and begin dancing on the hood. We hit several restaurants including Nakado and Marra’s and the Atlanta girls got sick of myself and Dallas Denny talking about Tennessee. And as usual, the Saturday night Southern Comfort crew party was a blast.
Atlanta was only the first leg of my journey. I had to return to Memphis, Tennessee on Sunday night to be ready for work-related training at the University of Memphis on Monday morning. It
was quite a drive from Atlanta to Memphis and I did it all femme and quite hungover. While in
Memphis, I returned to my usual haunt, the Wolfchase Galleria and shopped the night away. I
also ventured down to Beale Street for the first time and ate at the Rum Boogie Cafe and
soaked up all the touristy things there.
I had another unique experience on this trip. As I stated earlier, I drove to Memphis femme. I
drove back in "guy mode" because I had been in class all day. The unique thing is that I stopped
at the same rest stop both coming and going, once using the ladies' restroom and the other time
using the men's room.
Until next time folks, let's keep things on the ground.
Left of Center
By Pamela DeGroff
Recently, I was able to conduct an interview with Phyllis Randolph Frye, largely through the
wonders of e-mail, and even with a little help from snail mail. Phyllis is an out trial attorney from
Houston, Texas, where she practices in the areas of criminal defense, divorce, will/probate, and
does work on the cutting edge of Transgender Law issues. She travels extensively as a consultant
and speaker, and is also a licensed professional civil engineer. She is perhaps best known as the
founder of the International Conference on Transgender Law and Employment Policy. She has
recently stepped down as Executive Director of that organization, but will of course remain
actively involved with gender issues.
Q. For the benefit of those who might not know who you are and what you do, please give us
a brief background on your organization, ICTLEP. How long have you been in existence?
A. ICTLEP, Inc., is the International Conference on Transgender Law and Employment
Policy, a 501-c-3, Texas, nonprofit corporation, which began in late 1991 as a committee of
the Gulf Coast Transgender Community (GCTC) in Houston. We have no members, are
governed by seven, self-elected Directors, and are assisted by many non-director
Moderators and volunteers. As queen bee, I am answerable to my Directors and to our contributors. We have held an annual conference on TG case-law, strategies for
legal change, and success stories in the legal areas of employment, family, health and
insurance, military, criminal and imprisonment, documentation, gender rights, housing,
probate and civil commitment and other areas in general since 1992, with our last one in July 1997 being our sixth. We also have done work in how
law is applied specifically to the FTM, people of color, and non-TS portions of our inclusive
TG community. We are still light on international research, but we do have several
overview reports plus extensive reports from Canada, Australia, and England. Each year we publish a 300+ page volume of transcribed
presentations, workshop reports, and relevant appendices that we call PROCEEDINGS,
which now numbers five volumes with the sixth to be completed (we work with volunteers)
in 1998. We continue to urge those of you with connections in the Human Resource
Departments of progressive corporations, with connections to university libraries and law
school libraries, with connections to queer community centers in the various metropolitan
areas, and to each transgendered individual who want to participate actively with their
attorneys in their own ongoing or foreseeable future legal battles-to order and shelve these
volumes for resource, for detailed study and inspirational reading (we have many success
stories therein). Unlike most TG information in the market, which is written by non-TG
folks who see a biased sample of us in their clinics, the PROCEEDINGS are a compilation
of information generated primarily BY transgendered lawyers and activists. I beg you to
help us get these into the HRs, libraries, and centers.
Q: What is your basic mission statement, or set of goals, and how do you plan to achieve this?
A. ICTLEP began in late 1991 as a committee of GCTC, and seed money for the first
conference came from hem and the Winslow Street Foundation. For the first three years,
through most of 1994, about all we did was hold the annual transgender law and
employment policy conferences and publish a bound and transcripted set of
PROCEEDINGS from each conference. So what does the transgender community get from
ICTLEP? Plenty. The requests for assistance have become a flood. There is so much to do
that it overwhelmed my private law practice. For me to continue doing it all would have
meant quitting my professional career and giving up my livelihood totally. So we had to
open the office and shift the load to a paid staff person, poorly paid, but paid nonetheless.
It is incredible, the requests that come in every day. The transgender community knows
about us now, and people in trouble ask for help. They've lost their jobs, their children are
being taken away, their insurance companies are refusing payment for each and every
illness by claiming them all to be gender related, the courts are being unreasonable,
military concerns, prison issues, and so forth. It is a flood of need and despair coming in on
a daily basis. Not only is it time consuming, but it is very depressing. Many of these callers
expect us to drop whatever we're doing and jump to their defense and solve all of their
problems. What we offer is a shoulder to cry on, a little common sense advice, some
general legal knowledge, references to where much of their problem is addressed in the
PROCEEDINGS, and reference to a T-friendly attorney in their area, if we have one in our
data bank. Sometimes a caller will then bad mouth us and make their problems seem to be
our fault because our resources are still so few. As I stated before, it is time consuming and
very depressing. There is a huge need out there, and it isn't being fully met.
Q: Was there any one, clarifying moment that lead to the found of the organization?
A: The idea of ICTLEP came about in 1991. I'd been an out and practicing TG attorney
for almost ten years by then. I'd also been active in the gay, lesbian, bisexual movement
since 1975 and became very aware in 1989 that the gays and lesbians were not interested in
transgender inclusion in their goal or mission statements. Locally, I'd been trashed by the
local LG political caucus for asking that transgenders be included in the name and mission
statement. During a one or two year period thereafter, I grew increasingly angry that
LLAMDA defense did not include TG and neither did Gay Lesbian Advocates and
Defenders. The recently formed National Lesbian and Gay Law Association (NLGLA) was
silent on TG issues in its publications. Also mixed in this was the legal needs that I was
experiencing both as a TG person myself and as a legal advocate for my TG clients. It all
came to gel in the late spring or early summer of 1991 that we transgendered had to take
charge of obtaining our legal rights by ourselves. It was also obvious that employment
rights was the key since a TG can put up with almost any kind of discrimination IF the TG
can keep or get a job to pay the rent and keep them off of the street. I first approached the
then Executive Director of IFGE about the Transgender Law Conference being a wing of,
committee of, or sponsored by IFGE She refused. I believed her to believe that we would
not succeed. So I went to the local Gulf Coast Transgender Community of which I was
Vice-President, and we organized the first ICTLEP conference as a committee of GCTC.
The first conference was in the summer of 1992. BTW, NLGLA is now TG inclusive in its
by-laws and mission statement and in its annual Lavender Law Conference and it Board of
Directors. So much so that in 1998, ICTLEP has decided that for one year it will pour its
energies to the Lavender Law Conference rather than compete with a separate TG law
event.
Q: What type of attitude does the legal profession, in general, have towards the transgender
community?
A: It is mixed, but much better, and it depends upon what part your are speaking
about-the judges, the Bar Associations and law schools, the attorneys on our side, the
attorneys against us, and TGs willing to file suit. By and large, I find most judges willing to
listen. But then where I practice in Texas and Houston, most judges know or know of me,
and I have been practicing OUT for over a decade. I have a good reputation of standing
tall for my clients and for being a good and proud TG role model. Of those many judges
that will listen, many can be persuaded. Of course this is in matters for which there is an
"in re" matter with no opponent. Even when it is adversarial, my clients, be they TG or
not, get a fair shake in the courtroom. More and more queer Bar Associations are being
TG inclusive. And State Bar Associations are as well. I know that whenever TG lawyers
come out to their peers, the result is usually good. In a few months, my state's Bar
Associations may have a "Sexual Orientation and Gender Identification Issues" section.
And I expect to present the first TG law workshop to the American Bar Association this
summer. More and more out TG folks are going into the law schools as I did in 1978-81.
The law schools are not a problem for the most part. That is not to say that fellow law
students cannot be cruds, but the reports that I get are that out TG law students are doing
okay. The attorneys on our side remain with the same problem. They want to help, but
often feel that they can approach a TG divorce, child custody, employment or other case in
the same way as before. They usually do not bother to research the nuances of having a
TG client. I hope that someday, the ICTLEP PROCEEDINGS are in more law offices and
university libraries so that the practitioners will have the background knowledge that they
need. But in all, the reports I get are that more TG clients are able to find attorneys who
are willing to help. The attorneys against us are the same folks that work to impede
freedom for lesbians, gays and bisexuals also. They are not kindly folks and deal in a lot of
misinformation and stereotyping which goes back to the previous paragraph and the need
for our helping attorneys to be knowledgeable of TG nuances. There are more TG folks
willing to fight. This is the single most significant development and I am willing to take
much credit for this. ICTLEP has changed the agenda of what TG folks talk about. I am
proud.
(Part Two of the interview will appear in July's Newsletter - Ed.)
Behind Blue Eyes
By Anne Casebeer
Another Lobby Days event has come and gone, and my feelings are mixed indeed. That's not
because I lack any belief in the need to tell our elected officials what we think, not because I
didn't enjoy doing it, and certainly not because I know that passage of anything we lobbied for is
unlikely this year. You see, I don't like attacking people that I respect, because I'm just a soul
whose intentions are good, and, oh Lord, please don't let me be misunderstood. Prior to leaving,
I was somewhat dismayed to read JoAnn Roberts' negative comments about the '98 Lobby Days
in Renaissance News and Views' March and April issues, but her comments that GenderPAC is
unfocused and that attendance would be less than before were dead-on correct, and so I must give
credit where credit's due. So, just as JoAnn always does, I'm going to call things the way I see
them. I will add this disclaimer: the views I'm expressing here are mine alone, and I am not
speaking for the group.
There is a fundamental need to change the way we plan and execute Lobby Days, and I wonder if
Riki Anne Wilchins is kidding herself about what we accomplished there. In fact, I question
whether anyone associated with GenderPAC can quantify any legislative progress from this year's
lobbying with any sort of solid data. That is the problem. In business, you quantify everything
with numbers and statistics, and I don't think Dana Priesing and Riki Anne Wilchins can quantify
much statistically about this lobbying effort. In fact, I'm convinced that nobody knows for certain
how many people even lobbied, from what states, and who visited what Members of Congress.
Following this article, I've published a press release from Dana Priesing which states that over
100 lobbyists were on the Hill this time out. Sorry, but last year there were 60, and the group
gathered for the Monday morning group shot looked more like 30-40 to me. At the Sunday night
meeting, there were a number of people from Brown University that were ostensibly supposed to
lobby with us. In fact, a Brown student who lived in Louisville was introduced to Amy McCorkle,
Angela Bridgman, Marjorie Demaille, and I; we asked him to join us at Rep. Baesler's office at
10AM. Not only did we never see him, we didn't see any of the Brown people on the Hill at all.
That's right, we never ran into them in the halls, cafeterias, or anywhere else on Capitol Hill.
Anyone who has lobbied before in a group can tell you that you are always running into your
fellow lobbyists in the House and Senate office buildings. To be fair, I've contacted some of my
fellow lobbyists in the weeks since, and nobody else seems to have remembered them being there,
either. So, where'd they go?
Professionalism?
I checked in with Dana twice to let her know who I'd talked to, and she commented that "it's
impossible to organize transpeople", and that "practically nobody's been checking in". On
Tuesday morning, I checked in with her to see if there were any particular members of Congress
that needed to be visited, since I'd exhausted the Kentucky and Tennessee delegations, and found
out that Dana not only didn't even have a list of who had been seen, but didn't even know who
was there lobbying from what states! Her mood seemed to be one of dejection and frustration,
rather than one of optimism, and I could well understand why. I kept my thoughts to myself at
that point, but found the whole situation to be ludicrous. It indicated to me that there was no
strategy, no organization, no direction, just a "now go do something" attitude.
This is a problem that originates with the Sunday meeting, when we were treated to inspirational
speeches from Riki Anne and Nancy Buermeyer of HRC, but not much organization. Regardless
of Ms. Buermeyer's apparent hospitality, the presence of HRC in our meetings, which actively
opposes transgender inclusion in hate crimes and employment rights legislation, still seems
roughly equivalent to allowing KGB officers into a CIA meeting. In my humble opinion, the
priority of the Sunday meeting should be the following: Find out who is here, from what state,
what appointments do we already have, and who is left over that must be visited; then, explain the
pending bills, their status, who the key people are, establish talking points, and practice and polish
our presentations. What does kowtowing to a lobbyist from HRC, an organization that is as
much our enemy as the Christian Coalition, do to help us organize a TG lobbying effort?
I'm quite aware that Riki Anne Wilchins and Phyllis Frye, former head of ICTLEP, are not apt to
be spotted sipping martinis together at the College Park Applebee's. Because of that, I hate to
make comparisons between the ICTLEP and GenderPAC lobbying efforts in 1997. I highly
respect each of these individuals, but the differences in level of organization are so vivid that they
can't be avoided. Phyllis' priority was to organize the lobbyists, find out where they had
appointments, and then made sure that we covered as many important Senators as possible.
Decisions were made at the Sunday session as to who was going to see what Senator. Monday
and Tuesday night, we were asked to complete a short questionnaire on each appointment for
future reference. I feel that there is no question that Phyllis can tell you what was accomplished in
each visited office. The effort went like clockwork, and 20 lobbyists did a massive amount of
fact-finding. At the GenderPAC days in May 1997, in contrast, there was little effort to assign
offices, determine who was there and seeing whom. Worse, many of us made appointments with
our local legislators on the basis of a lobbying effort for passage of a trans-inclusive ENDA, then
found that the thrust of the lobbying effort was for hate crimes. Hate crimes legislation is
important to our community, and is probably the most likely issue we can get legislation passed to
address, but to many of us employment rights is THE most important issue. Most importantly, I
fear that it made us look like bait-and-switch artists, not to mention that in many offices a
different legislative assistant handles the two issues. This could have made us look like fools.
Professionalism?
What is needed to make next year's effort a viable one? In of their Senators and Representatives are very important. In a related effort, copies of the bill
being lobbied need to be disseminated a couple weeks before the Lobby Days to allow study time,
along with a statement of what the status of the bill is. I was told by Congressman Scotty
Baesler's (D-KY) LA about the status of HCPA in the House (stuck in Rep. Hyde's House
Judiciary Committee). Had I been organizing this, I'd have made certain that every Representative
on the House Judiciary Committee was lobbied. This goes into the organizing of this event:
prioritizing who we use our limited number of lobbyist-hours to visit. First priority should be the
lobbyists' local representatives and Senators; second, their previous years' contacts; third, the
members of the House and Senate committees that hold the keys to a floor vote; and fourth,
possible and probable supporters and swing votes. This recognizes that there are a limited
number of lobbyists with limited time, and uses them the most effective way possible.
Professionalism.
As I said earlier, I am uncomfortable in the role of attack dog. I don't like to be a whistle-blower,
to be the one to tell the empress that she forgot to wear her clothes. One reason is this: if I
suggest that change is necessary, then I believe that I have the duty to volunteer to make the
changes reality. On the other hand, I don't have all the time in the world, and have obligations to
my family and career, and cannot say what will be going on in Spring of 1999 in my life at this
writing. Despite this, I've made the decision to offer my managerial and organizational skills to
whomever may plan a lobbying effort in 1999, because I believe that since I wrote this, I must put
up or shut up. To make these statements and not be prepared to back them up with action would
be cowardly and unfair to all involved. To that end, anyone who wishes can find me at
agc@MCI2000.com., if you want to call my bluff.
We are transpeople, and our appearance in offices is a curiosity already, to be honest. The
image we need to be putting forth is one of absolute professionalism, informed expertise, and
crisp businesslike presentation. I'm not sure we appeared that way this time out, nor last
year. Lobby Days are vitally important events that need to happen every year without fail, and
with as many lobbyists as can attend. Lobbying is an effective tool, but like any tool, needs to be
executed in an organized, competent, and professional manner. Despite the fact that this year's
effort was disorganized to a fare-thee-well this year, I wouldn't have skipped it. Our elected
officials, locally as well as nationally, need to see us, meet us, talk to us, learn about us. That, my
friends, is why I go to Washington every year. For all the good works that we may do locally
(and, as a board member of It's Time, Kentucky, I recognize the need to pursue local political
action), the Federal Government represents our best hope for protecting the rights of most
transgendered people. Our elected officials need to see that we aren't fresh from the green room
of the Jerry Springer Show. We have real lives, careers, legitimate concerns, and people who
care about us that are endangered by their very association with us. The fact is, rights for
transgendered people are not just for transgendered people, they're for our friends, our families,
for the entire GLBT community, for our very survival, and for the sake of our nation as we
approach the millennium. Our job must be to make the annual Lobby Days more effective and
always learn from our mistakes. To do that, to be truly effective, to finally get the rights and
protections that we deserve as American Citizens enacted into law, guess what we have to
exhibit?
Professionalism.
1998 Transgender Lobby Days Report
By Dana Priesing
Washington, DC, April 21, 1998
Hi folks. Lobby Days 1998 have come and gone here in Washington D.C. We had approximately
100 citizen advocates on Capitol Hill Monday and Tuesday April 20 and 21, visiting their state
delegations to discuss hate crimes, job discrimination, freedom to marry, and whatever else moved
them. In appearance, participants covered a range of races/ethnicities, and ranged from very
young to very old, from passable to improbable. All were critically important in showing the
diversity of gender expression that actually exists in the U.S. I continue to marvel at how, in the
third to fifth year of this event (depending upon how one counts), the group no longer attracts
much astonishment in the huge Rayburn Cafeteria. Non-gender different folk on the Hill are
learning, I think, perhaps in spite of themselves, that we don't explode or throw off our clothes
and dance on the tables, but are -- who would have imagined it? -- just like everybody else.
This is a minor milestone, and the next thing that will happen, if we keep it up, is that they will
begin to ask themselves, "What is it that motivates them to keep coming back here every year?"
Then, it is my hope, the progress will begin.
My favorite loopy moment (don't hate me for this -- I couldn't resist). Jessica Xavier and I were
being interviewed on a local radio station Monday night, and the earnest gay host asked: "What
causes transsexuality?" He was expecting some sort of medical justification. I leaned slowly
toward the mike, taking my time. " Broccoli," I said.
Speaking of Books
By Marisa Richmond, PhD
The Lord Cornbury Scandal: The Politics of Reputation in British America by Patricia U.
Bonomi (Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1998, ISBN 0-8078-2413-5,
$29.95)
One of the most famous crossdressers in American history is undoubtedly, Edward Hyde, Lord
Cornbury, Colonial Governor of New York and New Jersey (1661-1723). For years, he has been
painted as a prime example of the worst of colonial governors as historians have shown how
colonial resentment to British rule rose during the Eighteenth Century culminating in the War for
Independence. The claims that he embezzled colonial treasuries and offended the moral
sentiments of the colonists have long been used to justify anger at colonial rule. Bonomi
challenges many of stories surrounding Cornbury and suggests he may not have been as bad as
many have believed. While she does not actually say all stories are untrue, she does suggest that
there is little evidence to support the legends and believes Cornbury may have been simply the
victim of a successful attempt to destroy his reputation in one of the most effective propaganda
campaigns in history.
The centerpiece of the Cornbury legend for crossdressing is the classic portrait belonging to the
New York Historical Society. She noticed that no date has ever been given for the portrait, nor is
any painter credited with having made it. She does note that the portrait may have been made in
his life, but there is no evidence to support this. Bonomi notes that the first documented
association of the portrait to Cornbury is made in 1796, seventy-three years after he died. It is
possible that oral accounts may have been passed over the years tying the painting to Cornbury,
but she cannot find any solid evidence that the portrait actually depicts Cornbury. Bonomi
observed that the time of its identification with Cornbury happens to correspond to a period in
English history during which the country was fascinated with the subject of crossdressing. There
was much speculation at the time regarding the gender of the Chevalier d'Eon, who was
representing France at the royal court. She also notes that similar charges of crossdressing were
made in England towards George Washington in 1783 in an obvious attempt to ridicule and
discredit him.
Bonomi does mention two other portraits that have been identified with Lord Cornbury, one of
which was made in Geneva in 1681 when he was a 19 year old student there (Fig.2). She claims
that several physical features, such as the forehead, nose, and chin, are not similar to the one in
New York.
Central to Bonomi's thesis is that there do appear to be several issues that may have been at the
basis for his rising unpopularity. She believes that there may have been anger, most notably in
New Jersey, over some grievance, either perceived or real.
Among the many charges made against Cornbury is that he reportedly mismanaged finances.
Bonomi shows that the charges appeared only in 1707 after he had been in office for five full
years, and he was not alone in facing such claims. Cornbury's three immediate predecessors from
1689 were all accused of financial malfeasance as was his successor in the office. It was only
when New York's debt was finally paid that the charges stopped being leveled at the colonial
governors. One charge accused him of wasting money on an important trip to Albany to meet
with the leaders of the Iroquois Confederacy. Cornbury did take gifts to the Iroquois leaders and
was accompanied by an entourage, but the meeting was designed to keep the peace between the
English and the Iroquois. Furthermore, he was charged with spending too much money on the
military, but New York had the largest number of troops in British North America because of the
strategic importance of its port, and Cornbury had little choice but to support those troops with
food, clothing, and supplies. Bonomi also refutes the charge that he used the colonial treasury for
his own personal use. She notes that Cornbury arrived in North America with a detailed list of
possessions, and he continued to keep meticulous records of all he acquired, either through
purchase or gift. This includes two pairs of black silk stockings which she presumes were for his
wife and daughter. Cornbury was a solid Tory, while the colonies had many political factions,
including a large number of Whigs. There was a lot of factionalism left from both the Glorious
Revolution and Leisler's Rebellion, and she believes this helps explain his dilemma.
Bonomi also contends that religious dissent played a role. Cornbury was a loyal Anglican, while
New Jersey had many Calvinists and Quakers. While New York also had its share of religious
diversity, she surmises the religious factionalism was greater in New Jersey and may have
contributed to his deteriorating relationship with some New Jersey leaders.
Of course, the charges of his crossdressing were, undoubtedly, considered the most serious of the
time. Bonomi claims that the strong presence of Calvinism, which abhorred public displays of
crossdressing, make it highly unlikely he would have attempted it either touring the colony or
holding court. It was a sure way of destroying political effectiveness. Furthermore, the charges
appear to have come from a total of four letters written by three individuals, and yet, not one ever
stated they actually saw Cornbury crossdressed with their own eyes. They do claim he was
witnessed by "hundreds of spectators," but no additional evidence is ever offered. She
conjectures that he may have appeared in women's clothing at a masquerade ball, but that is as
much as she is willing to speculate.
Bonomi analyzed newspapers of the era both in England and America. The Grub Street press of
London often sensationalized news in the style of "yellow journalism," including exposés of
London's Molly Clubs beginning in 1695, but not one of the British or American papers of the era
that survive ever printed such a charge against Cornbury--and plenty of other charges were raised.
Bonomi does acknowledge that he could have been a closeted crossdresser, and word of this may
have leaked to his enemies, but she cannot state emphatically that he was transgendered in some
way. Bonomi admits he undoubtedly clothed himself in the authority of Queen Anne, but
otherwise, she can neither support nor refute the long held claims of Cornbury's crossdressing.
The Lord Cornbury Scandal is a book that may not be well liked within the gender community.
That does not make it a bad book. Clearly, Bonomi's study undermines the very case that
Cornbury was transgendered although she admits, he may have been. Many groups, as they seek
inclusion, often point to the accomplishments of those from their community from the past, but it
is now no longer clear that the gender community can claim Cornbury. This book is still useful,
however, in that the gender community can learn from the manner in which a person's character
was maligned as others sought to destroy him by claiming he was a crossdresser. While the
gender community may not be able to claim Cornbury with any certainty, Bonomi has provided an
important lesson in smear politics and intolerance. The lessons of Cornbury's experiences
certainly make his case applicable to the many social and political battles fought today.
A Salute to LEAGUE of LGBT United Employees at AT&T
By Phyllis Frye
On Saturday, May 2nd, I was an invited workshop presenter at the four days long, 7th Annual
Professional Development Conference, entitled: "LEAGUE, AT&T and You: Partners in
Business" in Tempe, AZ. LEAGUE had invited and paid me to come and present the workshop
entitled ""Ambiguous Identity: What It Means to be Transgendered". The workshop went fine,
and I was pleased that I was both invited and paid to give it. The last one that I did for LEAGUE
was in Chicago two years ago. What surprised me most was what I read in the conference
workbook. This eleven year old organization, which began in 1987 as the Lesbian and Gay
United Employees of AT&T, had become bisexual inclusive in 1992 and became transgender
inclusive, after my presentation in 1996. Their acronym of "LEAGUE" remained the same, but
their official name is --LESBIAN, BISEXUAL, GAY AND TRANSGENDERED UNITED
EMPLOYEES AT AT&T. I was blown away. As I read their 70+ page conference brochure,
transgender and bisexual inclusion was throughout. Never was lesbian and gay mentioned that
transgender and bisexual were not also included. Never was LG mentioned that it was not
LGBT. Never. This was not like the recent fund-raising letter of HRC that sometimes
remembers to mention bisexual and still cannot include the term transgender. This is the same
HRC that will not have a fully transgender inclusive ENDA Bill introduced as being the "main"
HRC bill.
According to the LEAGUE literature, there is also a LEAGUE within Lucent and NCR.
LEAGUE works with the Human Resources staff to promote and value diversity (inclusive LGBT
diversity) in the workplace. LEAGUE also developed the Safe Space Program which provides a
means for managers and employees to create a supportive environment and easily convey this to
the LGBT community through the display of a Safe Space magnet or decal. Reading their one
page, tri-fold, glossy brochure is a delight because again transgender and bisexual are included
from the very beginning and are continued throughout.
At the workshop and later at lunch, I was told that they do not have any OUT transgender folks in
their offices or local LEAGUE chapters. I told them I would send this message out and hopefully
their transgender folks will begin to come out. As I told them the transgender community is not
growing: it is always there: it is merely beginning to emerge. The invitation was clearly there
and it was clearly warm and wanting to help transgender folks to come out and be safe at work. If
you work for AT&T and are LGB or T, the LEAGUE National Hotline is 703-713-7820. The
Safe Space Peer Support Line is 312-230-5324. The web address is www.league-att.org. I
strongly suggest that you join LEAGUE. I've been told that two years ago, Apple Lambda, the
Apple Computer gay employees association, added "gender identity" to its charter because of
Michelle Steiner. Hooray for Apple and Michelle! I've also heard from other OUT folks in other
companies who are working to get TG into their queer employee group by-laws and names. I'll
not yet list those because I've not been given permission. So I ask you all, if your company is
willing to be OUT about your being a TG employee who is OUT, or your company already has a
queer employee group and has included TG into the group by-laws or name, let me know. And
whether you work for AT&T or not, I suggest that you tell LG organizations that cannot yet get
their B&T inclusive act together yet, that the time is NOW!
Dana International Wins Eurovision Contest
TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) -- Israelis took to the streets in celebration late Saturday, cheering and
honking horns after homegrown Dana International, a transsexual, won the Eurovision song
contest. Born Yaron Cohen to immigrant parents from Yemen, Dana International gained fame in
Israel as a female impersonator in Tel Aviv night clubs. In 1993, Dana International underwent a
sex change operation in London.
Her nomination in November to represent Israel in the contest caused a stir among some religious
Jews, and several powerful Orthodox lawmakers had even considered trying to topple the
government over the issue. Dana International, whose winning song "Diva," has been a hit in
Israel for months, told Israel TV that her victory was a sign of changing times. "This just goes to
show the world is open-minded and liberated. We are all equal," she said, after the show in
Birmingham, England. But the ultra-Orthodox reaction was harsh. "God is against this
phenomenon. It's a sickness you must cure and not give legitimacy," said Deputy Health Minister
Rabbi Shlomo Benizri of the religious Shas party. "In order to win the Eurovision after 20 years,
we had to send a gimmick. It's a sign of the bankruptcy of Israeli song," he added.
The win comes at a time of deepening rifts in Israeli society over the influence of religion in daily
life and will likely be seen in Israel as a victory for secular Israelis. Dana International, whose
dark gray figure-hugging dress with feathered sleeves was designed by Jean-Paul Gaultier, sings in
Hebrew, Arabic, French and English. It was Israel's third victory in the song contest, making
Jerusalem the venue for next year's show.
Dana International Official Biography
Dana International (singer) recorded her first album in 1993 and it quickly went gold. A year later,
her second, Umpatampa was a platinum success and she was voted Israel's Best Singer of the
Year. In 1996 Dana, a former drag artist, produced a third album, Magnuna (Insane in Arabic)
which brought her a wider audience, not just in Israel but abroad as well. In Egypt and Jordan
more than five million pirate cassettes were sold. Since then she has performed in Los Angeles
and Miami.
Chicago Hopeful for a Friendlier Future
The April 29 episode of Chicago Hope featured a storyline which compassionately illustrated the
difficulties which transgender youth often face as a result of their sexual identification. The
episode featured a young child named Jonah Boyd (Shawn Pyfrom), who, although born a boy,
seems to identify as a girl named Jessica. Jessica is brought to the hospital after sustaining injuries
in a fight at school, and is treated by gay physician Dr. Dennis Hancock (Vondie Curtis-Hall). Jessica explains to the doctor that her
classmates often pick on her, presumably because she does not conform to societal gender roles.
When Dr. Hancock tells Jessica's mother, Valerie (Mackenzie Phillips) that Jessica will be fine,
Valerie responds by telling Dr. Hancock that Jessica is not her daughter, but rather, her son,
Jonah. Valerie and her boyfriend, Luther (Conor O'Farrell) later return to the hospital, and Dr. Hancock tells them that Jessica may have Gender Identity
Disorder (GID), explaining to them that Jonah may feel like a girl trapped in a boy's body. While
Valerie proceeds to ask Dr. Hancock for his advice, Luther simply dismisses the suggestions.
Valerie brings Jessica back to Dr. Hancock later, because Jessica has apparently attempted
suicide. Jessica tells him that Luther "screamed at my mom; he called me a fairy...he said that if he
ever caught me wearing girls' clothes again, he'd cut off my...he said that if I wanted to be a girl,
he'd make me a girl." Dr. Hancock speaks with Valerie and Luther, and tells them that "What's
going on with Jonah can't be 'cured' by threats and intimidation. This is not a choice he's made,"
and later tells Valerie that "Jonah's not the only one that needs to change." In the end of the
episode, Valerie comes to visit Jessica in her room, and brings Jessica's favorite doll. "So, doctor,
what happens next?" she asks. "How does this work-this Gender Identity thing?" Dr. Hancock
tells her that "there's no way to know, really-not yet...The important thing to remember is that
Jonah will be happy if he's allowed to be who he really is." Jessica apologizes to her mother, but
Valerie responds by telling her: "You have nothing to be sorry for, okay? I love you because you
are my child. I'm the one that should be sorry. Luther's gone. He's not going to bother you
anymore." Chicago Hope's candid portrayal of Jessica and her mother, as well as its intelligent
discussion of GID, are refreshingly honest and positive. What's more, the episode eloquently
addresses the emotional and physical victimization which so many transgender people face from a
very early age. Jessica's attempt at suicide demonstrates the devastating effects of the brand of
ignorance and hatred which Luther's abusive behavior exemplifies. Once again, Chicago Hope has
proven its commitment to staying on the forefront of thoughtful, inclusive programming, and its
unswayed support for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues.
From GLAADAlert May 1, 1998
Transgender Care Center Opens In Pittsburgh
Friday, May 1, 1998 (PITTSBURGH, PA, USA) A new era in transgender care has begun in
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. A city that is known for so many medical "Firsts." For the first time in
Trans History, a trans physician and surgeon, Dr. Sheila Kirk, has developed and is directing a
facility specializing in complete transgender surgical and medical care. In addition, Dr. Kirk is
performing MTF GRS, FTM top surgeries, hysterectomies and related surgical procedures for
MTFs and FTMs. The facility is named the Transgender Surgical & Medical Center or TSMC
and the offices are located at 2100 Jane Street, Medical Professional Building, 2nd Floor,
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Trans Care by Transprofessionals
"This step is a first step for our community, " states Dr. Kirk, "a small step...when compared to
the other steps that should and will follow in this relatively new discipline I like to refer to as
Trans Care. However, it is an important step and signifies a positive shift that paves the way to
fully utilize the immense medical and surgical talent that exists within our own community to help
us treat our Sisters and Brothers. Transprofessionals caring for Trans people through all facets of
their gender journey should be the norm not the exception. As TSMC grows, it is our goal to
recruit Transprofessionals whose professional caliber and dedication matches TSMC's philosophy
of providing the highest standards of excellence."
TSMC Team
Sheila Kirk, MD, F.A.O.G.-Board certified OB/GYN, Transgender Medicine Specialist/Surgeon,
author of our community's best-selling medical books and the first Transgender physician elected
to the HBIGDA board. In addition to performing MTF GRS, Dr. Kirk specializes in FTM top
surgeries, hysterectomies and related surgical procedures for MTFs and FTMs.
J. William Futrell, MD, F.A.C.S.-Chief and Professor of the University Pittsburgh Medical Center,
Plastic Reconstructive Surgery Department. One of the nation's most respected plastic surgeons,
Dr. Futrell has vast experience in MTF/FTM GRS, feminization and masculinization of the face
and related MTF/FTM surgeries.
Ernest K. Manders, MD, F.A.C.S.- Board certified in micro and plastic reconstructive surgery,
Dr. Manders is Professor of Surgery at the University of Pittsburgh Medical School. Specializes in
Rib Removal & Male Pattern Baldness Surgery. In addition to MTF/FTM GRS, Dr. Manders
specialties include his pioneered method for minimally invasive rib removal for MTFs and his
pioneered techniques for correcting male pattern baldness.
TSMC Provides the Highest Standards of Care & Excellence
"It gives me great pleasure to be an associate of these highly-skilled and compassionate
surgeons," Dr. Kirk said, "Our combined experience in transgender surgical and medical care and
our mutual dedication will provide to our community the highest standards of care, concern and
management throughout all stages of their medical and surgical needs."
Partnership with Local Physicians & Therapists
TSMC provides complete medical care for non-op, pre-op and post-op MTFs and FTMs
including close partnership with one's local physician and mental healthcare provider in all medical
matters in addition to hormonal therapy.
Surgical Procedures Offered at TSMC
Surgical procedures for the MTF individuals include Gender Reassignment Surgery, breast
augmentation, face feminization, minimally invasive rib removal and a wide range of associated
feminizing procedures. For FTM individuals:
phalloplasty, top surgery, hysterectomy, clitoral freeing, facial masculinization are among the
services available including an innovative surgical procedure for male pattern baldness.
For more complete information on the services offered and general information, please contact
Sheila Kirk, M.D. by phone (412) 781-1092, fax (412) 781-1096, e-mail TSMC@aol.com or snail
mail: c/o TSMC, P.O. Box 38366, Blawnox, PA 15238. TSMC is a registered name.
At the Movies
By Anne Casebeer
If you're interested in a movie that portrays a young transsexual's life and family
relationships in a realistic light, then I recommend that you travel to your local video
store on June 22, and rent Ma Vie En Rose (My Life In Pink). I was enthralled by the
story, cinematography, and acting, especially since it was director Alain Berliner's first feature
film. The young man who played Ludovic did a very good acting job in a role that could easily
have become a joking matter if handled incorrectly. This is a movie that I would recommend to
the TS whose family is struggling to accept their gender conflict; viewing this movie with them
may be an eye-opener for them, and may foster some discussion and understanding. This movie
probably won't be available in every video store because it is in French with English subtitles, but
check out video stores in the areas around Vanderbilt, and stores that specialize in foreign and
"art-house" movies; not every store will have it, but it will be well worth your search.
Did you catch this week's South Park episode on Comedy Central? If you did, you were among
about 6.2 million viewers who did, giving Comedy Central the highest rating ever for a basic cable
entertainment series. The potty-mouth series drew high number for this episode because we finally
found out who character Cartman's father is. The answer: Cartman's mother, who turns out to be
a hermaphrodite
Tennessean, 04-25-98
Playing Dress-Up
For several Arizona Diamondbacks, the charter flight home was even uglier than their 12-6 loss to
the Florida Marlins. After losing leads of 3-0 and 4-2, 10 of the younger players lost their civvies
and wore women's clothing, a time-honored baseball initiation ritual. "It's tradition. It's part of
the game. It's something we've all done, some of us more than once," veteran co-conspirator
Matt Williams said. The anointed players found dresses hanging in their locker stalls when they
walked into the clubhouse after the game. Most players changed willingly, even though it was
evident some expense had been spared in selecting the outfits. "It's not hazing. Win or lose, it's
been part of a tradition of a lot of players who have been here before us. It's all about doing it and
being part of it. It's an experience we all will never forget," said Williams, made to do it twice by
San Francisco veterans when he came up in the late 1980s.
USA Today, 04-28-98
"I don't know why I perform better as a woman: maybe the boots I wear as Norman are too
heavy." Briton Norman Horton , who used to attend line-dancing classes as a man on Tuesdays
and as "Norma," his transvestite alter-ego, on Wednesdays.
Newsweek, 04-27-98
A transsexual was elected to the county council of New Zealand's Grey District on South Island
last week. Jacquie Grant, known as the "Trannie Grannie" for fostering over 50 children, became
the first transsexual member of the New Zealand Order of Merit earlier this year.
Etc, 04-17-98
Thailand's annual transsexual beauty pageant returned March 29, after a 6-year hiatus. The new
queen, Thanaporn Wong-prasert of Bangkok, said she will spend the $1300 prize money to make
herself more beautiful.
Etc, 04-17-98
Transsexual's Marriage Causes Uproar in Turkey
Popular Turkish transsexual singer Bulent Ersoy is under fire in her predominately Muslim
country because of her marriage April 4 to 21-year-old Cem Sacha Adler. Public outrage over the
wedding may boost support for legislation pending before Parliament that would make sex change
operations harder to obtain in Turkey. Under the proposal, a person would need to prove to a
court that the surgery is indispensable to his or her well-being.
Etc, 04-24-98
Lifeboat Procedures In The Age Of Political Correctness
By Dina Amberle
My friend Marisa Richmond of the Tennessee Vals in Nashville, TN., had an interesting item in
her Queen's Throne" column in their March 1998 newsletter. She mentioned a column she read in
their local newspaper, The Tennessean, in which the "women and children first" rule of lifeboat
chivalry was called into question in this new age of gender equality. The question was, of course,
prompted by the film Titanic.
Marisa expanded the question to include the changing definition of gender. She writes,
"Increasingly, we see gender is not binary. Several modern day writers have suggested we need
not limit ourselves to just 2 genders. Some cultures have 7 or more. Given this, who gets saved in
the next disaster?"
With this thought in mind, I imagined a modern day lifeboat boarding emergency which might run
something like this: "Children under the age of consent in West Virginia.....all other children who
are not on bail in criminal cases where they are charged as adults.....genetic females who did not
support the ERA.....all other women who have never failed an Olympic hormonal test.....post-operative M2F transsexuals.....intersexed people living as females.....pre-operative M2F
transsexuals in the real life test with certified therapist's letter....any F2M transsexuals who are
now having second thoughts.....transgendered people now living full time as female.....anyone
identifying as gender queer or who has ever questioned the cultural gender paradigm....outwardly
effiminate men......F2M transgendered persons with or without hormonally induced facial
hair.....crossdressers wearing any article of feminine undergarment beneath their pajamas and life
jacket.....(glub glub glub).....and finally, any man other than ship's crew who is now identifying
himself as shark bait."
The scary thing is that I probably left out a few points along the increasingly tortured gender
spectrum. But, we gotta start somewhere......
From Renaissance News and Views, May 1998