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August 1998 - Online Edition


What's Hot For August:

TN TG Discriminated Against By Nat'l Guard

Wet and Computerless in Nashville

Reach Out and Press Someone

Totally..

Time for Transgenders

Upcoming Meetings and Local Events

August 8: Cookout

September 12: Patty Bowers, Skin Care

October 10: 4th Annual Halloween Party

November 14: Dr. Bill Turner, Lesbian & Gay Coalition for Justice

December 12: 6th Annual Anniversary/Holiday Party

Future Board Meetings: 8 - 27, 9 - 24, 10 - 22

Dinner Outing: Wyndham Garden, 9-27


Her Majesty, The Queen, Marisa

The Queen's Throne

By Marisa Richmond

marisaval@aol.com

You may have noticed that I have included my e-mail address above. Many other columnists around the country often list theirs, but I neglected to. I figured as long as I am pretending to be a resource for this community, I might as well make it easier for people to contact me. If you have any questions, I'll do what I can to help. For that matter, you should also feel free to send any comments or criticisms you have of this column--it is too political, it is not political enough, too liberal, too conservative, too many blonde jokes (actually, you can never have too many blonde jokes...). Just don't send me any pictures. I have no idea how to download such things.

Now once again, closed minded bigotry based on religion has reared its ugly head. This time it is Pat Robertson who recently expressed his anger when the city of Orlando permitted a Gay Days celebration that included the flying of Rainbow flags which celebrate diversity. On his television show, 700 Club, he said "you're right in the way of some serious hurricanes, and I don't think I'd be waving those flags in God's face if I were you." He further warned the city could face "terrorist bombs, earthquakes, tornadoes, and possibly a meteor." Curiously, he never mentioned wildfires, which, like all other natural disasters, do not target specific social groups, but it does make you wonder what his excuse was for the tornado that destroyed or damaged several churches in East Nashville in April. I guess the women in the congregations were not submissive enough....

Back in 1988, when Robertson was running for President, a friend gave me a tape he had obtained of one of Robertson's speeches. Among Robertson's rantings was a statement about "Nikolai" Lenin. Well, the man's name was Vladimir.

Since he is a minister, Robertson carries an air of legitimacy with others who are more ignorant and small minded than he is. The GLBT community is already the target of terrorist attacks without a minister virtually advocating such acts. Plenty of other demagogues have long used religion to justify bigotry or advocate violent acts against those they despise. If Robertson and others of his ilk--such as Reggie White and Senator Trent Lott--spent more time embracing cultural diversity, and learned to love rather than hate, we would likely see fewer hate crimes such as the recent one in Jasper, Texas. We must expose hatred and intolerance for what they are, regardless of the excuses offered for them. That is how we can eliminate such attitudes.

Next April, the IFGE convention is scheduled for Orlando. I travel a lot and I am used to checking weather forecasts for wherever I go. Just because Pat Robertson thinks he has some insight into the Fire and Brimstone Thing does not mean I am now going to be paranoid--although I could do without the salt since I am watching my blood pressure. Let's all go to Disney World and freak out a few bigots!

On a related note, there was a Letter to the Editor in the new issue of Transgender Tapestry from Vanessa Sheridan of St. Paul, Minnesota. Vanessa is the author of The Cross and the Crossdresser and Cross Purposes: On Being Christian and Crossgendered, both of which are in the Vals' library. In her letter, she remarked that she left a fundamentalist faith (Southern Baptist) which passed judgment on her and refused to accept her as she was. I find it sad that many, albeit not all, denominations teach self-loathing rather than self-love. When Rev. Dr. Erin Swensen spoke here in June 1996, she remarked that if your faith cannot support you as you are, then you need to find another faith. Some people find it difficult to abandon faiths marked by bad teaching, but for many, it is probably the most viable option to finding acceptance of one's self. Do not let bigotry and judgmental attitudes hide behind the mask of religion.

Those of you here in Tennessee already know this is the month for our primary elections. This year could prove to be one of the most significant in a long time. While the winners of most of the primaries for Governor, Congress, and State Legislature can be safely assumed, if the lawsuit over the selection process for the Tennessee Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, and the Court of Criminal Appeals is worked out by August 6, we will likely have some interesting choices to make. It is worth noting that we have a General Assembly and dim-witted Governor who constantly support stupid bills such as the blatantly discriminatory ban on same gender marriages. It is the Judicial branch of our government which may well be our best hope against such lunacy. Unfortunately, the religious right has already planned its assault on those justices most inclined to protect individual liberties. Nobody should feel that they should wait until November to look at candidates and decide then who is most likely to protect your interests. By then, the religious right may already have narrowed our choices considerably. Get out and vote! Then you too can be like the person who had a bumper sticker on their vehicle I saw recently in a record store parking lot which read: "Don't Blame Me, I Voted For Dennis Rodman."

Recently, the gender community has been shaken by news of a tragedy in San Diego. On June 10, Julia Morgan, a pre-operative transsexual, shot and killed her therapist, Dr. Rita Powers, and then turned the gun on herself. There was no previous indication of suicidal or homocidal tendencies by Morgan, but it does appear she was frustrated in getting approval for SRS from Dr. Powers. I have no intention of attempting to diminish the seriousness of this incident. There is no excuse for taking the life of another. This situation does, however, point out a serious problem confronting transsexuals. The medical community defines SRS as cosmetic surgery, and yet, no other cosmetic adjustment requires approval of a therapist. If a person wanted to get breast augmentation or reduction, liposuction, a nose job, electrolysis, or have their teeth straightened, no approval from a therapist is required. Now let me state that I believe strongly that therapy is advisable since there are many personal issues to work out, but to require approval for one type of cosmetic surgery, and not for others, appears to be an obvious double standard. Since SRS is very expensive, especially for F2Ms, financial constraints can effectively weed out many for whom SRS is not necessary to feel whole. Some may decide it is simply not worth the effort or expense. Please Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood. I am in no way blaming the victim, but this tragedy offers the gender and medical community a unique opportunity to begin discussing the power one has over the other, so that we can find a way to meet individual needs without putting up superflous roadblocks.

Marisa's a brick shy...

On a lighter note, it has been 18 months since I mentioned that I had purchased a commemorative brick on Tennessee's Bicentennial Mall. I did so because I wanted everyone, regardless of category, to know that this state has an openly proud, and responsible, transgendered person in its midst. After many delays by the state in getting the brick walk installed, and much procrastination on my own part in getting downtown, I finally went to see it early this summer. If you wish to see my brick, it is in the southwest corner, in Davidson County, Section 4....just below the brick for the Rainbow Room, Nashville's first strip club. Hmmmm.

And finally, Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo ("The Trocks") are returning to TPAC on Tuesday, December 29--the same night as the new Music City Bowl game at Vanderbilt. Jenni and I saw their last show here in April 1997, and we both loved it. If you are looking for some good holiday fare, this is one I strongly recommend. I cannot wait to see what they do with The Nutcracker.

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Miss Jenni

Wigged Out

By Jennileigh Love

jlove1@ix.netcom.com

Netless in Nashville

You have to love computers. They allow us unprecedented communications, data management, analytical abilities and endless hours of games that allow us to take a 3D-rendered laser pistol and blow hundreds of 3D-rendered monsters to 3D smithereens. I remember my first machine, an Atari 800XL with a whopping 64k of memory (the same as a Nintendo 64), a daisy-wheel printer (the same mechanism in a typewriter), an external disk drive and (Goddess forbid) a cassette drive. The cassette drive was so neat because you could save your copy of "Frogger" on it, or stick your favorite Duran Duran cassette in and play it. It was state of the art for 1984. Yeah, it's a joke these days, but I could make that thing sing. The rudiments of the Internet were around then also. They were called Bulletin Board Systems (BBSs). By calling into a number with our 300 baud modems, my high school friends and I would log in and post insulting comments about each other. Technology has really evolved since then. Thanks to today's technologies, we can insult many more people now than ever before, at incredible speeds!

Recently, my machine went into conniptions when I tried to boot it. I tried to fix the problem using diagnostic software tools, but it still behaved erratically. I decided it must be a hardware problem and consulted a higher power at a repair shop. The diagnosis was a lightning strike that fried my motherboard. As all Middle Tennesseans know, the weather has been incredibly bad this spring, and a lightning strike didn't seem to be out of the question. I usually try to keep the thing unplugged during lightning storms, but sometimes I sleep right through a late night thunderboomer.

So this led to me being without a PC for six days while the motherboard was being replaced (and upgraded). No computer means no pesky email messages to answer, no letters to write, no budgets to calculate and no silent power exuded as the screen savers danced their iridescent colors across the monitor.

I went nuts.

The first night, I came home after work and realized the hour or so I spend answering email was wide open to do other things. I was at a loss with how to spend it. There seemed to be a need to interact with something. At that point I rediscovered the telephone, and actively called people, just for conversation. I also rediscovered the television, but it frustrated me with it's lack of interactivity. I remember seeing a web page advertised on television that I wanted to quickly look up on the 'Net and I couldn't do it. I also depend on my PC to keep me in touch with Southern Comfort Conference www.sccatl.org staff. The silence from the monitor on my desk, dumb without it's computer box, was deafening. It was sort of like when the power and telephone go out at night and your sitting there in the dark with a flashlight, wondering when they will come back on.

So, my lesson from this was that I'm a 'Net addict. And you must understand that I usually avoid the online chat rooms, games, cyberporn and all that other spam that's out there. I'm addicted to the flow of information. Information about all topics I love… transgender issues, sci-fi, comic books, costumes, sports … everything is there on the 'Net. All you have to do is look for it.

Pass the sunscreen...

Beating the Heat and Gender Limitations

For many of us, the swimming pool is not exactly our best friend. Back in college I would swim for exercise and I remember being very self-conscious of my lack of body hair. I had just begun shaving my legs and chest then so I could dress femme. The truth is, most competitive swimmers DO shave their entire bodies to gain that slight advantage in speed. Body hair exerts a slight drag (appropriate word, no?) between the water and the swimmer.

Swimwear for transgendered people is the main problem. Swimsuits just don't hide anything, and for many MTF transgendered people, that presents problems. Some are lucky enough to have a feminine shaped body and can even get away with a bikini. However, many of us don't have the curves to fill a swimsuit, and wearing padding and other shaping garments under a bathing suit is difficult. I mean, that stuff has to get wet, right? And you better have a vicious tuck, too! The FTMs have it even worse. It's wonderful to see an FTM transsexual at the swimming pool during a gender conference displaying his wonderfully reconstructed chest. You really appreciate what he has gone through to be able to go shirtless in public.

A gay couple whom I am friends with recently bought a house, and it just happened to have an above-ground swimming pool. They had a housewarming earlier this year, and invited everyone to bring their swimsuits and go for a dip in the pool. We TGs tend to be very body-conscious and I backed out, just dipping my feet in the pool. My excuse was that I had "too many unsightly bulges" to wear a swimsuit. Heck, I didn't even OWN one. My friends invited everyone back for another Clambake on the 4th of July. I was determined to swim at the next one. I can really sympathize with all the ladies during swimsuit season. You really do have to pick just the right one. After some considerable shopping, I found a one-piece suit that I thought was the right style, size and color.

Well, I'm happy to say, I didn't think I looked too awful. I did have to do some careful shaving the night before the party (if you know what I mean!) To the hoots and hollers of my friends, I strutted out of the bedroom where I dressed and marched right to the pool. It was my first swim as a gal and the freedom I felt was incredible. We were still in the pool way into the night and the fireworks from the nearby stadium and throughout the neighborhood emphasized my independence from gender limitations. My friend asked me, "Doesn't the water feel wonderful?"

"You have no idea!" was all I could say. Until, next time folks, I'll be poolside if you're lookin' for me.

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left arrow

Left of Center

By Pamela DeGroff

Technology is great-when it actually accomplished the purpose it was created for in the first place. Case in point: those annoying phone menus. they're everywhere. You can't escape them, they permeate the air like the essence of wet dog. I know the idea behind these things was to make business communications quicker and easier, but it often takes longer to listen to the damn menu than it does to have a conversation with a real person.

Ever notice how many businesses mis-represent themselves in TV commercials? They show you a room full of nicel dressed, Yuppie type people, all with headset on, who are "standing by to take your call Do you ever get to speak with one of these people? Noooo. Instead, you get the dreaded "please listen to the following options" message. Personally, I'm sick and tired of not being able to speak to another human being. But, I guess it's time to go with the flow. After all, if you can't beat 'em, or gag 'em, then you'd better join the herd with the rest of the

sheep. So here, for your dining and dancing pleasure, is the phone menu for the National Transgendered Hotline.

Hello, girlfriends, you've reached the National Transgendered Hotline. Please listen carefully to the following 412 options:

Press 1, if you're still in the closet.

Press 2, if the closet is getting stuffy and you're ready to come out.

Press 3, if you're not certain what towear when you do come out of the closet.

Press 4, if you're a CD.

Press 5, if you're a TS.

Press 6, if you're a MTF.

Press 7, if you're a FTM.

Press 8, if you're just happy to be called a TG, but you're not sure if you're TS or not.

Press 9, if you're the SO of a FTM, a MTF, a CD, a TS, a TG with TS tendancies, a TS going through RLT, a TS done with RLT ready for SRS, or heck, just a plain old SOB.

Press 10, if you're terribly confused at this point.

Let's skip ahead a bit, shall we?

Press 118, if you're interested in press on nails. Press 119, if you're a member of The Press.

Press 120, if you're pressed for time.

Press 121, if you'd like to participate in a full court press.

Press 122, if you'd like to order a garlic press..."

Press 123, if you'd like to take a potty break at this point.

Hold it, let's skip ahead again.

Press 204, if you're interested in support groups in your area.

Press 205, if you're interesed in support hose, in your area.

Press 206, if you're interested in conventions in your area. Press 207, if you're interested in

conventions dealing with support hose in your area.

Press 208, if you've lost your concentration during this menu and would like to repeat everything you've heard up to this point.

Better not. Some of us might have grand kids by the time this thing is over with. Let's skip ahead again.

Press 352, if you'd like information on removing unwanted hair.

Press 353, if you want information on growing hair.

Press 354, if you'd like to borrow hair from those who want to have it removed in the first place.

Press 355, if you've ever had your hair blow off.

Press 356, if you've ever found some hair.

Press 357, if you've set your hair on fire.

Okay, one last time.

Press 408, if you're into alternative lifestyles involving crossdressing and techniques used during the Spanish Inquisition.

Press 409, if you have a suitcase full of 'toys' that came from a hardware store.

Press 410, for information on how to install lag bolts.

Press 411, if you're TS going through RLT, getting ready for SRS, who will be SOL if you don't get a BLT because this menu lasted through lunch.

Press 412, to repeat all the previous menu.

Whew! Made it. As far as I'm concerned, girlfriends, the only thing I want to press is a loved one. See ya.

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Anne

Behind Blue Eyes

By Anne Casebeer

agc@mci200.com

Behind The Lines

Do you remember when you received your Vals' membership packet? I sure do. I held the book (well, newsletter, anyway) so tightly in my hands, saw your pictures, and heard you call my name. There was something strange, I could not look away, I wanted to be there, I wanted to go. I still do, and I feel very strongly that there are still plenty of others still out there who do, too. So, with some anguish, I've read many articles lately that note shrinkage of attendance to TG support groups. Many of these have blamed the Internet. In my opinion, those who wish to blame the shrinkage of their groups on the Internet need to look at the way they use it. Whether you like the Web or not, one of the first things you simply have to do when starting or maintaining a TG group is to go online. If you don't, you might as well not bother starting your group at all, given the fact that so many TG people are out there on the Web. Blaming the Internet for the downfall of the TG support group is the lament of those who don't use it well.

Internet access was the tool that I used to come out. The first thing I did when my computer was refitted to provide Internet access was to look up "crossdress" and "transgender" in Yahoo, which still seems to be the most effective search engine. At that time, I had over 100 applicable pages to refer to. Today, you'd be hard-pressed to keep that search under 1000. Finding the Tennessee Vals was easy. The Vals were one of the top 10 sites screened by Yahoo, and is one of the most complete TG sites on the Web. It's a big reason why the Vals are growing in a time when other groups comment about shrinkage. When a number of us started the Bluegrass Belles, we copied the Vals' web site within days of having our first meeting, within the limits of my ability to do such things, with similar effects - many of our members have arrived via our webpage.

Marisa Richmond has written in her column repeatedly about her feeling that personal contact is needed, something the Internet does not provide. ETVC, among others, has run articles in their newsletter that blames "chat rooms" on the decrease in attendance to their group. I completely agree with Marisa's position, although I do recognize that online chat has a place. "Chat rooms" are simply another step in the coming out process - a means to establish some contact with other transgendered people, and perhaps share advice. They fit into the whole process of "coming out" somewhere between the point at which we discover the word "transgender" and realize it applies to us, and walking out the front door in a dress and makeup to go to a club or support group meeting. If sitting in front of a computer in your bedroom, wearing makeup and a skimpy dress (or imagining yourself wearing same), typing into a computer and talking to people like you makes you feel more confident and helps you come to some kind of agreement with yourself, then do it. It seems to me that it would get very old, very quickly. I've tried chat rooms, but I don't find it a very effective way to carry on an intelligent conversation. There are times when I'll kill a little time that way, usually on a holiday or late night when sleep is hard to come by, but that's rare. I knew what I was looking for when I logged on for the first time - I wanted to meet other people. It's no secret that others aren't quite as certain of what they are looking for as I was. Still others have problems dealing with family issues, which may keep them from coming out. For that person, maybe some time spent in chat rooms talking to others is time well spent on the trail to self-acceptance. Sooner or later, you're going to want to stop letting everyone else have the real fun of actually meeting other people. When that time comes, and I bet it'll be sooner, not later, then we're here for you. For that reason, it's absolutely vital that support groups have visible and vibrant online sites. I will take notice of Transgender Forum, and thank them publicly for giving free space to support groups; those of you who don't have sites yet should look into this, because if you are on TG Forum, you will be noticed.

Those who are blaming their decrease in attendance on the Internet should look instead at a couple of other factors. How well do they use the Internet? The typical group web site these days is a single index page with a mailing address, phone number, and email address. I personally feel very strongly that every group should put some sort of abbreviated version of their newsletter on their website. The argument against that is this: why would people join the group if they can read the newsletter online? I don't think that argument holds water. I can't speak for anyone else, but in my case, reading the columnists in the Vals' online newsletter made me want to meet them, because I could see that I had something in common with them. I've found that to be true in reference to other groups, too - you can see into a person's soul through their writings. Since the soul of any group consists of the people who attend regularly, you can see what a group's personality is like via their newsletter columnists.

I also notice that the support groups who are commenting about shrinkage seem to be centered on the coasts, both West and East. All I see from the newsletters of support groups from the midsection of the country is growth. I cannot recall a month when we did not have new members at a Vals' meeting. I can report that BGB has grown drastically since moving to Louisville. This seems to be the case with most groups around the South and Midwest; I see it from their newsletters. Maybe this is because of the fact that many of the Midwestern and Southern groups have serious Internet presences. Maybe it's because we have learned from the mistakes of others, and maybe it's because transgendered people still aren't the common sight on the streets of Louisville or Nashville that they are in San Francisco or New York. I see some of the groups in the middle of the country doing some very interesting things, events that surely keep the interest of their members. A great example of this is the Unity Banquet that the Houston TG groups pulled off last spring. Interesting activities will keep people coming to a support group, build community support, and attract new members.

I recognize that much of the problem on the coasts may be the head start they have on us. Transgendered people need the services of a group to a lesser degree as they go on in life. A TS may need the resources of a group to find supportive therapists, electrologists, lawyers, endocrinologists, and surgeons; once they've had SRS and woodwork themselves, they may feel that they don't want contact with other transgendered people. A crossdresser who has been out a long time may be very confident in public, and may not feel that they need a group to maneuver in public. These people probably don't need a group, in reality, but groups need them to teach and lead others. You have to have people who have been there and done that. To keep people who are experienced, you have to put on fun activities, tend to the support role, get active in community activities and political activism, and always come up with new ideas - a pilot refers to it as "pushing the envelope." I've heard the "you can't do that, the new members aren't ready for that yet" argument.. When I hear that, my first thought is "bravo-sierra." We often overlook the confidence gained from operating in a group, and don't take the advantage we should of that. Most of the time, the new people do just fine, thank you very much, and gain lots of confidence from being included. And, while we're at it, don't ever suggest to me that anyone in any support group should not be asked to an outing because they "don't pass" - that is the epitome of elitism, and the complete opposite of what a support group is for. I will go out in public with anyone in this group, gladly, regardless of their passing skills - and, I mean the mall, movies, restaurants, concerts, traveling, you name it - not just the "safe" places. How do we expect people to gain any self-esteem or confidence if we cast them out strictly because of their looks? What makes us think that we're so damned passable ourselves, anyway? I know I get read, and frankly, I don't care.

In short, support groups are pretty simple. You can grow or shrink, based on merit. To get stronger, you must take the hand of the new person, welcome them in with open hearts. Listen to them, because they could be slipping away - they will only stay if we have the will to keep them here, the desire to listen, and guts to implement their new ideas. You have to be listed as many places as you can be, and be as open and public as you dare to be. You must use the Internet, as a resource, not as an excuse. It is written in the book….Freedom and Mascara!

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Angela

Totally...

By Angela Bridgman

angelafox@cybergal.com

What is self-esteem? Simply put, self-esteem is the feeling a person has for herself. Some people have high self-esteem, meaning that they generally feel good about themselves. Others have low self-esteem, meaning that they generally do not feel good about themselves. Most people, however, fall somewhere in between these two extremes.

When people have low self-esteem, it affects them in many ways physically, emotionally, and mentally. When a person does not feel good about herself, it tends to have visible outward effects. A person with low self-esteem is frequently ill, tired, and depressed. A person with low self-esteem tends not to perform their duties as well as a person who has a better self-image. People with low self-esteem also tend to be loners, with few friends. People like that, especially kids, tend to be labeled as surly, uncommunicative, uncooperative, and withdrawn, when the simple truth is usually that the person in question has low self-esteem.

There are many reasons why a person might have low self-esteem, however, it is usually because a person somehow feels incomplete, or worthless. Usually, this is not caused by the way people treat another person; poor treatment is usually a reaction to low self-esteem. It can lead to a vicious cycle, in which a person feels poorly about herself, and so, is teased, causing her to feel even worse about herself, ad nauseam.

Personally, I have been on a roller-coaster of self-esteem for the past three years. Some days, I feel great; I feel like I could conquer the world. On other days, I simply want to pull the covers back over my head, and go back to sleep. I have written two poems on the subject of self-esteem. One was written at a time in which I felt I was lost, helpless, and hopeless, I had no chance for happiness in my life. The other was written when I was first coming to terms with that part of myself that I felt was wrong, or incomplete. It is a poem reflecting back on my life before, and the life to follow.

Self-esteem is a very powerful emotion, one which affects us in many ways. Self-esteem is how we feel about ourselves, and how we feel about ourselves can greatly influence how we see the world and how we deal with problems; it can even effect our appetites and sleep patterns.

Because the effects of low self-esteem can be so devastating, we, as a society, should try very hard not to cause another person to feel poorly about herself. While all of us may not agree with certain lifestyles, some people need to live those lifestyles in order to feel happy and complete. Heaping guilt upon a person because of her lifestyle will only cause that person to feel poorly about herself, it will not cause her to change her lifestyle. If religions would only learn that, I think the world would be a much safer, happier, and better place.

When a person no longer feels poorly about herself; when she is no longer hiding a significant portion of her life and feelings, she tends to begin to feel better about herself. This has the effect of making her better able to perform her duties, and it also makes her a nicer person to be around. Thus, the significance of self-esteem becomes clear, and the importance of having good self-esteem is essential.


News TransMissions

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Transwoman Reservist Files Suit Against Tennessee Army National Guard

Weaver, a decorated veteran with 28 years of active and reserve experience in the Guard, alleges that, from August 1997 to June 1998, she has been subjected to continuous harassment and has been denied work from active duty assignments. She is beginning her transition, but is still performing her military job as a man. She was informed that compliants had been filed against her, but she has been unable to find out the nature of the compliants and who filed them. She has, to date, received eight reprimands for noncompliance with military clothing regulations. She maintains that she has been in strict compliance with all clothing regulations while on duty. She says the harassment began last August when she was recognized in female clothing while off duty by a fellow Guard officer. She contacted her Congressmember, Bart Gordon, but his office has been no help to Ms. Weaver. There is no legal protection in Tennessee for discrimination against a person because of sexual orientation or gender expression. Said Ms. Weaver, "I enjoy my job and feel that what I am doing has a positive impact on [unit] readiness and, most importantly, on the individual soldier's preparedness in the guard. All I want is to be able to do that job without harassment."

1998 InYourFace

Laury is the designer of our logo & is the co-founder of Alpha Pi Omega, Nashville's Tri-Ess chapter. - Marisa


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Trans Across America

By Christopher Morgan

Watch out, Pat Buchanan. Ridiculed for years, "transgenders" are emerging as the newest group to demand equality

By John Cloud

When James Madison was urging his young nation to refrain "from oppressing the minority," he was talking about "other sects," not other sexes. Shannon Ware, an engineer from St. Louis, Mo., who began life as Craig Ware but now lives as a woman, would grant that much. But since a high school civics teacher inspired her, she has clung to the belief that social change is possible, that America is elastic enough to accommodate

all minority groups--even when the minority is as caricatured and misunderstood as hers.

Ware is "transgendered," which means her mental gender--her deepest awareness of her identity doesn't correspond to the parts she was born with. Though she has become an activist in the past year or so, Ware struggled with these feelings for years. Now, at 45, she is happy with her inner and outward selves, the latter feminized with hormones and women's clothes. Ware isn't yet "transsexual," but she does plan to undergo what doctors call "sex-reassignment surgery" when she and her beau David can afford it; it will cost about as much as their new Nissan.

Since transsexuals burst on the scene in the 1950s, when a G.I. went from George to Christine Jorgensen, journalists have periodically revisited the subject in tones varying from the dryly medical to the hotly sensational. But today many forms of gender nonconformity have actually become mainstream. In the past five years, several movies, plays, tabloid shows and famous cross-dressers like RuPaul have moved drag from the fringes of gay culture to prime time. Even Teletubbies, a show for toddlers, features Tinky Winky, a boy who carries a red patent-leather purse. Less noticed, however, is that gender nonconformists have been working together, with some remarkable successes, to build a political movement. Their first step was to reclaim the power to name themselves: transgender is now the term most widely used, and it encompasses everyone from cross-dressers (those who dress in clothes of the opposite sex) to transsexuals (those who surgically "correct" their genitals to match their "real" gender). No one knows how many transgendered people exist, but at least 25,000 Americans have undergone sex-reassignment surgery, and the dozen or so North American doctors who perform it have long waiting lists. Psychologists say "gender-identity disorder" occurs in at least 2% of children; they experience discomfort with their assigned gender and may experiment with gender roles. Some of these people turn out to be gay; most don't. The overlapping permutations of gender and sexuality can get baffling, which is why transgender activist Riki Anne Wilchins simply declared "the end of gender" in her recent book, Read My Lips. Wilchins believes that male-female divisions force constructed social roles on all of us and create a class of the "gender oppressed"--not only transgenders but also feminine men, butch women, lesbians and gays, "intersexed" people (hermaphrodites) and even people with "alternative sexual practices." (Marv Albert, meet your leader.) In the early '90s, transgenders started forming political groups, mostly street-level organizations, which picketed the American Psychiatric Association, for instance, for using the gender-identity-disorder diagnosis. Previously, transgenders appeared as figures in the early gay-liberation movement: it was cross-dressing men--their "hair in curls," as they chanted--who threw the first rocks in the 1969 Stonewall riots in New York City's Greenwich Village. But as the gay movement went mainstream, it jettisoned transgenders as too off-putting. Transgenders faced practical obstacles to organizing themselves separately. Most couldn't simply dress as a member of the opposite sex without getting beaten or fired. Many felt pressured to undergo expensive genital and cosmetic operations, which doctors wouldn't perform unless the patients also underwent years of psychiatric treatment. After the surgery, some had to move to find a new job and start a new life. Political organizing was a luxury. Today medical rules are getting more relaxed. Some

transgenders still elect to have full operations, but others (especially the young) express gender their own way, perhaps just with clothing or hormone treatments or with partial surgery. Increasingly, they simply refuse to discuss their private parts. "What's important is hate crimes and job discrimination," says Shannon Minter, a female-to-male transgender and civil rights lawyer. "Why does everyone want to talk about my genitals?"

Governments and employers are starting to listen. Although just one state, Minnesota, has a law protecting transgenders from job and housing discrimination, cities all over the country (including San Francisco, of course, but alsoSeattle and, as of last year, Evanston, Ill.) have passed similar legislation. Recently the California assembly approved a bill to increase penalties for those who commit crimes against transgenders; the bill awaits senate approval. Lawyers with the Transgender Law Conference have helped pass statutes in at least 17 states allowing transsexuals to change the sex designation on their birth certificate, which means their driver's license and passport can reflect reality. (One unintended consequence: legal marriages between people who have become the same sex.) In Missouri, the house judiciary committee met in March to discuss the state's first civil rights bill to include "sexual orientation"--defined to include gender "self-image or identity." Illinois and Pennsylvania considered similar bills. None passed, but "we were happy to get the issue out there," says activist Ware.

Many transgenders are furious that the biggest gay lobbying group in the U.S., the Human Rights Campaign, opposes adding transgenders to the Employment Nondiscrimination Act, a gay job-protection bill that has been pending in Congress since 1994. But the Campaign is coming around. Last year it helped arrange a meeting between transgender activists and Justice Department officials to discuss anti-trans violence (a 1997 survey of transgenders found that 60% had been assaulted). The Campaign is also lobbying for a bill that would give U.S. district attorneys the authority to handle state crimes involving bias against "real or perceived ... gender." Transgenders have their own D.C. presence, GenderPAC. It sponsored its third Lobby Day on Capitol Hill in April, when more than 100 transgenders met members of Congress. A state-focused group called It's Time America! has chapters in half the states. And of course, transgenders are talking about staging a march on Washington--de rigueur for any minority going mainstream. Businesses are paying attention. Computer firm Lucent Technologies has added "gender-identity characteristics or expression" to its equal-opportunity policy. The University of Iowa has similar language, and in February, Rutgers adopted more limited protections for "people who have changed or are in the process of changing" their sex. Last year Harvard allowed an incoming

female-to-male freshman to live on a male dorm floor. Campus groups have asked the college to formally protect transgenders, but Harvard being Harvard, the university is studying the issue. Transgenders are pushing ahead in the courts as well. In a little-noticed but groundbreaking case last year, a Minnesota male-to-female transsexual won Social Security "widow's benefits" following her husband's death in 1995. The Social Security

Administration declined to grant them at first but reversed itself after the woman appealed, with the A.C.L.U.'s help.

The most important victories are often won outside the public arena. A littleover a year ago, Shannon Ware was the host of a constituent meet-and-greet for her state representative. Over coffee and snacks, Ware introduced Representative Patrick Dougherty, a moderate Democrat and devout Roman Catholic, to several transgenders. He was set to consider legislation that would make it difficult for transsexuals to gain even partial custody of their children after a divorce. For Ware, it wasn't an academic issue. She was once married and has a daughter, Elizabeth. Though the 13-year-old and her mom have been "totally cool" about her transition from Craig to Shannon, Ware knew others weren't as lucky as she was. Another Missourian, Sharon (ne Daniel), has fought her ex-wife for six years for the right simply to visit her two boys. The low-key meeting at Ware's house worked. Dougherty istened as she and several others told their stories. Some had lost jobs, some had been rejected by family, all felt battered by a society that insists that biology is destiny. Dougherty left seeing no reason to attack these folks with a new law. A few days later, he quietly let the legislation die in his committee.

Time, 6-20-98

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House Vote Expected on Policy Protecting Gay Federal Employees

By Lou Chibbaro

Four Republican members of the House of Representatives last week announced plans to overturn President ClintonÆs May 28 executive order banning anti-Gay discrimination against civilian employees of the federal government. The House members, led by Rep. Joel Hefley (R-Colo.), said they will introduce an amendment to an appropriations bill prohibiting the expenditure of any funds to "implement, administer, or enforce" the Clinton order, known as Executive Order 13087. Among those joining Hefley in backing the proposed amendment is Rep. Tom DeLay (R-Texas), the House Majority Whip. ClintonÆs order added "sexual orientation" to an existing executive order that bars discrimination against federal workers on grounds of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disabilities, and age. Experts in government employment policy said ClintonÆs order strengthened and provided a more coordinated approach for enforcing existing anti-

discrimination protection for civilian Gay federal workers. The existing protections for Gay federal workers had been put in place by past court rulings and civil service rules as well as by a separate policy directive that Clinton issued in 1994.

The White House and the House Democratic leader, Rep. Richard Gephardt (D-Mo.), vowed to strongly oppose the Hefley amendment. Hefley announced in a June 24 letter to all members of the House that he will seek to attach his amendment to a Department of the Treasury-U.S. Postal Service appropriations bill for fiscal year 1999. The bill is scheduled for a vote on the House floor the week of July 13, when Congress returns from its July 4th recess. Others announcing their support for the Hefley amendment, in addition to DeLay, were Reps. Robert Aderholt (R-Ala.) and John Hostettler (R-Ind.). DeLayÆs support for the amendment drew the attention of many lawmakers because, as a key House Republican leader, his support means the measure is likely to receive backing from other GOP leaders, including House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.). GingrichÆs office did not return a call this week seeking to determine his position on the amendment. In his June 24 letter, Hefley said the Clinton executive order gave "homosexuals special status as a protected class throughout the federal government...While we do not support discrimination," Hefley stated in his letter, "we also do not believe in giving special protected status because of sexual orientation or for most other reasons." Hefley added that the executive order would likely affect some private sector employees. Hefley said private contractors and local and state governments "are generally required to comply with federal non-discrimination policies" as a condition for receiving federal grants. Richard Socarides, a special assistant to Clinton and the White House liaison to the Gay community, disputed Hefley's assertion, saying the executive order will have no effect on employment practices of private or state and local employers. Socarides characterized as "ridiculous" Hefley's assertion that the order would afford Gays "special status" and a "protected class" in the government. In a statement accompanying his executive order, Clinton said the order "cannot create any new enforcement rights" related to Gay discrimination cases because Gays are not covered under U.S. civil rights laws. The presidentÆs order itself states that its scope is limited to "the extent permitted by law." Gephardt, the House Democratic leader, called the Hefley amendment a "mean spirited attack on Gay and Lesbian Americans." "The executive order they seek to undo ensures equality and fairness through our federal government," said Gephardt. "It does not create special privileges as they allege." Also opposing the Hefley amendment is openly Gay Rep. Jim Kolbe (R-Ariz.), thc chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Treasury, Postal Service, and General Government. Because his subcommittee is overseeing the Treasury- Postal Service appropriations bill, Kolbe will be the designated floor manager of the bill at the time Hefley introduces his amendment. Kevin Ivers, a spokesperson for Log Cabin Republicans, a national Gay Republican group, said he believes most, if not all, moderate Republicans and a number of conservative Republicans will vote against the Hefley amendment. Since Republicans outnumber Democrats in the House by just eleven members, opponents of the Hefley amendment will be able to defeat the measure if all or most Democrats vote against it and a block of moderate and conservative Republicans join them. "I feel we have more than eleven Republicans who will vote no," said Ivers. "There will be a lot of tests here on both sides of the isle. Will the Democrats and the Republican moderates stand firm against this?" Daniel McGlinchey, interim executive director of the National Stonewall Democratic Federation, a group representing Gay Democrats, predicted there will be "solid Democratic opposition" to the Hefley Amendment. McGlinchey, who

works on the staff of openly Gay Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.), said the vote will likely be close, noting that House Speaker Gingrich has recently clamped down on House Republicans who have strayed from key positions handed down by the House GOP leadership.

The Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest Gay civil rights group, called the proposed amendment part of an "unprecedented wave of attacks" by prominent Republicans against Gays during the past three weeks. HRC cited recent verbal attacks against Gays by several possible GOP presidential candidates, comments by an official with the Texas Republican Party comparing Gay activists to Ku Klux Klan members, and remarks by Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott (R-Miss.), who equated homosexuality with alcoholics and kleptomaniacs. "Enough is enough," said HRC Political Director Winnie Stachelberg. "Will it take an incident where someone is hurt or killed for the GOP leadership to realize their incendiary rhetoric leads to discrimination and other severe consequences?"

1998 The Washington Blade Inc.


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Gender Identity May be Maleable After All

CHICAGO (AP) - A Canadian boy who was raised as a girl after his penis was irreparably damaged during circumcision continues to live as a woman, suggesting gender identity develops after birth, researchers say.

The case is only the second documented case of a boy being asigned a new gender after his genitals were mutilated during circumcision. The study, in the journal Pediatrics, contradicts the findings in the first case, in which the boy returned to being male.

The Canadian who is living as a woman describes herself as bisexual. As of last summer, she was in a relationship with a woman. To researchers, that suggests that sexual orientation may be determined in the womb, by genetic and prenatal hormones, but that gender identity may be determined months after birth.

In both cases, the testicles and remainder of the penis were removed and a vagina created. The patients also were given female hormones. The operation in the first case was done at 21 months vs. 7 months in the second case. Researchers say that may mean there's a window of time after birth - some say up to 18 months - in which babies identify as neither boys nor girls.

In both cases, the patients studied had tomboyish characteristics. In the first case, initially studied in 1973 at Johns Hopkins University, the patient rejected dolls, tried to urinate standing up, and decided to return to life a s a boy at 14, after learning about the operation. He reported exclusive attraction to women and has since married a woman.

The Canadian patient has adjusted to life as a woman. She works in a blue-collar job almost always performed by men. When interviewed by researchers last year at 26, she said she has had relationships with men but was in a relationship with a woman.


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