29 5 / 2013
This article looks at states that have protections for transgender high school athletes. I was amazed to see my state is one of them, especially since I work hard to stay on top of policies. I hope others may find this article useful.
-Ryan
Someday I want to see all of these state by state breakdowns put together so that we can compare them. I think it’d be really interesting.
(via mylifeisquestionable)
12 3 / 2013
tumblr user babylizard’s “some stuff about nonbinary gender identities i feel like addressing”
(because a lot of the time even in the lgbtq community, nonbinary identities are often ignored which is pretty upsetting):
- there are essentially an infinite number of genders, not just “boy” and “girl” and sometimes nonbinary folks don’t even identify themselves with any particular gender at all! and that’s okay!
- physical appearance doesn’t have to have anything to do with someone’s gender identity. agender/genderqueer/otherwise nonbinary folks are not obligated in any way to present in a traditionally “androgynous” manner.
- they/them/their pronouns are actually grammatically correct, and even if they weren’t, that’s no excuse to not use someone’s preferred pronouns! a person’s comfort is more important than grammar.
- there are also lots of other sets of pronouns that people might identify with and even if they sound like “made-up words” who cares. all words were “made-up words” at some point. be nice.
- as always, don’t ask nonbinary folks rude or invasive questions about their gender that you wouldn’t ask a cis person. how or if that person has sex/if they want any surgical procedures or hormone therapy/their sexuality is none of your business and has no effect on the validity of their gender. if someone tells you what their preferred pronouns are or how they identify, that’s all you need to know and should be supportive and thankful that they shared that much with you. if they specifically tell you (unprompted to do so) that they want to talk about anything else re: their gender identity, then continue to be kind and supportive.
- do not make someone else’s gender struggles about you. do not make a big deal about how “confusing they’re being” and how “hard/weird” it is for you personally to accept their gender. listen to them and make an effort to let them know that you care and you are willing to do what you can to make them feel comfortable and safe around you. being trans* is hard, and being nonbinary can be even harder.
(Source: babylizard)
12 3 / 2013
I heard some person say men can’t wear dresses, so I made this in like 30 minutes just because
13 2 / 2013
Trans* Umbrella! Please note that these are NOT all the existing gender identities.
Want to learn more about being trans*? Click here! You can also share this on Facebook or retweet.Unless you are intersex and ID as trans* (as some people do)
12 2 / 2013
if you accidentally misgender someone, or say the wrong name, just correct yourself in the same manner as if you called a cis person by the wrong name or pronouns, which is not unknown because we are all capable of verbal slips.
sometimes i accidentally call people my dog’s name, or i call them “mom”
the right way to do this is “[wrong name], excuse me, [correct name]” or “[wrong pronoun], I’m sorry [correct pronoun]”
if you accidentally mess up someone’s pronouns, do not call attention to it by falling over yourself to apologize.
conversely, do not just move on and hope they didn’t notice. they definitely noticed. not correcting yourself is offensive, and pretending that you didn’t mess up is a form of gaslighting.
if you feel like going the extra mile, apologize the next time you’re alone with them, without excuses. say “I’m sorry that I misgendered you” or “I’m sorry called you the wrong name.”
do not say “it’s so hard, and i keep forgetting! I’m so bad!” trans people hear this over and over, and the message is that they should apologize for being who they are.
if someone close to you has changed their name and/or pronouns, and you’re having a difficult time with it, maybe you should practice at home.
10 2 / 2013
10 2 / 2013
Saint Harridan - Kickstarting November 23rd, a clothing line of men’s clothing designed to fit women and transmen.
(via tomboyfemme)
08 2 / 2013
08 2 / 2013
PSA: if a trans* person does not plan on medically transitioning, they are still the gender that they tell you they are!! If you don’t have any reason to be directly consensually involved with someone else’s junk, what that person does with it is really none of your business!!!
02 2 / 2013
Trans Etiquette 101: No Offense, But That’s Offensive
1. Ask permission to ask questions. Even if you think you know they are comfortable answering, they may actually not be or maybe not in that setting, and it is just rude and pretty off-putting to not ask. Say, “Hey do you mind if I ask you some things about your transition? I’ve been a little curious – feel free to not answer or say no.”
2. Avoid private and personal questions. Even a so-called open book like me doesn’t want to discuss my sex life with most anyone. If you really want to know about trans men and sex, ask in general terms – i.e. “Are many trans men ‘stone butch’ in bed?” vs. “Are you stone butch in bed?” BIG difference.
3. Do not ask questions that in any way challenge the trans person’s gender identity or expression or could obviously lead to dysphoria. Do NOT, for example, ask if a trans man will grow to be ‘average male height’ or if a trans woman is uncomfortable with the size of her hands. I’ve gotten, “Are you ever going to look your age?” Ouch, honey.
4. Phrase your questions in a way that affirms a trans person’s gender. And avoid anything that defines the trans person in terms of who they once “were.” This is pretty simple, actually. Instead of asking if someone is “still legally female,” ask what the steps are to becoming legally male and if they have completed them.
5. Avoid comparisons to non-trans people and never use the term “real” in distinguishing between transgender and non-transgender people. “Cisgender” or “non-trans” are the only appropriate ways to signify non-trans status.
6. If it is a general question, try Google first. There is a lot of information on the internet and an open trans person should not be a stand-in for your own research.
7. Do not ask what the person’s birth name was. There is absolutely no reason for you to need to know this and it is likely something this person wants distance from. It is a particularly offensive question when phrased, “What is your REAL name.” After all, Sebastian is my real name and has been since I started asking people to use it.
8. Request specific permission to ask questions relating to genitalia, even if you’ve already received general permission to ask other personal questions. “Are you comfortable discussing your genitalia?” Chances are they aren’t. After all, do you want to talk about yours? But some people are and I acknowledge that there is definitely education needed on the topic so I am not opposed entirely to asking questions, as long as you get extra permission first.
9. Be wary of your phrasing. If you aren’t sure how to talk about trans issues, you need to announce that in the beginning. Be open to correction and don’t get defensive if a trans person is offended by something you say. As a heads up, don’t refer to a trans person as their previously-assigned gender – don’t say “when you were a girl” to a trans man for example. A more accurate and safer route is “before you transitioned” or “when you were living as a girl.”
10. Be aware of your setting. These are private conversations. Don’t approach someone at a crowded party or in algebra class and expect them to have a trans chat with you.
11. Be sensitive to the person’s comfort level throughout the conversation. If they’ve given you permission but are obviously growing uncomfortable discussing things, don’t press. Be grateful for the information you’ve gained and change the subject.
12. Respect the person’s privacy. Unless this person stated otherwise, the personal information they gave you is not for you to share with the world.
(Source: transpride, via projectqueer)
09 12 / 2012
GLAAD EXAMINES TEN YEARS OF TRANSGENDER IMAGES ON TELEVISION; MORE THAN HALF WERE NEGATIVE OR DEFAMATORY
“In recognition of Transgender Awareness Week and the Transgender Day of Remembrance, GLAAD has reviewed its archives of transgender-inclusive television episodes over the past ten years, and found that a great deal of progress still needs to be made for fair and accurate depictions of the transgender community.
Since 2002, GLAAD catalogued 102 episodes and non-recurring storylines of scripted television that contained transgender characters, and found that 54% of those were categorized as containing negative representations at the time of their airing. An additional 35% were categorized at ranging from “problematic” to “good,” while only 12% were considered groundbreaking, fair and accurate enough to earn a GLAAD Media Award nomination.”
14 9 / 2012
stuavg: I am Divinity in a human body.
(Source: broken-gurl-surviving, via transenoughblog)
