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Several years ago, I took the Celebrating the Body Erotic at the Body Electric School and it changed my life. Their experiential classes in erotic energy, breathwork, movement, and conscious sexuality have helped thousands of people discover ways to move past the barriers that restrict and limit their pleasure. I can certainly say that it did for me, as well as lots of other people I’ve spoken with.
Sinclair Sexsmith just let me know about their new class for genderqueer folks, which is super exciting! Lots of tantra and sacred sexuality classes are pretty focused on the gender binary, which can make it hard for lots of people to connect with the practices. I’ve seen some tantra classes for gay men and for lesbians …
Continue reading Spread the Word: Outside the Boxes- Celebrating the Queer Body Erotic
Have you noticed how often the word “family” or the term “family-friendly” gets used? And have you given any attention to what it has come to mean?
The newsfeeds have been all a-buzz today with the story of Leisha Hailey getting kicked off a Southwest Airlines plane when she kissed her girlfriend. According to the airline, some people complained that their kiss was excessive and when flight attendants stepped in, Hailey got upset, so they kicked her off the plane. It’s unlikely that Hailey and her girlfriend were doing anything that heterosexual couples haven’t done. And in fact, according to the conversation on The Talk about the event, it seems that when Bruce Jenner & his wife Kris snuck away to the bathroom when they …
Continue reading “Family-Friendly” is a Cop Out
The Gender Spectrum Family Conference is the only event of its kind, a celebration of gender inclusiveness for all children and teens. A unique gathering dedicated solely to the needs of transgender and gender nonconforming children and teens, their families and loved ones, and the community of professionals and allies who surround them, the weekend is a transformative experience for all involved.
This year, the conference is offering workshops for teens, activities for younger children, presentations for parents, and seminars for professionals who work with children, youth, and families around issues of gender. It sounds amazing and takes place July 29 – August 1, 2011 in Berkeley, California. If you can’t make it, you can purchase recordings from last year’s conference from their website, …
Continue reading Upcoming Event: Gender Spectrum Family 2011 Conference
This showed up in my RSS feed today. If you’re transgender or genderqueer, these lovely people would appreciate your input on trans-inclusive and respectful language. See below for details and pass it on!
Greetings!
Ten years ago, we conducted a short survey of our community’s reactions to the use of descriptive terminology in the professional literature of gender identity issues. Basically, we were interested in reforming the literature so it could speak respectfully about transsexual and transgender persons. To do that, we wanted to find out which terms transsexual and transgender people liked, and which they didn’t like. The results of our study were reported at the 2001 scientific symposium of the Harry Benjamin International Gender Dysphoria Association (HBIGDA), and had an immediate impact on …
Continue reading Call for Participants: Survey on Transgender Language
You might already know this, but I like to geek out about language. In my experience and observation, our language both reflects and shapes how we think and feel. I also believe that we can only think clearly about something to the degree that we have a language for it. Plus, interpersonal friction often arises when we use words differently than other people, so developing a mutual language can help a lot. When it comes to sex and gender, I figure that anything that helps us think more clearly and communicate more gracefully is a good thing.
I recently found an amazing article by Dean Spade, called About Purportedly Gendered Body Parts that addresses some of the word choices that have been floating around …
Continue reading Gender, Bodies, and Language
This post also appeared on the Good Vibrations Magazine.
It isn’t news that people who step outside the gender binary face violence, prejudice, and discrimination. But for the first time, there’s a large-scale study that researchers, policy makers, and equality advocates can point to for proof.
Injustice at Every Turn is an impressive accomplishment by the he National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF). The researchers surveyed 6540 transgender and gender non-conforming people in every US state, as well as the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands. It’s the largest study of its kind (the former record holder had 700 participants) so it offers a wider and more detailed view than …
Continue reading New Research on Discrimination of Transgender & Genderqueer Folks
This post also appeared on the Good Vibrations Magazine.
According to an article from the West.com.au, an Australian Court of Appeal has handed down a decision that transgender men are not legally men:
In a summary of the 63-page judgment, the court said Chief Justice Martin and Justice Pullin took the view that the essential question was whether the physical characteristics of the two transsexuals, including their internal and external genitalia, would identify them as a member of the male gender.
“In their (the majority) view, because each individual possessed none of the genital and reproductive physical characteristics of a male, and retained nearly all of the normal external genital characteristics and the internal reproductive
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Continue reading The Technology of Gender
We usually hear about sexual health in very cisgender-normative language. Men need prostate exams, women need gynecological exams. But transgender people have just as much reason to get sexual health medical care as anyone else. So I’m thrilled to share these public service announcements from the amazing Buck Angel. It’s about time that someone started getting the word out that medical care is about your anatomy, not your gender.
Please pass these along and help get the word out.
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Continue reading Buck Angel’s PSA: Sexual Health for Trans Folks
This showed up in my tumblr feed today. It’s from the UC Davis LGBT Center and according to their site, you’re welcome to download it and pass it along.
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Continue reading Words That Are Transphobic
via essin-em
Some fabulous folks are developing a resource guide for transgender and gender-variant people, modeled on the classic Our Bodies, Ourselves and they’re looking for people to take an online survey. If you’re transgender/genderqueer, or if you’re a parent or partner of someone who is, click on the link below and help this amazing project.
And please pass the info along to anyone who might be interested in it.
Hi everyone,
I’m editing a book and would love your help finding transgender/genderqueer people, as well as their parents and partners for a survey. The answers will appear as quotes in the book, similarly to Our Bodies, Ourselves.
Want to be part of a resource guide for transgender and other gender-variant people?
Trans Bodies, …
Continue reading Call for Participants: Trans Bodies Resource Guide Needs Survey Takers
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