Bird of Paradox
Transphobia is not an acceptable marketing device - Sun, 19 Feb 2012
The online betting company, Paddy Power, has decided to join the ranks of the cis privileged majority with an advert which I can only call obnoxious. If I was a gambling woman, I’d wager that it’s almost a guaranteed winner in the transphobic bingo stakes. I’m not going to link it as I have no [...]
Forced sterilisation of TS/TG and gender variant people in Sweden will be stopped - Sat, 18 Feb 2012
I wrote last month about the decision by the conservative Christian Democrat party government (along with the nationalist Sweden Democrat party) to retain a 1972 gender recognition law under which TS/TG and gender variant people who want to change their legal gender are required to be sterilised. The requirement was a violation of the European [...]
Turkey: Another victim in the undeclared war on transgender women - Wed, 15 Feb 2012
Via Kocaeli Gazetesi, Mynet Haber and Haber 27 comes the sad news of the murder on Monday afternoon (13 February 2012) of Melda Yuksel in Kocaeli, Turkey. As I understand it, Melda – a 26-year old transgender woman – met her younger brother Murat at a building site to ask his advice on some construction [...]
Canada: Changes to identity screening requirements - Wed, 01 Feb 2012
Last July, the Governor General of Canada made changes to the Aeronautics Act, (note: these changes were not subject to the Parliamentary process) which have the potential to adversely affect several groups of people. The specific clause which is of concern states that: Sec 5.2(1) An air carrier shall not transport a passenger if (a) [...]
Online campaign to stop enforced sterilisation of TS/TG and gender variant people in Sweden - Tue, 17 Jan 2012
Last week, the government of Sweden took the decision to retain a 1972 gender recognition law under which TS/TG and gender variant people who want to change their legal gender are required to be sterilised. According to Ulrika Westerlund, President of RFSL (the Swedish Federation for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Rights), this was done [...]
the invisible starfall - Mon, 09 Jan 2012
I saw this meme over at the lovely Kinelfire’s blog this morning and thought I’d see if I could fill in my own version. 1. What did you do in 2011 that you’d never done before? Attempted suicide. 2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I [...]
Video: Nick Drake – Black Eyed Dog [1974] - Fri, 06 Jan 2012
A black eyed dog he called at my door A black eyed dog he called for more A black eyed dog he knew my name A black eyed dog he knew my name A black eyed dog A black eyed dog I’m growing old and I want to go home I’m growing old and I [...]
Happy & bleeding? - Tue, 03 Jan 2012
A television commercial for Libra tampons has generated a storm of controversy across numerous social networking sites. The advert depicts two women in a nightclub restroom engaging in a non-verbal competition while putting on makeup, which ends when one woman produces her Libra tampon, at which point the other woman leaves, apparently having ‘lost’ the [...]
Transgender Europe: Press Release – 23rd December, 2011 - Sat, 24 Dec 2011
Now online: first mapping of legal and health care situation of trans people in 58 countries The legal and health mapping was conducted by Transgender Europe’s Transrespect versus Transphobia Worldwide (TvT) research project in close cooperation with activists and experts from all world regions. A comprehensive questionnaire developed by the TvT project’s research team and [...]
I miss the countryside… - Tue, 20 Dec 2011
————— In other news: The bank situation has been resolved (at last), although I’ve yet to receive the promised replacement debit card… And now Christmas weekend looms and while I’m quite comfortable with spending it on my own, I wish I could be almost anywhere but London. I miss the countryside…
