Urgent Request to Stonewall UK & UK Department for Education to Edit Out Dehumanizing Trans Content from PSA.
What: “Protest of Stonewall UK’s Bullying & Dehumanization of Trans Children & of UK Department for Education's Decision to Promote Anti-trans Slurs in Public School Classrooms”. This rally is being organized by Media Advocates Giving National Equality to Transsexual & Transgender People (MAGNET) and International Foundation for Gender Education (IFGE).
When: Thursday, November 4th, 2010 7pm-8:30pm (which will coincide with the Nov 4th Stonewall Awards in London). An AFTER PARTY will be at the actual NY Stonewall Inn.
Where: British Consulate- New York: 845 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10022
Why: LGB group Stonewall UK has created an anti-bullying PSA DVD called “FIT” intended for school children, yet it uses the dehumanizing slur “tra**y”, which is used by bullies to taunt and degrade trans people. Transphobia has no place in an “educational film”. Stonewall UK (who repetitively offends the UK trans community, as well as excludes them) is trying to normalize the T-word (which is similar in offense to the N-word to the Black community). UK’s trans media advocacy group, Trans Media Watch, strongly opposes the anti-trans slur in the PSA. American anti-defamation groups MAGNET and GLAAD also oppose the slur. For a public school to be asked to promote an offensive pejorative that leading transsexual and LGBT social change groups says has a derogatory meaning is very dangerous because studies show that this type of name calling and taunts are what lead to violence. (This is a double standard because the schools would never show a video with a racial, national, sexist or homophobic pejorative, yet a transphobic pejorative is okay?—NO- it’s not okay!)
Stonewall UK is misusing their relationship with government officials by having the shamelessness to represent a community they don’t include in their mission statement (No taxation without representation!). Stonewall UK has promoted ideas that delay the human rights of transsexual people born with birth challenges and medical conditions.
The United Kingdom is very pioneering by having the Gender Recognition Act. The Department of Education is obligated to uphold this Act (verbal abuse is still abuse and sometimes hurts more than stones). Let’s show our solidarity with the many UK transsexual and transgender people who are disappointed that the London protest outside the Stonewall Awards on November 4th was cancelled.
This education and protest rally urgently requests compassion, understanding and accountability. We hope the decision makers involved in this crisis protect the well being of trans and gender non-forming youth by editing out the slur word so it will not spread transphobic sentiment into the minds of endangered youth. As adults, it’s our responsibility to protect all children, even ones who appear different or marginalized. Stonewall UK, Department for Education, Equality and Human Rights Commission and The Teacher's Union have a chance to fix a mistake.
We ask Stonewall UK to remember who initiated the Stonewall Riots of 1969: Trans people.
We ask the UK Department for Education to be: a department for education.
For info or media, contact MAGNET: magnet_right_now@yahoo.com
www.ifge.org
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