tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67787682881269175982024-03-13T18:34:36.267-07:00MAGNET SourceMedia Advocates Giving National Equality to Transsexual & Transgender People (MAGNET) is an anti-defamation organization dedicated to educating the media about transsexual, transgender & intersex issues, as well as pushing for more authentic and positive portrayals of transsexual, transgender & intersex people in the media.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6778768288126917598.post-68511103347779356822012-10-30T18:18:00.001-07:002012-12-06T00:53:24.338-08:00MAGNET Boycotts RuPaul's Ongoing Bullying & Misgendering of Transsexual Women; 'Drag Race' October 29th Episode Mocks Transsexualism; (memo: Gay Men Don't Get Free Pass On Transphobia, Hypocrisy & Sexism)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhM059BxhPM0ed0YO2fphvEh7hI35eniO6dvyjxyQeSjEioleBQyXlIwNZPqKutCibrxT2wNqkFGBxtfAt8k5JYG10loqvYhW3DXnyFEPiG5EFohqkutBs00Y5Mf6rws4dCilPVuKiYLI/s1600/RU2.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhM059BxhPM0ed0YO2fphvEh7hI35eniO6dvyjxyQeSjEioleBQyXlIwNZPqKutCibrxT2wNqkFGBxtfAt8k5JYG10loqvYhW3DXnyFEPiG5EFohqkutBs00Y5Mf6rws4dCilPVuKiYLI/s320/RU2.bmp" width="258" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Last night, October 29<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> 2012, on <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">RuPaul’s
All Star’s Drag Race</i></b>, gay male entertainer <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">RuPaul</b> once again used his show as a bully pulpit to mock and misrepresent
what the medical condition transsexualism actually is, despite the last few
years of transsexual and transgender advocates protesting his use of offensive pejoratives
such as “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">tra**y</i>” and “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">she-male</i>” . <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Comedienne <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Vicki Lawrence</b>
asked, “<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hey Ru, what’s the difference between a drag queen and a
transsexual?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></i></b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">RuPaul </b>laughingly
replies, “<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">About twenty-five thousand dollars and a good surgeon</i></b>.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">RuPaul should realize there’s nothing funny about
misinforming millions of people about an oppressed community in urgent need of
public understanding, acceptance and lifesaving resources. Transsexualism is
actually a legitimate medical condition recognized by the American Medical Association
where a woman or man is born in the wrong body and undergoes medical treatment to
better align their anatomy with their mind and true gender, whereas a drag queen
is a gay male dressing up as a woman for entertainment and/or professional
purposes. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Ashley Love</b>, an
organizer with <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Media Advocates Giving National Equality to Transsexual & Transgender
People (MAGNET)</i></b>, is not surprised, “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">RuPaul’s
unapologetic transsexual-phobia reaches millions who feel if gay men can attack
women born with transsexualism, then they can too, which further marginalizes
and endangers our well-being and healthcare needs. Many gay male celebrities
are very big on calling themselves “anti-bullying” advocates, yet very light on
understanding that misgendering women born with transsexualism by making dehumanizing
‘trans-face’ comments equates to bullying as well. Will the ongoing hypocrisy,
sexism, transphobia and bullying by RuPaul and other gay male public figures ever
stop? ”<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">RuPaul’s unchecked mistreatment and public humiliation of
women who happen to be born different must be addressed as his comments mislead
society to think it’s acceptable to bully little girls, teens and women born
with transsexualiusm. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><strong>MAGNET</strong></i> calls on
the mainstream and LGBT media, human rights non-profits and community members
to not give gay men a free pass on bullying transsexual and transgender people.
Until RuPaul and his show’s production company, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">World of Wonder Productions,</i></b>
take responsibility for their ongoing public assaults on the dignity, accurate
narratives and well-being of women of transsexual medical history, we ask all
allies to join our boycott against RuPaul’s misgendering and bullying of our
community.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">TAKE ACTION </span></u></b><u><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">In </span></u><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">3</span></u></b><u><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"> Steps:<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></span></u></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">1</span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">:</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> BOYCOTT RuPaul’s Drag Race:</span></u></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">-<strong> </strong></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Urge your friends and family to stop watching this
show<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">- Post MAGNET’s boycott announcment in your social
networking sites and email to ally groups:</span><br />
<a href="http://themagnetsource.blogspot.com/2012/10/magnet-boycotts-rupauls-ongoing.html">http://themagnetsource.blogspot.com/2012/10/magnet-boycotts-rupauls-ongoing.html</a><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">2</span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">:</span><u><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">JOIN COVERSATION:</b></span> <o:p></o:p></u></span></div>
<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-size: small;">-</span>
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Join <em>Facebook</em> Group: <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">‘Boycott RuPaul’s Bullying, Transsexual-phobia & Misgendering’ :</b></span><br />
<strong><span style="font-family: Calibri;">LINK: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/groups/427114894015880/?fref=ts">https://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/groups/427114894015880/?fref=ts</a></span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Let’s
talk about it, together! United we can end the misgendering and bullying that
harms transsexual and trandgender people!<u><o:p></o:p></u></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">3</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">: <u>WRITE & CALL</u>
</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">RuPaul & His
Production Company, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">World of Wonder Productions:</i><o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">-</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">EMAIL </i></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">World of Wonder Productions</i> CEOs <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Randy Barbato</b> and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Fenton Bailey</b>: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> Barbato: <a href="mailto:rbarbato@worldofwonder.net">rbarbato@worldofwonder.net</a> Bailey: <a href="mailto:fbailey@worldofwonder.net">fbailey@worldofwonder.net</a> </span> </div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">-</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">ADDRESS</i></b> (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">World of Wonder</i>): <strong>6650 Hollywood Blvd # 400. Hollywood, CA, 90028. <o:p></o:p></strong></span></div>
<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> -</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">TELEPHONE</i></b> (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">World of Wonder</i>): 323-603-6300<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">For more<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> information/press inquiries:<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Contact<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> </b></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">MAGNET:</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> <a href="mailto:MAGNET.Advocacy@gmail.com"><span style="color: blue;">MAGNET.Advocacy@gmail.com</span></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
Media Advocates Giving National Equality to Transsexual & Transgender People (MAGNET) is an anti-defamation organization dedicated to educating the media about transsexual, transgender & intersex issues, as well as pushing for more authentic and positive portrayals of transsexual, transgender & intersex people in the media.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6778768288126917598.post-76119055211982606762012-08-09T15:10:00.002-07:002012-08-10T16:39:09.501-07:00MAGNET Organizers Attend UNITY Journalists Convention 2012; Give Presentation @ Las Vegas LGBT Center; Will NLGJA Choose an Inclusive Name?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<strong><em>MAGNET </em></strong>Organizers Attend <strong><em>UNITY Journalists Convention 2012</em></strong>; Give Presentation @ <strong><em>Las Vegas LGBT Center</em></strong>; Will <em>NLGJA</em> Choose an Inclusive Name? <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBsgCPEE6lWOqx5OiUO7qA6Tzo4YMGtdOojjdd_tHTus5tvzw7wXlptD32ib7ORtWrkEr3URKuMnN1zOrW4WfAdtn1ih9OzH4mU19ZYPLdylt3FNeG2ayfabeDRf3rekJ4nBJ0oHBXqgA/s1600/magnetlogo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" kda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBsgCPEE6lWOqx5OiUO7qA6Tzo4YMGtdOojjdd_tHTus5tvzw7wXlptD32ib7ORtWrkEr3URKuMnN1zOrW4WfAdtn1ih9OzH4mU19ZYPLdylt3FNeG2ayfabeDRf3rekJ4nBJ0oHBXqgA/s1600/magnetlogo.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<strong><em>MAGNET</em></strong>, or <strong><em>Media Advocates Giving National Equality to Transsexual & Transgender People</em></strong>, organizers attended the <strong><em>UNITY Journalists Convention 2012</em></strong> in Las Vegas last week from August 1st to August 5th. Many workshops, panels, seminars, presentations and receptions were held where <em>MAGNET </em>organizers were able to educate about accurate coverage of transsexual, transgender and intersex (TTI) issues.<br />
<br />
On August 4th <em>MAGNET</em> organizers <strong>Lauren Nichols</strong> and <strong>Ashley Love</strong> gave a presentation at <strong><em>The Las Vegas LGBT Center</em></strong> focusing on how journalists and screen images portray transsexual, transgender and intersex stories. After <em>MAGNET’s</em> presentation they moderated an audience discussion on TTI representation and their effects on the different TTI communities.<br />
<br />
<em>UNITY</em>, formerly <em><strong>UNITY: Journalist of Color</strong></em>, is an alliance of people of color journalist associations. This was the first <em>UNITY</em> convention where <em>UNITY</em> expanded their membership to include <em>NLGJA</em>, or <em>National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association.</em> <em>UNITY</em> included sexual orientation and gender identity in their mission statement. Shortly after <em>NLGJA</em> joined <em>UNITY</em>, <em>NLGJA's </em>leaders and board members pressured <em>UNITY </em>to additionally change its name, arguing it was “exclusionary and inaccurate” (although <em>NLGJA’s </em>own name remains exclusionary and inaccurate by omitting the 'B' and the 'T' from their acronym). <br />
<br />
Attendees at <em>MAGNET’s</em> presentation at the <em>Las Vegas</em> <em>LGBT Center</em> last Friday, as well as attendees at <em>NLGJA’s</em> own membership meeting last Thursday, overwhelmingly agreed that <em>NLGJA</em> needs to be consistent in promoting inclusive titles by changing their own acronym. <em>NLGJA </em>leaders said they plan to discuss the issue.<br />
<br />
<em>“It was a really inspiring convention to be with many other people of color journalists and media professionals", </em>said<em> MAGNET's </em>Ashley, "<em>UNITY's welcoming of the LGBT coalition brings together greater diversity which creates s a stronger partnership. It was a good gesture that UNITY also changed their name to be more inclusive, and we hope NLGJA will follow UNITY’s progressive step forward by including the 'B' and the 'T'' to NLGLA’s acronym to be inclusive as well. Preach, practice. You can't spell the word UNITY without the letter 'T'.”</em> <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<strike></strike><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6778768288126917598.post-21163403242331353662012-06-19T16:36:00.000-07:002012-12-06T00:54:22.414-08:00MAGNET Boycotts GLAAD’s & American Apparel’s 'Transsexual Erasure' & Misgendering Campaign<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Boycott <em>GLAAD’s </em>& <em>American Apparel’s</em> Non-Affirming and Misgendering Campaign</strong> </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQpSP5_05t7DONjQ2DVw5eV_ERxoE4Rwz0glOlqGk1Yuzny7kXDw_YC3bYgupkVul5sk-p0KIpIDNggyhsxmIM91PbF5XpcKgXWI9_fm5ZNsxEOpdvQCB7OiCz1P3uHO-66m912xGZrpM/s1600/LEGALIZE+BUTTERFLY+CHAINS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQpSP5_05t7DONjQ2DVw5eV_ERxoE4Rwz0glOlqGk1Yuzny7kXDw_YC3bYgupkVul5sk-p0KIpIDNggyhsxmIM91PbF5XpcKgXWI9_fm5ZNsxEOpdvQCB7OiCz1P3uHO-66m912xGZrpM/s320/LEGALIZE+BUTTERFLY+CHAINS.jpg" width="280" /></a> <em><strong>GLAAD</strong></em> and <strong><em>American Apparel</em></strong> are partnering on a ‘Pride Month’ campaign with <strong>Isis King</strong> (Tyra Bank's <em>America's Next Top Model’s</em> first contestant born with transsexualism) modeling T-shirts that read “<em>Legalize Gay</em>”; however, Isis is a heterosexual woman, not a “<em>gay</em>” man. Gender identity or a transsexual medical condition is not the same thing as sexual orientation. The word “gay” is not interchangeable with the word transsexual. The advertisements, perhaps unintentionally, send misleading and nonaffirming messaging about transsexual and transgender realities. All we ask for is accuracy, which includes reforming <em>GLAAD’s</em> media guide section on transsexual related representation. <br />
<br />
<u><strong>TAKE ACTION </strong>in 3 steps:</u><br />
<br />
<strong>1) <u><em>BOYCOTT</em></u></strong>-- <em>MAGNET<strong> </strong></em>and other transsexual, transgender, intersex, feminist and ally groups are boycotting <em>GLAAD’s </em>and<em> American Apparel’s</em> pride month t-shirts due to their problematic messaging. We call our campaign: <em><strong>'Transsexual' Will Not Be Censored</strong></em><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<strong>2) <em><u>REPRESENT</u></em></strong>-- We ask those who support our educational campaign against misrepresentation<strong><em> </em></strong>to go online to purhcase environmentally safe t-shirts (or design and create your own) which read one of three slogans:</div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<em>Legalize Transsexualism</em> </div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<em>We Will Not Be Erased</em></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
'<em>Transsexual'</em> W<em>ill Not Be Censored<strong> </strong></em></div>
</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<strong>3) <u><em>JOIN CAMPAIGN</em></u></strong>-- You're Invited to Join Our Online Discussion / Get <strong>Updated Info</strong>: </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<em><u>'Transsexual' Will Not Be Censored</u></em> <strong>Facebook Group</strong> page: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/242017769243699">https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/242017769243699</a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<strong>Ashley Love</strong>, a <em>MAGNET</em> organizer, explains, <em>“GLAAD fights the good fight for us many times, yet this time they’ve irresponsibly made a decision that appeared to not consider the confusing messaging that the ad could send to the public. They inadvertently went against their mission statement by validating the transphobic misconception that Isis and other women like her are “gay” males, instead of who they really are - women, period. The constant misgendering of women of transsexual experience by GLAAD and other ‘LGBT’ groups derails accurate education on transsexualism and must stop.”</em></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<strong>Professor Joelle Ruby, PHD.</strong> of <strong><em>New Hampshire University, </em></strong>a transsexual advocate, was recently on two panels about feminism in the transsexual and transgender communities during the <strong><em>Philadelphia Trans* Health Conference</em></strong> and made a public statement on <em>Facebook</em> about this story:</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<em>“[GLAAD] hire TRANSSEXUAL model Isis King to model…t-shirts that say "Legalize Gay" and "Gay is OK". They erase King's transsexualism (AND TRANS RIGHTS in general) to forward their gay-centric agenda. And then they wonder why we critique Gay, Inc.???"</em></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<strong>Chanel Jessica Lopez, </strong>transsexual and transgender communities based counselor at <em><strong>New York City’s Anti-Violence Project, </strong></em>personally objects to <em>GLAAD’s</em> and <em>American Apparel’s</em> campaign and stands with the boycott:</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<em>“As my past and present experience working with the community has taught me, those of us who are straight don't like to be considered anything other than a heterosexual woman. Just as damaging as physical violence could be mental violence, like erasing one’s accurate identity, such as misgendering, causing psychological abuse. I support equality for all; however, Isis should respectfully be recognized as a woman, not a commodity to be co-opted for a gay and lesbian only demographic.”</em></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Messaging and images that promote (whether intentional or not) ideas of segregation and sex discrimination are serious matters which must be addressed. <em>GLAAD's </em>messaging in their advertisements feed invalidating and inaccurate misperceptions. We hope our campaign will foster affirming and forward messaging.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
<strong>For media inquiries or information:</strong></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Contact Ashley Love, <em>MAGNET</em> Communications Organizer, Email: <a href="mailto:Magnet.Advocacy@gmail.com">Magnet.Advocacy@gmail.com</a><br />
<br />
<em><strong>Media Advocates Giving National Equality to Transsexual & Transgender People (MAGNET)</strong></em> is an anti-defamation organization dedicated to educating the media about transsexual, transgender and intersex issues.<br />
<em>MAGNET’s</em> website:<strong><span style="font-size: large;"> <a href="http://www.themagnetsource.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-size: small;">http://www.themagnetsource.blogspot.com/</span></a></span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></strong></div>
<strong></strong><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6778768288126917598.post-36101405994141978062012-04-20T20:21:00.010-07:002012-04-21T13:08:32.313-07:00MAGNET To Hold Education Rally Outside GLAAD Media Awards on Saturday, April 21st in Los Angeles To Counter GLAAD Misrepresenting Transsexualism<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAsqUJGew5UtMjjtIZ_GjdpydIfP7aZbPQFGiuee02B5H0LKNhE3LtEOvKG7_-LQ3iG8qDJlrfBaCqJOEoJimXB4qnhLFlYuonjKmBTiQPhV7Ml6Zzv_8VCbMYlJR2fjD1Bv3om7O3V9g/s1600/edu.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 62px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5733693355474594674" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAsqUJGew5UtMjjtIZ_GjdpydIfP7aZbPQFGiuee02B5H0LKNhE3LtEOvKG7_-LQ3iG8qDJlrfBaCqJOEoJimXB4qnhLFlYuonjKmBTiQPhV7Ml6Zzv_8VCbMYlJR2fjD1Bv3om7O3V9g/s200/edu.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><strong><em>MAGNET- Media Advocates Giving National Equality to Transsexual & Transgender People</em></strong>- is holding an education rally on April 21st outside <strong><em>GLAAD’s</em></strong> Los Angeles Media Awards to draw attention to <em>GLAAD’s</em> ongoing campaign to blur the lines between transsexualism, gender deconstructionism, lifestyle choices and transvestite fetishism as well as <em>GLAAD’s</em> unethical refusal to address the national dissent of the transsexual community that is being co-opted into <em>GLAAD’s</em> “transgender umbrella ideology” agenda against their will.<br /><br /><strong>Date/Time:</strong> Saturday, April 21st. 4:30pm to 7:30pm<br /><strong>Address:</strong> <em>The Westin Bonaventure Hotel-</em> 404 South Figueroa St, Los Angeles, CA 90071<br /><strong>Contact: </strong>Email Ashley Love, <em>MAGNET </em>organizer- <a href="mailto:MAGNET.Advocacy@gmail.com">MAGNET.Advocacy@gmail.com</a><br /><br /><strong>Ashley Love</strong>, an organizer with <em>MAGNET,</em> explains, <em>“Though GLAAD does some good work, primarily for gays and those who support transgender socio-politics, we hold this education rally to inform attendees that the medical condition transsexualism is actually not about third gender politics or homosexuality. Our legitimate birth challenge stems from being born with chromosomal and/or anatomy diversity, and is treated by affirming doctors who aide us is ensuring our body is aligned with our mind. GLAAD has concocted and is militantly pushing an opinion based framework that unravels public understanding, promotes transsexual-phobia and even impedes and erodes our legislative advancements and medical rights. We ask involved parties to take a deeper look at GLAAD’s social engineering that seeks to erase transsexualism from classrooms and public discourse in favor of their gay and gender deconstructionism only politics, and examine the science, data and literature that supports our transsexual medical condition’s accurate narrative. Be aware of the unrest and resistance in the transsexual community against this blatant revisionism and co-opting of our lives by non-transsexual entities that has lasted almost twenty years. This colonialism of transsexualism by gay and transgender ideology groups is irresponsible, psychologically abusive, sexist, and detrimental to the mental and physical health of people born with transsexualism. We’ve had enough.“<br /></em><br /><br /><strong>Dr. Mary Donata, MD</strong>, who attended the <em>Philadelphia Trans Health Conference</em> with her teenage daughter last year, wants people to respect her daughter’s reality. She writes:<br /><br /><em>"I’m a family doctor and the mother of a 17 year old daughter who has a transsexual medical history. It’s imperative that GLAAD understands that my daughter, and other girls and women with similar medical histories, shouldn’t be inaccurately categorized with others not at all like her under the umbrella term "transgender". PLEASE UNDERSTAND: My daughter is a young woman, not impersonating one as a hobby or lifestyle. She’s not gender queer, a cross dresser, a transvestite, a fetishist, or a drag queen. It’s time to reform GLAAD’s problematic media guide concerning transsexualism"</em>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6778768288126917598.post-66767387118552047232011-08-30T11:38:00.000-07:002011-09-03T15:29:04.976-07:00MAGNET's Panel on 'Accurate Coverage of Transsexual, Transgender & Intersex Issues' at the NLGJA Convention Sparked Dialogue about Misrepresentation<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1mEvHxJCMeGrr5rpV5VUiJC99JW3YCXs_yYrbjwEMo0RdPkuGl9FI3yCQS7wx416HvbP2_CRmy8Co1rwvhyxna8aUIBH_jLLhh_hoRGPLEFA1if-Ilvp1N5GC5T82Ibfv8Hm3hNlyfro/s1600/bfly.bmp"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 270px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 159px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5648251207268861026" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1mEvHxJCMeGrr5rpV5VUiJC99JW3YCXs_yYrbjwEMo0RdPkuGl9FI3yCQS7wx416HvbP2_CRmy8Co1rwvhyxna8aUIBH_jLLhh_hoRGPLEFA1if-Ilvp1N5GC5T82Ibfv8Hm3hNlyfro/s400/bfly.bmp" /></a>
<br />
<br />Last Friday <strong><em>MAGNET</em> </strong>gave an education presentation at the <em><strong>National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association (NLGJA)</strong></em> Convention entitled ‘<em><strong>Transforming the Dialogue: Accurate Coverage of Transsexual, Transgender & Intersex Issues’.</strong></em> Following the presentation <em>MAGNET</em> organizer <strong>Ashley Love</strong> moderated a panel which included <strong>Eden Lane</strong> (hosts programs for <em>PBS</em>, was ‘outed’ as transsexual when she was covering the Democratic convention), <strong>Kimberlain O’Driscoll</strong> (expert on the transsexual medical condition) and <strong>Sarah Blazucki</strong> (editor of <em>Philadelphia Gay News</em>).
<br />
<br />Session description:
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /><blockquote><strong>Transforming the Dialogue: Accurate Coverage of Transsexual, Transgender & Intersex Issues
<br /></strong>
<br />Transsexual, transgender and intersex (TTI) communities are finally coming into the media full time. As the last five years have shown, a steady bombardment of images, regular TV characters, frequent news stories and mainstream transsexual celebrities have made their way on to prime time. This revolution of visibility is an exciting crossroads for these communities. However, many mistakes in reporting are still made. A major concern is the misrepresentation and undermining of the transsexual medical condition by transgender sociopolitical ideology. This session will celebrate our growth and then address concerns.
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /><p></p></blockquote>The first half of the session Ashley gave an overview of the terms transsexual, transgender, intersex, gender queer, cross dresser, transvestite and drag queen and explained why grouping all these extremely diverse groups into one label “transgender” is problematic and intellectually dishonest. She explained why this reservation ideology ignores and endangers the unique social, political and medical needs of transsexual and intersex people. The topic of ‘misgendering’ was discussed, as well as the unethical trend of many media outlets (both LGB'T' and mainstream) of using transsexual people’s ‘pre-transition’ name, which is a form of misgendering and invasion of medical history privacy.
<br />
<br />The second part of the session Ashley invited the panelists up. Eden Lane discussed how she was ‘outed’ during the Democratic Convention years back, how her agent dropped her and how she sometimes “becomes the story”, when she is actually just trying to “cover the story”. She talked about how GLAAD’s media guide could be fairer to transsexual people. Eden discussed why it’s important to not mislabel people who are transsexual “transgender”.
<br />
<br />Kimberlain O’ Driscoll, an expert on the medical condition transsexualism and who has been a nurse for over thirty years, said in her presentation:
<br />
<br />
<br /><blockquote><em>“…Although the portrayal of transsexuals in the media has improved, there is still confusion over the difference between a transsexual who is an individual with an identified chromosomal medical condition and someone who enjoys cross-dressing or performing on stage…… Cross-dressers, transvestites, stage performers and those who refer to themselves as gender queer have been placed under one collective group known as the transgender umbrella. Those with the transsexual medical condition do not belong in this group, yet their portrayal in the media rarely makes note of this. Men and women with the transsexual medical condition are struggling to survive. Insurance companies and lawmakers refuse to assist them because they do not understand the difference between someone who has this particular chromosomal anomaly and someone who perhaps cross-dresses for an evening and returns to their regular life the following day. Accurate and </em><em>compassionate media portrayal can help correct this.”</em></blockquote>Sarah Blazucki was asked about a recent quote given in <strong><em>Curve Magazine</em></strong> concerning <strong>Mark Segal</strong>, the owner and publisher of the magazine that Sarah is editor at, <em>Philadelphia Gay News.</em> A Philadelphia based trans activist was quoted in <em>Curve</em> saying, <em>
<br />
<br />
<br /><blockquote><em>“Last year, at the Pride parade, the out-of-touch owner of the Philadelphia Gay News stood up in front of hundreds of people and asked how many ‘gay and lesbian’ people were in the crowd, but failed to mention the B or the T. I stood there, annoyed and shocked. To be honest, carving out a place for the T in LGB space continues to be a struggle, and Pride month is no different.”</em>
<br /></blockquote></em>
<br />Sarah’s reply to that was that the Segal “<em>was just not thinking</em>”. However, the issue is the problematic practice of ‘T’ erasure in LGBT settings, and the use of “<em>gay community</em>” by many gay and lesbian people as the umbrella term for the LGBT coalition.
<br />
<br />Ashley then discussed with Sarah about why transsexual women are feeling slighted in the newer transgender ideology movement, and explained why <em>NLGJA’s</em> current revision of the definition of transsexual is inaccurate, and a subtle attempt to co-opt transsexualism into the transgender ideology agenda.
<br />
<br /><strong>Justin Tanis</strong>, a former employee of <strong><em>NCTE</em></strong>, kept on heckling the entire session. He was upset that the moderator pointed out the inaccuracies and anti-transsexual sentiment in the alleged survey “<em><strong>Injustice at Every Turn</strong></em>”, which <strong>Lisa McDonald</strong>, a transsexual activist, calls “<strong><em>Inaccurate</em></strong> <em>at Every Turn</em>”. The survey seeks to appropriate and misgender people with transsexualism, and erase their medical legitimacy. Since Tanis was one of the writers of the “survey”, he had personal interests in attempting to discredit anyone or organization that unveiled the intellectually dishonest and manipulated data that was concocted into this survey. Whereas Tanis believes in the “gender deconstructionism umbrella” theory, transsexual people do not.
<br />
<br />At the end <em>MAGNET </em>asked people to remember that whenever a colony seeks to emancipate themselves from those who misrepresent and oppress them, that there is sure to be a push back from those who want to keep them co-opted and silenced, which is why some transgender and LGBT opinion leaders and bloggers have been so militant in trying to vilify and discredit those in the transsexual community who are resisting the erasure and misrepresentation of their medical condition's narrative and legitimacy.
<br />
<br />The good news is that the toothpaste is already out of the tube....and there is no going back. Now all the transsexual community has to do is organize, educate and correct the misinformation that is currently being distributed by non-transsexual people.
<br />
<br /><em>MAGNET</em> is grateful that the <em>NLGJA </em>allowed a session in their programming that went against the grain, and we hope we can aid them in clearing up a lot of the misinformation about the transsexual medical condition in journalism, TV news shows and in both <em>GLAAD's</em> and <em>NLGJA’s </em>media guide defintions of transsexual.
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6778768288126917598.post-14629321038379647312011-08-15T16:40:00.000-07:002011-08-16T15:24:13.904-07:00MAGNET Protests Adam Carolla’s Transphobic Comments; Rejects His "Apology”<div align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUcgYZ8EUrcrguleR1ynAxpyh2SyhEneT3jHrvfOZo-0x9Wzew7-qRwPYr4Dd3t_WBeWeny226QAFy_Z2mTv4mIvoFNKwJkxdtnGnagTzPNw2jQYegtFqGLC7Oh5fiXZXSGQP3Gdmt9mI/s1600/adam.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 183px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 275px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5641237152700412050" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUcgYZ8EUrcrguleR1ynAxpyh2SyhEneT3jHrvfOZo-0x9Wzew7-qRwPYr4Dd3t_WBeWeny226QAFy_Z2mTv4mIvoFNKwJkxdtnGnagTzPNw2jQYegtFqGLC7Oh5fiXZXSGQP3Gdmt9mI/s320/adam.jpg" /></a>
<br /><strong>Adam Carolla</strong> adds to his long resume of offensive and prejudice/fear based outbursts with a new podcast where he went on a rant against people who are transsexual and transgender. He asked "<em>When did we start giving a sh-- about these people?" </em>He adds that the LGBT community should "shut up" about speaking out for equality because they are "<em>ruining his life</em>", when in reality, his fear and hate mongering is what is “ruining people’s lives”. He advised the LGBT community to exchange the acronym LGBT ("Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender") for "<em>YUCK</em>.", again, the only thing “yuck” is Carolla’s transphobia, homophobia and sexism.
<br />
<br />Carolla recently made his defintion of an apology: “<em><strong>I’m sorry my comments were hurtful. I’m a comedian, not a politician.”
<br />
<br /></strong></em>
<br /><strong>Ashley Love,</strong> an organizer with <em>Media Advocates Giving National Equality to Transsexual & Transgender People (MAGNET), </em>comments on Carolla’s comments:
<br />
<br /><blockquote>“<em>We reject Adam Carolla’s excuse of “being a comedian” as to why he was promoting transphobia, sexism and hate speech. We know many successful comedians who don’t use fear mongering and transphobia in their material. This propaganda endangers the well-being, understanding, lives and rights of people born with a transsexual medical condition. Carolla should know there is an epidemic of unemployment, violence and marginalization in the transsexual and transgender communities due to the ignorance and fear he is promoting. The networks, advertisers and listeners associated with Carolla now or in the future should know that transphobia and hate is not funny or acceptable.”</em></blockquote>
<br />
<br /><strong>Eden Lane</strong>, known as “the first transsexual broadcast journalist” on mainstream television, and host of <em>'In Focus TV'</em> (program on <em>PBS</em> affiliate <em>KBDI</em>),responded to Carolla's defamatory remarks about her community. She tells <em>MAGNET:
<br /></em>
<br /><blockquote>“<em>I was deeply disappointed to hear the degrading anti- transsexual remarks Mr. Carolla made on his recent podcast. Mr. Carolla might benefit from some kind of training so he understands the injury he can do to young people not only of a transsexual or transgender experience, but to his young fans who now may think Carolla’s “comedy” is an acceptable reaction to people who are born different</em>.“</blockquote>
<br />
<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRoBlkLYSbQ21q1JNyQqPA4VWlsdlVmysNX4U1XFJmDchfgWMePxmQG5dt2RZM_1FG4u0k8K-7p3SOOseifZe43p0TBvL8uhbsyB90QeFRO9Rm5CfwgaVgUmQYQegKK9zSRc1fZXYolms/s1600/eden+new.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 199px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5641246179333254738" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRoBlkLYSbQ21q1JNyQqPA4VWlsdlVmysNX4U1XFJmDchfgWMePxmQG5dt2RZM_1FG4u0k8K-7p3SOOseifZe43p0TBvL8uhbsyB90QeFRO9Rm5CfwgaVgUmQYQegKK9zSRc1fZXYolms/s320/eden+new.jpg" /></a> <em>Eden Lane speaks out against Carolla's transphobic comments</em></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6778768288126917598.post-84584725926459375162011-05-21T15:18:00.000-07:002012-06-14T04:14:46.182-07:00After the Public Outcry against GLAAD Mislabeling Janet Mock’s Medical Condition, GLAAD Edits Their Inaccurate Term “Transgender” to “Transsexual”<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicV76yqcplELTlO8JH4hEPQbiU3N5NmlUOlww6g0YMGq68TGlndEjFHD40l6ErdCd9x9ZJX1tBjQu71j82k5cNTcRxBViPcCaD719fpK_ChDaEMCLBesQ1vsau_7kizN7qcZP9970NcJI/s1600/BBB.bmp"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5609310128891033938" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicV76yqcplELTlO8JH4hEPQbiU3N5NmlUOlww6g0YMGq68TGlndEjFHD40l6ErdCd9x9ZJX1tBjQu71j82k5cNTcRxBViPcCaD719fpK_ChDaEMCLBesQ1vsau_7kizN7qcZP9970NcJI/s200/BBB.bmp" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 127px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 157px;" /></a><br />
May 21, 2011<br />
<br />
<strong>Shortly following <em>MAGNET’s</em> outreach to <em>GLAAD</em> and <em>MAGNET</em> organizer Ashley Love’s open letter to <em>Marie Claire</em> magazine, <em>GLAAD</em> concedes and edits their inaccurate labeling of Janet Mock as “transgender” and replaces it with “transsexual”.</strong><br />
<br />
<br />
<em> <span style="font-size: 85%;">Janet Mock, an editor for People.com, opened up this week about her transsexul history<br /></span></em>In a public comment made yesterday by Janet Mock on her fan page that she addressed to Ashley Love, Janet writes: <br />
<blockquote>
<em>"Hi Ashley - I read your open letter and was so so intrigued. GLAAD graciously contacted me this morning to ask how I wanted to be identified and amended their headline to Transsexual."</em></blockquote>
This week <strong>Janet Mock</strong>, an editor for <strong><em>People.com</em>,</strong> disclosed her transsexual medical condition in an op-ed in <em><strong>Marie Claire</strong></em> magazine. Both in her article and on her website, <em><strong>JanetMock.com</strong></em>, Janet only uses the term transsexual to refer to her condition. However, in a blatant disregard for Janet’s testimony, <em><strong>GLAAD</strong></em> mislabeled her as “transgender” in their coverage, which provoked numerous LGBT news sources to follow the inaccurate labeling as well. The appropriation of Janet’s transsexual condition by gay and transgender politics sparked a public outcry by many transsexual advocates and organizations, who demanded that <em>GLAAD </em>cease and desist from rewriting the transsexual narrative into a gender queer and cross dresser agenda. Transsexual advocates explained that trangenderism is about deconstructing gender, activities, behaviors, lifestyles, fetishes, drag queen stage acts and or/ dismantling the gender binary. Janet is absolutly none of these identities or lifestyles. She is a heterosexual woman who was simply born with a medical condition in which she had corrected and treated ten years ago. She is not a “3rd gender” or gay male drag queen. She is a woman. Period. We ask <em>GLAAD</em>, the gay establishment, transgender ideology and the far right to respect this.<br />
<br />
On Thursday, May 19th <em>MAGNET</em> reached out to <em>GLAAD</em> asking them to retract their inaccurate labeling of Janet because the transgender term misgenders and objectifies women born transsexual, jeopardizes their medical legitimacy, impinges on their civil rights, confuses the public, gay appropriates them and invalidates their womanhood. <em>GLAAD</em> continued on with their misrepresentation.<br />
<br />
On May 20th, with <em>GLAAD</em> still choosing to enforce transgender ideology onto Janet, <em>MAGNET</em> organizer Ashley Love wrote an open letter to <em>Marie Claire </em>thanking them for doing right by Janet and other Americans born with transsexualism, which she posted on <em>Marie Claire’s </em>website under Janet’s article and on Love’s blog <em><strong>Trans Forming Media</strong></em>.<br />
<br />
Later that morning <em>GLAAD</em> contacted Janet to ask her the name of her condition, although she had already said in multiple media outlets that she was of transsexual experience. Janet again told them she was of transsexual experience, after which <em>GLAAD</em> edited their website to accurately refer to her as such.<br />
<br />
Ashley Love responds to <em>GLAAD’</em>s edit, <br />
<blockquote>
<em>“MAGNET applauds GLAAD for admitting their mistake by editing their coverage to respect the reality of Janet Mock’s medical condition transsexualism. We hope this development leads to GLAAD reforming their media guide to accurately represent Americans with transsexualism, for as it stands now, the guide co-opts, misgenders, de-medicalizes, offends and invalidates their reality. We acknowledge GLAAD’s small step forward, though much work needs to be done changing the problematic way the gay and transgender establishments depict transsexualism. We ask people to keep their sociopolitical agenda out of the doctor’s offices and narratives of human beings with transsexualism. “</em></blockquote>
<em>MAGNET</em> asks people with transsexualism to please contact <em>GLAAD</em> executive director <strong>Jarrett Barrios </strong>to thank <em>GLAAD</em> for finally making an effort to satisfy the thousands of Americans with transsexualism who protest being called transgender. <strong>Contact Jarrett Barrios: barrios@glaad.org</strong><br />
<br />
We are confident that this new development will lead to more discussions which will bring about the authentic and non-sociopolitical representation of the transsexual medical condition by the LGBT establishment.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6778768288126917598.post-6934346087186610652011-01-31T01:52:00.000-08:002011-02-01T01:57:20.100-08:00Anti-defamation Group MAGNET Demands Apology from NBC/Comcast for Dehumanizing SNL "Trans-Face" Skit<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSfQJU-4OUzPT4GRNYNPQE67AgF4JfbEQ00PCsv-LIt1MdZ8sctNt10-kXR-MnkDvGRdFFLQ-D078ZtawQZY05x6hunv-C5n79Y57VY0VryVaxq9jlKrUdxrxO4qCratqEhVJbVyJMTDI/s1600/save.bmp"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 280px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 102px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568287826975802914" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSfQJU-4OUzPT4GRNYNPQE67AgF4JfbEQ00PCsv-LIt1MdZ8sctNt10-kXR-MnkDvGRdFFLQ-D078ZtawQZY05x6hunv-C5n79Y57VY0VryVaxq9jlKrUdxrxO4qCratqEhVJbVyJMTDI/s320/save.bmp" /></a><br /><strong><em>Saturday Night Live</em> Mocks & Dehumanizes the Medical Condition Transsexualism<br /></strong><br />On Saturday night, <em><strong>Saturday Night Live (SNL</strong>)</em> aired the most horrifying and dehumanizing mocking of women who are born with a transsexual medical condition. The segment, called ‘<em>Estro-Maxx’</em>, ridiculed the medical transition that women with a transsexual/and or intersex birth challenge go through. <em>NBC/Comcast</em> has yet to reply to the human rights advocates who are outraged that they would allow the writers of SNL to create and air this hateful propaganda towards such an alienated minority group.<br /><br /><em>SNL</em> trans-face recap (<strong>WARNING</strong>: <em>extremely</em> offensive and dehumanizing): <a href="http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/estro-maxx/1279560/">http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/estro-maxx/1279560/</a><br /><br />Ashley Love, an organizer with <em>Media Advocates Giving National Equality to Transsexual & Transgender People (MAGNET),</em> explains, “For <em>NBC/Comcast</em> to allow <em>SNL</em> to ridicule human beings born with a transsexual and/or intersex medical condition in such a dehumanizing media assault is equivalent to how racist white men used to paint their skin black and perform “black face”, in which they stripped away the humanity and dignity of African Americans. Likewise, allowing the “trans face” skit to air is just as cruel spirited, appalling and will no doubt incite misunderstanding, fear, marginalization and violence (in that order) onto Americans with a transsexual and/or intersex condition. I’m shocked and disappointed that <em>NBC/Comcast</em> could be this socially irresponsible by allowing such bigotry on their platform. It’s 2011, not the medieval times; it’s unbelievable that such a tele-hate-vision crime would air on a public network.”<br /><br />Instead of showing the female characters as women who were legitimately undergoing medical transition to have their mind in alignment with their body, they were blatantly mis-gendered and depicted as “men in dresses” and transvestites. Note: a transvestite is a man who wears women’s clothes for either a lifestyle or a sexual fetish (which is how the characters were shown to be), whereas a woman with a genuine transsexual (and/or intersex) medical condition is actually a woman who was born in the wrong body, and therefore takes medicine and has gender affirmation surgery to correct her birth defect.<br /><br /><em>MAGNET </em>asks <em>NBC/Comcast</em> to apologize for their poor judgment in allowing such transsexual-phobic and dangerously stigmatizing content to air on their station, and to remove the segment from the future airings and Internet. Dozens of Americans with a transsexual and/or intersex birth challenge are murdered annually due to the fear and violence that messages like the ‘<em>Estro-Maxx’</em> skit provokes. At this time the transsexual, transgender and intersex communities are desperately seeking human rights, acceptance, safety and understanding. Unfortunately, a highly visible media attack on their humanity like this skit is a major set-back, therefore we feel it’s not too much to ask for compassion and accountability. An apology and an edit would be simple to do, but would give hope to many. <em>NBC/Comcast</em>: It’s never too late to do the morally right thing.<br /><br /><strong>For questions, media or to get involved in MAGNET's anti-defamation projects, please contact:</strong><br />Ashley Love, <em>MAGNET</em> Organizer: <a href="mailto:magnet_right_now@yahoo.com">magnet_right_now@yahoo.com</a><br /><br />Join the Facebook group: "Demand NBC/Comcast to Apologize for SNL 'Estro-Maxx' Trans-Face Skit": http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1735278775162&set=a.1473220223862.2062968.1034352207#!/home.php?sk=group_150560178333091<br /><br />Please Contact <em>NBC</em> and let them know your concerns, (<em>but be more polite to them then their SNL skit has been to us, it’s always best to be the bigger person and be professional</em>):<br /><br /><strong><em>NBC Entertainment</em><br /></strong>Rebecca Marks: Executive Vice President, Publicity<br />818-777-3030 <a href="mailto:Rebecca.Marks@nbcuni.com">Rebecca.Marks@nbcuni.com</a><br /><br /><em><strong>NBC Universal<br /></strong></em>Kathy Kelly-Brown<br />Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications & Media Relations<br />212-664-3457 <a href="mailto:Kathy.Kelly-Brown@nbcuni.com">Kathy.Kelly-Brown@nbcuni.com</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6778768288126917598.post-42849194150298723492010-11-02T04:28:00.000-07:002010-11-04T09:21:40.408-07:00“NYC Protest of Stonewall UK’s Bullying & Dehumanization of Trans Children & of the UK Dept. for Education's Decision to Promote Anti-trans Slur<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih2Nn9CHK6zhJWsi9y_7WcQUb77k1VzshNl5H653EXx_UirlEWwyJoA6LjLT9ohHcfsSeA0y5o-L-z_tVcpV3WNqHeHoqKtBUhCyYZdpy5zq_gLrd9fBpfZpyYz48aarXTkQypiCtpFvg/s1600/stop-bullying-now.gif"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534916180496044802" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 158px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih2Nn9CHK6zhJWsi9y_7WcQUb77k1VzshNl5H653EXx_UirlEWwyJoA6LjLT9ohHcfsSeA0y5o-L-z_tVcpV3WNqHeHoqKtBUhCyYZdpy5zq_gLrd9fBpfZpyYz48aarXTkQypiCtpFvg/s320/stop-bullying-now.gif" border="0" /></a><br /><div><strong>Urgent Request to Stonewall UK & UK Department for Education to Edit Out Dehumanizing Trans Content from PSA.<br /></strong></div><br /><div><strong>What:</strong> “Protest of <em>Stonewall UK’s</em> 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 <em>Media Advocates Giving National Equality to Transsexual & Transgender People (MAGNET) </em>and <em>International Foundation for Gender Education (IFGE).<br /></em></div><br /><div><strong>When: Thursday, November 4th, 2010 7pm-8:30pm</strong> (which will coincide with the Nov 4th Stonewall Awards in London). An <strong>AFTER PARTY</strong> will be at the actual NY Stonewall Inn.<br /></div><br /><div><strong>Where: British Consulate</strong>- <strong>New York:</strong> 845 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10022<br /></div><br /><div><strong>Why:</strong> 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!)<br /></div><br /><div>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.<br /></div><br />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.<br /><br /><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>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. <em>Stonewall UK, Department for Education, Equality and Human Rights Commission </em>and <em>The Teacher's Union</em> have a chance to fix a mistake.<br /></div><br /><div>We ask <em>Stonewall UK </em>to remember who initiated the Stonewall Riots of 1969: Trans people.<br /></div><br /><div>We ask the UK Department for Education to be: a department for education.<br /></div><br /><div>For info or media, contact MAGNET: <a href="mailto:magnet_right_now@yahoo.com">magnet_right_now@yahoo.com</a><br /></div><br /><div><a href="http://www.themagnetsource.blogspot.com/">http://www.themagnetsource.blogspot.com/</a><br /></div><br /><div>www.ifge.org </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6778768288126917598.post-86627023884518788062010-10-08T14:59:00.000-07:002010-10-08T18:43:38.284-07:00CQA & MAGNET present "'Where's the "T" in Media?". Panel Discussion October 13th @ Columbia University<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixCcDOZilx7V72X-RZ9H5hGEuKOVlqqkcQtop8Vk1eC6HnMg0UAl6mmYfYi4YWwKwedGdcC3eqALv25sqA0zr5hTCYygAsV7l6TSBfjG6q9T8IB8TGQYLJc2vf5kIekCqx-gBbVy1JByo/s1600/Speaker+Series+-+October+FINAL.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5525800424748008306" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 207px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixCcDOZilx7V72X-RZ9H5hGEuKOVlqqkcQtop8Vk1eC6HnMg0UAl6mmYfYi4YWwKwedGdcC3eqALv25sqA0zr5hTCYygAsV7l6TSBfjG6q9T8IB8TGQYLJc2vf5kIekCqx-gBbVy1JByo/s320/Speaker+Series+-+October+FINAL.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><p><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">New York LGBT Community & Students Host Panel Discussion on Images of Trans People in the Media at Columbia University<br /></span></strong></p><br /><p><strong>What:</strong> <strong><em>“Where’s the “T” In Media: Exploring the Mis(representation) of transsexual, transgender and intersex People In the Media”</em></strong> is a panel discussion presented by <em>Columbia Queer Alliance</em> (CQA), <em>Media Advocates Giving National Equality to Transsexual & Transgender People</em> (MAGNET), <em>Quam 2010 </em>and <em>GendeRevolution</em>. After the panel discussion there will be a Q & A from the audience<br /></p><br /><p><strong>Who:</strong> Panelists: </p><p>· <strong>Ashley Love</strong> - an organizer w/ MAGNET -Media Advocates Giving National Equality to Transsexual & Transgender People<br />· <strong>Noah Lewis</strong> - Staff Attorney at Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund<br />· <strong>Deb Sprague</strong> -Writer-Producer: Premiere Radio Network<br />· <strong>Kyle Lukoff</strong> - Barnard alum</p><p><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong>When: Wednesday October 13, 2010 @ 7pm<br /></p></strong></span><br /><p><strong>Where</strong>: 304 Barnard Hall, Columbia University, NYC (see directions below)<br /></p><br /><p><strong>Why:</strong> In honor of Gender Rights Week, this discussion will focus on the depictions of transsexual, transgender and intersex images in the media. With an abundance of trans images in the last 5 years, are these images affirming trans people, or dehumanizing them? Noted trans leaders and college students offer the facts, and their opinions. </p><p><strong><em>refreshments will be served<br /></em></strong></p><p>RSVP is not mandatory, but is appreciated. RSVP to <a href="mailto:magnet_right_now@yahoo.com">magnet_right_now@yahoo.com</a><br /></p><br /><p>For more info or press inquires: <a href="mailto:magnet_right_now@yahoo.com">magnet_right_now@yahoo.com</a><br /></p><br /><p>MAGNET’s website: <a href="http://www.themagnetsource.blogspot.com/">http://www.themagnetsource.blogspot.com/</a><br />Columbia Queer Alliance’s website: <a href="http://www.cqanyc.com/">http://www.cqanyc.com/</a><br /></p><br /><p>DIRECTIONS:<br />(1) Take the 1 train to the 116th St stop.</p><p>(2) Cross to the west side of Broadway Avenue, opposite the entrance to Columbia University's main campus.</p><p>(3) Walk north, until you reach a set of open gates on your left. Barnard Hall will be inside the gates, immediately to your left</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6778768288126917598.post-3795034979104171812010-07-16T17:10:00.000-07:002010-10-08T19:09:48.886-07:00MAGNET Panel about Misrepresentation and Exploitation of Transsexual Women Inspires Healthy Community Discussion.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEJ67FYLVr_bwpu7-XHQ1CHmLJTh52pZJUUUQEmiz12EsHb1-UQibqgdIgtxWWyfSze4YhSBip043-yQS2dxrqev_x8EwtVdY4vthaNC2pt4vxvgQfM-pOdWiulqskYw72O4lK0CxhNa8/s1600/WomenT.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494703851327357986" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 216px; HEIGHT: 162px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEJ67FYLVr_bwpu7-XHQ1CHmLJTh52pZJUUUQEmiz12EsHb1-UQibqgdIgtxWWyfSze4YhSBip043-yQS2dxrqev_x8EwtVdY4vthaNC2pt4vxvgQfM-pOdWiulqskYw72O4lK0CxhNa8/s320/WomenT.jpg" border="0" /></a>Post Event Release<br /><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold;font-size:130%;" ><span style="FONT-STYLE: italic">MAGNET’s</span> positive panel discussion ‘Women Demanding Change Now’ has successful outcome.</span><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span><br />‘Women Demanding Change Now: The Dehumanization of Transsexual Women through the Gay Male Hollywood Lens’ was a controversial, yet healthy and much needed discussion concerning the stigmatizing portrayals of transsexual women in the media, particularly those produced by Gay Male Hollywood.<br /><br />An extremely diverse group of LGBTQI and allies spoke on the panel such as teachers, activists, film/TV producers, journalists, writers and actors.<br /><br />Though the topics were confrontational, we needed to be honest about the realities affecting the most vulnerable portion of the LGBT community.<br /><br />The reality is that there are very few opportunities for trans roles in Hollywood, so when gay men get into positions of power to make those few times count, it is extremely disappointing, stigmatizing and hierarchy creating when they put images of “trans face” into the public eye, therefore dehumanizing and marginalizing transsexual women in mainstream society.<br /><br />Some of the footage from the event will be in Ashley Love’s upcoming documentary concerning media reform for transsexual women.<br /><br />A outline of what was discussed at the event will be available next week.<br /><br />The reason <span style="FONT-STYLE: italic">MAGNET</span> elected to specifically target the negative images created by gay men is since transsexual women are listed under the LGBT umbrella, then it is even more damaging when the most privileged part of the LGBT community (affluent gay men) gives mainstream society ‘permission’ to oppress us. Transsexual women are not ‘property’ of the privileged white gay (or straight) men who continue to makes millions off exploiting them in the media. They do not have the right to make a minstrel show out of of transsexual women's lives. Gay Male Hollywood's "trans face" images are causing harm at a time when trans women are trying to gain acceptance and civil rights.<br /><br />Thank you to all supported the trans community’s protest against defamation, misrepresentation and exploitationUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6778768288126917598.post-41977745052246106502010-07-09T16:03:00.000-07:002010-07-09T16:26:31.928-07:00Women Demanding Change Now panel discussion- July 15th in Los Angeles<span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:11px;"><div class="event_profile_information" style="padding-top: 5px; padding-right: 8px; padding-bottom: 8px; padding-left: 8px; "><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><br /></p><table id="Time and Place" class="profileTable info_table" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><tbody><tr><td class="label" style="font-size: 11px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; line-height: 13px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 1px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 1px; padding-left: 0px; width: 100px; color: rgb(128, 128, 128); ">Date:</td><td class="data" style="font-size: 11px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; line-height: 13px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 1px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 1px; padding-left: 0px; "><div class="datawrap" style="word-wrap: break-word; ">Thursday, July 15, 2010</div></td></tr><tr><td class="label" style="font-size: 11px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; line-height: 13px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 1px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 1px; padding-left: 0px; width: 100px; color: rgb(128, 128, 128); ">Time:</td><td class="data" style="font-size: 11px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; line-height: 13px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 1px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 1px; padding-left: 0px; "><div class="datawrap" style="word-wrap: break-word; ">7:00pm - 9:30pm</div></td></tr><tr><td class="label" style="font-size: 11px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; line-height: 13px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 1px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 1px; padding-left: 0px; width: 100px; color: rgb(128, 128, 128); ">Location:</td><td class="data" style="font-size: 11px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; line-height: 13px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 1px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 1px; padding-left: 0px; "><div class="datawrap" style="word-wrap: break-word; ">Plummer Park Community Center- Room # 6, West Hollywood, California</div></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div class="UIProfileBox_Container"><div class="UIProfileBox_Box" style="padding-bottom: 15px; position: relative; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; "><div class="UIProfileBox_Content" style="overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-top: 10px; padding-right: 8px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 8px; "><div class="description"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:large;">Women Demanding Change Now</span>: </b></div><div class="description"><b>The Dehumanizing Misrepresentation of Transsexual Women through the Gay Male Hollywood Lens.</b><br /><b><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />Hosted by MAGNET- Media Advocates Giving National Equality to Transsexual & Transgender People</span></b> (MAGNET)<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">MAGNET is an anti-defamation organization dedicated to educating the media about transsexual and transgender issues, as well as pushing for more authentic and positive portrayals of trans people in the media.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"></span></span><br />Event will be filmed, so attendees must be okay with this<br /><br />Some topics which be discussed:<br /><br />• Finding solutions to build authentic unity and trust within LGBT community<br /><br /></div><div class="description">• Spiritual/mental/physical violence incited by messages in film and TV<br /><br /></div><div class="description">• Gay males producing stigmatizing, over the top & unkind images of transsexual women<br /><br /></div><div class="description">• Gay Inc. and some transgender activists co-opting the medical condition transsexualism<br /><br /></div><div class="description">• Inaccurately depicting transsexual women as “drag queens”, “caricatures of femininity”<br /><br /></div><div class="description">• Dangerous propaganda that miseducates public and assaults transsexual women<br /><br />There will be an opportunity for the audience to ask the panelists questions.<br /><br /><br /><br />- Kiana Moore (transsexual woman, Hollywood producer- VH1,MTV, Bravo, Oxygen, Logo)--<br />- Arianna Davis (transsexual woman & intersex- Founder of Gender ID Empowerment Coalition)<br />- Cary Harrison (gay male, radio personality, award winning journalist.)<br />- Mannee McMurray (LGBT activist, writer, MAGNET volunteer)<br />- Hannah Howard (trans activist, Gender Justice LA board member)</div><div class="description"><br /></div><div class="description">- Also with Talia Bettcher, PHD - Matt Palazzolo - Libby Freeman<br /></div><div class="description"><br /></div><div class="description">Moderated by Ashley Love- (trans rights advocate, writer and an organizer with MAGNET)</div><div class="description"><br /><br />Please let us know your thoughts on this epidemic so we can include them in the planning and discussion.<br /><br />FOR INFO, contact MAGNET organizer: Ashley Love @ MAGNET @ magnet_right_now@yahoo.com.<br /><br /><br />Media Advocates Giving National Equality to Transsexual & Transgender People (MAGNET)<br /><br /></div><div class="description">www.TheMAGNETSource.blogspot.com<br />Ashley Love's blog: www.TransFormingMedia.blogspot.com<br /><br /></div><div class="description">MAGNET is an anti-defamation organization dedicated to educating the media about transsexual and transgender issues, as well as pushing for more authentic and positive portrayals of trans people in the media.</div></div></div></div></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6778768288126917598.post-75213309811736245992010-07-07T13:43:00.000-07:002010-07-07T14:10:43.745-07:00MAGNET Changes Name of Panel Discussion to Acknowledge Allies of Trans People in LGB Community<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-NxBanb4DWljqv4ULfjbuZ_MmaASs6qjn-iV07V-LxZVpggQmER9vNmlOkKkD9Ynf8awQXqpDGxk-1BZAeMpIki66v3Wfb_5B0gm8P_kKSzPbJ6VEhkFJE1CvHrQppnQ_sqoJLykeMW0/s1600/phudivwebsm.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5491269079596276226" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 308px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-NxBanb4DWljqv4ULfjbuZ_MmaASs6qjn-iV07V-LxZVpggQmER9vNmlOkKkD9Ynf8awQXqpDGxk-1BZAeMpIki66v3Wfb_5B0gm8P_kKSzPbJ6VEhkFJE1CvHrQppnQ_sqoJLykeMW0/s320/phudivwebsm.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><strong>Media Advocates Giving National Equality to Transsexual & Transgender People</strong><br /></div><br /><div>July 7, 2010<br /></div><br /><div><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">MAGNET Changes Name of Panel Discussion to Acknowledge Allies of Transsexual People in the Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Community.<br /></span></strong></div><br /><div>On July 15th <em>Media Advocates Giving National Equality to Transsexual & Transgender People</em> (<em>MAGNET</em>) is hosting a panel discussion concerning the trend of gay male producers creating negative and transphobic media images that harm transsexual women called “<em>Women Demanding Change Now”.</em> The prior subtitle was <em>“The Dehumanizing Misrepresentation of Transsexual Women through a Gay Male Media Mafia Lens”</em>. Due to <em>MAGNET</em> wanting to rebuild trust between the trans and LGB community, and because of community feedback pertaining to our confrontational title, we are now exchanging the part <em>“Gay Male Media Mafia”</em> to<em><strong> “Gay Male Hollywood”.</strong></em><br /></div><br /><div><em>MAGNET</em> has received input from community leaders concerned with many in the LGBT activist community’s language and terms, such as <strong>“Gay Inc.”</strong> and <strong>“Gay Male Media Mafia”.</strong><br />We acknowledge these terms are confrontational, but are they even a small fraction as confrontational as the spiritually & mentally violent and inhumane images that Gay Hollywood continues to make of transsexual women which hold many of them hostage in segregation, depression and dangerous vulnerability? Is “mafia” an inaccurate word when one considers that for decades on end the gay establishment has continued to marginalize the transsexual, transgender and intersex communities for their own gain? Gay Hollywood has bombarded the trans community with abuse by irresponsibly green lighting and producing content with dangerous messaging. The gay press deliberately (sometimes unintentionally) mis-gendering, silencing and stigmatizing trans women during this current uprising of Trans Americans is another reason we chose the word “mafia”. This is not us “picking a fight”; this is actually us defending ourselves from a fight waged on us from those in the LGB community who feel “oppressing our own” is just. While some LGB people harm us out of “ignorance”, we won’t ignore the alarming truth that many gay and lesbian decision makers harbor conscious transphobic ideals which impact Trans Americans, and us seeking accountability is not “divisive”, it’s us calling out “divisiveness”.<br /></div><br /><div>However, because we want nothing more than to make this a “LGBT family meeting” in hopes of inspiring the gay community to stop exploiting and impeding trans people’s progress, we feel that it’s best to change the name so we will not alienate those in the gay community who truly want to be allies with the trans community. The pursuit of happiness and human rights are also beholden to Trans Americans, and the defamation against them is a road block to these goals, and it must be resolved.<br /></div><br /><div>Moving forward, the main goal of our panel is to address this current crisis of propaganda in the media which assaults transsexual women. While we note that many of these images are made by gay men, we acknowledge that many gay men understand our honest hurt, and truly want to help us foster understanding in society, humanize our images and be allies in ACTION (not just allies in words or acronyms.) Therefore we are making this concession because we have faith that as these conversations about media reform continue that more and more LGBT people will realize that “bad visibility” IS NOT better than “no visibility”. While many people in the trans community are calling to break away from the LGB community because they feel they are deliberately holding them back, <em>MAGNET</em> believes that LGBT UNITY is best, but it has to be honest unity, or it’s not unity at all.<br /></div><br /><div>Bill, a gay man and ally to the liberation of transsexual, transgender and intersex people, wrote us: <em>"As a white, male, gay American, I understand where you are coming from. All too often, the LGTB community 'forgets' about the 'T' in that acronym. I have always found that particularly odd, as those are the people in our community who are treated the worst. They are treated with disdain and with open, celebratory abuse. Many LGB people participate in this abuse. I have seen it firsthand. I always speak up about it. Trans people NEED us. They NEED our support & our inclusion. What they do not need is our abandonment of them in favor of our OWN civil equality."</em><br /></div><div><em></em></div><div><em><br /> </div></em><div><strong></strong> </div><div><strong>This inspiring message from a gay men reinstills ours faith that the LGBT community does have a chance of staying together. If Gay Inc. would listen, educate themselves and understand more, then that hope can become a reality.<br /></div></strong><br /><div>We hope to see you at the panel!<br /></div><br /><div>July 15th. 7:00-9:30pm <em>“<strong>Women Demanding Change Now</strong>: The Dehumanizing Misrepresentation of Transsexual Women through the Gay Male Hollywood Lens.”<br /></em></div><br /><div>For panel info: http://www.facebook.com/loveashleylove#!/event.php?eid=138251619535256&ref=mf</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6778768288126917598.post-32415357391997760342010-07-02T11:55:00.000-07:002010-07-02T12:16:56.667-07:00MAGNET Honors Sylvia Rivera's Birthday Today<div align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEyytunduOzJr64PIKsg3sc2HC-LGq6KBe6ezze8hOwGzBCvlz-JgmDKMRtqddxxhm9eLHKAi-2XetsEZXprDKXSIwR_eGsug3oVw_kuUEKzHBrryAhxqlCfZ583P2XLSv-mYtuOcpNqE/s1600/Sylvia_interview_on_Outrage_69.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489385679153240738" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 241px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEyytunduOzJr64PIKsg3sc2HC-LGq6KBe6ezze8hOwGzBCvlz-JgmDKMRtqddxxhm9eLHKAi-2XetsEZXprDKXSIwR_eGsug3oVw_kuUEKzHBrryAhxqlCfZ583P2XLSv-mYtuOcpNqE/s320/Sylvia_interview_on_Outrage_69.jpg" border="0" /></a><em> Sylvia Rivera never stopped exposing Gay Inc for excluding trans people, impoverished LGBT people, homeless LGBT youth and queer people of color.<br /></em><strong></strong><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong>Media Advocates Giving National Equality to Transsexual & Transgender People<br /><br /></strong><strong></strong><br />July 2nd, 2010<br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">MAGNET Honors Sylvia Rivera’s Birthday<br /></span><br /><br />Today, July 2nd, is LGBT pioneer Sylvia Rivera’s birthday. MAGNET honors this heroic woman, who is credited by historians as being the person who “threw the first heel” in the Stonewall Inn that fateful night in 1969, when the LGBT community decided to fight back against police brutality. Rivera and many other transgender and gender non-conforming people of color at the inn that night were “guilty” of having “gender inappropriate” clothing, which is the excuse the police used to exercise their prejudice with violence. The police were surprised when the guests at the bar decided to fight back! This riot catapulted the modern LGBT movement, and Rivera and other trans people were responsible for kicking things off.<br /><br /><br />Rivera continued to advocate for LGBT equality, particularly those disenfranchised and homeless. Sadly, after the gay establishment was done using her to get publicity to raise money, she was abandoned by the gay community, and actually died impoverished. They expressed that “transgender issues are too extreme”. Even the lesbian separatism “angry feminist” community would exclude her from women’s conferences, and she was one time escorted out of a queer women’s conference by enraged lesbian separatists who were transphobic. She was banned from the New York Gay Center for publicly asking them to take better care of homeless queer youth . When Rivera used her voice to call out the oppression of trans, poor and/or people of color from Gay Inc, she was blacklisted from many organizations, media outlets and social circles. Though the Gay Male Media Mafia tried to silence her truth telling, shortly before she died she foretold the future saying, “One of our main goals now is to destroy the Human Rights Campaign because I'm tired of sitting on the back of the bumper. It's not even the back of the bus anymore — it's the back of the bumper. The bitch on wheels is back.”<br /><br /><br />Today, a new documentary is making the festival circuit called “Stonewall Uprising”. Not surprisingly, the white gay and lesbian people primarily responsible for making the film totally “white washed” what really happened, by mainly interviewing white subjects, to having only white men on the promo poster. And it gets even more inaccurate and appalling, the films totally belittles the involvement not only LGBT people of color had in initiating our movement, but it downplays the significant role trans people had in igniting the flame that Stonewall accomplished. Sorry Gay Inc, no matter how hard you try, your desperate attempt to rewrite history, therefore oppressing trans folk and people of color, will not work. There’s a new Stonewall happening, and this “oppress our own pattern” is getting harder to maintain as the people continue to speak out. Before there was Harvey Milk, there was Sylvia Rivera.<br /><br /><br />If Sylvia Rivera were alive today, how would she feel about the current status of transsexual, transgender and intersex people in the LGBTQ community? How would she feel about the cries of LGBT people of color (<a href="http://www.getequalnow.org/">www.getequalnow.org</a>) who are protesting that their voices and needs are not being appreciated or included by the gay hierarchy?<br /><br /><br />On this special day honoring Sylvia Rivera’s birthday, MAGNET calls on all gay and lesbian people to remember who started Stonewall, and to try to be more understanding of your trans brothers and sisters. MAGNET calls on Gay Inc to remember that it was not the privileged assimilationists who first stormed the gates making it possible for this 40 year campaign for equality, it was lower income people of color who bravely returned transphobic and homophobic violence with such a resistance that the whole world knew the LGBT community had had enough.<br /><br /><br />Happy Birthday Sylvia Rivera, and thank you for taking a stand!<br /><br /><br />http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sylvia_Rivera </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6778768288126917598.post-55206683366741025672010-04-30T01:10:00.000-07:002010-04-30T01:23:51.725-07:00Ashley Love's Huffington Post Critique of "Ticked Off" Film<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3OE4ASlSh-ZCB3OJmkyVjki_QbIAqM6JwBrGzDuiunJXIP0GRnsk0FziX_pWkCl9KI6k0q_p8AXwU2s254qYtP-rkzWnq5-Mj0RyDcq6fbCHoj_K-tn-0EuRsD98TQfHAA9IjHRRBacQ/s1600/HuffingtonPost-Logo22.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465843335697477346" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 228px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 82px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3OE4ASlSh-ZCB3OJmkyVjki_QbIAqM6JwBrGzDuiunJXIP0GRnsk0FziX_pWkCl9KI6k0q_p8AXwU2s254qYtP-rkzWnq5-Mj0RyDcq6fbCHoj_K-tn-0EuRsD98TQfHAA9IjHRRBacQ/s400/HuffingtonPost-Logo22.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div align="left"></div><br /><div align="left">Read MAGNET Organizer's Ashley Love's critique of transphobic film "Ticked Off With Knives" published on The Huffington Post:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ashley-love">Ashley Love</a><br />Trans Advocate and writer<br />Posted: April 23, 2010 03:54 PM<br /><a class="blogger_menu" id="blogger_menu_bio" href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ashley-love/#blogger_bio">BIO</a> <a class="blogger_menu" id="blogger_menu_becomefan" onclick="QuickFan.pop('hp_blogger_Ashley Love'); return false;" href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/users/becomeFan.php?of=hp_blogger_Ashley">Become a Fan</a><br /><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ashley-love/an-image-id-rather-forget_b_549995.html#comments">Comments 10 </a><br /><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ashley-love/an-image-id-rather-forget_b_549995.html">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ashley-love/an-image-id-rather-forget_b_549995.html</a><br /><br /><a id="title_permalink" title="Permalink" href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ashley-love/an-image-id-rather-forget_b_549995.html">An Image I'd Rather Forget: A Critique of Ticked Off Tra**ies With Knives</a><br /><br /><a href="http://images.huffingtonpost.com/2010-04-27-freedom1.jpg"></a>The film Ticked Off Tra**ies With Knives (TOTWK), spreads fear, misogyny, and hateful ideology. I have seen the film and it's very upsetting that people unfamiliar with transsexual and transgender women will walk away from the film with a stigmatizing perception of trans women. This film is dangerous propaganda, whether intentional or not. TOTWK leaves the viewer with the false impression that transsexual and transgender women are unauthentic in their gender identity and really "gay men in drag." The film portrays all trans women as hyper sexualized, jokes, murderous and/or unstable. This is not only inaccurate; it's offensive and incites further misunderstanding and violence.<br /><br />A student of oppression in the media, I'm an organizer with a trans anti-defamation group named MAGNET-Media Advocates Giving National Equality to Trans People. MAGNET supports the thousands of people who signed GLAAD's petition urging Tribeca to remove this film or who joined the Boycott TOTWK Group. They're warranted in their protest/boycott of this film whether or not they saw the entire movie. The clips available to the public were reason enough to take action. Here's why:<br /><br />• Use of the dehumanizing pejorative and anti-trans slur "tra**ie" in the title.• Insensitively mentioning real trans victim's of hate crimes names in the trailer (A reedited trailer removes the victim's names).• Exploiting, devaluing and making light of the crisis of violence against trans women.• Director Israel Luna's misrepresentation that the film's about "transgender women" but often insinuates that the characters are not women - but rather men drag performers, "caricatures" & "impersonators."<br /><br />While we have great respect and admiration for some of the actors in the film, we have great concerns with the director misappropriating oppressed minorities for entertainment, and with Tribeca's irresponsible decision to showcase this film. GLAAD's analysis of the film maintained the following:<br /><br />Because of its positioning as a transgender film, viewers unfamiliar with the<br />lives of transgender women will likely leave this film with the impression that<br />transgender women are ridiculous caricatures of 'real women.' It demeans actual<br />transgender women who struggle for acceptance and respect in their day-to-day<br />lives and to be valued for their contributions to our society.<br /><br />Many stand with GLAAD's statement. Trans women are just that: women. They're fighting to pass ENDA, gain APA/GID reform and health care rights, and establish acceptance in society. TOTWK threatens that acceptance immensely. The unhealthy stigma that this film encourages generates misunderstanding and resistance against trans Americans in a country that seriously lacks education, rights and acceptance of trans people.<br /><br />Tribeca would never present a film with a title having the "n" word, an anti-Semitic slur, the misogynistic "c" word, or many other pejoratives. Tribeca considers the content of films they give a platform to. It's disappointing that the humanity and safety of trans women was devalued by Tribeca's programming department. It's a sad sign of the times that our concerns about depiction and well being are not considered on par with other minorities. Trans people need the same anti-defamation protections other oppressed minorities receive from Tribeca. We are exercising our freedom of speech by boycotting this film. "Cries of censorship" are just a diversion to take attention off the true issues, which are responsibility, accountability, humanity and oppression.<br /><br />I find it biased and unethical that many male journalists/bloggers have failed to address the feminist side of this debate. The violence, objectification and dehumanization of women in this film are also being protested. It's disappointing that this film's controversy has spotlighted the issues of ignorance, transphobia and misogyny internalized within some in the gay men's community who have opposed our protest, as well as society at large.<br /><br />Characters in the film, performers in a drag queen show, explain: "We have female qualities and characteristics... [and] straight male personalities." This description isn't the definition of a transgender woman, and provokes prejudice. That idea is one of the roots of anti-trans sentiment: the falsehood that trans women's gender identity is "fake". This propaganda is the same that the religious right has been preaching in their campaign to slander trans Americans, denying them equal rights (for instance, their "Do you want men in dresses teaching your children?" campaign), and now this film is doing their job for them! This isn't a "women's clothes fetish movement" for crying out loud! It's about "internal" gender. Luna would have had fewer problems if he would have named his film "Ticked Off Drag Queens With Knives" (yet there would still be issues). Inaccurately, he decided to market the film saying it was about transgender "women," yet portrayed them as over-the-top "impersonators" - actually mocking femininity. It stands to reason that transsexual and transgender feminists feel slighted, their identities misrepresented and attacked.<br /><br />Merriam Webster defines a drag queen as "a male homosexual who dresses as a woman especially for comic or theatrical effect." On the contrary, a woman of transsexual experience is "a woman in which the sex-related structures of the brain that define gender identity are exactly opposite the physical sex organs of the body. Put even more simply, a transsexual woman has a mind that is literally, physically, trapped in a body of the opposite sex." A person from the "transgender umbrella" is "someone whose personal idea of gender does not correlate with his or her assigned gender role." The sociopolitical identity umbrella term "transgender" is good for gaining legislation to protect the broad community, yet the diversity of sub groups (who are equal, but different) within the broad community cannot be ignored. Certainly diversity is the spice of life!<br /><br />Much of the dialog in the film is not only offensive, but effectively teaches the viewer an inaccurate perception of transgender individuals. At one point the performers allege that when God created Adam and Eve, he allegedly "created a third creature named Ava." Most trans women I know identify as "Eve's daughter," or with the "woman gender," not a "3rd gender," or as Luna writes, "a 3rd creature." Depicting trans women as "others," "neither, ors," "creatures" and "impersonators" is influential in adding to the segregation and misrepresentation of trans women. While some people identify as "gender queer and 3rd gender," none would wish to be characterized as a non-human creature. The film even introduces a new term - "tran-imal" (trans person = animal = not human) which may be the newest trend slur of the season!<br /><br />One of the characters expresses that sexual assault "turns her on." This is sickly morbid and disturbingly insensitive, especially given the high rate of sexual attacks and violence against trans women. In another scene a nurse is sexually inappropriate with another character who is recuperating in the hospital after surviving a hate crime attack. In this way Luna's script trivializes the crisis of violence against trans women which is horrifying and disempowering to all women.<br /><br />Some of the drag queen characters have a "trans face" act that is comparable to "black face" of decades past, when white men painted their faces and depicted black people as minstrels and subhuman. Likewise, "trans face" is just as dehumanizing to actual trans WOMEN. Their "trans face" act is "hyper sexualized, vile talking, flamboyant, gay man with women's clothes on. "By the end of the film, most of the characters are dead or brutalized. The film ends with a "drag diva" asking the others, "Do you know what the difference is between us and them [the dead men on the ground]?" The answer expressed: "I don't know. me either" And the film ends.<br /><br />So there you have it folks, "transgender women" are no different than "murdered men."<br /><br />And that last sentence pretty much sums up the message of the film.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6778768288126917598.post-33810567454312304842010-04-23T10:31:00.000-07:002010-04-23T10:34:29.812-07:00Info For Today's Education Rally<p>PRESS ADVISORY</p><p>April 23, 2010CONTACT:Ashley Love, Media Advocates Giving National Equality to Trans People (MAGNET)Email: <a href="mailto:magnet_right_now@yahoo.com">magnet_right_now@yahoo.com</a></p><p><strong>Advocates hold Education Rally @ Tribeca Film “Ticked Off Tra**ies with Knives” Premiere</strong></p><p><strong>WHAT:</strong> An education rally to raise awareness about the anti-trans film “Ticked Off Tra**ies With Knives” (TOTWK). LGBT advocates and allies to speak out against the film which is set to appear at the 2010 Tribeca Film Festival. A candlelight vigil to honor victims of anti-trans violence will be held after the rally.<br /></p><p><strong>WHO</strong>: Melissa Sklarz, Director of New York Trans Rights Organization, Ashley Love- Organizer of MAGNET & Trans Advocate, Jay Kallio from Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund (TLDF),<br /></p><p><strong>WHEN/WHERE:</strong> Friday April 23. Location: 181 2nd Ave NYC- Village East Cinemas8pm-10pm- rally, speakers, vigil11-30pm - re-gather and rally12am- Movie premiere starts, but we will be passing out educational flyers <br /></p><p><strong>WHY</strong>: TOTWK makes light of anti-trans violence and rape, promotes the pejorative, anti-trans slur ‘tra**y’, and misrepresents, stigmatizes & dehumanizes the lives of transsexual and transgender women everywhere. Despite staunch outcry from the trans community, the film is set to appear at this year’s coveted Tribeca Film Festival.Tribeca Film Festival officials have refused to remove TOTWK from its 2010 program. MAGNET is now organizing an education rally, in association with New York Trans Rights Organization and Transcend Boston, that will draw attention to the injustices and oppression trans people face every day.<br /></p><p>“The unhealthy stigma and misrepresentation that this film inspires generates misunderstanding and resistance against trans Americans in a country that seriously lacks education, rights and acceptance of trans people”, states Ashley Love, Organizer of MAGNET.<br />--------------------------------------------</p><p>Media Advocates Giving National Equality to Trans People (MAGNET) is an anti-defamation organization dedicated to educating the media about transsexual and transgender issues, as well as pushing for more authentic and positive portrayals of trans people in the media.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6778768288126917598.post-58742838554792057562010-04-22T15:20:00.000-07:002010-04-22T15:25:40.273-07:00"An Image I'd Rather Forget"- Ashley Love's Critique & Synopsis of TOTWK<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWCkLL7_DjM4-MbRsYPjVPHxH8UZHpJXJQxWWzqZeFgGLvaxV2bg4xZagwVs-zY-XFtlFxsAyS0-mwOmUWZHaFjap-XFNeP-rtGmx_Y8nS8VCzVA-R-l0YYSVszOSVl33EHI1rEUaHENA/s1600/300px-transgender_yin-yang_svg.png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWCkLL7_DjM4-MbRsYPjVPHxH8UZHpJXJQxWWzqZeFgGLvaxV2bg4xZagwVs-zY-XFtlFxsAyS0-mwOmUWZHaFjap-XFNeP-rtGmx_Y8nS8VCzVA-R-l0YYSVszOSVl33EHI1rEUaHENA/s400/300px-transgender_yin-yang_svg.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463091536851360034" /></a>
<br />
<br />Note: If you'd like to read my more detailed/longer synopsis of the film, email me at magnet_right_now@yahoo.com
<br />
<br />The film “Ticked Off Tra**ies With Knives” spreads a fear, misogyny and hate stemmed ideology. I have seen the film and it’s very upsetting that people unfamiliar with transsexual and transgender women will walk away from the film with a stigmatizing perception of trans women. This film is dangerous propaganda, whether intentional or not. TOTWK leaves the viewer with the false impression that transsexual and transgender women are unauthentic in their gender identity and really “gay men in drag.” The film portrays all trans women as hypersexualized, jokes, murderous and/or unstable. This is not only inaccurate, it's offensive and incites further misunderstanding and violence.
<br /></div>
<br /><p></p><div>A student of oppression in the media, I’m an organizer with a trans anti-defamation group named MAGNET-Media Advocates Giving National Equality to Trans People. MAGNET supports the thousands of people who signed GLAAD’s petition urging Tribeca to remove this film or joined the Boycott TOTWK Group. They’re warranted in their protest/boycott of this film whether or not they saw the entire movie. The clips available to the public were reason enough to take action.
<br /></div>
<br /><ul><li>Use of the dehumanizing pejorative and anti-trans slur “tra**ie” in the title.
<br /></li><li>Insensitively mentioning real trans victim’s of hate crimes names in the trailer (A reedited trailer removes the victim’s names).
<br /></li><li>Exploiting, devaluing and making light of the crisis of violence against trans women.
<br /></li><li>Director Israel Luna’s misrepresentation that the film’s about “transgender women”, but often insinuates that the characters are not women- but rather men drag performers, “caricatures” & “impersonators.”
<br />
<br /></li></ul><p>While we have great respect and admiration for some of the actors in the film, we have great concerns with the director misrepresenting oppressed minorities for entertainment, and with Tribeca’s irresponsible decision to showcase this film. In GLAAD’s analysis of the film, they say, “Because of its positioning as a transgender film, viewers unfamiliar with the lives of transgender women will likely leave this film with the impression that transgender women are ridiculous caricatures of ’real women.’ It demeans actual transgender women who struggle for acceptance and respect in their day-to-day lives and to be valued for their contributions to our society.”
<br />
<br /></p><div></div><div>Many stand with GLAAD’s statement. Trans women are just that: women. They’re fighting to pass ENDA, gain APA/GID reform and health care rights, and establish acceptance in society. TOTWK threatens that acceptance immensely. The unhealthy stigma that this film encourages generates misunderstanding and resistance against trans Americans in a country that seriously lacks education, rights and acceptance of trans people.
<br />
<br /></div><div></div><div>Tribeca would never present a film with a title having the “N” word, an anti-Semitic slur, the misogynistic “c” word, or many other pejoratives. Tribeca considers the content of films they give a platform to. It’s disappointing that the humanity and safety of trans women was devalued by Tribeca’s programming department. It’s a sad sign of the times that our concerns about depiction and wellbeing are not considered on par with other minorities. Trans people need the same anti-defamation protections other oppressed minorities receive from Tribeca. We are exercising our freedom of speech by boycotting this film. “Cries of censorship” are just a diversion to take attention off the true issues, which are responsibility, accountability, humanity and oppression.
<br />
<br /></div><div>I find it biased and unethical that many male journalists/bloggers have failed to address the feminist side of this debate. The violence, objectification and dehumanization of women in this film are also being protested. It’s disappointing that this film’s controversy has spotlighted the issues of ignorance, transphobia and misogyny internalized within some in the gay men’s community who have opposed our protest, as well as society at large.
<br />
<br /></div><div></div><div>Characters in the film, performers in a drag queen show, describe themselves as “We have female qualities and characteristics….straight male personalities.” That description isn’t the definition of a transgender woman, and provokes prejudice. This is one of the roots of anti-trans sentiment: the falsehood that trans women’s gender identity is “fake”. This propaganda is the same that the religious right has been preaching in their campaign to slander trans Americans, denying them equal rights (see their "Do you want men in dresses teaching your children?" campaign), and now this film is doing their job for them! This isn’t a “women’s clothes fetish movement” for crying out loud! It’s about “internal” gender. Luna would have had fewer problems if he would have named his film “Ticked Off “Drag Queens” With Knives” (yet there would still be issues). Inaccurately, he decided to market the film saying it was about transgender “women”, yet portrayed them as over-the-top “impersonators” – actually mocking femininity. It stands to reason that transsexual and transgender feminists feel slighted, their identities misrepresented and attacked.
<br />
<br /></div><div>Merriam Webster defines a drag queen as “a male homosexual who dresses as a woman especially for comic or theatrical effect”. Completely different, a woman of transsexual experience is “a woman in which the sex-related structures of the brain that define gender identity are exactly opposite the physical sex organs of the body. Put even more simply, a transsexual woman has a mind that is literally, physically, trapped in a body of the opposite sex.” A person from the “transgender umbrella” is “someone whose personal idea of gender does not correlate with his or her assigned gender role.” The social political identity umbrella term “transgender” is good for gaining legislation to protect the broad community, yet the diversity of sub groups (who are equal, but different) within the broad community cannot be ignored. Certainly diversity is the spice of life!
<br />
<br /></div><div></div><div>Much of the dialog in the film is not only offensive, but effectively teaches the viewer an inaccurate perception of transgender individuals. At one point the performers allege that when God created Adam and Eve, he allegedly “created a third creature named Ava”. Most trans women I know identify as “Eve’s daughter”, or “woman gender”, not a “3rd gender”, or as Luna writes, “a 3rd creature”. Depicting trans women as “others”, “neither, ors” “creatures” and “impersonators” is influential in adding to the segregation and misrepresentation of trans women. While some people identify as “gender queer and 3rd gender,” none would wish to be characterized as a non-human creature. The film even introduces a new term - “tran-imal” (trans person = animal = not human) – which may be the newest trend slur of the season!
<br />
<br /></div><div>One of the characters expresses that sexual assault "turns her on.” This is sickly morbid and disturbingly insensitive, especially given the high rate of sexual attacks and violence against trans women. In another scene a nurse is sexually inappropriate with another character who is recuperating in the hospital after surviving a hate crime attack. In this way Luna’s script trivializes the crisis of violence against trans women which is horrifying and disempowering to all women.
<br />
<br /></div><div>Some of the characters have a “trans face” act that is comparable to “black face” of decades past, when white men painted their faces and depicted black people as “minstrels and subhuman”. Likewise, “trans face” is just as dehumanizing and offensive to actual trans WOMEN. Their “trans face” act is “hypersexualized, vile talking, flamboyant, gay man with women’s clothes on. “
<br />
<br /></div><div></div><div>By the end of the film, most of the characters are dead or brutalized. The film ends with a drag diva asking the others “Do you know what the difference is between us and them (the dead men on the ground)?” The answer expressed: “I don’t know,” “Me either”- film ends. So there you have it folks, “transgender women” are no different than “murdered men”.
<br />
<br />And that last sentence pretty much sums up the message of the film. </div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6778768288126917598.post-10664341897684852892010-04-14T13:19:00.000-07:002010-04-19T16:11:43.198-07:00April 23th "Opening Night" Education Rally & Vigil Info.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_8loxU1dTIuV527UA8NFPqMb-_x8_jqXdZL9fBB-ORgJ5d7Xio4sm6tkLndm3aixfca4YBoL0kunmOU1JvUeH51EzNCC5XWg32hj9tXqvz7jBZKS61fHKp3oVzt8tpZyp4AymWqTo7T0/s1600/NCAJEBWF6CA944NAGCA1O08TUCA4MYRRZCAW64W7VCA8BHS7CCA7JKKPJCAE7QPFBCAY30ABLCA79QB6VCAFLVZROCA6K7MV7CA145Z68CAKAHMZVCA9HFDAECA7SUFW0CAA7B4TWCA3ORVJMCA9G4ABK.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 148px; height: 74px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_8loxU1dTIuV527UA8NFPqMb-_x8_jqXdZL9fBB-ORgJ5d7Xio4sm6tkLndm3aixfca4YBoL0kunmOU1JvUeH51EzNCC5XWg32hj9tXqvz7jBZKS61fHKp3oVzt8tpZyp4AymWqTo7T0/s320/NCAJEBWF6CA944NAGCA1O08TUCA4MYRRZCAW64W7VCA8BHS7CCA7JKKPJCAE7QPFBCAY30ABLCA79QB6VCAFLVZROCA6K7MV7CA145Z68CAKAHMZVCA9HFDAECA7SUFW0CAA7B4TWCA3ORVJMCA9G4ABK.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460111182480071234" /></a><br /><br />Education rally concerning the problematic film, "Ticked Off Tra**ies With Knives" <br /><br />Location: 181 2nd Ave NYC- Village East Cinemas<br />8pm-10pm- rally, speakers, vigil<br />11-30pm - re-gather and rally<br />12am- movie premiere starts, but we will be passing out educational flyers and rally with signs<br /><br />April 23 Educational Rally on Tribeca’s Opening Night of “TOTWK”- a film which is transphobic, dehumanizing, offensive, misrepresents and endangers trans women’s lives.<br /><br />What: An educational rally educating about the transphobic film “Ticked Off Trannies With Knives (TOTWK)”. Celebrities, trans advocates & LGBT activists will be speaking. A candle light vigil for trans victims of hate crimes will also be held.<br /><br />Why: The movie makes light of violence and rape against trans women, exploits the high-profile murder of teenager Angie Zapata, includes the pejorative term “trannies” in its title, inaccurately depicts trans women’s identities as drag queen “performers” and “caricatures” and misrepresents the lives of an extremely disenfranchised group who suffer violence at alarming rates. <br /><br /><br />See more INFO on why we are boycotting film: http://www.facebook.com/loveashleylove?ref=profile#!/group.php?gid=106926329329724&ref=mf<br /><br />http://www.facebook.com/loveashleylove?ref=profile#!/group.php?gid=103500239687288&ref=tsUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6778768288126917598.post-75771790970394980692010-04-06T01:52:00.000-07:002010-04-06T02:15:11.023-07:00MAGNET helps organize protest to combat transphobia<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCyUDChe04y2bbNrdU8S7BOrCr-8lAZMnwdExlWJBUyDg6Opic7zKCIop3KPupSD5pyBQX8HXUsoPJoVmm-gTYJDGFcSLBMVC0qVFk8GesqiA9_lMDaebnMXTI30Vbv4Xyb1mUz1FJyVA/s1600/6a00d8341cfb9553ef0120a7e24a56970b-320wi.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456950496911600274" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 310px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCyUDChe04y2bbNrdU8S7BOrCr-8lAZMnwdExlWJBUyDg6Opic7zKCIop3KPupSD5pyBQX8HXUsoPJoVmm-gTYJDGFcSLBMVC0qVFk8GesqiA9_lMDaebnMXTI30Vbv4Xyb1mUz1FJyVA/s320/6a00d8341cfb9553ef0120a7e24a56970b-320wi.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><strong><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">Media Advocates Giving National Equality to Trans People (MAGNET)<br /></span></strong><br />CONTACT: Organizer of MAGNET: Ashley Love- Email: <a href="mailto:magnet_right_now@yahoo.com">magnet_right_now@yahoo.com</a><br /><br />Press Release: For immediate release April 4, 2010<br /><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">“Protest/rally Against Tribeca’s Decision to Premiere Transphobic Film “Ticked Off Trannies With Knives”<br /></span></strong><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong>What</strong>:</span> A protest/rally demanding that Tribeca Film Festival remove the transphobic film “Ticked Off Trannies With Knives (TOTWK)”. Melissa Sklarz (Director of New York Trans Rights Organization), Ashley Love (Media Advocates Giving National Equality to Trans People), Denise Le Claire (Exec. Director of International Foundation of Gender Education), celebrities, & LGBT activists will be speaking. A candle light vigil for trans victims of hate crimes will also be held.<br /><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">When/Where</span></strong>: Tuesday, April 6th, 2010 6:30-8:00pm @ Tribeca Cinemas @ 54 Varick Street, NYC<br /><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">Why:</span></strong> The movie makes light of violence and rape against trans women, exploits the high-profile murder of teenager Angie Zapata, includes the pejorative term “trannies” in its title, inaccurately depicts trans women’s identities as drag queen “performers” and “caricatures” and misrepresents the lives of an extremely disenfranchised group who suffer violence at alarming rates.<br /><br />Kim Pearson, Executive Director of <strong>Trans Youth Family Allies (TYFA)</strong>, says "Negative and stereotyped media portrayals of transgender people hurt the community because Americans still need more education on transgender issues. The images in this film (TOTWK) make a mockery of their lives. I want more for my child and all transgender people.”<br /><br />“The transsexual and transgender communities are all too often the victims of violence, marginalization and discrimination as a result of inaccurate media depictions like this film, which is offensive, dehumanizing and misogynistic and causes further misunderstanding and harm to an already dangerously oppressed minority group”, states Ashley Love, Organizer of <strong>Media Advocates Giving National Equality to Trans People (MAGNET).<br /></strong><br /><strong>MAGNET</strong> had a meeting with staff at <strong>Tribeca Center</strong> on Friday, March 26, educating them about why this film is extremely problematic and dehumanizing. They refused to remove the film or make a statement that they don’t endorse the oppression of transsexual and transgender women, so <strong>MAGNET </strong>is now organizing a protest/rally, in association with Families <strong>United Against Hate, International Foundation For Gender Education, New York Trans Rights Organization, </strong>and<strong> Remembering Our Dead,</strong> to demand that they remove the film, and to draw attention to injustices trans people face in everyday life and in the media. Many trans advocates, trans organizations, women’s groups and allies voiced their concerns to <strong>GLAAD</strong>, expressing they needed aggressive action. <strong>GLAAD</strong> issued an uncompromising and strong petition & call to action demanding that Tribeca remove the film: http://www.glaad.org/calltoaction/032510<br /><br />To support or endorse protest on Tuesday, receive information about issues raised or press questions, or become involved in anti-defamation/media work for the transsexual and transgender communities:<br />CONTACT: Organizer of MAGNET: Ashley Love- Email: magnet_right_now@yahoo.com<br /><br />Join the “Boycott TOTWK” Facebook page & find more info/articles on the story: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=103500239687288&ref=mf#!/group.php?gid=106926329329724<br />For info/articles on issues raised: Ashley Love’s blog: www.transformingmedia.blogspot.com<br /><br />Media Advocates Giving National Equality to Trans People (MAGNET) is an anti-defamation organization dedicated to educating the media about transsexual and transgender issues, as well as pushing for more authentic and positive portrayals of trans people in the media.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0