The Legalize Trans campaign is an artistic and educational campaign intended to create dialogue about trans people and their experiences. The project serves to emphasize the need for Transgender inclusivity within the dominant national Lesbian and Gay...
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Reblogged from fartfuldodger  230 notes
Posted 28, June, 2017

A Love Letter to my Trans Men of Color

fartfuldodger:

We gotta have a talk, men. I want you to know that I see you. I see the amazing things that you take upon yourself to accomplish, just because you know that there is someone out there who needs it. Brilliant, powerful trans men like Cris CeeKay (Community Kinship Life - Ck Life), Sean Coleman (Destination Tomorrow), and Jevon Martin (Princess Janae Place), pour their resources and lives every day into making sure that trans people are able to get what they need to survive and thrive.

One thing that kept coming up during the interview portion of the study was this feeling of responsibility towards “the next guy.” After each time someone described standing up for himself to a transphobic provider, it was always followed by something like, “It’s no big deal to me, I can handle it. I just don’t want them to do that to the next guy.” So many of us are doing this thing where advocacy for a brother in community comes so naturally, but often to the detriment or neglect of our own self advocacy.

I understand a number of reasons why folks might look out for others before themselves, but my point is this: we can’t keep this up forever, guys. You are important. Your life and your experiences and your wisdom and your *needs* are important. And if it helps you to think about it this way - if we don’t take care of ourselves, then we won’t have anything left for the next guy, much less the next next guy or the guy after him.

The thing about studies like the one we are running is that far more white people are inclined to participate than POC. There are a lot of reasons why, but at the end of the day when only white folks show up to get counted, then any services or programs that get funded through citing these studies will only center the needs of those white people. And you and I both know that there are often other communities that are in the most need of support.

So take the damn survey, would you? When you show up and let us know what you need, you get to do both - advocate for yourself *AND* for the next guy. What Gus and I are trying to do is build a body of data that says that trans men - specifically Black and brown trans men - know what we need to make the healthcare system better for us. But we’ll only get there if we show up.

We’re closing out on data collection at the end of this week. Please, please take the time and do it. It should only take you around 20-30 minutes. The next guy, and all the guys after him are counting on it.

http://tinyurl.com/TMHealthSurvey

In Community,
Charlie

Trans Men of Color, This health survey needs to hear from you. Read this impassioned letter from our friend Charlie and then take the survey at http://tinyurl.com/TMHealthSurvey

Reblogged from gaywrites  276 notes
Posted 18, February, 2016

When providers don’t inquire about and honor individuals’ preferred terminology for their gender and their body parts, the outcome is more than just discomfort. It exacerbates a potent source of distress–distress so intense as to be potentially life-threatening for the patient. It is alarmingly common for trans masculine patients in qualitative data from our study to report extreme anxiety, needing to dissociate in order to get through doctor visits and even avoidance of healthcare services altogether. This is particularly true in the context of sexual healthcare services. By Catching the Unicorn: The Promising Power of Trans Masculine Gender Affirmation in Sexual Healthcare and Beyond | Sari Reisner for the Huffington Post 
(via gaywrites)

1,020 notes
Posted 24, December, 2015

New York City Now Requires Employers To Use Trans People's Pronouns Of Choice

“Employers, landlords, and cops in New York City are now legally required to use people’s pronouns of choice when addressing them — and restaurants are no longer allowed to deny service to men just because they refused to wear a tie.”

Reblogged from super-rainbows  125,314 notes
Posted 20, December, 2015

likelyhealthy:

Meeting the Needs of Older LGBTQ People

The 519 has a long history of working to build inclusive care environments for older LGBTQ people, including delivering training to care providers. Given the aging population in Canada, we want to continue to build upon those efforts.

The current generation of older LGBTQ people have experienced a lifetime of discrimination due to their sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression and they face very specific challenges as they age:

- They are less likely to seek health care when they need it;

- They often do not disclose their sexual orientation and/or gender identity and expression to their care providers for fear of discrimination;

- They report more feelings of isolation from their communities;

- They are at a higher risk for negative health outcomes later in life, including depression, suicide, substance abuse, smoking, etc.  

(Brotman & Ryan, 2008)

The 519 Education and Training Team offer workshops and resources that support safe, welcoming and inclusive care environments for LGBTQ older people. The training supports organizations and individuals to understand the needs of older LGBTQ people. Workshops will help participants to:

- Identify and discuss reasons an older LGBTQ person may be distrustful of the health or social care systems and/or reluctant to seek the care they need;

- Demonstrate and share an empathetic understanding of the barriers faced by older LGBTQ people;

- Make appropriate use of pronouns;

- Propose ways to foster a safe and LGBTQ-inclusive care environment for older people, their friends and chosen families.

For more information about training and resources, please contact:

Steven Little

Manager, Education and Training

416-355-6772

slittle@the519.org

#respectyourelders #nobystanders