11/15/13

PCC publishes transgender inclusive guidelines in response to TERF Julie Burchill telling 'Transsexuals should cut it out'."

The Guardian published Julie Burchill's trans toxic tirade in response to the slightly less offensive article Seeing red: the power of female anger but then deleted it after the experiencing the international transgender community outrage.

But that fact does not exonerate the Guardian nor does cries for freedom of speech or ignorance excuse the publishing of Burchills article in the first place.

The new transgender inclusive guidance from the PCC makes it clear, TERF Julie Burchill article was indeed hate speech by UK standards.

Protection from discrimination
Under the terms of Clause 12 (Discrimination), (i) "the press must avoid prejudicial or pejorative reference to an individual's race, colour, religion, gender, sexual orientation or to any physical or mental illness or disability". In addition, part (ii) makes clear that "details of an individual's race, colour, religion, sexual orientation, physical or mental illness or disability must be avoided unless genuinely relevant to the story". While the Commission does not regard transgender status or gender dysphoria as constituting an "illness or disability", it does consider that the terms of Clause 12 - parts (i) and (ii) - encompass transgender status and gender dysphoria.

Editors should consider carefully the language they employ to refer to individuals of transgender status, taking care to ensure that it is not pejorative or discriminatory. PCC staff members are available to provide Code advice on this issue, including guidance on previous rulings. Groups with expertise in this area have produced specialist guidance for journalists and are available to advise on individual cases (see below), although it is important to note that there is a range of views within the community on terminology issues.

Editors should also be aware of the issue of relevance. It may be useful to assess whether a story would be considered newsworthy if it did not concern an individual of transgender status, and if so, whether the individual's status is genuinely relevant.

its encouraging that the Guardian Published the PCC update thereby acknowledging their responsibility. Now, lets see if the UK's notoriously irresponsible media lives up to there responsibilities as well.

Read the Press Complaints Commision's in full here.

Skirts for Sasha draws hundreds in skirts in Oakland march of support

Sarah Hoffman reminds us a march was held in Oakland last night for Sasha who identifies as A Gender.

Sasha's skirt was set on fire by Richard Thomas after falling asleep on on a city bus on the way home.

16 year old Thomas was charged as an adult with this hate crime after telling police he did because he was homophobic. The crime was also caught on surveillance video but police haven't released it saying its too disturbing.




Tux wearing Texas transgender Teen Jeydon Loredo told his yearbook photo violated "Community Standards"

"When I found out about this I almost didn't want to take it" Jeydon told Action 4 news meaning the picture but his sentiment could mean, and has meant so much more to other trans youth facing discrimination from schools.
The Burnt Orange Reports that the Southern Law Center (SPLC) will take legal action by November 21'st if Jeydons picture is not in the yearbook.

Being a transgender Texan only a few miles away I find this sort of discrimination appalling. Texans are better than that and we know it.

Both HRC and the Southern Law Center have become involved asking the school board to respect Jeydon but in the correspondence form the Board the continued to misgender Jeydon and use his birth name.

The SPLC's demand letter describes how refusing to include the photograph violates the student’s freedom of expression, which is protected by the First Amendment. It also violates the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment, which protects the student from discrimination, as well as Title IX, which bars discrimination on the basis of sex by any education program receiving federal money. Refusing to publish the photograph would even violate the school district’s own anti-discrimination policies.




Call it out: Yearbooks are for memories not discrimination!

The theme for La Feria High School's yearbook shouldn’t be discrimination.
But officials at the Texas school want to stop Jeydon Loredo, a male student, from being featured in the yearbook wearing his tuxedo like every other boy, simply because he’s transgender.
This kind of discrimination isn't just wrong - it's in direct violation of federal law and the school's very own policies.
The issue has been appealed to the school board with the help of our partners in this effort, the Southern Poverty Law Center. Jeydon’s family has asked equality supporters like you to help ensure that Jeydon can appear in the school’s yearbook wearing his tuxedo.
Tell the La Feria School Board to take decisive and clear action: Let Jeydon’s tuxedo photo appear in the yearbook alongside his friends and classmates. Discrimination against transgender students is a violation of school values.

Click here to send your message to the La Feria school board.



Body found in a Detroit alley trashcan is transgender say community members


Detroit police discovered a body inside an alley trash can Friday night off Woodward Avenue. Members of Detroit's transgender community say the victim was one of their own.
FOX NEWS EDITOR'S NOTE: Detroit police have confirmed this.

There is nothing more about this person on the Internet presently. There must be more.

Ruth Ellis center.org/

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11/14/13

Caught on Cell Video Transgender girl attacked by mob at Hercules High School

Law enforcement and school officials are investigating a fight the occurred Wednesday at the school as a possible hate crime. According to faculty a group of cisgender students have been harassing the trans girl for some time and had received a warning to stop just days before the attack.

ABC 7 reports "School officials say the transgender student initiated the physical contact, but only after she was verbally assaulted."

"After being under stressful situations day after day of being teased and talked about, obviously at some point you're going to explode," said Charles Ramsey with the West Contra Costa School Board.

"The transgender student complained to school administrators about being bullied just two days ago and a warning was given to the other students involved."

"They were told knock it off and then something transpired yesterday afternoon," Adam Taylor with the West Contra Costa School District told ABC 7 news.




11/13/13

Watch Melissa Harris-Perry video tribute to the NCTE

Source NCTE "On November 12, 2013, the National Center for Transgender Equality honored Melissa Harris-Perry with the Media Momentum Award in recognition of her show's groundbreaking work covering transgender issues and including transgender voices. Though she could not be there to accept the award in person, she shared this video with NCTE to express her gratitude. Watch what she has to say about getting our stories right."