VOTE!!!!!!!!

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This is it.

Vote.

ELECTION DAY IS NOVEMBER 3, 2015.

Transgender makeovers provided for free to the gender-diverse community in Canberra (Australia)

Kimberley Le Lievre
canberratimes.com.au

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Transgender woman's 2002 death remains unsolved

Kerry Cardoza
Sun-Times Network

Nizah Morris

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ezs note:  I know... the case is very cold, and a certain member of the Philadelphia police department was of NO help (*AHEM*) but Nizah Morris deserves justice NOW.  If you lived in Philadelphia in December of 2002, and have any information, please call 215-686-TIPS (8477).  Thanks.

Political promise: Transgender Sanam Fakir optimistic about getting reserved seat (Pakistan)

Press
The Express-Tribune

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Transgender grandmother and her family portrayed in photography exhibit

Staff
The Herald News

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DOJ, U.S. Dept. Of Education Support Virginia Transgender Teen In Using Boy’s Restroom At His High School

Jean Marie Abellans
ischoolguide

Gavin Grimm

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Centerville, Massachusetts

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ezs comment #5

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Works cited:  Dispatches: The Courage to Combat Indonesia's Homophobia

Aw, crap, this is gonna be a long one...

When I think of the long, long stretch of LGBT history (and most particularly that of transgender history) there is one date which stands out in my mind: 1946.  Granted, there is a long historical tome laid out for us; Sappho was one of the earliest lesbians; Albert Cashier was involved in the Union Army and served there with distinction - we cannot ignore what he did.  However, in the days immediately following World War II, the nations of the world finally got together and formed the United Nations.  (By the way, one of the people who gathered was former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt.)

When the first group of nations gathered together, it was in San Francisco.  Indonesia came soon after, 

in 1950.  Here in the United States, we quaintly like to believe in a "patchwork nation". Well, in Indonesia, the population may be less, but the people are far more diverse.  Case in point:  the province known as Aceh.  Aceh is, um, different. Located in the far western portion of one of the islands (Sumatra) it is definitely Muslim.

Meanwhile, work was continuing on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.  What this document did was put into written form what a human being was, and what his/her rights were.  Its ideas were spotty at best; for example, women did not gain the full right to vote in Switzerland until 1970.  However, it was a guidepost.  What it also was to serve as a launching pad for various groups, some of which were known (for example, race and sex were mentioned in the Charter) but many of which came into being only later - elders, natives, disabled people, and, notably, the LGBT community.  

Transgender people were the latest among the populace to gain a foothold; Laverne Cox was a first actress to get an Emmy, and Caitlyn Jenner was the first Olympic champion to come out of the closet.  Even with the advances made by people voicing more loudly, it's a hard road.  Nothing against Laverne and Caitlyn, but with beauty on a 1 to 10, well, I think you know where they would wind up.  And it isn't their blessing and/or curse, really.  I remember early in the movie "Ma vie en rose" Ludovic says he wants to be pretty.  Her grandmother "corrects" her, saying "Not pretty, but handsome".

And what about beauty, anyhow?  Despite its pedestrian view of being only 'skin deep', beauty carries with it a hell of a lot of baggage.  Add to that the transgender woman's 'friends', enemies, and observers myopic attitudes regarding beauty as being somehow "subversive", you can add a few bricks to the baggage.

However, when we look at the larger picture, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is here, and isn't going anywhere.  Let's look again at the Declaration for transgender people, paraphrased:

• We are free and equal in dignity and rights. (Article 1)
• Note carefully what it says in Article 2:  "Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion..."  Could it be?  Hmmm....
• We have the right to "life, liberty, and security of person." (Article 3)
• No punishment is allowed.  (Article 5)
• No one should be arbitrarily arrested. (Article 9)
• We have the right to go we want.  (Article 13)
• We have the right to seek asylum.  (italics mine) (Article 14)
• We have the right to hold our own opinions.  (Article 18)
• We have the right to form associations.  (Article 20)
• We have the right to vote.  (Article 21)

What of Indonesia's (and Aceh's) future in all this?  For better or worse, Indonesia became a signatory in 1950.  Which means, as such, Indonesia willingly took on certain duties to the international community.  By their very nature, Articles in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights are not supposed to be easy.  When we go to the table, by all rights, we expect difficulty.  

Aceh, as it been mentioned before, is very much a Muslim territory.  Indonesia tries to keep the whole thing together by offering Aceh "special status".  However, when they signed the agreement with the United Nations, they agreed to principles documented in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.  Otherwise, it's only a piece of paper.  We don't want that.

Cheers,

Emily

Dispatches: The Courage to Combat Indonesia’s Homophobia

Kyle Knight
Human Rights Watch

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Philly voters to decide on LGBT office, new planning post

Tricia L. Nadolny
philly.com

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Help our Afghani friends!

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We remain unaware - blissfully unaware - of the earthquakes which ravage the poorer countries on which we share this earth.  Even in the area where quakes are more prevalent, things tend to be much sunnier.  Not so in Afghanistan. The death toll has surpassed 100, and is likely to climb much higher.

As for me,  Doctors Without Borders is my choice.  If you agree, please click the logo on the upper right and fill out the donation form that appears here.

Of course, there are many other very worthy funds to donate to.  Here are some others:

Doctors Without Borders/Medecins Sans Frontieres (outside US)

American Red Cross

Save the Children

There are also many churches, synagogues, mosques, and civic groups that are sending money to Afghanistan.   Please be sure, though, that the money being spent is going directly to relief supplies and medication.

Thanks.

Ask Amy: Is her guy hanging with the girls because he's bored? (see third letter)

Amy Dickinson
Chicago Tribune

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My Trans Experience: I'm Not Who You Thought I Was

Brad Migliaro
Hartford Courant

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Tina's Story: My Fifty-Year Journey from Shadow to Sun

Pamela Valentine
Chicago Now

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'We can't say it’s fine, because it’s not fine': Transgender model Lea T insists LGBT people are still being discriminated against, calls for society to 'do more' (UK)

Valerie Siebert
Daily Mail

Lea T

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Pope Francis Sees Some Bishops With 'Closed Hearts'

Lucas Grindley
Advocate

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Review: 'Becoming Nicole: The Transformation of an American Family,' by Amy Ellis Nutt

Kurtis Scaletta
Star Tribune

Amy Ellis Nutt

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Christina Kahrl, transgender pioneer long before Caitlyn Jenner, says passion for talking, writing baseball transcends differences

Michael O'Keefe
New York Daily News

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Viewpoint: October is Transgender Awareness Month

Michaela Bishop

Ravalli Republic

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Education needed on inclusion of transgender students

Margeaux Mutz
Tallahassee Democrat

Margeaux Mutz

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Chicago-area school district defies government on transgender access

Fiona Ortiz
Reuters

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please press:  http://www.reuters.com

Dayton, Ohio

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