The UN takes the lead

Just askin' - what country or state do you live in?  If you live in any of the six New England states, New York, Delaware, or one of the particularly liberal countries (France in particular) then you can relax.  Life's pretty darn good there.  Y'all can relax.

But what if you lived in Mali?

Or Russia?

Or Iran?

Or Mississippi?

Fortunately for all of us (and I do mean all of us - worldwide) the UN is taking a bold stand.  Not the kind where you snap your fingers and have everything all better, but the UN is a powerful force for good.  I know, sometimes it seems you are pushing a very heavy rock up a very steep hill, but be assured that things will be better.  Recently in Guatemala, a former president was put on trial for genocide.  Guatemalans were understandably skeptical.

But he was convicted!

We can reform our laws.  We can live in a civil society.  The UN, despite its occasional foibles, in many cases is the only force for freedom in an uncivil society.  Gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgenders need to be supportive of the UN.

Discovering Our Transgender Pride
Justine May Calma
http://www.lbpost.com/

*more here*

Transgender teen Issak Wolfe set to speak to Red Lion School Board
Ewa Roman
http://www.whptv.com/


*more here*

Competitive Enterprise Institute to honor transgender woman at annual dinner
Sean Higgins
http://washingtonexaminer.com/


*more here*

Whitman-Walker Honors Advocates
John Riley
www.metroweekly.com


*more here*

LGBT exists in church, panel says
 CASSANDRA CALDERON
http://www.thefalcononline.com/


*more here*

Danielle And Cathleen Kaufman, Married Couple, Discuss How They Both Came Out Of Closet
 Glennisha Morgan
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/

Gay Men, Lesbians Differ on LGBT-Friendly Corporate Policies, Advertising
Erik Sass
http://www.mediapost.com/


*more here*

UN promises a free and equal world for gays
Omar Kuddus
http://www.gaystarnews.com/

*more here*

LGBT community fumes, says transgender no disease

Sukanya Shantha
http://www.indianexpress.com/


*more here*

Dancer takes beauty contest by storm as first transgender finalist
http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/



*more here*

Outsider life of transgender community captured by Ce Ce's murder: Christopher Evans
Christopher Evans
http://www.cleveland.com/


*more here*

ezs note:   You may think I'm playing a very broken record, but I don't give a flying fart.  The murder of Ce Ce Dove may have been solved, but others remain unsolved.  If you know it, REPORT IT!!!

State Department Issues Reminder for Transgender Insurance Coverage
JANE LINDHOLM
http://digital.vpr.net/


*more here*

Assembly Passes Transgender Hate Crime Bill
Caroline Bleakley
http://www.8newsnow.com/


*more here*

Hong Kong transgender woman wins legal battle to marry
http://www.mansfieldnewsjournal.com/


*more here*

Torrance, California

Credit: www.cwtrials-shop.com

Hello!

Oh, the weather outside is... well, kinda cloudy... here's what's happening... Torrance, California... Costa Mesa, California...Mesa, Arizona... Ambler, Pennsylvania...Wesley Chapel, Florida... Rawalpindi, Punjab, Pakistan... Oakland, California... Milton, New Hampshire... Moscow, Moscow City, Russia... Jeddah,
Makkah, Saudi Arabia... Providence, Utah... West Hartford, Connecticut... Naperville, Illinois... Stony Brook, New York... Hamburg, Germany... Sterling Heights, Michigan... Caldwell, New Jersey... Buffalo, New York.... Philadelphia, Pennsylvania... Owings, Maryland... Rocklin, California... Seattle, Washington...
Pardubice, Pardubicky Kraj, Czech Republic...  Athens, Attiki, Greece... Mountain View, California... Las Vegas, Nevada... Norman, Oklahoma...Santa Ana, California...Omaha, Nebraska...Hickory, North Carolina...


Hey, c'mon, you can dance between the raindrops to get to the mailbox!

www.redcross.org

www.doctorswithoutborders.org

YOU CAN DO IT TOO!

Recently, I was watching C-SPAN, when the announcer said that the next caller was from my town.  Wow, I said, that's great.

Now it gets really spooky.

The caller was not only from my town, but from my building! One floor up! We said hi and how are you whenever we saw each other.  (By the way, the town we live in is quite sizable - about 63,000)

The point is this:  The man I know is not rich.  He is not famous.  He lives in a subsidized apartment.  But he knows how to make himself HEARD.  And so he did, quite eloquently, I might add.

Now I am asking to make yourself heard.  E-mail or snailmail your Congressperson.  If an issue comes up that is dear to your heart, call your TV or radio station   If your Congresspersson has a town hall meeting, show up and SPEAK UP.

As many of you know, the issue that is near and dear to my heart is FULL marriage rights to those who seek them, whether heterosexual, gay, lesbian, or transgender.  I hope you support these too.  But without a vote and a voice, these opinions become almost meaningless.  Don't let that happen to you.

Milton, New Hampshire - Carol Shea-Porter (D) - NH1
Providence, Utah - Rob Bishop (R) - UT1
Naperville, Illinois - Peter Roskam(R) - IL6
Stony Brook, New York - Tim Bishop (D) - NY1
Sterling Heights, Michigan - Candice S. Miller (R) -- MI10
Caldwell, New Jersey - Rodney Frelinghuysen (R) - NJ11
Buffalo, New York - Brian Higgins (D) - NY26
Oakland, California - Barbara Lee (D) - CA13
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - Allyson Y. Schwartz (D) - PA13
Owings, Maryland - Steny Hoyer (D) - MD5

The preceding districts were picked at random using the Internet.  To find out what your district is, enter your ZIP code is in www.house.gov.  For towns or cities that intersect, the ZIP+4 would be most helpful.  (example: 12345 - 6789)  Thanks.

Portraits of transgender people tell a different story
ANDREW PRINTER
http://lgbtweekly.com/

*more here*

Philly mayor signs broad LGBT rights legislation
JOANN LOVIGLIO
http://www.ydr.com/


*more here*

In Pakistan poll, transgender candidates for the first time
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/

*more here8

Assembly passes Toni Atkins bill to streamline transgender name change
http://sdgln.com/

*more here*

Hearing to address
anti-trans violence set
 Seth Hemmelgarn
http://www.ebar.com/


*more here*

Don Ennis Is Now Dawn Ennis: ABC News Editor Comes Out Transgender To The Support Of Her Colleagues - http://www.isciencetimes.com/


*more here*

Volleyball eases transgender player's transition - http://www.mycentraljersey.com/

*more here*

An RJ, a transgender: Meet the unusual contenders in Karnataka polls - Abhirr V P - http://ibnlive.in.com/

*more here*

Art show memorial to transgender Accrington teacher Lucy Meadows - Chris Adams - http://www.thisislancashire.co.uk/

*more here*

Rally For Transgender Rights At Saskatoon Bridal Shop - http://updatednews.ca/

*more here*

feh...

Credit:  cygnismedia.com

Just when you thought things were OK... they're not... If you've been expecting new and exciting blogs, fear not.  I will be getting a new computer tomorrow.  'Til then, I'll put new material in until the old machine croaks.  Bye!

Duke Sex Change Surgery: How Many Universities Cover Sexual Reassignment? - http://www.isciencetimes.com/

*more here*

Sure, we believe in freedom... as long as you're a robot...

credit: www.blogspot.com

As I've gone along, I've considered the idea of "freedom" to a larger and more expansive extent.  Whether we are considering freedom to an extent which is wealthier or poorer, there is one axiomatic, indelible fact:  when you consider yourself different, sooner or later, you WILL be blamed, hated, ridiculed or misunderstood.  And if you live in one of the freer states now, wait'll you get sent down to Alabama, Arizona, Texas, or (god forbid) Mississippi. 

Moscow, Russia

Credit:  www.blogspot.com

Hello!

At last, the computer's working!  Here's what's happening... Moscow, Moscow City, Russia...   Costa Mesa, California... Madison, Wisconsin... Stony Brook, New York... San Diego,
California...  Harrisburg, Pennsylvania... The Dalles, Oregon... West Hartford, Connecticut... Kingston, Saint Andrew, Jamaica... Seattle, Washington... Segovia, Castilla y Leon, Spain... Launceston,
Tasmania... Orangeburg, South Carolina... Orlando, Florida... Holland, Michigan... Los Angeles, California... Poplar Grove, Illinois... Norman, Oklahoma... Mountain View, California...Poznan,
Wielkopolskie, Poland... Cote D'Ivoire, Ivory Coast... Auckland, New Zealand... Perth, Western Australia, Australia... Berlin, Germany...Miami Beach, Florida... Akron, Ohio... Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania... Eaton, Ohio... Fort Lee, New Jersey... Bekasi, Jawa Barat, Poland...  Endicott, New York... Dammam, Ash Sharqiyah, Saudi Arabia... Beaumont, Texas... Sunnyvale, California... Odense, Denmark...  

www.redcross.org

www.doctorswithoutborders.org 

Philadelphia City Council Passes Landmark LGBT Equality Bill - Eric Cameron - http://www.hrc.org/

*more here*

Unitarian Church to host transgender film, discussion May 4 - http://www.westport-news.com/

*more here*

Chile Transgender Man Becomes Nation's First To Give Birth: Report - http://www.huffingtonpost.com/

*more here

Idaho Revises Requirements for Gender Markers on Driver's Licenses - Sunnvie Brydum - http://www.advocate.com/

*more here*

Transgender People Unite! Day of Empowerment and the Fight in Royal Oak - Crystal A. Proxmire -http://www.pridesource.com/

*more here*

Transgender teen wants to be Pa. prom king - http://www.bellinghamherald.com/

*more here*

Persistance!

As you may know, a minority of sleazebags succeeded in defeating the Senate's gun bill.  For those who support it, it's easy to become depressed.  I urge you to stay the course.  To those who voted against the bill, let them know that their days are definitely numbered.  To those who supported the bill, let them know that this is not a time to be faint of heart.  It is time to fight, and ultimately to win.

To paraphrase Winston Churchill, never, never, never, ever surrender.  We lose too many innocent lives DAILY to gunfire.  Please, please, don't give up!

poetry #1

Entries such as these have been rare for me since my stroke.  Last week, I picked up a volume entitled "Modern American Poetry". I've really dug the poems, but most especially those of Lyn Hejinian, whose stream-of-consciousness poetics struck a chord for me.  No, not every one will like this.  If stream-of-consciousness really suit your style,well, seek another poet.  But if you like Lyn, I hope you'll like this too.  Enjoy! (PS - feel free to lend your thoughts in the "comments" section.)

(#1)
The soil did not stand; it blew away.  Last night I turned, nuzzled your roughening cheek.  The things I knew, I do not know.  It is time.  I insert the token into the T.  Let the game be Monopoly.  The music is played upon a viola. There is no sound.  The woman from Spain swung her maracas about. Stubby fields bind but do not break.  He cast aside the thronE.  A poem writ large and confusing.  His pubic hair rests between my fingers, gently.  We are comfortable, lying near the dune.  The Appalachian mountains are high, forbidding.  We are alone.  The feet of the tiny dogs go clickclackclickclackclickclack.  My pocketbook was laying about.  A silver earring came off, laying next to me.  How many miles is it to Traherne?  My knees ache and scar from your mounting of me.  The sparrow's wings are so lovely.  Sorry, sir, your money has no value here.  Swords drawn, we fought the wild fauna.  The bartender gave a cup to the tired man.  The name others gave me is not the name I gave to myself.  The trees, the knotty ones, are set to be cut down.  We rub each other, gasping.  My head arches back, digging into the old Indian blanket.  A ghost comes near to me, smiling.  We peer far ahead, seeing a tiny empty church.  The rain starts as mist, ends as torrential downpour.  His arms touch my shoulderblades.  It is love.  Or not.  Either way, I am sated, sated.

*ezs*

you are sleepy... VERY sleepy...

The bad news is that my computer is on the fritz.  The good news is that I probably get it back very soon, possibly today.  I'll keep you up to date tomorrow.

The other regards my second favorite city, Boston.  It's been a very rough patch of days.  But I KNOW you'll make it through!

BOSTON, YOU'RE MY HOME!

Duke to offer health insurance coverage for transgender students - Matt Comer - http://goqnotes.com/

*more here*

Movie time!

About 15 years ago there was a Belgian movie entitled Ma Vie en Rose (My Life in Pink).  (Outstanding movie, by the way; catch it if you can)  There was one scene in particular in which Ludovic, a transgender girl takes a boy into a bathroom to prove to him that she's really a girl.  What really did a double take was the fact that the  bathroom was just that - a bathroom, not a boys room or a girls room. Separate bathrooms were just a silly nuisance and an exorbitant expense.  (Funny how Tea Partiers will slash and burn on one front, but insist on separate bathrooms - maybe if we squat over a trench...)

Against Me! Singer Laura Jane Grace Talks About Her First Year as a Woman - RJ CUBARRUBIA -http://www.rollingstone.com/

*more here*

'Batgirl' #19 Features First Openly Transgender Character In Mainstream Superhero Comics - Matt D. Wilson - http://www.comicsalliance.com/

*more here*

national day of silence coming up - april 19

Calif. Tax Bill Seeks to Punish Scouts for Gay Ban - LISA LEFF - http://abcnews.go.com/

*more here*

Suspension of Mitrione is positive step for UFC in ugly situation - Jeff Wagenheim - http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/

*more here*

Hello!

First day of April!  Here's what's happening... Williamsburg, Virginia... San Diego, California... London, England, UK... Saitama, Japan...  Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio... Hialeah, Florida... Morgan Hill, California... Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, England, UK... Manchester Township, New

Jersey... Libertyville, Illinois... Mountain View, California... Mumbai, Maharashtra, India... Larne, Northern Ireland, UK... Dennison, Minnesota