Vote!

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Kinda says it all, doesn't it?

VOTE!

ezs comment #4

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work cited:  How 4 Black Lives Matter activists handle queerness and trans issues by Deron Dalton

Sometimes, everything just works, y'know?

Last night, I was surfing the Net, when my good friend of the ethers Steve Shives was having an extended conversation with his pal Crocoduck.  Well, they were bantering back and  forth, when Steve used a word which made me pause: intersectionality.  He was arguing that rather than putting the people around the feminist campfire and another around the atheist campfire, they should be brought together..

Now, about Shives' remarks, I see good and bad in them.  Granted, the majority of feminists go hand-in-hand with the atheists, but what about those who are either devout, or those who are simply uncertain?  A good example of this would be Malala Yousafzai.  Does she get kicked to the curb (along with her Nobel medal) simply because of her belief in Islam?

Then the next day came along.  It's fascinating when a particular word comes along and reminds you.  This time it was through How 4 Black Lives Matter activists handle queerness and trans issues.  This was a rather long essay, an interview with Kleaver Cruz, Elle Hearns, Arielle Newton and Kei Williams.  What struck me was how this most ingenious of words, intersectionality, came through on such diverse essays.  Deron Dalton uses it in their introduction, as well as Elle Hearns.

Oddly enough, the one place where I saw intersectionality most at force was at Liberty University.  (Yeah, that's the one where Jerry Falwell made his name.  Oy.)  On this morning though, Bernie Sanders, as left as left can be - in the House or Senate - stood at Liberty's podium.  In his opening paragraph, he made clear the differences the two of them would face, abortion and gay rights.  But then he got on with those areas that they would agree, namely the stilted state of our economy.  Now, could you imagine the Occupy movement standing arm-in-arm with Liberty University students?

It's not as farfetched as you might think.

What was fascinating was watching the opening five minutes of Bernie's speech.  My rough estimate would be 10 to 25  percent gave Bernie a warm welcome.  But this wasn't merely polite applause.  This was raucous cheering.  The loudest cheering was equal rights for women.

Squeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!

I don't think the men quite got it.

Clearly, the fault lines were being drawn, mainly between the thirty and below and those who are forty and above.  Liberty faculty are scratching their heads.  It's not that the Bible doesn't play a central part in their lives.  It clearly does.  It's just that they are no longer looking at Jesus as a hectoring figure, a  sheep-or-goats dichotomy (mainly Revelation), to looking - closely - at what he actually said and did with his life.  (Mainly, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and to a lesser extent John) In other words, Jack Chick's screeds need apply no longer.

Now, looking at me through the ethers as you do, you have no way of seeing me.  Well, knowing me as well as I can, I am mainly white. (I say "mainly" because my grandmother told a story about a Kickapoo princess marrying a white ancestor, but without evidence, it will remain the stuff of legend.)  But intersectionalities have their way of creeping in, don't they?

Yeah, I'm a white woman, but I'm a white transgender woman. Also, at age 39, I experienced a stroke which essentially left my right limbs severely compromised.  (No tears, please)  I get around in a wheelchair quite nicely.

I remain quite fascinated by intersectionalities.  And those that remain, they have gone from an intrinsic part of my being (mainly my parents, but especially my maternal grandmother) to a useless appendage.  Eh, so I'm white. Big fat fucking deal.

And isn't that what humanity is all about?

Cheers,

Emily

Guest column: Transgender people should be more fairly accomodated

Marjorie C. Decker
Wicked Local Cambridge

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Hillary Clinton Makes 10 Promises to LGBT Americans, But Will She Really Keep Them?

Carolyn M. Brown
Black Enterprise

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How 4 Black Lives Matter activists handle queerness and trans issues

Deron Dalton
The Daily Dot

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Kroger to extend health benefits to transgender employees on Anthem

Anne Saker
Cincinnati.com

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How you can help!

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Here's how you can do it:  if you notice that the letters which form the reporter's name are blue, this is your opportunity to reach the reporter immediately via e-mail!  Hey, most reporter's names are black, but when you see a blue one, why not speak out?  Position your arrow on the reporter's name, and click away!  Wheeeeee!

Transgender bill raises concerns

Jen Zettel
postcrescent.com

Uh... say what?

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Administrative judge rules against Hobby Lobby in transgender discrimination case

Press
Daily Kos

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A Badge, a Gun, and a New Gender Identity

Rebecca McCray
takepart

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please press:  http://www.takepart.com

Long Beach faith leaders address LGBT domestic violence

Phillip Zonkel
Press-Telegram

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Hillary Clinton Agrees Transphobic Violence Is a ‘National Crisis

Press
Advocate

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Hicksville, New York

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These beauty queens are fighting for transgender rights in the Philippines

Torey van Oot
aol.

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please press:  http://www.aol.com

WORLD'S LEADING EXPERTS IN TRANSGENDER SURGERY GATHER IN BOSTON FOR PLASTIC SURGERY: THE MEETING

Press
EINNewsdesk

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please press:  http://www.einnews.com

2016 dates set for transgender conference in Weston

Arlene Satchell
Sun-Sentinel

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Oregon legislator hadn't met a transgender person — until now

Casey Parks
Oregon Live

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please press:  http://www.oregonlive.com

What you should know about transgender housing rights

Press
Inman.com

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Gov. Jerry Brown Signs Bill Protecting Transgender Employees

Carlos Santoscoy
On Top Magazine

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Study sheds light on protecting transgender individuals from suicide

Marisa Ramirez
EurekAlert!

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please press:  http://www.eurekalert.org

Transgender officer who spent $50,000 to become a woman slams US Army rules that force soldiers to keep calling her 'sir' (UK)

Kieran Corcoran
Daily Mail

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Conservative Christianity’s Discovery of Transgender Issues Worries Trans Christians

Vanessa Vitiello Urquhart
Slate

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Dispatches: Transforming Transgender Rights in Poland

Kyle Knight
Human Rights Watch

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please press:  https://www.hrw.org

WISCONSIN REPUBLICAN BILL WILL HURT TRANSGENDER STUDENTS

Melanie Nathan
O-blog-dee-o-blog-da

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Magnolia and Duplass Brothers Announce First Oscar Campaign for Transgender Actress

Sasha Stone
awardsdaily.com

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Vote!

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Wow.  No matter how tired a saying may get, how time flies!  If you have not registered yet, geez, the time is now.  If you are able to vote now, don't put it off!  Better early than never!

Calgary transgender activist flags election ID problem (Canada)

Allison Dempster
CBCNews

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please press:  http://www.cbc.ca

Group of Men Beat, Shoot, Kill Transgender Woman in Philly

David Chang
NBC10.com

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please press:  http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com

ezs note:   Sigh... what can I say?  It may seem futile, but you can help.  If you live in Philadelphia, (especially near the 1300 block of Wingohocking Street) or you pass through there for business or pleasure, please call the Philadelphia Police Department at 215-686-TIPS (8477).  Thanks.

Rest in peace, Keisha.  Know that you are loved.

Transgender Victoria woman fights Facebook's nipple rule (Canada)

Mike Devlin
The Vancouver Sun

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New Irish transgender play challenges perceptions (Ireland)

Press
RTE ten

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YMCA changes policy based on complaints over transgender locker rooms

Eric Mandel
MYNorthwest.com

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Schools slow to accommodate transgender students

John Finnerty
The Meadville Tribune

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Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden Both Gave Pro Transgender Rights Speeches This

David Walton
Herald Current

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Time ripe to bring transgenders into maintstream: High Court (India)

FPJ Bureau
The Free Press Journal

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please press:  http://www.freepressjournal.in

Transgender students could get greater protection under proposed Winnipeg School Division policy (Canada)

Press
CBCNews

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Transgender Americans Have Been Registering Their Transitions With Social Security Since 1936

Francie Diep
Pacific Standard

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Transgender community demand answers following alleged prison rape (New Zealand)

Press
one news now

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UAB conference trains staff on needs of transgender students

Press
TimesDaily.com

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Alabama judges use segregation-era law to avoid gay marriage

Jay Reeves
LGBTQNation

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Rainbow List 2015: Time to meet the judges who'll be picking the LGBTQI people who are making Britain better (UK)

Sarah Morrison
The Independent (UK)

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please press:  http://www.independent.co.uk

West Bengal govt plans to recruit transgenders as civic police: All you need to know (India)

Press
India Today

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Maureen's Story: What Acceptance Looks Like

Pamela Valentine
Chicago Now

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8 Intimate Portraits That Seriously Blur Gender Lines

Erin Cunningham
Refinery 29

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Pledging to Fight Injustices, Hillary Clinton Focuses on Transgender Rights in Speech

Amy Chozick
The New York Times

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San Francisco, California

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Transgender patients one focus of Dallas surgery conference

Sebastian Robertson
WFAA

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please press:  http://www.wfaa.com

CU-Boulder student leaders call for gender-inclusive housing

Sarah Kuta
CU News

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please press:  http://www.dailycamera.com

ezs comment #3

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Work cited:  One Million Moms’ Tax-Exempt Outrage Industry by Kelly Weill

When I was small, I learned about something called the tax exempt status.  It seemed OK to me.  Of course, when you're six years old, many things seem to be OK.  I was an occasional churchgoer, (when my mother dragged me there) and the kids seemed nice, the minister seemed nice, so going there seemed fine to me.

Then I turned twelve.  Oh, joy.

It was in that year that my mother decided to spend a year in Illinois, in a town just south of Chicago.  Now, please don't think that Chicago, Homewood, or Illinois is a bad place.  I'm sure it's a fine area.  It's just that for me, at that time, it was quite literally hell.  And chief among the reasons was his infernal hellishness, the "reverend" John Scudder.  His was a mishmosh brew of hatred of blacks, Asians, Native Americans (!) and everyone else who wasn't white.  Oh, and Jews.  He couldn't stand Jews.

He even warped the food we ate.  The food?  Well, are you familiar with the nut called the 'Brazil nut'? Well, not in Scudderland.  He delighted in calling them 'nigger toes'.  Isn't that just precious?  Mix that in with liberal amounts of 'healing' quackery, faithful readings of the National Enquirer,  and a haughty tone that rivals the Pope, (oh, I forgot, he's bad too) there you have John Scudder.

Oh, did I mention that donations made to the Pyramid of Light cult, oh, uh, church were entirely tax-deductible???

It's time for this mess to end.

Okay, okay.  I know what you're thinking.  What about that nice, really unassuming minister, priest, rabbi, or muezzin who only has the best interests of the congregation (and, in the wider sense, the nation and the world) at heart?  To be sure, these good people do exist.  I do not dispute that.  However, there are problematic nettles in which any house of worship finds itself.  Let's take the wider Christian church (Protestant, Catholic or Orthodox).  And let's say that better churches have housing, food, and/or shelter in their communities.  Here's the question: what percent are they giving to the poor?  One percent? Ten? Fifty?  If you really want to be all nit-picky about it,  here's what Jesus said on the subject:  "If you want to be perfect, go, sell all your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven." (Matthew 19:21, emphasis mine)

Well, how's our ol' pal Don Wildmon doing?  Not bad, not bad.  In his latest tax return,  Don's doing nicely, thank you.  His son Timothy's doing even better.  And that's only how they're doing on the Million Moms March.

Now, I have no beef with the Million Moms March.  I don't agree with them at all, but hey, this is part of the wonderful life that our zany creators put into place.  What I DON'T agree with their tax-free status.

Here is what I propose:  tax every house of worship in the United States, liberal, moderate and conservative; black, white, Asian, Native American or whatever combination they so choose, with the following exception-

If a house of worship dedicates to the poor housing, shelter, food and/or clothing, they can use an area
of a building for that purpose tax-free.  If the building is multipurpose, only those areas of the building for the express purpose listed above should be tax-free.  They must meet the following criteria:

1)  If the person expresses a different faith, or no faith, they must nevertheless be welcomed.

2)  If the person expresses different clothing attire, they must be welcomed.

3)  If a person is offered a holy book but refuses, they must be welcomed.

4)   No one should be coerced/cajoled or threatened with expulsion based on their attire.

Is it tough? Yeah.  But they'll get used to it.

Cheers,

Emily

Vote!

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I want to take you back a few years, to Harper's Weekly, around the year 1867.  See those men in the front cover drawing? They're voting.  Something so simple, yet so sublime.  Just two years earlier, the African-American men and women were nothing.  Less than nothing, really.  They were chattel. Slaves. Three-fifth of a human being, with the master calling the shots.  Slaveowners - and hopeful slaveowners - called them vicious slurs such as niggers and pickaninnies.  For a few brief years though, they called the shots.

A little less than twenty years before, the first women's rights convention, the Seneca Falls Convention, was held in that town.  It took over seventy years until the final nail was put into that shameful past.  

Unfortunately, the South did rise again.  It wasn't until the protests widened and Martin Luther King Jr. began his preaching and marching (to be fair, among many others) that the South truly began to erode.  Amazingly (and so, so sadly) there are pockets that still try to keep African Americans out of the voting booth.

This is freakin' 2015!!!

As a transgender woman, I find it absolutely maddening that there are transgender people who won't vote.

Here's the question - in your life, who will call the shots?

Charm play features look at transgender charm school

Press
Windy City Times

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