Gendered Lexington

Gynecologists told to prepare to treat transgender patients

2011-12-01T22:22:00.000-05:00

The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology has come out with a new statement for their members: it’s time to prepare to work with transgender patients.

To address the significant health care disparities of transgender individuals and to improve their access to care, ob-gyns should prepare to provide routine treatment and screening or refer them to other physicians, according to The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (The College). In a Committee Opinion published today, The College also states its opposition to gender identity discrimination and supports both public and private health insurance coverage for gender identity disorder treatment.

Their statement specifically addresses the gynecological needs of transgender men, who may still require cervical and breast cancer screenings, as well as other gynecological (and even obstetric) care.

“We need to make our offices settings that treat all patients with respect,” said Dr. Buyers. The College offers ob-gyns suggestions on how to create an office environment that is welcoming to transgender patients. For instance, asking patients their preferred name and pronoun, posting non-discrimination policies, ensuring confidentiality, and offering sensitivity training for staff are all steps that signal acceptance and let patients know that they will be treated with dignity. “We want the transgender community to know that we, as ob-gyns, care about their health.”

Now let's see how quickly this catches on in Lexington (and the rest of Kentucky for that matter).

DeLas

Transgender day of remembrance

2011-11-20T15:10:00.000-05:00

First, let me apologize for the seven month absence. We've all been super busy and let the blog slide to the back burner. I'm going to try to get this thing going again because A. I think it's important and B. It's not too shabby and C. It's fun.

On that note, let's all take a moment and recognize that it is transgender day of remembrance.

Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDoR) is a day to memorialize those who have been killed as a result of transphobia, or the hatred or fear of transgender and gender non-conforming people, and acts to bring attention to the continued violence endured by the transgender community^. The Transgender Day of Remembrance was founded in 1998 by Gwendolyn Ann Smith, a transgender graphic designer, columnist, and activist to memorialize the murder of Rita Hester in Allston, Massachusetts. Since its inception, TDoR has been held annually on November 20th, and has slowly evolved from the web-based project started by Smith into an international day of action. In 2010, TDoR was observed in over 185 cities throughout more than 20 countries.

There is a great article in the Huffington Post about how many LGBT groups consistently leave out the "T" when prioritizing their funding, programming etc. This is especially noticeable with groups like the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) who beleive that the most important battle to fight for the "community" is to gain the right to marriage. In light of the recent brutal murder of transgender teen Shelley Hilliard, I don't think marriage should be one of our top five priorities (this is my opinion btdubs).

I'm curious to know what you think. What do you think should be the main priorities of LGBTIQ organizations and lobbying groups?

Let us also take a moment to remember the folks who have been murdered because they didn't adhere to societal gender norms and expectations. Here are some of them. You can see more at: http://www.transgenderdor.org/?page_id=1194

Ali
Location:Iraq
Cause of Death:executed for being transgender
Date of Death:2008, Month is Unknown
Video of Ali before she was executed: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2tDVtjQNfQ

Amanda Gonzalez-Andujar
Location: Queens, New York
Cause of Death: Strangled
Date of Death: March 27, 2010
Amanda was 29 years old.
Source:http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ny_crime/2010/04/01/2010-04-01_choked_to_death.html

Azra
Location: Izmir, Turkey
Cause of Death: Shot in the back of the head
Date of Death: April 27, 2010
Azra was 30 years old.
Source:http://iglhrc.wordpress.com/2010/05/03/recognition-of-an-organization-and-the-loss-of-a-leader/

Brenda
Location: Rome, Italy
Cause of Death: Burned to death
Date of Death: November 20, 2009
Sources:http://www.adnkronos.com/AKI/English/Politics/?id=3.0.4019601050
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8370511.stm
http://www.adnkronos.com/AKI/English/Politics/?id=3.0.4019601440
http://www.adnkronos.com/AKI/English/Politics/?id=3.0.4019601818

Caprice Curry
Location: San Francisco, California
Cause of Death: Stabbed to death.
Date of Death: January 17, 2009
Caprice was 31 years old.

Cesar Torres
Location: El Paso, Texas
Cause of Death: Blunt Force Trauma
Date of Death: July 9, 2009
An autopsy report says Cesar died from blunt force trauma. He had cuts around his eyes, broken ribs, a broken nose, a ruptured liver, wrenched neck and several stab wounds. Cesar was 39 years old.

Estrella (Jose Angel) Venegas
Location: Mexicali, Mexico
Cause of Death: Shot in the chest and the forehead
Date of Death: December 13, 2009
Estrella was 32 years old
Sources: Estrella’s brother.

Jorge Steven Lopez Mercado
Location: Cayey, Peurto Rico
Cause of Death: decapitated
Date of Death: November 14, 2009
Jorge was found on the site of an isolated road in the city of Cayey, he was partially burned, decapitated, and dismembered, both arms, both legs, and the torso.
Jorge was 19 years old.
Sources: http://www.365gay.com/news/murder-suspect-thought-puerto-rico-gay-teen-was-a-woman/
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2397832/hate_crime_gay_puerto_rican_teen_george.html
http://www.towleroad.com/2009/11/gay-puerto-rican-teen-decapitated-dismembered-and-burned.html
http://www.towleroad.com/2009/11/man-arrested-in-horrific-murder-of-puerto-rican-gay-teen.html

Toni Alston
Location: Charlotte, North Carolina
Cause of Death: shot to death
Date of Death: April 3, 2010
Toni was 44 years old.
Source:http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2010/04/14/1375123/family-asks-for-info-in-mans-killing.html

Stacey Lee aka Stacey Blahnik
Location Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Cause of Death unreported by police
Date of Death October 11, 2010
Stacey was 31 years old
Source:http://m.philly.com/phillycom/db_41090/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=rsn84XoX&src=cat

Nakhia (Nikki) Williams
Location: Louisville, Kentucky
Cause of Death: Found near the dumpster next to her home, she had been shot.
Date of Death: August 20, 2008
Nikki was 29 years old..

Roy Antonio Jones III
Location: Southampton, NY
Cause of Death: Punched repeatedly and grabbed by the neck
Date of Death: August 1, 2010
Roy was 16 Months old.
Note: 20 year old Pedro Jones told police he had struck the infant several times with a closed fist. Jones said he was “trying to make him act like a boy instead of a little girl.”
Source:http://www.27east.com/news/article.cfm/Southampton/293472/Suspect-in-Shinnecock-toddler-death-pleads-not-guilty-to-manslaughter

Myra Chanel Ical
Location: Houston, Texas
Cause of Death: Many wounds and defensive bruises.
Date of Death: January 18, 2010
Myra was 51 years old.
Source:http://www.myfoxhouston.com/dpp/news/local/100120-partially-clothed-folo

Mariah Malina Qualls
Location: San Francisco, California
Cause of Death: Blunt force trauma to the head.
Date of Death: December 9, 2009
Mariah was 23 years old
Sources:http://www.ktvu.com/news/22015154/detail.html

Lawrence King
Location: Oxnard, California
Cause of Death: Shot to death by a classmate because he liked to wear
women’s clothes. (Lawrence King was 15 years old).
Date of Death: February 12, 2008

Victoria Carmen White
Location Maplewood, New Jersey
Cause of Death shot
Date of Death September 12, 2010
Victoria was 28 years old.
Source:http://www.baristanet.com/2010/09/maplewood-murder-victim-transgender-female/
http://www.news12.com/articleDetail.jsp?articleId=261210&position=1&news_type=news

Adolphus Simmons
Location: Charleston, SC
Cause of Death: Shot to Death (Aldophus was 18 yrs. old)
Date of Death: January 21, 2008

Make sure you tell the transfolks in your life that you love them.

Marci Bowers Came to Lexington!

2011-04-05T22:58:00.002-04:00

On Monday, March 28 Marci Bowers, M.D., a renowned surgeon who performs Genital Reassignment Surgery, came to UK to speak. She was very insightful and has done some amazing things.

What did you think of her lecture?

Read about Dr. Bowers here.

Powerful images 1.5

2010-11-16T10:14:00.000-05:00

Jac Stringer, Jack Cofer, Julia Serano and Harvey Katz; transgender performers, writers and activist at the radical queer convergence in Columbus OH, November 2010.

Second year of the Witness project by the Lexington Art League

2010-09-20T12:44:00.001-04:00

Working with advocates from partnering agencies, artists have collaborated with women who have experienced violence and created original works of visual art reflective of the women’s stories, often untold. Through the exhibition of works in Witness, visual art is a tool to facilitate healing for survivors, build relationships between artists and survivors, and engage the community in a very powerful way to help end violence against women and girls.

Witness is developed and produced by LAL in partnership with the Kentucky Domestic Violence Association, Bluegrass Domestic Violence Program, Bluegrass Rape Crisis Center, Kentucky United Methodist Homes for Children and Youth, and Third Street Stuff. Sponsored by The University of Kentucky Center for Research on Violence Against Women.

Lexington Reads Radically- THIS SUNDAY!

2010-09-16T15:34:00.002-04:00

Hey all: We are having our first Lexington Reads Radically meeting this Sunday, September 19 at 4pm in my apartment. Please message me at mary dot lesch [at] gmail dot com if you would like directions. Feel free to bring snacks, but not alcohol because I live in a dry building.

We've been talking about it for a year. Now we're finally going to do it. We're going to have our first meeting of Lexington Reads Radically.

Here's how it's going to go:

1. Everyone brings a book/zine/journal article that they love.
...2. We're each going to share what we brought and why we like it.
3. Then we're going to swap w/ one another.
4. When we get together next month we'll discuss w/ each other what we read and what we liked/didn't like about it. Then we'll swap again.

Some general rules:

1. This group (along w/ the listserv) is called lexington reads RADICALLY. That means that we're going to be talking about things like gender identity, sexuality, oppression, class structure, stuff that challenges us, etc. Now that doesn't mean we won't sometimes be reading fluff (I happen to love a good fluffy read) but we're still going to analyze it.
2. You may bring both fiction and non-fiction to share
3. You MUST MUST MUST bring the books/zines/articles back.
4. People are free to come and go from the group.
5. Try to finish what you read, even if it's not something you'd typically go for. If you absolutely can't finish it, then swap it out for something else.

See you Sunday!

How to Tell People They Sound Racist, the right way.

2010-08-22T22:42:00.001-04:00

"Am I Man Enough?" Great Article

2010-08-12T08:54:00.002-04:00

So a cisgendered straight man decided to see what makes people understand masculine gender. He went to several places, a drag bar in washington, a therapist's couch and a psychiatrist's office. Check it out. Do you agree?

Call for Submissions : 'Dear Sister' and 'Occupied Bodies'

2010-07-31T14:57:00.008-04:00

Hey all. Many posts to come. First, here are some opportunities for Lexington and KY voices to be heard.

Check this link for information about submitting your letters and stories of violence and more importantly how you have overcome them. They are also looking for stories specifically from people of color, so that is great. I love when people are intentional about diversity.

Another publication, 'Occupied Bodies' is looking for personal stories of perception from people of color. Very interesting.

I would encourage anyone that wants to submit but is afraid that they won't get in to do it anyway. I responded to an ad in Skirt! magazine a month ago and they interviewed me and put me in the July issue. Photo by Kelli Patrick. Get out Lexington.

Comic Con Meets the Westboro Baptist Church and Fred Phelps.

2010-07-23T19:05:00.004-04:00

Everybody should know about this, especially Kentuckians. See, great things are happening around the country. Let's get out and show people that Kentucky is great too! As the Lexingtonian Burley says, "Don't f***- with nerds."

The article about the protest that Comic Con is holding in response to Fred Phelps.

More from the AMC

2010-06-28T11:47:00.002-04:00

Some of our thoughts about the Allied Media Conference. Sorry about the granyness.

Allied Media Conference

2010-06-27T21:10:00.006-04:00

Sorry that this video is so shaky. I need to work on my camera skills.

Fatal Seduction: Book Based in Lexington about the Drag Community

2010-06-27T13:14:00.004-04:00

I just heard about this book yesterday, "Fatal Seduction" by Rena Vicini.

Here is a review from Ebay:

The chilling true account of a vicious 1986 murder. Vicini takes readers on a shocking journey from the University of Kentucky to Lexington's sleaziest underground nightclubs as she tells of two women consumed by greed, sex, drugs and depraved violence--and of the innocent young man caught in their deadly web. 12 pages of photos.

The chilling true account of the vicious 1986 murder of Mike Turpin, who was killed by his beautiful, cocaine-addicted wife, her lesbian girlfriend, and a male accomplice--an innocent victim caught in a deadly web of drugs, lust, and greed. Original.

This should be part of the book club. I'm reading this as soon as I can find it.

It is supposedly about the Drag King community in Lexington in the 80's. No wonder the Drag King community is so young and small. They are all afraid that they may become murderers.

New Stickers!!!

2010-06-23T11:44:00.000-04:00

Hey y'all!

I want to spread the word about how awesome this blog is so I made some promotional stickers!!

I'm going to start putting them around town when I go out. If you'd like some to put up then let me know and I'll make you some. Unfortunately they're not waterproof, so inside spaces only. Some good spots might be bathroom stalls, bar walls (where all of the bands that come through put their stickers), leaving them in coffee shops and news stands so that people can just pick them up, the library (both around the other literature and even inside books!) etc. If you can think of any other spots that would be awesome!

And feel free to help promote by making your own Gendered Lexington stickers! You can buy a sheet of white sticker paper from any art supply store - then you just fancy them up w/ markers or paint and tada!!

xo,
De Las

Jackson, De Las Ondas, Mervin Sue Present- "Bless Their Hearts: Media for Queer Organizing in the American South"

2010-06-19T11:51:00.010-04:00

If you are a participant of the Allied Media Conference, THIS POST IS FOR YOU (and for anyone that wants to know about us).

First off, I started this blog two years ago to talk about gender issues in Lexington and Kentucky. I feel like there is a conversation in Kentucky around Sexual Orientation issues, which I have participated in, as well as other things but people rarely directly address gender issues in the public sphere. This blog has grown to encompass a southern twist on a lot of isms, but at the same time at the heart of it for me is gender based experience, expression and oppression. I think that it has done really well, especially with the help of some great friends who post when they can. It had become a sorta community project. I love that. I have high hopes for it.

About Mervin Sue:
I have worked on Trans, Queer and Education advocacy for almost 10 years now. I was one of three founders of the OutSource- the LGBTQQIA resource center at the University of Kentucky as well as a bunch of other Queer things that I am sure that I could talk to you about if you would like. Facebook page for the Outsource.

About Jackson: Jackson E. Cofer is a FTM, Queer, Independent Musician, Actor and Event Organizer. After leaving EKU in 2006, Jack settled in Lexington to pursue a music career. Once realizing his trans identity, he became intensely passionate about creating a safe space in his community for himself and folks like him. In less than one year, he has organized several fundraisers through his music contacts, raising hundreds of dollars for non-profits in his community. He has also given lectures in UK classrooms, written several posts for Gendered Lexington, and is currently the Vice Chair for Lexington's 3rd annual Pride Festival. Jackson is vegan. Jackson is unapologetically Queer and extremely approachable.
To keep up with Jack visit him online at www.jackcofer.com

About De Las Ondas:
De Las Ondas is a queer, latina, vegan, musician, artist and community organizer from Columbus OH. She currently resides in Lexington Kentucky where she works as a community organizer. When she's not organizing she's playing in her band Spooky Qs, hanging out w/ her partner and her dog, cooking delicious vegan food, and writing for Gendered Lexington. To keep up w/ her check out her website at www.ondinequinn.net

BREAKING NEWS from the Allied Media Conference-Personal post

2010-06-19T11:36:00.006-04:00

Hey all. I am currently sitting in the Art Education building at Wayne State University (ART EDUCATION BUILDING- you heard it right). I am attending the Allied Media Conference and presenting later this afternoon at 4pm. Right now I am trying to take a break from the amazingness that is the conference because I am exhausted from working with coffee people and 4-6 year olds all week.

First, check out the Allied Media Conference

Now read about what I am thinking about.

Ageism. I am 27. I look like I am maybe a young adult. Like 19-21 on a good day. I am not particularly sure why because I look like I am me. I wouldn't be frustrated except that it affects my interactions. Lately coworkers, day camp kids and potentially future employers have been making comments. I have heard "I thought you were 19.", and "You should feel blessed because you look young." It wouldn't bother me, except people have been talking down to me and surprised that I am talented, etc. I am tired. I am a hard worker. I am broke. I am trying to find a job that can pay the incredible debt that I now have from the education that I have received. I am not belittling the process or the result of my degrees, but it is hard in this economy to feel helpful when I know many people are being let go and are hopeless. (BTW, 150,000 teaching positions are being cut this year across the country. That is very very wrong) It all leaves me emotionally, physically and soully exhausted. It is good that I went to a session this morning about education because it gave me some hope for the future and for education, something I desperately needed. IT's ok. People are more worse off than I am, but I still feel bad.

Also go check out - Da Town Researchers. They are awesome and doing really great things for education in California.

I'm gonna go nap. Thanks for listening internet and people all over.

Powerful images edition 1.4 (in solidarity with DREAM act activists)

2010-06-13T16:23:00.000-04:00

Drag in Lexington

2010-06-11T11:18:00.003-04:00

I think this article was written to be on our blog-

It's called, "Playing with Power". It's about the Imperial Court of Kentucky, and how they have been raising money for local and national charities for years. This year they have raised over $100,000 for charity.

A new show called "Passing" shows drag as both an art collection and show.

Check it out here.

This event is monumental, both for the Lexington Art League and the Queer community. It is great that something that has been vibrant in the queer community for years is now in a more mainstream venue, and that the art of doing drag has been validated by the Lexington Art League as a viable art form. It takes a lot of work to perform gender.

Believe me, I know.

Glee: From Hollywood to Columbus to Lexington

2010-05-25T22:19:00.008-04:00

I love the show Glee.

I know that a lot of people do. They love that they perform popular songs and it is like a musical every week. My love for Glee goes deeper than that.

Probably the reason that I love Glee the most is for the connection that Sue Sylvester has with her Sister. Sue's sister has Down Syndrome. My brother has Down Syndrome. While Sue seems to be the biggest b, she is a complex character and that is why I love her. I can attest personally that having a sibling with a disability is difficult. It is one of the biggest parts of my life, but sometimes I feel like I never got to really have a childhood. This doesn't make me a victim, just tired. I can understand Sue's rashness because I too have been defensive, angry, sad, happy and overwhelmed with my relationship with my brother. I value the exposure that this show is giving to all identities, especially to the one that I have held (hidden) close to my heart for my whole life.

I also love that there are a lot of identities present in the series. Yes the main dude is a white guy. Yes the "other" actors are people of color and gay and people with disabilities. I love that there is a lot of variety on the show. I love that someone on the series regularly is playing a part of a student in a wheelchair. I love that someone with Down Syndrome has shown up in 3 episodes. Since the show "Life Goes On" from 1989-1993-

I haven't seen a show on primetime with an actor that has Down Syndrome. That may not mean a lot to you, but it does to me. I yearn for that kind of recognition, especially for a show that shows the sibling relationship that Sue has.

Glee makes fun of itself. It deals with heavy subjects (Gender, class, race, sexuality, teenagedom, education, etc.) while still making it fun. It isn't perfect, but it is the most right on show I have seen in a long time.

I student taught this past semester. I can tell you that teenagers are dealing with those issues as you read. They deal with teen pregnancy, popularity, discrimination, disability, invisibility and pop music. No other show that I have seen has addressed a more realistic view of High School currently, while still making the show enjoyable. I know that not everyone agrees with me, but that is what blogging and comments are for.

Thank you Glee.

looking for submissions for a project about how we feel about Kentucky

2010-05-19T13:32:00.000-04:00

I started the Kentucky Experience Project about a year ago and due to varying things (technical difficulties and a busy life) I had to put it down for a bit. I've got some of those kinks worked out now and I'm ready to start aggressively looking for submissions once again.

I got the idea for the project after I'd been living in the state for about four years and come to understand the diversity of its residents and landscapes. It seems like depending on where you live, how you personally identify, your race, class, gender, sexual orientation, or who you associate with, your perception of Kentucky will be radically different from someone elses. I've met folks who live here who think it is the friendliest and most beautiful place on earth (no joke!) and I've met people who for various reasons can't stand it here.

I thought it would be interesting to gather up people's stories and perceptions and compile them all together in the same place. In this case, as a website. I'm hoping that by doing so we can create a more intimate and honest dialogue about the wonderful resources that we have here, and where a lot of work needs to be done.

I'm currently looking for submissions. You can submit anything you'd like. Short stories, photographs, drawings, songs, poems, whatever. I am looking for original work. You can view the submission guidelines here. You don't have to a great artists or writer to submit either. I'm more interest in diversity of opinion rather than the quality of the work.

xo,
De Las

Beyond Beats and Rhymes meets Drake in Lexington

2010-05-18T08:57:00.007-04:00

Watch this documentary. After talking with a friend last night about the Drake concert recently (where a bunch of people were arrested and fights broke out) I thought about this documentary. While I don't blame Drake or the people at the concert for what occurred completely, I do think we are part of a larger system that oppresses people through all of the isms and phobias. I love that this documentary asks really good gendered, sexual and race questions that come from a loving place. I love hip hop too, but I believe that if you aren't willing to make something better you better get out of the way.

Byron Hurt (the filmmaker) is a Q, played football and loves Hip Hop. This is a well done documentary that asks the right questions.

Distro to watch our for.

2010-05-17T13:09:00.000-04:00

I just learned about Copy That! a great Kentucky based "one-grrrl show run by Cheyborg Neckmonster."

Taken from the site:

Most of the zines here have to do with sexuality, gender, self-acceptance, consent, and things of that ilk, but there are also a few random things thrown in for fun.
Check the other pages for more info, zine listings, etc.

Get in touch: neckmonster at gmail dot commmm

Check it out!

xo,
De Las.

One Transman's visit to the Vagina Doctor

2010-05-14T08:08:00.002-04:00

Hey everyone,

I know it has been 2 months since my last post, but I like to wait for inspiration. So far coming out as transgendered and furthermore beginning testosterone, I have encountered many social barriers, ie public restrooms, pronouns in the workplace, the search for a doctor - the list goes on - and as I encounter these things, I will do my best to update the stories on this blog.

The latest issue I would like to discuss today is about me and my vagina. My vagina and I go way back and I intend to keep my vagina for the duration of my life. I know that depending on how far you would like for your transition to go, some transmen do not feel this way about what is naturally between their legs. Some transmen even refuse to refer to it as a "vagina". Words like "manhole" begin to seep into their vocabulary and that is perfectly all right and maybe that's a topic for a future blog
What I'm trying to get at is that no matter how you feel about your vagina before, after and during transition, it is absolutely imperative that you continue getting regular pap exams and other vagina related check ups ESPECIALLY if you are sexually active.

So, it had been two years since my last exam and in that time I had legally changed my name, had been going by male pronouns for quite sometime and had been far enough along on T that I had the first showings of chin air (and not the I'm-a-fifth generation-Italian-female-therefore-some-chin-hair-chin hair but like....scruffy)

So, me and my chin hair get worried because now I need to find a gynaecologist who won't only make me feel okay with a stranger poking around down there, but be okay with that fact that I am transgendered. Now, due to the fact that I live under the poverty level and have NO health insurance, I turn my attention to Planned Parenthood. If you have never been there, they are an excellent resource especially for women and trans people who need access to sex education and affordable health care. There is some light paperwork in order to get on the sliding scale for payment, but low and behold there is a PLACE ON THE FORM under "Gender" for trans persons. Holla!

In no time at all, they had me scheduled to come in the following week and were able to get me in at 40% of the full cost of a visit based on my gross income.

So, I go to PP the next week and once I get in the room, get out of my binder, put on the paper dress and all that jazz, the doctor comes in to ask some questions before the examination. During this discussion she realizes that I have never been sexually active with a man. To my horror, she explains to me that I DON'T NEED AN EXAM.

As an aside - when I was 17 this same thing happened to me and my mom was absolutely livid. This is false information. It doesn't matter what your sex-life is or what your gender happens to be. Just like any other part of your body - if you have one, get it checked out. Cancer doesn't discriminate.

Knowing this situation and having a sister who developed polyps as a teenager I asked "Well, what about toys?"

She says, "Are you monogomous?"

I said "yes."

She says, "Is your partner clean?"

I say "yes."

Then she tells me I have nothing to worry about. Floored, I go on to mention my sister and she tells me that in order to get Cancer I first need HPV which can ONLY be transmitted through sex with a MAN.

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Regardless we proceed with the exam. When she is checking out my breasts she asks me if they have lessened in mass since I started testosterone. I tell her they hadn't since I had only been on it for 6 weeks. She then says flippantly, "Yea, I don't know anything about transgendered people." When all is said and done she tells me everything looks normal and she'll put through the tests "even though everything will most likely come back negative."

WOW.

So, a few days later I run into a friend who works for PP and I tell her what happened. She was pissed. A day later I get a call from the manager there who was so pissed off about what happened, that it warmed my heart. Evidently the doctor I landed was much older (I could see that) and new nothing about trans people and had some old fashioned ideas about what it takes to get HPV.

I mentioned that I found it strange that I had noted to them upon filling out the form that I was trans and wanted to make sure I was in an accepting environment and somehow landed the one doctor who would make me feel embarrassed about coming there.

I am happy to say that the Lexington Planned Parenthood branch manager had apparently reached the state level of their organization about this issue and they have implemented a training specifically geared around education on trans people for current and future staff.

I suppose the point of this post is to make sure you all know where to go to get yourself looked at. Many trans people get all their physicals done through their endocrinologists, but for me and many others, we need to seek other avenues.

AND NEVER, EVER, EVER LET A DOCTOR OR ANYONE ELSE TELL YOU THAT YOU DON'T NEED AN EXAM. YOU DO!

xo,
jackson

allied media conference

2010-05-09T00:54:00.000-04:00

Mervin, Jackson and I will be presenting a workshop on queer organizing at the upcoming 2010 allied media conference. We're really excited about it! For those of you who aren't familiar with the AMC, here's some info from their website:

The Allied Media Conference is the central project of the Allied Media Projects (AMP) network, which emerges out of ten years of organic relationship-building. Since the first conference (then the Midwest Zine Conference) in 1999, people have been compelled by the concept of do-it-yourself media. Later, as the Underground Publishing Conference, the emphasis was on building a movement of alternative media makers. With the shift towards Allied Media, the AMC has attracted more and more people who are interested in using participatory media as a strategy for social justice organizing.

During our workshop we'll be sharing out experiences with organizing the queer community in Lexington. We'll definitely be talking about some of the music events we've organized, UK's OUTsource center, and this blog. If you're free on the weekend on June17th-20th, you should totally come up and maybe even stick around for the U.S. social forum.

Powerful Images Edition 1.3

2010-05-06T16:05:00.000-04:00

Voices Against Violence

2010-05-06T15:54:00.001-04:00

Voices Against Violence is an amazing zine put together by Noemi Martinez from Hermana Resist.

This is her third installment of the zine and I have the honor of having a piece featured within its pages. Check it out, as well as her other work.

You can read it online here, or download the PDF.

xo,

De Las.

University of Kentucky Feminist Alliance in the house!!

2010-05-04T18:31:00.002-04:00

This is an interview with Virginia Conn, member of the UK Feminist Alliance. Enjoy!!

1. What is the mission of the UK Feminist alliance?

First, I want to identify and thank some of the people who have been instrumental in working with the Feminist Alliance throughout the last year: Jaime Lazich, Jason Grant, David King, Brittany Moore, and Megan Moore. They have been the heart and soul of our organization, and don’t get nearly enough credit for their hard work both on and off campus.

That said, our official mission statement is: “The UK Feminist Alliance seeks to promote issues of equality across a broad range of social arenas. Focused on—but not limited to—concerns related to women and minorities, we work at the grassroots level to make UK a better place for everyone.” I think the most important aspect of our organization, however, is to show that feminism is an issue that affects each and every individual, regardless of their gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, etc. There’s a place within feminism for everyone!

2. How long has the alliance been on UK’s campus?

I’ve been personally involved with the Fem Alliance since 2005, but it’s been around for far longer than I have, and hopefully will continue on long after I leave.

3. What does feminism mean to you?

Why am I a feminist? I'm almost tempted to say that the answer should be obvious, but I hear so often—in my classes, in the media, from the mouths of my friends and family—that we live in a post-feminist society, that feminism has accomplished its goals and should now, like any good movement which has finished what it set out to do, lay down and die. And that's true, in some sense. Feminism has gained women the right to vote. Feminism has allowed women to work outside the home. Feminism has opened up venues to women that would have been unthinkable even in our mothers' time, let alone our grandmothers' or great-grandmothers'. But how can any movement rest when there's still so much left to do? How can feminism be swept into the dustbin of 'post'-feminism when women still make only ¾ of a man's salary; when shows like The Swan or America's Next Top Model exist to tell us, men and women, that women are only to be valued for their looks; when we have yet to own control of our own bodies in the form of fully-accessible birth control or the hpv vaccine or abortion; when America has yet to elect a woman to the most powerful position in the world? There's no post-feminism when feminism still has attainable goals, and to achieve true equality, there must be feminists who are willing to work for a day when their movement can finally, truly, become obsolete. That day is not today, but I hope it comes soon.

4. What are some of the challenges that feminists face at the university of Kentucky? What about in Kentucky in general?

Most of the challenges we face at UK are the same that any feminist faces in Kentucky or the nation in general: indifference. It’s so easy to think that because we’ve come so far, we’ve come all the way. We get comments on our FB wall pretty frequently calling us anachronistic (not exactly in those terms) for insisting on equality when “women and men are already equal, stupid!” And, of course, there’s always the name-calling and insults whenever we host events, but really, foul language is only secondary. Our biggest challenge by far is the feeling that no one is willing to act for the kind of world they want to live in, they just want it to be here already.

5. Some have critiqued feminism as being a movement that only serves the interests of white middle class women. How does the UK feminist alliance work to include both people of color and people from different class backgrounds?

Honestly, we’re at somewhat of a disadvantage in this area, just by virtue of being an organization centered at a university in Kentucky. The vast majority of our potential members are white and have the means (even if only through loans) to attend college in the first place. Our main method of recruitment is being out in the public eye and drawing attention to issues we care about, which we try to do in conjunction with other multicultural groups. If people in the community see us as a representation of feminism, however, and we’re all uniformly one color and class, then unfortunately we give the same impression as you mentioned in your question. It’s an issue we would like to overcome.

6. In your opinion, are young people eager to embrace feminism?

I don’t think young people are eager to embrace the word itself, because it has (unfortunately) acquired so many negative connotations: man-hater, extremist, etc. I also don’t believe that young people are eager to act to revolutionize ideas about gender. That said, I do think more and more young people are being raised to expect certain ideas about equality that are relatively new in the public consciousness, such as women in positions of power, males taking on stereotypically “feminine” attributes and jobs (I can think of three guys right off the top of my head who aim to be stay-at-home dads), equal partnerships, genderqueer identities, and so on. These individuals may not think of their way of life as a feminist one, but any action that puts men and women on equal footing is exactly that.

7. What would be a feminist perspective on gender? (there is no right or wrong answer of course!)

What a loaded question! This varies so much across the whole “feminist movement” that it’s impossible to say definitively what a “feminist perspective” would be without offensively simplifying the issue for some. I can tell you my own perspective, as a feminist, on the issue, and hope that that’ll be good enough. For me, since feminism itself is all about choice and equality (two nebulous words in and of themselves), gender necessarily both follows and informs those same choices. Unlike sex, with which (most) people are born as either one or the other, some people can consider themselves women, some people can consider themselves men, some are both, some are neither, and some change depending on the day and their mood and the weather. I don’t mean to make light of the topic by saying that; I feel that gender is an identity that is as much a performance of internal and external expectations as it is an integral part of the way you were born, and because your own and others’ expectations are always changing, it stands to reason that the way to enact your gender would do so, too.

8. Feminist movements are often described as being part of “waves.” Currently we are experiencing third wave feminism. What does that mean?

Third-wave feminism is the recognition that there are no all-encompassing feminist ideals that everyone can agree with. It’s a movement founded on diversity and dialogue, not strict rules, but is only possible because earlier waves were united in a push towards common goals that are now foundational. For example, the first wave fought for very basic issues, such as the right for women to vote, while the second wave worked for the right for women to have access/equal opportunity in the workforce, as well as ending of legal sex discrimination. Some of the most prominent issues of this wave are reproductive rights and media representation, but as I said, there is no single issue to unite all feminists contained within the movement.

9. What projects is the feminist alliance working on?

Since the Feminist Alliance is a student organization, we usually take the summer as an opportunity to stop and catch our breath before starting up again in the fall. We have an ongoing project of putting together a Gender Resource Center in the Center for Student Involvement, however, for which we are always accepting donations, and we just finished up curating an exhibit for Boxes & Walls, an interactive diversity museum. Some proposed activities for the fall are a feminist-themed art show as part of the gallery hop, a pay-equity bake sale (which we have done in the past with great success), and our always-ongoing work with the Gender Resource Center.

10. Do you ever work with other campus or community organizations?

We try to collaborate on projects as often as possible. I mentioned previously that we recently finished working with an interactive diversity museum, which was sponsored by the Office of Multicultural Affairs and with which we were paired with the VIP Center. In the past, we held a forum about the female orgasm that featured speakers from the UK Medical Center and a representative from Planned Parenthood, and one of our current members is also a member of the Bluegrass NOW, so we expect some overlap there. We have also worked with OUTsource, VOX, and the producers of the Vagina Monologues, and are generally excited to collaborate any time there’s some kind of intersection of interest between groups (which happens all the time!).

11. How can someone get involved with the UK feminist alliance? Do they need to be a student?

We’re always looking for new members! To hold an office or act in an official capacity, someone would need to be a student, but we have currently and have had in the past many people who unofficially belong to the organization. If you have an interest in working with supportive equal-rights activists, don’t hesitate to contact us in any number of ways: our FB fan page (UK Feminist Alliance), our FB group (Girl Club), by e-mail (ukfeministalliance@gmail.com) or on our Twitter account (UKFemAlliance). We’d love to hear from you!

xo,
De Las.

We're still here I promise!!!

2010-04-26T04:39:00.001-04:00

Hey everyone! I know it's been over a month since we last posted, and I want to apologize all the way from the bottom of our genderedlex hearts! We've all been ridiculously busy, but things are beginning to slow down. I'm working on a couple of pieces for you all that I hope to get up in the next couple of weeks, including an interview with the UK Feminist Alliance and a review of a few of our local porn stores.

Also, I'm pretty excited about this. Mervin Sue, Jackson and I are presenting a workshop at the allied media conference called "Bless their hearts: Queer organizing in the South." It's gonna be great!!!

xo,

De Las

Searching for Testosterone in Lexington....UNINSURED!

2010-03-17T18:23:00.002-04:00

Hey folks!

Been a while since I have posted but this past week has reignited my need to be informative.

Last week I officially began my hormone therapy. Not without jumping through a few hoops, but that's a tale for another blog. What I want to talk about right now is where to go to get the best deal on Testosterone while being uninsured. On top of being uninsured, I'm also totally broke. Beginning hormones is only tightening by budget more, but I was dead-set on finding the cheapest way to obtain my T. Bear in mind, this is for 10ml Testosterone Cypionate and this does not include the syringes and needles which pretty much ran the same anyhow (under $10.00). Also "discount" refers to any program offered to uninsured persons. So, here's what I discovered:

KROGER:
$88.59 - for no discount program - a good deal!

CVS:
$111.99 - also, no discount offered

Bondurant:
$105.00 - no discount

Meijer:
$98.95 - no discount

Rite Aid:
$99.99 - They offer a discount program that doesn't cost anything to sign up for and gives %15 off your purchase and future purchases without ever needing a renewal. They also price-match, but they cannot price-match discounted totals. After some light math, Rite Aid was a close second....

....which brings me to our winner....

WALGREENS:
$89.99 - They have a discount card that costs $20.00. This card takes off $20.00 for every future purchase. It needs to be renewed once a year, but in the meantime you can walk out with your 'script filled for $69.99.

With syringes and needles included, I spent only $101.00 and will only have to spend around $80.00 from now on.

Price hunting for this kind of thing can be scary and I hope this list helps somebody. If you have any additional info please comment about it. Also it is important to note that there are online pharmacies where you can score even better deals if you're willing to do things through shipping.

Be well Lexington!
xo,
jackson

Cross-Posted: Radical Masculinity

2010-03-13T17:55:00.004-05:00

"I have studied butch. I was not born with swagger: I learned it. I earned it."

This is a fabulous article on redefining/ re-situating masculinity in these modern times. In addition to having fantastic quotables, this article was valuable to my genderqueer, often masculine-presenting, last bastion of chivalry self.

Read up. Then talk about it.

Drag Paintings in a Music Video

2010-03-07T09:28:00.001-05:00

70 Million by Hold Your Horses ! from L'Ogre on Vimeo.

Thanks Feministing. Again.

Book club has a listserv

2010-02-28T18:21:00.000-05:00

For those of you interested in being a part of the radical feminist reading group, please sign up for our listserv by going here:

https://lists.aktivix.org/mailman/listinfo/lexingtonreadsradically

xo,
delas

Being a Woman at odds with Femininity

2010-02-24T21:49:00.003-05:00

While watching a Beyonce video tonight I was struck by Beyonce's emphasis of her femininity. On the one hand, I know that women in mainstream music have to work with their femininity because that is what sells. If Beyonce didn't shake her ass and wear bright red lipstick then she wouldn't be as popular. I guess I am surprised by how easily her femininity comes to her. If I wanted to look feminine I would need to try really hard at it. An old ex told me once that when I talked about wearing heels it was like I was "trying too hard".

I don't wear makeup and have not worn a skirt or carried a purse in a couple of years. My haircut is longer than it has been in awhile, but it is still really short and when I wore it longer it didn't seem to suit me or be extremely feminine. Now that I am teaching I have been trying to update my wardrobe because I am essentially performing for 40 hours a week now.

I don't feel comfortable with extreme femininity, it doesn't seem to fit. I feel like a football player wearing a tutu when I try to wear a face full of makeup and carry a purse. Dainty is not how I carry myself. I wish it were as simple as "being ok with the in between" but it isn't. There is a part of me that watches those Beyonce videos and is sad because I don't see a reflection of my type of woman.

Street Harrassment

2010-02-23T18:21:00.001-05:00

This is a real problem, and it happens everywhere. I prefer the definition of street harassment provided by the amazing women at Incite

An interaction in a public space that:

makes you feel sexualized, intimidated,embarrassed,objectified, violated, attacked, or unsafe.

An interaction in a public space that:

restricts your movement or makes you modify your behavior in an attempt to avoid the possibility of being verbally and/or physically harassed.

Some of the of the behaviors that represent street harassment are:

Whistling, kissing noises, psssst noises
Comments like “Give me a smile!” and “Hey baby!”
Yelling from a distance
Blocking a woman’s path
Grabbing, groping, touching
Following (on foot, in a vehicle)
Honking

What are your experiences with street harassment in Lexington? Where were you when it happened? How did you respond?

Also, I've printed a ton of anti-street violence brocures from Incite's action page that I intend to distribute around town. They're AMAZING. They define street harassment, talk about why it's dangerous, and list things you can do if you're being harassed on the street, as well as things men can do to educate other men about street harassment (not that men are the only ones who harass people on the street).

If you'd like some brochures to give to friends, leave at your school, doctors office, grocery store, etc. you can download the PDF from the above link, or get in touch with me and I'll give you some. My email is laexigente@gmail.com

xo,

delas.

What? Ski Jumping ISN'T a women's sport?

2010-02-21T01:36:00.001-05:00

Does cleverness excuse racism?

2010-02-15T13:25:00.005-05:00

Check out John Mayer's apology during one of his concerts. I'm not sure if his apology makes me feel better about what he said in his playboy interview. He called his penis a "white supremacist" and even dropped the N word.

Many blogs have already talked about this. I was wondering what gender has to do with his comments. He is a great guitar player. How does his privilege affect his trying to be "witty"?

EDIT: Jay Smooth puts it perfectly in this next clip. Let's focus on the bigger issues and systemic racism found in this country. Operation, ignore John Mayer.

Male strippers?

2010-02-15T00:24:00.001-05:00

Do strippers who are men get less flack than female ones? What do you all think?

Check out this clip about Channing Tatum showing Ellen how he used to dance when he was a stripper. It is kinda funny.

(Gender)Role Models

2010-02-10T20:07:00.003-05:00

As I was skimming through some Sleater-Kinney music videos this evening, I was reminded of something I had almost forgotten about. Not that I ever really forgot the impact Carrie Brownstein had on me as a 15 year old girl with a mere 3 years of guitar playing under my belt, but I almost forgot that feeling that comes with admiration - the special kind - that we hold for folks who inspire us and point us down a path we hadn't come to see on our own.

I thought, "Wow...so that's how you hold an electric guitar."

Though it would be years before I fully appreciated riot grrrl in the capacity of womens' movements or even paid attention to the lyrics in Bikini Kill songs, I never forgot Carrie's swagger, or her infamous kick. I never forgot the serious look on her face that told me, "Look kid, it was a long hard road to get here, what the Fuck are you looking at? Now move out of the way, I'm about to solo." I'm sure this isn't what she means for her face to say, but that's the way it burned in my memory. She was the kind of sexy that I had been looking for and did not know existed. With the likes of the Spice Girls all over mainstream radio and my in depth familiarity of "alternative music" being saturated in Tori Amos, Bjork, and Natalie Merchant (and I still love these artist!), I was therefore only accustomed to the idea of having to wear crazy ass make-up and/or sashes and play acoustic guitar if I was going to really make it as a female musician.

So, tonight I got to thinking in terms of my new gender identity and could not help but wonder: Had I been born male, would I have looked up to Carrie Brownstein? Ever? Would I have settled for Jimmy Page instead? Would I have even picked up the guitar? Maybe I would have been pushed into sports and become enamoured with Dan Marino instead (I grew up in South Florida and he was all the rage back then).

Regardless, I was born with a vagina, took a liking to the guitar, was grounded a lot (hence a good deal of practice), and eventually felt like the locked up female I was and found some badass women to look up to.

Obviously, once I transition, my herstory is not going to change. Ten years from now I hope someone asks me, "So, who inspired you the most when you were young?" And in my burly man-voice I will say, "Carrie Brownstein. She taught me how to hold a guitar like a real woman."

Before I close this out - I'd like to hear who your first role model was and why!!

<3
Jackson

The Art of Manliness Blog

2010-02-09T13:34:00.003-05:00

Check out this blog. This post is about Hustling. I agree with the writer, having had someone on a softball team tell me that "What you lack in talent, Mervin, you make up in effort."

How do you Hustle? What are dreams you have been putting on the back burner? I would like to start a Vegan bakery. Maybe I should hustle it out.

powerful images edition 1.2

2010-01-28T10:00:00.002-05:00

Slamming Perspective

2010-01-26T11:38:00.004-05:00

I've been doing more reading and learning than writing lately.

And so, I present to you: Miles. I found this video on genderkid while I was twiddling my thumbs waiting for genderfork to post my profile.

I have no words for how much this moved me. Actually, I have a plethora of words, but what do you think?

Kentucky artist plug

2010-01-24T11:40:00.000-05:00

I want to be sure to bring attention to artists, musicians, writers and activists in Kentucky who rock and who have something to say about gender and sexuality.

This month's awesome artist is Casie Lewis. A graduate from EKU in photography and printmaking, Casie now resides in Louisville where she's been cranking out amazing shit like nobody's business.

Here are some examples of her work:

To get in touch with her for purchasing, shows etc. email her at cassandra.lws@gmail.com. To see more of her work go here.

Please don't use any of these photos w/out her permission! (She's really nice. Just ASK)

powerful images edition 1.1

2010-01-21T14:39:00.002-05:00

Curves Ahead.

2010-01-13T23:07:00.002-05:00

I will post more about this tomorrow or Friday, but check out V magazine's cover shoot with plus size models. These women are gorgeous and redefining the idea that thin equals sexy. What do you all think?

BOOK CLUB UPDATE!!

2010-01-12T15:18:00.001-05:00

I promised that once the holidays were over, I'd get started organizing our feminist book club. Our first book will be The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros. This is based on several of you indicating that you'd like to read this. You are free to purchase the book or borrow from a friend or the library. Here are some places online where you can get it for cheap.

Alibris $2.95

Amazon $2.25

We're going to get together to discuss the book on March 21st. (So make sure you've read it by then lol!) That's a Sunday afternoon. We'll meet at noon. I think it could be fun to meet at a coffee shop, but if we have too many people for that to make sense, we could meet at my house. Let's pick the location when we're closer to March 21st. At this meeting we'll discuss how we went to select future books. A couple of suggestions that have surfaced are that we could put book ideas in a hat and draw them out, or we could rotate and each take turns assigning a book. In the meantime, you should make a list of your favs.

I'm so excited!!

De Las.

The Inferior Status of Women (The Dark Bible)

2010-01-10T12:26:00.002-05:00

"The Dark Bible" as compiled by Jim Walker is something I stumbled upon this morning. I would like to say that the views on religion that are stated and/or implied by its author do not necessarily reflect those of Gendered Lexington authors and/or readers.

Mostly I was stricken by the segment on The Inferior Status of Women which I have linked below. The following is a statement found in the "about" section of the site:

The inspiration of the Dark Bible first stemmed from a combination of Ben Akerley's "The X-Rated Bible" and Steve Allen's, "Steve Allen on the Bible, Religion and Morality", for the purpose of finding relevant passages that dealt with the wrath, scatological, and dubious moral teachings of God in the Bible. The Bible has served as one of the instruments that has steered me away from this awful religion. Hopefully, the Dark Bible will do the same for others.

The Inferior Status of Women

Enjoy,
Jackson

hair.

2010-01-07T19:38:00.000-05:00

For the majority of my life I've had really long hair. I remember my mother would braid and style it before school for me. Sometimes she would make my pigtails so tight that I'd get a head ache halfway through the day, but that didn't matter to me because I thought my hair looked good.

When I hit adolescence I remember using half a bottle of rave hairspray to try and get my bangs to stand up just right. I was obsessed. I crimped, curled, ironed, feathered, layered, colored, and teased my hair. People complimented me quite often on how pretty my hair was. I could never conceive of cutting it all off.

My hair became intricately tied to my self esteem and my self worth. Like many young women, I based my worth on my ability to attract boys. I already felt like I couldn't measure up to other girls my age because I wasn't thin enough, or I was too poor to have the coolest clothes, or because I was too brown. My asset, became my hair.

I wish I could say that this changed for me once I left high school but unfortunately college was more of the same. I remember mentioning to my then boyfriend that I was considering cutting my hair and he threw a fit about it. That was all it took, and I left it alone.

My life changed a good deal after college, and I grew enough confidence to cut my hair to about chin length. Then for a number of years I kept it relatively short but always very feminine.

Over the last few years I've rediscovered (I'm sorry I lost you!!!) my feminist riot grrrl self and with that has come a great deal of personal reflection. Why do I care so much what other people think of me? How can I unlearn all of this crap!I'm succesful, artistic, creative, and intelligent damnit. No matter what my hair looks like. I am beautiful no matter how I wear my hair.

So for new years, I got my first mohawk. I had to drink a glass of wine during the procedure, but I made it through and while I'm cold as hell (the high tomorrow is 17degrees F) I feel liberated.

So for your enjoyment, mohawk party pictures :)

powerful images edition 1.0

2010-01-06T22:18:00.001-05:00

What Do You Mean You "Don't Like Female Fronted Bands"?

2010-01-02T13:43:00.004-05:00

On our way home to Lexington from Louisville yesterday, Ondine and I were listening to 100.5 Gen X Radio. We were shouting predictions of who we thought the DJ would spin next.

"Stone Temple Pilots!"

"No, definitely Collective Soul."

Then we would "ah" to one another when C + C Music Factory would start in.

Inevitably this spurred a dialogue over nostalgia and what we deemed "classics" and what were simply "one-hit-wonders". It wasn't long however before the feminists within us began breaking down the Top 40 lists of the nineties and examined just how many of these bands were female fronted. We wanted to hear some Tracy Bonham, Hell we would have taken Edie Brickell but the station continued with its male dominant playlist and we continued breaking down this paradigm.

It is pretty clear to both of us that bands fronted by female vocalists are simply not approached or delivered in the same way that male dominant bands are. For instance, can you think of any Top 40 female artist that hasn't had to make her sexual prowess a part of her persona? Or at the very least (such as in the cases of Hilary Duff and Miley Cyrus) had it attacked? This while bands like Cake and The Toadies get to just focus on being cool and not have to worry about their weight or thier wardrobes. Although I must note that part of this conversation was spurred while discussing Silverchair's frontman Daniel Johns who developed anorexia nervosa at the height of the band's career.

And so I was reminded of a conversation I had with my brother, Nick a long time ago when I was 19 and he was 17. Nick is a very gifted singer and a thoughtful mind - someone whose opinion I have always held in high regard. A late bloomer to the talents of Ani DiFranco, I became absolutely immersed in her discography upon my first year at college. Being blown away, I wanted to share her sound with Nick. We were in my car when I slipped in "Evolve" and to my surprise, Nick did not dig it. When I asked why, he said something that took me by surprise and mildly offended me: "You know, I just don't like girl music. I mean, I just don't like female fronted bands." I said, "What do you mean you 'don't like female fronted bands'?" He shrugged and said, "I dunno their music is always, I dunno, corny to me or something." I can't recall how the rest of that conversation went and I didn't hate my brother for what he said, because in the end I still do value his opinion and in remembering this dialogue and relaying it back to Ondine, I found that men in her life had expressed the same sentiment.

I think this phenomenon is worth analyzing - don't you? What is it exactly that makes men in our culture not take female dominant music seriously? I know this is a loaded question and I know most of us will have the same answers, but lets really dig on this guys. Share with us conversations you have had with men on this topic and tell us why you think this is so.

Also, to wrap this up, De Las Ondas had a great suggestion for me to list Lexington bands that are female fronted. Please feel free to add ones that I miss (past bands count also):

The Rough Customers
Spooky Qs
Emily Hagihara
Blind Corn Liquor Pickers
Coralee and the Townies
Laloux
Saraya Brewer (DJ)
Ara
Eyes and Arms of Smoke
Beyond Dark Hills
City Mouse
Little Noodles
The Dialectics
Chrissy Foster
Hotbox
Miss Kitty and her Hotdogs
Little Miss Tammy Smith
Total Abuse
Tense Kids
Ford Theatre Reunion
Smuttynose

I didn't provide links because my computer is acting real slow and it was taking me a while. Y'all know how to Google!

-Jackson

holiday greetings, layout updates and mistaken genders..

2009-12-29T00:36:00.001-05:00

First of all, happy holidays everyone. The Gendered Lex crew is spread out across the country at the moment. I myself am recovering from some intense family time and enjoying a full week off from work. With all my free time I figured I better get some blogging in. You may have noticed that the blog layout has changed a bit. I've been playing around with some of our options. Don't be alarmed if it changes again. :)

On to the actual post..

I am very rarely read as any other gender besides female. I am a cisgendered, female identified person so I guess that works out for me. However, for many people that is not the case. Particularly for people who fall somewhere on the gendered spectrum in a place other than "male" or "female." Being mistaken for a gender other than your own can be a source of shame, embarrassment, and frustration for people, and even worse, can result in violence.

In a perfect world it I suppose it wouldn't matter if someone made a mistake and called you out of your gender. You would correct them, they would apologize, and everything would be fine. In an even MORE perfect world, maybe gender wouldn't matter at all and we wouldn't be so obsessed with trying to put people into certain categories.

Unfortunately in this world, we're only given two options and we have to conform to them. I really got to thinking about this recently after someone left me a crappy comment on my you tube channel where they referred to me as male.

To give it a little context, I made a video about what comes inside the Tofurky vegan feast package. The video is maybe about three minutes long and is intended to be light and silly. Here is the comment that I received:

"More proof that being a veegan is just a fad. Look at this guy's pseudointellectual glasses... multiple piercings... rebellious short hair... and flanel. Str8 Tool. So egotistic they record themselves because they think people want to watch. Well, i enjoyed calling you out, dear sir."

So yeah. I mean, I know that there are a lot of ignorant creepy people trolling around in internet land, and trust me, my feelings aren't hurt. I had a good laugh about all of the misspellings in his comment and his obvious lack of knowledge about veganism. But I think what really struck me the most was that he thought I was a guy. I guess I'm just not used to it. It just seemed so ludicrous to me that he couldn't see that I'm female. Then it struck me, that this may be similar to what transpeople and genderqueer people experience on a daily basis; people who can't seem to see their gender identity for what it is.

I want to hear about your experiences with being mistaken for a different gender. What happened? How did it make you feel? How was it resolved?

De Las.

I agree with Feministing on this one... Genderfail: Livejournal to change code to binary choices only

2009-12-17T09:54:00.002-05:00

Check this out.

WHY do people HAVE to choose one or the other, especially on a journal site? Really?

Feminist/Womanist/Mujerista book club?

2009-12-12T16:42:00.002-05:00

So I've been thinking lately that it would be nice to be a part of a feminist book club. As far as I know there doesn't seem to be one in central KY (by all means let me know if I'm wrong). I haven't been in school for several years now and I really miss having discussions where we dissect themes about race, class, ability, sex and gender in various books and articles.

So who is interested? The more the merrier, but we need at least 3-4 people I think for it to work. I know that everyone is huber busy too, so maybe we read a new book and meet every three months or so? I figure that would also be enough time for folks to order said book from the library if they don't want to buy it.

If you're interested, then post in the comment section that you are and include a book that you would want us to read! Once I have enough people I will try and coordinate us.

De Las.

Transgender Day of Remembrance

2009-11-18T20:19:00.005-05:00

Friday, November 20 is Transgender Day of Remembrance.

Check out this site to see a list of events happening around the world. The University of Kentucky Gay Straight alliance is getting an event together. If you are interested in participating, come to the GSA meeting

Thursday, November 19
7:00pm
357 Student Center

Friday, November 20
2:00pm
Free Speech Area

Friday November 20th is Transgender Day of Remembrance in memory of victims of hate. UKGSA will be preparing Thursday night for an event the this Friday. There will be a variety of tasks to work on in anticipation:
-chalking every blackboard in whitehall with the name and circumstances of a victim's death
-creating signs and posters for tabling on Friday

Friday from 10 to 2 UKGSA will be tabling in the free speech area. In the case of rain we'll move to the patio. If you are able to please drop by or help in whatever way possible. This is an issue that you must bring to the attention of campus.

Witness Exhibit

2009-11-18T20:12:00.003-05:00

Opening Reception
J Allen Studio + Spa
527 S. Upper Street
Friday, November 20, 2009
5-8pm

WHAT: a 3-month creative collaboration between 10 specially trained artists and 10 women who have experienced domestic violence and/or sexual assault that culminates in a touring public exhibition

WHERE: Opens at J. Allen Studio + Spa at 527 S. Upper St. in Lexington. From there it travels to the 11th annual Ending Sexual Assault & Domestic Violence Conference at Griffin Gate Marriott at 1800 Newtown Pike. A comprehensive tour schedule will be available at www.lexingtonartleague.org once finalized.

WHEN: Opening reception coincides with Nov. 20 Gallery Hop. On Nov. 30-Dec. 3, Witness will be a feature of the Ending Sexual Assault & Domestic Violence Conference. Other dates will be available at www.lexingtonartleague.org once finalized.

WHO: LAL in partnership with Kentucky Domestic Violence Association (KDVA), Bluegrass Domestic Violence Program (BDVP), Bluegrass Rape Crisis Center (BRCC), Third Street Stuff and Kentucky United Methodist Homes for Children and Youth (KUMH) have selected 10 artists and 10 storytellers from Central Kentucky for participation.

Artist training sessions were designed by LeTonia Jones from KDVA, Maria Almario from BRCC, Diane Fleet from BDVP and Karen Alexander from KUMH. Orientation sessions with all participants were designed by Fran Belvin, licensed and practicing art therapist, and Hui Chi Lee, art lecturer at University of Kentucky.

Paula Zaglul's Solo Show

2009-11-18T20:05:00.002-05:00

come see Paula Zaglul's solo show at
Zag's Gallery
222 South Limestone Street, Suite 2
Friday November 20, 2009
6-9 pm
Jack Cofer and Ondine Quinn performing.

Paula Zaglul has done a series of portraits of local people. You may have seen some of her work around town, most recently in soundbar. Zag's Boutique is a wonderful place to find local art, jewelry and clothing. Stop by during the gallery hop!

Voices Against Violence Zine

2009-11-18T13:34:00.004-05:00

Description taken from Hermana, Resist:

Voices Against Violence is a small zine-diy style, with work from people of color, indigenous folks, trans people & queer survivors of domestic violence, sexual violence and sexual assault. Included topics can be: healing from trauma, transformative words used as a healing mechanism, enabling healing, life after trauma, self-help guides/resources, self-healing, dancing as means to healing, healing through narration, forgiveness (do we need it?), & collective trauma.

This is an amazing project that I'm planning on submitting work to and I think you should to. Sexual assault and domestic violence happen in every community and we need to talk about it.

**UPDATE** The submission deadline has been extended to February 2nd y'all!

For more information check it out here.

One step forward, two steps back...

2009-11-10T10:24:00.003-05:00

God I'm so fucking mad.

Recently Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich) introduced an amendment to the health care bill that would limit women's access to abortion. Stupak’s bill prohibits abortion coverage in the public insurance option included in the House bill. It would also prevent private plans from offering coverage for abortion services if they accept people who are receiving government subsidies.

From the NY Times:

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi desperately tried to deal with an issue that has bedeviled Democrats for more than a generation — abortion.
Skip to next paragraph
Health Care Conversations

After hours of heated talks, the people she was trying to convince — some of her closest allies — burst angrily out of her office.

Her attempts at winning them over had failed, and Ms. Pelosi, the first woman speaker and an ardent defender of abortion rights, had no choice but to do the unthinkable. To save the health care bill she had to give in to abortion opponents in her party and allow them to propose tight restrictions barring any insurance plan that is purchased with government subsidies from covering abortions.

The restrictions were necessary to win support for the overall bill from abortion opponents who threatened to scuttle the health care overhaul.

The results of that fight, waged heavily over two days, were evident as one liberal Democrat after another denounced the health care plan because of abortion restrictions, even though they were likely to hold their noses in the end and vote for the bill itself.

“If enacted, this amendment will be the greatest restriction of a woman’s right to choose to pass in our careers,” said Representative Diana DeGette, Democrat of Colorado, one of the lawmakers who left Ms. Pelosi’s office mad.

Representative Rosa DeLauro, Democrat of Connecticut, said the bill’s original language barring the use of federal dollars to pay for abortions should have been sufficient for the opponents. “Abortion is a matter of conscience on both sides of the debate,” Ms. DeLauro said. “This amendment takes away that same freedom of conscience from America’s women. It prohibits them from access to an abortion even if they pay for it with their own money. It invades women’s personal decisions.”

Now let's think about where we are. Check out what the folks at the Abortion Access Project have to say about the bluegrass:

Women in places such as Mississippi, Kentucky, West Virginia and Arkansas share a troubling commonality – they all live in states with the least accessible abortion services in the United States. Because of where they live, these women face daunting barriers to get safe abortion care if and when they need it. These least access states have the most restrictive laws and the fewest number of abortion providers. These states also share other traits: low levels of contraceptive care, high rates of poverty, and strong anti-abortion cultures. With little help to prevent pregnancy, few financial resources to help pay for abortion care, and the threat of isolation or even harassment within her community, the health and autonomy of a woman living in one of these states is at risk.

I don't know about you, but I'm pissed off, and I'm scared. This is a giant step backward for reproductive rights.

Learn about what you can do by visiting planned parenthood: http://plannedparenthoodaction.org/healthreform/

and the Abortion Access Project: http://www.abortionaccess.org/content/blogsection/7/119/

De Las.

Feministing article about Dress Code Issues in Schools and how it is hurting Trans Students

2009-11-09T23:19:00.003-05:00

Check this out about dress codes and how they unfairly affect Transgender students. Thanks Feministing! and Jessica who posted the blog.

Whoa. 64 Manliest Films to Date....

2009-10-18T22:51:00.001-04:00

Check out the manliest films so far.

Too Big for My Skin- Campaign

2009-10-18T12:12:00.002-04:00

So I was gonna post about the pepsi max commercials that continue gendered stereotypes, but I feel like I have made that point before so here is a better post.

This poem spoke to me because I have never really felt comfortable in my skin. I love the different representations of women that are present in the video. You can comment on the video in youtube and even respond with a video. I might talk to my fellow genderedlexers and see if we want to respond via video and post it here and on youtube.

men in high heels and what not

2009-10-08T16:50:00.003-04:00

It's time for another video post. This is the first time I've EVER used imovie to edit a video so it kind of sucks. But I promise, I will practice :)

This is a continuation of our discussion about sex week, and specifically about an event at the end of sex week where men are asked to walk in high heels for a mile so that they can better understand women (and women's issues).

So what do you think? Do you think this event will achieve what it sets out to? What might be a better way to help people better understand women's experiences?

Really?!?

2009-10-07T13:51:00.004-04:00

This week is Sex Week at UK, and there are tons of events going on to promote it. You can check out a list of their activities and events on their website.

Taken from their website:

The purpose of Sex Week at UK is to increase sexual literacy by initiating an informed, open, and sustained dialog about human sexuality throughout the campus community.

Last night there was a poetry slam and art show at 3rd St. stuff. People read work and displayed art about sex, gender, sexual violence, etc.

Well I guess the family foundation caught wind of it and sent out the news crew. You can watch the video here.

Sex week also made it into the herald leader and the kentucky kernel.

I'm curious to hear about what you think.

Here is what I think.

I think that it's really important for people to be open and honest about sex, and unfortunately, in our society we're just not - and that leads to all kinds of problems.

There are the people who end up w/ STI's and unwanted pregnancies because they don't know enough about safe sex to protect themselves and they're taught not to ask. Women in particular are taught to believe that if they enjoy sex and have sex outside of marriage than they're slutty and damaged. There are tons of sexually active people (married and unmarried), who have unrewarding sex because they're not supposed to like it, so they don't ask how to experiment with it. (I can't tell you how many of my female friends were afraid to masturbate until they were adults). And far too many people don't understand the complexities of consent because AGAIN, we don't talk about it. Women students on college campuses face a disproportionately high risk of experiencing sexual violence and the university of Kentucky is no exception.

If sex week gets people talking about these issues then we should make it sex month. Fuck that, sex YEAR!

So I want to hear from you. So what do you think about sex week? Should it be an annual thing? Did you attend any of the events? If so, how were they? Are you happy with the events that are planned for it? Do you want to be a part of organizing sex week next year?

xo

De Las.

Boo

2009-10-05T23:00:00.001-04:00

Facebook friends, you know that you want to comment on here. Let's get the discussion started. What do YOU all want to see?

Stepping Out on Lexington's Shoulders

2009-09-27T23:22:00.004-04:00

My given name has never fit me. No variation of it has ever made much sense. I have often searched for a nickname but rarely ever got one (and never a good one). I even tried to shorten my given name by a letter in the second grade and was told by my teacher that to do so would be “illegal". Jerk. Not clicking with my given name is reasonable to me considering that it came from a list of baby names floating around in my parents' house during the 1980s. And so, because my parents found some appreciation in this name (number seven on the list), that is what I was christened. Now, over two decades later I am reflecting on this decision made without my consultation and feel just fine about wanting to choose my name.

So I picked “Eli”. It's Hebrew and I am (eventually) converting, after all. It is also a popular feminine name in Norway from where some of my ancestors conveniently hail. The question now, and the relevance to this blog, is how this change will go over here in the fine city of Lexington.

I have lived here for just over a year now and have managed to spend a lot of time and energy in the pursuit of social change. That given name has been attached to an impassioned public speech and a full-color photo in a newspaper. The prospect of requesting to be called by my chosen name is also terrifying to me. The wonderful queer community in Lexington has shown me that such an act has successfully been done before and that I won't be going this alone. This post is the first leap of confidence that will lead to the first time I will introduce myself as Eli, nice to meet you.

Eli stands for all of the times I sped through introductions and the roll calls to which I hardly responded. It stands for all the cat calls and the “hey man, got a light(s)?" It remembers all the times over the years when my friends told me that I didn't look like my name. It hopes for a sense of solidarity in queer identity within myself and for that first confident handshake yet to come.

Mostly, it means to say “Hello, Lexington. I am the same crusader for equal rights that I was yesterday. I am here and genderqueer. I was afraid to be me but within your city limits I have found the confidence to speak up. You can call me Eli, nice to meet you."

good reads, good tunes, good questions

2009-09-23T10:24:00.005-04:00

So this is an addendum to our intro video. We wanted to share w/ everyone what we're reading and/or listening to a lot right now, and to also pose a discussion question.

Just in case you missed the question;

What experience have you had in the last week that has made you think about gender?

Post your story in the comments section. Feel free to upload a video response if you'd like.

and if you want to share w/ us what you're reading/listening to at the moment, that would be cool too!

xo,

De las Ondas

introduction video

2009-09-22T22:46:00.003-04:00

So Mervin, Jackson and I thought it would be fun to make a video introducing ourselves and talking about what we hope this blog turns into. So here ya go!

xo,

De las Ondas

Coming out day is BACK!

2009-09-21T11:53:00.003-04:00

Coming Out Day is on October 11th but sadly that day is on a Sunday so this year the University of Kentucky Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) decided to have it on Oct 9th (which also falls in perfectly for Sex Week @ UK!)

Basically the idea behind Coming Out Day is a celebration for people who are gay, lesbian, all in between and all who are neither to come and be together in a supportive fun atmosphere as well as all those who support them.

This year we will be in the Student Center Patio celebrating with Music, Face Painting, A Bake Sale, Gay Trivia, an Ally Pledge, more fun activities you can shake a stick at!

And we have a giant closet for you guys to come out of!

Date: Friday, October 9, 2009
Time: 10:00am - 4:00pm
Location: UK Student Center Patio
City/Town: Lexington, KY

xo,

De Las Ondas

Weekend Recap

2009-09-21T09:39:00.007-04:00

So just last week here in Lex we had an awesome show at Al's Bar featuring Athens Boys Choir, 8" Betsy, and Lexington KY's very own Spooky Qs.

In addition to just being a kick ass show, the night also served as a benefit for the OUTsource, which is the university of Kentucky's GLBTIQ resource center.

Local musician Jack Cofer can be credited w/ pulling all of this together. He's been working very hard recently to bring more diverse acts to Lexington. When asked why this was important for him to do he said: "There are none [queer touring bands coming to Lexington] and there should be. There is a population here that appreciates it, and it raises queer awareness and it's not something we see often enough. I'm feeling very rewarded w/ the turnout from Tuesday, and by how many people really seemed to appreciate the show, including the performers. I can see that there is a demand for this sort of thing where there wasn't one at all, because people didn't think they could demand something like that in a town like this, and I"m more than happy to oblige."

So because you asked, Cofer is finishing up the planning of another queer music showcase on October 3rd 2009. The Queer Control Records showcase will also take place at Al's bar and will feature three bands from the San Francisco based label, local DJ's and fire dancers. 100% of the door is going to be donated to AVOL (AIDS Volunteers of Lexington).

You should also check out the next issue of local newspaper North of Center for an article written by Cofer about merging queer activism and the arts in Lexington.

And now, I'll leave you w/ some sweet pics from the show and the afterparty, Thanks to Shey Ruud and Ethan Hammonds.

xo,

De Las Ondas

New Venue in Town = I Peed on the Ground

2009-09-07T11:51:00.002-04:00

Did the title grab your attention? Good. Let me propose something to you and please take the time to really think about this. As a cisgendered person, would you feel uncomfortable with gender neutral bathrooms in your favorite bar, or grocery store, or any other place you may frequent? And to those of you who identify differently, how would you feel if you came into your favorite bar and saw that the bathrooms were uniquely marked for the two types of humans who go out on a Friday night? I believe the response to the latter will be pretty uniform. Let me give you the story of my experience with the public restrooms in this town.

First of all, I am a pre-op, pre-hormone, androgynous, binding, FTM, gender-queer, and I go out A LOT. I used to work at the Good Foods co-op and before the expansion, they had gender neutral bathrooms. Sure, when I would walk out of the bathroom sometimes, a child would tug their mom's clothing and say "mommy, is that a boy or a girl?" but it's a Hell of alot better than a child screaming "Mommy, that boy was in the girl's room!" Or vice-versa.

I'm happy to say that I am no longer employed at this co-op, one reason being that with thier current expansion, they are providing larger bathrooms, which means they feel they need to throw a cut-out drawing of a "man" on one and a "woman" on the other. Some may be surprised at this step back in progress for this particular store, however it is coming from a place where the store manager said (to a cashier who shaved her head) "this is Kentucky, not San Francisco", then made her wear a hat.

I understand that with single stall bathrooms it is much easier to provide gender neutrality in a public space, which only pisses me off more when I see single stall bathrooms STILL LABELLED. To those spaces with large bathrooms providing multiple stalls I propose a third option. A safe option for people like me. I cringe at "Family" bathrooms, but God what a life-saver they are sometimes. Also, I have noticed some department stores provide a third option stictly for wheelchaired persons. In the event that I walk out of one of these and a handicapped person is waiting for me to come out, I will apologize profusely, however, I would rather someone assume I am an insensitive prick then stare me down on the way into the restroom because they feel I need to know just how disgusted they are.

To new owners who are just developing around Lexington (we are seeing a boom here) PLEASE include us in the drawing plans!!!! Buster's just re-opened bigger and better and on opening night I couldn't decide on a restroom (the old buster's was single stall and it didn't matter which one you used) and I had a male friend scope out the men's room and apparently even the toilet stalls have no doors. I ended up pissing in a corner of the parking lot all night.

Now back to my original question: To those of you who are cisgendered, would it really rock the boat too much to see a third space being provided for others? I mean, hey, if you're hateful toward non-gender conforming people, don't you want us to stop coming into your bathrooms?

This could go on forever and I want to see your comments!! Also lets take a moment to thank Third Street Stuff for being the ONLY public space who provide gender neutral restrooms. Thanks.

-Jackson

What word(s) would you choose to describe your gender identity and/or your sexuality?

2009-09-01T15:26:00.004-04:00

I'm participating in a collaborative art show called a million little pictures, where people from all over the world were given a disposable camera and asked to document some aspect of their life in 24 frames. I decided it would be fun to document how the people around me all vary in terms of their gender identity and sexuality.

It HAS been a lot of fun, and it's been a great opportunity to have discussions about identities. A lot of people that I know chose labels that I didn't expect, and I had several great conversations about why we assume things about one another, and about how sexuality and gender are both very complicated, and each very different from the other.

I've decided to make this an ongoing project, so if you're interested in participating send me an email to laexigente@gmail.com, with "identification project in the subject line. In the meantime you can check out the photos here.

Benefit Show for University of Kentucky's GLBTIQQA Resource Center!

2009-08-31T22:12:00.003-04:00

On September 15th, at Al's Bar there will be a queer event benefiting the OUTsource, U.K.'s GLBTIQQA resource center. The line up includes Lexington's very own queer fronted band, Spooky Qs, along with Harvey Katz of Athens Boys Choir and 8 Inch Betsy a "dyke-core" band from Chicago, IL.

The show will start at 7pm and everyone bring your hunger, for Al's is one of the best places in Lexington to get a homegrown meal, or a late night snack.

To find out more about the performers, check out these links:

Harvey Katz

Spooky Qs

8 Inch Betsy

Gender normative privilege

2009-08-30T22:57:00.001-04:00

Check this site out on privilege based on your normative gender status, or as my friend put it the other day "cisgender" status (i.e. having your biological sex and gender align).

Drag King YAY!

2009-08-29T14:49:00.003-04:00

I went to Pulse last night for ladies night, and lo and behold there were DRAG KINGS! Many of my friends and I have talked about the need for many more of them in lexington, and I was pleasantly surprised to find that they had a drag king night at Pulse.

I talked to the owner and am going to perform at Pulse in the future. Yay. I will update everyone on the night and time. In the meantime, check out this blog on tips for drag kings. The Dukes of Drag are a troupe from Montreal and their site is tight. Happy Saturday.

Binding: A True Love/Hate Relationship

2009-08-22T12:50:00.003-04:00

First off, a brief introduction-
I have been out as "trans" for a year and a half now. In the beginning I was alright with not making much of an effort to "pass" as male, because, well, my personality dictates that if I'm going to do something, I can't be half-assed about it. For instance, if I'm going to embark on some chore and I don't have the correct tools, I will not attempt to"make due with what I have" but instead say "fuck it" and wait until said tools appear to me. I know this isn't constructive behavior and I also realize that I can't make it apply to every life situation and the way I present myself in public nowadays has been challenged by the way I handle the stress of not being able to simply wake up one morning and be in the correct body.

So, about six months ago, a friend of mine who is taking hormones, but also binding, passed on his old binder to me, having finally grown out of it. I was eccstatic to say the least. I have, in the past done the Ace bandage thing and only for special occasions, such as parties or when I was feeling particularly annoyed with my breasts. It's painful, awkward, and not really something you should do when you have a full day of doing things ahead of you. My breasts would either work their way slowly out of the top, thus making the Ace bandage an excellent push-up bra or create such a tension in the middle of my spine that I felt like I was arching my back all day.

At first the binder felt uncomfortable and I couldn't imagine wearing it for an 8 hour work day, but I was very pleased with how well it concealed my breasts versus things I have tried in the past. Over a matter of a few weeks however, I became used to it. It became a second skin. Now, I never wore it to bed of course and once I knew my partner and I were in for the night, I always took it off. I started receiving compliments from friends - about how I looked more like myself and how I was noticeably more confident and, well, happy. It's a small step in the grand scheme of things, but to me, it has shown me just how badly I need to move forward on transitioning. I like to call binding, the "gateway drug" to ftm transitioning.

Unfortunately, as time has passed, my binding on a regular basis has been causing some problems. I started a new job recently and seeing it as an opportunity for a clean slate as far as how my co-workers view my gender, I have insisted to myself to start making more of an effort to pass. However, two weeks in (and with people in the lab referring to me by female pronouns anyway) I lifted a cooler in such a way that I strained something in my chest and because I was binding, it only made the problem worse. The following day I had terrible chest pain and had to put the binder aside, leaving my breasts free to jump around and let everyone know that I am biologically female and whats worse, tell them that I'm not serious about transitioning, that its a phase, that its something I do for fun, that I can't make up my mind, that I'm self concious, or that I'm weak, or that I haven't thought this through. Everyday when I get dressed to go out, I have to make a choice: my physical health or my mental health. When my body is not being physically restrained I feel tethered to it. But when I try to shove each part into a package that makes sense to me, I exude a kind of confidence I was lacking before.

I suppose what I'm trying to say in this blog is that being trans anywhere can be
a long and fluctuating journey. Some days its just too fucking humid to put on a layer of nylon underneath your clothes and somedays you just can't imagine leaving home without it.

Shameless event plugging

2009-08-18T11:01:00.001-04:00

I'm going to shamelessly plug an event. Hope you don't mind :)

___________________________________________

Hey everyone!!! We're trying to fly out some awesomely queer bands from San Francisco for a "Queer Control Records" showcase on October 3rd. (www.queercontrol.com).

We need to raise $2000 in order to fly them out so we're having a fundraiser this Saturday night at Al's bar featuring some awesome music by the tense kids and the indulgents, and a holding a raffle of some pretty sweet items.

If we raise the money to fly out the bands not only will Lexington have a chance to experience music that normally doesn't come to our neck of the woods, BUT, all the money we raise on at the showcase on Oct. 3rd will be donated to AVOL (AIDS volunteers).

Raffle items include (but are not limited to):

1. Gift certificate to CD central

2. massage from a Lexington Healing arts academy graduate

3. $70 gift certificate to charmed life tattoo

4. gift certificate to the Morris Book shop

AND MUCH MORE!!

So please join us this Saturday, Aug. 22nd at Al's bar on the corner of 6th and Limestone. Cover is $5 and it is ALL AGES. Music will start around 8ish, with the raffle happening between bands (Around 10:30pm)

Check out the facebook group page for more info on the event:

http://www.facebook.com/editpicture.php?success=1#/event.php?eid=121291823496&ref=ts

If you're interested in making a donation to bring these bands to Lexington, but you're unable to attend the fundraiser on Saturday, then send an email to jackcoferguitar@gmail.com and we'll work something out!

Local Food Potluck and Gathering

2009-08-04T23:01:00.001-04:00

Check out this post on Transform Lexington about a local food potluck and gathering that happens the first Thursday of every month. Tres cool.

Video killed the gender star

2009-08-04T22:13:00.002-04:00

I think that I would like to do "video logs" on here. Suggestions for easily usable computer cams? Would people like to hear me (and others) talking about gender in lexington? Let me know. Spread the word about the blog too. I am always open to contributors.

I am not known for my cool taste in music. I know that and embrace it. I like to booty dance, and usually like music that helps me to do that. I love music in genderal and it has gotten me through tough times.

A few years ago I stumbled upon a video by Ciara called "Like a Boy". If there was an argument for the social construction of gender, I think this would be it. Ciara does a good job of questioning the gendered issues in dating, and then representing two genders in her video. I look at it as pretty feminist and progressive. It is also pretty damn sexy to me. I like when people blend genders. Anyway.

Contrast that with this video called "Crazy, Sex, Magic". The song and video are more recent (2009) and with Justin Timberlake in the video it has more star power. It has very little of Ciara's amazing dancing ability, and Ciara has a chain around her neck that Justin plays with during the song. I was made aware of this by Racialicious.com when they commented on the imagery. It was striking to me too. Here is the post .

They also mentioned that Janet Jackson's image suffered the most when the wardrobe malfunction happened at the superbowl, and Justin Timberlake seemed to emerge unscathed. Wasn't he the one that actually ripped the costume off? Does this have to do with the fact that he is a man?

I wonder if Ciara would do "Like a Boy" now, since she is becoming more popular? In both videos she is dancing around a man, would she have been able to put Justin Timberlake as the man she was singing to in "Like a Boy"? Does this have to do more with gender roles or celebrity? God-des has a song about the idea that record labels wouldn't sign her because she didn't look feminine. She mentions that female rappers "sold out" and became more feminine to sell their image and become financially independent. Does anyone think that Ciara did that?

Sometimes in Lexington, I feel a lack of interplay between consumer and commerce. It may be because people feel that they won't be heard. Or maybe because they don't care. I listen to pop music because it has a good beat and isn't as heavy as my grad school textbooks. I also try and support the local music scene when I can (with a little help from some good friends). I want and wish that people in Lexington had more of a conversation going on around them, especially when it comes to identities and how they affect all of us. Sex sells. Sexual attraction is based on gender. Gender issues are everywhere and taken for granted.

I'll leave you with a God-des and She video. They are now signed, thankfully, but it leaves me to wonder how many other bands aren't being signed because of their gender non-conformity?

Gender specific restrooms

2009-07-30T11:50:00.004-04:00

I recently read an article about a group of activists at a California school who were taking on bathrooms. That's right, bathrooms. They're goal was to create awareness around the fact that gender specific bathrooms often become places of anxiety and fear and unfortunately sometimes violence for trans and gender queer individuals. They've also banded together with students with disabilities to address accessibility issues in public restrooms.

As someone who is woman identified and rarely mistaken for the opposite sex, I don't find myself hesitating before I go into the bathroom, wondering if I'm going to get shit from the people inside. But I know that a lot of folks do and that just fucking sucks.

In order to help people feel safer a group of people have created a website called safe2pee where people can list gender neutral bathroom locations across North America. I took this description from the site:

The goal of the project is to create a resource where people who do not feel comfortable with traditional public restrooms can find safe alternatives, and to support advocacy and research to further the cause of gender free, inclusive bathrooms.

I looked up Lexington KY and the only listing for non-gender specific bathrooms was at the good foods co op on Southland Dr. I KNOW there are more of them around town, so I would like to challenge all of you to add them. The instructions for adding a bathroom are super simple and on the first page of the website.

xo,
de las ondas

OMG you're not a lesbian?!?!

2009-07-24T10:16:00.003-04:00

Before I begin, I want to thank Mervin Sue for opening up the posting to multiple authors. I think this blog presents a real opportunity to create a meaningful discussion about gender and sexuality in Lexington and I'm eager to hear what other folks think. If you're interested in sharing you experiences/stories/reflections, whatever - say something so that you can be added to the author list.

Moving on.

I was a pretty lucky kid in that my parents were always very socially and politically aware. They encouraged us to read a great deal and to think for ourselves. We spent many family dinners discussing the importance of healthcare, what is class and why it's important to think about, or world history. Now don't get me wrong, my life wasn't all a bunch of roses - far from it, but this is something I am particularly grateful for.

However, I think because of this experience I developed a blanket notion of "progressive people" and I thought that everyone who is oppressed should, could, and would understand and, empathize with other oppressed people. Then, as I started to explore my sexuality, I naively thought that all queer people must be socially liberal and think about the world the same way that I do.

Can anyone hear that buzzer that goes off in a game show when you get the question wrong?

Now I can see how incredibly freakin' naive that was. And while I get that more and more all of the time, I still have moments where I'm like, wtf? How could you think that??

So fast forward to the last year in Lexington, and my partner coming out as transgendered. Prior to that he was pretty well known around town as a lesbian folk musician. When news started to travel down the pipeline about his new identification I had several lesbian friends pull me aside and ask me if I was ok. I also heard that a couple of them, behind our backs, refused to use male pronouns unless he specifically asked them to.

I know it shouldn't shock me, but it kind of did. And more than just shock me, it pissed me off. I know that people care about me and want to be sure that I'm alright but I also feel like they were making a ton of assumptions about my own sexuality and I felt a little bit like we might get kicked out of an exclusive social club.

It was around that time that I realized first of all that people thought I was a lesbian. I guess I'd never talked with my friends about how I identify as queer. I suppose I got lumped into the lesbian category because that's who my friends were. Since then I've been more vocal and assertive about my sexual identity and I feel good about that. But I'm also finding that it's confusing for a lot of people. I don't always feel like getting in depth either about the way I define queer and what that means for me, and frankly I can tell most people don't want to hear all that anyway. I guess I need some sort of succinct and quippy way to define my sexuality to them. One that won't waste anyones time.

I don't beleive that lesbians being shocked when one of their "own" "bites the dust," or that people getting screw faced over the word queer is unique to Lexington, but this is where I live so I have to think about it.

Does anyone else have a story like this?

xo
De Las Ondas

Be True to Yourself

2009-07-23T00:17:00.002-04:00

Hey all. I love this clip of Ellen's Commencement speech. Check it out:

"Live your life with integrity... follow your passion, stay true to yourself, never follow someone's path unless you are lost in the woods and by all means take the path.."

I guess I am posting this because I am having a hard time this summer with figuring out what staying true to myself looks like. I feel a little bit lost, a little bit emotional, at times very alone and others horribly confused. I realize that I have a lot of great things in my life, but it is hard to see out of all of the emotion that comes and goes with the days. I used to get over things by staying busy and ignoring them. It doesn't seem like that is working anymore. I don't want to bother my friends with talking about it because I am not sure what to say, it is more than words it is a feeling.

This summer I have had family members fall seriously ill and it has made me come face to face with potential responsibility. I have had friends with problems bigger than those I have ever faced and it has made me question my own sense of right and wrong. I realize that I am not in the best financial state and it weighs on me daily. I have also seen that I look for acceptance by the people around me while lacking the inner acceptance that helps keep one going in the day to day. I spend too much time running away from things that are hard than facing them and dealing with them. I do too much for other people so that I can avoid some more. I don't know how to function any other way.

I'm really glad that I got my Genderqueer book back the other day because I am hoping that I will find some solace in it. Lately I have mentioned to people that I get mistaken for a boy, without ever really stopping to reflect how it affects me. In some settings I like my queerness, in others it makes me feel isolated and identity-less. I feel like I very rarely fit my haircut. I don't want to be all girly, but I'm tired of being looked at with a feel of interrogation. There are days when I want my chest to disappear and others when I love wearing makeup and showing some cleavage.

I feel like I am whining and I shouldn't be. I am really a very lucky person and I get to go to my favorite place in a few days. I'll leave it at that.

Contributing to my Blog

2009-07-20T12:06:00.003-04:00

So I have heard from people that they eagerly await for me to update this. Yay. I'm excited that people are also interested in this subject. I will try and update more in depth today.

In other news, I think that I have figured out how I can add additional "authors" to my blog. You will need a google account, let me know the email addy and I can make you an "author". Then you can post to the blog at will. Using your own passwords and such. Neat, huh?

Let me know if you are interested. I also reserve the right to take off blogs that are hateful to other people/identities/classes/races/genders etc. Not that I have to tell this to anyone, but just in case. I refuse to sit idly by and let hate continue.

In parting thoughts, sometimes when I put on a dress I feel kinda like a linebacker in a tutu. A little out of sorts. Does anyone else ever feel this way when they put on specifically "gendered clothing"? I also don't use a purse. I know that I have mentioned these before, but what is it about certain types of clothing that con notate gender to us all?

Teaching and Lexington and Gender and Me #1

2009-07-06T21:35:00.002-04:00

I started my first class today to become a High School teacher. While I am sure that this will create many posts on my experiences, I was interested in a few things that were brought up today.

I appreciated many tips that the professor offered for helping with keeping control in your classroom, but one stuck with me. She told us that Men were never to meet alone with students in the classroom. Why only men? Are only Men perceived to be sexual predators? Is it a sexual thing or a power thing? How does gender factor into this? As someone that is often perceived as a man, I listened to the statement with a sense that I should heed her warning too. I believe that all teachers need to be careful with meeting with students alone. It bothers me that the idea exists that teachers cannot be trusted to meet with their students alone, but it is good to have an open door policy for your own protection. We do live in a sue-happy society that encourages people to seek out others perceived to have harmed children and punish them. I think that women can be just as harmful as men when dealing with children. We should be monitoring all teachers and children to see how they are affecting each other.

Also, we talked about professional dress. I realize that I will need to dress professionally, but I keep getting the feeling that I will need to wear more "womanly gendered" attire. Sometimes I hate wearing feminine things and feel like a football player in a dress when I put one on. I hate wearing purses and only put on a little makeup. I don't want to grow out my hair and will have to figure out many ingenious ways of hiding my tattoo. My mom shakes her head whenever we talk about it as a family. This is one of the reasons that I want to be sensitive to how long I want to be a teacher. I think all of this bureaucracy will get to me after awhile.

Teaching is dominated by White, middle class, women. If Men perceive that they need to be watched while working in the field, aren't we as a profession sending them a message that they shouldn't enter the field?

Men in women's bathrooms debate, again.

2009-04-02T07:21:00.002-04:00

One of my favorite blogs, feministing.com, posted about an old issue with bathrooms access and transgender people. Focus on the family has decided to put out emails about it.

I was talking to someone about queer issues in Lexington, and what I have found growing up here is that often they are silenced. I believe that it is because there is a lot of old gay money in this area and people are afraid to ruffle feathers. I get tired of the silence though. Bring on the protests, bring on the larger conversation. I do know that the Trans community in this town is often underground.

Honestly, why do we think that trans people are waiting to go into restrooms and assault people? This feels a lot like the lie that rapists are hiding in the bushes. 80% of rape perpetrators are people the victim knows.

Promiscuity by Ani

2009-03-12T07:03:00.001-04:00

Until I can get around to another post, muse on this video.

How is promiscuity gendered? How does this look in Lexington?

* Thanks to feministing for this.

Reading Gender Daily

2009-02-26T00:00:00.005-05:00

This evening I fled the residence hall for the solace of my favorite homework spot, Coffea. While I was finishing up my handout for a presentation that I am doing on Friday at a conference in Lexington on Heteronormativity in Higher Education, a friend (we will call him Bob) from a previous class came over to talk. His friend also came over eventually, and the three of us were discussing queer issues and sociology. At some point, a woman came over and stated, "My friend Amanda thinks that all three of you are hot, can she get your numbers?" My friend Bob stated that his girlfriend wouldn't be happy with that. His friend said that same thing. Then the woman turned to me.

My mind started racing. "Am I being read as a man? Who is this person? Are they straight or queer? Why would you ask for 3 numbers at once (surely I'm not included in the hot people)?" I looked back at the group of people the woman was referring too, and tried to take a quick read of any queerness that I could see. I asked, "Is she queer?" after saying a few words to emphasize the femininity in my voice. The woman replied, "She is bi." I told her that I appreciated the thought, but was not interested.

As I gathered my things to leave, I got the distinct impression the group of people were talking about me. The girl I think was Amanda announced to the table that she was going outside. I got my bag and headed the same direction because my car was parked on that side of the building. While I was heading towards me car, a man kept shoving Amanda and telling her to "Go." She was being shoved in my direction and I am pretty sure that the guy was telling her to talk to me. Maybe they read an interest in my hesitation?

This whole situation amazes me. I don't often pick up people in non-gay bars, and haven't really been asked for my number since being back in Lexington, at least not in public spaces (which I always assume to be straight anyway). How was my gender/sexuality read tonight? Would that have mattered? Could I have gone on a date with this person and freaked her out? Are my assumptions about the general population incorrect in assuming that they often aren't aware of in-depth queer issues? Am I overthinking all of this. It just blows my mind. I guess I am a hottie. I have a hard time thinking of myself as such, but that comes with the territory.

Chirp...Chirp...

2009-02-07T01:17:00.002-05:00

So I am not the best at keeping up with things, unless I have accountability. Lately I have been working out more because I am in a program that makes me show up. Maybe I need to find a blogger group that will keep me posting. I guess I just wonder, between being a graduate student, hall director, vagina monologues co-director and queer activist, when do I have time for myself? Furthermore, when do I have time to write for this blog that is something I do totally for me? This falls right along with the question, when is action too much action? I always have a hard time saying no. There is always more to do to help others. I just feel a little worn out.

This week I have had several startling revelations:

-I am going to be doing the MIC program next year and am way excited about teaching high school for a little while.
-I'm wanting to bind but don't know how to go about it or when to do it.
-there is little to no space for Genderqueer people in Lexington or Kentucky at all. (comment on the blog if you feel differently or the same. Hope is good for me)

I just feel like the gender binary is alive and well in Lexington, and it makes me feel alone and without a place to find community. I would love to sit around with people and be ok living in between. As much as I love the Trans community, honestly, I don't see genderqueerness fitting in their either. Sigh. I'm too cool for ...gender school. Maybe that doesn't work so well.

Lansing Queers Fight Back Against Transphobia...Literally

2008-12-14T14:57:00.002-05:00

I don't know how I feel about the fact that they used violence to fight back, but the message is loud and clear. Transphobia is not ok. check this out and let me know what you think.

Keep in mind too "An eye for an eye leaves the world blind." -MLK, I think...

You can legally change your name without recourse in NY. YAY.

2008-12-07T16:41:00.002-05:00

Check this out.

Wordle on ENDA for Sociology project. Argh

2008-12-02T15:19:00.003-05:00

The more things change, the more they stay the same... Reflections on the Effigy Found on UK last Week

2008-11-02T19:24:00.003-05:00

If you haven't heard about the effigy, check this out.

I went to the forum on Wednesday night and was sadly disappointed in the outcome. A visceral part of me wanted an honest discussion about the incident. While I am glad that so many leaders spoke out about the act, I left the building wanting more. It was like the speakers assumed a lot of things, and just wanted to speak their piece about how "they" aren't racist and the "others" that did the act were horrible.

Having done diversity work on campus I have grown accustomed to the lack of a dialogue between students, faculty and staff on campus. While I don't think that we as a campus are doing less or more work than any other campus, I feel that we as a community do not assess our efforts in an honest way and work from there. I believe that if you hang an effigy of a black person from a tree, presidential candidate or not, it speaks not only of that specific person but also of the history of racist violence in the United States. Yes, Sarah Palin was hung from a roof in California, but there aren't people out there saying "I don't want a white person running this country." Watch this video. Pay attention to the first statement "The black will take over". As a woman, she does face sexism (how big were her beauty pageant photos?) and they have hung women as witches in the past but they aren't alluding to Sarah Palin actively being a witch. I'm not trying to create a hierarchy of oppression here. Sarah Palin experiences her sexism in different ways. I feel that the symbolism of Obama hanging from a tree were stronger in comparison of the two effigies.

Lexington has struggled with race in the past, but as a long time citizen of Lexington, I have noticed that it is often a silent struggle. People either agree with racist ideas that they have grown up with, disagree with them but feel too guilty to talk about the reality of them or are affected by them and can't speak because they are in the minority. I hoped that Dr. Todd and others would speak to institutional racism that affects people on campus; that someone would acknowledge that while there are people outside of campus that are filled with ideas of hate, there are people and structures on campus too that believe the same thing. I wanted a space, as a student and a staff member, to listen to others in their struggle for acceptance and feeling ok on campus. What I feel like it came to was that students have to make themselves feel better. Too often, this message has been given at the University of Kentucky. There is going to be a march on Wednesday, November 5 for students to speak out about this event. It makes me sad that it wasn't offered by the Administration.

I want to help start the conversation on campus, but I don't know how. I try and do diverse programming on campus, and work with the students that I serve but I feel like I am doing little to nothing. What do you suggest for ways to talk about racism surrounding the political election?

Website on anti-capitalist Conversations

2008-10-11T17:51:00.002-04:00

I just ran across this website and thought that it was fantastic. It is called "Enough" and it deals with conversations on scarcity and abundance, how we decide what to keep and what to give away and anti-capitalist issues. Check it out here.

I would like to look through it and post some stuff too, but it makes me think a lot about class structures in the world. Back to my paper on class for my ed and gender class.

"Why Women Earn Less Than Men" from TIME

2008-10-06T09:18:00.002-04:00

Time just published an article that discusses gender discrimination in terms of using Transgender people's experiences to explore gender discrimination.

Check it out.

While the article is riddled with assumptions and stereotypes ("Which force is greater: women's choices of men's discrimination", "Women raise children and take more time off from work", etc.) I am pleased to see the connection with gender exploration and transgender issues. This article doesn't create an otherness for Transgender issues, and I appreciate that, although I don't know that it gives enough levity to the complexity of transitioning and how that could affect or intensify how the people in the study experience their own gender.

More on this later too.

"Unwelcome Visitors at Ole Miss Debate: KKK"

2008-10-06T09:11:00.002-04:00

Read this.

Wow. "Every place that has come under black rule has declined... (Leadership) is just not in (black people's) nature." I guess I'm not too surprised that the KKK is still going strong with it's racist ideology, but to see the Emperor of Mississipi's White Knights so openly acknowledge his ideas is a bit jarring. I would like to see him overcome racist structures and not have a little civil unrest. How is DC under "black rule"? Is it because there are a lot of black people in the city?

Let me gather my thoughts and add to this later.

I'm not sure what to say...

2008-10-02T00:48:00.006-04:00

I saw this commercial earlier and it made me a little sick. If you think about the symbolic meaning behind "Dark Temptation", the sexualization of Black Americans; The literal showing of white women of privilege eating the "dark" or Black person alive. Watch for yourself and let me know.

New Axe Dark Temptation Commercial

Get Involved- Open Letter to Sarah Palin

2008-09-30T11:38:00.002-04:00

I signed Planned Parenthood's open letter to Sarah Palin. More information below.

"Sarah Palin is not my candidate.

It is hard to believe that John McCain has actually found
someone more anti-choice, more extreme, and even more out of
touch on the issues that matter to women. And I'm deeply
concerned about what lies ahead if McCain and Palin are elected
-- dissappearing reproductive health rights, dramatically
decreased access to health care services for poor people, and a
return to the dark ages when it comes to accurate and
comprehensive sex education.

Please join me in signing Planned Parenthood Action Fund's open
letter to Sarah Palin stating clearly why she is not our
candidate. They need millions of people to sign this open letter
-- people representing every walk of life, every part of the
country, every political view. They will use the letter to
represent to every voter before Election Day the sheer diversity
and the enormous number of people who cannot and will not
support McCain and Palin and why. Here's the letter -- click
here to sign it:
http://www.ppaction.org/campaign/palin_openletter

--------------------------
OPEN LETTER TO SARAH PALIN
--------------------------

Dear Sarah Palin,

You are not our candidate.

You are not our candidate because you required women in Wasilla
to pay for their own medical examinations after being raped.

You are not our candidate because you do not support a woman's
right to choose, even in the case of rape or incest.

You are not our candidate because you've cut funding for teen
moms, and for comprehensive sex education.

You are not our candidate because as vice president -- a
heartbeat away from the presidency -- you would jeopardize
health care for women everywhere.

We are teachers, doctors, athletes, programmers, artists,
lawyers, secretaries, CEOs, students, designers, nurses, factory
workers, mothers, and fathers. We are conservatives and
liberals, Democrats and Republicans, country and city people. We
are women and men. We are voters. We are the Planned Parenthood
Action Fund.

We believe in a woman's right to choose and the right of every
person to have access to complete reproductive health care. We
are hundreds of thousands strong, and we are doing everything we
can to make sure you are not elected.

You are not our candidate.

Sincerely,
+ + +
Please click here to add your signature:
http://www.ppaction.org/campaign/palin_openletter?rk=gdMMAd11bWh9W"

Why I Believe There Should be a Gender Inclusive ENDA

2008-09-30T00:48:00.003-04:00

The other day I was lifting some weights at my university's recreation center and noticed some other people staring at me. It wasn't the quick glance, but the one that suggested "What the fuck are you?" I'm no stranger to people asking me what gender that I am, or assuming that I am a man which happens even more frequently. Something about that instance really got to me. I was so uncomfortable that I left the Rec center and decided that I needed to create a blog to speak out about gendered assumptions. Most days I can handle the staring, the questions, the assumptions about who I am based on my short hair and lack of overt feminization. I just wanted to work out and without saying a word two people made me feel unwelcome.

Another story from last week. I was traveling back to Lexington from Wisconsin and stopped in a Bob Evan's to have dinner with my Father. While my Dad was in the bathroom, a child and her Father walked by our table. She was asking questions about the people in the restaurant. She pointed to me and asked something. The Father (I am assuming) looked me straight in the eye and said, "That... I don't know what that is. It doesn't matter." As they left the restaurant I listened to their conversation and realized that the child was asking the gender of people in the room. It didn't upset me at the time, but the conversation lingers in my mind.

I don't normally dwell on people assuming things about my gender or mistaking me for a man. I actually don't mind when people call me a man and then correct themselves. It is the feeling of otherness or of being unwelcome because I don't easily fit into the gender binary. This is where the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) has a personal element for me.

Last year there was a bill introduced in congress, HR. 3685, which was a reduced version of the original Employment Non-Discrimination Act, HR. 2015. The new version prohibited discrimination on sexual orientation alone, instead of both sexual orientation and gender identity and expression. Let me divert for a moment and explain the difference.

Sexual Orientation is your attraction to specific or non-specific genders. For example, if you are a lesbian in the United States you typically are a woman attracted to other women. Gender Identity is the gender that you feel comfortable expressing. Your gender identity and gender expression may coincide with your biological sex (think xy, xx) or differ or fluctuate. If you transition from one gender to another you often change your sexual orientation. If a gay man transitions to a woman, and is still attracted to men, then they could be considered straight.

You may be wondering what the big deal is between the new ENDA and the older one. Why not go for the reduced bill and then expand it later? For one, if they pass the newer bill it would take a long long time to expand the bill to include gender identity and expression. For another, many many people (Queer or not) do not fit into the rigid gender binary and it's many cultural rules. The queer community has used gender performance as a way to create visibility of queerness, and often the performance goes against gendered rules set about in United States culture. Gender identity and expression does not restrict itself to the Transgender community. By limiting the bill to sexual orientation protection, it is severly limiting it's usefulness of protections for people to discrimination based on who they are sleeping with or how they define their orientation. It is ok if someone discriminates against someone because they have short hair if they are a woman, just not if they are a lesbian. That makes a lot of sense.

For a more thourough discussion of ENDA, check out this link: Daily Kos: Vote NO on ENDA.

Something to chew on, back in the 60's you could be arrested for being a woman in public and not having at least 3 feminine articles of clothing on your person. In New York City, the police would often do raids on gay bars and arrest people for not having properly gendered clothing. I wonder what constitutes feminine clothing? Do socks count?

What do you all think? Does Lexington rigidly conform to gender rules? Why? Is it because Lexington considers itself a "southern" city? Is it the large state school atmoshphere? I have noticed more people making assumptions about my gender in Lexington than in the DC area. It might just be because I am paying attention more, and also because I have worked a public service job for most of the time since I have been back. People can get crazy about coffee.

Dress in drag for a day, see what happens. Why do we depend on gendered rules so much?

Thanks for reading.

It all starts with a step...

2008-09-26T22:10:00.000-04:00

I have lived in Lexington a long time. It has been a great home for me filled with joys and sorrows. While growing up, moving away and then coming back, I have noticed some drastic silences in the town. To me, the most prominent and the most personal of the silences is surrounding gender. As a community there are so many assumptions about how we present our gender, how we interact through our genders and how we perceive our genders. I am hoping that through this blog I can start a conversation locally about gender issues and how they affect people. Through discussion, learning and compassion we can become a better community.

Granted, gender does not exist in a vacuum. No identity does. It is affected by all of the other identities that we each hold as human beings. I am interested in discussion from all sides and topics that relate to gender. Think broadly and I will too. Also, I realize that my privilege as a white, able-bodied, middle class, educated person can lead me to assume certain things about situations and ideas. I will try and be aware of my universal assumptions, but feel free to call me out also if you notice something. I am always learning and hope to help others too.

Welcome to this online community! Thanks for reading and contributing.

Mervin Sue