Trans Activism

[Linus Bourque]

(x-posted from a variety of places):

Ok. So someone challenged me on stepping up and moving forward the need for trans issues and for us to speak out. As a Canadian in the US on a work visa, I'm rather limited to what I can do (I cannot create an organization that might challenge my host country's government -- whether for rights or not) but I'm willing to work in whatever manner (e.g., door-to-door, cold calling, techie stuff, etc.) to move this forward. To that end, I started this.

I have doubts that many of the LGBTQ organizations really can put forward trans issues. It's not because they don't care but rather because other issues -- namely same-sex marriage/union and adoption rights (amongst others) -- are at the forefront of their burners right now. And yes, for many trans this does affect them. I also do not trust HRC to support trans issues after the ENDA fiasco. To that end I do think we need an organization that represents fully all MTFs, FTMs and all the gender variants in-between to the political offices at the highest level in this country (and others). The issues that have to be addressed include (but not limited to):

- right to recognition as a person regardless of surgeries
- right to respectful health care regardless of transition or non-transition status
- right to job protection and respectful treatment at work
- right to be stealth and not outed if choose not to
- recognition that crimes against trans individuals because they are trans should be viewed as hate crimes

I don't know of any organization that is representative of all trans and effective for all of this. But if one doesn't exist I'd be willing to work on it (I just cannot be at the forefront)...

So.. ideas? Thoughts? etc?

[Emily S]

In the UK we have Press for Change which has done a great deal of good work in the past, fighting for gender recognition at even fairly senior government levels. There are some quite strong feelings that PfC has drifted away from the needs of today's trans community, but they have done a great deal of good in the past and seem to be willing to listen to how they should change to adapt to current needs and situations.

I think that PfC could be a good starting point as a model for other countries. You can read more about them here: http://www.pfc.org.uk/

[Jamie Roberts]

There are three groups I know of for trans rights in the US, the Transgender Law Center in California, the New York Association for Gender Rights Advocacy, and the National Center for Transgender Equality.

I think the trans community is so small, our resources so limited, and the opposition so great that most transgender organizations are forced to operate on the local level. Gay and lesbian groups have both a larger population and more support in general.