TransRadical

Jun 17

Thank you to all my followers.

It is with heavy heart that I must inform you that the blog is going on indefinite hiatus.

It has been my honor to help guide you, my followers and readers, through the various struggles and triumphs faced by the trans* community since the creation of this blog, but due to new restraints on my personal time, I am unable to give this blog the time and attention its subject matter deserves.

I am by no means giving up on writing or trans activism (those of you in NYC might catch me at the Trans Day of Action this Friday) and in fact one of my main reasons for giving up semi-daily is to pursue writing and activism in a more substantive manner. (I’ll be sure to let you know where to find me when I start publishing my work online again.)

There are still plenty of bloggers covering trans issues online, and frankly, most of them do a better job of it than I ever could.

Thank you to all the people who have supported me and this blog, and if I may issue one final challenge before I go, I believe that there are are so many talented people reading this that have so much to contribute to the fight for transgender equality, be it through art, music, writing or good ol’ fashion meatspace protesting, so do it! Create something wonderful because I know you can.

Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone.

- ♥ Liz

Jun 12

Bill Maher drops t-bomb twice on live television. Cue indifference from Gay Inc.

On last Friday’s Real Time, part-time comedian and full-time misogynist Bill Maher featured a transphobic joke in his “New Rules” segment.

After a quick dig at a Miss Universe contestant for giving a answer Bill felt was stupic (dames, ammirite?), Maher turned his attention to the former Miss Pennsylvania who allegedly quit the competition over their adoption on trans-inclusive policies.

Bill’s response: “If you’re going to quit Miss Universe over them letting in tr*nnies, you have to admit that most Miss Universe contestants look like tr*nnies anyway.”

Bill Maher: Class Act.

I should point out that while much of Maher’s show focuses on extemporaneous debate, this “joke” appeared in Maher’s prewritten remarks.

We all know how this works now right? We’ve seen it a million times, a celebrity makes an inappropriate remark, the big queer orgs jump down his troat and he either eventually has to appologize or be shunned by all progressively minded people.

Oh wait, that’s only what happens when anyone says anything kinda, sorta, maybe offensive about cis-gays; when trans people are attacked and slurred, you won’t hear a single peep from Gay Inc. or anyone else

Your moment of queer rock awesomeness for the day: Joan Jett and Against Me! cover The Replacement’s “Androgynous”

Jun 9

glaad:

American Apparel features its first transgender model, GLAAD staff

Clothing giant American Apparel has teamed up with GLAAD on a new line of equality tees, just in time for LGBT Pride Month. And in a company first, AA is featuring an openly transgender model in its ad campaign!

Kudos to AA for featuring their first openly trans model, but how exactly does “Gay O.K.” count as a pro-LGBT message? It’s certainly a pro-gay message, but more trans and bi erasure (from the GAY AND LESBIAN Association Against Defamation no less) isn’t exactly something to celebrate.

Jun 7

Did Miss Pennsylvania Quit Over Transgender Women Being Allowed in Miss Universe?

My home state never fails to disappoint.

After the Miss Universe organization announced that the competition is open to transgender women, Miss Pennsylvania returned her crown, saying the contest is “rigged.”

Sheena Monnin, Miss Pennsylvania, wrote on Facebook that she no longer wanted to be part of the competition because the judges had already chosen the top 5 finalists before the telecast on Sunday evening. “In my heart I believe in honesty, fair play, a fair opportunity, and high moral integrity, none of which in my opinion are part of this pageant system any longer,” she wrote according to the Associated Press.

Donald Trump, who runs the Miss Universe Organization, said Monin’s claims were false and threatened to sue Monin for making publicly false claims.

Meanwhile pageant organizers said Monin actually resigned because of the decision to allow transgender contestants into the competition after a row with Jenna Talackova, a transgender Miss Universe Canada contender. Still, Trump disputes that, even though one of the pageant organizers has email evidence of Monin’s problem.

“I don’t think that she had an issue with that,” Trump said. “I think her primary issue is that she lost and she’s angry about losing. And frankly, in my opinion, I saw her barely a second and she didn’t deserve to be in the top 15.”

Jun 6

pussy-envy:

douchebag badges!

(via oneobservatory-deactivated20120)

[TW: violence, transphobia] Media Ignores Rash of Assaults on Transgender Women

The spate of violence has gone virtually unnoticed by the mainstream media, as well as by the mainstream gay community, which has been consumed by the same-sex-marriage debate and the Tyler Clementi/Dharun Ravi case.

Too true.

Ms. Magazine's Three-Part Interview Series with Trans Feminist Bloggers

The interview features Global Comment’s Emily Manuel, Monica Maldonado, Radically Queer’s Avory Faucette and Stephen Ira.

Part 2

Part 3

Jun 5

Transgender Politician Melissa Sue Robinson Wins Idaho State Senate Primary

transfeminism:

Janet Mock speaks out about the New York Times’ trans-misogynist coverage of Lorena Escalera’s death.