|
||||
|
||||
|
Saturday, Nov 21, 2009
|
||||
|
||||||||||||||
|
![[Valid RSS]](images/valid-rss.png "Validate my RSS feed"){kind=small}
|
|||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||
Trans community thrives at Gender Odyssey
|
||
 |
||
| Trans community thrives at Gender Odyssey | ||
|
by Rajkhet Dirzhud-Rashid -
SGN A&E Writer Gender Odyssey September 1 Washington State Convention and Trade Center At the beginning of the weekend of workshops, panels and author signings, a lot of us were strangers with one thing in common: Either being a Transperson, or being someone who'd come to conference to both learn more and share thoughts and issues on being Trans or caring for someone Trans. By the end of this year's Gender Odyssey conference, a lot of us had become friends, having exchanged information in and out of the multiple workshops that covered everything from surgeries for Transpeople to dealing with shame issues and how Transpeople are faring in South Africa. Speaking on how legislation is on the books in South Africa protecting gender identity rights, Liesl Theron, one of the founders of Gender Dynamix, a South African organization formed to assist Transpeople on accessing services and protecting their rights, Theron addressed the dichotomy of having legislation, but how real people still had problems. "It's really something, having all of those rights on paper, but in daily life, real people are still experiencing problems in accessing medical care and in living their lives as Transpeople," said Theron. She also spoke to the issue that in other parts of Africa, particularly under the rule of president Mugabe, Transpeople are often detained, or even jailed. "There's no differentiation between Trans, Gay or Bi; it's all homosexual, and he has said that these people are like pigs and dogs and ordered them to be killed," said Theron. Still, she added that organizations had started to work together, and there was a continued effort to make it safer in all parts of Africa for Transpeople. He co-panelist Tebogo Calvin Nkoana, an FtM Transperson, also spoke of how he had been able to live with more rights and more acceptance from his family after they came to believe he had been "called" by an ancestor, something that is traditionally part of black South African culture. "But I chose to work in Gender Dynamix with Liesl and others because I believe every person should be able to have the same rights, and have to be 'called' to enjoy the freedoms I've been lucky to have," said Nkoana. After the panels, keynote speaker and author Eli Clare urged those present to face their issues of shame and try to find a sense of hope. "When the cicadas fill the air, and we break the rind and the juice runs down our chins and the chunks stain our shirts, let us also enjoy a taste of hope as we walk away," said Clare. Then it was time to party at a barbecue catered by Jones Barbecue at Central Lutheran Church, where panelists, members of the community and visitors all got to meet and greet and enjoy delicious food. The conference ended on Monday with more panels, including a workshop that got folks up and moving, and ended with an exercise that made us all giggle. The workshop, Communicating Bodies, gave many a chance to express themselves and work toward feeling more comfortable in their bodies, no matter where they were in transitioning, or if they weren't transitioning, but were there to be supportive. A party at Kaladi Brothers Coffee gave folks one last chance to mix and exchange e-mails for further networking and future mingling, and by that time, I think many would consider this group that had been strangers to be beginning to be friends. For more information on gender issues or support groups, www.ProjectTransitionsWA.com, or The Ingersoll Institute, or www.TheGIFT-Foundation.org. Also, there are gender-friendly events all the time at The Wet Spot, just check the website (www.sexpositiveculture.org). |
||
 |
||
|
|
||
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 post your own information onthe Seattle Gay Blog |
 |
 |
 |
: http://sgn.org/rss.xml | what is RSS? | 
use Google to set up your RSS feed
copyright Seattle Gay News - DigitalTeamWorks 2008
USA Gay News American News American Gay News USA American Gay News United States American Lesbian News USA American Lesbian News United States USA News