Transition

Transgender people in New York City officially have the right to use the single-gender bathrooms that match their gender identity, thanks to an executive order issued by Mayor Bill de Blasio.

The mayor’s order states that all city-owned buildings – schools, rec centers, museums, etc. – must allow trans people to use the bathrooms that match their gender identity without requiring ID or any other “proof” of their gender. The order does not, however, apply to private businesses. 

“I think New York City has an obligation to lead. I think we have an obligation show that everyone should be embraced and everyone should be accepted,” Mr. de Blasio said today at a city recreation center in Chelsea. “Change comes from the grassroots. Change comes from the ground, and if people who believe in human rights don’t stand up for them, it lets those negative voices dominate.”

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 i’ve been doing research about jobs/companies that are accepting of trans and the like since i’m going job hunting again next month, and i found this list, which lists trans-friendly businesses. it links to this page, a directory for employers.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has announced that insurance providers in the state must cover transition-related care for transgender people, including gender confirmation surgery and hormone therapy. 

State law requires that insurance covers the diagnosis and treatment of psychological disorders, which includes gender dysphoria experienced by trans people. New York is the ninth state (plus D.C.) to ensure transition-related care is covered by insurance. 

The group said that most insurance policies currently exclude coverage for transgender treatment, and at best include it as a more expensive rider to a standard plan.

“This is an absolute sea change in the way that insurance for transgender people will cover their health care needs,” Michael Silverman, executive director of the fund, said. “This essentially opens up an entire world of treatment for transgender people that was closed to them previously.”

If you’ve been looking to bind, whether you’re transgender, non-binary, or a cosplayer, you’ve probably come across binders like these on Ebay, Amazon, or AliExpress. Usually they’re called E.V.A, SHO, Whatwears, or Ancient Fish King brands, all of which are apparently, interchangeable with each other. Ross is here to tell you that these chest binders are not much of a step up from ace bandages, which in case you hadn’t known already, are the worst thing you can do to bind your chest. So here’s the run down, from least bad to worst.

First off, the sellers are usually misinformed about why someone would use a chest binder is needed just from how they title them. Why would Lesbians want a chest binder (outside of cosplay?)? I don’t know, but most of these listings have lesbian in the name, suggesting that chest binders are for girls, not men or nonbinary. This right there should be a warning sign of a company that doesn’t know what they are doing.

The strapless binders’ model is wearing the wrong size for their chest. Their breast is popping out over the top of the binder, and I can personally say that with that binder, it is very, very, painful if you have a larger chest. After about 20 minutes, bruising and chaffing will occur, especially to those with larger chests or are heavier. In the worst case scenario, the breast will rip or pop as if it were cut with a knife.

Look at the materials used. These chest binders do not have any or enough stretchy material in them. Elastic or spandex is the best. On the ones that do have spandex, they don’t mention how much there is in the binder. This is an enormous, bright, flashing sign that the binder is NOT safe. Just how bad is it? Ace bandages likely have more elastic than these binders do, and the ace bandages can still kill you if they don’t maim you. A binder is supposed to stretch, be easily manipulated, and you must be able to take a full breath in them. I’ve bought and used two different types binders from Ebay not knowing any better, and I could barely take a breath at all. I did get larger and larger sizes, and with the same result. Putting it simply, their binders could be falling off of you because they are too big and still would not be safe. 

Now I can’t show you in a picture about the next part, but what’s probably the worst about these binders is that their ‘binding’ material goes all the way around the binder. Your binder should NOT have this unless it is made to correct back posture. Sports bras can, but that is better for again, correcting back posture. So not only will you be binding your chest, but you’ll be binding your ribs, back, and shoulders as well. This can warp them and damage the tissue. 

So what does a good binder look like? I’m going to use the binder I’ve had the best experience with as an example. The Ultimate Chest Binder Tank by underworks. I’ve bought two of these as I’ve needed them, I wore out my old one after a year and a half of use daily including at work.

So, straight off from the site, we know this seller is knowledgeable about their target audience. Chest binders are under the men’s section and you never see the word lesbian on any of them. The only thing marked for women under the chest binder section is a sports bra, put there because transgender men often use them for working out.

The information section on the binder isn’t just two or three lines, it’s a whole paragraph. What is this binder made of? Medical grade 70% nylon and 30% spandex knit. It says it right there and is readily available information, you don’t have to dig through the seller’s ads for cheap wholesale jewelry in the description to find it. The listing also tells us how much of each material is used, information you must have when buying a chest binder. My personal rule of thumb? If it’s under 20% spandex or elastic, it’s trash. Our listing also tells us how to put the binder on, rather than making you struggle to figure it out on your own. Size chart and customer reviews are readily available on the listing and not buried under ads for other unrelated merchandise. 

Also from looking at the binder’s pictures, the front and back of the binder is made differently; the front is thicker and non transparent while the back can bee seen through a bit and is thin in comparison. This is because the front of the binder is made to compress and bind the chest and the back of the binder is not. All the binding is in the front, support in the back. 

i’m sorry i don’t usually comment on posts but i keep trying to tell people this over and over again and a lot of the time nobody listens (hopefully they will now because this is an excellently constructed post)

an ebay binder pushed in one of my ribs and i barely wore it for any time at all (just less than an hour for convenience in my own backyard) because i knew it was bad but it seriously injured me that quickly.

the biggest problem is most people who give these things positive reviews have NEVER HAD A SAFE, PROPER BINDER BEFORE. therefore those positive reviews cannot be trusted! they don’t know how an actual binder is supposed to feel.

this is why i urge people not to include cheap ebay binders in their giveaways, especially. it’s not a game and it doesn’t matter how “safe” you are when using them or how well you advise people- they are NOT SAFE.

Ireland’s High Court has ruled that denying a trans person’s true gender is a violation of the European Convention on Human Rights Act of 2003, ending one woman’s long battle to be recognized as her true self. 

The decision comes more than two decades after Dr. Lydia Foy, a 67-year-old trans woman, began fighting with the Irish government to change the gender marker on her birth certificate to “female.” Long after the Court’s decision, Foy has agreed to a settlement of 50,000 euro (about $62,000). 

Responding to an earlier claim from Foy, the Irish government first declared in 2007 that failing to recognize a trans citizen’s gender was a violation of the Human Rights Act, notes the Times. In the wake of Foy settling her case against the State, the High Court plans to hold the Irish government to its stated “firm intention” to enact laws that recognize trans citizens’ identities “as soon as possible” in 2015.