#trans*enough

Trans*Enough was starting from the idea that you are enough, as you are, right now. We believed that however you identify is right for you, and that you didn’t need surgeries or hormones or outside approval to make it so.

We started with the mission of celebrating individuals who identify as transgender, genderqueer, and gender non-conforming. We worked to engender mutual respect between many diverse communities and allies, and towards the creation of an environment where every person may live their life with the dignity that is their due. We sought to provide and maintain safe space for individuals to explore and dialogue about their experiences, and offered interactive spaces where individuals could freely express themselves. Trans*Enough also partnered with individuals and organizations to strengthen our community in an effort to enable all people access to those tools which help them attain their personal goals and come into themselves.

The make up of Trans*Enough has changed dramatically over the years. The original founding members were Del Rapier, Executive Director, and Nik Rapier, Creative and Content Manager. In the beginning we brought lots of original content, including content from several monthly columnists. We created TransFaces, which provided a visual representation of the diversity of trans* communities. However, over the years, interest in contributing to a 100% volunteer organization declined. And we totally understand! It’s hard to put in all the work of creating new and original content for no pay. In 2011, Del Rapier became the sole foundation of Trans*Enough. Over the remaining years, Trans*Enough has had various behind the scenes contributions from a variety of amazing folks. As Del has been pursuing their academic goals of getting their doctorate in clinical psychology, keeping up with the day-to-day operations of Trans*Enough has become more and more of a challenge. We began to lose the ability to continue bringing you original content and instead focused on our third goal of partnering with individuals and organizations, and in effect became a source for bringing together trans* content from a variety of outside sources. We feel that, without the ability to be an active source of new and original content, Trans*Enough is no longer living up to the whole of its original goals.

Because of these reasons, it is with a heavy heart that we at Trans*Enough have made the decision to come to an end. We have been humbled and honored by all of the support we have received over our four-year run. We have greatly enjoyed getting to know so many of you and watch the various communities grow and change. We have struggled with expanding our own definitions of what it means to be trans* (or trans) and deeply valued that struggle. We have been blown away by all of the political and personal victories trans* people have gained over these years. We have also been deeply disappointed by all the losses trans* communities have sustained. The annual Transgender Day of Remembrance reminds us that we still have so far to go.

Effective today, we will be closing down our Facebook page. Over the next week we will be closing down our Twitter page. We will be leaving up our website as an archive of our history. We will not be renewing our transenough.com URL, which will expire later next year. At that time, you will be able to reach this archive by going directly to http://transenoughblog.tumblr.com/.

By Dawn Ennis

SOURCE: Advocate

The act of transitioning should not be a fireable offense.

Late last month in the west central Florida city of Lakeland, a locally owned eye clinic got some eye-opening news straight from Washington, D.C. Something the owners of the Lakeland Eye Clinic did three years ago had earned them a place in the history books, and it was something so commonplace that it’s happened at businesses across the country for decades without anyone making a fuss. But this year that eye clinic and a Michigan funeral home found themselves on the wrong end of two landmark lawsuits.

For the first time ever, a federal agency filed suit on behalf of two transgender women who were fired because they dared to transition from male to female at work. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission determined that not only were Brandi Bronson of Florida and Aimee Stephens of Michigan discriminated against because of their sex under Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, but that their employers were wrong to dismiss them for dressing and appearing in their true gender.

This means the right to be transgender and undergo a gender transition at work is going to be defended in a federal courthouse by lawyers representing the United States government.

SOURCE: Haaretz

New policy to help transgender soldiers from the time they get first draft notice through getting gender-appropriate uniforms and housing.

The Israel Defense Forces has decided to institute a new approach to dealing with transgender recruits by offering them extra support from the time they get their first draft notice at age 16 through their army service.

The new policy intends to make army service easier for transgender soldiers, regardless of whether they intend to undergo gender reassignment surgery, according to a report in Yedioth Ahronoth, which cites the army's Bamahane magazine.

According to the report published Thursday, transgender soldiers have had to ask for assistance from commanding officers in order to get uniforms and housing for their preferred gender, as well as hormone treatments.

Maj. Iris Wagman, head of the mental health unit in the army's Medical Corps, said the army reached out to the Israeli Center for Human Sexuality and Gender Identity to help it become more familiar with the needs of transgender recruits.

Transgender recruits who have not begun the gender-reassignment process but would like to will be drafted according to their biological gender, according to Yedioth Ahronoth.

By Alex Burness

SOURCE: Daily Camera

Before her third birthday, Shannon Axe already had an inkling that something was off.

Shannon Axe, 14, left, laughs with her friend Emily Soder, 15, while shopping at the FlatIron Crossing mall in Broomfield on Tuesday. (Jeremy Papasso / Daily Camera)

She was born male but, even as a toddler, never felt comfortable with gendered clothing or toys, and didn't like being called by her birth name.

The word "transgender" was still years away from entering her lexicon, but, by kindergarten, she was certain that's what she was.

"People say, 'Oh, that's too young," said Shannon, now 14 and midway through eighth grade at Boulder's Horizons charter school. "But if you realize something this important, you know who you are. And I knew I was a girl."

We at Trans*Enough support research efforts to expand understanding and inclusion of trans* ranges of experience. We are happy to support our Executive Director, Del Rapier, in their efforts to challenge the status quo in how researchers think about who "counts" as transgender.

They are hoping to get 50 more participants! If you have not done so already, please consider adding your voice to this important study.

Call for Participants

I hope you will consider adding your voice to my dissertation research. This research has been approved by the Pacific University Institutional Review Board (#117-14). The survey for my dissertation is entitled Redefining Trans* Persistence and Desistence Toward A More Inclusive Account of Trans* Populations is now live.The purpose of this project is to examine from a social justice approach what, if any, impact access to surgical transition procedures have on trans* gender identity. I will be seeking to understand the following:• The importance of access to surgical transition procedures on trans* gender identity?• What barriers trans* folks experience related access to surgical transitions procedures, including: • health, • race/ethnicity, • religious and/or spiritual beliefs, and • socioeconomic status.Participants will have the opportunity to identify other barriers as well.I need your help in two ways:• Please consider taking the survey. Participation will take 15 - 20 minutes and will involve responding to two brief questionnaires presented online. All data related to your participation will be kept anonymous.• Please consider spreading the word with as many folks and/or groups that you think might be interested. To participate in this study, you must be at least 18 years of age, self-identify as a trans* individual (this is meant to be inclusive of both binarily identified folks and gender nonconforming folks), live in the United States, and read and comprehend English.NOTE: I am especially interested in getting more participation from and perspectives of trans* folks of color. I understand there are many valid and historic reasons for communities of color to distrust research. As a result, however, most research primarily represent those in the dominant and privileged majority.

SOURCE: MyNewsLA

A 63-year-old man was behind bars Wednesday on charges of fatally stabbing a transgender woman in Santa Ana in 1989.

Doug Gutridge, held on $1 million bail, made his first appearance in court Thursday when his arraignment was put off until Jan. 2.

Gutridge’s arrest on Dec. 9 is the first for a newly formed Orange County cold case task force.

On Thursday at a news conference, detectives will discuss the task force and the Gutridge arrest.

Gutridge, charged with one count of murder, is accused of killing 35- year-old Carla Leigh Salazar on June 28, 1989, according to Senior Deputy District Attorney Larry Yellin.

Gutridge and Salazar were acquaintances, according to Santa Ana police Cpl. Anthony Bertagna.

SOURCE: The Guardian

The United States embassy in Manila has turned down a request from Philippine authorities to hand over a marine accused of the killing of a transgender Filipino, a move that could spark anti-American protest in the former US colony. 

The marine, Joseph Scott Pemberton, who is being held at a US facility at the main Philippine army base, was charged with the murder of Jeffrey Laude, known as Jennifer, who was found dead on 11 October in a hotel in Olongapo City, north-west of the capital. 

“The United States will retain custody of Pemberton as provided by the United States-Philippine Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA),” the embassy said in a statement on Wednesday. 

“The United States has the right to retain custody of a suspect from the commission of the alleged offense until completion of all judicial proceedings.” 

Manila and Washington signed the Visiting Forces Agreement in 1998, to allow US forces to hold military drills in the Philippines to test the readiness of the allies, and the pact sets legal rules on how to treat erring servicemen.

The Philippines formally sought custody of Pemberton in a letter from the foreign ministry to the US embassy after his arrest was ordered by the Olongapo City trial court on Monday. 

“There was a warrant of arrest issued by the court,” the presidential spokesman, Edwin Lacierda, told reporters in the Philippine capital. “We have to enforce the warrant.” 

In a statement, the foreign ministry said, “In accordance with the Visiting Forces Agreement, we look forward to the full cooperation of the US government in ensuring that justice is secured for Jeffrey Laude.” 

Anti-US activists urged the government to terminate its pact with Washington after failing to enforce its sovereignty. 

“The US embassy refusal to turn over Pemberton is an insult to our nation and our people,” said Renato Reyes, leader of the leftwing Nation movement, vowing to hold a protest outside the US embassy. “The Aquino government must terminate the VFA.”

SOURCE: Huffington Post

The American Civil Liberties Union filed a complaint with the U.S. Departments of Justice and Education Thursday after a Virginia school district adopted a policy barring a transgender boy from using the men's bathroom.

Earlier in December, the Gloucester County School Board approved a motion stating that the district will "provide male and female restroom and locker room facilities in its schools, and the use of said facilities shall be limited to the corresponding biological genders, and students with gender identity issues shall be provided an alternative private facility." The board adopted the motion with a 6-to-1 vote, reported local outlet The Daily Press.

The motion was adopted in response to a request from a transgender male student to use the men's restroom. In a press release, the ACLU explained that Gavin Grim is a 10th-grader who was assigned female at birth but identifies as a male. While Grimm initially used a unisex bathroom after coming out as transgender over the summer, he began using the boys' bathroom in October.