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“A dream you dream alone is only a dream; a dream you dream together is reality.” — Yoko Ono
Nov
13
Support Sex-Positive Sex Education
Filed Under action alert, education and schools, feminism, sex and sexuality | 1 Comment
Scarleteen is, in my view, the absolute best sex education website out there. And while I can’t claim to be entirely impartial about that assessment — I know Heather, Scarleteen’s founder, and also received a free sex education training through the site this summer — I can say that it’s an assessment I’ve held since long before I had any room for bias.And right now, Scarleteen needs your help with their fundraising drive. You can read the full letter here, if you wish to learn about all of the things that the site has done this year, and what they plan on doing next year. But the part I want to highlight is this:
What you might not know is that Scarleteen is the highest ranked online young adult sexuality resource but also the least funded and that the youth who need us most are also the least able to donate. You might not know that we have done all we have with a budget lower than the median annual household income in the U.S. You might not know we have provided the services we have to millions without any federal, state or local funding and that we are fully independent media which depends on public support to survive and grow.
With all that Scarleteen does, they deserve a lot more.
What exactly Scarleteen does is not just provide comprehensive sex education, but provide honest, scientifically-sound, non-judgmental, sex-positive, and explicitly feminist sex education. They don’t just talk condoms and STDs — they talk sexual orientation, gender identity, relationships, sexism and double standards, abuse, masturbation, pleasure, and more. They don’t just talk about heterosexual intercourse, but about all sex acts as being equally valid and not existing in an arbitrary hierarchy of importance. And probably most importantly of all to me, they don’t just talk about sex — they include and emphasize in every single discussion of sex the importance and necessity of mutual, affirmative, and enthusiastic consent.
Those of you familiar with my writing will know that sex education is a subject that I feel very, very passionately about. You’ll also know that my standards for sex education are set a good deal higher than the standards we normally see stated in arguments favoring the bare bones of what can be considered comprehensive sex education. Scarleteen lives up to my ideal model over and over and over again. And that is something I’ve found to be very rare.
If Scarleteen is also a site near and dear to your heart, if my gushing has swayed you at all, if sex education is a subject of importance to you, or if you believe in investing in teenagers and young adults so that they become well-rounded, sexually healthy people, I urge you to make the largest gift you can:
- To donate to Scarleteen by credit card, online check or via a PayPal account: click here and choose the button at the top of that page for the donation amount and style you prefer.
- To donate by check or money order directly to Scarleteen: make checks payable to Scarleteen and send to: Scarleteen, 1752 NW Market Street #627, Seattle, WA, 98107.
- If you would like your donation to be tax-deductible: you can donate by check or money order through The Center for Sex and Culture, a fiscal sponsor of Scarleteen online here. To mail a tax-deductible donation, make your check out to The Center for Sex and Culture, writing “For Scarleteen” in the memo. Mail that to: The Center for Sex and Culture, c/o Carol Queen, 2215-R Market Street PMB 455, San Francisco, CA, 94114. They will send a written acknowledgment of your donation to you for tax purposes, and will send us donations made to them on our behalf after deducting a very reasonable percentage.
- However you choose to donate, if you want to be listed as a donor on our site, please send us an email to let us know how you’d like to be acknowledged.
And if you can’t donate — and looking at the extraordinary vet bill I paid this morning, I couldn’t possibly get that more — do your part to spread the word about an organization that we absolutely need to see continue and thrive.
Nov
2
School Accepting Donations for Gang Rape Survivor
Filed Under action alert, misogyny, patriarchy, rape and sexual assault, violence against women and girls | 2 Comments
By now, you’ve almost certainly read about the gang rape that took place outside a high school dance in California. I’ve avoided reading the updated details due to the fact that this story hit me extremely hard, but [trigger warning] the initial reports said that there were multiple assailants, the rape continued for about two hours, somewhere around 15 to 20 students were believed to have watched and/or cheered on the rapists, and the 15-year-old victim had to be airlifted to the hospital in critical condition.
I haven’t had much to say about the case both because it has particularly affected me, and because anything I would have had to say, someone else said first and very well. But I did want to pass along this important piece of information about something small that we all can do, found via Shakesville. The school has set up a fund to help the victim and her family financially, and will also pass along messages of support:
Richmond High School is accepting cards and donations for the victim and her family, which should be mailed to the school at 1250 23rd Street, Richmond, CA 94804-1011. Checks should be made out to the Richmond High Student Fund, with “For sex assault victim” written in the memo line.
I strongly urge you to donate if you can. And if you can’t, difficult though it might be to find something to say, and inadequate as it may feel, sending a short note will only cost you a stamp and a few minutes of your time. Please do so, and pass along the information.
ETA: via SAFER, donations can also be sent to: Richmond High Jane Doe, account No. 041-30-1188, Mechanics Bank, 3170 Hilltop Mall Road, Richmond, CA 94806.
cross-posted at Feministe in Exile (our temporary home while the site is renovated)
Sep
3
Help SAFER Win $10,000
Filed Under action alert, blogging, feminism, rape and sexual assault, violence against women and girls | 2 Comments
During the 24-hour Blogathon just over a month ago, I think that I made my deep respect and support for Students Active For Ending Rape (SAFER) quite clear. And so I just wanted to give them a shout out now — they have a chance at winning $10,000 for the organization, and just two or three minutes of your time can help them win.
Ideablob is a site that allows people to present their ideas to an internet audience. Users vote on the best idea from each round of submissions, and the one that gets the most votes wins a $10,000 grant to put that idea to good use. It’s really that simple.
Click here to vote for SAFER now.
You will have to register for the site first, but that will only take a minute or two. You can make sure that you’re not on any of their email lists after you sign up and vote by going to your profile, then settings, and unchecking the appropriate boxes. Again, it took me two or three minutes, I’m not going to get any unwanted email as a result, and it’s going to a great cause! Go, vote! And then tell others to do the same on Twitter, Facebook, etc.
And while I’m writing, I wanted to just fill you in that I’m rather busy as of late, and of course with the most exciting day of my life coming up next Wednesday, I’ll be a bit distracted on that end as well. I still plan on getting that last Beatles: Rock Band post at you on Saturday (fingers crossed), but other than that, blogging will sadly continue to suffer for the next week and a half. (Assuming, of course, that you consider very light blogging with most posts that do actually go up being about a music video game to be “suffering.” Ha.) See you soon!
Jun
19
64 Words for Aung San Suu Kyi
Filed Under International, action alert, feminism, human rights, violence against women and girls | 2 Comments
Aung San Suu Kyi is a Nobel Peace Prize laureate and pro-democracy leader from Burma. She is also currently a political prisoner. For her political activities, she had been under house arrest for several years — until this May, when she was put into prison:
She is currently facing trial in Burma. She was on arrested on May 14th and is now being held in Insein Prison, a prison notorious for its terrible conditions and horrific treatment of prisoners. Aung San Suu Kyi is being tried for breaking the terms of her house arrest, which forbids visitors, after an American man, John Yettaw, swam across Inya Lake and refused to leave her house. Her trial began on 18th May.
Aung San Suu Kyi has committed no crime, she is the victim of crime, yet is currently facing a sentence of 3-5 years. The United Nations has ruled that Aung San Suu Kyi’s detention is illegal under international law, and also under Burmese law. The United Nations Security Council has also told the dictatorship that they must release Aung San Suu Kyi.
Political prisoners in Burma are routinely subjected to torture and often denied medical treatment. There are serious concerns for Aung San Suu Kyi’s health in these conditions, particularly as she has recently been seriously ill.
Today is Aung San Suu Kyi’s 64th birthday. To mark the day, her supporters are asking everyone who knows that her detention is wrong to write a 64 word message to and/or about her. You can submit your 64 words to their website. Mine are below:
Dear Aung San Suu Kyi: we have not forgotten you.You’re one of the bravest women this world has ever known. I hope for a day when your illegal, immoral detention will end. And I look to the day when your people will be free, and when the world will follow in their footsteps. It will come, even if it’s long after we’re gone.
Jun
12
UK Survey on Intimate Partner Violence in Trans Communities
Filed Under Europe, International, LGBTQ, action alert, rape and sexual assault, trans, transphobia and trans misogyny, violence against women and girls | 2 Comments
Spectrum London, a UK peer support group for trans people, recently put out this press release:
Domestic Violence and abuse is in the limelight more than ever before. The levels of abuse to heterosexual women are 1 in 4 – the same figure experienced by LGBT people.
“Domestic violence is still invisible in our communities,” says Rita Hirani, CEO of Broken Rainbow, funded by the Home Office to run the national LGBT domestic violence helpline.
“Limited research in terms of domestic violence and abuse amongst transgendered people suggests the figure may even be higher,” adds Denise Anderson from Spectrum London, a peer support forum for all trans people and those questioning their gender.
In previous research carried out by Brighton’s Spectrum LGBT Forums Count Me In Too project, along with Press For Change’s research in their Endangered Penalties report, it was shown that an alarming figure of 64% of Trans people had experienced Domestic Violence at some time.
“This is a large percentage of transgendered people, one that when presented to various organisations brings looks of surprise and alarm, because many have not encountered transgendered people contacting them for assistance,” says Denise.
I was well aware that the levels of intimate partner violence committed against trans women were quite significantly higher than those committed against cis women. But the fact that 64% of all trans people have been the victims of such violence is still incredibly shocking to me, and I’m sure to a lot of other cis people. And it damn well ought to serve as a wake up call. Especially to cis feminists, in light of our recent discussion regarding transphobic/transmisogynistic exclusion of trans women from many women’s shelters.
This is even truer when we know from experience that rates of reported abuse of any kind are almost always lower than actual instances, not the other way around. There’s a lot resting on the way that questions are posed — was “domestic violence” defined/was the term actually used or was violence falling under that category instead described/was sexual violence committed by an intimate partner explicitly included in survey/much more — and even with an incredibly thoughtfully worded survey, there’s still always some number of instances of survival denial.
So that’s at least two-thirds of UK trans people who have been the victims of intimate partner violence in their lives, and quite likely even more. And since they rarely are in other instances, I seriously doubt that the numbers are significantly lower in the U.S.
These extraordinarily high rates of violence are why Spectrum London is conducting their own survey:
With this in mind Spectrum London along with Broken Rainbow feel it is time to revisit this subject, consulting Transgendered people, investigating if these levels are more indicative of a wider audience nationally. The survey hopes to confirm previous research, and raise awareness to agencies and service providers of the issues surrounding domestic violence in the transgendered communities.
“With increased awareness of these issues to support organisations, we hope transgendered people will feel more comfortable to be able to report issues of a domestic violence nature, knowing support is available,” says Denise.
The Online survey can be found here:
http://www.questionpro.com/akira/TakeSurvey?id=1012451
The survey will be open from 1st June 2009 until the 1st September 2009. We will then collate the information and will be presenting the findings from early October.
All trans people in the UK are highly encouraged to participate, regardless of whether or not they themselves have experienced domestic violence. And to everyone reading this, don’t forget to spread the word.
Jun
3
Help a Blogger Recover From Foreclosure
Filed Under action alert | 2 Comments
Trans rights blogger Voz has put out a call for help for her and her partner. Like so many sadly are these days, they’re losing their home to foreclosure, and need the help to get back on their feet again and ensure that they have a place to live. She writes:
As many of you know, my partner and I are losing our home and most of our belongings tomorrow to foreclosure.
Tho it pains me to do so, I am asking for donations to start our new life, and help build our new subsistence farm and eco homestead. We’ll dedicate a sapling to you or something, and welcome visitors.
There is a tax penalty on the land we bought of $2700.00 that must be paid before we can build. If u can’t send money, send your leftover seed packets from your garden.
If you can, send something to:
Alyssa and Crystal C.
PO Box 231
Richmond, ME 04357Or to my PayPal, if you actually have money.
espacio.translatina@gmail.comThanks in advance
-vozTime of course are tough right now, and a whole lot of us are strapped for cash. But if you’re able to help a fellow blogger out, please do.
May
27
Help Send Single Mothers to the Allied Media Conference
Filed Under action alert, activism, events and excursions, media | 2 Comments
The Allied Media Conference, which is about “[sharing] tools and tactics for transforming our communities through media-based organizing,” is being held this July. I’ve never been, but I know that it’s a really important event to a whole lot of womanists, feminists and radical women of color.And I’ve just learned through BFP’s blog that the AMC needs a lot of money to help ensure that single mothers, who so often get left out of conference events, will be able to attend and participate. She writes:
Why do we need single mamis at this conference?
It’s funny you should ask. Mamis of color are leaders in creating media that services the communities most in need radical media justice. They’ve created zines, blog communities, news papers, radio shows. They write and speak with children on their hips, on their breasts, and with the most limited resources possible. They can make a meeting happen with three people in three different cities, one car, and an awesome white dude. They don’t leave their neighbors behind because it’s a car with four seats, they make more seats in the car.
This is leadership. Single mamis of color are the leaders of the media justice movement, and I really am not sure why or how we would have a conference if they weren’t there.
So they need your help getting these women there in July. Click here to contribute by buying a SPEAK! CD. The CD itself includes all kinds of amazing stuff. And the suggested donation amount is $12, but you can also choose to donate more than that — as much as your heart desires and your wallet will allow.
Go, now, donate! And then put the call out on your blog, your twitter, facebook, whatever it is you use, and get the people you know to do the same.
May
20
New York Statewide GENDA Call-In Day
Filed Under LGBTQ, action alert, activism, bigotry, discrimination, gender, legislation, trans, transphobia and trans misogyny, work | 3 Comments
CALLING ALL NEW YORK STATE RESIDENTS!
You may have heard a whole lot about the marriage equality bill currently awaiting a vote by the state Senate. What you have likely heard significantly less about is GENDA, the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act (pdf). GENDA would provide anti-discrimination protections on the basis of gender identity and expression in areas of housing, employment, and much more. The legal right to not be discriminated against is something that transgender New Yorkers currently live without.
Today, Wednesday May 20, is the statewide call-in day to help get GENDA passed! GENDA passed through the Assembly back in April (before the marriage equality bill). But now it’s still awaiting a Senate vote. This legislative session is ending shortly, so it’s absolutely vital that the bill be brought to a vote now.
Details on making your call(s) from the NY State Pride Agenda:
We need you to get on the phone and call the lead Senate sponsor Tom Duane and your Senator to tell them that you want them to bring GENDA to the Senate floor and pass it. We’re in the final stretch and it is vital that they hear from you.
With more than half of the Senators indicating their support for GENDA, we know that we have enough votes to get it passed in the Senate if it comes to the floor for a vote. So now is the time to call Senator Duane and your State Senator!
Talking Points:
Reach Tom Duane at (518) 455-2451 and find your Senator’s Albany phone number here. Call their offices on Wednesday to tell them that the time is now to end discrimination against transgender New Yorkers.
Remember to give them the number of the GENDA bill (S.2406).
Ask your Senator to vote for GENDA, and ask lead Senate Sponsor Tom Duane to bring the bill to the floor for a vote now.
Tell them about the broad support for GENDA statewide, including:
- 78% of New York voters
- Unions representing 2.1 million working New Yorkers
- 27 Fortune 500 companies based in cities like Rochester, Corning, New York City and White Plains.
- 344 clergy and lay leaders, representing over 20 different denominations
Working together, we can make this happen! Start making those phone calls now!
It sounds like Duane’s phone may be ringing off the hook, but calling your own senator (assuming it’s not Duane) should only take you a moment or two.
If you’re still wondering what to say, something along the lines of “I’m a constituent of Senator X, and calling to ask him/her to vote for GENDA, which is S.2406. GENDA would protect New Yorkers from discrimination on the basis of gender identity and has the support of 78% of New York voters” should be more than sufficient.
So get calling, and tell your like-minded friends and family, because every call is going to count.
Apr
11
Light a Candle for Angie
Filed Under LGBTQ, action alert, bigotry, courts, trans, transphobia and trans misogyny, violence against women and girls | 8 Comments
Angie Zapata is a woman who was murdered in July 2008. I have written about her before. Her alleged murderer, Allen Andrade, is believed to have killed her because she was trans. The jury selection in the trial is set to begin on Tuesday, April 14th.
The video above was made by Angie’s family and friends as a part of a campaign to end the hate that caused someone to brutally take her life. These advertisements, via Questioning Transphobia, were also created by Angie’s family and a coalition of 50 civil rights and anti-violence organizations, and are running in 22 Colorado newspapers. The ads won’t be run in areas where the juror selection pool will be drawn from, so as not to be seen as attempting to influence them, but the aim is to raise awareness of violence against transgender people and encourage the hate to end.
It bears strong noting that Angie Zapata’s is the first murder of a transgender person that will be tried as a hate crime. This is a monumental moment for that reason, and also a highly sobering one — the Transgender Day of Remembrance is held ever year because of the fact that such astonishing numbers of transgender people are murdered as a result of hate. The murders of so many should have been tried this way before. It’s a disgrace that they were not. And now, all we can do is hope for the best in Angie’s case, that the crime will be recognized for the act of hate and bigotry that it was, and that justice will be done.
Angie’s friends and family are asking you to light a candle for her. They don’t mean in your home, though you may choose to do so as well. They mean publicly. Become a fan of the page on Facebook, or a friend on MySpace. Then, change your profile picture to that of a lit candle. It can be one of the ones provided, or you can take a picture of yourself with a candle. It’s up to you. But change it, encourage your friends to do the same, and leave it there until the trial is over (it is currently set to last two weeks). I’ve done it. You can, too. It’s the least that all of us can do. It’s an online vigil, take part.
Also, visit the Angie Zapata website and follow them for updates on Twitter. Put this badge in your own blog sidebar by saving the image, and putting the link to the facebook page around it (idea created by Autumn):
And check out the GLAAD Angie Zapata resource kit to learn more about why national hate crime legislation which protects on the basis of gender identity and sexual orientation is desperately needed.
Just do something, anything, and preferably all that you can, to spread the word. This deadly hate has to end.
Mar
17
Call Your Senators to Stop Violence Against Native American Women
Filed Under action alert, legislation, patriarchy, politics, race and racism, rape and sexual assault, violence against women and girls | 3 Comments
According to reports by Amnesty International, Native American and Alaska Native women have a rate of rape and sexual assault 2.5 times higher than the U.S. national average. And seeing as how all of us here agree that the U.S. average rates of sexual violence are already much too high, this is clearly far from acceptable. Further, non-native men who rape native women are even more likely than usual to be able to rape with impunity, due to confusion with federal, state and tribal jurisdictions.
But the Senate is considering the Tribal Law and Order Act. And while the name of the legislation sounds a bit sketchy, the descriptions I have found of its contents are indeed quite promising, and the Pretty Bird Woman House is apparently a supporter.
Amnesty International is promoting this legislation, and last week hosted a call-in week for people to let their senators know that they support legislation which helps stop violence against women, including the Tribal Law and Order Act. Though the official call-in week has passed, it is not too late for you to make your call now — so please do.
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“Men, their rights, and nothing more; women, their rights, and nothing less.” — Susan B. Anthony
