Equality Forum: Transgender Panel Members 'Still Have To Do These 101s'
by John Culhane on May 4, 2012
http://thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/equality-forum-transgender-panel-members-still-have-to-do-these-101s/discrimination/2012/05/04/39022The room was packed by about 70 people, many of whom engaged the panelists in a dialogue that can only loosely be described as Q&A. As invited by moderator Joe Ippolito, the mostly transgender audience wove their compelling personal narratives into their exchanges with the willing panelists, who were very free about ceding air time. The panelists were: Jeanine Ruhsam, President of TransCentral Pennsylvania (an advocacy group); Melissa Sklarz, President of the Stonewall Democratic Club of NYC; and Kye Allums, who made history by playing for a women's Division 1 basketball team at George Washington University while identifying as a male (despite female biological origin).
The evening had two themes. First, were the gay and lesbian advocates the natural advocates of the trans-community?
Second, what is the teaching role of transpeople? (Do they "still have to do these Trans 101s?" as Ippolito so perfectly asked.)
Addressing these themes allowed both panelists and audience members to share their personal stories and experiences in illuminating ways. For example, one audience member bemoaned the fact that she's been doing trans-activism for almost "40 years, and [is] tired of it." She also felt as though she was often a "trans-token" on LGB (not so much T) panels and boards.
