Russian poetry competition bans transgender applicants

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/russian-poetry-competition-bans-transgender-applicants/ar-AA1nM7it?ocid=windirect&cvid=a9e4dfdb0832403a9238f9fc4551be3b&ei=49

Story by John Russell (26 April 2024)

The organizers of a Russian poetry competition have banned entries from transgender people.

Rules posted online for this year's Andrei Dementyev All-Russian Poetry Prize specify that while the competition will accept entries from poets "regardless of citizenship, nationality, profession, and place of residence," entries from "citizens who have changed their gender" will not be considered, Reuters reported.

Organized by the regional government of Tver, a city northwest of Moscow, the competition is named for the late prize-winning Russian poet Andrey Dementyev, who died in 2018. Previous competitions have not explicitly banned trans people from submitting their work, according to Russian independent news outlet Mediazona.

However, The Advocate reported that the competition's official application currently includes a question asking if the applicant has "changed" their gender.

The competition's official rules state that trans people are banned "in order to preserve traditional Russian society and religious ideas shared by multiple denominations about marriage, family, motherhood, fatherhood, and childhood."

Nef Cellarius, program coordinator for Russian LGBTQ+ rights group Vykhod ("Coming Out"), said that the rule change is likely an effort on the part of local officials to show their loyalty to the anti-LGBTQ+ Russian president.

I think your Tooth Fairy has good taste in food. That looked pretty appetizing.

Quote from: Mariah on Today at 11:38:48 AMNot sure Texas cares about federal funding. So many Texans want Texas to leave the United States. Hugs
Mariah

Please, please, please let that happen. So many companies, including my own employer, moved their US headquarters to Texas in recent years because of the tax advantages and such. I would LOVE to see all the companies who followed that trend suddenly have their US headquarters no longer be in the United States.

Thanks, Chrissy!

At our Trans Support Group meeting, I was speaking with one of the gals who went through the VA program. She has a very nice voice but she is still self-conscious of it. Like you said, it is way more than just pitch. I had been watching Trans Voice Lessons on YouTube and they are a great help, but as this gal pointed out, the one-on-one training allows someone (not a machine) to listen to you speak and help you correct what you are doing wrong... well, not wrong, but how to do it better. Most apps cannot teach you how to train things like your sub-laryngeal folds. I just learned that term and I finally got to use it! 

One of the reviewers on Christella's said they really liked the lessons but hoped they didn't acquire her accent. Then I saw that Chistella is in the UK. 

Bawl ball

Device

Lori,

I have used Christilla's Voice Up with in app purchases.
Although in the feminine range consistently, there is much more than pitch to work out, for sure.

I found this app when borrowing a friend's iPad for an extended time.  Eventually I got my own iPad, but it took maybe two years!  He is the type that upgraded a lot so he let me use his that was sort of "left behind" or orphaned as he used the newest stuff.

But he did not have this app, and I did not buy the add ons until I had my own tablet and account.  I do not remember what the add ons cost.

I think it was worth it.  I still refer to it for practice.

Thanks, Jessica.

I have the Voice Pitch Analyzer on my phone. It has you read a passage and record the results. I think that is what the VA Clinician will want me to use too. They mentioned using an app, but they didn't say which one. Knowing the VA they might have their own. I will know more when we have the first appointment. I expect progress to be slow because I have no voice training experience... except in the Army calling cadence while marching and yelling at Privates to stop being stupid. 

I have been an instructor, in the Army and elsewhere, so public speaking is not an issue. But no experience controlling my voice, like singing or doing imitations. It will be a fun adventure and I am looking forward to it. It will be nice to talk to a stranger on the phone and get "ma'am" instead of "sir".

@Mariah

So true. Can we impeach a state and kick them out? 

Jessica,

We are all hoping for the best for your dad and family. Know that our thoughts and prayers are with you. Hugs!