what areas are the most critical and then after those, what more are still important.
If you could have somthing done in your community (anything, no matter how crazy or unlikely it may be) what would it be?
This is an idea pool. A think tank of sorts.
It doesn't matter how crazy it is, spill it out!
What do you want to see happen?
Thanks!
-Sara
Most pressing? Even though it would fall to 'within' said community it could still be referred to as activism.
I would like to see more of a push for FULL acceptance of ALL identities and whatever medical treatment and recognition each person holding whatever identity they happen to hold be fully available to them. There needs to be a much stronger push for inclusivity than exclusivity imo.
Everybody is just as valid as everybody else. *nods*
Now that the AMA has made their decision to recognize GID as a necessatated treatable condition, I would like for the Insurance Co.'s to get off their butts and include GID as a covered condition.
I'd try to make the gender teams here follow the SoC and treat those who need to transition as responsible human beings instead of vegetables.
I'd say the most important thing is to conquer tolerance first, then work of acceptance. I see tolerance as a more attainable goal than actual full blown acceptance, because it's easier to tolerate something you don't approve of/are scared of/whatever than to actually learn about it and try and accept it. Of course it would be great it everyone could be accepted for who they are, but in our society, I just don't see that happening anytime soon. :-\
More organizing, less letter writing.
Everyone walks around like zombies with cell phones in their ears. Perhaps no electricity would get people to be human.
Equal protection under the law pertaining to housing, job security, and other social aspects for transgendered people, and enforcement of those laws by police and the court system.
Prosecution of those who harm, beat, and murder our brothers and sisters, including doctors and EMT personnel who, in some cases, stand by indifferently and watch us die on the table of the ER if we're pre-op.
Unity in our community itself, so we can organize ourselves as a whole and stand together instead of divided.
Jenn
Full equality under the law.
Stiffer penalties for violence against our community, in particular and anyone in general.
Full medical coverage for GID by the insurance companies.
Unity and fidelity thru out our community.
Janet
You may have a point there, Lisagurl, about cell phone zombies.
But this cutting off the power? Well it certainly would be a good way to depopulate the planet to about half of its present population. We have come to be dependent on the production of modern commodities and consumer goods, such as automobiles and the fuel to run them and many other necessities. So many other mechanized devices that keep industry going, along with providing as so many other consumer goods, such as mass food production, would come to a grinding halt. That would definitely have a very devastating affect on the populace of this planet. It requires power in order for the wheels of society to continue turning to provide us with so many other consumer goods.
"Hee, hee, hee!!" Probably more productive to set their shorts on fire, then they will have to drop their cell phones in order to put out the fire on the back of their shorts!
You only need to accept and believe who you are. Let go of any lingering residual maleness that may be left within you. There just isn't the room in your body to house two different characters, it wasn't meant to be anyway. Just release the old you and embrace she/he, which ever you are transitioning to be, and just be the best you you can be. Be confident and project who you are to those around you, you can be quite certain that people around you will accept you into the rest of the fold of humanity.
Cindy
1. Transgender people talking in schools, churches, and civic organizations
2. People of all gender expressions working together for equality.
Gennee
:)
Basic equal human rights and protection in ALL states and cities
Public education that includes gender and gender identity studies
Insurance coverage for meds and surgery
More ts individuals living the freedom of open lives to help 'normalize' us to the cis population
In the trans community or in general?
In general, we really need to work on the poverty and the homelessness...
But yeah, if we narrow it down, we need to focus on accepting different kinds of people-- color, race, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, religion, belief system, political party, etc. We really need to stop waging wars with each other...
In the trans community, we need to focus more on the issue of what is "trans enough" or "more trans." Get rid of it. There is no such thing as "more" or "less" trans.
In the queer culture we need to shrink the division between the LGB and T groups.
we really need to work on the poverty and the homelessness
So, you're going to get a job, buy a house and put homeless people in it?
Just kidding. Keep on talking, its sure to solve the problem real, real, soon.
Quote from: tekla on September 22, 2008, 10:17:21 PMwe really need to work on the poverty and the homelessness
So, you're going to get a job, buy a house and put homeless people in it?
Just kidding. Keep on talking, its sure to solve the problem real, real, soon.
No suh. I don't know how to solve the problem. That's why I want people to bump heads.
Can I bump heads? No, I'm an idiot. There's no way I could really help. I DO build houses for Habitat for Humanity, though. We do house the poor people. I'm probably doing more than your lazy ass is doing.
While I've gone to NO twice, with my own tools - and yes, I can lift and hold a sink on my own if I have too, I suppose your right. Posting on a board like this does a lot more to help homeless people than like, working to do something about it.
How to help the poor? Elwood hon that is wonderful what you are doing and I wish more people would also contribute their time to helping build a home for the poor.
I have spent twenty years working with street people, counseling for recovering alcoholics and addicts. My last job I worked 10 years with mental health consumers. I was retired for a couple of years which the inactivity nearly drove me off the edge. I have gone back to working with street women at a woman's shelter for just close to one year now.
So if anyone is wondering how they could contribute to helping the poor and street people, they are always looking for volunteers in those areas where I have worked.
Cindy
Poverty. Poverty, poverty, poverty.
Lia
Trouble is, as you well know, some of those people don't want to be helped. They like the life they have. Sure it sucks. But so do most other lives when you get right down to it.
Hi Tekla, I do agree with what you say, I have been at this type of work long enough to know about the statistics you speak of. Using my 1to10 scale you might actually successfully help one person and loose ten to that one. I have been doing this for 21 years now so I ain't about to quite because of the sucky odds. At least if I can make a few of those girls comfortable and see that they get a meal while at the shelter I believe I have accomplished what I could to help them. I guess the best experience that you can experience at this kind of work is that every once in a while I get to see one of the girls come off the street and do something with their lives. We are also planing on starting up an employment placement program for the girls at the shelter as well as trans people.
Cindy
Posted on: September 23, 2008, 01:11:35 AM
Hi Purple Pimp hon, you are a pretty looking gal.
Cindy
Hey honey, people like you make the world go 'round. And even if you can't help all, you at least have a chance of making a difference when it might really matter to someone, so for those people you save from that life, you're an angel. Still, however, there are people, who, for whatever reason, are not into the whole 'regular life' 'job' deal. And I've been there too.
I will say, that every year at thanksgiving and christmas, I put on my best little outfit and serve meals to homeless people - and no, it does not make me a good person, or even a better person, its just about being a person - but I also know that gender is not the only thing in life that matters.
I know what you speak of hon, I have done that kind of work for all those years simply because I cared and was given the opportunity to do so and could not refuse. I quite understand what you say that you can't save the whole world, but at the very least I can try to save one at a time when the opportunity presents itself and if that person wants the help she or he will need for them to find their way off the street. Worrying about burning out? ya, came close to it a few times.
Gender? "hee, hee!" hey sis, again you are quite right. I never took time off work I just called in the day before and informed personnel that I was coming in as Cindy. I walked in on the job as the true me and never looked back. I was free to live my own life my own way finally, come hell or high water. From that time on I had no time to worry about gender issues. The GID had already faded away into the distance after I had been on HRT for a few months and I just resumed doing my job as I normally use to do. It was just me carrying on a job that needed to be done. I didn't even realise how much I had changed in the past 9 years until I was looking at some old photos in my hard drive from ten years ago and some more recent ones. I just couldn't believe that the latest one was actually me. That would be my avatar.
Well now I got me a new mission, working with trans people and the women's shelter, the shelter is for a special reason. About 90% of the girls there are Native American, my people, my sisters. I love my life, I am proud of my accomplishments and who I am today and I certainly ain't gonna let any moss grow under my feet, life is to short to worry much about stuff. I just wish I could teach all who are here to love and enjoy life and crack a smile now and again. Now that probably would be the greatest accomplishment I could ever hope in a life time. Wing Walker and I are both enjoying life.
Cindy