Rob Anders is on a mission. Hot on the heels of having to halfway apologize for alleging that NDP leader Thomas Mulcair drove former NDP leader Jack Layton to his grave, Anders is now sending at least one church (possibly more) a letter asking them to petition MPs to oppose
Continue readingTag: Trans
Dented Blue Mercedes: Michelle Kosilek, Barney Frank and Prisoner Sex Changes
If Barney Frank seriously wants to be an ally for trans people, the absolute first thing he could do is stop talking about anything at all to do with trans people. To be fair, the media has this bad habit of considering him a superior authority to absolutely anyone who’s
Continue readingDented Blue Mercedes: Bill C-279 proceeding to committee for amendments
Offered without comment, other than to say that Bill C-279 is reported to be headed to committee very soon. No date has been given thus far, and it’s not on the calendar as of yet. From Xtra.ca: As federal politicians settle in for the fall session, NDP LGBT critic Randall
Continue readingDented Blue Mercedes: On Trans Celebrities
“Cloud Atlas” will be winding its way to movie theaters shortly, being billed as an exploration of “how the actions and consequences of individual lives impact one another throughout the past, the present and the future. Action, mystery and romance weave dramatically through the story as one soul is shaped
Continue readingDented Blue Mercedes: Montreal LGBT couple beaten in Paris
I’ve heard via Michelle Blanc that on the afternoon of Wednesday August 1st, a Montreal trans advocate (who I’ve had the pleasure of meeting) was assaulted with her partner in Paris, in view of the couple’s children. Marie-Ève is with l’association Fierté Montréal Pride and has been active within Montreal’s
Continue readingDented Blue Mercedes: Basic human rights should not be “controversial.” Jacksonville, this means you, too.
“After dismantling Apartheid, when we sat down to write our Constitution, we quite deliberately ensured that gays, lesbians and bisexuals were included in South Africa’s Constitution. “Having ourselves suffered terribly, we did not want to inflict discrimination on any group that lived within our borders and we explicitly stated this
Continue readingCANADIAN PROGRESSIVE WORLD: Anderson Cooper: “The Fact Is, I’m Gay”
A couple of years ago, a friend swore to me that the CNN’s Anderson Cooper was gay. And that it was a matter of time before he came out. I argued that Cooper would be gay only after he’d publicly confirmed that he was gay. The essence of the conversation
Continue readingDented Blue Mercedes: On Persecution Complexes and Rage
The interplay of rage and persecution complexes works to shape trans, LGB — and in fact all — struggles against oppression. It can become an eternal feedback loop that can stymie any attempt to move progressive causes forward, if it succeeds in establishing its circuitous pattern. This translates to many
Continue readingDented Blue Mercedes: Trans rights bill supporters being targeted. Also, a flag for you.
On Wednesday June 6th, Parliament voted to send Private Member’s Bill C-279: An Act to Amend the Canadian Human Rights Act and Criminal Code (gender identity and gender expression) to committee for review as part of its trek toward passage. I had expressed concerns at that time about some possible
Continue readingDented Blue Mercedes: One More Thing.
Oh, and, uh, here’s one more thing. This is for Albertan trans folks who filed human rights complaints following the delisting of GRS funding in 2009 and on into 2012, Who’ve been lobbying through up to (I think it’s) five tries to pass trans-inclusive human rights legislation at the federal
Continue readingDented Blue Mercedes: Alberta reinstates funding for Sex Reassignment Surgery
The Alberta Government has announced that it will be reinstating health care funding for sex reassignment surgery (often called gender reassignment surgery, and abbreviated as GRS by the province and its clinicians), effective June 15th. In the recent provincial election, Premier Alison Redford was returned to power by an electorate
Continue readingDented Blue Mercedes: C-279: When a victory for one can be a victory for… one.
The second hour of Second Reading debate for Bill C-279: An Act to Amend the Canadian Human Rights Act and Criminal Code (gender identity and gender expression) occurred on Friday June 1st, and the Second Reading vote is to take place on Wednesday June 6th. I missed any indication that the
Continue readingDented Blue Mercedes: Leslie Feinberg arrested in solidarity with CeCe McDonald
What first struck me about Leslie Feinberg is hir commitment to fighting oppression on a universal scale, rather than just in a cliquish self-focused manner. This means recognizing where our needs correspond and intersect, and characteristically parallel causes like race and sex, or reproductive rights and genital reassignment surgery access.
Continue readingDented Blue Mercedes: Guest Post: Happy anniversary, Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms!
(The following comes courtesy of Teacher Trainer Student Guy at anthrotecture, originally published on Tuesday, April 17, 2012) Today marks the 30th anniversary of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, part of the Constitution of Canada. [The Charter affirms equality rights under Section 15, however this section did not
Continue readingDented Blue Mercedes: Potty panic in the halls of Parliament
Did he just say that? Xtra is reporting that during the first hour of discussion for the trans human rights bill C-279, Conservative MP Dean Allison attempted to link trans women with sexual predators. [Bill C-279 sponsor Randall] Garrison says not all Conservative MPs feel that way. “That’s at the
Continue readingDented Blue Mercedes: Trans human rights Bill C-279 Second Reading debate begins tomorrow
Second Reading for Bill C-279 comes up on Thursday April 5th, There will be an hour of debate at around 1:30 EST (11:30 MST). This is only the first part of Second Reading process, and there will likely be another hour of debate in May or possibly June. Three things
Continue readingDented Blue Mercedes: On Trans* Beauty Contestants
I have to admit, as far as trans issues go, beauty pageants are way down my list of priorities. At a time when it’s difficult to access doctors willing to treat trans people for the flu let alone assist in transition, when even something as simple as basic human rights
Continue readingDented Blue Mercedes: Canadian trans rights bill C-279 to be debated in April.
From the pen of Randall Garrison comes the following: NDP-Quebec LGBTT Commission, Canada Message from Randall Garrison: Gender identity bill to be debated in April Posted on March 3, 2012 by npdqclgbtt Dear friends, Spring is upon us and so is the fight to protect the rights of transsexual, transgender
Continue readingDented Blue Mercedes: Five reasons it’s important to support trans rights now.
(Previously offered to Xtra.ca. They did post a reply by Christin Milloy) Xtra’s Rob Salerno recently questioned whether it was important to work toward explicit inclusion for transsexual and transgender people in human rights legislation, by adding the terms gender identity or gender expression. He wrote this in response to the
Continue readingDented Blue Mercedes: Transport Committee upholds gender marker match requirement
The Transport Committee has upheld the gender marker match requirement in the Aeronautics Act which has the potential to ban some or even most transsexual and transgender Canadians from flying. Although no one has come forward publicly to say that they’ve been denied passage since this went into force, reports
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