Barack Obama: Showing Some Love and Fixing Society

By Sabrina Samone, TMP

 

Young, innocent Leelah Alcorn gave us all a command and our POTUS responded.  Many, even within the community, may already have their negative opinions of Obama's State of the Union Address. Continually refusing to see any positives in his words due in part to their own personal prejudices. That is a sad constant dividing factor within our trans society. Someone recently told me that when a person says anything it is always up to that person receiving the information on how they choose to perceive it. We can choose to see it as meaningless that the President said the infamous T word, or we can be positive and have faith in knowing that this is the first President in United States history to take a step in "fixing society".  Regardless of your political beliefs, as trans people we should all applaud the POTUS for opening a door far too many refused to even acknowledge.

Janet Mock, the host of MSNBC's 'So Popular', recently said in the newest Time Magazine article that, "The President’s acknowledgment helps shatter the cloak of invisibility that has plagued trans people and forced many to suffer in silence. By speaking our community’s name, the President pushes us all to recognize the existence and validity of trans people as Americans worthy of protection and our nation’s resources."

 

In  many ways it's so much more; a loud voice saying to the million little Leelah Alcorns of the world that their lives matter. It says to American society that it's time to acknowledge and discuss our society. It screams to the LGBT community that the T will no longer be silent. Also, it says to the African American society, as the nation's first African American POTUS, that our Trans sisters and brothers of color must not be continually ignored.

As Lavern Cox mentioned in Time Magazine's 'Transgender Tipping Point' article, “We have to listen to people about who they are and not assume that there’s something wrong with trans people. Because we know who we are. And I think the biggest thing is folks want to believe that there’s something, that genitals and biology are destiny. … When you think about it, it’s kind of ridiculous. People need to be willing to let go of what they think they know about what it means to be a man and what it means to be a woman.”

 

 

 

 

 

Tuesday night 'OUR' President turned the page saying in his yearly address,  "As Americans we respect human dignity even when we're threatened, which is why I've prohibited torture and worked to make sure our use of new technology, like drones, is properly constrained. That's why we defend free speech, advocate for political prisoners, and condemn the persecution of women or religious minorities, or people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. We do these things not only because they're right, but because they make us safer."

 

It comes as not much of a surprise actually from a President who has shown the most support ever for TBLG communities. From his 2008 campaign he promised to make lives better for the Rainbow community. Since he has taken office in 2008:

• Repealing Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell: The President signed the bill to repeal Don’t Ask

  Don’t Tell on December 22, 2010, putting in motion the end of a discriminatory policy

  that ran counter to our values as Americans. As of September 20, 2011, when the repeal

  took effect, gay, lesbian, and bisexual Americans can serve openly in our Armed Forces

  and without fear of losing their jobs for who they are and who they love.
  

 

• Ending the Legal Defense of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA): In February
  2011, the President and Attorney General announced that the Department of Justice
  would no longer defend Section 3 of DOMA against equal protection constitutional
  challenges brought by same-sex couples married under state law. In July 2011, the White
  House announced the President’s support of the Respect for Marriage Act, introduced by
  Senator Dianne Feinstein and Congressman Jerrold Nadler, which would repeal DOMA
  and uphold the principle that gay and lesbian couples should receive the same Federal
  rights and legal protections as straight couples. The President has long supported a
  legislative repeal of DOMA.
   
•  Signing Historic Hate Crimes Legislation: President Obama overcame years of partisan

  gridlock to pass and sign the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes

  Prevention Act into law, which extends the coverage of Federal hate crimes law to

  include attacks based on the victim’s actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender

  identity. 
  
• Ensuring Hospital Visitation Rights for LGBT Patients and Their Loved Ones:

  Following a directive from the President, the Department of Health and Human Services

  (HHS) now requires all hospitals receiving Medicare or Medicaid funds – just about

  every hospital in America – to allow visitation rights for LGBT patients. The President

  also directed HHS to ensure that medical decision-making rights of LGBT patients are

  respected.
  

From coast to coast, as American society constantly reeled from one tragedy after another, our President took the first step in fixing society. It is now up to us as the Trans society to carry that torch to full victory.

Bullets as stated in the White House TBLG online record.

"We do these things not only because they are the right thing to do but ultimately it will make us safer."
         - Barack Obama, POTUS 2008-2016



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TMP Conintues it's Celebration of the Duality and Unity of Being Trans

By Aurelius Jeffrey, TMP

 

Hello everyone, I am writing to introduce myself as the editor of TransMusePlanet. As a writer for over 30 years, the media arts have always been my passion and main creative outlet. I began as a child writing stories and making books to sell for a quarter. In 1991, at the age of 15, I began publishing a literary art magazine titled 'Soul Manifest'. The magazine went nationwide and brought in many submissions from all over the globe. It featured band interviews, book and film reviews, short stories, poetry, and all forms of art. Today Soul Manifest has spread to encompass a wider range of self-expression including; handcrafted artisan jewelry and books, DJ music, photography, and poetry.

 

That is what drew me to work as editor for TransMusePlanet. TMP has a belief and cause it enthusiastically stands behind. It recruits voices all over the world to promote and rally its causes. The sense of comradery and loyalty are ever present. The principles of truth, justice, and brotherly [sisterly] love are what give TMP the voice that I hope to share by aiding the effort. I hope that I am able to give back to our ever-expanding community in any way possible.

 

 

By Sabrina Samone, TMP

 

I am excited about the collaboration of TMP and Soul Manifest with Aurelius Jeffrey as editor. Together we hope to continue and grow with the belief that through celebration of the Unity and Duality of being Trans; nothing is impossible.

Why an additional editor? Quality! As TMP influence grows so does our need to be accurate and responsible for the content of our posts. Along with the familiar voice concerning our society we are expanding with The TMP Market Place. After reading our latest post we'd love you to visit the market place where the goal is to feature the craftsmanship of many within our community. Along with the market place we are also introducing the TransMusePlanet YouTube channel with several exciting projects in the works. We are paving the way for even bigger and more exciting projects under the TransMusePlanet banner.

Yes this is a blog, and I could forever use this to toot my own horn for my own pleasure, but that was never my intentions for TMP. My goal, as always, is to create a voice for the community and a place where one can feel celebrated for who they are. TMP is not just my blog but every Trans sister's and brother's. If we can help you by just being an extra voice for your project, story, or merchandise email us at transmuseplanet@gmail.com. We are a community and the only way to 'fix society' is by fixing our attitude, being responsible, and taking action.


To contact and follow Transmuseplanet:
Email: transmuseplanet@gmail.com

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Trans World News 1-18-2015

By Sabrina Samone, TMP

Is it great to be Trans or what? Still in doubt of that belief? Then take a look around you. In memory of Leelah Alcorn, 'we are fixing society' and though there is always work to be done 2015 is coming in like a lion.

So much debate has been going on internationally about I.D. cards. If the general public would like productive citizens who are able to work legally then it is of the utmost importance that our transgender society be given every opportunity to do so. One can not, in a world filled with discrimination, stand ready with all the credentials and education for a job only to hand employers an I.D. card that says Sarah while looking like Sam. Politicians who do not support proper gender identity I.D. are executing transgender people one at a time.

 

While we in America, the land of the so called free wait for politicians to give us our basic human rights, the highly religious national state of the Jewish people have granted full rights sought by the transgender society concerning I.D. Now, Israel recognizes sex changes without operation. Two transgender women went against the Interior Ministry’s demand that they undergo sex-change surgery as a condition for altering the gender on their identity cards from male to female. Both were allowed to change the names on their identity cards, but not their gender designation.
The State Prosecution announced last week that it will now be possible to change the gender designation on one’s identity card without actually having a sex-change operation.

One name that will be read amongst the most influential Trans will be Dr, Rachel Levine, after being appointed to the cabinet of Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf. Governor-elect Wolf has named Dr. Levine as his Physician General.

In her role as physician general, Levine will advise the governor and secretary of the Department of Health on medical and public health-related issues.

Governor Tom Wolf said of Dr. Levine;

“Dr. Rachel Levine is well-respected in the fields of pediatrics, psychiatry, and behavioral health where she has practiced for close to three decades. She has been a leading voice in efforts to treat teens with medical and psychological problems, as well as adults and children with eating disorders. It is important to me that we place equal emphasis on behavioral and physical health issues. Dr. Levine will bring expertise and wide-ranging knowledge to this important role advising the secretary of Health and me on medical and public health matters."

 

In Elle magazine's recent interview with Transparent creator Jill Soloway, the real life daughter of a transparent spoke volumes when referring to her parent coming out as transgender as not being as dramatic as one may think. She does admit that she was unable to relate to the coming out in a creative way for a year. As we know, when she did Transparent went on to win two Golden Globe Awards earlier this year. Read the full interview on Elle.

 

 

 

 

This week has given the Trans Society many reasons to smile after such great tragedy earlier in the month. Though, as Leelah would want, we are to 'fix society'. Therefore, we must keep our eye on the nut bags that dare harm us, Kentucky State Senator C. B. Embry. Embry, in a bid to jump in the right-wing war against morphological freedom, is sponsoring a bill that would entitle students $2,500 in damages from the school if they find their transgender peers' in the bathrooms of their chosen gender.

Embry's bill would "require students born male to use only those facilities designated to be used by males and students born female to use only those facilities designated to be used by females."

 

Yes I will not be nice or tactful here. I will call it for what it is. The Jack Ass of the week goes to  Kentucky State Senator C. B. Embry.

 

 

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