RadioFree Transburgh

Received from a public health list.


>>> "Maria de Bruyn" 3/24/2009 9:12 AM >>>
It is my pleasure to share with you the English version of the statement read by Lohana Berkins on behalf of Trans Feminists and their allies during the
11th Latin American and Caribbean Feminist Encuentro (Gathering) that took place in Mexico City, March 16-20, 2009. It has been translated by myself on behalf of Translingua and kindly edited by Radhika Chandiramani. Please distribute it widely (French and Portuguese versions forthcoming; for the Spanish version, please contact Lohana at the address below)

======================================================
Dear colleagues,

Travestis, transgenders, transsexuals and women who have the pleasure of sharing this space with you all celebrate this event and above all we
celebrate the presence of all Feminisms and all feminists.

We are not, nor do we consider ourselves to be, new subjects for Feminism. We are a diverse group: travestis, transsexuals, transgenders, muxes, women, vestidas, parecidas, colitas and the thousand different names that our identities take. We are here because, like all present, we are feminists,
each one in her own way and after her own fashion.

We are also struggle, resistance, names of our own. We are feminist bodies and passions confronting the patriarchal system that oppresses us sometimes exactly in the same way and other times in a different way in which it oppresses every single person, female subject or male subject, who does not fit into its normative parameters of privilege.

We raise the flags of all our struggles: for decriminalization of abortion; for the right to decide over our bodies, our pleasures, our sexualities, our
histories, our identities.

We condemn trafficking and exploitation of children. We are people who have been placed by patriarchy in situations of prostitution but we do not accept prostitution as our fate. We demand to be recognized as producers of labour.

We are Feminists of difference and also of equality, autonomous feminists. Autonomous, with the powers to decide over our own bodies, to transform, to transvestite them.

We are lesbians, straight, travestis, transsexuals, bisexuals, transgender, intersex. We are the ones confronting patriarchy every day, in our acts.

We are Black, Indigenous, Jewish and Palestinian women. We are tarts, we are poor, peasants, young, old - we are Feminists of all the colours in
existence.

We reject the criminalization of our identities through repressive laws, contraventional codes, misdemeanor codes or any other law based on the
so-called moral and good customs.

We reject all fundamentalisms, including our own, those invoking biology as destiny and we invite you all to allow the margins of bodies, subjectivities
and desires to fade away.

We demand that our history and our activism against all oppressions be recognized, not only by those who are oppressing us but also by our comrades
in the struggle. We also demand secular states because we understand that without religion many oppressions will cease to exist.

We demand our right to education, health, and housing, as inallienable human rights, because to defend the human rights of travestis, transsexuals,
lesbians, vestidas, colitas and other women is to defend human rights.

We celebrate the presence of the artists, and in particular of the cabaret performers in this Gathering, because we believe that humour and irreverence
are deeply feminist features.

We thank the more than 300 hundred endorsements to this declaration, of which we mention the following below.

And, if you want to endorse our declaration, please send your name and country to lohanaberkins@yahoo.com.ar

Trans Feminists attending the Gathering:
Belissa Andia Pérez, ILGA, World Trans Secretariat; Instituto Runa (Peru)
Lohana Berkins, Asociación de Lucha por la Liberación Travesti (Argentina)
Hazel Gloria Davenport. Humana Nación Trans (Mexico)
Amaranta Gómez. Organización Binni Laanu (Mexico)
Sharloth Pérez. Asociación Nicaraguense Trans (Nicaragua)
Vicki Yáñez, Organización por la dignidad trans (Chile)
Thalia Almenares. Transaa (Dominican Republic)
Dorian Edith Hérnandez, Comisión Nacional del PRD (Mexico)
Angie Rueda Castillo (Mexico)
Glenda Prado. Colectivo La Libélula A.C. (Monterrey, México)
Nathalia Marquez (Colombia)

Endorsements
Groups:
Airea na - Grupo por los Derechos de las Lesbianas (Paraguay)
AMMAR Capital (Argentina)
ASOMUPAR (Colombia)
Claustro Sor Juana (Mexico)
Colectivo Cabildeo (Bolivia)
Colectivo Feminista VESPRICAS
Coordinación de Mujeres del Paraguay
Elige Red de Jóvenes por DD, SS, y RR
Fondo de Mujeres del Sur (Argentina)
Glonatobon CL
Grupo Feminista 8 de Marzo (Mexico)
Grupo Género Parral (Mexico)
Grupo Promotor de los Derechos Políticos de las Ciudadanas (Mexico)
IGLHRC- Latin America and Caribbean Program (Argentina)
Kuña Roga (Paraguay)
Las Reinas Chulas (Mexico)
LIFS (Peru)
Movimiento Feminista de Nicaragua
Mulabi- Latin American Space for Sexualities and Rights
Organización Puerto Rico para Todos.
Programa Democracia y Transformación Global (Perú)
Radio Feminista Internacional (Costa Rica)
Red Mal de Mujeres (Colombia)
RedLAC, de Jóvenes por DD, SS, y RR
Taller Comunicación Mujer (Ecuador)

Individuals
Adriana Gallegos Mendoza (Mexico)
Aidé Sánchez
Alejandra Iglesias. “Gayol” (Mexico)
Alejandra Sardá (Argentina)
Alibel Pizarro (Panama)
Alicia Moscarbi (Argentina)
Alicia Stumpfs (Paraguay)
Alondra Sevilla Jiménez (Mexico)
Amalia Alarcón (Honduras)
Amalia Cuelvo Tafur (Colombia)
Amy Fleig
Ana Cristina González (Colombia)
Ana Francis Mor (Mexico)
Ana Lilia Marisol Martunec B (Mexico)
Ana Lucía Ramirez (Colombia)
Ana Luisa Pacheco (Mexico)
Analía Cuervo T.
Angélica Roa (Paraguay)
Bárbara Graner (Brazil)
Beatriz Elena Rodriguez (Colombia)
Bethsabé Huamán (Peru)
Bettina Valdez Carrasco (Peru)
Bisharú Bernal
Camila Zabala (Paraguay)
Carla Machado (Brazil)
Carolina Robledo (Paraguay)
Catalina García Gutiérrez (Mexico)
Cecilia Cárdenas (Bolivia)
Clara Inés Mazo López
Clara Loera Luna, México D.F.
Claudia Rodríguez Muñoz (Mexico)
Elena Rojo Almaraz (Mexico)
Elsa Maria Ramos T. (Mexico)
Elvira Villarreal (Mexico)
Emily Barcklow,
Eugenia Galicia González (Mexico)
Evellyn Flores Mayorga, (Nicaragua)
Fernanda Briones Medina
Fernanda Guerrero (Mexico)
Fioricely Cahay
Francisca Olmedo (El Salvador)
Gabriela Pineda Hernández (Mexico)
Gabriela Ruiz Guillen
Gilda Gallegos Mendoza (Mexico)
Gilda Rivera (Honduras)
Gina Vargas (Peru)
Gladys Galarreta (Peru)
Gloria Careaga, ILGA General Secretary, (Mexico)
Gloria Maira (Colombia)
Graciela Collantes (Argentina)
Grilda Salazar
Indira Garmendia
Ines Ponzo (Uruguay)
Irina Bacci (Brazil)
Judith Grenno (Paraguay)
Julia Pérez Cervera (Mexico)
Karina Oaiz
Lilia Isabel González (Mexico)
Lilia Julieyta López (Mexico)
Lilian Celiberti (Uruguay)
Line Bareiro (Paraguay)
Lol Kin Castañeda Badillo (Mexico)
Lucy Garrido (Uruguay)
Margarita Castro.
María Antonieta Martínez (Mexico)
María Consuelo Mejía (Mexico)
Maria Teresa Blandón (Nicaragua)
Marilyn Daza Quintanilla (Peru)
Marusia López Cruz (Mexico)
Melissa Claros, (Honduras)
Mónica Araceli Herrerías Domínguez (Mexico)
Mónica Corona (Bolivia)
Nahomi Galindo (Puerto Rico)
Nahomi Galindo Malaver (Puerto Rico)
Nancy Lysvet Flores Castillo (Mexico)
Natali Hernández Arias
Nayte Hernández Díaz (Mexico)
Nidia Moreno (Nicaragua)
Nora Carolina Rodriguez Sánchez (Mexico)
Norma Vázquez
Olga Roelia Ulloa (Nicaragua)
Olivia Raya Rodriguez. (Nicaragua)
Pamela Chávez Juárez (Mexico)
Paola Rosales (El Salvador)
Patria Jimenez Flores (Mexico)
Paula Vázquez
Regina Fonseca, (Honduras)
Rocío Rosero Garces
Rosa Possa (Paraguay)
Sandra Alexanderson M (Mexico)
Silvia Borsellino (Argentina)
Silvia Marta Meraz (Mexico)
Sonia González Ruiz (Mexico)
Soyna Daniels (Mexico)
Sunny Jesia Maldonado Ramirez (Mexico)
Tania Hernández Chetrirquin
Tatiana Cordero (Ecuador)
Trini Gutiérrez (Mexico)
Vanesa Zepeda Ortega (Mexico)
Violeta Ricci Guevara (Nicaragua)
Violeta Ricci Guevara (Nicaragua)
Xenia Nayolo

Alejandra Sardá-Chandiramani
Mulabi- Espacio Latinoamericano de Sexualidades y Derechos
García Lorca 55 - Buenos Aires - Argentina
(54 11) 49 88 15 31
alejandra@mulabi.org / alejandrasarda2803@yahoo.com.ar
*****************************************************************
For she would willingly have slept, but since night is free pasturage, a limitless field, since night is unmoulded richness, one must tunnel into its
darkness. One must hang it with jewels.
Virginia Woolf, A Woman’s College from Outside
*****************************************************************

first assignment

download

I donated.



Donate here.

or download the podcast here.

Discussion of Alice Dreger’s essay concerning JMB’s book “The Man Who Would Be Queen” recently published in the Archives of Sexual Behavior. She wrote this in order to outline the accusations made against Bailey and the events regarding the protests of that book.
http://bioethics.northwestern.edu/faculty/work/dreger/controversy_tmwwbq.pdf

Julia Serano and Talia Bettcher both wrote responses to Alice Dreger’s essay:

Julia Serano is a biologist. She has a Ph.D in Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics from Columbia University and is currently a researcher at UC Berkeley in the field of Evolutionary and Developmental Biology. Julia is the author of Whipping Girl: A Transsexual Woman on Sexism and the Scapegoating of Femininity, a collection of personal essays that examines the ways in which misogyny frames many popular stereotypes and assumptions about transsexual women. Her other writings have appeared in queer, feminist, and pop culture magazines such as Bitch, Clamor, Kitchen Sink, LiP, make/shift, and Transgender Tapestry, and excerpts of her work have appeared in The Believer, The San Francisco Chronicle, and on NPR. In recent years, Julia has gained noteriety in transgender, queer, and feminist circles for her unique insights into gender. She has been invited to speak about transgender and trans women’s issues at numerous univerisites, at queer, women's studies, psychology and philosophy-themed conferences, and her writings have been used as teaching materials in college-level gender studies courses across the United States.

http://www.juliaserano.com
http://www.juliaserano.com/av/Serano_DregerCommentary.pdf
http://www.juliaserano.com/TSetiology.html


Talia Mae Bettcher is an Assistant Professor of philosophy at California State University, Los Angeles. She received her PhD at UCLA and her BA at Glendon College, York University. Her research interests include early modern philosophy, philosophy of the self and philosophy of gender and sexuality. A Canadian who resides in the Unites States, Talia is currently active in the Los Angeles trans community and grassroots politics. She is also a community-based performance artist, using her art to explore intersections between narrative, performance, theory, and identity

http://www.calstatela.edu/faculty/tbettch/
http://www.calstatela.edu/faculty/tbettch/BettcherDreger.pdf

or download the podcast here.


Diego Sanchez
Diego is Director of Public Relations & External Affairs, AIDS Action Committee, New England’s first and largest AIDS organization. Hispanic Business magazine named him among the Top 100 Most Powerful Latino/as in Corporate America. He formerly led the nation’s first transgender healthcare access program supported by a department of public health. A leading trans health trainer, writer, speaker and presenter, Diego dedicates his community involvement to social justice. He was a founding Co-Chair of the Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition, Board Secretary of Boston’s Public Relations Society of America chapter, Steering Committee member and Chair of the Diversity Committee of Boston’s Human Rights Campaign chapter, a founding Board member of Somos Latino/as LGBT Coalition and the National Center for Transgender Equality. Accredited by PRSA, Diego is a Rhodes Scholar candidate and a UMass/Boston Emerging Leaders Senior Fellow. Diego is also the first transgender person appointed by a DNC Chair to the DNC Platform Committee and was named a Party Leader and At-Large Delegate. A former LGBT National Advisory Committee member for Hillary Clinton, he serves on Sen. Obama's LGBT Advisory Team and on the Transgender Working Group.

Amanda Simpson
Amanda Simpson, is a senior employee of over twenty years at Raytheon Missile Systems. She remained in the same position since prior to her gender transition, working with management and human resources to smooth concerns. Since her successful workplace transition, Amanda has consulted and advised numerous employers and gender variant employees. Amanda became the first openly transgender candidate to win a primary election in the United States in her run for the Arizona State Legislature in 2004. 2004 Tucson YWCA Woman on the Move Award, 2005 Arizona Human Rights Fund Individual honoree.

Marisa Richmond, PhD
Marisa Richmond is President of the Tennessee Transgender Political Coalition. She also serves on the Board of Directors of the Tennessee Equality Project & Board of Advisors of NCTE. she is a former Board Member of AEGIS, IFGE, NTAC, & Nashville's Rainbow Community Center. She served as Co-Chair of Southern Comfort in 2001, chaired the host committee of the 2002 IFGE Convention in Nashville, & served on the Planning Committee for Nashville Black Pride in 2004. She won the Trinity Award in 2002 & the HRC Equality Award in 2007.

Melissa Sklarz
Melissa Sklarz became the first transgender person elected to office in New York in 1999 when she was elected Judicial Delegate from the 66th Assembly District. In 2004, Melissa became the first transgender person from New York to be part of the state delegation at the Democratic National Convention, by being appointed to the Credentials Committee. She has also been appointed to the Rules Committee for the 2008 Convention. In 2003, Melissa was elected to the executive board of the National Stonewall Democrats and has served 6 years on the Executive Board of Gay and Lesbian Independent Democrats (GLID) in Manhattan and served 5 years on Community Board #2 in Greenwich Village. She also serves as Director of the New York Trans Rights Organization (NYTRO). In 2005, Melissa appeared in a featured role in the film TRANSAMERICA

or download the podcast here.

Mattilda Bernstein Sycamore is a writer, activist, and troublemaker living in San Francisco, CA. She has written and edited the following books:
• Nobody Passes: Rejecting the Rules of Gender and Conformity
• Pulling Taffy (Suspect Thoughts 2003) ---
• So Many Ways to Sleep Badly (forthcoming Fall/Winter 2008 on City Lights)
• That's Revolting! Queer Strategies for Resisting Assimilation (expanded second edition expected on Soft Skull in June 2008)
• Dangerous Families: Queer Writing on Surviving (Haworth 2004)
• Tricks and Treats: Sex Workers Write about Their Clients (Haworth 2000, Italian version Effepi Libri 2007)

Her articles, essays, interviews, reviews, and stories appear regularly in a variety of publications, including the San Francisco Bay Guardian, Bitch, Utne Reader, and The Gay & Lesbian Review, and she writes a monthly column in Maximumrocknroll.

She is also the reviews editor at the feminist magazine Make/shift, where she also writes a column.

Her activism has included ACT UP in the early ‘90s, Fed Up Queers in the late ‘90s, Gay Shame, and numerous lesser-known (or even unnamed) groups.

Mattilda lives in San Francisco, but tours regularly, and is available for bookings. In the past, she has appeared in independent bookstores, community centers, performance venues and universities including Yale, Brown, University of Chicago, Wesleyan, Macalester, NYU, UCLA, University of Massachusetts, DePauw, DePaul, Mills, Antioch, University of Michigan, Wagner, University of Oregon, UC Santa Cruz, Georgetown, and others.

She blogs at:
http://nobodypasses.blogspot.com/

For more information about her writing and activities:
http://www.mattildabernsteinsycamore.com/

Her myspace page:
http://www.myspace.com/nobodypasses

She is also working on a new anthology called Why Are Faggots So Afraid Of Faggots?: Flaming challenges to masculinity, objectification and the desire to conform:
http://nobodypasses.blogspot.com/2007/06/heres-my-new-call-for-submissions-yay.html

or download the podcast here.

 Julia Serano is an Oakland, California-based writer, spoken word performer, trans activist, and biologist. Julia is the author of Whipping Girl: A Transsexual Woman on Sexism and the Scapegoating of Femininity (to be published by Seal Press in June, 2007), a collection of personal essays that examines the ways in which misogyny frames many popular stereotypes and assumptions about transsexual women. Her other writings have appeared in queer, feminist, and pop culture magazines such as Bitch, Clamor, Kitchen Sink, LiP, make/shift, and Transgender Tapestry, and excerpts of her work have appeared in The Believer, The San Francisco Chronicle, and on NPR. In recent years, Julia has gained noteriety in transgender, queer, and feminist circles for her unique insights into gender. She has been invited to speak about transgender and trans women’s issues at numerous univerisites, at queer, women's studies, psychology and philosophy-themed conferences, and her writings have been used as teaching materials in college-level gender studies courses across the United States.

http://www.juliaserano.com
Her music can be found here:
http://www.bitesize.net/

or download the podcast here.

Charlie Anders co-edited the anthology She's Such A Geek. Her first novel, Choir Boy, won a Lambda Literary Award. Her speculative fiction has appeared in StrangeHorizons.com, Space & Time, Paraspheres, GUD and The Urban Bizarre. Her other writing has appeared in ZYZZYVA, McSweeney's.net, Pindeldyboyz, Monkeybicycle, Salon.com, the San Francisco Chronicle, Mother Jones, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Press, Publishers Weekly and a number of anthologies. She publishes other magazine www.othermag.org and is the host of the Writers With Drinks reading series.

Charlie Anders' website:
http://www.charlieanders.com/

Charlie Anders' WisCon discussion:
http://charliegrrrl.livejournal.com/153006.html

B. C. lives and writes in Toronto. Her writing has appeared in Strange Horizons,
Aboriginal Science Fiction, Challenge Magazine, and a number of smaller circulation publications. For more about her and her work, see her website.

B.C. Holmes' Website
http://www.bcholmes.org/

B.C. Holmes' WisCon discussion
http://bcholmes.livejournal.com/298598.html

Both participated in the Transsexualism as Trope session at WisCon 2007.

http://www.wiscon.info/

Online version of Runaways #25 (that has the bit I quoted from about Xavin).
http://whedonesque.com/runaways/

or download the podcast here.

Alicia E. Goranson is a local Boston author. Her writing appears in the anthology Pinned Down By Pronouns and Other Magazine. Her first novel Supervillainz is the co-winner of the 2005 Project QueerLit award, and is available from Suspect Thoughts Press.

Her website is http://www.alicia-goranson.com/index.html
.

We talk about her book Supervillainz as well as about trans experiences in comic books and other fiction (scifi/fantasy).

I've turned off the comments to this blog because it was acting as a spam collector. Comments and discussion about podcasts can be done at the transburgh forum.