GLAAD, MISS UNIVERSE ANNOUNCE POLICY CHANGE TO ALLOW TRANSGENDER WOMEN

in: http://www.glaad.org/

GLAAD and the Miss Universe Organization today announced that the competition would become open to transgender women. The announcement comes just weeks after contestant Jenna Talackova was disqualified from the Miss Canada pageant because she is transgender.The Miss Universe Organization has since reversed that decision and will allow Jenna to compete -- an offer Jenna told ABC's The View she will take.

Said GLAAD spokesperson Herndon Graddick:

“For more than two weeks, the Miss Universe Organization and Mr. Trump made it clear to GLAAD that they were open to making a policy change to include women who are transgender. We appreciate that he and his team responded swiftly and appropriately. The Miss Universe Organization today follows institutions that have taken a stand against discrimination of transgender women including the Olympics, NCAA, the Girl Scouts of America and The CW’s America’s Next Top Model. Jenna and all of the LGBT advocates who have called for this change and spoken out in support of transgender women are to be commended. At a time when transgender people are still routinely denied equal opportunities in housing, employment and medical care, today’s decision is in line with the growing levels of public support for transgender people across the country.”

Added Paula Shugart, president of the Miss Universe Organization:

“We want to give credit where credit is due, and the decision to include transgender women in our beauty competitions is a result of our ongoing discussions with GLAAD and not Jenna’s legal representation, which if anything, delayed the process. We have a long history of supporting equality for all women, and this was something we took very seriously.”

As a result of Jenna’s case, GLAAD has worked with many national media outlets to profile transgender women. Actress, producer and transgender advocate Laverne Cox spoke out about the decision:

“I am so moved and excited that The Miss Universe Organization has sided with justice and equality by not only allowing Jenna to compete, but by also allowing other trans women to compete in the future. No one should have a glass ceiling on their dreams. It is my hope that this moment can begin to highlight other injustices trans people face so that they too may be eradicated.”

http://www.glaad.org/

Dying to be Out: Gay in Iraq

in: http://soundcloud.com/azariah-southworth/dying-to-be-out-gay-in-iraq

Iraq is believed to be the most dangerous place for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people to be out. In March 2012, it was reported as many as 58 Iraqis who are gay or believed to be gay have been killed since the beginning of this year. Further, an estimated 750 gay Iraqis have been murdered in the past six years. In this episode of Faith Matters, we turn our attention to Iraq.

Vídeo LGBT da Semana - Is Homophobia Self-phobia?

Campaign video against the ban of Budapest Pride 2012

Today the Budapest Police refused to grant a permit for Budapest Pride 2012. This is not the first time that the police has tried to prevent Pride from happening. The reasoning behind restricting our right to assembly was disturbing traffic and violating public morals.

Do they really think we are going to disappear?

They can't ban us! We WILL be at Budapest Pride!

JOIN US!
Budapest Pride, 7 July 2012

More information: www.budapestpride.hu
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/budapestpride

Video: Attila Zérczi
Music: Blur - Song 2

Fundo para ativistas LGBT

http://www.diarioliberdade.org/

RNW - O escritório da Anistia Internacional na Holanda e a organização em defesa dos direitos dos homossexuais COC criaram em conjunto o 'Pride Fonds' (Fundo do Orgulho) para ajuda de emergência a ativistas gays que sofram intimidação ou violência.

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Com o novo fundo serão apoiados ativistas que se encontram em perigo ou que estejam presos. O objetivo do 'Pride Fonds' é ajudar com gastos jurídicos, de hospedagem ou viagem caso estes ativistas necessitem se esconder, e também com custos de telefones e laptops, para que possam continuar a se comunicar. O fundo não é dirigido a apoio estrutural, mas específico para casos de emergência.

Trata-se principalmente de ativistas lésbicas, gays, bissexuais e transexuais (LGBT) na África, Oriente Médio e leste europeu. Existem cerca de 80 países no mundo onde a homossexualidade é proibida por lei. Em alguns destes países, entre eles Arábia Saudita, Irã e Mauritânia, a homossexualidade é punida com a pena de morte.

"A Anistia Internacional já faz bastante por ativistas no exterior, e o COC defende os direitos dos homossexuais dentro e fora da Holanda", diz Emile Affolter, da Anistia Internacional. "Mas nós ainda não fazíamos ajuda de emergência e apoio prático a ativistas em perigo." Por isso as duas organizações agora estão pedindo ao grande público que apóie o fundo com doações.

Jochem Beunderman, do COC, diz que o novo fundo permite agir rapidamente se for preciso. Esta possibilidade não existia antes, porque as duas organizações geralmente trabalham com projetos definidos, de longo prazo, em regiões determinadas. Por isso era difícil agir rapidamente quando um ativista se encontrava em perigo, ainda que, na maior parte das vezes, trate-se de quantias pequenas.

in:http://www.diarioliberdade.org/

Miss Universe 'Canada' disqualifies transgender finalist

in: http://www.ctvbc.ctv.ca/

Vancouver resident Jenna Talackova is seen in this undated web image.

Miss Universe Canada has confirmed that it disqualified a B.C. pageant finalist who was recently revealed to be transgender.

Vancouver resident Jenna Talackova made blog headlines last Tuesday when it was discovered that the 6-1 tall blond, who had been named among 65 Miss Universe Canada contenders, had undergone sexual reassignment surgery.

Her inclusion was applauded by many online but drew scorn from some who argued beauty pageants should be for "naturally born" women only -- language widely considered to be prejudiced and derogatory in the transgender community.

Within days, the 23-year-old's photos and profile were scrubbed from the Donald Trump-owned pageant's website.

Miss Universe Canada issued a statement Friday saying Talackova "did not meet the requirements to compete despite having stated otherwise on her entry form."

"We do, however, respect her goals, determination and wish her the best," it said.

The organization did not clarify what requirements Talackova failed to meet, and has not responded to requests for comment.

Talackova told ctvbc.ca Friday that she won't be speaking out about her situation until she consults a lawyer next week, but tweeted earlier in the day that she had been disqualified "over discrimination."

"I'm not giving up," she added in a follow-up message.

The pageant's contestants page still contains 65 profiles, suggesting Talackova's spot has already been filled by another woman.

The Miss Universe Canada application indicates contestants must be Canadian citizens between the ages of 18 and 27 to compete. It says nothing about having undergone cosmetic surgery.

Facebook users posted messages of protest last Thursday on the official Miss Universe Canada group, urging the organization to allow Talackova to compete and questioning her sudden disappearance.

Talackova has previously represented Canada at Miss International Queen, a transsexual beauty pageant in Thailand, where she placed as a finalist.

In an interview posted on YouTube, she describes herself as having identified as a woman at four-years-old, beginning hormone therapy at 14. She had her reassignment operation at 19.

Simpósio “Identidade de Género e Transexualidade”

No próximo dia 24 de março de 2012, entre as 10 e as 19 horas, terá lugar na Aula Magna da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade do Porto (no Centro Hospitalar de São João) o Simpósio "Identidade de Género e Transexualidade".

A iniciativa é organizada em parceria pela Sociedade Portuguesa de Sexologia Clínica e pelo Serviço de Psiquiatria do Centro Hospitalar de São João. O simpósio visa criar um espaço de partilha e reflexão sobre a coordenação entre a Lei relativa à Identidade de Género e as boas práticas de intervenção clínica. O programa que integra representantes de diferentes intervenientes neste processo, nomeadamente legisladores, clínicos, investigadores, utentes/ativistas.

INFORMAÇÕES
WEBSITE | Simpósio Identidade de Género e Transexualidade