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Tag: Trans

This is where you can find all articles about and for the trans community. Are we missing something? Send an email to newsdesk@thegayuk.com

  • 12 things young transgender people want this Christmas

    12 things young transgender people want this Christmas

    Twelve young trans people were asked by transgender broadcasters India Willoughby and Stephanie Hirst, if they had one wish for Christmas, what would it be?

    Here’s what they wished for.

    1.      Emily Frood, 18, from Hawick, Scotland:

    I would like to see a positive representation of a transgender person in the media.

    2.      Sean O’Donnell, 19, from Hawick, Scotland:

    For transgender people to recognise that you don’t need to look a certain way.

    3.      Miles Everitt, 16, from Delabole, Cornwall:

    For transgender people to spend Christmas surrounded by people who love them.

    4.      Tabitha Tomkins, 21, from Shropshire:

    Unrestricted funds to start a charity to help transgender people.

    5.      Jo-James Booth, 26, from Sowerby Bridge, Yorkshire:

    For people to understand that a person can be transgender at any age.

    6.      Alfie Austin, 23, from Salford, Greater Manchester:

    For transgender people to celebrate their bodies and accept the things they can’t change.

    7.      Alex Jones, 19, from Newport, Wales:

    For my little sister to come home and not blink an eye at me.

    8.      Kay Browning, 26, from Tiverton, Devon:

    For transgender people to stop worrying what everyone else thinks about them.

    9.      Talulah Eve Brown, 23, from Burton-upon-Trent:

    For people to stop thinking about transgender people as a sexual experience, and instead, think of them as someone worthy of love.

    10.  Cal Lunt, 26, from Liverpool:

    For more transgender voices to be heard at Fixers events so that they can stimulate change.

    12.  Jayson McSwiggan, 23, from Glasgow:

    For GPs to receive training in transgender issues so that they understand us better.

    The youngsters were taking part in a ‘Question-Time’ style debate designed to improve the lives of transgender people across the UK. The event, which was hosted by Fixers, the charity which gives young people a voice, took place at ITV’s London Television Centre on November 23.

    • 29th April 2020 – this article was updated to remove an individual who asked that their likeness and quote be removed. We complied, but have left the article published.  

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Testosterone, New Diorama Theatre

    ✭✭✭✭ | Testosterone

    CREDIT: Testosterone

    Kit Redstone – a female to male transgender actor – explains what it’s like to enter a men’s locker room for the first time in the new play Testosterone.

    The play, at the New Diorama Theatre near Warren Street tube station, is a semi-autobiographical look at Redstone’s coming out as a man and what it’s like to do so in such a testosterone-heavy environment as the locker room. The show also briefly delves into Kit’s previous life as a woman, as well as the first time he received testosterone – at the doctor’s office.

    Told with a bit of drama, and humour, it’s a story that Kit is brave enough to have written and again to tell on stage. But Kit doesn’t just tell his story, he relives it, cleverly, with the locker room as a device to explain the whole male-heavy environment that he now belongs to.

    The show, successfully, looks at how masculinity is so prevalent in a locker room environment, and questions whether it is real or is it a facade? Alongside thirty-something Kit are three other actors who display their manliness (not literally), and masculinity; two jocks (Matthew Wells and Julian Spooner) and the fabulous singer/drag queen Daniel Jacob (also known as Vinegar Strokes). They help Kit to tell his story as well as perform in fantasy sequences that move the story along which helps the audience to better understand Kit’s journey. It’s a straightforward, and brave, telling of Kit’s transformation and the new world he lives in.

    Testosterone plays at the New Diorama Theatre until the 3rd December 2016, 020 7338 9034

     

  • Alexis Arquette dies at the age of 47

    Alexis Arquette dies at the age of 47

    Trans actor and activist Alexis Arquette has died surrounded by her family at the age of 47.

    Alexis Arquette
    © Glenn Francis, www.PacificProDigital.com

     

    The American star Alexis Arquette has died after a “lengthy illness” and surrounded by her family. She was 47-years-old. Her passing was announced on a Facebook update posted by her brother Richmond Arquette.

    The statement read:

    “Alexis was born as Robert, our brother. We loved him the moment he arrived. But he came in as more than a sibling — he came as our great teacher. As Alexis transitioned into being a woman, she taught us tolerance and acceptance. As she moved through her process, she became our sister, teaching us what real love is,” she wrote. “We learned what real bravery is through watching her journey of living as a trans woman. We came to discover the one truth -— that love is everything.

    Surrounded by family, David Bowie’s ‘Starman’ was playing as she passed away. The cause of death has not yet been made public.

    Alexis Arquette starred in many films and started her career when she was 12. Credited as Robert Arquette she starred in Bride of Chucky, Of Mice and Men and The Wedding Singer.

    She began her public transition in 2007 when she produced a documentary called Alexis Arquette: She’s My Brother.

    Stars and celebrities have been paying tribute to Arquette – including Boy George who wrote,

    R.I.P my sister Alexis Arquette. Another bright light gone out far too soon. Love to the family and all that loved Alexis.

    Lucy Lawless wrote that she was “heartsore”

    “I am so heartsore to hear of the passing of a darling friend, Beautiful Shine On! Loved by many, Loved by me.”

    Join the discussion about Alexis Arquette in our Forum

     

    ALSO READ: The LGBT icons and stars who have died in 2016

  • Can you guess what this is?

    Can you guess what this is?

    World renowned trans adult entertainment icon and activist, Buck Angel, has released his very first sex toy.

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    The legendary adult star and trans activist Buck Angel has released the world’s very first FTM (female to male) sex toy and he’s called it the BUCK OFF… and boy is he excited about it.

    buck_angel_by_hans_rosemond_300dpi

    Speaking about the new toy Buck said,

    “This is something I have been working on for years,

    “I approached many companies within the adult world, only to be told ‘there is no market.’ It’s been frustrating,”

    6a00e55229acd6883301b8d21adfc0970c-500wi 6a00e55229acd6883301b7c8912545970b-500wi

    Buck reveals the product, which ships from the 15th September, is a device that could allow trans men to connect sexually with their bodies.

    “I have talked with so many FTM people about how they have a hard time connecting sexually with their bodies while transitioning. I never had bottom surgery,

    “and when I learned to connect with my vagina and learned how to love it, it changed my life for the better in so many ways. So many men like me have told me that they can’t connect sexually with their bodies, or they don’t even want to touch their vaginas, and that makes me so sad.”

    Engineered for FTM trans men who often see their clitorises grow in size as the result of testosterone therapy, the revolutionary Buck-Off™ was designed using Angel’s vision for how it should feel and fit.

    Made from ultra-soft SilaSkin™ (Perfect Fit’s proprietary blend of TPR and Silicone), its flat, flared base creates a suction cup-like effect and the inside is textured with soft ridges, designed to mimic the feel of a tongue. The Buck-Off™ can be stroked or just squeezed tightly, whichever the user prefers. The base also helps to stimulate the pubis, which can also lead to orgasm. “

    The way Perfect Fit engineered this is amazing! It really feels like you are getting a blowjob,” says Angel.

     

     

     

  • Mark Ruffalo apologises to trans community over CIS casting for trans character

    American actor Mark Ruffalo has apologised to the trans community after a backlash against the casting of Matt Bomer in a new transgender movie Anything.

    Mark Ruffalo
    CREDIT: -tanka_v-Depositphotos

    The Normal Heart actor Mark Ruffalo has apologised for causing ‘pain’ after casting openly gay actor Matt Bomer in his new movie, Anything, in which he plays a transgender sex-worker.

    Trans advocates have criticised the casting decision of a cis-gender actor playing a trans character.

    Actor Jen Richards suggested that having a cis-gender male playing a male to female transgender character reinforced the notion that trans women are “still really just men”

    Taking to Twitter Ruffalo, who is an executive producer of the film, said that he could “hear” the criticism over casting a CIS male actor and that it was time to have the “conversation”.

    He defended his decision to cast Bomer after bonding with him in a “profound experience” he had with the actor during the filming of The Normal Heart.

    A petition, by Hannah Howard, has been created calling for the producers not to release the film, saying,

    “The practice of using cisgender male actors to portray transgender women and trans femmes isn’t just about erasure, or about depriving transgender actresses of roles they ought to get.

    It directly leads to violence against the most vulnerable in our community, particularly transgender women of color and trans femmes of color.”

    The petition’s creator has said that if the film is released that the petition will turn into a boycott petition of the film.  So far there are 537 supporters.

    ALSO READ: Zoolander faces harsh criticism and boycott threat over the non-binary character “All”

  • Trans activists block Manchester Pride parade

    Trans activists block Manchester Pride parade

    Trans activists used today’s Manchester Pride parade to protest in solidarity with trans prisoners.

    CREDIT: Provided by Direct Action for Trans Health , No Prisons Manchester, and the IWW Incarcerated Workers Organising Committee
    CREDIT: Provided by Direct Action for Trans Health , No Prisons Manchester, and the IWW Incarcerated Workers Organising Committee

     

    A number of trans and ally activists used Manchester’s Pride parade to protest trans prisoner conditions.

    The group which was led by trans campaign group Direct Action for Trans Health, supported by No Prisons Manchester and the IWW Incarcerated Workers Committee surrounded the Greater Manchester Police float during the parade, bringing the entire procession to a standstill for a few minutes.

    The group used their bodies to sit in front of the float preventing the parade from moving for a few moments before the parade was able to start again.

    A statement released by the group is arguing that  trans people sentenced to jail are often sent to prisons of the wrong gender, citing the high profile cases of Tara Hudson, Vicky Thompson, and Joannne Latham – female prisoners who were sent to male prisons.

    The statement said,

    “Trans people within the prison population are often housed within prison facilities of the wrong gender. Recently we have seen the cases of Tara Hudson, Vicky Thompson, and Joannne Latham, trans women incarcerated within male prisons, in the news. Thankfully Tara Hudson has now been released but sadly Vicky Thompson and Joanne Latham died as a direct result of the institutional transphobia within the prison system. We believe that police officers, regardless of their own sexuality or gender identity, are complicit in the prison system’s degradation of human lives and the oppression of LGBTQ people.

    “Whilst research on sexuality and gender identity within prisons is scarce, we know that Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Queer (LGBTQ) people are disproportionately policed and disproportionately represented in the prison population.

    Whilst in prison, LGBTQ people often face severe discrimination, including increased risk of sexual assault, with many being forced to hide their sexuality or gender identity for their own safety”

    Jess Bradley, a participant in the action, said,

    “It’s outrageous that police officers, who collude in the oppression of LGBTQ people within prisons, are allowed to march at Manchester Pride. Today we have taken action in solidarity with trans and queer prisoners and against the building of a new US-style prison in Manchester. We call upon the government to implement a nationwide ban on prison expansion and an urgent review into the conditions within prisons for LGBTQ prisoners”.

    TheGayUK reached out to both Manchester Police and Manchester Pride for comment.

  • Voice star Jordan Gray called transphobic slur in Luton Park

    Voice star Jordan Gray called transphobic slur in Luton Park

    Trans Voice star Jordan Gray is called a transphobic slur as she kisses her girlfriend in Luton Park.

    Jordan Gray
    CREDIT: TheGayUK

     

    The Voice’s Jordan Gray who has been touring the UK for Pride season has spoken up about a transphobic encounter she and her girlfriend endured on the 22nd August.

    The verbal assault took place in Stockwood Park in Luton as the couple kissed.

    On the 22nd August, as Ms. Gray and her girlfriend kissed a man approached the pair and told them to stop as he didn’t want his children to see them displaying affection in public.

    Gray’s girlfriend asked the man what the problem was.

    Speaking to GayStarNews Ms. Gray said,

    “He then turned to me and kept asking, ‘You’re a tranny, are you a tranny?’.

    “I very calmly told him that’s not a word you use.

    “I said it as diplomatically as possible. And then when he said it again, I said I would call the police.”

    When the man continued, Ms Gray called the police, but the perpetrator fled the scene with his children before they could turn up. However Ms. Gray was able to take a picture of the man’s license plate before he escaped.

    She added,

    “It hurts and that’s not an exaggeration,

    “He was completely sincere in his beliefs, and what he believed is completely counter to my existence. It hurt my core.”

    This is not the first crime against a trans person, last week (18th August) a trans man was attacked in Leighton Buzzard. He was sitting in the recreation ground in Parsons Close.

    The victim was punched and kicked by a group of youths and adults after they attempted to take his bag.

    Call DC Godfree on 101 with information, or alternatively contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

  • OPINION | Should Gigi Gorgeous be surprised she was treated badly in Dubai?

    So it’s all over the web, YouTube star Gigi Lazzarato (Gorgeous) was detained in a Dubai airport for 5 hours after being refused entry through passport control after allegedly being told by the worker there, that she couldn’t enter the country due to her being transgender and that her passport picture and information didn’t match her presented gender, a claim she refutes.

    But should she really be remotely surprised that in Dubai, a place not known for its progressive nature towards LGBT individuals she got treated badly.

    It is actually considered illegal in Dubai for “men to imitate women”, and gay people can either be deported or imprisoned, and the crazy thing is, Dubai is considered one of the more progressive cities in the region. But by the standards of the region, that’s not exactly saying much.

    Now not for one second do I agree with her treatment, but at the end of the day, she was travelling to a predominantly Islamic country.

    Yes Dubai is seen as a hip place to be, and the rich and famous go there on their holidays, but Gigi should have done her research before going over there. On the surface it looks like an amazing place to go, well developed and technologically advanced, but just below the surface is a heavily religious city, in a heavily religious area of the world.

    It is grossly unfair that there are some places in the world that people from the LGBT community simply can’t travel, but until the world changes, people have to take precautions. It’s a question of keeping oneself safe as possible. There were probably hundreds of other equally exotic places she could have visited, but she chose Dubai. Personally, she should be thankful that immigration stopped her going through, because who knows what could’ve possibly happened if she had got out of the airport. She may have been arrested, or worse.

     

    ALSO READ: 10 surprisingly homophobic countries we shouldn’t be spending our money on

    ALSO READ: Holiday destination Seychelles ends legal ban on gay sex

    ALSO READ: Gay icon Katy Perry to play Dubai where being gay could land you 10 year in JAIL

     

    What people have to remember is that Dubai has a history of atrocities against people, especially women and the LGBT community. In 2013 a Norwegian woman went to local police and said she had been raped by a co-worker. She was actually arrested and convicted of extra marital sex, and consumption of alcohol and sentenced to 16 months in prison. She was eventually pardoned, but only after she was pressured to say the rape hadn’t happened, and this isn’t the only time something like this has happened. Numerous times, women have reported sexual assault and have been charged themselves for other things. And don’t get me started on how LGBT people get treated there. People have been arrested, fined, imprisoned for up to 10 years, lashed, and forcibly deported, simply for being convicted of homosexual behavior.

    Everyone should feel free to be as fabulous as they want to be, but there will be places and people who simply can’t handle that. It’s why I thinks it’s incredibly important for people to educate themselves about places that they want to travel to remain safe. And while you may feel there is progress in general, it doesn’t mean there is progress everywhere.

    I agree with Gigi to an extent when she said it was disgusting and very scary that you are denied entry somewhere because of who you are, and it shouldn’t happen, but sadly it does.

    So if you are thinking of going anywhere on holiday, please find out everything you can beforehand about its laws and customs so you can stay safe and happy and actually enjoy yourself without fear of being arrested, or attacked.

     

     

    Opinions expressed in this article may not reflect those of THEGAYUK, it’s management or editorial teams. If you’d like to comment or write a comment, opinion or blog piece, please click here.

  • LEGAL CLINIC | My college says I need to use the toilet of my birth gender

    This week a trans reader asks about her right to use the toilet of her choice rather than the one that corresponds with the gender on her birth certificate. Louise Neville, Associate Solicitor at QualitySolicitors Acklam Bond looks at the legal situation.

    Do i need to use the male toilet if I'm a trans woman?

     

    Dear TGUK,

    I’ve recently started at a new college in the UK – and the bathroom policy is that students must use the toilet that corresponds with their genitalia. I’m a trans woman. I’ve not told friends other students at my college about my transition, but I do get awkward looks when I use the female bathroom.

    What rights do I have when it comes to using the bathroom that fits my gender identity? Do I have to disclose that my genitalia doesn’t correspond with the toilet I wish to use?

    Yours, Faye

     

    Dear Faye,
     
    In the UK there is no legislation that states men must use male toilets and women the ladies toilets. However, providers of separate-sex services such as bathrooms and changing rooms do have the right to decide on what facilities transsexual people can use.
     
    The government do emphasise to providers of separate-sex services that it’s very important to take the views of the transsexual person into account when making a decision on what facilities transsexual people can use – they also say that the decision must be ‘objectively justified’, which means it must be a fair and reasonable way of achieving a legitimate aim.
     
    This case also relates to the Equality Act 2010, which protects people from being discriminated against because they are transsexual. In the Act it is called gender reassignment discrimination.
     
    There are four types of gender reassignment discrimination: Direct, indirect, harassment and victimisation. The relevant type for your case would be indirect discrimination, which occurs when an organisation has a particular policy that puts transsexual people at a disadvantage.
     
    To be protected from gender reassignment discrimination you do not need to have undergone any specific treatment to change to your preferred gender. So you can be at any stage in the transition process, ranging from proposing to reassign your gender all the way to having completed it. This could be where a problem arises for your particular situation. As you haven’t disclosed to your college that you are a trans woman you may not be protected from indirect discrimination.
     
    With all the above in mind, I would suggest speaking to a relevant person at your college that you would feel comfortable talking to, for example a lecturer. They may be able to help raise your concerns with the college administration who hopefully would look into either changing the policy or simply give you peace of mind that you can use the toilet which corresponds with your gender identity.
     
    “If you find speaking with the college does not provide you with any assistance then you may want to consider making a formal complaint to the college regarding your treatment. Ultimately, if you feel that the problem persists and you consider yourself to discriminated against then you have the option of pursuing a claim through the county court on the grounds of discrimination. Please note that any claim must be issued at the court within six months less one day of the incident taking place. Hopefully however this will not be necessary.”

     

    by Louise Neville, Associate Solicitor at QualitySolicitors Acklam Bond

    ALSO READ: I have heard my employer can dismiss me for being transgender – is this true?

    ALSO READ: Do I have to disclose that I am transgender?

     

    This response is not intended to constitute legal or other professional advice, and should not be relied on or treated as a substitute for specific advice relevant to particular circumstances. Individuals should always seek legal advice from a professional which is specific to their unique set of circumstances.

    Have you got a legal query you’d like to ask our experts? Get your free advice here. Submit your question here

  • Homophobic Killer murdered man moments after sex so he was “most vulnerable”

    Homophobic Killer murdered man moments after sex so he was “most vulnerable”

    A man has been jailed for life after a short trial in Manchester after stabbing a student to death in halls of residence.

    CREDIT: William Lound / Facebook
    CREDIT: William Lound / Facebook

     

    Lee Arnold admitted to murdering student William Lound in his halls of resident, just moment after having sex – whilst the victim was still naked and at his “most vunerable.”

    Mr. Arnold, 37, was handed a life sentence with a minimum term of 23 years and 4 months. He pleaded guitly for a quick sentence.

    Chilling Message

    The Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court heard how Arnold had become agitated after having sex – that he slashed and stabbed Mr. Lound, who was 30 at the time. After the grizzly attack, Arnold wrote the chilling message, “your (sic) not reddy (sic) for me. I always win. “I always win” on the student’s bedroom wall.

    The victim, William Lound was openly gay. According to reports, he also wore women’s clothing and makeup – which have led some to believe that the attack may have been anti-trans.

    He had 12 knife wounds to his back, neck and head. The knife was found in the victim’s body.

    23 years and 4 months

    Mr. Arnold will now serve a life sentence, with a minimum term of 23 years and 4 months.

    Judge John Potter said,

    “This was a brutal, pre-meditated sustained attack with a weapon upon a vulnerable and defenceless man.

    “There is, in my judgement, evidence that your victim was murdered as a consequence of his sexual orientation.”

     

    According to The Mirror, Detective Superintendent Simon Retford, from GMP’s serious crime division, said,

    “This was a horrific murder of a young man whose only mistake was to trust and try to help the wrong person.

    “Lee Arnold used William’s kind heart and good nature to gain his trust and then stabbed him to death.

    “I would like to take this opportunity to reassure the LGBT community that I do not believe this was a case of Arnold randomly attacking somebody from within that community.

    “Sadly, it appears that he and William had previously met, which ended up leading to his tragic death.”

  • Katie Hopkins doesn’t think the NHS should fund Trans’ “Life Choices”

    Katie Hopkins doesn’t think the NHS should fund Trans’ “Life Choices”

    Controversial radio host and columnist Katie Hopkins has told listeners to her LBC radio show she doesn’t think that the tax payer should “pander” to trans people’s  “life choices”.

    CREDIT: LBC
    CREDIT: LBC

     

    Talk-show host and Daily Mail columnist Katie Hopkins said that the tax payer shouldn’t be funding fertility treatment for trans people and blamed a cash strapped NHS for her reasoning.

    Speaking on her weekend slot on LBC, the controversial star asked her listeners,

    “Is it OK that we are paying for these individuals and their life choices? … It don’t think it is as it goes.”

    The ex-Apprentice star said,

    “As much as I love to wave the rainbow coloured banner as much as the next individual.

    As much as I see that that’s the way the world’s going – I may need to catch up with that. I don’t agree with it.

    “I don’t think we should be paying for trans people to have their eggs frozen on the NHS.

    “If we lived in a world of endless resources…

    If money fell from the sky in a golden shower, of quite a different making… then well of course, there would be no problem with the amount of cash available but the fact is we are 2.45 billion pounds in debt with our NHS.”

    “The fact is we’ve got cataract operations being cancelled, three out of four trusts now do not perform cataract operations until the patient is perfectly blind because we don’t have the funds to approve them.

    After revealing that people are waiting extended times for their cataract operations Hopkins asked,

    “Do we really need to pander to the trans community and their whims? I say no.”

    Gender reassignment surgery and hormone treatments can often make trans people infertile or cause fertility issues.

    As a matter of routine the NHS currently offers the choice of freezing eggs so that trans people can have children at a later date.

    This same choice is offered to cancer patients and other treatments where fertility may be affected.