THEGAYUK

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

  • Celeb BB’s Kellie and Dee bond

    Pairings come in the unlikeliest places, but Deirdre Kelly and Kellie Maloney have become fast friends on the new series of Celebrity Big Brother.

    It’s the first full day in the Celebrity Big Brother house and Kellie and Dee are bonding. Kellie asks Dee if being on TV has changed her life and Dee says yes, some good ways and some negative. Kellie responds that she can’t believe the reception she got coming into the Celebrity Big Brother house, she tells Dee that for most of her life she wanted to beat her gender issues.

    Dee asks her if she feels like she has won. Kellie replies that she feels she has won and lost at the same time. Kellie adds, ‘Frank wasn’t a bad person.’ She also says that she has tried to make her children understand that she is always going to be their dad, just their dad in a frock.

    In October 2013, Kellie, known then as Frank, made the decision to retire from boxing explaining that he had ‘fallen out of love’ with the sport. However, Kellie now cites her transition as the real reason. Kellie explained how she has felt trapped in the wrong body since she was a child. She is now a year into the transition period and is learning to live life as a woman – a life she kept a secret due to the macho world she lived in as a boxing promoter.

    Twice-married and parent of three daughters, she wanted the transition to be private to protect her family and to build up the confidence to reveal her new identity. She planned to reveal her new life in a book once she had fully transitioned, however, she was exposed by a journalist and made the decision to go public with her transition

    During the mayoral election in London, 2004, Maloney, ran as the UKIP candidate, was criticised for comments made against the LGBT community after it emerged that Maloney failed to campaign in Camden because there wer “too many gays”.

    Maloney tried to justify these remarks telling the BBC, ‘I don’t want to campaign around gays…I don’t think they do a lot for society…what I have a problem with is them openly flaunting their sexuality.’

  • Laverne Cox Second Only To The Pope In Popularity

    According to an interview with Laverne Cox, Time magazine have named the trans-actor the 2nd most popular cover of all time.

    During an interview on CBS This Morning, Laverne Cox learned that she was the 2nd most popular cover story online according to Time Magazine editor Nancy Gibbs. The Pope was the most popular.

    There was a moment in which Laverne corrected Gayle King when the presenter said that the Orange Is The New Black star had been ‘born a boy’.

    Laverne was quick to correct her saying, ”I was assigned male at birth is the way I like to put it, because I think we’re born who we are and the gender thing is something someone imposes on you. And so I was assigned male at birth but I always felt like I was a girl.’

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Drag King Richard III, Riverside Studios, London

    ★★★★ | Drag King Richard III, Riverside Studios, London

    STANCE Theatre’s highly acclaimed production drags Shakespeare’s Richard III into a black comedy exploration of transgender identity.

    For Laurie, born biologically female, the frustration of living in the wrong body presents disturbing consequences with long-term lesbian friend, La Femme. She identifies with Shakespeare’s deformed anti-hero after auditioning to play him in a school production; seeing parallels with the betrayal she feels within, her from her own body and the play is interspersed with clever interpretations of Shakespearean dialogue that fit perfectly within the context of Laurie/Laurence’s story.

    When Laurence re-enters La Femme’s life after a spell away in the army, she reveals that she’s transitioning. La Femme struggles to understand this, initially and the issue brings into perspective her own thoughts and feelings about gender identity, how others perceive and react to you and what it means to be you.

    I wasn’t sure what to expect from this performance but I definitely got more than I bargained for. Terri Power’s award winning piece is a funny, deftly written play with some genuinely moving moments. The themes of identity are universal and not just applicable to transgender people. Laurie’s story is a fascinating one and one that shouldn’t feel too difficult for anyone to grasp, thanks to Power’s concise yet powerful play. The conceit of the two handed perspective and the humorous touches worked brilliantly. This is much more than a straightforward ‘issues’ play. Well worth seeing with very strong performances from the two leads.

    I wasn’t sure what to expect from this performance but I definitely got more than I bargained for. Terri Power’s award winning piece is a funny, deftly written play with some genuinely moving moments. The themes of identity are universal and not just applicable to transgender people. Laurie’s story is a fascinating one and one that shouldn’t feel too difficult for anyone to grasp, thanks to Power’s concise yet powerful play. The conceit of the two handed perspective and the humorous touches worked brilliantly. This is much more than a straightforward ‘issues’ play. Well worth seeing with very strong performances from the two leads.

  • Trans Youth Looking For Help Cooling Off With Gendered Intelligence

    Yearly residential programme run by Gendered Intelligence seeks crowdfunding to address need.

    As summer approaches and the weather heats up in Britain, summer residentials are kicking off. Usually these programs for children are segregated by sex, putting transgender youth in awkward positions and limited options for social interaction during the season.

    WATCH VIDEO

    Gendered Intelligence, a community interest company that supports trans youth, attempts to combat this every summer with a trans youth residential. The programme includes everything from kayaking to raft building as well as informal games and social interacting that help trans youth gain important personal and outdoor skills. The residential provides a safe space for all gender identities expressed by youth.

    But, as with most activities, running residentials is costly and homelessness and poverty remains a frequent issue for LGBT communities, especially transgender people. According to the National Transgender Discrimination Survey in the US, trans people were twice as likely to be unemployed and one in five reported being homeless at some point in their lives. Providing resources and safe spaces for trans people that are affordable is critical, especially for youth.

    For this reason, Gendered Intelligence seeks donations to support this August’s camping residential. Previous residentials have seen 15-20 trans youth attending and with a cost at £300 a head. This year they have 20 signed up and 10 on the waiting list. To support and cover all of the youth, GI needs £5,000 in donations.

    “Our summer residential really gives our young trans members a safe space to be themselves and a chance to have a positive experience with other trans youth, to make new friends and to strengthen old ones. Come rain or shine the most fun will be had cooking over an open fire, having heart to hearts, laughing and bonding. It just may be that this quite simple opportunity for our young people could actually be life changing,” said Jay Stewart, co-founder of Gendered Intelligence.

    Though many of the youth can’t share their names, many of them report positive experiences: “I really enjoyed being part of this physical project. I most enjoyed the swimming session. I can’t swim but the instructor gave me a lot of attention and said that I had potential, which was really encouraging.”

  • Facebook Announces Custom Gender Options To UK Users

    Today – following a successful launch in the US earlier this year – Facebook has announced a new custom gender option to help people better express their own identity on Facebook.

    (more…)

  • Amanda Lepore and Willam Belli Star In Gay Selfie Video

    World gay community icons Amanda Lepore and Willam Belli arrived to Israel as a part of their cooperation with the global gay social network Moovz, for taking part in the TLV Pride video clip and the Moovz “Gay Selfie” project

    The official Moovz video for TLV pride, which was just released in honor of the Tel-Aviv Pride Parade, presents Willam Belli chasing one of Amanda Lepore’s guys all over the city of Tel-Aviv, to a remix of the song “Tel-Aviv Ya Chabibi” by Doron Madali.

    Amanda Lepore is probably the world famous transgender, a fashion and night life icon and a model that have presented MAC cosmetics, Swatch and others, and also known as “the most expensive body in the world”. Lepore arrived to Israel yesterday along with the top drag queen Willam Belli, a part of the DWV drag band, that also starred in the famous TV show Nip/Tack and the USA reality show “Rupaul’s Drag Race”, and is known for her latest hits “Chow Down” and “Boy is a Bottom”.

    Lepore and Belli participated in a special VIP cocktail that was hosted by Moovz in the Indigo boutique hotel, along with the leading icons of the gay community in Israel, local drag queens, night life personalities and the Israeli media. Willam Belli will also perform on the main stage of the TLV Pride event.

  • LGBT Domestic Abuse Charity Welcomes Minister Commitment

    LGBT charity welcomes Welsh minister’s commitment to do more to improve LGBT domestic violence services.

    Broken Rainbow UK, the LGBT domestic violence charity, welcomes Lesley Griffiths, the Welsh Minister for Local Government commitment to introduce an LGBT-inclusive bill later this month to reform domestic abuse services.

    Responding to research into the barriers faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people in accessing domestic violence services, conducted on behalf of the Welsh Government and published last week Griffiths stated, ‘Regardless of their gender or sexuality, everyone should feel they can access free and confidential support if they are experiencing domestic abuse, harassment or sexual violence.
    ‘While the research published today identifies some examples of promising practice underway in Wales, there is more we and service providers can and must do tackle this crime and to promote the support services available to all victims.’

    Shannon Harvey, Senior Researcher at NatCen Social Research, referring to the research, explains how it, ‘demonstrates how a narrow focus on the needs of heterosexual, cisgender women can leave LGBT people feeling that these services aren’t appropriate for them.
    ‘These LGBT people’s experiences of abuse remind us that even while patriarchy may be an explanation for many women’s experiences of victimisation, if we accept that violence is about power and control, we must acknowledge that other dimensions of power and inequality can play a part too.’

    Jo Harvey Barringer, Managing Director (Interim), Broken Rainbow UK, echoed Shannon Harvey’s concerns for trans people experiencing domestic violence, ‘Despite legal protections in place for trans people this research suggests, in line with our own experiences of supporting callers to our helpline, that trans* women can still face difficulty in accessing women-only refuges.’
    Broken Rainbow UK was pleased to announce during their first ever awareness month this May that they are also removing barriers to accessing their own services for individuals that cannot afford to call their helpline, with the introduction of a parallel Freephone 0800 number sponsored by BNP Paribas.

    ‘We know that members of the trans community can often be amongst the poorest members of the LGBT communities with increased difficultly in gaining employment, so we believe our new 0800 number combined with our existing 0300 will ensure everyone needing support can reach us’, Wendy Wilde, Service Delivery Manager, Broken Rainbow UK.

  • Brain Tumour Big Brother Star Condition Improving

    Rebekah Shelton, who starred in the 10th series of Big Brother as Rodrigo Lopes is responding well to treatment.

    Rebekah Shelton who took part in the tenth series of Big Brother as Rodrigo Lopes is still in hospital after doctors found a brain tumour her family have said, however they took to the star’s twitter to write, ‘Thank you for the messages and prayers. Its a very difficult time for us but she is responding well to the treatment. Lets keep our prayers.’

    The Brazillian student, started living life as woman in 2012 two years after starring in the reality show, as has used Twitter to show her transition.

  • Former Big Brother Star In Coma

    A former contestant of Big Brother in 2009, Rebekah Shelton is currently in a coma, following the discovery of a brain tumour.

    Rebekah Shelton who took part in the tenth series of Big Brother as Rodrigo Lopes is in hospital after doctors found a brain tumour her family have said.

    The Brazillian student, started living life as woman in 2012 two years after starring in the reality show, as has used Twitter to show her transition.

    Taking to Shelton’s official Twitter her family tweeted, ‘The doctors found a head tumour and she is in come [sic]. We cannot speak anymore. Please just pray for our Rebekah’

    In 2012, speaking to Heat Magazine she said, ‘I’ve always felt like I had a woman inside of me, always, but I used to hide it. I’ve always liked make-up, treatments and other womanly things, and I was 18 when I first started experimenting. But early this year I told my best friend Andrea how I was really feeling.

    ‘She encouraged me. When I came back to the UK I started wearing my friends’ clothes first, then I began shopping for them. People in the shops were surprisingly normal about it. Now I go out with a transvestite I made friends with. She’s very glam. We go to straight clubs and get a lot of attention.’

  • OPINION | RuPaul is Right – The Gay Movement Will Eat Itself From The Inside Out

    RuPaul appears to have been at the centre of a storm in a big gay teacup lately.

    With her show ‘Drag Race’ no longer having the term “She-Mail” included in it and the annoyance of some within the LGBT community at her casual use of the word ‘tranny’, RuPaul has been biting back. I have to say that I agree with her.

    I’ve never seen RuPaul’s Drag Race, but I am aware of the show and its content. I wonder how many people getting annoyed at the use of the term ‘She-Mail’ and the word ‘tranny’ have actually watched it and seen the context in which those words are used. The word tranny has long been used to describe transvestites and Drag Queens; it is not a word that is exclusive to transgender people or even used by transgender people. This is something that those getting annoyed at its use in RuPaul’s show should keep in mind. RuPaul describes herself as a tranny and it is quite apparent that her use of that word and of the term ‘She-Mail’ relates to herself and other Drag Queens, rather than being a slur towards to the transgender community.

    Something that has been bothering me for some time is the way the LGBT community are so quick to turn on each other. Whether it’s the above issue of getting precious over certain words and terms or gay men criticising other gays for the way they look, it’s clear to me that the gay movement is becoming its own worst enemy.

    There are so many horrific things happening around the world, such as the anti-gay regimes in Russia, the new laws in Brunei, and the ongoing persecution of LGBT people in some African countries. Even in our own country there’s still great injustices and the threat from the outside still exists. Rather than infighting we should be focused on what we can achieve together to eliminate that threat.

    Coming back to the policing of words (and it is policing), I really believe that some LGBT people need to lighten up and consider the context that words are used in. I’ll give you an example…

    I was once called a “f**king disgusting queer” by a homophobic man who wanted to beat me up just for being gay. Those words used in that context are offensive and completely unacceptable. However, I have also been called a “queer dear” by one of my friends. The word ‘queer’ is used in both of those examples, but only one is offensive and that is because of the context it is used in.

    I’ve spoken to transgender friends of mine about this and the feeling among them is that the word tranny doesn’t apply to them and they are not offended when somebody uses the word in reference to Drag Queens or transvestites. It is only when they are called trannies that it becomes offensive. Again it comes back to the context in which words are used.

    I truly believe in people being able to identify in any way they want and use any words they choose as long as it’s in a positive and empowering context. Just because some in the transgender community don’t like the word ‘tranny’ or the term ‘She-Mail’ being used towards them it shouldn’t mean that RuPaul or anyone else isn’t allowed to apply those words to themselves or others who identify with it.

    There are more shocking and pressing matters in the world that we should be focusing on instead of policing the words that others in our LGBT community use. Otherwise there is a real risk of the ‘gay movement’ eating itself from the inside. RuPaul, I salute you for speaking the truth.

     

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  • Laverne Cox To Star In Trans Documentary

    According to The Hollywood Reporter, Laverne Cox will produce a documentary film about transgender changes.

    The groundbreaking documentary will focus on four transgender people aged 14 to 24. They will share their experiences and discuss how they deal with intolerance and their own gender identity. Laverne Cox has teamed up with Logo and MTV for the documentary that will be called: Trans Teen.

    The documentary will also investigate the medical hurdles that trans people can face during their life.

    Last year TheGayUK interview Laverne Cox, read the exclusive chat here. Cox talked about the lack of trans visibility on mainstream television saying:

    ‘The reality is we don’t get enough trans people on television, enough transgender stories told and so I think we have a long way to go before we have more of those representatives like Sophia, but I would like to think we are moving in the right direction.’

    Cox is also starring in the new series of Orange Is The New Black, which comes back on Netflix on the 6th June.