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Tag: Trans

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  • What the UK Government says its going to do for LGBT+ healthcare in the UK

    What the UK Government says its going to do for LGBT+ healthcare in the UK

    The UK’s Government has launched an LGBT action plan, in which it wants to deal with issues facing the LGBT+ community in the UK, including health.

    “This Government is committed to making the UK a country that works for everyone. We want to strip away the barriers that hold people back so that everyone can go as far as their hard work and talent can take them”.

    Big words, so what exactly are they promising?

    Penny Mordaunt, the Minister for Women and Equality has outlined 75  points she wants her office to push in order to achieve better rights, equality, safety and visibility for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersex people of the UK.

    Health was a big part of the government’s action plan, here’s what Ms Mordaunt said she plans to do:

    Put LGBT+ people’s needs “at the heart” of the NHS.

    We will appoint a National Adviser to lead improvements to LGBT healthcare. The National Adviser will focus on reducing the health inequalities that LGBT people face, and advise on ways to improve the care LGBT people receive when accessing the NHS and public health services. They will work across the NHS to ensure that the needs of LGBT people are considered throughout the health system.

    The National Adviser will work to improve healthcare professionals’ awareness of LGBT issues so they can provide better patient care. The National Adviser will work with relevant statutory organisations and professional associations to embed LGBT issues into physical and mental health services.

    We will improve the way gender identity services work for transgender adults. In 2019, NHS England will decide on the future configuration of adult gender identity services in England, and will seek to establish a more modern care model that delivers high-quality outcomes in which clinical capacity can be more flexibly deployed. The Government Equalities Office will produce advice about the Gender Recognition Act for GP surgeries and gender identity clinics.

    We will improve our understanding of the impacts on children and adolescents of changing their gender. The Government Equalities Office will gather evidence on the issues faced by people assigned female at birth who transition in adolescence.

    We will take action to improve mental health care for LGBT people. The Department of Health and Social Care and the Government Equalities Office will jointly develop a plan focussed on reducing suicides amongst the LGBT population. The Department of Health and Social Care will ensure LGBT people’s needs are addressed in the updated Suicide Prevention Strategy, and the new Health Education England suicide prevention competency framework will cover high-risk groups including LGBT people.

    We will enhance fertility services for LGBT people. The Department for Health and Social Care will revise surrogacy legislation so single people (including LGBT individuals) can access legal parenthood after a surrogacy arrangement.

    We will ensure LGBT people’s needs are taken into account in health and social care regulation. The Care Quality Commission will continue to improve how it inspects the experience of LGBT people in adult social care and mental health inpatient wards, and we will begin to inspect all gender identity clinics on a risk basis. The Care Quality Commission will develop guidance for care quality inspectors on the healthcare pathway for people who are transitioning their gender, and embed LGBT equality issues into the methodology used by inspectors.

    We will support improved monitoring of sexual orientation and gender identity in healthcare services to enable better patient care. The Government Equalities Office will develop best practice guidance for monitoring and make this openly available to the public sector, and the National Adviser will work to ensure healthcare professionals understand the benefits of asking patients about their sexual orientation and gender identity. The Care Quality Commission will look at how we can promote the NHS England voluntary sexual orientation monitoring standard for people using health and social care services.

    We will work to tackle body image pressures that LGBT young people face. The Government Equalities Office will consider the specific challenges faced by LGBT people as part of our broader work to build the evidence base on the causes and impacts of body dissatisfaction.

    We will continue to review the blood donation deferral period for men who have sex with men. NHS Blood and Transplant will explore ways that a more personalised risk assessment can be introduced, to allow more people to donate blood without impacting on blood safety; currently, there is very little data on effective ways of carrying out such risk assessments. The initial scoping, evidence gathering and testing may take up to two years to complete.

    We are committed to tackling HIV transmission, AIDS and HIV-related deaths. As part of this, we are currently funding a 3 year trial with 10,000 people to determine how best to deliver ‘PrEP’. NHS England will consider the impact of increasing the PrEP trial further.

    We will take action to improve the support for LGBT people with learning disabilities. The Department of Health and Social Care will review, collate and disseminate existing best practice guidance and advice regarding LGBT issues and learning disability; and will also ensure that training requirements for support staff and advocates who work with people with learning disabilities includes advice regarding LGBT people.

    Here’s what the government plans are in other key areas:

    Education | Healthcare | Representation | Workplace | International | Safety

  • Trump Imposes New Transgender Military Ban

    President Donald Trump signed a memorandum on Friday that bans some transgender individuals from serving in the U.S. military, but gives the armed forces latitude in implementing policies. The memorandum said transgender individuals with a history of gender dysphoria, defined as “those who may require substantial medical treatment, including through medical drugs or surgery,” are disqualified from military service “except under certain limited circumstances.” (more…)

  • Katie Hopkins just used Peter Rabbit to mock non-binary and trans people

    Right-wing controversialist demands an apology from Sony Pictures saying that Peter Rabbit doesn’t identify as male.

    With the non-binary and trans community squarely in her sights, Katie Hopkins seemingly mocked how some in the trans and non-binary community wish to identify themselves.

    In a tweet, we can only imagine she thought was amusing, she demanded an apology from Sony Pictures, as “Peter does not identify as male. Or a bunny”

    She then used a gender-neutral pronoun, “Zir”, to say that the rabbit actually prefers to identify as “Barbara the Rodent”.

    The Tweet was met with a mix of reactions, with some writing that the former radio presenter, former TV host and former columnist for The Sun and MailOnline, wasn’t funny and just tweeting for the sake of being provactive.

     

     

    One user questioned the rise of a “transphobic smear campaign” by the right.

    The tweet comes after the new Peter Rabbit film included a scene where a character who suffers a blackberry allergy is pelted with them by a gang of bunnies.

    The film’s makers apologised for the scene saying that they “should not have made light” of the issue.

  • Probe into Indonesian police who shamed transgender people

    Indonesian police said Sunday they would press ahead with an investigation into officers accused of publicly shaming transgender people in conservative Aceh province despite an angry protest against the probe. (more…)

  • 12 Transgender Women Detained In Indonesia’s Aceh

    A YouTube video posted Sunday showed Indonesia’s North Aceh Police Chief Untung Sangaji denounce transgender people. … and extramarital sex. Reza, an LGBT activist, who asked for his real name to be concealed told Guardian, “A lot of the salons have closed because of rumors that fundamentalists will raid them after Friday prayers … (more…)

  • Rose McGowan loses her sh*t after being called out on her trans views

    “Step the f*** back. What I do for the f***ing world and you should be f***ing grateful.”

    Embed from Getty Images

    Rose McGowan lost her cool after a trans advocate questioned the actor about her stance on transgender issues. A video has emerged showing the 44-year-old screaming at a transgender activist after being asked about comments she made on RuPaul’s podcast What’s The Tee in July last year.

    On the show, McGowan questioned whether trans women really knew what was it was like to grow up female.

    At the Manhattan event, the activist passionately told McGowan, “Trans women are dying, and you said that we, as trans women, are not like regular women.

    “We get raped more often. We go through domestic violence more often.

    “There was a trans woman killed here a few blocks [away]. I have been followed home.”

    Embed from Getty Images

    McGowan responded civilly at first saying, “So have I. So have I. So have I. We’re the same. My point was: we are the same,

    “There’s an entire show called ID channel, a network, dedicated 24 hours a day to women getting abused, murdered, sexualised and violated, and you are too, sister.

    “It’s the same.”

    However, when the activist responded that McGowan had done “nothing for” trans women and labelled as a cis white feminist, McGowan lost her cool.

    Watch below as it all unfolded.

     

     

  • Many LGBT+ people hit out over plans to raise rainbow flags in doctors’ surgeries

    After it announced that there are plans to bring the rainbow flag to doctor surgeries, many in the LGBT+ community slammed the idea, calling for more focus on what really matters – saving people.

    The British Journal of General Practice released guidelines on how to make surgery waiting rooms more visually inclusive by adding rainbow flags or LGBT+ posters. The news was met with a mixed reaction, however many suggested that the move was a waste of money when resources should be spent on actually helping patients.

    The aimed of displaying the rainbow flag is to encourage many in the LGBT+ community feel more comfortable talking to their doctor about their health.

    The move comes just short of a year when it was announced that GPs are to start asking about patients’ sexuality, regardless of whether it is pertinent to the reason for their visit.

    THEGAYUK.com asked readers their thoughts on the proposal and the reaction was overwhelmingly negative.

    One user, Jane, spoke about how she had been stuck on a waiting list for a GIC (Gender Identity Clinic) for over a year, whilst others suggested that the long waiting lists for the specialised clinic could endanger the lives of transgender people. Adam on Twitter slammed the idea saying “Doctors can legally refuse me treatment because I’m trans but your big solution to ending discrimination is some fabric”.

    Daniel Browne, the chairman of Warwickshire Pride said that more literature was needed in the UK’s surgeries. Browne told us, “I do think that LGBT+ literature is required. All GP surgery staff should have LGBT+ awareness training too. Little changes can make a massive difference.”

  • Tory MP slammed for ‘transphobic’ message about trans women’s genitalia

    “Somebody possessing a penis & pair of testicles is definitely not a woman”

    David Davies, the MP for Monmouth has been slammed by trans advocates and his party’s own LGBT+ group for being a transphobe after he Tweeted a shocking message, which suggested that trans women who still have a penis and testicles are not women.

    Taking to Twitter he wrote,

    “Somebody possessing a penis & pair of testicles is definitely not a woman. This should be a biological fact not a matter for political debate. At least we can agree on something.”

    It wasn’t long before the party’s own LGBT+ group, LGBT+ Conservatives, commented, “David TC Davies’ transphobic views are abhorrent and out of kilter with Conservative Party policy.

    “It’s clear that the T in his name stands for transphobe. It’s equally clear what the C stands for.”

    The MP hit out at the group calling them a “disgrace” questioning whether the group was fit to stand for equality saying, “It is appalling that a Conservative group which purports to stand for equality is willing to allude to the word “c*nt” to describe MPs it doesn’t like. You are a disgrace.”

    LGBT+ voting record

    David Davies has, according to TheyWorkForYou.com, consistently voted against gay rights. During his time in office, he has voted five times against and been absent five times on LGBT+ equality laws. He also voted against same-sex marriage.

    Victim of abuse

    The MP went on to Tweet about the abuse that MPs face on social media.

    “Abuse on social media is par for the course as an MP – but it’s a sad day when it comes from a group based in the HQ of the party which I have actively supported for over 30 years.”

    He then called out the LGBT+ Conservatives for being misogynistic before suggesting that he would report the group for online abuse to the party Chairman, Brandon Lewis.

    Targetting the perpetrators of online abuse, cyberbullying and trolling have been in the sights of the Conservatives in recent years. Those found guilty of online maltreatment could face prosecution in England and Wales.

  • Rebekah Shelton not dead: culprit of hoax “will pay”

    “The person who wants to spoil my happiness is going to pay for it”

    Earlier we reported that the Rebekah Shelton, star of Big Brother in 2009 had died, it turns out, thankfully, that she is alive and well and living in Dubai.

    Taking to Twitter she deleted the previous tweet in which her death was announced and replaced it with “I’m not dead!!!!!! Please stop spreading this news!!!!! My lawyer is already working on this and this person who wants to spoil my happiness is going to pay for it!!!!!”

    THEGAYUK.com reached out for comment.

     

     

     

  • Transgender star of Big Brother dies unexpectedly

    The star of 2009’s series of Big Brother Rekebah Shelton has died unexpectedly

    ** This story has been updated, click here to read the update.

    Rebekah Shelton, who fans of the show may remember her when she entered the house as Rodrigo Lopes, has died unexpectedly at the age of 32. The news was confirmed by a Tweet from her official, verified Twitter account. Rekebah was, according to her Twitter account living in Dubai.

    A tweet from her personal account read, “We’re sorry to inform everyone of the sad news that our wonderful and lovely Rebekah died unexpectedly on Wednesday night.

    “We ask that you respect the family’s privacy at this time.”

    Ms Shelton hadn’t been using the platform much in 2017. Her last update was in November when she updated her profile picture (ABOVE). The tweet before that was sent in June and said, “Im [sic] sending this tweet to you people who still like me for some reason. People from the UK who always loved and accepted me for who I am”.

    Rebekah Shelton transitioned in 2012. Speaking about her transition she said, “I 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”.

    Emotional about transition

    In early 2017 an emotional Shelton shared a video on Twitter over her confusion and upset over her transition. Speaking via Twitter, in Tweets that she’s now deleted, she spoke of her journey, since embarking on a series of operations to fulfil her transition. She spoke of her loneliness and the discrimination she’s faced since beginning her physical transition.

    She was left questioning whether the transition was worth it.

    The videos were uploaded after she managed to log into her old Rodrigo Facebook account and left the star feeling emotional. She said,

    “I went on, after five years, I was trying to find the Facebook account, as Rodrigo, you know, from the past. I was shocked, it’s hard to go through everything I’ve been through – having all these surgeries and things. It’s crazy when you look at yourself and the way you used to be, and it makes you wonder, what have I done?”

    “If you are following me and you want to transition, think. Think, once, twice, three times, four times, five times, because it’s not easy. You have more opportunities in your birth gender because there is still discrimination. There is still discrimination, you know so just think.”

     

    Ill Health and Coma

    In 2014 the star fell into a coma after it was discovered she had a brain tumour.

    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’

    The cause of Shelton’s death is unknown at this time.

  • Transgender rights advocate killed in US

    A transgender woman was found stabbed and beaten to death in her Massachusetts home on Friday evening. Her husband has been charged with her murder. Christa Leigh Steele-Knudslien becomes the first known transgender person to be killed in 2018, according to GLAAD, an LGBT-rights organization. (more…)