UPDATE: Please note that on Feb. 19, I updated the last paragraph in the section labeled "Federal censorship..." to note the administration's instruction to restrict military service members' access to bathrooms, barracks, etc. based on sex assigned at birth. I also noted the deletion of "X" as a gender marker on federal identification documents. I'd previously stated that these documents were limited to sex assigned at birth, but I've since learned that it may be possible for a transgender person who already officially changed their gender marker from M to F or vice versa to have such documents reflect their current designation since it falls into one of the remaining sex categories. The ACLU cautions that this is a changing landscape, so if such changes may impact you, follow the web sites or social media of legal advocacy organizations like the ACLU to stay up to date.
Oh, Wendy, your writing is always clear and thoughtful, but this time you’ve really done such a good essay. I have thoughts that have been circling in my head since Jan 20th. It’s like you collected them and organized them and made them make sense. I’m going to share this on my Substack with a note, because this is the best essay about why supporting our T and Q humans is so important. Thank you, my friend, for taking the time to write this.
Thank you for spreading the word, Annie! I took me quite a while to write this one. In the process, I clarified my thoughts and personal course of action and found that, by focusing deeply on this issue, I felt less frantic. Overwhelming opponents into immobility appears to be one strategy of the current administration and this helped pull me out of that place.
Oh, that’s really an interesting perspective, Wendy. Makes me think I need to do some deep diving into the issues I want to focus my energies on, rather than be jerked into a dozen different directions according to the latest news. Thanks!
Thanks so much for a great essay! I can help you make it even better. There is an entire not-yet-a-class of people who have been left out, left behind, and whose existence has been denied since the mid1800’s when medicine took control of the definition of sex. I’m talking about the HIGH incidence of Intersex people among the human species and all other genus’s of animals on planet Earth. Tha is those of us who anatomically, hormonally, and/or genetically are neither male nor female or have attributes and characteristics of both. I’m not talking about gender, or identity, or orientation. I’m talking about biology and far from being rare we are just rately heard of. I’m one of many advocates, educators and agitators who have been working for decades to shine a light on us. I’m an intersex gay man - my sex, orientation and gender. Check out my essays at http://jamescostich.substack.com. I can be seen in the documentary, “Intersexion” available on Amazon. I am available to any and all who want to question! I do public speaking but am about to embark on doing more through substack hoping to start discussion groups to reach more people. Intersex are THE most persecuted of the LGBTQI world 1 you can tell because few ppl even know we exist. As great author on us Sharon Preeves, “Intersex and Identity the constested self” says “the hallmarks of intersex childhood are fear, shame, secrecy and lies.” And yet our very existence- still covered up, cut away and denied - holds the key to the full equality of all Queer People. Curious? Check out my substack - it includes a resource book list.
James - Thank you for your kind remark and suggestions, and your insights about being intersex. I didn't include intersex in this post's title, but I did note people born intersex as part of the biological evidence that human sex is not as "immutable" as the White House would like to claim. In retrospect, I should have made the executive dis-orders' impact on intersex people clearer. In addition to the obvious damage that a claim that biological sex is an "immutable" binary wreaks on intersex people, one of the documents listed for removal from federal web sites was a 2021 guide for students, families, and educators about supporting intersex students. In your posts, I appreciate your "Intersex and Intactivist Booklist" and your emphasis that being intersex refers to a person's anatomy and physiology. I first became aware of this aspect of human experience when I read the novel Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides. A few years later, I read the young adult novel Annabel by Kathleen Winters. I'll be sure to watch "Intersexion." You may be pleased to know that I've noticed more awareness about intersex people among high school students - something that's been true for at least the past decade. Thankfully, I haven't witnessed students misusing intersex as if it's the same as gender identities like nonbinary or genderqueer either.
Thank you Wendy for your explanation of what is happening in this administration and the ramifications of what these anti-trans, anti-nonbionary dis-orders are doing to citizens of this country. (I love the term dis-orders and will use it.).
As an out lesbian for many years I have been an activist for lesbian and gay rights since the 1970s. I moved from Florida, where I grew up, to Denver in 1978 so that I could come out and live my life more openly. These were the Anita Bryant years and we lived with a lot of fear in Florida. When asked why I came to Florida I would quip, “I escaped from Florida. It is no place for women or gay and lesbian people.”
It was a heady time with movements for gay and lesbian rights, women’s rights, civil rights, etc. I found my community here and we were very active, which led to successes for gay and lesbian people.
As a cis gender person I have been somewhat thrown off center trying to absorb the non-binary and trans ideas. There was deep resistance to including these folks in our movements. I think one reason is because the lesbian and gay rights movement had taken to saying to heterosexual people: we’re just like you, the same hopes and dreams, we are the same as you. We wanted to treated as “normal” people.
Then trans and nonbinary people started showing up in our spaces seeking inclusion and rocked our world. I had attended the Michigan Womyn’s Music Festival a handful of times and I think you know that after 40 or years this collective was torn apart and disbanded because of the disagreement about whether or not to allow trans women to attend the festival. This disappointed and angered me and I agreed with the idea that if you weren’t born and raised a woman, if you had a penis, you shouldn’t be included.
I have struggled with the idea of trans women and trans men, not really understanding it. But being a freedom loving person I have researched and learned. My ideas have shifted greatly. I attend the Lesbian Lounge for older lesbians at the LGBTQ Center here in Denver and sometimes there are trans women there, one (Joy)who I have come to like a lot and am disappointed when she’s not there. Also, my sangha, Eyes of Compassion, in the Plum Village Tradition has recently added a queer sangha. This idea emerged from our Wake Up sangha, people 35 years old and under. I was asked to co-facilitate the first gathering last month. And I was honored that these young people asked me.
These are the actions I will take. In the Lesbian Lounge and in the Eyes of Compassion Queer Sangha, when it is my turn to share, I will address that, even as a queer lesbian, I don’t really know what it is like to be trans. That my experience as a cis gender lesbian does not automatically make me have an understanding of what it is to be trans or nonbionary. (I suspect that some lesbians in the Lesbian Lounge are accepting but not truly embracing of these trans women.). I will acknowledge within these groups that I am still learning and that I realize that it’s easier for me to be a cis gender lesbian than a trans or nonbinary person.
Maybe you could give me some suggestions about how to communicate this in a better way, a deeper way than that.
Thank you, Wendy. I hold deep respect and admiration for the work you’re doing. Roxanne
Roxanne - I appreciate your candor and the vulnerability it takes to share how your ideas have shifted over time. I also appreciate that you keep researching and learning. I do too. I first learned about concepts like cisgender and nonbinary from my high school students--maybe a decade ago now. I'd never heard these terms before, and it took me a while to understand them. Listening to students and their experiences helped, as did researching. Regarding your question about how to communicate this, I anticipate that being honest and open is likely the best approach. The group Advocates for Trans Equality is offering an online workshop next week focused on how to testify for trans rights. I'll ask Regina for your email so that I can forward the info to you. Thank you for your active role in fighting for gay and lesbian rights--and for staying engaged in the work to extend those human rights to include our transgender and queer siblings. Love and hugs to you across the miles.
Incredibly eloquent essay with historical context and action steps. I’ll be sharing this with people in my life that have a fundamental misunderstanding of what is happening to trans people in America these days. Thank you🫶🏻
Thank you for sharing this post, Marc! When I was writing it, I hoped that grounding it in both a personal and historical context would expand its usefulness to readers.
Kris - when they were released in for Pride Month 2023, I liked them so much that I bought two pairs--so I could put one in the closet for when this pair wears out :-).
Wendy, thank you for your strong words and for bringing more knowledge about our LGBTQ Society. Everyone has the right to live their best life and be happy without interference from government!
UPDATE: Please note that on Feb. 19, I updated the last paragraph in the section labeled "Federal censorship..." to note the administration's instruction to restrict military service members' access to bathrooms, barracks, etc. based on sex assigned at birth. I also noted the deletion of "X" as a gender marker on federal identification documents. I'd previously stated that these documents were limited to sex assigned at birth, but I've since learned that it may be possible for a transgender person who already officially changed their gender marker from M to F or vice versa to have such documents reflect their current designation since it falls into one of the remaining sex categories. The ACLU cautions that this is a changing landscape, so if such changes may impact you, follow the web sites or social media of legal advocacy organizations like the ACLU to stay up to date.
Oh, Wendy, your writing is always clear and thoughtful, but this time you’ve really done such a good essay. I have thoughts that have been circling in my head since Jan 20th. It’s like you collected them and organized them and made them make sense. I’m going to share this on my Substack with a note, because this is the best essay about why supporting our T and Q humans is so important. Thank you, my friend, for taking the time to write this.
Thank you for spreading the word, Annie! I took me quite a while to write this one. In the process, I clarified my thoughts and personal course of action and found that, by focusing deeply on this issue, I felt less frantic. Overwhelming opponents into immobility appears to be one strategy of the current administration and this helped pull me out of that place.
Oh, that’s really an interesting perspective, Wendy. Makes me think I need to do some deep diving into the issues I want to focus my energies on, rather than be jerked into a dozen different directions according to the latest news. Thanks!
Keep me posted on the issues into which you dive deep. We can learn from each other!
Thanks so much for a great essay! I can help you make it even better. There is an entire not-yet-a-class of people who have been left out, left behind, and whose existence has been denied since the mid1800’s when medicine took control of the definition of sex. I’m talking about the HIGH incidence of Intersex people among the human species and all other genus’s of animals on planet Earth. Tha is those of us who anatomically, hormonally, and/or genetically are neither male nor female or have attributes and characteristics of both. I’m not talking about gender, or identity, or orientation. I’m talking about biology and far from being rare we are just rately heard of. I’m one of many advocates, educators and agitators who have been working for decades to shine a light on us. I’m an intersex gay man - my sex, orientation and gender. Check out my essays at http://jamescostich.substack.com. I can be seen in the documentary, “Intersexion” available on Amazon. I am available to any and all who want to question! I do public speaking but am about to embark on doing more through substack hoping to start discussion groups to reach more people. Intersex are THE most persecuted of the LGBTQI world 1 you can tell because few ppl even know we exist. As great author on us Sharon Preeves, “Intersex and Identity the constested self” says “the hallmarks of intersex childhood are fear, shame, secrecy and lies.” And yet our very existence- still covered up, cut away and denied - holds the key to the full equality of all Queer People. Curious? Check out my substack - it includes a resource book list.
James - Thank you for your kind remark and suggestions, and your insights about being intersex. I didn't include intersex in this post's title, but I did note people born intersex as part of the biological evidence that human sex is not as "immutable" as the White House would like to claim. In retrospect, I should have made the executive dis-orders' impact on intersex people clearer. In addition to the obvious damage that a claim that biological sex is an "immutable" binary wreaks on intersex people, one of the documents listed for removal from federal web sites was a 2021 guide for students, families, and educators about supporting intersex students. In your posts, I appreciate your "Intersex and Intactivist Booklist" and your emphasis that being intersex refers to a person's anatomy and physiology. I first became aware of this aspect of human experience when I read the novel Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides. A few years later, I read the young adult novel Annabel by Kathleen Winters. I'll be sure to watch "Intersexion." You may be pleased to know that I've noticed more awareness about intersex people among high school students - something that's been true for at least the past decade. Thankfully, I haven't witnessed students misusing intersex as if it's the same as gender identities like nonbinary or genderqueer either.
Thank you Wendy for your explanation of what is happening in this administration and the ramifications of what these anti-trans, anti-nonbionary dis-orders are doing to citizens of this country. (I love the term dis-orders and will use it.).
As an out lesbian for many years I have been an activist for lesbian and gay rights since the 1970s. I moved from Florida, where I grew up, to Denver in 1978 so that I could come out and live my life more openly. These were the Anita Bryant years and we lived with a lot of fear in Florida. When asked why I came to Florida I would quip, “I escaped from Florida. It is no place for women or gay and lesbian people.”
It was a heady time with movements for gay and lesbian rights, women’s rights, civil rights, etc. I found my community here and we were very active, which led to successes for gay and lesbian people.
As a cis gender person I have been somewhat thrown off center trying to absorb the non-binary and trans ideas. There was deep resistance to including these folks in our movements. I think one reason is because the lesbian and gay rights movement had taken to saying to heterosexual people: we’re just like you, the same hopes and dreams, we are the same as you. We wanted to treated as “normal” people.
Then trans and nonbinary people started showing up in our spaces seeking inclusion and rocked our world. I had attended the Michigan Womyn’s Music Festival a handful of times and I think you know that after 40 or years this collective was torn apart and disbanded because of the disagreement about whether or not to allow trans women to attend the festival. This disappointed and angered me and I agreed with the idea that if you weren’t born and raised a woman, if you had a penis, you shouldn’t be included.
I have struggled with the idea of trans women and trans men, not really understanding it. But being a freedom loving person I have researched and learned. My ideas have shifted greatly. I attend the Lesbian Lounge for older lesbians at the LGBTQ Center here in Denver and sometimes there are trans women there, one (Joy)who I have come to like a lot and am disappointed when she’s not there. Also, my sangha, Eyes of Compassion, in the Plum Village Tradition has recently added a queer sangha. This idea emerged from our Wake Up sangha, people 35 years old and under. I was asked to co-facilitate the first gathering last month. And I was honored that these young people asked me.
These are the actions I will take. In the Lesbian Lounge and in the Eyes of Compassion Queer Sangha, when it is my turn to share, I will address that, even as a queer lesbian, I don’t really know what it is like to be trans. That my experience as a cis gender lesbian does not automatically make me have an understanding of what it is to be trans or nonbionary. (I suspect that some lesbians in the Lesbian Lounge are accepting but not truly embracing of these trans women.). I will acknowledge within these groups that I am still learning and that I realize that it’s easier for me to be a cis gender lesbian than a trans or nonbinary person.
Maybe you could give me some suggestions about how to communicate this in a better way, a deeper way than that.
Thank you, Wendy. I hold deep respect and admiration for the work you’re doing. Roxanne
Roxanne - I appreciate your candor and the vulnerability it takes to share how your ideas have shifted over time. I also appreciate that you keep researching and learning. I do too. I first learned about concepts like cisgender and nonbinary from my high school students--maybe a decade ago now. I'd never heard these terms before, and it took me a while to understand them. Listening to students and their experiences helped, as did researching. Regarding your question about how to communicate this, I anticipate that being honest and open is likely the best approach. The group Advocates for Trans Equality is offering an online workshop next week focused on how to testify for trans rights. I'll ask Regina for your email so that I can forward the info to you. Thank you for your active role in fighting for gay and lesbian rights--and for staying engaged in the work to extend those human rights to include our transgender and queer siblings. Love and hugs to you across the miles.
Incredibly eloquent essay with historical context and action steps. I’ll be sharing this with people in my life that have a fundamental misunderstanding of what is happening to trans people in America these days. Thank you🫶🏻
Thank you for sharing this post, Marc! When I was writing it, I hoped that grounding it in both a personal and historical context would expand its usefulness to readers.
Super. cool shoes
Kris - when they were released in for Pride Month 2023, I liked them so much that I bought two pairs--so I could put one in the closet for when this pair wears out :-).
Great idea! I do that as well .
I have those same shoes!! 😍🏳️🌈
That's so cool, Veronica! They often make folks who notice them smile too. I hope that happens to you.
It does!! They help me find my fellow queers in the wild lol
Thank you!
You're welcome! Writing it was a clarifying and galvanizing experience.
Wendy, thank you for your strong words and for bringing more knowledge about our LGBTQ Society. Everyone has the right to live their best life and be happy without interference from government!
Thank you, Mom. Yes, everyone does. I'm so glad you found the post useful.