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MTPC July E-Newsletter

Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition
July 7, 2008

MTPC Updates
Transgender Youth Summit a Success!
The last weekend in June MTPC and BAGLY co-sponsored the first day-long summit designed for transgender youth 24 and under. Over 45 youth came together for a full day of activities including presentations from GLAD and MassEquality; hands on art and writing workshops; and identity groups. Summit participants were treated to “swag bags” with t-shirts, health information, and resources.

During the closing circle at the Transgender Youth Summit, participants were asked about their experiences of the day and what they would take a away, one youth responded that this was the first time he “had been in a room with so many other transgender youth” because often he is the only transgender youth, which has felt isolating, but after meeting other transgender youth at the summit he feels less isolated.

Giving to MTPC
Here are just some of MTPC’s accomplishments from the last six months, please consider supporting our work for the next six months. – Participated in eight community events across the state which resulted in the collection of 1500 signed legislator postcards for HB 1722. – Facilitated a transgender voter registration drive which has resulted in registering 25 new voters; – Provided support to local transgender activists through technical assistance, materials, and referrals, which has resulted in a new MTPC chapter being started in Worcester County; – Developed a Name Change Kit, to assist community members in obtaining a legal name change; – Provided research and proposed solutions to the Department of Public Health in addressing suicide in the transgender community; – Conducted eight transgender cultural competency trainings; – Increased legislative support for HB 1722 from 25 to 70 legislative co-sponsors; and secured support from U.S. House Representative Barney Frank, MA Governor Deval Patrick, Attorney General Martha Coakley, Suffolk County Sheriff Andrea Cabral, and the Mayors of Boston, Cambridge, and Northampton.

To sustain this work, we need your support now, and on an on-going basis. We’re fighting for the same rights and services that non-transgender Massachusetts residents currently enjoy. Please donate whatever you can afford—or better yet, sign up to be a monthly sustainer.

New MTPC chapter starting in Worcester
Save the Date: Sunday, August 10, 2008
MTPC Worcester Chapter Kick Off Party 2-4 pm at 86 Winter Restaurant at 65 Water Street, Worcester
Come learn about MTPC, the new chapter, and ways to get involved. For more information please email worcester@masstpc.org

Thank you to all that marched with MTPC at Boston Pride and NE Transgender March and Rally

Looking for trans friendly jobs, resources, or events or have some to post – don’t forget to check out website

HB 1722 Update
The Massachusetts legislative session ends July 31, 2008, but MTPC and our Transgender Civil Rights Partners continue to work on educating legislators about the issues of discrimination and bias violence that affect transgender people.

How you can help – Find out where candidates stand on transgender civil rights – ask if they will support gender identity/gender expression non-discrimination legislation and check out their endorsements – let MTPC know – Attend campaign events – this is a great way for legislators to meet members of the transgender community. – Volunteer for a pro-transgender equality candidates election/re-election campaigns – Register to vote – In order to vote you must be registered: 20 days before all primaries and elections, and/or 10 days before a special town meeting

Transgender Community News
COLAGE Releases Groundbreaking Resource on Transgender Families
Exclusive Guide for People with Transgender Parents

MTPC congratulates former MTPC member Monica Canfield-Lenfest on the release of Kids of Trans Resource Guide!

COLAGE is proud to announce the release of its Kids of Trans Resource Guide, the first of its kind, which was written by and for people with transgender parents. While many transgender people have children, very few resources exist for transgender parents and their families. Having a transgender parent can often feel isolating or challenging. This crucial resource will provide the growing community of children, youth, and adults with one or more transgender parent(s) much needed information about their experience.

“When my father explained that (s)he was becoming a woman, (s)he handed me a pamphlet about transgender issues,” says Monica Canfield-Lenfest, COLAGE Kids of Trans Fellow. “I really wanted a pamphlet for me. Ten years later, that resource finally exists.”

The Kids of Trans Resource Guide was authored by Monica Canfield-Lenfest and is the culmination of her eight-month Kids of Trans Fellowship at COLAGE from October 2007 through May 2008. Copies are available by donation from COLAGE. An electronic version will also be available at www.colage.org.

Friday, July 11th
Freedom! A benefit for the Transgender Emergency Fund
Hosted by: Lady Sabrina
Starring: Miss Gay Worcester, Chaz Del Rey, Amber Rockwell, and Secret Feature Performers!
6-9PM Blu Nightclub, 105 Water Street, Worcester
Cover: $10 donation, more donations welcome!

For more information, please contact Jesse Pack at
jessep@aidsprojectworcester.org or 508-755-3773.

About the fund: The Worcester Transgender Emergency Fund responds to the needs of transgender people living in Central Massachusetts by providing immediate, short-term financial assistance to help low-income transgender people with basic human needs. Through the fund’s intervention, transgender people can maintain access to medical care and hormone therapy, avoid homelessness, and live with greater dignity and stability that discrimination too often denies them. The Transgender Emergency Fund is currently accepting donations. The fund has virtually no overhead costs. Every penny donated will go directly to people in need. To donate to the fund, make out checks to AIDS Project Worcester with “Transgender Emergency Fund” written in the memo line. Send donations to:
Transgender Emergency Fund
c/o AIDS Project Worcester
85 Green Street
Worcester, MA 01604
All donations are tax deductible!

Wednesday, July 16, 2008
CineMental Film Screening: Gender Redesigner
At Brattle Theater: 40 Brattle Street Harvard Sq. Cambridge 9:30pm, all ages, $10 http://www.truthserum.org

CineMental is excited to welcome fAe Gibson, subject of Gender Redesigner, to Boston for this screening and discussion.
Gender Redesigner Johnny Bergmann, USA, 2006, Video, 74 min.

Follow fAe over the course of 5 years as she begins to question her gender and decides to surgically modify her body. This intimate fun filled adventure makes you wonder how fAe can handle beginning hormone treatment, having his breasts removed, and drag kinging – all in the middle of rural Western Pennsylvania. While transitioning from female to male, fAe makes a startling discovery about the balance between his masculine and feminine sides. Can she succeed living as a man in the middle of farm country?

For more information: http://www.myspace.com/genderre designerfilm and http://www.RainbowAmerica.org

CineMental showcases the best of independent queer media in a way never before seen in Boston. CineMental is the convergence of film, video, performance and music. CineMental is every third Wednesday at The Brattle (though sometimes we move around.) CineMental is sponsored by The Video Underground in JP

The National Stonewall Democrats are recruiting donors for the Transgender Community and Allies to Support Obama Campaign
National Stonewall Democrats are asking for transgender people to support Barack Obama based on his strong record of advocacy for the LGBT community and also to measure the impact transgender people and allies are having on the campaign. To see details and contribute now please go to: http://actblue.com/page/trans

Scholarships Available for Fantasia Fair 2008
The Fantasia Fair Planning Committee will be awarding several
scholarships to the 34th annual Fantasia Fair in historic
Provincetown, Massachusetts from October 19 through October 26, 2008.

Recipients awarded full scholarships will receive free tuition to the Fair, including all seminars, workshops, and events, daily lunches, and shared room accommodations for seven nights. Partial scholarships are also available as well as the “Dottie Laing Scholarship” for couples with a transgender partner.

“Even though we have been able to keep our conference affordable to many, the downturn in the economy has kept the Fair out of reach of some” said Fair Director Miqqi Alicia Gilbert, Ph.D. “These scholarships make it possible for some to attend our conference who couldn’t otherwise afford to come.”

Dr. Gilbert continues, “These awards are just one way we help the community. Scholarship recipients learn things at Fantasia Fair and the go back to their local communities to share what they learned. These people can and do make a difference.”

Scholarships are open to those who demonstrate financial need,
regardless of their age or gender. Applicants should submit a
statement of financial need and a letter explaining why they want to attend Fantasia Fair. The Fantasia Fair Planning Committee will select all scholarship recipients.

Eligibility Requirements
Age over 18 (or parental permission if under 18)
Demonstrated financial need (applications will be considered on an individual basis)
Submission of a “Why I Want to Come to Fantasia Fair” letter
Receipt of materials by July 31, 2008
Fantasia Fair Planning Committee Members and their families are not eligible for scholarships

Rules for Scholarship Awards
1) Submit a letter entitled “Why I Want to Come to Fantasia Fair.”
There are no limitations for length or style. You can be creative
just as long as you are convincing
2) Submit a letter, note, or other materials demonstrating your
financial need; in other words, tell the committee how your financial situation prevents you from coming to Fantasia Fair.
3) Applicants under 18 years of age must include a document giving parental consent
4) Following the July 31 deadline, the Fantasia Fair Planning
Committee will evaluate all submissions. Awards will be given to the candidates who, in the judgment of the Committee, most convincingly demonstrate their desire to attend Fantasia Fair.
5) Contest winners will be notified on or about August 15, 2008
6) In the event that a winner is not able to attend Fantasia Fair or declines the scholarship, the first runner-up will be notified
immediately

Please submit your materials by the July 31 deadline to:
scholarships@fantasfair.org
or
Fantasia Fair
P.O. Box 126
Pinole, CA 94564

When you submit your materials, please make sure to include a postal address, email address, or phone number for the Fantasia Fair Planning Committee to use to contact you. If you provide a phone number, please mention what name to ask for.

Additional details about the Fantasia Fair conference and the
scholarships available can be found at www.fantasiafair.org. Anyone interested in contributing to a scholarship fund are encourage to contact the conference organizers.

Just Released: Invisible Men: FTMs and Homelessness in Toronto
From The FTM Safer Shelter Project Research Team
June 2008
New PDF research resource:
http://wellesleyinstitute.com /files/invisible-men.pdf

    posted Jul 8, 01:22 PM

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