In the wake of HB2 (Transgender individuals must use bathrooms equal to their birth sex assignment) passing in North Carolina, James Parker Sheffield from Atlanta, GA invited park goers in Washington Square Park to ask him questions about his life and experiences as a trans man.
Here’s what happened. (Facebook Video via Huffpost)
Natural Transitioning: An FTM Alternative SECOND EDITION: Click Here!
Filed under Education, Shout Out, Spout Out, Uncategorized
Trans Health Initiative Offering Hormone Replacement Therapy
Fundraising efforts by local groups, the Atlanta Radical Faeries and the Atlanta Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, will be honored on May 19th at the First Existentialist Congregation in Candler Park from 5pm – 7pm.
ATLANTA – The Trans Health Initiative (THI) is pleased to announce the availability of Hormone Replacement Therapy to the transmasculine community. THI’s new coordinator, Sybastian Welch (a trans-identified man and advocate), and new Medical Director are committed to providing consistent and high quality health care. They reexamined protocols and integrated recommendations into the program to help realize the actual needs of the Trans-masculine community.
THI has offered sensitive and affordable health care to gender variant and intersex individuals since 2000. THI is a program of the Feminist Health Center’s Cliff Valley Clinic located at 1924 Cliff Valley Way NE in Atlanta.
The THI program seeks to reduce barriers to health care services and hormone replacement therapy for transmasculine individuals. We offer sliding scale fees and relaxants or anesthesia for lower exams, colposcopies, biopsies and other medically necessary procedures that some clients feel may be emotionally and/or physically intolerable if they were awake.
THI follows the Harry Benjamin International Gender Dysphoria Association’s Standards of Care guidelines and is also informed by Medical Therapy and Health Maintenance for Transgender Men, the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), and the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH). For more information about THI, please visit www.transhealthinitiative.org.
Fundraising by local queers groups helped provide necessary funding for services. The Intergalactic Love Affair (IGLA) is a community celebration-meets-fundraising event lovingly thrown together by the collaborative efforts of the Atlanta Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence and the Atlanta Radical Faeries. The event was conceived as an opportunity to unite the passion and creative powers of a group of friends toward raising funds for queer-minded organizations in the Atlanta community. In its inaugural year, all proceeds from IGLA went to YouthPride to shine a light on the issues facing young queers in our community. This year, the event highlighted an often overlooked group in our alphabet soup – the Atlanta transgender community – by donating 100% of funds raised from this year’s event to the Feminist Women’s Health Center (FWHC) and their Trans Health Initiative (THI).
The Atlanta Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, order of the Flaming Sugarbakers are 21st century queer nuns dedicated to the manifestation of cosmic joy through freedom of expression, community outreach, social activism and charitable acts. Their manifest states, “We love expiating stigmatic guilt and spreading cosmic joy. We paint our faces to express the diversity in the community and by bringing our inside expressions out and to reflect the beauty of the people we meet and serve.” The Sisters have been in Atlanta since 2009 and delight in helping our communities through condom ministries, diverse fundraisers and promoting health awareness. They are first-line fighters in the campaign for universal human rights in the queer community. For more information, visit http://atlsisters.org.
The Atlanta Radical Faeries are a very loosely aligned fellowship of friends, family, mutants, and misfits uniting countless queer sub-cultures to foment community through acts of radical self-expression, love, and compassion.
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Filed under Shout Out
Since 2008, a growing number of FTMs have stumbled upon an alternative founded by Tristan Skye. This alternative plan allows transmen to naturally increase the testosterone their bodies already are producing with a 3-step plan including:
Natural Transitioning has helped out many guys who are waiting to start Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT), who are unable to do HRT, or who want an alternative option to HRT.
The book emphasizes the need to seek a physicians care the same as anyone doing the HRT method.
The book is released today via Lulu.com. You can purchase a paperback copy or an online edition.
100 pages filled with information, photos and even a bonus recipe section!
Click HERE to purchase your copy today!
Filed under Recipes, Shout Out, TQ Nation Review, Transitioning
TQ Citizen, Sam from New Zealand, has launched a fun and creative blog called “Rooster Tails” that depicts comics of he and his partner’s transition from female to male.
We love comics, so we teamed up with Sam and will post some of his comics every now and again on our *Shimmer, Shimmer* blog!
Filed under Entertainment, Shout Out
Just in time for this week’s LPGA Tour Championship, a victory for the transgender community makes a hole in one.
Lana Lawless filed suit against the LPGA on Oct. 12 in the U.S. District Court of San Francisco, a direct result of her rejected application for tour membership. The 57-year-old retired police officer suspected a violation of her rights, considering she underwent sex-reassignment surgery five years ago.
This past Tuesday, the LPGA voted an epic change to its constitutional bylaws during a players meeting to begin including members that were not assigned “female at birth.”
LPGA president Michelle Ellis noted, “This was the first hurdle. This had to be done first.”
Other sports organizations that have already amended their bylaws allowing transgender participation include the International Olympic Committee, the U.S. Golf Association, the BritishLadies Golf Union and the Ladies European Tour.
LPGA Commissioner Mike Whan delivered in a statement, “Steps will be taken in the coming weeks to make the appropriate changes to the language of the constitution.”
Whether the LPGA will adopt Olympic definitions has yet to be concluded. The details of their newly developed transgender membership remains undefined.
WRITTEN BY TRISTAN SKYE
originally posted on The GA Voice
Ian Harvie (photo credit: Kevin Neales)
If you know comedy, you know Ian Harvie. A trans funny man who has audiences rolling on the floor in laughter across the globe. If you can’t catch him in a city near you, then I suggest you subscribe to his YouTube channel, Fan him on Facebook and Follow him on Twitter.
Sidenote: The word on the street says you should do all of that too … even if you are one of the lucky kids and Ian comes to your town! That’s your BONUS!
This summer he will be swinging by my side of town (flipping “EASTSIDE” sign) and I can’t wait to meet him face-to-face.
Besides his comedy, Ian is as real as you get. He has a humble personality and a “dripping with honey” sweetness. The kind of guy you want as your best buddy, have a “bromance” with and scream out, “I love you, man!”
Ian tackles everything from gender to politics to the funny conditions and dispositions of human beings at their core.
Here’s an example of Ian’s personal “philosophy”:
“I was born female, there is no question that I understand this. I believe that ‘female’ is a biological and legal term; while my gender is something that I get to create and modify myself. I do not consider myself ‘male’, however I do identify as a man – the two are not necessarily connected for me. These are words I like to use when describing my gender: Butch, Trans, Trans Man, Tranny Boi, and Masculine. I don’t feel like I was robbed of the correct biological sex, I believe I was born in the right body, I just may want to change it a little bit. Really, who hasn’t felt this way about some part of their body?”
Most notably, Ian was scooped up by one of TQ’s other favorites comedians, Margaret Cho (we love you & your tattoos!), and she toured with Ian nationally and internationally which then landed Ian on TV shows, gracing the channels of LOGO and CBS.
TQ Nation had the opportunity to hit up Ian with an exclusive interview. We asked 10 questions and received answers that were so honest, real and enlightening it made us want to give Ian a great big bear-hug and a” smoochie-boochie” on the cheek. We really just think he’s super! Not to mention, he’s a TQ Nation citizen! What a smart guy!
TQ NATION EXLUSIVE INTERVIEW
TQ: What do you believe has been your biggest role or accomplishment that has benefited the transgendered community?
IH: I hope that it’s Trans visibility. I don’t want be a comic without being a positive image. Making people laugh and educating people are important and absolutely connected for me.
TQ: What is the craziest thing one of your fans has ever done to get your attention?
IH: I was on tour this past fall with Margaret and there was a meet and greet back stage after a show in (I think) Buffalo and this girl with a big group of her friends insisted that I spank her. She said she wouldn’t leave until I spanked her as hard as I could. She was not bare-assed or anything, she was wearing a pair of jeans, standing in the painted white, cinder block hall backstage in a big theater with all her friends standing there, waiting, like ‘come on, do it’ looks on their faces.. Our tour crew needed to get our next destination in a timely manner, so I did what I needed to do, I took a single swipe almost as hard as I could and we loaded up our van and went on our way.
TQ: Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
IH: Having love and a family, still touring doing standup, maybe producing different projects, writing for others, writing on comedy shows, creating and collaborating, traveling, and frig, I hope exercising more..
TQ: Who is the one person that has played the most significant and positive role in your life? Why?
IH: There’s just not one. There’s so many, and since I’ve got the microphone, I’m gonna share.
My Mom, Dad and brothers have shown true unconditional love throughout many things that I’ve brought to them, that they didn’t understand at first. Not everyone who is Trans can say that about their parents and family. I’m incredibly lucky to have them role model what real love looks like, if I forget, I just look at them.
All of my relationships, friends, partners, partners who became friends, have all taught me and molded me to the good human I am today, I’m so grateful for all of them.
The one who was my friend and became my partner, my beautiful girlfriend Sarah, who is rarely shocked or shaken. She is my anywayfriend (which I heard last night on The Practice), the one who knows about my ego and all my flaws and she loves and accepts me anyway. I can only hope that I add to her life as much as she adds to mine.
I have to mention one of my best friends and mentors, Margaret. She changed my life in so many ways, my comedy career is definitely part of that, but she keeps teaching me things that are unrelated to comedy. Encouraged fearlessness and sharing insight just when I need it. I don’t know if I’ve ever laughed so hard with someone, I will always remember this time in my life.
TQ: What do you consider to be your greatest achievement so far in life?
IH: I spent a lot of years not being okay with my body. Thinking: ‘who would ever want to fuck me?’ After lots of therapy, getting clean and sober, being honest with myself, a commitment to spiritually feeling better, and the decision to modify my body, I think my greatest achievement is loving myself and my body for the first time ever.
TQ: Being a face in the “limelight”, what types of privacy or safety concerns have you faced? How did you deal with them?
IH: I have not experienced any privacy issues really. I think when you’re as out as I am, there’s little ‘new’ to discover, I’ve likely said it all on stage at some point. But if you mean the other translation of privacy, I live in Los Angeles, where it’s so huge (14 million people in the greater LA area), it would be a little hard to try to find where anyone lives, etc. I really think no one cares enough about me or what I’m doing to try to disrupt my life or invade my privacy or even stalk me at shows. Maybe that’s a little naïve..? But there are, of course, always safety concerns for all Trans people, and I’m no different. I do tend to watch my back a little more when traveling in places I’m not familiar with, especially overseas! I definitely rush in and out of the men’s restroom in public places. But I think (maybe falsely) because I’m soooo out, that I forget sometimes to be more concerned about my own well being. I think ‘what’s the big deal, I’m Trans’ and go about my business, but forgetting that it’s not really like that yet out there in the real world. Some day it will be like that, where little to no one cares. I look forward to that.
TQ: What’s the biggest piece of advice you would give someone who wants to follow in your footsteps?
IH: Write tons. Be funny! Always say yes, the best jokes come from new experiences.
It’s okay to be afraid, but just put it your pocket, and jump, the wind will catch you.
Trans people need visibility in the LGBT community, so if you get nervous to go on stage, remember you’re doing it for you and for them and that should help your feet move to the stage.
Be honest and leave a piece of yourself on the stage.
Love yourself like no one else.
TQ: How did you first get your start in comedy?
IH: I started in my home town, Portland, Maine at the comedy club there. I took a comedy writing/performance workshop with a great guy named Tim Ferrell. How he found me was divine for sure! He taught me joke writing structure and editing. After the class was over, I began performing right out of the gate and haven’t stopped for over 7 years. I performed all over New England and decided that I wanted to chase this dream and to do so I needed to move to LA or NY. I grew up in Maine! It’s fucking cold there, so the choice was easy for me, LA all the way. Since moving here I’ve had some great opportunities and I just keep saying yes to everything. It’s been a ball!
TQ: TQ Nation is giving you a personal soap box – What do you want to say? (include your spout outs: vents, complaints, thanks or anything you want people to know)
IH: I’m always kind of surprised that there are so many people out there that think that they don’t understand how Trans people feel. I especially love when people play confused or fascinatingly concerned when the word Transgender is mentioned. For those who think they don’t understand, I challenge them with this notion.
No one out there in the entire world feels 100% okay about their body. NO ONE! And if you do, then you’re the freak. There are so many people out there that are, what I like to call Bio Trans. These are biological women who modify their bodies to be more feminine and biological men who modify their bodies to be more masculine. When a biological woman elects a breast augmentation procedure so she can feel more feminine in her body, how is that any different than me taking mine off to feel more masculine in mine. The core feelings that motivated us to change our bodies are the same. There are so many people out there that have these feelings, what they do with them, varies from person to person but In my book, everyone is a little Trans.
When I first came to understand that I was Trans, I felt alone and I thought I was the only one who had ever felt at odds with their body. There was even a brief period for me where I wrestled with feelings of resentment, and used language like ‘robbed of the correct sex’. Which was strange coming from me because I’d always been this eternally optimistic person; being resentful didn’t suit me. So I started looking at my life, body and birth name with acceptance. At first I had to fake it and in no time it seemed to become true. I was accepting of my given, biological body, but absolutely knowing that I could, if I wanted to, change it. And since then, this is how I’ve made sense of things for me.. I believe that sex is a biological fact and gender is something that I get to create; it’s changeable, fluid, and infinite. And I am not the only person who has ever felt these ways. I think everyone has felt at odds with their given body at different times.. wanting something different, wanting something more, wanting less of.. I think everyone has felt this way at some point in their lives and our feelings are what connect us to each other; that is what make us alike and understandable to each other.
So in my book, we are all a little Trans. And if you need examples of other Bio Trans folks, just look at Cher, Dolly Parton, Charro, Barry Manilow, Kenny Rogers and Bruce Jenner.
I went from feeling completely alone to feeling like this is something that we all have in common. I don’t feel so different anymore and that keeps me from feeling alone, no matter where I am.
TQ: What upcoming event/tour can your fans look forward to in the future?
IH: I am booking lots of college shows these days, so let me know if you’re school needs a Transgender funnyman. I’m working tons of Pride Festivals and Comedy Festivals all over the world. I’m headlining at mainstream comedy clubs around the country. I’ll be on some LGBT cruise ship vacations this summer and fall 2010. And I encourage all people to hit me up about doing house shows near places that I might be performing. If you want to know when and where I’ll be, please go to www.ianharvie.com and look at my tour schedule.
Love you, mean it!
XOXO Ian
TQ: I love you, man!
Written by TQ Nation President, Tristan Skye
Join the Revolution: http://www.transqueernation.com
Filed under Entertainment, Events, Shout Out, TQ Nation Exclusive Interviews
The Cliks’ Lucas Silveira
Lucas Silveira, the openly transgender lead singer of Toronto alt-rock band The Cliks, became the first transgender man to win the Throw Your Underwear Award Male (Sexiest Canadian Man) in the year end reader’s poll by Canada’s premier music magazine.
Chart Attack reported this historical event almost didn’t happen when Avril Lavign’s ex, Deryck Whibley, momentarily took the lead, but in the end lost to Silveira by over 1000 votes.
In a 2007 interview with Kathy Belge, Silveira spoke openly about how he viewed his journey, “Because of the choice that I had to make, I started looking at trans in a very different way. I feel really invisible as a trans man because I’m not able to take Testosterone. I don’t have the visual aspects that a man has, I’m not hairy, my body is different.”
“I had this really interesting conversation with a friend of mine, a trans guy. He made the decision not to go on T. He said, ‘I feel if I did Testosterone, it would make me invisible as a trans man.’ I’ve been hanging onto that because it just made me think so intensely about walking in this world having everybody treat me as male and having achieved this male privilege that a lot of guys who are trans feel like they’ve attained.”
“I started thinking about that because I feel like, not only am I a voice for the trans community going out into mainstream, but there are guys like me. We’re they guys who are truly in the middle. I’ve had top surgery, but I’m not doing T. And to tell you the truth, I don’t know if I ever will. I feel very comfortable being where I am right now.”
“Oh Yeah” by The Cliks (Brian Viglione of Dresden Dolls on drums, Tobi Parks on bass)
Original post: Click here
Written by: Veronica Lane
Filed under Entertainment, News, Shout Out
Tristan (left), Maxwell (center) & Franky (right) *(Photo Credit: Clarice Gauf)
On January 14th, 2010, Dr. Maxwell Scott Anderson was transported to a higher place after being diagnosed with a brain tumor in late December.
“Dr Maxwell Scott Anderson August 26, 1956 – January 14, 2010 On January 14th, 2010 at 3:10pm, Dr. Maxwell Scott Anderson was called home to God’s glory in a peaceful rest. He was a native of Chicago, Illinois; moving to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida and then to Atlanta, Georgia where he called home for 20 plus years.”
Maxwell was surrounded by much love when he passed and his life has left a print on this world that will never be forgotten. He was a man with a heart of gold and touched the lives of many. His spirit will forever live on.
Maxwell was a well known therapist in Atlanta. One of my best friends, Franky, went to Maxwell and they became as close as brothers in a short amount of time. Franky spoke very highly of Maxwell and this is how my wife and I were first introduced.
The first time I saw Maxwell was upon viewing the 2001 Sundance film festival winner “Southern Comfort”. In the documentary, I was able to soak in a glimpse of Maxwell as I watched him live his life by the side of his best friend, the late Robert Eads. Robert was also a trans man who died of Ovarian cancer due to doctors refusing treatment. The film covered the last year of his life.
My wife and I got the honor to meet Maxwell face-to-face at the Southern Comfort Conference in 2009. He was working on a new documentary that will still be made in his honor.
Maxwell was a person you quickly came to love and see as family. My wife and I helped with a benefit show to support the documentary and the next thing we knew, he was at our home for a cookout. That was the last time we saw Maxwell before we found out the news. He was supposed to be at my wife’s birthday party and we found out days later he did not show up due to the fact that he collapsed in his home and wasn’t found until days later.
When we visited him at the hospice, he was asleep and we told him how much we love him and gave him lots of hugs and kisses. Two people that remained by his side the most were his sister Susie who flew down here to be with him from Chicago and my best friend Franky.
This past weekend, I was at Maxwell’s apartment and watched Susie going through items and Franky and Cass help transport belongings.
Dr. Maxwell Scott Anderson (Photo Credit: PJ Pilgrim of Appleblossom Photography)
The most important part of all of this is that Maxwell needs your help.
His life insurance was given to someone who only is contributing to pay for Maxwell’s cremation and nothing else. A HORRIBLE truth. There is much more to this story, but I believe God will deal with this person and it’s not up to us.
Pastor Paul of Gentle Spirit church in Atlanta is a wonderful man and is holding the memorial service at his place of worship.
As you can imagine, there is a great need here to help cover costs that accumulated and his death.
I’m asking for people to PLEASE help and know that even $1 will help out. The funds are going to a safe account that belongs to his sister. She is a great person and said after the costs have been covered ALL remaining funds will go to help fund the documentary Maxwell was making so it can be completed.
They also have some of his items for sale trying to raise money. Click HERE to donate!
HOW to”CHIPIN”: First click on the link below and it will take you to the ChipIn page. You will see a “widget” on the right-hand side, click the button that says “ChipIn!” – This will now direct you to the Paypal page. At the top, insert the amount you want to donate in the box that says “unit price” THEN click on the button “update totals” — NOW you are ready to either log in to your paypal account OR you can follow the steps below and enter in your account info on the safe server. After you complete your transaction, you will be notified via email and receive a confirmation. THANK YOU FOR YOUR DONATIONS!
Some Posts on Maxwell’s FaceBook page:
“Rest in peace, Max. A special “thank you” to his close friends for keeping us all in the know. It was an honor to have seen his life from the outside while knowing I would always be in his heart as he is in mine… and to know the size of his heart from thousands of miles away. You will be missed, my brother.”
“RIP max..you have no idea the impact you have made on the trans community… the doc. made such an imact on me and 1,000s of others. Almost made it to SCC this year, i sorry i didnt so i could meet you. The trans community is truly in mourning. RIP say hey to robert for me”
“This is the Maxwell I want you to remember. This is the speech from the Trans Rights rally and march in Atlana last June, on the 40th Anniversary ofthe Stonewall Rebellion. When ATL postponed Pride, we did not. Maxwell helped to organize it. The speech moved me. His memory, and hisactivism, are survived in us. Plenty of fight to carry onward.”
“Goodbye max although we never met you were a great man. its saddens me to have never met you but in my heart you are begining your journey with God. you will shine ever so bright being the angel that you are. you will be dearly missed by so many people i wish the most love and cheerfulness to all in this sad time. lots of love from me to you all.”
“comfort and peace for the people who loved him. he set a wonderful example.. we will see him again though. he had such a sweet heart.”
“God speed Maxwell, I hope you find an eternity of peace and joy. We will meet again. Thank you Susie for all that you have done to see him off. It can’t have been easy. Please accept my condolences for yourself and your family. You are now part of a larger family and I appreciate everything you have done these past few weeks.”
My Post:
“♥ My tweet last night for you, dearest big brother ♥ Today the world lost a very special man, Dr. Maxwell Scott Anderson, and heaven received him. Three things I know: he will never be forgotten, that he will always be very loved and in our hearts forever. Xoxoxo Max, your spirit will forever live on. I know you are watching over us now from heaven. You and Robert.”
Some Posts on Maxwell’s passport on TQ Nation:
“Dr. Max. you are an awesome guy. You have helped so many who were lost confused and hurting, i’m one of them. didnt talk for long just one email but you helped me through your encouragement and wise words. We all love you Dr. Max.”
“Thank you for all you did in your life. You will continue to be an inspiration to me and for that I am forever grateful. Rest in peace.”
Remembrance Video by Monica Helms:
Written by: Tristan Skye of TQ Nation
Sisters Talk Radio recently had a show on its blogtalkradio station with the featured topic being:
“Best LGBT Web Sites 2009”
*SistersTalk Radio’s Best Lesbian Web Site of 2009: AutoStraddle.com
*SistersTalk Radio’s Best Gay Web Site of 2009: JaySays.com
*SistersTalk Radio’s Best Bisexual Web Site of 2009: BinetUSA.org
*SistersTalk Radio’s Best Transgender Web Site of 2009: Trans Q Nation (www.TQnation.com)
We were thrilled to see TQ Nation being recognized and wanted to send a gi-normous “THANK YOU” to Geenia & Andrea over @SistersTalk!
She Said, She Said is a podcast featuring lesbian couple Genia and Andrea. Genia is the host of SistersTalk Radio and Andrea is the assistant producer.
Listen to more SistersTalk Radio. Follow SistersTalk on Twitter. Become a fan on Facebook.
*TQ Nation was also voted #2 Best Social Network in 2009 (Facebook took #1) by Southern Voice Magazine.
As a child, Kerry Bell dreamed of growing up to become a policeman — both a police officer and a man.
Kerry Bell is a transgender man and a Bountiful police officer. He says the police force, including the chief, have been very supportive of his coming out, which included a transition from female to male that began 18 months ago. (Leah Hogsten / The Salt Lake Tribune)
Becoming a cop was relatively simple — Bell joined the Bountiful Police Department 14 years ago. Becoming a man took more time.
Born female, Bell came out as transgender about a year and a half ago and started a transition to a new life as a man. He always had felt male, but did not think switching genders was a viable option until he saw transgender people gaining wider acceptance, along with advances in medical technology.
Surprisingly, the 42-year-old — working in what many perceive as a super-macho culture — says he did not fret about telling the police chief or his co-workers to start referring to him as “he,” not “she.”
“I wasn’t worried about coming out at work,” says Bell, who has had hormone treatments and surgeries. “I’ve worked for Bountiful for 14 years. I know everybody I work with.”
Although some employees have trouble remembering to use masculine pronouns, Bountiful Police Chief Tom Ross says, “everyone’s done a great job of accepting Kerry and staying focused on why we’re here in the first place.”
Bell, a corporal and SWAT member, is a “well-rounded police officer,” Ross adds. “We’re glad that he works here.”
Some things about Bell’s transition were easy. He did not have to wear different clothes to work. Uniforms, he jokes, are exactly that –uniform. His first and last name also stayed the same, although he dropped a middle name, Ann, and changed the gender marker on his driver license.
His “only anxiety,” he says, was telling his parents, who divorced when Bell was 2 years old. But his mother, his father and their spouses were supportive.
“You have to accept your children for who they are,” says his dad, Terry Bell, who lives in Rockville near Zion National Park. “It’s a little difficult for me, after 40 years, to think of my daughter as a son. That’s hard. [But] it hasn’t changed a thing about how I feel about him as a person.”
Now, Kerry Bell works to increase understanding between his two worlds: law enforcement and the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community.
The relationship between the two communities has had ups and downs. A police raid on a New York gay bar erupted into the 1969 Stonewall riots, launching the modern gay-rights movement.
Far less hostility exists today — homosexuality has been decriminalized — but many LGBT people remain wary of contacting the cops, Bell says. Some worry about whether they will be treated with respect. Others, who are in the closet, fear being outed.
Bell belongs to the LGBT Public Safety Committee, an informal group with police representatives from Weber County to West Valley City that has been working for nine years to bridge the gap.
The committee members help gay and transgender people understand police procedures. They coach police on how to respond to cases of same-sex domestic violence and gay cruising in parks. In fact, they helped launch a successful Salt Lake City program that steers those caught having sex in public places toward counseling, not jail. If the violators do not repeat the offense for a year — the vast majority don’t — the charges are dropped.
That many LGBT officers now serve openly at several Utah law-enforcement agencies speaks volumes to how far society has progressed, says Salt Lake City Capt. Kyle Jones, a founding member of the committee.
“Twenty years ago, they wouldn’t have been [welcome],” says Jones, who was inspired to get involved with the LGBT community after his son came out as gay. “The current crop of officers, by and large, don’t give it a second thought.”
Jones, along with other committee members, recruits potential new officers at the annual Utah Pride Festival for the Salt Lake City Police Department.
“Our department has tried for years to recruit from the populations that we represent,” Jones says. “Anywhere from 8 to 12 percent of [Salt Lake City] is thought to be LGBT so we should have 8 to 12 percent of our cops who are LGBT.”
Bell hopes being out can help “demystify” what it means to be transgender.
As a Davis County kid, Bell says he always felt like a boy. It was something he didn’t know how to express to his family. At age 6, he gathered up all his dolls and gave them to a neighbor. He hated going to church on Sunday because it meant he had to wear a dress.
“I thought God had just put me in the wrong body, and one day I’d wake up and I’d be the way I was supposed to be,” says Bell, a Salt Lake City resident. “Of course, you reach an age where you realize that’s not going to happen.”
At 16, Bell told his parents he was attracted to women after they asked if he was gay. As a lesbian, Bell found a home in the LGBT community. He also learned more about people who are transgender. He looked into surgery at age 18 but decided the techniques were too “barbaric.”
More than 20 years later, he decided he was ready for the change.
“I’m a generally optimistic and happy person,” he says. But “I’ve probably felt better in the last year and a half than I have at any point in my life.”
His other joyful moments are similar to those for most police officers: helping someone in need, maybe even hearing a “thank you.”
Written by: Rosemary Winters, The Salt Lake Tribune
Original Post: http://www.sltrib.com/utah/ci_13886492
The TQ Revolution 