Defining Terms

• Gender Identity

Male/ Masculine

Female/ Feminine

• Sexual Orientation

Heterosexual

Homosexual

Bisexual

Asexual

Intersections

Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation are different. One is about who we are. The other is about who we want to be in relationship with.

Transgender people can be heterosexual, homosexual, and asexual. The proportions are about the same as in the cisgender population.

Defining Terms

• Gender Non-Conformity

• Gender Dysphoria

Gender Nonconformity Is Not the Same as Gender Dysphoria

Gender nonconformity refers to the extent to which a person’s gender identity, role, or expression differs from the cultural norms prescribed for people of a particular sex.

Gender dysphoria refers to discomfort or distress that is caused by a discrepancy between a person’s gender identity and that person’s sex assigned at birth (and the associated gender role and/or primary and secondary sex characteristics).

Only some gender nonconforming people experience gender dysphoria at some point in their lives.

WPATH SOC V7

Defining Terms

Transgender

• Often considered an umbrella term for gender variant people

• Attributed to Charles Virginia Prince 1960s/70s

Defining Terms

Transsexual

• FtM

• MtF

• Pre-Op

• Post-Op

• Non-Op

Defining Terms

Cross Dresser

Defining Terms

Gender Queer

Defining Terms

Intersex

Defining Terms

Two Spirit

Defining Terms

Trannie

Possible Causes?

• Nature vs. Nurture• Pre-natal stress and medications• Genetic Traits• Mental Illness – The APA, Gender

Identity Disorder and other conditions that can mimic it

Prevalence incidence—the number of new cases arising in a given period (e.g., a year)prevalence—the number of individuals having a condition, divided by the

number of people in the general population

Data collected in ten recognized studies over 39 years suggests the following:

• MtF – 1:11,900 to 1:45,000• FtM – 1:30,400 to 1:200,000

These figures primarily represent transsexuals, and so the prevalence of gender variant/ dysphoric people is believed to be much higher.

My Story

• When did you first know?

• Acting Out/ Expression Through Art

• Depression and Anxiety

• Self-Acceptance

• Choosing A Name

• Coming Out to Family and Friends

• Seeking Help

The Process

• Harry Benjamin – 1885-1986

Endocrinologist

Published The Transsexual Phenomenon in 1966

• The WPATH – Established in 1979

Formerly know as the Harry Benjamin International Gender Dysphoria Association

The World Professional Association for Transgender Health is an international,multidisciplinary, professional association whose mission is to promote evidence-based care, education, research, advocacy, public policy, and respect for transgender health.

Harry Benjamin

The Standards of Care

• First version published in 1979

• Latest version published in 2011

• The overall goal of the SOC is to provide clinical guidance for health professionals to assist transsexual, transgender, and gender nonconforming people with safe and effective pathways to achieving lasting personal comfort with their gendered selves, in order to maximize their overall health, psychological well-being, and self-fulfillment. This assistance may include primary care, gynecologic and urologic care, reproductive options, voice and communication therapy, mental health services (e.g., assessment, counseling, psychotherapy), and hormonal and surgical treatments.

• Finding a therapist

• Establishing a diagnosis

• Finding a doctor

• Starting Hormone Replacement Therapy

HRT

• Treatment depends on birth sex, age, body mass, starting hormone levels, and health

• FtM – Testosterone• MtF – Anti-Androgens and Estrogen• Delivery• Goals• Risks

Relearning to Live

• Clothes

• Make-Up

• Hair

• Mannerisms

• Walking

• Voice

• Different for Everyone

•The Real Life Experience

• Coming Out EVERYWHERE

• Legal Name and Gender Change

• Obtaining Letters

• Researching Doctors for SRS

Toward A Final Goal

• An End to Shame, Depression, Anxiety

• New Self-Confidence

• Healthier Self-Image

• New Relationships

• Meeting Other Transgender People

• Reconnecting to My Faith

Benefits

Consequences and Social Issues

• Discrimination in the work place• Bathroom Laws• Marriage Issues• Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell• Hate Crimes, Violence, and the Day of

RemembranceNovember 20th

In Remembrance of Rita Hester who was murdered in Allston, Massachussetts on November 28th, 1998.

ProgressState

 November 17th, 2010 longtime Houston activist Phyllis Randolph Frye became the first transgender judge in Texas, when Mayor Annise Parker appointed her as an associate municipal judge. (dallasvoice.com)

  May of 2011, Hawaii's governor signed House Bill 546 into law, prohibiting discrimination on the basis of gender identity or expression in employment.

 Also in May, Nevada passed bills providing protections to transgender people in the workplace, housing and public accommodations.

 October of 2011, the New York City Fire Department hired their first transgender woman.

 October of 2011, the Seattle Office for Civil Rights announced that 'Starting on January 1, 2012, transgender health care procedures will be included in all [healthcare benefit] plans.

 October of 2011, California Governor Jerry Brown signed two transgender rights bills into law, one making it easier to obtain a new birth certificate and the other providing greater protections against discrimination in employment and housing.

  October 19, 2011 Illinois passed a bill that makes it possible for transgender people to recieve gender appropriate identification markers without undergoing genital surgery.

  November 16th, 2011 Massachussetts passed a bill protecting against workplace discrimination.

 

ProgressNational

 Early last year President Obama appointed Amanda Simpson to the position of senior technical adviser at the commerce department in the bureau of industry and security. Last year, the State Department eased restrictions on gender markers in passports, now requiring only a letter of diagnosis from a healthcare provider rather than proof of reassignment surgery. Nov. 2, 2010, Victoria Kolakowski became the first transgender trial judge in the nation when she won a seat on the Alameda County (Calif.) Superior Court. (dallasvoice.com) September of 2011, the IRS stopped sending Gender No Match letters to employers of transgender individuals.  October of 2011, the U.S. Agency for International Development issued a policy encouraging 'all USAID contractors and recipients, including those performing solely overseas, to apply comprehensive nondiscrimination policies that include sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy, marital status, parental status, political affiliation, and any other conduct that does not affect performance.' The policy is not, however, mandantory.  November of 2011, the IRS agreed that medical expenses related to transgender care can be deducted on taxes.  The Federal Bureau of Prisons changed a long standing policy that prevented proper care of transsexual inmates from being provided. 

Progress

Worldwide October of 2011, Australia's highest court ruled that transgender people don't need surgery to change gender markers on official documents.  November of 2011, Poland elected a transgender woman to its parliament.  The European Parliamant adopted new asylum rules for the European Union that include gender identity as a ground of persecution. 

Progress

General 

In March of 2011, Parker United Church of Christ in Colorado called Malcolm Himschoot to be its pastor.  Walmart added gender identity and expression to its non-discrimination policy. Davie, Florida's McFatter Technical High School became the first public school in the US to have a transgender prom queen.  The first new WPATH standards of care document in ten years was published and among the many positive changes, gender dysphoria was delisted as a mental illness, repairative therapy was denounced, and the guidelines for transgender care were updated in many helpful ways. To view them, here is the link:  The Girl Scouts of America officially stated that transgender children are welcome to join and participate in all Girl Scout activities. 

The Face of Transgender

Lili Elbe

Billy Tipton

Wendy Carlos

Candy Darling

Caroline Cossey

Jennifer Boylan

Kaitlan Kiernan

Dana Claire Simpson

Millicent Mudd

AKA “Millie”

Thomas Beattie

Chaz Bono

Harmony Santana

Kye Allums

First Transgender Basketball Player for NCAA Division 1

Amanda Simpson

Senior Technical Advisor to the Department of Commerce

Tanyarat Jirapatpakon

Winner of Miss International Queen 2007, a Thai transgender beauty contest

Lana Wachowski

Jenna Talackova

David Weekley

Malcolm Himschoot

Marci Bowers

Dr. Christine Mcginn

Isobelle Autumn Fox

Resources

Books

• True Selves

• Sexual Metamorphosis

• Mom, I Need to be a Girl

• The Danish Girl

• She’s Not There

• I’m Looking Through You

• Almost Perfect

ResourcesMovies

• Normal

• Call Me Malcolm

• Becoming Chaz

• Two Spirits

• Trinidad

• Trans

• My Life in Pink

• Breakfast on Pluto

• Boys Don’t Cry

• Gun Hill Road

• TransAmerica

ResourcesWorld Professional Association for Transgender Health

Human Rights Campaign

Transgender Education Network of Texas

National Center for Transgender Equality

TSRoadmap

Transformations Psychotherapy

Central Family Practice

Phyllis Randolph Frye

Lambda Legal

The Gathering San Angelo -United Church of Christ Open and Affirming Congregation

Transfaith Network

Genderfold Action Alliance