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BklynFTM · Posted: 6 Mar 2003, 3:20 am Post subject: Putting the T in GLBTQ

When I heard about this new encyclopedia of GLBTQ culture, I was naturally pretty excited. Got here, did a couple searches, and confirmed my sneaking suspicion that here was another project that claims to include trans content and falls far short of the mark. Searches of pivotal trans people, organizations, and events yielded no results. Where are the entries on Reed Erickson, the wealthy female-to-male transsexual who funded some of the first US research on transsexuality? Harry Benjamin, one of the earliest US researchers on transsexuality, and the Harry Benjamin International Gender Dysphoria Association, an organization that sets the standards of care for transsexuals? Magnus Hirschfeld, who coined the term "transvestite" and whose Berlin transgender institute was shut down by the Nazis? Kate Bornstein and Leslie Feinberg, who have written such accessible books on transgender history and gender theory?

What I have found are an entry for Christine Jorgenson, who I'm sure is listed in most mainstream encyclopedias, and several on drag performers. This isn't enough content to justify calling this an encyclopedia of transgender culture. I've only brushed the surface of the content that could have been included in this release.

As I expect this encyclopedia will be continually updated, I hope to see articles that do more to cover the depth and breadth of trans people's contributions to history and the arts.

Regards,
Justin Cascio
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wik · Posted: 6 Mar 2003, 6:18 pm Post subject: Re: Putting the T in GLBTQ

Justin,

Thank you for your detailed, well-considered suggestions. Transgender issues and contributions to queer culture have been minimized or ignored for too long and in too many places. We expect to include entries on the people you mentioned who are important in transgender history -- Benjamin, Hirschfeld, and Erickson (Erickson was added at your suggestion) in glbtq's History section which is being developed now. An entry on Leslie Feinberg is also planned, although a contributor to write the entry has not yet been selected.

glbtq also addresses transgender and transsexual cultural issues and contributions in several overview entries you did not mention. I have found these especially interesting: Transgender Issues in Sports, Subjects of the Visual Arts: Hermaphrodites, Pornographic Film and Video: Transsexual, and Transsexuality in Film.

Thank you again for your suggestions, and please keep them coming.

Warm Regards,

Wik Wikholm
Publisher
www.glbtq.com

firewomon · Posted: 9 Mar 2003, 11:32 pm Post subject: Re: Putting the T in GLBTQ

thank you justin for your observations and comments. i had much the same experience in looking for various trans and intersex information. perhaps with time and more input from us out in the "trenches" working for transgender and transsexual civil rights, the encyclopedia will live up to its name. i just heard about this site form jake hale's los angeles e-list.

gassho,

michele kammerer
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muss es sein? es muss sein.

androdyke · Posted: 5 Jun 2003, 2:24 pm Post subject: Re: Putting the T in GLBTQ

Can I get an amen!!!!!!!!!!!!

DeltaM · Joined: 20 Jun 2003 Posts: 1 Physical Location: California

AMEN!!

kereth · Posted: 8 Jun 2004, 9:47 am Post subject: Re: Putting the T in GLBTQ

I note this topic was first addressed roughly a year ago, and transgender, transsexual, and gender variant issues are still inadequately addressed to justify the inclusion of the T in glbtq. There has not been a huge outpouring of constructive criticism on the topic-- many trans* people, I find, are often grateful to be granted any inclusion at all, and those who have perused this site seeking trans* information and been disappointed are more likely to look elsewhere than to donate their time and perspective in an effort to improve matters.

A glance through the people involved in putting together this otherwise marvelous and comprehensive site shows at least one editorial consultant with background in transgender issues, and the number of contributors is simply too great for me to go through and count the number who deal with trans* issues, be they many or few. However, if the problem is a lack of contributors experienced in this area, perhaps glbtq would be willing to accept volunteers with a vested interest in helping this site become as inclusive as its name implies, or at least solicit topic recommendations which promote trans* inclusion. And yes, I'm willing to donate my time and my suggestions, if they're wanted.

glbtq provides a great service to the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and queer community, and I in no way intend to lessen that achievement. Real trans* inclusion benefits all those who identify as transgendered, transsexual, or gender variant, as well as all who have been stigmatized because of their perceived failure to conform to societal expectations for their assigned gender. Even the elusive "perfectly-gendered" benefit from learning about the experiences of those who differ from themselves. Transphobia is as prevalent in the lesbian, gay, and bisexual community as it is in the rest of the world, and greater inclusiveness and education can help to fight that where just using the letter T cannot.

Kereth
_________________
Today: Androgyne
Forecast for tomorrow: Partly male with a 70% chance of Byronism

wik · Posted: 8 Jun 2004, 5:34 pm Post subject: Re: Putting the T in GLBTQ

kereth · Posted: 9 Jun 2004, 5:53 pm Post subject: Re: Putting the T in GLBTQ

wik · Posted: 11 Jun 2004, 3:17 pm Post subject: Re: Putting the T in GLBTQ

What a great list of constructive suggestions, Kereth. Several new entries have been added to our wish list as a result. Please watch for our call for contributions on glbtq.com's Call for Contributions board which will appear next week.

You suggested that this thread become a repository for trans* suggestions and concerns, but I wonder if we should create a board dedicated to trans* issues. That would give the topic even more visibility. Any thoughts? Is anyone interested in moderating such a board?

Wik

kereth · Posted: 12 Jun 2004, 7:19 am Post subject:

I would be very glad to see a trans* issues board on glbtq. On the other hand, the boards as they stand are not structured with separate boards for different segments of the population, and I'm not certain that was glbtq's intent in creating them. It could seem very strange to have a trans* issues board and not also a gay issues board, a lesbian issues board, a bi issues board, and so forth. Something to think about would be whether these separate discussion topics, which would probably be aimed mostly at issues of representation for their respective communities, at least at first, would be beneficial to glbtq as a whole.

I do have interest in moderating a trans* issues board, should that be the will of the people, but I can't commit more than an hour a day to it. I suspect that will be sufficient at the beginning, but later on it may require more of a time commitment. Perhaps co-moderating would be a good solution.

I'm astonished that I forgot to include the Chevalier/e D'Eon in my list of topic suggestions, which due to a project I'm starting at the moment leads me to another possible topic suggestion: Trans* and crossdressing characters in comic books.

Kereth
_________________
Today: Androgyne
Forecast for tomorrow: Partly male with a 70% chance of Byronism

Claude · Posted: 12 Jun 2004, 7:41 am Post subject: Transgender topics

I think a trans board would be very useful and I think Kereth would be a good person to moderate it. There is, however, already an entry on the Chevalier/e D'Eon in the social sciences department.

kereth · Posted: 12 Jun 2004, 4:31 pm Post subject: Re: Transgender topics

Femme · Posted: 21 Oct 2004, 9:05 am Post subject:

My issues with groups adding T is several fold.
They tend to mean transgender, which is an umbrella term with no real true meaning.
The term has long mettamorphed from the days of Charles Prince to what it means now. Now it seems to mean all those who do not follow societies idea of "normal" gender behaviour. To me that covers all of the LBG community, crossdressers, drag kings and queens, gender benders, and those intersexed and transexed people that also fall into the formentioned communities.

Another issue I have is those groups that add T just do it to pretend they are inclusive without truely doing anywork to be so. Try to find resourses in some of them.
I also see many of the so called inclusive people making choices and decisions for those that they are thinking they are supporting, rather then working with the community. Sort of the " I know what`s best for you" type.

Lastly it seems that no issue that is facing those that are not just LBG is as important and means it can be done another time. Just one look at the rights Lesbians and Gays have now, and look at the rights and protections transexed and intersexed have gives you the idea of what I mean.

The true inclusive groups and orgs I know of actually use, LBGTTTIQQ, which I understand is long however it makes it clear they respect the rights of others to self identify.
Lesbian,Bisexual,Gay,TwoSpirt,Transexual,Transegender,Intersex,Queer,Questioning
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Canadian Transexuals Fight For Rights
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