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US Supreme Court Quashes Catholic Hospital’s Appeal After Denying Trans Man Vital Surgery Dildo-Inspired Insemination Kit Designed To Make Queer Conception More Intimate & Pleasurable 2021 Matches Deadly Record For Anti-Trans Violence After Tragic Killing Of Activist Rikkey British Airways Drops ‘Ladies And Gentleman’ In Favor Of Gender-Neutral Greetings Jax Gay Travel Information Should You Get an Anal Pap Smear? What You Need to Know Britney Spears’ Mum Demands $600,000 From Singer After Being Accused Of ‘Ruining Her Life’ Trans Woman Shares ‘Immense Anxiety’ She Feels Going Through Airport Security Understanding The Transgender Community
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US Supreme Court Quashes Catholic Hospital’s Appeal After Denying Trans Man Vital Surgery By By Vin Testa
The US Supreme Court has refused to hear an appeal from a Catholic hospital that was sued for denying a hysterectomy to a trans man. The patient, Evan Minton, scheduled a hysterectomy at the Mercy San Juan Medical Center in California in 2016 as part of his gender transition. But when he told a nurse he was trans, the hospital suddenly cancelled the surgery.
2019. This ruling rejected the hospital’s argument that forcing it to perform procedures contrary to its religious beliefs would violate First Amendment rights, and held that Minton could pursue a claim for discrimination. The Supreme Court’s decision was welcomed by Elizabeth Gill, senior staff attorney with the ACLU LGBT+ and HIV Minton was able to get the Project. treatment he needed at another “Dignity Health is trying to claim facility but went on to sue in it’s an LGBTQ-friendly state court, accusing the organization but when Evan hospital of violating a civil rights needed care he was turned law that prohibits discrimination away because he is based on race, religion, sexual transgender,” she said in a orientation or gender identity. statement. The hospital claimed it does “It’s wrong that anyone would not discriminate against trans be turned away from health patients, but the Supreme care because of who they are, Court heard that it routinely and when a health care performed hysterectomies on provider denies care to a cis women and that Minton’s population they claim to serve, surgery was cancelled simply that’s hypocrisy.” because he was transgender. Conservative justices Thomas On Monday (1 November) the Alito, Samuel Alito and Neil Supreme Court justices turned Gorsuch said they would have down an appeal from hospital considered the case in the owners Dignity Health and let Supreme Court, but they were stand a lower court ruling that overruled. revived Minton’s lawsuit in The lawsuit now goes back to
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the California courts, where Minton looks forward to continuing his fight for justice. “Since Dignity Health turned me away for being transgender, I’ve had multiple medical emergencies and I can’t stand to go to my neighboring Dignity Hospital because of the discrimination I was put through,” he said. “In one instance, I called my doctor and had them talk me through a procedure I performed on myself to avoid having to go into one of their hospitals. I hope Dignity Health will finally take responsibility for what they did to me and what they continue to do.” He continued: “I applaud transgender Californians and people across the country who are sharing their denial of care experiences. This should not be our private pain and shame. We deserve health care, we deserve restroom access, we deserve to play on sports teams, we deserve better. “With my community by my side, I look forward to carrying on in this fight for justice.”
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Dildo-Inspired Insemination Kit Designed To Make Queer Conception More Intimate & Pleasurable By Lilly Williamson
A dildo-style home insemination kit is designed to make conception a pleasurable and intimate process for queer couples. Even if queer couples decide to self-inseminate at home, the procedure can feel strange and clinical, but the Way device makes sure that there can still be fun when it comes to baby-making. At first glance, the insemination device looks exactly like a minimalist, silicone, pink and white dildo. But on closer inspection, a small bubble is visible at the base, which is used to hold semen. The kit comes with a jar, into which semen is deposited, before the user sucks it into the bubble. When inserted into the vagina during sex, the bubble can be pressed to release its contents.
important when we are making love, especially in lesbian sex.
and in vitro insemination (IVF), which can be better choices for “That’s why I decided to use those struggling with fertility. them to connect two people. Just using a device will not give Rudnicka explained: “This is them the same feeling as using not a device for people who their own body during sex.” have been trying to get pregnant for years. While the Way clearly makes for a more pleasurable “It’s for couples where one side insemination experience for the has HIV, for lesbian couples, conceiving partner, it also transgender people and those allows the non-conceiving with disabilities – people who partner to feel part of the are unable to conceive during process. their regular sexual activity… The hope is to make it a ‘first During the design process, step’ people can take before Rudnicka said she consulted resorting to the sterile medical with gynaecologists and procedure at the hospital.” psychologists, and also interviewed potentials The Way is not yet on the customers. market, and is still in the She said: “I wanted to create a prototype phase, but the designer hopes it will be device that would help them focus on something other than available for purchase in the near future. just getting pregnant. The tubes through which the “In a survey I did of couples, semen travels along the dildo the majority said that even if can also be removed, and worn at-home insemination can be as a harness around the hand less effective they still want to to inseminate the conceiving try it in their own bed.” partner while fingering. Although home insemination is Way device designer Kamila a great option for many Rudnicka, from Poland, told couples, it is not always as Dezeen: “Hands are very effective as other methods like intrauterine insemination (IUI)
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2021 Matches Deadly Record For AntiTrans Violence After Tragic Killing Of Activist Rikkey Outumuro By Josh Miller
Rikkey Outumuro, a beloved community leader, fearless drag icon and decades-long activist, has died. She was 39. Otherwise known by her drag stage name as Tru Starlet, Outumuro fatally shot in Centralia, Washington, Saturday evening (30 October) by her 28-year-old boyfriend. Cristopher Allen Gaudreau told Centralia police officers that he and Outumuro, a former Miss Gay Lewis County, had met for drinks but blacked out at around 11:30pm 30 October, The Chronicle reported. He told police that he woke up on the floor of his residence in the 800 block of South Gold Street at around 8:20am. Their six-year-old son was playing video games on the sofa – Outumuro was lying on the couch, dead, in the defensive position with her arms covering her face, Washington State Patrol said. Investigators said Outumuro suffered five gunshot wounds. Gaudreau picked up four bullet casings he found on the floor and put them on the table, told his son his mother was dead, and took him to Outumuro’s 10 www.cityxtramagazine.com
mother’s home. Gaudreau has since been booked into Lewis County Jail and charged with first-degree murder.
president Joe Biden have declared an “epidemic”.
As much as trans Americans have scored political gains and turned public favour when it comes to wider acceptance Described by her friends as a and visibility, violence has torchbearer for LGBT+ rights who sought to light fires in the surged year on year. hearts of Centralia College Last year, the Human Rights students, Otumuro was a Campaign documented at least “brilliant light for countless 44 trans people slain in the US. loved ones and folx in Centralia But the tally, already dizzyingly and Olympia,” a friend wrote on high, is likely even higher, the Facebook. organisation warns, with Anna Schlecht, former chair of misgendering and deadnaming remaining rife in police and Capital City Pride, said: “I’ve known her since she was little. press reports. She was best friends with my The killings are the grisly then-girlfriend’s daughter. upshot of how Trans Americans face higher levels of “They would go to the homelessness, poverty and neighborhood food co-op and play ‘dress up drag queen’ near unemployment, all the while the free box to the delight of co they are routinely dragged into -op members, often doing little culture wars debating their very right to exist by obsessed drag shows.” Republican legislators. Rikkey Otumuro Is The 44th Trans Person Slain In The US Activists point to some bracing data to stress this. This Year Three-fourths of confirmed Rikkey Otumuro is, at the very homicides against trans people least, the 44th trans, have involved a gun, according non-binary or gender to the 2017-2019 Transgender non-conforming person to have Homicide Tracker. been killed this year in a wave While according to the 2015 of violence that the American United States Transgender Medical Association and
Survey, 54 per cent of trans and non-binary people have experienced violence at the hands of intimate violence. This year alone, the community has mourned: Tyianna Alexandra, Samuel Edmund Damián Valentín, Bianca Bankz, Dominique Jackson, Fifty Bandz, Alexus Braxton, Chyna Carrillo, Jeffrey ‘JJ’ Bright, Jasmine Cannady, Jenna Franks, Diamond ‘Kyree’ Sanders, Rayanna Pardo, Dominique Lucious, Jaida Peterson, Remy Fennell, Tiara Banks, Natalia Smüt, Iris Santos, Tiffany Thomas, Jahaira DeAlto Balenciaga,
Keri Washington, Sophie Vásquez, Danny Henson, Whispering Bear Spirit, Serenity Hollis, Oliver ‘Ollie’ Taylor, Thomas Hardin, Poe Black, Novaa Watson, Aidelen Evans, Taya Ashton, Shai Vanderpump, Tierramarie Lewis, Miss CoCo, Pooh Johnson, Disaya Monaee, Brianna Hamilton, Kiér Laprí Kartier, Mel Groves, Royal Poetical Starz, Zoella Rose Martinez, Jo Acker and Jessi Hart.
2021,” Tori Cooper, who helms the Human Rights Campaign’s Transgender Justice Initiative, said in a statement. “Each one of these cases has been an unspeakable tragedy. Tru Starlet touched the lives of so many people in her community. “Gun violence and domestic violence are plagues upon our nation and leave far too many in mourning. “Although Tru Starlet’s life has “With Tru Starlet’s death, we’ve been stolen, her legacy as a tied last year’s record number performer and as a person will of fatal violence cases with two live on in the memories of those who knew her whole months remaining in
British Airways Drops ‘Ladies And Gentleman’ In Favor Of Gender-Neutral Greetings By Jennifer Davis
British Airways is the latest airline to drop the binary “ladies and gentlemen” greeting on-board in favour of language that includes people of all genders. The change in announcement has been made in order to “reflect the diversity” of those travelling, which reportedly is due to the larger numbers of children travelling post-lockdown as well as increasing recognition of trans and non-binary customers. Pilots have apparently been told to use gender-neutral language when making their pre-flight greetings and announcements. Alternatives to welcoming “ladies and gentlemen” could include welcoming “people”, “travelers”, “passengers” or “guests”. When asked about the change in on-board greeting, a spokesperson for British Airways told The Telegraph: “We celebrate diversity and inclusion and we’re committed
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to ensuring that all our customers feel welcome when travelling with us.” The move by British Airways brings it in line with current practice in many UK airports, where gendered greetings have already been dropped. Moreover, multiple international airlines have already adopted more inclusive language. EasyJet, Air Malta, Qantas, Japan Airlines, Delta, JetBlue, United and American Airlines have all already made the change. Transport for London stopped using “ladies and gentlemen” in 2017. Sir Martin Sorrell, the founder of WPP, the world’s largest advertising agency, told The Telegraph that things like traditional, binary greetings were not a priority for airline customers. “Whether that’s fortunate or unfortunate, it’s a sign of the
times,” he said. “The important thing is not the announcements, it’s the food, the Wi-Fi, the service, the speed of getting on the plane and getting off the plane.” Using gender-neutral pronouns and language makes people more positive towards women and LGBT+ people and less biased towards men, research has previously shown. More than 3,000 people took part in the research, which was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) in 2019. The researchers found that using more inclusive language “reduces the mental salience of males” and that the shift was associated with “people expressing less bias in favor of traditional gender roles and categories, as manifested in more positive attitudes toward women and LGBT individuals in public affairs”.
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Jacksonville's small-town feel tends to belie its size -- in fact, it's the largest city, in terms of Jax Gay Travel Information By David Vandygriff landmass, in the continental According to the sloganeers at United States. The key to the local chamber of navigating Jacksonville, like commerce, Jacksonville is any big city, is knowing where "where Florida begins." While to look for culture, that's not exactly true (Amelia sophistication and fun. In and Island to the north lays claim to around the downtown area, the that honor), Jacksonville is the several gay-friendly first real sign of life that drivers neighborhoods -- including spot upon entering the state, Riverside, San Marco and an actual urban cityscape Springfield -- happen also to be against that pale blue Florida the most historic, the most sky. culturally significant and the most pedestrian-friendly areas For gay travelers en route to of the city. These the State's more traditional neighborhoods are where you'll destinations -- Miami, Fort find museums, galleries, gay Lauderdale, Key West and bars and the best restaurants. even Tampa -- Jacksonville has been little more than a River City Pride, is the city's weigh station along the road, a gay festival at the Riverside place to fill up one tank and Artist Square in October. empty another. Getting Here But in 2008, Jacksonville Jacksonville International received a welcome shred of Airport is located on the recognition when it was outskirts of the city, about a included in a list of burgeoning dozen miles north of gay meccas. Its 80,000 acres downtown. Shuttles and taxis of parkland, beautiful beaches, are available, but renting a car interesting museums and is probably your best bet. business opportunities were Getting Around credited with attracting a healthy population of gay Jacksonville is spread out, and residents and visitors. It's no public transportation, covered Key West, to be sure; in fact, by the JTA, is a bit thin where locals would probably agree it you need it. Basic fares are more closely resembles South $1.50 for buses and trolleys Georgia than South Florida in exact cash paid to operators. its physical and political The Skyway monorail is free, landscapes. operating between 8 stations north and south of the St John's River, 6am-9pm 14 www.cityxtramagazine.com
weekdays and for weekend special events. The Riverside Avondale Night Trolley runs Friday and Saturday 6pm-2am through the main commercial districts. Single rides are $1.50, and an evening pass is $4. Individually, the city's gayfriendly neighborhoods are pedestrian friendly, but connectivity can be a pain. Definitely rent a car. Taxis are available on-call, but you'll wind up spending as much on fares - if you want to head from downtown to the beach or vice versa -- as you would on a rental car, which is always at your disposal. Neighborhoods Jacksonville is enormous, but there are plenty of areas that are worth ignoring. The historic neighborhoods in and around downtown Jacksonville tend to be the most gay-friendly, diverse and culturally compelling. Riverside/Avondale: Five Points forms the hub of what is, without question, the most gay-friendly area of Jacksonville. Full of gorgeous oak-canopied public spaces, adorable Craftsman-style bungalows, riverfront mansions and a number of distinct shopping districts, Riverside and Avondale have the highest concentration of Prairie School-style homes outside the Midwest. Incidentally, Riverside also has Jacksonville's highest concentration of gay bars. Springfield: Jacksonville's first and oldest subdivision, Springfield deteriorated during the '70s and '80s when the
upper and middle classes fled to the suburbs. It's been revitalized in recent years thanks to handy investors -many gay -- who have purchased a number of the area's massive The neighborhood is, by and large, still improving and remains a little rough around the edges -particularly its eastern and northern edges. In Focus
Back to nature. Guana Tolomato Reserve, a 73,000acre aquatic preserve, is home to Ponte Vedra Beach, one of the area's most popular gay beaches. Letting It All Hang Out With 1,200 miles of coastline -more than two dozen in the Jacksonville area alone -- no one visits Florida without going to the beach. Even in winter, when the temperature averages 45 degrees, it's not uncommon to find the odd northerner strapping on a banana hammock to enjoy their comparatively balmy coastal climate. Jacksonville's beaches are perfectly lovely. But if you're looking to get more than just sun, sand and salt water out of a Floridian beach excursion, drive a few miles south, down A1A, to Ponte Vedra Beach. Home, most famously, to the Players Championship golf course -- not to mention scads of very, very wealthy people -Ponte Vedra Beach is also where you'll find the northernmost portion of the Guana Tolomato Reserve, a
73,000-acre aquatic preserve, wildlife management area and estuarine research center. Sure, Guana is attractive to tourists, with its old-Florida landscape and appeal, but the real draw for gay travelers is what's become an unofficial gay meet-up at Guana's first beach access point. A boardwalk winds down the 40-foot-tall dune system to a pristine stretch of sand that feels more than just a few miles away from the noise and crowds at Jacksonville's beaches. Locals describe it as "secluded" and advise that if nudity offends, go elsewhere (also, it would be wise to keep in mind that nudity isn't exactly legal on North Florida's public beaches). Of course, there's plenty to do at Guana besides getting freaky on the beach. There are trails for hiking and bicycling, marshland for canoeing and kayaking, campsites, picnic areas, and even land designated for horseback riding. It's a true North Florida outdoor experience, with a twist.
Tuesday through Sunday LGBT club, Urban Nights hip-hop, R&B and house music, drag shows, go-go dancers, pool games, TV sports, late, last-stop crowd. Garage Pub (2692 Post St), mixed mainstream crowd neighborhood pub in Riverside, open 4pm-3am daily, local brews, food menu. Mary's Pub House Jax (901 King St), LGBT/ mixed sports bar, burgers, snacks, TV sports, weekend drag & weekday trivia nights. Also Jacksonville Beach restaurant/ bar.
Park Place Lounge (931 King St) neighborhood bar night starter, visitors and locals mix. Full-liquor license, hot bartenders, TV sports, pool Bars, Riverside & West tables, video machines, patio Much of Jacksonville gay social deck, holiday theme parties. life is centered in the area just Bar/ Restaurant, East & south of where highway I-10 Beach cuts west from I-95. Hamburger Mary's Jax (3333 The Boot Rack Saloon (4751 Beach Blvd), brings a side of Lenox Ave), LGBT diva sass with the neighborhood bar, outdoor "appeteasers," salads, burgers, patio cookouts, games, pool sandwiches and wraps, steaks, table, karaoke, TV sports, fish 'n chips, and meatloaf until Sunday dinners, holiday theme after midnight; also Sunday parties. brunch omelets, beer, wine and cocktails. Nightly entertainment In Cahoots (711 Edison Ave), includes bingo, drag reviews,
high-risk groups—for example, people at high risk of anal cancer, Should You Get an Anal Pap Smear? explained What You Need to Know Kristina By Lin Yang Hendija, M.D., Here’s a surprising—or pera general practitioner. “Among haps not-so-surprising—fact: those considered at high risk Nearly all sexually active are HIV-positive people and people will get human men having sex with men,” papillomavirus (HPV) at some said Hendija. time in their lifetime, unless “Immunocompromised people you’ve been vaccinated against and women with vaginal or one of the high-risk strains. cervical cancer will also benefit That’s according to the U.S. from an anal Pap smear.” Centers for Disease Control Anal Pap smears are one of and Prevention (CDC), which the few tests available to detect states that about 91% of anal HPV in people assigned male cancers are thought to be at birth, along with throat caused by HPV. swabs. Here is everything you But it’s not all thumbs down: should know about anal Pap Testing is available through smears—and whether or not your physician to not only you should consider getting detect anal cancer early, but one. also prevent it. A cousin of the How Exactly Is an Anal Pap cervical Pap smear, an anal Test Done? Pap smear (also known as an Many medical tests can be anal cytology) is a screening test in which cells from the anal highly invasive, so it’s important to know how a canal are taken and sent to a procedure is performed. While lab for testing. The test isn’t used to diagnose HPV directly, we can’t prepare you for everything a doctor or nurse but, like the cervical Pap practitioner may do during any smear, it can screen for the given test, it does help to come presence of cancerous and armed with information. precancerous cells. The test itself does not tell you if you van Goldstein, D.O., an anal have abnormal cells; rather, it restoration surgeon and is the tissue-gathering founder of New York City– procedure before the sample is based medical practice sent to a lab for formal Bespoke Surgical, told diagnosis. TheBody that, during an exam, a doctor will use a Q-tip to These (somewhat invasive) tests are not very common and swab the internal tissue of the anus (the anal canal) for a few are reserved for certain seconds. “This is done twice,”
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said Goldstein. “First to determine which specific HPV strains the person harbors (low or high risk, specific to its subtypes), and then again for the actual precancerous/cancerous risk via extracting cells for analysis.” These precancerous cells are called dysplastic cells. During the procedure, a doctor applies “acetic acid (vinegar), Lugol iodine, and magnification to obtain targeted biopsies of areas of concern inside the anal canal,” explained Fadwah Halaby, APRN, CNM, a nurse practitioner and midwife. After the sample is taken, it is sent to the lab, where it goes under a microscope to determine if the collected cells are abnormal. Wait, Back Up. Let’s Talk Anal Pap Smear Benefits HPV is the leading cause of anal cancers in people assigned male at birth. Certain groups are at higher risk and therefore can benefit from early detection of dysplastic cells. However, anal Paps are beneficial for more than just precancerous cell detection. “The simple act of performing an anal Pap smear allows for an appropriate external anal evaluation, which can diagnose many undetected ailments and/ or localized issues,” explained Goldstein. “Most people think that blood and urine tests are adequate for STI [sexually transmitted infection] and pre-cancer screenings.” Goldstein added that everyone should be asking for anal and oral swabs when undergoing STI screening. Additionally, he said that if we made anal Paps
a normal part of STI screening, it would foster “beneficial conversations about appropriate sexual history, examination, and/or solutions on the matter.” OK, but Should You Be Tested? The question remains: Who should be undergoing anal Paps? Goldstein recommends anal Paps for anyone who engages anally with partners. Much like a cervical screening is advised yearly for those who have vaginal sex, so too should an anal Pap be performed on anal sex-havers. According to Goldstein, anal Paps are especially needed for those who “bottom” during anal sex, as inflammation of the anus increases the risk of transmission for HPV and other
STIs. That said, here is a big fact: Anal Paps aren’t offered or given to everyone who has anal sex. The only people who are ever told to get anal Paps are bisexual and gay men who engage in “risky” or “promiscuous” sex. There are so many red flags here that my head is spinning. It positively reeks of homophobia. If only this were more shocking, you know? The CDC itself states that anal Paps aren’t even cleared for HPV testing in normal circumstances. In fact, only high-risk groups are offered an anal Pap for precancerous screening in certain clinics and specialized settings. Woof.
You May Need to Speak Up and Ask for an Anal Pap Long story short: Getting an anal Pap is not easy; it may take some dedication and perseverance. With everything you now know, if getting an anal Pap sounds like a wise decision for you, by all means speak to your primary care doctor or do research into free clinics where this screening is offered.
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Britney Spears’ Mum Demands $600,000 From Singer After Being Accused Of ‘Ruining Her Life’ By David Milton
Britney Spears’ mother, Lynne Spears, has officially asked for her piece of the singer as well. The 66-year-old author filed a petition Monday (1 November) requesting that her daughter’s estate pay her attorneys’ fees in the strained battle over Britney’s conservatorship. Lynne has never had a formal role in the complex legal arrangement that has seen Britney’s personal and financial affairs controlled largely by her father, Jamie Spears. But she is considered an interested party in the affair and is now asking that more than $600,000 in legal fees and incurred costs be paid “out of the conservatorship estate or assets on hand”, according to court documents seen by Page Six. Britney wanted Lynne to join the conservatorship to act almost as a buffer. She, the paperwork stated, “enthusiastically agreed, and indeed asked her mother to join in the case in any capacity that would help to end her nightmare and the crisis she was enduring”. Britney Spears’ Mother Wants ‘Nightmare’ Conservatorship 18 www.cityxtramagazine.com
To End, Papers Say Lynne’s attorneys described their client in the documents as a “very concerned mother” who presented a “very disturbing story of her daughter’s life and the unreasonable restrictions under which [Britney] suffered. “Including some as serious as being involuntarily moved from her home, not being allowed to travel to Louisiana for a Spears family Christmas and what Lynne pronounced as an extended stay in a medical facility against Britney’s will.” Her lawyers also advised Lynne on the “daily restrictions” and “microscopic control” that Jamie exercised over Britney. Such restrictions. the filings claimed, included “a paltry, unexplained weekly allowance, the type of phone she was allowed (a flip phone), travel and movement restrictions including a prohibition on Britney driving her own car and prohibitions on visitors to her home, including her boyfriend and even her children’s friends”. Why should Britney pay for Lynne’s attorneys’ fees, however? To “help end [Britney’s] nightmare and the
crisis she was enduring”. Lynne’s lawyers also credited their client as the first to question “the adequacy of Jamie’s competence to remain as conservator of the person”. Just one day after the filing, Britney took to Instagram to slam her mother as the “one who gave [Jamie] the idea” to entangle her in a 13-year-long conservatorship. “I will never get those years back … she secretly ruined my life. “So take your whole ‘I have NO IDEA what’s going on’ attitude and go f—k yourself !!!! You know exactly what you did … my dad is not smart enough to think of a conservatorship … but tonight I will smile knowing I have a new life ahead of me !!!!” In September, Los Angeles probate judge Brenda Penny suspended Jamie as Britney’s co-conservator some three months after she spoke out against him and her family in an explosive court hearing. During which, she laid out her intention to sue her family and compared her conservatorship to “abuse”.
Trans Woman Shares ‘Immense Anxiety’ She Feels Going Through Airport Security: ‘The System Is Broken’ By Rose Griffin
TikToker and model Rose Montoya has called out the Transport Security Administration (TSA) on TikTok for how their scanners give trans people “immense anxiety”.
“So I went through the scanner again but I set off the alarm again, so I said I am trans woman and to just pat me down. “Her solution was to ask me if I wanted to be scanned as a man instead. I didn’t, but I ended up doing it.
“We also need to train people on how to treat trans people. If I tell you I’m a trans woman, it most likely means I want to be scanned as a woman, treated as a woman, and patted down In the viral video, which has by a woman.” been viewed more than three million times, she talks about In the video, Rose Montoya her experience with airport also discussed her privilege as “And my boobs set it off, security and why “we need to because of course. So I tried to someone who is “cischange how the scanners assuming”, or often mistaken make a joke out of it and said function and educate TSA for being cisgender. don’t worry, there’s just a about trans people”. bunch of plastic in there. The TSA has frequently come She explained: “Going through “Then she said we have to pat under fire for their binary the scanner, there’s a male and you down and asked if I would scanning technology and female scanner for the TSA officers lacking awareness of prefer a man to do it. I said checkpoint. trans issues. absolutely not.” “But going through the scanner, She also posted the TikTok to A previous ProPublica I always have an ‘anomaly’ investigation found that trans Instagram, where many trans between my legs that sets off people commented with similar people can face invasive the alarm. So she asked me if I experiences while travelling. searches by the TSA in had anything in my pants and I airports, including allegations say, ‘No’, so she said, ‘Maybe Montoya wrote on Instagram: that TSA officers have required “It’s been proven that the it’s just the metal buttons on passengers to show their system we have in place is your shorts.’ genitals in order to board a broken and doesn’t work. flight.
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Guanacaste El Mangroove, an Autograph Collection Guanacaste is known for its forests and mangroves. El Mangroove overlooks the stunning Gulf of Papagayo. The moment you arrive, you will feel connected with nature because the hotel's design is inspired by Costa Rican culture, the lush forests, and the sun-drenched beaches. Be sure to take a private boat tour and afterward unwind with a massage at Bearth Spa. JW Marriott Guanacaste Resort & Spa A hacienda-style hotel with beautiful views of Guanacaste. Beach bonfires, yoga classes, sunset cocktails, and even an astronomy observatory... these special activities are just a few of the many that await! Punta Islita, an Autograph Collection Another Guanacaste gem is Punta Islita. LGBTQ+ travelers will revel in the complimentary eco-adventures and cultural experiences. Being surrounded by the beautiful ocean and tropical forest will make you feel relaxed and refreshed. Be sure to spend time at the Wild Scarlet Macaw Reserve, the Camaronal Sea Turtle Refuge, and explore Carrillo and Samara's surrounding beach towns. For more current information, please refer to the Visit Costa Rica tourism site at www.VisitCostaRica.com www.cityxtramagazine.com 21
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understanding of our community among our friends, families, and society. What does it mean to be Understanding the trans? Transgender Community The trans By Human Rights Campaign community is incredibly diverse. Some trans Transgender people come from people identify as trans men or all walks of life, and HRC Foundation has estimated that trans women, while others may there are more than 2 million of describe themselves as nonbinary, genderqueer, gender us across the United States. non-conforming, agender, biWe are parents, siblings, and gender or other identities that kids. We are your coworkers, reflect their personal your neighbors, and your experience. Some of us take friends. We are 7-year-old hormones or have surgery as children and 70-year-old grandparents. We are a diverse part of our transition, while others may change our community, representing all racial and ethnic backgrounds, pronouns or appearance. Roughly three-quarters of trans as well as all faith traditions. youth that responded to an The word “transgender” – or HRC Foundation and trans – is an umbrella term for University of Connecticut people whose gender identity is survey identified with terms different from the sex assigned other than strictly “boy” or “girl.” to us at birth. Although the This suggests that a larger word “transgender” and our portion of this generation’s modern definition of it only youth are identifying came into use in the late 20th somewhere on the broad trans century, people who would fit spectrum. under this definition have What challenges do trans existed in every culture people face? throughout recorded history. While trans people are Alongside the increased visibility of trans celebrities like increasingly visible in both Laverne Cox, Jazz Jennings or popular culture and in daily life, the stars of the hit Netflix series we still face severe discrimination, stigma and “Pose,” three out of every ten systemic inequality. Some of adults in the U.S. personally the specific issues facing the knows someone who is trans. As trans people become more trans community are: visible, we aim to increase Lack of legal protection– Trans people face a legal sys24 www.cityxtramagazine.com
tem that often does not protect us from discrimination based on our gender identity. Despite a recent U.S. Supreme Court Decision that makes it clear that trans people are legally protected from discrimination in the workplace, there is still no comprehensive federal nondiscrimination law that includes gender identity - which means trans people may still lack recourse if we face discrimination when we’re seeking housing or dining in a restaurant. Moreover, state legislatures across the country are debating – and in some cases passing – legislation specifically designed to prohibit trans people from accessing public bathrooms that correspond with our gender identity, or creating exemptions based on religious beliefs that would allow discrimination against LGBTQ people. Poverty– Trans people live in poverty at elevated rates, and for trans people of color, these rates are even higher. Around 29% of trans adults live in poverty, as well 39% of Black trans adults, 48% of Latinx trans adults and 35% of Alaska Native, Asian, Native Americans and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander trans adults. Stigma, Harassment and Discrimination – About half a decade ago, only one-quarter of people in the United States supported trans rights, and support increased to 62% by the year 2019. Despite this progress, the trans community still faces considerable stigma due to more than a century of
of being characterized as mentally ill, socially deviant and sexually predatory. While these intolerant views have faded in recent years for lesbians and gay men, trans people are often still ridiculed by a society that does not understand us. This stigma plays out in a variety of contexts – from lawmakers who leverage anti-trans stigma to score cheap political points; to family, friends or coworkers who reject trans people upon learning about our trans identities; and to people who harass, bully and commit serious violence against trans people. This includes stigma that prevents them from accessing necessary services for their survival and well-being. Only 30% of women’s shelters are willing to house trans women. While recent legal progress has been made, 27% of trans people have been fired, not hired or denied a promotion due to their trans identity. Too often, harassment has led trans people to avoid exercising their most basic rights to vote. HRC Foundation’s research shows that 49% of trans adults, and 55% of trans adults of color said they were unable to vote in at least one election in their life because of fear of or experiencing discrimination at the polls. Violence Against Trans People– Trans people experience violence at rates far greater than the average person. Over a majority (54%) of trans people have experienced some form of intimate partner violence, 47%
have been sexually assaulted in their lifetime and nearly one in ten were physically assaulted in between 2014 and 2015. This type of violence can be fatal. At least 27 trans and gender non-conforming people have been violently killed in 2020 thus far, the same number of fatalities observed in 2019. Lack of Healthcare Coverage – An HRC Foundation analysis found that 22% of trans people and 32% of trans people of color have no health insurance coverage. More than onequarter (29%) of trans adults have been refused health care by a doctor or provider because of their gender identity. This sobering data reveals a healthcare system that fails to meet the needs of the trans community. Identity Documents – The widespread lack of accurate identity documents among trans people can have an impact on every aspect of their lives, including access to emergency housing or other public services. Without identification, one cannot travel, register for school or access many services that are essential to function in society. Many states do not allow trans people to update their identification documents to match their gender identity. Others require evidence of medical transition – which can
be prohibitively expensive and is not something that all trans people want – as well as fees for processing new identity documents, which may make them unaffordable for some members of the trans community. While advocates continue working to remedy these disparities, change cannot come too soon for trans people. Visibility – especially positive images of trans people in the media and society – continues to make a critical difference for us; but visibility is not enough and can come with real risks to our safety, especially for those of us who are part of other marginalized communities. That is why the Human Rights Campaign is committed to continuing to support and advocate for the trans community, so that the trans Americans who are and will become your friends, neighbors, coworkers and family members have an equal chance to succeed and thrive. www.cityxtramagazine.com 25
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