My Gender Is Dyke
I wasn’t a woman, but a lesbian, an identity so powerful it’s the closest thing to a gender I have.
You Need Help: Talking to Your Family About Your Partner’s Pronouns
If they are feeling hurt by people who don’t want to use their pronouns or just by a long day of having to gender in the world, listen to them and ask how you can help ease the stress.
US Marine Found Guilty in Jennifer Laude’s Death but Not of Murder, Given Short Sentence
Joseph Scott Pemberton was convicted for the death of transgender woman Jennifer Laude, the New York Times uses the gender-neutral honorific Mx., Canada welcomes LGBT Syrian refugees and more news!
Talking with Reina Gossett and Grace Dunham About Everyday Activism and Why Empathy is Everything
I had heard about Reina Gossett and Grace Dunham’s close relationship, and how it was informing some incredible work together, so I sought them out to find out more — over the course of our afternoon together in NYC, our conversation covered everything from the damages of biological essentialism to the radical power of empathy to how important it is to feel sexy sometimes.
Emmy-Nominated Trans Docuseries “This Is Me” is Actually Good
Where “Transparent” succeeds in telling a trans story that’s largely focused on how cis people relate to and see trans people, “This is Me” goes one step further and shows trans people talking to other trans people about their lives and experiences.
Spread This Far and Wide: It’s Almost Time for the U.S. Trans Survey
If you’re trans and would like to help inform the next decade of trans advocacy, sign up and pledge to fill out this survey!
And Then Miley Cyrus Launched #Instapride To Amplify Trans and Genderqueer Stories
This campaign, at least in its first hours, seems seriously groundbreaking in scope and wonderfully positive in its approach.
Surviving or Thriving: How Economic (In)Justice Matters for LGBT People
Sometimes, it can be hard to parse out exactly why queer and trans people have such a hard time getting by while the headlines would suggest we are advancing by leaps and bounds. On January 23rd and 24th, queer and trans people converged in New York City for the Invisible Lives, Targeted Bodies Conference to explore how the struggle for queer and trans justice and liberation is inextricably linked to struggles for economic, racial, immigrant, disability and reproductive justice.
VIDEO EXCLUSIVE: Meet Maki Yamazaki, Your New Favourite Nerdy Queer Non-Monogamousaurus
For 24 hours, watch Maki’s video only here on Autostraddle dot com as part of Patchwork, a series exploring trans lives in Britain.
Abortion Access for All: Two Nonprofits Embrace Gender Inclusive Language
“…We were publicly excluding trans* people who needed to get an abortion but were not women. We refuse to deny the existence and humanity of trans* people any longer.”
REFUGE Restrooms: New Website Helps You Find Gender-Safe Public Restrooms
We talked with Teagan Widmer about her new site for transgender, intersex, and gender noncomforming folks, and how YOU can help develop the app even further.
Leaving a Mark on the American Heartland With My Solo Queer Trans* Woman Roadtrip
“This past year of my transition, 2012, has been one of road travel with many miles revisited across numerous American states… Not the least of my concerns was driving my friend Xene’s unfamiliar Prius. Yet, my larger concern was driving solo as a woman.”
Transitioning While Genderqueer (Despite the Standards of Care)
“It would have been nice to share my entire truth with her, but because of the Standards of Care, I didn’t; I feared my story would be seen as diverging from the typical trans* narrative too much.”
You Should Go: Queer & Utter Bedlam Werks Those Pecs
There will be art. And go-go dancing. And queer literature. And a pamphlet about the common misconceptions about being genderqueer. It’s going to be magical.
In a Bind Helps Get Trans* Youth Out of One
Portland-based TransActive’s new program helps get binders to trans and genderqueer youth in need; Autostraddle sat down with the program’s coordinator to learn what it’s all about and how we can help.
Read a F*cking Canadian Book, Eh: Shani Mootoo’s “Cereus Blooms at Night”
“We sat reading on the rooftop for hours, only stopping when the sound of a train drowned out our voices.”
Gender Blender: An Intimate Film About Life Outside The Binary
“I am a third gender,” the film’s website proclaims in Lubin’s voice. “I exist outside of the binary definition of gender. This is my story.”
Where the Bois Are: Bklyn Boihood is the Future
In which we talk about the future with Bklyn Boihood, “a collective that provides visibility and promotes the empowerment of masculine of center bois, lesbians, queers, trans-identified studs, doms, butches and AGs of color.”
“Injustice At Every Turn”: Report on Discrimination Against Trans & Genderqueer People Pretty Much As Bad As It Sounds
The first long-range national study on the experience of discrimination for trans and genderqueer people has been released.
In Defense of Dressing Up: On Trans Surgery, Fashion Writing & the “Natural Body” Myth
Fashion blogger Meg Clark on why fashion blogging matters, trans activist lawyer Dean Spade unpacking feminist discourse around trans surgery. Though very different people/topics, both touch on how a “looks don’t matter” perspective disables us from having important conversations about gender/society/self. Also; 39% of young Swedish ladies lust for other ladies, fancy perfume, marriage officials love love, Margaret Cho directs a kickin’ new video, and Lesbians deal with HIV.