Transgender Faith Action Week - PRESS RELEASE

We published the first press release about Transgender Faith Action Week and the rest of the campaign today:

Contact: Mycroft Holmes

InterfaithCoalition@gmail.com

617-778-0519

THE INTERFAITH COALITION FOR TRANSGENDER EQUALITY TO HOLD TRANSGENDER FAITH ACTION WEEK

APRIL 3rd – 10th

[Massachusetts - 3/25/11] The Interfaith Coalition for Transgender Equality (ICTE) is announcing the upcoming Transgender Faith Action Week, to begin on Sunday, April 3rd and end on Sunday, April 10th.

Founded in 2007, the Interfaith Coalition for Transgender Equality is a gathering of clergy and lay leaders that organizes the Massachusetts faith community in support of transgender social justice. As the interfaith partner of the Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition (MTPC), ICTE focuses on faith-based work in support of the Transgender Equal Rights Bill.

The Interfaith Coalition for Transgender Equality is organizing Transgender Faith Action Week to demonstrate that the Massachusetts faith community largely supports transgender equal rights, and that many transgender people and allies are people of faith and members of faith communities.

Transgender Faith Action Week comes as a continuation of the campaign “An Act of Faith: Massachusetts Communities of Faith Speak Out for Transgender Equality”, which has included participation in lobby days, public hearings and press conferences in the Statehouse, and faith

voices in MTPC’s I AM: Trans People Speak multi-media public education campaign.

Events planned for Transgender Faith Action Week include postcard and letter writing parties, phone banking, educational presentations, and a press conference at the State House on Monday, April 4th, featuring key faith leaders. Over twenty congregations have already signed on to

participate in Transgender Faith Action Week, including the Cathedral Church of Saint Paul, the seat of the Episcopal diocese of Massachusetts, Temple Israel, the largest Reform congregation in New England; and Dignity Boston, the Roman Catholic community.

Mycroft Masada Holmes, Chair of the Interfaith Coalition for Transgender Equality, said, “The Interfaith Coalition for Transgender Equality and its partners are very proud to announce this historic week of action. We’re grateful to the many faith communities across the state who are voicing their support for the Transgender Equal Rights Bill. This sends a powerful message to the legislature—the faith community wants to see this vital legislation passed this session.”

Gunner Scott, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition, said, “Faith and spirituality are integral parts in the lives of many transgender individuals. I’m pleased to see faith communities standing up for transgender youth, adults, and families in

Massachusetts and supporting our community and this legislation.”

For more information on Transgender Faith Action Week and how to get involved please visit http://interfaithcoalition.blogspot.com/.

Phone banking and Lobby Day for the bill

MassEquality is hosting phone banking for the bill, and MTPC is scheduling a Transgender Equal Rights Lobby Day for the bill -- LOBBY DAY HAS BEEN RESCHEDULED from Thursday April 14th TO TUESDAY MAY 3RD!

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Volunteers are Needed for Phone Banking for Trans Equality

In order to provide our priority legislators with positive constituent contacts for the Transgender Equal Rights Bill, MassEquality will be hosting three phone banks every week

-- and we need volunteers that can commit to shifts. We are looking to generate 100 patch-throughs to all the Senate and House Judiciary members by April 15th and in order to do this we will need a groundswell of volunteers. Phone banking is easy, fun, and a great way to educate people on transgender rights. Groups can do shifts together.

Tuesdays & Thursdays ~ 5:00 – 9:00 p.m.

Saturdays ~ 11:00 a.m. -- 4:00 p.m.

Sundays ~ 1:00 – 5:00 p.m.

MassEquality

262 Washington Street -- 7th Floor

Boston, MA

(Downtown Crossing - Red and Orange Lines)

Pizza & other refreshments will be provided to those that attend.

You can also phone bank from home. On Sundays, MassEquality provides training for folks who want to phone bank from home. Come in for a one-time training on how to use the system -- then you can do your phone banking from the comfort of your home.

If you have any questions or want to volunteer, please contact volunteer coordinator Clare at 617-878-2325 or clareciervo@massequality.org, or sign up online at http://www.massequality.org/events/volunteer.

Here's MassEquality's update from today:

http://us1.campaign-archive2.com/?u=157f0f90a64d82b8eb5032a4a&id=7cf24f703e&e=a8df3b4d08

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Lobby Day for Transgender Equal Rights

TUESDAY, MAY 3RD, 2011

(RESCHEDULED from Thursday, April 14th)

1:00 - 3:00 p.m.

Massachusetts State House

Grand Staircase

(Park Street - Red and Green Lines)

Please RSVP to Rachel@masstpc.org or 617.778.0519.

What Should I Do to Prepare for Lobby Day?

Please make appointments with your legislators for that day; it can be anytime during that day. To find out who your legislators are visit http://www.malegislature.gov/People/FindMyLegislator

What Will Happen at Lobby Day?

We will gather at the Grand Stair Case at 1 pm for a short program where we will hear from legislative supporters, policy makers, and community members. Throughout the day supporters will meet with their legislators to talk about the bill and why it so important to pass this Transgender Equal Rights Bill this year!

GLSEN Massachusetts conference - also this Saturday

GLSEN Massachusetts

(Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual & Straight Education Network - MA chapter)

Annual conference

Teaching Respect : Making It Better

Saturday, March 26th, 2011

8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

MIT (MA Institute of Technology)

Stratton Student Center

84 Massachusetts Ave.

Cambridge, MA 02139

Co-sponsored by LGBT@MIT -- http://web.mit.edu/lbgt/.

More information:

glsen@glsenmassachusetts.org

Official conference page:

http://chapters.glsen.org/cgi-bin/iowa/massachusetts/resources/article-640.html

Facebook event:

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=151175918273593

Flyer:

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B-

Q9PG4GX7K7Yzk3M2YxMGMtMDliMi00MjZiLTllZTEtMTVlZGNjNTExY2U3&hl=en&authkey=COu6tpID&pli=1

This all-day conference will include well-renowned speakers, as well as experienced trainers who are enthusiastic about helping you prevent bullying and harassment in your community. If you've attended in the past, you know about the amazing benefits of this conference. This year there will be many new and exciting presentations to provide you with the most current and relevant resources and tools.

I'll be on a panel with three colleagues -- "Looking Back on LGBTQ Youth Activism in Boston", about the history of the local GLBTQ youth movement. We presented this workshop for the first time at last year's GLSEN MA con.

Mycroft Masada Holmes is a transgender leader specializing in faith, religion and spirituality. Mycroft is Chair of the Interfaith Coalition for Transgender Equality, Chair of the Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition's Training Committee, Emeritus Founding Chair of Keshet's Transgender Working Group (TWiG), and a board member of Congregation Am Tikva. Mycroft is also committed to working for fat / size acceptance and social justice, and is a writer and an artist.

Spiritual Wellness and the LGBT Community - this Saturday

Spiritual Wellness and the LGBT Community

Saturday, March 26th, 2011

8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

All Saints Church, Episcopal

10 Irving Street ~ Worcester, MA

Hosted by the Kairos Spiritual Center and the Alliance of All Saints Church.

http://www.sherwoodhosting.com/accounts/gblt/

A daylong gathering for all who identify as LGBT, queer, questioning, and allies to explore, strengthen and celebrate connections between spiritual wellness and life in community.

The day will include a keynote presentation on desiring God and how we “practice” that desire in our lives, and workshops on the following topics: transgender issues, LGBT immigration challenges, queer theology and radical love, spirituality and sexuality, persons of color and outreach, healing, Sabbath practice, and campus life. Participants will begin and end the day with worship together.

Registration for the day is $30, which includes lunch; scholarship aid is available. For more information about the day or for registration materials, please contact Nancy Elder-Wilfrid at kairoscenter@allsaintsw.org or call 508-752-3766, ext. #15.

ICTE's very own Rev. Cameron Partridge is presenting a workshop!

Building Up the Body: Trans People and the Growth of the Church

This workshop invites trans people to claim their identities and embodiments as part of an ongoing process of spiritual growth, envisions churches as places to cultivate that process, and sees the full participation of trans people in the life of the Church as a sign of its commitment to its own process of growth. Open to all participants.

The Rev. Dr. Cameron Partridge is an Episcopal priest and interim Chaplain at Harvard University. He specializes in the study of religion as related to sex, gender and sexuality.

Fenway Health's 5th annual "T-Social"

Fenway Health is having its fifth annual "T-Social" this Thursday. I've attended most or all of the previous T-Socials, and will be attending this one, representing ICTE and helping to represent MTPC and Keshet.

T Social 5:

We Live in a Vibrant Culture

Thursday, March 24th, 2011

6:30 to 9:00 p.m.

Club Cafe -- Moonshine Room

209 Columbus Avenue

Boston

Join us for the 5th annual T-Social. Connect with the Boston area’s broad community of transgender, transsexual, genderqueer, gender non-conforming people, cross dressers, friends, and allies of anyone crosses mainstream society’s notions of gender.

Free and open to the public, featuring light fare, door prizes and entertainment.

For more information call Alex at 617.927.6449 or email livingwell@fenwayhealth.org.

Sponsored by Fenway Health's Living Well program and the Boston Public Health Commission.

Fenway page:

http://www.fenwayhealth.org/site/Calendar?view=Detail&id=109821&whence=http%3A%2F%

2Fwww.fenwayhealth.org%2Fsite%2FPageServer%3Fpagename%3DFCHC_cal_calendar_home

Facebook event:

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=192321437465600

NCTE's Policy Conference & Lobby Day

The National Center for Transgender Equality's annual Policy Conference and Lobby Day is today through Tuesday in Washington DC.

http://transequality.org/lobby_day/lobbyday11.html

The Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition (MTPC) is there

-- nesia tova, bon voyage.

I'm in today's Boston Metro newspaper

Photo by Nicolaus Czarnecki.

Yesterday the Boston (MA) City Council unanimously passed a resolution supporting the passage of the Transgender Equal Rights Bill into law:

http://masadarts.blogspot.com/2011/03/boston-city-council-passes-resolution.html

Today, the Boston Metro newspaper included an article on it -- "Council supports transgender bill":

http://www.metro.us/boston/local/article/798140--council-supports-transgender-bill

The photo is from the MTPC's launch party for our public education project "I AM: Trans People Speak" (http://www.transpeoplespeak.org/). When the Metro published that article

(http://www.metro.us/boston/local/article/692841--transitioning-their-tactics-to-raise-

public-awareness) they cropped me out, so I'm particularly pleased to be included this time. I'm on the far left. However, please note that alas, Gunner is not actually in either version of the photo.

Boston City Council passes resolution supporting Transgender Equal Rights Bill

Today the Boston (MA) City Council unanimously passed a resolution supporting the passage of the Transgender Equal Rights Bill into law. Yet another reason I love my hometown!

Here is MTPC's press release (http://www.masstpc.org/?p=1300):

Boston City Council Unanimously Passes a Resolution in Support of An Act Relative to Transgender Equal Rights

[Boston, MA 03-09-11] — The Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition (MTPC) is pleased to report that on Wednesday March 9, 2011, the Boston City Council unanimously passed a Resolution in Support of An Act Relative to Transgender Equal Rights.

The resolution was originally offered by Boston City Councilor At-Large Felix Arroyo and quickly supported by Councilor At-Large Ayanna Pressley and Councilor At-Large John Connolly, as both asked to join Arroyo in offering the resolution. As the councilors discussed the resolution, in a strong show of support, the remaining nine city councilors (President At-Large Stephen Murphy, Councilor Maureen Feeney, Councilor Charles Yancey, Councilor Salvatore LaMattina,

Councilor Bill Linehan, Councilor Robert Consalvo, Councilor Matt O’Malley, Councilor Michael Ross, and Councilor Mark Ciommo) asked to be included in offering the resolution, and then unanimously passed it.

The resolution, in part, states, “The City of Boston currently protects transgender youth and adults on the basis of gender identity and gender expression in the city’s non-discrimination ordinance and has done so through ordinance since 2002; and Massachusetts transgender youth, adults, and their families continue to face pervasive discrimination and violence because of widespread prejudice.” The resolution concludes with, “The Boston City Council goes on record in support of “An Act Relative to Transgender Equal Rights” HB 502/SB 764 and urges the Boston delegation of the Massachusetts Legislature and the leadership of the legislature to support a timely passage of this bill.”

Several of the councilors spoke of behalf of the resolution. Councilor Arroyo spoke passionately about his continued support for the legislation. Councilor Yancey recalled the work of former City

Councilor Chuck Turner, who in 2002 introduced the original city ordinance, while Councilor Feeney detailed the work she did to help pass that Boston ordinance back in 2002.

Many of the city councilors who spoke thanked Gunner Scott, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition, and MTPC for the work they have done advancing the rights of transgender individuals.

“I am extremely moved by the unanimous passing of this Resolution in Support of An Act Relative to Transgender Equal Rights. The continued leadership from the Boston City Council in supporting the rights of transgender youth, adults, and families, is admirable and we hope that

the legislators will follow their lead and pass the Transgender Equal Rights legislation this session. Once again, we thank the Boston City Council for their support” said Gunner Scott.

The continued support from the Boston City Council clearly shows that passing resolutions, ordinances, and legislation concerning transgender equal rights is a non-issue and is vital to strengthening the city of Boston. When some do not have the same rights as others, we all suffer, as proven through overwhelming accounts of discrimination and mistreatment that transgender individuals living in the Commonwealth face.

For more information on MTPC and the Transgender Equal Rights legislation, please go to www.masstpc.org

###

About MTPC: Founded in 2001, the Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition (MTPC) is dedicated to ending discrimination on the basis of gender identity and gender expression.

“Transgender Rights: Still Fighting" -- new 3-minute video

UPDATE -- Thursday, April 21st -- MTPC has won the contest! Here's the press release:

http://www.masstpc.org/?p=1346

WGBH is southern New England's public television and radio station.

WGBH Lab (http://lab.wgbh.org/) is a website for independent media. Its mission is to produce and showcase innovative content for public media outlets with a focus on short duration and small formats.

The Lab's Open Call project invites anyone and everyone to create and submit a video short; the Lab provides a theme and also optional free, uncopyrighted video clips to use in production. One of the current Open Call themes is "Stonewall Uprising" -- "in a 3 minute video, show us where Stonewall’s legacy of courage is today" -- http://www.thewgbhlab.org/open-call/stonewall.

MTPC created and submitted a three-minute video titled "Transgender Rights: Still Fighting (Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition’s response to where Stonewall is now)”. The video is based off of MTPC's public education campaign "I AM: Trans People Speak" -- http://www.transpeoplespeak.org/. MTPC was honored to interview Miss Major, a Stonewall veteran.

Watch it here:

http://www.thewgbhlab.org/open-call/stonewall/transgender-rights-still-fighting

I'm very proud to say that I'm in it -- it includes a clip from my "I AM" video.

The Lab will curate the best for a panel of guest judges, who will help decide which five earn a $1000 prize, and which one may air along with the television debut of "Stonewall Uprising" on the public television show American Experience (about American history).

Voting is still open! The yellow stars to the right of the video. You can also comment, but you must register first.

Transgender Faith Action Week - now with Facebook event!

Transgender Faith Action Week -- now with Facebook event!

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=188135257891766

More about the Week and the faith campaign for the Transgender Equal Rights Bill:

http://interfaithcoalition.blogspot.com/2011/02/save-date-transgender-faith-action-week.html

Party to celebrate Executive Order protecting MA transgender state workers

On Thursday, February 17th, Massachusetts' Governor Deval Patrick signed an Executive Orders that prohibited discrimination based on gender identity and expression in state employment -- protecting all current and future state workers. Read more about it: http://www.masstpc.org/?p=1270 This Sunday, March 6th, MTPC and the Transgender Equal Rights Coalition are hosting a party to celebrate! And everyone is invited! See this invitation as a website that you can share in many ways: http://community.icontact.com/p/masstpc/newsletters/mtpc/posts/mtpc-join-us-in-celebration-of-the-new-executive-order Join Us In Celebrating the Signing of Executive Order Protecting Transgender State Workers Sunday, March 6, 2011 5pm at Bella Luna/Milky Way The Brewery Complex 284 Amory Street, Jamaica Plain Please join and MTPC, MassEquality, and the Transgender Equal Rights Coalition at a party to celebrate Governor Patrick's issuance of an executive order protecting transgender state workers! We've worked hard together to secure a great step forward -- now let's eat, mingle, and celebrate each other's work and company. The party is for our communities, the organizational members of the Transgender Equal Rights Coalition and our supporters, so please send the invitation far and wide. This event is free and we look forward to seeing you! Questions and to RSVP email rachel@masstpc.org or call 617-778-0519. www.masstpc.org

GLBTQ equality work panel at Wheelock College

Wheelock College's Winter Policy Talk is "Working Toward Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Equality". And my mentor (Grace) and my Executive Director (Gunner) are two of the four panelists. It's next Monday, February 28th.

WHEELOCK COLLEGE WINTER POLICY TALK

Working Toward Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual,

Transgender, and Queer Equality

Monday, February 28th 4-6:30PM

Norman Spack: internationally known specialist in treatment for intersexed and transgender youth, Senior Associate in the Endocrine Division and co-founder of the Gender Management Service clinic at Children’s Hospital, Boston

Grace Sterling Stowell: Executive Director of the Boston Alliance of Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgender Youth (BAGLY)

Gunner Scott: A founding member and Executive Director of Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition

Emmy Howe: one of the original authors of the Welcoming Schools Guide, an LGBT-inclusive approach to addressing family diversity, gender stereotyping and bullying and name-calling in K-5 learning environments and director of the CampOUT, a farm camp for children from LGBTQ families and the Open View Farm Educational Center in Conway, MA.

At Wheelock College, 43 Hawes St, Brookline, MA 02446

(near C line Hawes St and D line Longwood T-stops)

SAVE THE DATE - Transgender Faith Action Week

Happy Valentines Day!!!

SAVE THE DATE - Transgender Faith Action Week

Good day, ICTE supporters.

We want to thank you for your support, and invite you to be part of our exciting faith campaign this year. And if you’re local, we want to offer you our sympathies and best wishes for this Winter’s weather. It was good to see some of you at Transgender Equal Rights Action Day and its reception (hosted by The Crossing, ICTE, Keshet and Cambridge Welcoming Ministries) last month; we’re sorry that the snow made travel challenging for many.

We have all been saddened and frustrated by the Transgender Equal Rights Bill (formerly An Act Relative to Gender-Based Discrimination and Hate Crimes) not passing by the end of the last legislative session in July. But your support made a tremendous difference, and did much to help further understanding and social justice for transgender people.

The bill was refiled last month, and has been gathering legislative co-sponsors. We have every hope of passing it into law this legislative session. And your support and action remains a vital part of that work. We are continuing the An Act Of Faith journey we began a few years ago, and we hope that you will continue with us.

ICTE and Keshet, in partnership with the Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition (MTPC) and MassEquality, are organizing a very exciting faith campaign for the bill. The centerpiece is a Transgender Faith Action Week -- Sunday, April 3rd through Sunday, April 10th. Later in the Spring, we’ll be organizing a faith-themed press conference, as well as clergy speakers at the bill’s hearings and Lobby Days at the Statehouse. There will be many opportunities for action – especially calls, emails and letters to legislators, as well as written testimony for hearings.

Please save the date now for Transgender Faith Action Week, and think about how your faith community can participate! There are many ways to participate, and we welcome your ideas. Our primary focus is helping congregations and other faith communities organize “postcard parties”. Green postcards (orange last year) that support the bill are signed by voters and delivered to both of their legislators. We intend to distribute, collect and deliver large amounts of postcards from congregations, clergy, lay leaders and other people of faith – to show the Statehouse just how much the Massachusetts faith community supports transgender equality.

Participating communities will receive a packet of materials and instructions, as well as “tech” support from the faith campaign team. They will also have the option of being listed (for free) in all of the week’s publicity – including newspaper ads in Bay Windows and Rainbow Times.

The ICTE leadership and MassEquality staff will be contacting congregations over the next few weeks. We will also be offering some live and video educational presentations about transgender people and the bill.

Thank you again for your support! We look forward to partnering with you to further transgender equality this year and beyond.

Best wishes,

Interfaith Coalition for Transgender Equality

http://www.interfaithcoalition.blogspot.com

The Adipositivity Project (fat-positive art photos)

The Adipositivity Project is photographer Substantia Jones’ wonderful fat-positive art photography.

WARNING – most photos are NSFW (not safe for work).

http://adipositivity.com/

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Adipositivity/46449642181

http://twitter.com/Adipositivity

http://www.cafepress.com/adipositivity ~ shop!

Usually each photo is of an individual fat woman.

But every February 1st through 14th, there’s a new photo every day, and each is of a couple (where at least one person is fat). “Pucker up, Peeps. It's time for the Adipositivity Project's Valentine series. Every day through Valentine's Day you'll see another Adiposer couple gettin' at least semi for ya. But remember, most of 'em are in pre-, mid-, or post-canoodle, so some photographs may be even more NSFW than usual. (Racier this year than in previous years.) Hope they make you smile as much as they do me. Happy Valentine's Day!”

Today (Tuesday, February 8th, 2011) the couple is my partner Julia and I! We were photographed in New York City last May (2010). We’re so happy and proud to be Adiposers. Thank you, Substantia!

Here we are – NSFW (not safe for work):

http://adipositivity.my-expressions.com/archives/9478_1745602162/352713

Happy early Valentines Day 2011 / 5711!

: - )) Mycroft

*******

More about Adipositivity, from the website:

“Adipose: Of or relating to fat.

Positivity: Characterized by or displaying acceptance or affirmation.

MISSION:

The Adipositivity Project aims to promote size acceptance, not by listing the merits of big people, or detailing examples of excellence (these things are easily seen all around us), but rather, through a visual display of fat physicality. The sort that's normally unseen.

The hope is to widen definitions of physical beauty. Literally.

The photographs here are close details of the fat female form, without the inclusion of faces. One reason for this is to coax observers into imagining they're looking at the fat women in their own lives, ideally then accepting them as having aesthetic appeal which, for better or worse, often translates into more complete forms of acceptance.

The women you see in these images are educators, executives, mothers, musicians, professionals, performers, artists, activists, clerks, and writers. They are perhaps even the women you've clucked at on the subway, rolled your eyes at in the market, or joked about with your friends.

This is what they look like with their clothes off.

Some are showing you their bodies proudly. Others timidly. And some quite reluctantly. But they all share a determination in altering commonly accepted notions of a narrow and specific beauty ideal.

Bookmark adipositivity.com and check back often, as new photographs are added regularly (ish). And please help spread the message. The Adipositivity Project: Changing attitudes about the aesthetic validity of big women, one fat fanny at a time.

ABOUT THE PHOTOGRAPHER:

Substantia Jones’ photography has been exhibited in galleries and museums throughout the

US East Coast, and has appeared in The New York Times, Time Out New York, and some other

publications she can’t recall at this time, but you probably haven’t heard of them anyway. She is biographied in the 2006 Who’s Who in America (though under the name her momma gave her), and back in the day, she won some photography awards which would sound somewhat Mayberry if listed here, but at the time, they damn near made her cry. Still kinda do.

She lives in Manhattan, where she also sometimes steps out (more like lays around) in front of the camera, and on some of those occasions, the snapping is done by her trusty sidekick, Dr. H, who also fetches her banana popsicles and maintains her muse, a certain pancake colored dog who’s asked that his name not be mentioned on the Internet.

Ms. Jones likes crispy calamari, Squidbillies, and the ika okonomiyaki from Otafuku in the East Village, if only the lines weren’t so long.

Thou shalt not reproduce without permission.

Except for babies. Make all o' them you want.

© The Adipositivity Project 2007-2011”

UPDATE - TOMORROW's Action Day re: trans rights bill!

ICTE sent this message to our Facebook Group today:

UPDATE - TOMORROW's Action Day re: trans rights bill!

ICTE's previous Facebook Group message:

http://interfaithcoalition.blogspot.com/2011/01/action-day-for-ma-trans-rights-bill.html

There's a three-part update:

1) Action Day will be snow-delayed for 1 hour -- it will start at 12:00 noon, not 11:00 a.m. It will still end at 2:00 p.m.

2) Our opponents have already started calling and emailing the Statehouse. So we need you to call and email your legislators TODAY. And let MTPC know how it went.

3) There will be a reception for Action Day attendees tomorrow afternoon. Hosted by The Crossing at the Cathedral Church of Saint Paul (where Boston Transgender Day of

Remembrance was). More information asap.

More details about today and tomorrow in today's MTPC enewsletter:

http://www.icontact-archive.com/a3pl2DehLErMRaYi3ELGrVpQDNYUwVB-?w=1

See -- and/or hear and/or read -- you tomorrow!

Best wishes for the snow,

Mycroft Masada Holmes

Chair, ICTE

First Event (transgender conference)

First Event is an annual regional transgender conference, organized by the Tiffany Club of New England -- http://tcne.org/?page_id=20.

For the second year in a row, my fellow ICTEr Rev. Cameron Partridge and I co-facilitated a workshop about transgender and faith. Cameron also facilitated a workshop about Michael Dillon / Lobzang Jivaka (an early trans and faith pioneer whose memoir Cameron has been working with), which I attended most of.

Our workshops:

Transgender Faith, Spirituality & Religion

Mycroft Masada Holmes

Saturday, January 22, 11:00 am

Constitution Room

Many transgender people and allies are people of faith, and members of faith communities.

Many faith communities welcome us, and support our equality; more all the time. Yet our

relationship with religion has been very painful, and much change is still needed. How do we explore and practice spirituality? Make faith communities welcoming? Partner with people of faith to work for transgender social justice? Share your experiences, thoughts and questions!

Michael Dillon / Lobzang Jivaka and Trans Narrative Practices

Rev. Dr. Cameron Partridge

Saturday, January 22, 2:00 pm

Constitution Room

Michael Dillon / Lobzang Jivaka (1915 - 1962) is chiefly known for three inter-related contributions to contemporary trans communities and studies. First, he is known as the first person to have “fully” medically transitioned from female to male, a process he engaged between 1939-1949. Second, his 1946 book Self is identified as one of the earliest sources for the “trapped in the wrong body” trans narrative pattern. Finally, he is seen as a pioneer, particularly to transmen. Equally important, but unacknowledged, is the importance of theological reflection and spiritual practice to his transition and vocation.

Having grown up in the Church of England, Dillon was a serious student of theology and

philosophy and considered ordination as an Anglican deaconess before becoming a physician in the merchant navy. Ultimately he traveled away from both his faith and country of origin, framing his everyday struggles and the life narrative he finally composed as an ongoing process of spiritual wrestling and transformation.

This lifelong process led him to India in 1958, where he became a Buddhist, took on the name Jivaka, gave up all his possessions, wrote about Buddhism for Western audiences, and died suddenly in 1962 as a monastic novice in the Mahayana branch of Buddhism.

This workshop includes an overview of Dillon/Jivaka’s life, readings from his memoir Out of the Ordinary, which the workshop leader is currently co-editing for publication, and an opportunity for the gathered group to reflect upon questions and intersections of trans narrativity and spirituality in their own lives.

What role, if any, do/have writings of trans forbears play(ed) in your own reflection and discernment about gender and embodiment? What role, if any, have narratives — or particular images or categories -- generated by religious, spiritual, or philosophical traditions played in your life thus far? With what sorts of narratives — how coherent or incoherent, in what sorts of conversation with religious, philosophical and/or spiritual traditions, and/or in what sorts of conversation with our trans forbears — do we choose to make sense of our bodies and lives?

Our bios:

Mycroft Masada Holmes is a transgender leader specializing in faith, religion and spirituality. Mycroft is Chair of the Interfaith Coalition for Transgender Equality, Chair of the Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition's Training Committee, Emeritus Founding Chair of Keshet's Transgender Working Group (TWiG), and a board member of Congregation Am Tikva. Mycroft is also especially interested in fat / size acceptance.

Rev. Dr. Cameron Partridge is a scholar of religion and gender/sexuality studies and an Episcopal priest. He is currently serving as interim Episcopal Chaplain and Lecturer at Harvard. Among his current projects is the co-editing and publication of Michael Dillon / Lobzang Jivaka’s c. 1962 memoir Out of the Ordinary.

Action Day for MA trans rights bill - next Thursday the 27th!

ICTE sent this message to our Facebook Group today:

Hello and happy 2011!

The Massachusetts Transgender Equal Rights Bill is being refiled this month. To pass it into law this year, we need your support.

MTPC is organizing a Transgender Equal Rights Action Day -- NEXT THURSDAY, January 27th, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Massachusetts State House, Room 167. A week from today!

We need you, transgender people and allies, to ask your legislators to co-sponsor the Transgender Equal Rights Bill.

You can arrive any time between 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. Come to Room 167 and pick up materials about the bill to bring to your State Representative's and Senator's offices. Go to your Rep's and Senator's offices and ask to speak with someone. After your meeting, return to Room 167 to give your completed legislator meeting form to MTPC.

If you can't arrive before 2:00 p.m., but can before 5:00 p.m., emailgscott@masstpc.org and MTPC will make arrangements with you.

If you can't attend at at all, please call your legislators that day:

http://www.masstpc.org/legislation/callinghelp.shtml

Facebook event:

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=119847154752183

Blog entry / press release on the MTPC site:

http://www.masstpc.org/?p=1208

Page on the MPTC site:

http://www.masstpc.org/legislation/actionday2011.shtml

There isn't a specific faith piece because there isn't a program. But as always, we particularly encourage people of faith to participate, and we ask that clergy and lay leaders come vested and/or wearing other faith flair. I will be there and flaired, and look forward to seeing many of you.

ICTE is planning an awesome 2011 faith campaign for the bill with MTPC and MassEquality, so stay tuned...

Thank you for your support!

Best wishes for your 2011,

Mycroft Masada Holmes

Chair, ICTE

2nd annual Transgender Awareness Week (Massachusetts)

It's the 2nd annual Transgender Awareness Week in Massachusetts, organized by the Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition!

Here's TAW on MTPC's website:

http://www.masstpc.org/events/taw/

And here's the fabulous flyer:

http://www.masstpc.org/events/taw/TAW%20MTPC%20calendar%20flyer.pdf

And here's the Facebook event:

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=164957850180935

Also, here's my blog entry about one of the most awesome parts of TAW, the launch of MTPC's "I AM : Trans People Speak" -- our new public education campaign:

http://masadarts.blogspot.com/2010/11/mtpcs-i-am-trans-people-speak-public.html

: - ) Mycroft

*******

Mycroft Masada Holmes

Chair, Interfaith Coalition for Transgender Equality

Chair, Training Committee, Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition

Emeritus Founding Chair, Transgender Working Group (TWiG), Keshet

MTPC's "I AM : Trans People Speak" -- a public education campaign

Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition has been working on a new public education campaign --

"I AM: Trans People Speak" -- www.TransPeopleSpeak.org. "I AM" is a multi-media campaign aimed at educating the public about the diversity of the transgender communy and our families, friends, and allies.

Each person's story begins with a few "I am..." statements. I chose to tell my story as a video, and was filmed by MTPC. My statements are "I am an interfaith leader, I am a writer and an artist, I am a life partner, and I am also a transgender person."

I'm also one of the people in the video ad for the campaign:

http://www.masstpc.org/?p=1167

Tonight is the launch party -- the "I AM" website goes live tonight!

A Launch Party: I AM: Trans People Speak

Sunday, November 14th, 2010

5:00 - 9:00 p.m.

Bella Luna/Milky Way at the Brewery Complex

284 Amory Street

Jamaica Plain, MA 02130

RSVP to rachel@masstpc.org or visit

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=159140427459479

The launch party is free and open to all ages, with light refreshments, a cash bar and dancing. MTPC will be premiering videos and other materials from the campaign.

MTPC is still accepting applications for stories -- the project will be ongoing.

We are looking for trans people, as well as family members, partners, friends and providers to share their stories. This collection of stories aims to challenge stereotypes and misconceptions of trans individuals by highlighting the realities of their lived experience. These voices span across a diversity of communities and intersecting identities.

By providing a forum where these unique stories can be shared and given significance, I AM fosters support and raises awareness for trans communities. There is no one trans narrative. Each individual has their own unique story to tell, and these voices can no longer be silenced.

Personal stories change lives, laws, and policies.

We are looking for people who feel comfortable sharing their experience through a video interview. We realize that due to safety and/or confidentiality this may not be possible for everyone -- so audio stories, photo essays, and written stories may also be submitted. Names may be changed if needed.

All participants will be given the opportunity to tell their story in their preferred language. We are also looking for spokesmodels – those who can appear in promotional materials.

People of faith are particularly needed, and there is a special need for clergy and lay leaders. Please consider sharing your story, and inviting others to do so.

: - )) Mycroft

*******

Mycroft Masada Holmes

Chair, Interfaith Coalition for Transgender Equality

Chair, Training Committee, Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition

Emeritus Founding Chair, Transgender Working Group (TWiG), Keshet

My partner's in the newspaper "Street Sense"!

My partner Julia McCrossin volunteers as an adult literacy tutor at the Washington Literacy Council (Washington DC). Last week a photo of her and her student was included in the Street Sense newspaper's article "Adult Literacy: A Silent Crisis".

Street Sense is a Washington, D.C.-based 16-page biweekly street newspaper that was founded in 2003. Its mission is to offer economic opportunities for people experiencing homelessness in our community through a newspaper that elevates voices and encourages debate on poverty and injustice. (Similar to Boston, MA's "Spare Change".)

Here is the article on their website:

http://www.streetsense.org/2010/10/adult-literacy-a-silent-crisis/

And it's copied and pasted below my signature.

Julia is in the first of the two photos.

: - ) Mycroft

*******

Mycroft Masada Holmes

Chair, Interfaith Coalition for Transgender Equality

Chair, Training Committee, Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition

Emeritus Founding Chair, Transgender Working Group (TWiG), Keshet

13 OCT

Adult Literacy: A Silent Crisis

By Shadaye Hunnicutt, intern

In a small classroom a teacher prepares for class surrounded by covered walls with posters labeled with the parts of speech, vowel teams and vowel options. In the corner of the room sits a globe, next to it a spelling game. In the front of the classroom, the teacher writes “A, E, I, O, U.”

Suddenly, the room is filled with laughter and joking as the students pile in and take their seats. The youngest student is 25.

“It’s something we don’t like to talk about,” said Terry Algire, executive director of the Washington Literacy Council, whose mission is to increase adult literacy in the District. “If you talk about children who are struggling with reading, you have these wonderful pictures of adults reading with them. It makes you feel good. If you look at a class of adults who are having trouble with reading, it doesn’t have the same impact.”

One in seven adults in the United States have below basic reading and writing skills, according to the U.S. Department of Education.

“Illiteracy among adults is a quiet crisis…our nation needs to do better,” said Senator Thomas Harkin of Iowa in his award acceptance letter at the annual Pro-Literacy award ceremony.

In September, pro-literacy organizations gathered at the Rayburn house in D.C. for their annual literacy leadership award ceremony and formation of the first-ever house adult literacy caucus. Together several organizations are working to help provide adults with these basic skills and more.

“Literacy is essential,” said Algire. “If you cant read you have nowhere to go, the bar for literacy keeps going up and more and more people keep falling behind.”

Many adults are afraid to enter into adult literacy programs because they are ashamed and afraid to let their friends and families know they have a problem, said Benson.

“Shame is the major impediment…it makes it hard to identify adults who have below basic literacy skills,” said Barry Benson, vice president of ProLiteracy, the world’s largest non-profit advocacy organization offering literacy programs.

“Literacy is a lever, it raises all boats,” said Heidi Silver-Pacuilla, who will be taking over as president of National Coalition for Literacy at the end of the year.

Adult learners who enter into a literacy program learn to read and are equipped with the skills necessary to get by in a technology driven world, according to Benson.

“Students learn work related skills to be brought up to date on how to read and use a computer, as well as learning financial literacy” said Benson.

At WLC, students go through three stages of small group classes, Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced, each three semesters long.

In the Intermediate class, students learn lessons such as six syllable types, five rules for dividing syllables, vowel spelling variations, grammar, the basics of composition and vocabulary expansion.

Just like in a typical grade school class the students take turns spelling a word on the board.

“Let me do another one,” yells out one student. “I used to run from this.”

The students take a spelling test, and then end class with the game ‘Password,’ where one student picks a random word from a bag and has to say a word related to that word so their team mate can guess the original word.

“Classes are set up so that students can be successful, we take students from where they are and help them to move forward”, said Algire.

Currently, ProLiteracy is working with members of congress to pass policies that will raise awareness of the need for adult literacy programs.

“We want to help our members suffering budget cuts be as efficient as possible when accommodating learners coming in with fewer dollars,” said Benson.

These policies will ultimately lead to more government funding for adult literacy programs. The Adult Education budget for D.C. programs is 5 million dollars.

Children should arrive at school with basics of pre-literacy skills. If they’re in a home where no one is reading, their skills may be so far behind entering Kindergarten, that it can be almost impossible for them to catch up, according to Algire.

“There’s a continuum,” said Algire. “If we put all our subjects on one end of the continuum, we don’t make anything any better. We have to reach across the continuum, not just reach out to the child, but make sure in their family unit, and in their communities there are adults reading and literate as well.”