Movie Night: TransAmerica

Transgender Day of Visibility

Transgender Day of Visibility

March 31

Events in Michigan: http://www.transgendermichigan.org/events.html

Movie Night: Paris is Burning

2013: A YEAR Of PROMISE for the Transgender community

2013: A YEAR Of PROMISE

for the Transgender community

by Rachel Crandall

Published in Between the Lines, 1/3/13

http://www.pridesource.com/guidearticle.html?article=57720

The coming years shows a lot of promise for the transgender community. Our visibility has increased much over the last year.

However the still is one thing that we are missing. A number of years ago non lesbian and gay individuals began to show support for the gay community. This has greatly helped the gay community to gain acceptance. Honestly that is one thing that for the most part the transgender community is still lacking.

This coming year we must reach out to the LGB and straight communities. W e must ask for their support and even more importantly for their action. We desperately need non-transgender people to join us in the call for transgender inclusion and transgender rights. We must ask them to demand these for the transgender community. We need them to call their legislators write letters and demand employers to accept and treat better the transgender community in their employment. Unfortunately most LGBT organizations and agencies do not fully include the transgender community.

It is up to us, the transgender community, to reach out to their friends and families neighbors and everyone to support our community. The transgender community must become much more comfortable asking for support and for action.. The key is that we must ask our supporters to come out of the closet as transgender supporters. This may sound silly but overall transgender community supporters keep their support quiet and guarded. This must change!

We will not be asking for anything that the lesbian and gay community has not been asking for years. It is regular practice of the lesbian community to ask for support. Even leaders of the transgender community are not good at asking for financial help for their organizations. Leaders of transgender organizations must also gain skills to write grants and raise resources.

March 31 is the International Transgender Day of Visibility. This is the one day every year that the transgender community around the world comes together for visibility and for pride. This year around the world we must also ask for our supporters to show their visibility. This is a very unique day for the transgender community. As a community we are must better at mourning for transgender people who have been killed then we are at showing our visibility and our pride. Showing our visibility and our pride is an important step in the process to ask for support.

On a more local level 2012 has been a year of progress for the Transgender Community in Michigan. Great progress was made in offering support to more and more transgender individuals throughout the state.

There currently are more support groups then ever before. Transgender Michigan has helped many new groups to form. We have many more chapters and affiliates then any time in the past. Also new transgender organizations have formed in Michigan that show much promise. Right now as I am writing this article a chapter of Transgender Michigan is forming in the Traverse City area. This is an achievement for both Transgender Michigan and Traverse City.

Transgender Michigan is now also working with the HIV transgender community in our partnership with Michigan Aids Coalition. This population is one of the fastest growing HIV populations. As a result of the sharing of needles, etc HIV is now a major issue for the transgender community. Hopefully soon Transgender Michigan will be providing HIV testing for the transgender community. This will be accompanied by work in the HIV prevention area.

Also this past year major transgender events have had record breaking attendance. The Transgender Michigan Pride in the Park had a record showing along with the Michigan Transgender Health Fair. Transgender Michigan recently started chapters in Lansing, Sault Ste. Marie, Detroit, and Traverse City. This increases the effort to truly represent the whole state of Michigan.

Movie Night: Tokyo Godfather

Transgender Day of Remembrance

     November 20th is Transgender Day of Remembrance.  This is the day we designated to remember all those who were murdered just because they were transgender.

     This year we went to the service in Detroit where over 200 names were read.  It was a very emotional experience.  But the day is not over so take some time today to remember those who have died.

    Just because the Detroit and many other observances are over, it don't mean the message of Transgender Day of Remembrance is complete.  The battle is still ongoing.  We are still losing many more of our brothers and sisters to violence every hour.

    But what can be done to stop this?

•     It begins with people.  Come out as a transgender ally.  Let your friends know that you support rights for transgender people.  If you are transgender, let people know it you are able.  It is very hard to put down transgender if they personally are friends with a transgender or transgender ally.
•    Report it.  Most crimes (and even murders) against transgender goes unreported.  Either the transgender nature of the crime is ignored, or authorities do not consider crimes against transgender as worth of investigation.  The more people understand the extent of the problem, the harder it will be to ignore.  In Michigan, Equality Michigan http://www.equalitymi.org/report helps to track these types of crimes.
•    Support Transgender organizations.  Such as Transgender Michigan, www.transgendermichigan.org

Transgender Michigan Birthday Bash and Halloween Costume Party

Transgender Michigan
Birthday Bash
and Halloween Costume Party

At our office at:
429 Livernois St (corner Fielding)
Ferndale, MI 48220
Parking and entrance at the rear of the building, off Fielding.

Celebrate Rachel Crandall's Birthday
15 years as "Rachel".  Presents cheerfully accepted.

Celebrate Halloween & Day of the Dead
Costumes welcome. Prizes for best costume.

Celebrate the 15th Anniversary of Transgender Michigan

Celebrate our Open House
Come see our office!
Learn about our new strategic plan

DJ & Karaoke....Food....Fun...Friends...

No Cover charge,
but donations to Transgender Michigan encouraged.
Transgender Michigan is a 501(c)3 Michigan non-profit. All donations are fully tax deductible.

Contact Rachel at 517-420-1544

http://transgendermichigan.givezooks.com/events/bd2012