Author's posts
Jun 07 2014
Colbert misses the mark: The Transgender Threat to Old People
Sometimes satire fails. Even if you are Stephen Colbert, satire can fail.
Satire is a genre of literature, and sometimes graphic and performing arts, in which vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, corporations, government or society itself, into improvement.
When Colbert decided to use his inimitable charm to take on the subject of transgender seniors gaining the possibility of Medicare coverage of gender confirmation surgery, he neglected the fact that the majority of his audience are opposed to that coverage.
The assumption that all liberals would support transgender-inclusive healthcare ignores reality. Prachi Gupta at Salon addresses the issue.
Even more disturbing than the idea of Nana and Pee-Pop playing Mr. Potatohead downtown is that it violates the tacit agreement we have reached with the transgender community, I agree to be totally cool with it – which I clearly am [footage of his interview with trans activist Janet Mock], which Time Magazine clearly is, and which all the people lobbying for this transgendered woman [Carmen Carrera] to be a Victoria’s Secret model clearly are – as long as you are hot. But now you want me to accept unattractive transgender people? Where does it end? Will I have to accept unattractive non-transgender people? What am I made of? Humanity?
–Stephen Colbert
May 31 2014
Time announces our victory…or defeat
It has been a long, hard struggle.
And it is not over yet.
But this is progress. Time Magazine has declared that this society has reached the “transgender tipping point.”
I’m not a subscriber, but Zack Ford at Think Progress informs me that June 9, 2014 issue of the magazine includes “an extensive Transgender 101 article” that covers many of the issues affecting our community, photo essays of some of the transgender people who have influenced American and world culture (no, I am not included)…both living and dead (Kye Alums, Cassidy Campbell, Carmen Carrera, Candis Cayne, Lynn Conway, Caroline Cossey, Laverne Cox, Paisley Currah, Jamie Ewing, Fallon Fox, Rose Hayes, Christine Jorgensen, Isis King, Lana Lawless, Ashton Lee, Chelsea Manning, Janet Mock, Mike Penner/Christine Daniels, Renee Richards, Sylvia Rivera, Amanda Simpson, Lea T, Jenna Talackova, Brandon Teena, Billy Tipton, and Lana Wachowski), and an interview with Ms. Cox.
May 27 2014
Muse in the Morning
May 24 2014
Feces meets fan in Rochester
Effective January 1, 2015 the city of Rochester, NY will cover medical services related to gender reassignment, including medical and psychological counseling, hormone therapy, and cosmetic and reconstructive surgeries, as announced by Mayor Lovely Warren at Empire State Pride Agenda’s Spring Dinner on May 17.
The initiative is part of a plan steered by City Councilmember Matt Haag to raise the city’s Municipal Equality Index.
Eliminating barriers to health care is simply the right thing to do. The city was the first to support domestic partnerships, and I am happy that we lead the effort to equalize benefits for all once again.
–Mayor Warren
The inclusion of transition-related care in municipal benefits will improve the health and well-being of transgender employees and also send a message to the rest of our state that we need to provide medically necessary care to all transgender New Yorkers. Rochester has long been a leader on LGBT civil rights and this is just one more example of how this great city sets a strong example for the rest of New York state.
–Nathan M. Schaefer, executive director of Empire State Pride Agenda
Additionally, beginning with the 2014-15 academic year, the University of Rochester will offer transition-related health care coverage as part of the student health care plan.
It’s a medical necessity. It will also help promote a more inclusive environment and a more healthy and productive student body.
–John Cullen, coordinator of outreach for the Susan B. Anthony Center for Women’s Leadership at UR
UR thus becomes the 52nd university in the nation to adopt a progressive health care policy for its transgender students.
