The International Foundation for Gender Education

Originally appeared in Transgender Tapestry #104, Winter 2004.



by Petra De Sutter, M.D., Ph.D.



Preimplantation genetic diagnosis
is a technology that screens embryos, obtained through in vitro fertilization,
to be screened for genetic status; only embryos without abnormalities are transplanted into the uterus. PGD is currently most often performed for genetically inheritable diseases such as cystic fibrosis or chromosomal imbalances in the parents, as an ethically defendable alternative to prenatal diagnosis and interruption of an affected pregnancy. To date, about 1000 children have been born worldwide following PGD, and many pregnancies are ongoing (Tanner, 2002).

The Internal Revenue Service has allowed a transgender woman to deduct the cost of her SRS as a medically necessary treatment. Rhiannon O'Donnabhain appealed after her deduction for her medical treatments was denied by the initial tax examiner, who viewed it as cosmetic. The appeals officer later determined the expenses were for "an integral part of a professionally prescribed course of treatment for her diagnosed condition."

The 24th Dignity Cruise, "A Transgender Convention at Sea," is November 25-December 3, 2005 sailing on the Legend out of Fort Lauderdale to Barbados, Martinique and St. Maarten. Rates are $460 to $760 per person. Contact melpeg@mindspring.com - www.pmpub.com/cruise24.htm.

According to FordGlobe.org on July 30, 2004, Ford Motor Company added "Gender Identity" to their Corporate Policy Letters 2 and 6, as a category that is protected against discrimination. Ford is the first of the Big 3 automotive companies to take this step. The three major automakers tend to keep their policies uniform, so it is hoped that GM and Chrysler will follow suit.

Friday the 13th of August was a Black Friday for Civil Liberties in Oz.

With an Election looming, the Prime Minister finally got his wish and forced the Parliament, with the support of a supine Opposition, to pass the US Free Trade Agreement, an anti-terrorism bill that further increased the grounds on which citizens could be held without trial, and his pet desire; the same-sex marriage bill.

In a historic first, the Democratic National Convention will see transgender participation like never before. For the first time ever, there will be more than a solitary transgendered delegate in national political process. No less than five delegates, and two committee members will be attending the Convention on July 26-29, 2004 in Boston - four of whom are current or former board members of the National Transgender Advocacy Coalition (NTAC).

Austin became the 3rd city in Texas and the 71st municipality in the country to add gender identity as a protected class to its human rights ordinance. On Thursday, June 10, 2004 by a unanimous vote, Austin?s City council voted to amend the Austin City Human Rights Ordinance to include gender identity as a protected class in employment, housing, and public accommodation. Austin joins Dallas and El Paso as the only cities in Texas to extend equal rights to its Transgendered citizens. Houston added gender identity to its nondiscrimination policy in public employment in July of 2001.

On June 24th 2004 the law society of upper Canada, the 207 year old association of lawyers in Ontario held a public forum/ workshop on gender identity issues in Toronto. The forum had two trans identified persons speaking and two human rights lawyers and covered issues that trans identified people deal with. After the panel discussion (of which I was one of the presenters) the mayor of Toronto gave an address to the law society with regards to Pride Week a model policy paper on, Sexual Identity and Gender Orientation: Creating an Inclusive Work environment.

Info can be found along with a press release at: http://www.lsuc.on.ca/pics/subtopic.jpg

Lindsay Smith

The Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition (MTPC) initiated a post card campaign this past PRIDE Week in Boston protesting the Human Rights Campaign (HRC). MTPC is opposed to HRC?s support of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), because it fails to include transgender people. 1,000 pink post cards were filled out at The Dyke March Friday night, and at the Pride Parade Saturday, which will be mailed directly to HRC?s Executive Director Cheryl Jacques.

Originally appeared in Transgender Tapestry #105, Spring 2004.



by Dallas Denny



Pronoun Trouble



Several years ago, I went with a friend to a rainy Pride celebration in Atlanta?s Piedmont Park. Afterwards, muddy and damp, our hair frizzed, we decided to
get something to eat. My friend pulled her SUV into the parking lot of a high-dollar Mexican restaurant, where we were greeted by a parking valet. He said to my friend, a transsexual woman, ?Good afternoon, sir.? A moment later, having taken a better look, he started over. ?Good afternoon, ma?am.?
Inside the restaurant, my friend sat steaming about the perceived insult. I said to her, more or less, ?He just did what all human beings do?when he saw you, he made an immediate gender attribution. Then, when he looked more closely, he changed the pronoun. Maybe he thought his initial impression had been mistaken. Maybe he clocked you and was courteous enough to call you ma?am. In either case, how did he give offense??
She wasn?t able to tell me.