When: Saturday 25th May, 1.45 - 5PM

Where: Central School of Speech and Drama, London, NW3 3HY (Map) Nearest tube: Swiss Cottage (Exit 2)

Let’s look closely at our friendships and relationships - or the ones we might want to have. How can I find the right friends and relationships for me? What’s OK and not OK? How can I deal with all my feelings of jealousy, insecurity or simply fancying someone? How can I be safe and how or when do I come out as trans?
 
This session is for all of you - whatever your age, whether you’re having relationships or not – this session will help you think about yourself and feel better about being you and doing the right thing for yourself and others.
 
The session will be very interactive, with lots of games and activities. It will be a safe and supportive space – it won’t be embarrassing and you won’t be asked to say anything you don’t want to.
 
The session is being run by Catherine Bewley from Galop. Galop is a London-based LGBT anti-violence charity that has worked a lot with GI over the years. Catherine does lots of outreach and development work with trans* people, works with lots of individual trans* people who’ve experienced sexual abuse, and helps run cliniQ, the new sexual health service for trans* people at Dean Street.
 
They’ll be a chance to ask questions, meet other young trans people and socialise. Light refreshments will be provided. Travel bursaries of up to £7 will be provided with a receipt. Our spaces are wheelchair accessible, but please contact us if you have any access needs we may need to take in to consideration.

We’ve been sent over this call-out for trans women to contribute to this article for G3 - get in touch if you’re interested in being interviewed!

I’m writing an article for g3 magazine on the inclusion of trans women within the lesbian community, and am currently looking for 2-3 trans women in the London area to interview about their experiences. The article itself will be in an interview-style format, with my parts being neutral. My aim is not to speak for trans women, but rather to give them a voice in order to highlight a problem. I will be writing it with the utmost care, and you can read it before it gets published.

Interviewees can remain anonymous in the published article if they wish.

Please contact me on sophie.cooper@mac.com if you wish to get involved, or share with anyone you think will be interested. I’m hoping to conduct interviews next week.

Also, don’t hesitate to contact me if you wish to give me advice.

When: Saturday 27th April 2013, 1.45 - 5PM

Where: Central School of Speech and Drama, London, NW3 3HY (Map) Meet in main foyer outside the Embassy Theatre at 1.45.

For our next session, we’ll be having another Imagining Our Futures session, after our hugely successful event in April last year. In this session, we’ll be having trans professionals from a range of backgrounds coming to talk about their career, what inspires them, and how being trans may have had an effect on things for them.

This session will also be a SOFFA session, where significant others, friends, and family members are welcome to attend. This is a good opportunity for family and friends of young trans people to meet eachother and gain mutual support.

Some of the careers of our confirmed guests so far are:

- Primary school teacher
- Lecturer
- Published poet & bookshop worker
- Chemist
- Policeman
- Conservation Scientist
- Creative
- A former Navy medic
- Senior Policy Officer in local government
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist

We’ve tried our best to get a diverse range of participants, but we would still like more guest speakers who identify as non-binary.

This session will give young trans people an opportunity to hear from older trans people and ask questions - whether it’s about the career path itself or information on being trans or transitioning in a particular field.

The venue is fully accessible. Travel bursaries will be available, for up to £7 per person, with a receipt. Light refreshments will be provided.

See you there!

genderedintelligence:

We won’t be having a session on Saturday 30th March as it’s the bank holiday weekend. We’ll instead be having a trip to see Ajamu’s exhibition, ’FIERCE’ - Portraits of young, Black, LGBTQ people,on April 5th.

When: Friday April 5th, 2pm - 4pm

Where: Guildhall Art Gallery, Guildhall…

Remember to let us know if you want to come to this on Friday! We can pay your travel expenses up to £7.

The second phase of On Road’s work with the trans community and the media has begun…

On the 26th March, On Road are  holding an informal social gathering for young trans volunteers taking part in The Interactions*, to explain how they will be run and for young people to get to know us and each other. Each of the 20 interactions will be tailored to the interests of the media professional so we will be pairing trans volunteers with journalists who have similar interests – which is why we’re getting to know our volunteers better!

What are ‘The Interactions?’

From late April to July 2013, we’ll be holding 20 “interactions” (social meetings lasting no longer than 2 hours) between a media professional and one to three young trans people. Supported by Esmée Fairbairn Foundation and the BBC, It’s a chance for media professionals to get to know young people in a setting of their choice and at their convenience. It could involve anything from a trip on the London Eye, to coffee at their favourite place around the corner from work, to a black cab home being serenaded with their favourite music.

This event is invite only, but please get in touch if you’d like to get involved in any way by emailing alana@onroadmedia.org.uk.

All About Trans (formerly ‘Trans Media Action’) came to speak with us at our last youth group session and run an amazing workshop! Anyone interested in getting involved in their interactions, don’t forget to get in touch!

A spat between feminist Suzanne Moore and transgender rights activists played out on social networking sites, and then hit the headlines when journalist Julie Burchill joined in too.

Jo Fidgen explores the underlying ideas which cause so much tension between radical feminists and transgender campaigners, and discovers why recent changes in the law and advances in science are fuelling debate.

Contributors:

James Barrett, consultant psychiatrist and lead clinician at the Charing Cross National Gender Identity Clinic

Julie Bindel, feminist and journalist

Lord Alex Carlile QC, Liberal Democrat member of the House of Lords

Melissa Hines, professor of psychology at Cambridge University

Richard O’Brien, writer of the Rocky Horror Show

Ruth Pearce, postgraduate researcher in sociology at the University of Warwick

Stephen Whittle OBE, professor of equalities law at Manchester Metropolitan University

Listen now.

This was broadcast last night on Radio 4 - may be of interest to people!

We’ve got at least 4 spare tickets to see Young, Sex-Changed and Lonely, our Gendered Intelligence youth satirical film, as part of the ‘We Can Be Heroes’ series of shorts at the London Lesbian and Gay Film Festival tomorrow, Tuesday 19th March at 8:40pm.

We’d like to offer the tickets to any young trans people interested in coming along for FREE. If you want to come, email us on admin@genderedintelligence.co.uk. We’ll meet at 8:15pm at the main entrance to the BFI and go as a group.

We also have loads of free tickets going for young trans people to see the screening on Wednesday 20th March at 6:10pm - however, we will not be meeting as a group to attend this screening, so you’d need to pick up your ticket and head in yourself.

If you’re interested, drop us an email or a tumblr ask!

When: Wednesday 27th March, 6.30 - 9 PM 

Where: 

Central School of Speech and Drama, London, NW3 3HY (Map) Meet in main reception.

Join us at our next Gendered Intelligence Film Club! Our film club is open to anyone of any age - whether you’re trans or an ally.

We’re showing Beautiful Boxer, a Thai film that brings to life the story of Nong Thoom, a famous trans woman, Muay Thai (kickboxing) fighter, model, and actress. Parinaya Charoemphol AKA Nong Toom, becomes a kickboxer so that she can earn enough money from winning matches to pay for her medical transition. Beautiful Boxer follows the life of Nong Thoom from childhood to adulthood with respect and eloquence.  

There is suggested donation of £5 / £3 concessions.

The bar will be open serving alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, and popcorn. 

All profits from the bar and any donated money will go towards Gendered Intelligence’s trans youth support work.

Click ‘attending’ on the Facebook event here.

See you there!

genderedintelligence:

Gendered Intelligence are running our second ever ‘Imagining Our Futures’ event, for young trans people to meet trans people with established careers, passions and interests - to hear your stories, ask questions, and inspire them for the future!

We’re looking for trans, gender variant and…

We’ve had an overwhelming response to this! We’d really like more trans people to apply who work in trades / vocational careers so we have a balance - if you are a tradesperson or have a vocational career we’d really like to hear from you - here’s the form to fill in if you’re interested. 

We’d also like more genderqueer and nonbinary people to apply if possible.

When: Tuesday 12th March 2013.
5.45 - 8PM

Where: 
Tavistock Centre
Belsize Lane
London
NW3 5BA (Map) Nearest tube: Swiss Cottage. Meet in reception at 5.45pm.

For our next Tuesday youth group for young trans people aged 13 - 25, we’ll have guests Trans Media Action coming in to tell us about their project,working towards more positive portrayals of trans people in the media, and upcoming opportunities to get involved for young trans people.

We’ll follow it up with a discussion, talking about how you feel mainstream and non-mainstream media represents trans people, how media representations have affected your own trans journey, and how we can change the way we’re represented in the future.

As always, they’ll be plenty of time to chat, with light refreshments provided.

We can reimburse your travel for up to £7 per person. 

If you have any questions, get in touch!

transclothingswap:

[A poster for Trans* Clothing Swap which says:

Trans* Clothing Swap

Bring clothes you don’t need and take the ones you do need for free. Donations go toward Gendered Intelligence’s trans* youth group.

When: March 30th, 2012 12:00 - 4:00 PM

Where: 227A Upper Street, N1 2TZ

For more information, look up “Trans* Clothing Swap” on Facebook or follow @TransClothSwap on Twitter for updates.

The current location is fully accessible. Please contact us via Facebook or Twitter for details.]

We hope you enjoyed our trans history series for LGBT History Month in February. If you missed any, you can click our trans history tag, or check out the list below.

Biographies of trans people for LGBT History Month UK

Lucy Hicks Anderson  - Domestic Worker (US)

April Ashley - Model / Actor (UK)

Georgina Beyer - Politician (New Zealand)

Georgia Black - Domestic Worker (US)

Kylar Broadus - Lawyer (US)

Marci Bowers - Surgeon (US)

Robert Cowell - Racing driver (UK)

Michael Dillon - Doctor (UK)

Lili Elbe - Artist (Denmark)

Jack Bee Garland - Soldier (US)

Althea Garrison - Politician (US)

Anna Grodzka - Politician (Poland)

Alan Hart - Doctor (US)

Marsha P Johnson - Activist / Performer (US)

Christine Jorgensen - Actress / Entertainer (US)

Jan Morris - Author (UK)

Sylvia Rivera - Trans Activist (US)

Fanny and Stella - Performers (UK)

Lou Sullivan - Author / Activist (US)

Billy Tipton - Musician (US)

Stephen Whittle - Lawyer / Lecturer (UK)

- Are you trans or do you have a trans history?

- Have you ever had to disclose your trans history or identity to a romantic or sexual partner? 

- If yes, Gendered Intelligence needs your help!

We thought it’d be a great idea to create a zine anonymously outlining peoples experiences of disclosure. We want to create a platform for trans people to share their disclosure stories, strategies and tips, and create a useful resource for young trans people.

Many of our young people have discussed feeling apprehensive and nervous about the prospect of sex and relationships as a trans person, with disclosure often seeming like a daunting task. Many young trans people have stated they would find it easier if they could hear stories of when other trans people have disclosed and what happened as a result. 

Whether you’re binary, non-binary, on hormones, pre hormones, post-surgery, pre-surgery, no surgery - we want to hear from you with your experiences.

We’d like people send us a disclosure story explaining any details you think are important (such as - what happened, how you disclosed, whether it went well, what you might do differently next time [if applicable], etc).  We request that stories are not unnecessarily sexually explicit.

You can submit as many times as you like, but please keep it to one experience per submission.

All stories will remain anonymous. Click here to submit your experiences.

Thanks for your help!

Althea Garrison is an American politician, woman of trans history, and the first trans person to be elected to state legislature.

Garrison was born in 1940 in Georgia, attending high school there before moving to Boston to go to beauty school. She went on to enrol in a number of Universities, receiving her associated, bachelors and masters degrees, and finally a certificate in special studies in administration and management from Harvard in 1984.

She ran at least 9 unsuccessful campaigns for office before 1992, when she had her first and only success. She ran as a Republican candidate for the Massachusetts House of Representatives, and defeated the Democratic candidate, Irene Roman, 2,451 votes to 2,014.

Garrison was only able to enjoy her victory for two days, before she was outed very publicly. Her previous male name was revealed after her name change document from 1976 was discovered. The author of the smear article was Eric Fehrnstrom, the communications director for the Mitt Romney presidential campaign.

The outing had a negative affect on her career, making her the butt of many political jokes. No one in the Massachusetts State House, including Garrison, would publicly confront the smear. 

Despite the obvious ignorance in regards to her trans history, she still impressed her colleagues. “She’s a transvestite or transsexual black woman, with an Adam’s Apple, who’s a Republican, who you run into in the members’ ladies’ room,” recalls one former colleague. “That being said, when you get past all those obvious things, I always found her to be very pleasant and very kind.”

During her time in office, she often voted on the side of the Democrats, showing herself to be consistently pro-union. Her re-election campaign in 1994 was unsuccessful, despite endorsements from several of the labour unions she had supported. 

She has continued her political campaigns since, running unsuccessfully in a number of elections. She has notably come out against marriage equality, stating same sex attraction is “a matter of choice and lifestyle not to be confused or associated with class or race.” She is even allied to the anti-LGBT rights group ‘MassResistance’. 

Source: Wikipedia / TransGriot / Boston Phoenix

Check out more trans history on Gendered Intelligence’s ‘Trans History’ tag.