[International]
DSM V & Transvestic Disorder - Take action now

On May 5, the American Psychiatric Association released a second round of proposed diagnostic criteria for the 5th Edition of The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). These include two categories that impact the trans community: Gender Dysphoria (formerly Gender Identity Disorder) and Transvestic Disorder (formerly Transvestic Fetishism).

While GID has received a great deal of attention in the press and from GLBTQ advocates, the second transvestic category is too often overlooked. This is unfortunate, because a diagnosis of Transvestic Disorder is designed to punish social and sexual gender nonconformity and to enforce binary stereotypes of assigned birth sex. It plays no role in enabling access to medical transition care for those who need it, and it is frequently cited when care is denied.

I urge all trans community members, friends, care providers, and allies to call for the removal of this punitive and scientifically unfounded diagnosis from the DSM-5. The current period for public comment to the APA ends June 15.

The entry in the current DSM on Transvestic Disorder, like the former entry on Transvestic Fetishism, is authored by Dr. Ray Blanchard of the Toronto Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (formerly known as the Clarke Institute). Blanchard has drawn outrage from the transcommunity for his defamatory theory of autogynephilia, asserting that all transsexual women who are not exclusively attracted to males are motivated to transition by self-obsessed sexual fetishism.

He is canonizing this harmful stereotype of transsexual women in the DSM-5 by adding an autogynephilia specifier to the Transvestic Disorder diagnosis.

Worse yet, Blanchard has broadly expanded the diagnosis to implicate gender nonconforming people of all sexes and all sexual orientations, even inventing an autoandrophilia specifier to smear transsexual men.
Most recently, he has added an "In Remission" specifier to preclude the possibility of exit from diagnosis.
Like a roach motel, there may be no way out of the Transvestic Disorder diagnosis once ensnared.

What You Can Do Now

1. Go to the APA DSM-5 website, click on "Register Now," create a user account, and enter your statement in the box.
The deadline for this second period of public comment is June 15.

2. Sign the Petition to Remove Transvestic Disorder from the DSM-5, sponsored by the International Foundation for Gender Education.

3. Demand that your local, national, and international GLBTQ nonprofit organizations issue public statements calling for the removal of this defamatory Transvestic Disorder category from the DSM-5.
So far, very few have.

4. Spread the word to your networks, friends, and allies.

http://www.gidreform.org/blog2010Oct15.html for More Information

Cross-posted with additional comments at the GID Reform Advocates Blog.

[Europe]
CALL FOR ACTION :: Yasar - No Deportation !!

A trans-woman from Turkey is threatened with deportation by the Austrian authorities !
The association "human rights" (“Verein Menschenrechte Österreich”) who advocated her on behalf of the Austrian Ministry of Interiors messed up the asylum process !

Yasar came from Turkey and asked for asylum at Austria in September 2009. As a transsexual woman she was abused by the police at Turkey. In a knife attack, she was seriously injured by a lung puncture, and the police refused to even accept a complaint. Yasar is also at risk of being murdered by her family because of transphobia.

Yasar has lived as a woman since years. Her marital status is still male. During puberty she developed female forms and there is strong suspicion that she is actually intersex.

The association “Human Rights” (“Verein Menschenrechte”) managed her case at the asylum authorities. Her application for asylum was rejected at first instance. The legal representation of "human rights" has missed to appeal and messed up the resumption of the proceedings.

On Sunday 29th May Yasar was arrested in Vienna. An attempt to prevent deportation due to Article 3 ECHR (ban of refoulement) failed.

The deportation is due to take place on 15th June 2011.

After all legal remedies have been exhausted, it is now necessary to bring the case to the public to generate as much pressure as possible. We will inform the press and also create pressure on officials.

The next visiting day for Yasar is on Wednesday 8 June, afternoon.

We call for a manifestation at 8. June 2011, 17:00 in front of the prison on Hernalser Gürtel / Breitenfeldergasse, 1080 Vienna

Beeing Trans is very dangerous in Turkey. We hear of a hate crime committed on a trans-woman at Turkey almost each month.

Yasar must not be deported - it would kill her!

Protest-Mails can be sent to:
Ministry of Interiors: http://www.blogger.com/ministerbuero@bmi.gv.at (Mag. Johanna Mikl-Leitner)

Petitions can be sent to:
President of Austria: http://www.blogger.com/heinz.fischer@hofburg.at (Dr. Heinz Fischer)
President of the Austrian parliament: http://www.blogger.com/barbara.prammer@spoe.at (Mag. Barbara Prammer)

More Information / request:
E-Mail: http://www.blogger.com/jo@transgender.at
Phone: +43 / 680 / 24 14 748
Web: http://transx.at/Yasar_EN.htm

[UK]
Pre-op transexual who preyed on elderly neighbours in Barnet given suspended jail sentence
A PRE-OP transexual was given a suspended jail sentence after admitting a string of frauds targeting elderly people in Barnet.
Amanda Greenwood, 40, of Victoria Road, picked on elderly people in her neighbourhood, often knocking on their doors and asking to borrow small sums to pay for taxis. (Photo: Amanda Greenwood)
Crown Court sentence for transexual Barnet woman who targeted elderly

[UAE]
Cross-dressing women targeted in Dubai campaign
Police are launching a campaign against cross-dressing women.
The Government says boyat - loosely translated as tomboys - are indulging in a dangerous practice.
Officials from the police and the Community Development Authority said yesterday they would work together on plans to combat boyat.
"The security awareness administration at Dubai Police is currently planning the launch of campaigns targeting transsexuals, boyat, domestic violence and sexual harassment," police said in a statement.

[Nepal]
Nepalese Census asks about 'third gender'
Nepalese citizens responding to the Census had a third option this year when it came to gender -- the so-called third gender.
Nepalese census includes category for ‘third gender’

[New Zealand]
Major youth report has scarce glbt content
A major report into the state of life for New Zealand youth, which was personally commissioned by the Prime Minister, makes scant reference to same-sex attracted youth and does not mention transgender young people at all.

[CO, USA]
Counterfeiters take deals in Weld
The first of four suspects arrested for passing counterfeit bills in Greeley was sentenced to prison Tuesday, but it will be the only prison sentence among the four.
Weld District Court Judge Todd Taylor sentenced Helaman Lucero, 25, to three years in prison Tuesday after she pleaded guilty to one count of forgery. Lucero is a transgender woman.

[CT, USA]
Bill would add gender identity to anti-discrimination law (document)
A bill adding gender identity to the state’s anti-discrimination laws is expected to come up for a vote this week in the state Senate, with opponents focusing on something not mentioned in the legislation: who can use which public restroom.

[FL, USA]
Fla. transgender teen crowned prom queen
Andrew Viveros, a transgender teenager, has been crowned prom queen at a Florida high school, the Sun Sentinel reports.
Viveros, 17, a graduating senior at McFatter Technical High in Davie, says he was "in complete shock" when his name was called at the ceremony Friday night in Fort Lauderdale, the newspaper reports.
Transgender Teen Elected Prom Queen

[OR, USA]
Adams proposes increased transgendered health care benefits
Mayor Sam Adams will ask the City Council to increase health care benefits for transgendered employees, including sexual reassignment surgery, through one of the plans offered to Portland employees.
Mayor wants insurance to pay for sex change operations for city workers
Sex change benefits proposed for Portland workers
Portland Mayor Sam Adams calls sex-reassignment proposal a matter of 'simple fairness'

[MA, USA]
Ruling may help inmate suing for sex change
There's new hope for a convicted killer who's suing the state for a sex change operation.

[TX, USA]
Texas judge signs order voiding marriage of transgender widow and fallen firefighter
A Texas judge has signed an order that voids the marriage of a transgender widow whose firefighter husband died battling a blaze.
The order prevents Nikki Araguz from receiving the death benefits of her firefighter husband, Thomas Araguz III, who died last year.
Transgender widow to appeal denial of death benefits