Foi com agrado que vi a seguinte notícia do Dezanove sobre o discurso de agradecimento do jornalista Nuno Miguel Ropio na entrega dos prémios Arco-íris pela ILGA Portugal, que segundo tudo indica, foi a única personalidade premiada a focar os assuntos trans: Prémios Arco-Íris: Lei de Identidade de Género tem sido enviesada de forma "terrorista" pela Ordem dos Médicos (http://dezanove.pt/290950.html).

Não estive presente. Logo só posso falar pelo que saiu nos media.

Foi com expectativa que me dirigi à página do Facebook da ILGA Portugal, para ver o(s) vídeo(s) da cerimónia, pois queria confirmar as palavras de Nuno Ropio. Uma coisa é o que aparece escrito nos media, outra coisa é o que as pessoas dizem (acontece muitas vezes, até vezes demais).

Foi com frustação que reparei que no vídeo editado sobre a cerimónia, o discurso (que tudo indica ter sido dos mais reivindicativos) encontrava-se ausente.

Foi com desconfiança que procurei na dita página as duas notícias sobre o evento que o Dezanove publicou sobre o assunto.

Foi com uma sensação de certeza que notei que na página só se encontra uma única notícia sobre o evento: Prémios Arco-Íris com público recorde, que obviamente não tem referência a Nuno Ropio por este ser alvo de uma notícia separada. A notícia sobre o discurso mais assertivo da noite de Nuno Miguel Ropio não se encontra na dita página, pelo menos até à altura em que escrevo estas impressões.

É com uma sensação de tristeza que noto que a censura, depois de tantos anos a seguir a Abril de 74, ainda perdura em Portugal.

Não se concorda com a posição expressa de uma pessoa? Tudo bem, argumenta-se em contrário. Mas não se silencia assim ninguém. Salazar, Caetano e as técnicas de censura existentes no estado novo, em que só saía nos media o que o governo queria, esse tempo já acabou.

Ao censurarem um discurso que é contrário ao que acreditam, tomaram uma posição anti-democrática. Ao censurarem um discurso de uma pessoa a quem tinham acabado de premiar, desrespeitaram tanto o prémio dado como a pessoa em si. Para não falar da comunidade trans, que cada vez mais tem uma posição contrária à posição assumida pela ILGA Portugal. Não são poucas as pessoas activistas que ultimamente têm mudado de opinião.

Não é admissível este tipo de atitudes em 2012. Não estamos em 1920. O mundo evoluiu. As opiniões contrárias combatem-se, não pelo apagamento e censura, mas pela argumentação.

Não deixa de ser curioso o facto de Paulo Côrte-Real ter assumido um papel na ILGA Europe, que é apoiante da campanha para a despatologização da transexualidade e transgenderismo, enquanto a ILGA Portugal continua a ter uma posição patologizante e a ignorar propositadamente os atropelos feitos pelos psiquiatras e psicólogos às pessoas trans durante os processos que são forçados a fazer. Um pouco incongruente, é contra e assume um lugar numa associação a favor.

Fica aqui o meu repúdio, como activista transexual, como activista trans, como activista, como cidadã, por este apagamento deliberado de um discurso combativo e reivindicativo. Este procedimento é indigno de uma associação com o historial de luta por direitos humanos que a ILGA Portugal tem (sim, os direitos LGBT são direitos humanos) e um acto deste tipo lança uma grande mancha nesta associação

Censura? Não, obrigado!

[UK]
Sex swap teenager to enter Miss England contest
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[UK] [Commentary]
A less negative Trans NHS experience
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[UK]
Should trans screen roles be played by trans actors?
Transsexual characters promote positive discussion, regardless of who plays them. But trans actors need more opportunities

[Suécia]
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[India]
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[India]
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[Malaysia]
Malaysian activists petition against festival ban
Gay rights activists in Malaysia have launched a petition with the High Court to overturn the police decision to ban an anti-homophobia arts festival.

[Thailand]
Welcome To Ladyboy Air
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[Photo: Transgendered Women or 'katoeys' of Thai Airline PC Air]

[USA]
A transgender child in the Girl Scouts
Many people love the crunchy sweet taste of Girl Scout cookies, but not everyone loves the inclusion of a transgender child into the actual Girl Scouts organization. Last fall, the Girl Scouts of the USA admitted then 7-year-old Bobby Montoya, a child born a boy, but who identifies as a girl, to a troop in Colorado.

[USA]
ABC Pulls 'Work It' From Schedule; 'Cougar Town' Still Unscheduled
The network has pulled the critically panned cross-dressing comedy -- a project only ABC Entertainment president Paul Lee seemed to love -- after two episodes. Repeats of Tim Allen's freshman comedy Last Man Standing will air in its place beginning Tuesday at 8:30 p.m.
ABC Pulls Work It From Schedule, Replaces with Last Man Standing Repeats

[AK, USA]
Religious liberty groups question impact of Anchorage equality initiative
An initiative to grant new legal recognition to people in Anchorage who identify themselves as gay or transgender will appear on the April 3 ballot.

[CA, USA]
Educ. Dept. deceiving parents
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Conservatives and family advocates say the California Department of Education is seeking to prevent parents from knowing that SB 48 is a mandate that requires the positive teachings of lesbian, "gay," bisexual and transgender contributions to society to children of all ages in public schools.

[CA, USA]
School board approves surveillance, transgender policies
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[CA, USA]
Transgender athlete bill pulled from California legislature
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[ID, USA]
Add The Words Launches Art Competition
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Add the Words, Idaho is a statewide all-volunteer initiative that aims to add the words “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” to the Idaho Human Rights Act. Currently, Idahoans can be fired from their jobs for being gay or transgender. The goal of this campaign is to demonstrate public support for the inclusion of gay and transgender folks in the state’s fair employment, housing and education laws.

[MD, USA]
Anti-Bias Bill to be Introduced in Baltimore County
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[MD, USA]
Transgender Incarceration: New Directions
On January 9 key leaders of the Maryland transgender community met with Gary Maynard, Maryland’s Secretary of Public Safety and Correctional Services at the Secretary’s office in Towson, to discuss improving the safety and quality of life of transgender persons who are incarcerated. Baltimore OUTloud has been following these developments since this past August, when community activist and former City Council candidate, Odette Ramos, offered to coordinate efforts between the Secretary’s office, the transgender community, and the Mayor’s office.

[MN, USA]
Conservative Christian parents fight for right to discriminate against LGBT students at Anoka Hennepin
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[TN, USA]
Tennessee’s Transphobic Bathroom Bill Loses Senate Support
Tennessee State Senator Bo Watson withdrew the Senate version of a transphobic bathroom bill following a shockingly anti-trans rant from the bill’s House author, Rep. Richard Floyd. According to the Chattanooga Times Free Press, Watson said: “I understand Rep. Floyd’s passion about the issue, but we have more pressing issues before us that we need to focus our attention on and we don’t need to get sidetracked.”
Tennessee Senate Pulls Controversial Anti-Trans Bill
[Commentary] TN Rep. Floyd “could care less” what I think about anti-transgender bathroom bill
[Commentary] Tennessee’s Bathroom Legislation Lunacy
[Commentary] Unjust Tennessee Transphobic Bill Update
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[TX, USA]
Transgender widow jailed until later court date for stolen Rolex
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Araguz, 36, was expected at 8:30 a.m. in state District Judge Vanessa Velasquez’s courtroom to plead guilty to stealing a Rolex last year.
Transgender widow jailed for tardiness

[Argentina]
Inspección en la casa donde fue la masacre
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