Blog posts by Helen G: 2008
Ch-ch-ch-changes
By Helen G | 8 December 2008, 10:49
Two related articles in The Independent this weekend making a good point (the effects of chemical pollutants in the environment on sex/gender) in a bad way (sexism, misogyny, you name it). I’m not sure which is the most offensive, but…
Transgender Day of Remembrance 2008
By Helen G | 20 November 2008, 19:19
Today - 20 November - is the Transgender Day of Remembrance Please spare a few moments quiet contemplation for all those of my trans sisters and brothers who can’t be here today. Teisha Cannon Dilek Ince Duanna Johnson Aimee Wilcoxson…
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Does my brain look small in this?
By Helen G | 4 November 2008, 11:32
Via The Daily Telegraph (also UPI), I learn that some 400 women employed by the accountancy firm Ernst & Young have attended a course “to learn how to dress appropriately for the office”. Fleur Bothwick, head of diversity at the…
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One Million Signatures Campaign For Equality
By Helen G | 28 October 2008, 21:33
Women in Iran face widespread discrimination under law. Evidence given by a woman in court is considered only worth half that given by a man. A girl under the age of 13 can be forced to marry a much older…
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Transgender Carnival official launch
By Helen G | 22 October 2008, 11:44
The Transgender Carnival website is officially launched today (22 October 2008); with the first Transgender Carnival itself scheduled to be hosted at Bird of Paradox on 16 November 2008. The Transgender Carnival aims to recognize and celebrate the full spectrum…
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Men are from Earth, women are from Earth
By Helen G | 20 October 2008, 07:53
Interesting article in yesterday’s Sunday Times (link here) about the Conservative party seeking advice from a marketing agency on “deciphering the female psyche”. Apparently: The consultants use research drawn from brain science, anthropology and marketing to help their clients to…
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The Emma Humphreys Memorial Prize 10th Anniversary Awards Ceremony
By Helen G | 8 October 2008, 21:05
The Emma Humphreys Memorial Prize is awarded each year to an individual woman who has worked to stop violence against women; there is also an annual group award. These awards were set up in memory of Emma Humphreys: writer, poet,…
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Working towards non gender-specific legal and social recognition in the UK
By Helen G | 8 October 2008, 14:21
A couple of weeks ago I wrote about Christie Elan-Cane’s request for support in per fight for legal and social recognition outside the societal gender system in the UK. Christie’s now provided an update of per progress: Working towards non…
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Ladyfest Manchester 2008 update
By Helen G | 24 September 2008, 07:36
As Barbara mentioned last month, Ladyfest’s Manchester 2008 event draws ever nearer. There’s an event tomorrow evening, called Ladybois - Bois/Men Who Support Ladyfest Manchester; click on the link for details. As ever, there’s loads happening at Ladyfest, and the…
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Heaven and Earth
By Helen G | 22 September 2008, 13:49
According to The Guardian, production is to start next year on a film about the life of James Barry. Among Barry’s many accomplishments was the first successful caesarean section in which both mother and child survived the operation. Ze also…
Non-gendered recognition
By Helen G | 12 September 2008, 07:54
Here’s the ideal opportunity for the gender abolitionists amongst us to do something simple and positive to show our support for someone who’s trying to make a practical difference. Christie Elan-Cane has made a request for support in per fight…
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Silence please
By Helen G | 22 August 2008, 08:14
I read the report, Many support ex-principal in gay rights case (link here) in the NWF Daily News with an increasing sense of incredulity and outrage. It raises so many questions, but it seems that the judge’s view is that…
Kellie Telesford
By Helen G | 16 August 2008, 08:59
Kellie Telesford, a 39 year old black woman, lived in south London where she worked as a florist and beautician. Her body was found by police officers (who had been alerted by her friends, worried because they could not contact…
An open letter to cis feminists
By Helen G | 3 August 2008, 17:28
In my opinion, every non-trans person who calls hirself a feminist should click over to the blog Sexual Ambiguities and read this post and its comments: An open letter to cis feminists The article has been reposted in full at…
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Computer says…
By Helen G | 29 July 2008, 17:11
Mike On Ads has a mildly amusing toy which analyses your web browser history to estimate your gender… (Or should that be "construct your gender"?) Mike says that the idea of this kind of analysis is far from new and…
When is a Lesbian not a Lesbian?
By Helen G | 23 July 2008, 08:28
A couple of months ago, three islanders took gay rights group OLKE, the Homosexual and Lesbian Community of Greece, to court to get a ban on anyone except islanders and their descendants using the term Lesbian. The issue was about…
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We are the robots
By Helen G | 18 July 2008, 20:28
Kate Bornstein has posted quite an imaginative take on the genders of the two robots in the animated movie WALL•E. She considers it from the point of view of being: ‘[…] a feature length cartoon about a pair of lesbian…
Whose cup floweth over?
By Helen G | 11 July 2008, 14:09
Marks & Spencer has defended its policy of charging typically £2 extra on some of its bras that are bigger than a size DD. The retailer said that the additional cost is "standard industry practice". The policy has drawn protests…
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“Pregnant man” gives birth
By Helen G | 4 July 2008, 08:14
Thomas Beatie, the so-called "pregnant man" (see also these previous posts here, here and here) gave birth to a baby girl on 29 June in Oregon, according to this report by Reuters. Father and daughter were said to be "healthy…
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Race, gender identity, the justice system and the beating of Duanna Johnson
By Helen G | 27 June 2008, 22:38
The slowness of Black civil rights organisations to denounce the police brutality towards Duanna Johnson in a Memphis Criminal Justice Center (link to my earlier post) has been given a thorough analysis by Monica Roberts, founder of the African-American trans*…
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Equalities Bill announced
By Helen G | 26 June 2008, 11:40
The Government’s Equality Minister, Harriet Harman, has said she wants to tackle entrenched pay discrimination against women and to create a workforce more representative of society. Ms Harman defended plans to make it legal for firms to discriminate in favour…
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Carnival of Feminists No 59
By Helen G | 25 June 2008, 08:19
The Carnival of Feminists No 59 is up at Philobiblon. And as Natalie says, there’s "a veritable cornucopia of feminists posts". And she’s used an interesting way of organising the links: they’re in the order in which the nominations arrived….
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Stop smoking or the IVF treatment gets it
By Helen G | 22 June 2008, 17:09
The Observer newspaper today reports that childless women, and in some cases their partners, too, are being asked to stop smoking before they can be considered for fertility treatment. A Department of Health survey released to Labour MP Sally Keeble…
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UN labels rape as a ‘tactic of war’
By Helen G | 20 June 2008, 13:47
The UN Security Council has approved a resolution that demands warring governments and factions act to halt violence against women, calling rape a war crime and a component of genocide. Sexual violence in war is nothing new. Accounts of women…
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Transphobic violence: the video
By Helen G | 20 June 2008, 08:23
It is something of a truism that women are second class citizens - and transsexual women merely second class women. This has been graphically demonstrated this week with the (belated) news (via Pam’s House Blend and others) of the beating…
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Genome sweet genome
By Helen G | 15 June 2008, 08:20
According to AFP, researchers at Leiden University Medical Centre (LUMC) in the Netherlands have mapped the full genetic sequence of a woman for the first time. A statement issued by LUMC said, "[She]’s the first woman in the world and…
Crosstown traffic
By Helen G | 13 June 2008, 13:47
The US Department of State has published its 2008 Trafficking in Persons Report, which reviews the efforts of the governments of 170 countries to combat people trafficking. (The full report is available for download from the US Department of State’s…
Livin’ it up at the Hotel California
By Helen G | 7 June 2008, 19:26
For me, one of the worst terms of abuse is to be called ‘it’ - usually it’s just another piece of street harassment that goes with the territory of being a trans woman who doesn’t ‘pass’ very well. But, so…
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Crazy love
By Helen G | 1 June 2008, 20:28
Further to my recent blog posts Mad as hell (cross-posted here at The F Word) and Still mad: more on DSM-V/Zucker/Blanchard, I see that Mercedes Allen has published on her blog the contents of an Open Letter to the American…
Pretty vacant in pink
By Helen G | 31 May 2008, 19:36
Goin’ ridin’ on the freeway of loveIn my pink cadillac Carrie recently made a technology-related post (link here) which captured my geeky attention. She was looking to buy a new USB memory stick and her search turned up, amongst other…
(Don’t) show us yer tits
By Helen G | 29 May 2008, 13:41
Renegade Evolution has an interesting post (link here) about that very gendered thing, the bra. Or, to be specific, one particular aspect of it: the lining. It seems that Playtex has introduced an additional little piece of foam lining in…
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Message in a bottle
By Helen G | 27 May 2008, 08:28
The other morning, I got off the Tube near where I work, as usual, walked round the corner from the platform and just stopped in my tracks in front of this poster (click thumbnail to embiggen). The caption reads:…
Calm down dear, it’s only a movie
By Helen G | 25 May 2008, 10:44
Inevitably there are loads of reviews of the new Indiana Jones movie doing the rounds at the moment (IMDB link here, may contain spoilers) - and many of them seem intent on slamming it for its over-reliance on CGI effects…
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Thank a second wave (old) feminist if…
By Helen G | 21 May 2008, 10:24
Daisy has posted what I think is a rather wonderful piece on her blog, and when I finally get to be Empress of the Universe (next week sometime, if my plans for world domination succeed!) - it will be emblazoned…
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International Day Against Homophobia (IDAHO)
By Helen G | 16 May 2008, 08:06
Tomorrow, Saturday 17th May, marks the International Day Against Homophobia (IDAHO). This particular date was chosen because it marks the day in 1990 when the World Health Organisation (WHO) removed homosexuality from its list of mental disorders. If only homophobia…
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Mad as hell
By Helen G | 11 May 2008, 21:38
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) is an American handbook that lists different categories of mental disorders and the criteria for diagnosing them, and is widely used by mental health professionals worldwide, including "clinicians and researchers as…
Sexist culture drives women out of science
By Helen G | 11 May 2008, 11:17
As something of a geek, I’m a little perturbed to read this piece in the The Sunday Times, Sexist culture drives women out of science. The gist of it is that "[a] time warp of 1970s sexist attitudes is driving…
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Word of the week: liminal
By Helen G | 11 May 2008, 09:20
"Liminal": according to Ask Oxford (the online Compact OED), it means either relating to a transitional or initial stage or at a boundary or threshold, but I really like William Gibson’s explanation, referring to ‘liminal spaces’ he says: "They’re not…
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And now blackamazon has quit blogging
By Helen G | 27 April 2008, 19:56
Her final post is up at Problem Chylde. And when you’ve read that, you might want to go and re-read blackfemipower’s final post. Having Read The Fine Print is now invite only but the angry black woman is still around…
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The sun has got hir hat on, hip hip hip hooray!
By Helen G | 27 April 2008, 07:26
I’d like to start a new thread, based on a couple of comments in response to my post below, in which I said, jokingly, that I was putting on my ‘humourless trans feminist’ hat to write it. Amongst the responses,…
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58th Carnival of Feminists
By Helen G | 26 April 2008, 12:57
I seem to have turned into the carnival queen this week but no matter - I’m more than happy to announce that the 58th Carnival of Feminists is now up at Be A Good Human - and the link is…
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That joke isn’t funny any more
By Helen G | 25 April 2008, 21:21
The notion that ‘feminists have no sense of humour’ is a bit of a cliché so I thought I’d update it a little and put on my ‘humourless trans feminist’ hat. So here goes: Graham Norton’s recent ‘jokes’ about Thomas…
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Day of Silence
By Helen G | 24 April 2008, 13:07
Tomorrow (Friday, 25th April) marks this year’s Day of Silence in America. The Day of Silence has been held each year in April since 1996 and its purpose is to highlight the bullying and harassment of LGBTQ students, and their…
Don’t stop the carnival
By Helen G | 24 April 2008, 08:27
Three bloggy carnivals for your delight and delectation: The Disability Blog Carnival (37th edition) is hosted by Cripchick. The Disability Activist Collective, a group of disability activists working to create change within the disability community by shifting focus towards culture…
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Walkies!
By Helen G | 23 April 2008, 10:54
After the, umm, lively debate following Samara’s More on shoes piece, well, how could I not mention these two links? First, is an interesting take on the old adage "walk a mile in my shoes": The student newspaper of the…
Gwyneth Dunwoody (1930-2008)
By Helen G | 18 April 2008, 10:44
Gwyneth Dunwoody - the ruling Labour Party’s longest serving woman member of parliament - died yesterday. Mrs Dunwoody was fiercely independent and although a Labour MP, was nevertheless very outspoken about New Labour and its values. At the heart of…
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Feminism, racism and bfp
By Helen G | 17 April 2008, 21:58
After the recent row over ‘intellectual theft’ - explained here: http://highonrebellion.wordpress.com/2008/04/09/intellectual-theft-is-still-theft/ - and here: http://www.feministe.us/blog/archives/2008/04/10/this-has-not-been-a-good-week-for-woman-of-color-blogging/ - and here: http://guyaneseterror.blogspot.com/2008/04/thats-all-she-wrote.html - and her resulting blog closure: http://brownfemipower.com/ - brownfemipower has written this: http://bfpfinal.wordpress.com/2008/04/16/3/…
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Money for nothing but the choc’s for free
By Helen G | 16 April 2008, 17:00
This year’s Information Security Awareness week starts on 21st April and to highlight its approach, the organisers of a corresponding IT industry trade show, Infosecurity Europe, have carried out their annual survey and once again found that a lot of…
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Domestic Violence Act deters victims from seeking help
By Helen G | 14 April 2008, 09:16
Jennifer Drew’s recent feature The epidemic of male violence against women has been depressingly underlined by a report in The Times which states that "applications for non-molestation orders have fallen by between 25 and 30 per cent since implementation (of…
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Nurtameen?
By Helen G | 8 April 2008, 17:25
Lately I’ve been thinking about language, and how I use it in the context of My Life As A Trans Woman™. I’ve adjusted to some parts of the language but not to others. For example, I’m comfortable with pronouns: I’m…
"What do you mean by ‘What do you mean?’?"
By Helen G | 4 April 2008, 12:24
I’m still struggling with the questions I was asking in my previous post What is transfeminism? and wonder if it’s actually possible to combine the two in some sort of pragmatic symbiosis. What if - despite my personal conviction that…
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Cluesticks?
By Helen G | 30 March 2008, 11:28
According to Live Science, a recent study by Indiana University’s Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences suggests that "young men just find it difficult to tell the difference between women who are being friendly and women who are interested in…
What is transfeminism?
By Helen G | 28 March 2008, 21:30
My gender dysphoria, transsexualism and consequent transitioning have informed many aspects of my opinions on Life, the Universe and Everything, including my still-developing views and beliefs about feminism. Yet there is still much for me to learn. For example, what…
Tibetan Refugee
By Helen G | 24 March 2008, 16:47
Tibet, or as it is also known, the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) is five times the size of the UK with 5% of the population. 10 March 2008 was the anniversary of the (failed) 1959 Tibetan uprising against the rule…
A moment of reflection
By Helen G | 21 March 2008, 19:17
In 1981 Bernice Johnson Reagon gave a presentation at the West Coast Women’s Music Festival in California. It was entitled ‘Coalition Politics: Turning the Century’. She Who Stumbles has provided a transcript. Inspirational words. (via Belledame)…
D-I-V-O-R-C-E*
By Helen G | 18 March 2008, 10:21
It’s been almost impossible to avoid the media’s coverage of yesterday’s divorce settlement between Heather Mills McCartney and Paul McCartney, and two random points have occurred to me: 1. The newspaper headlines always seem to be defining her in terms…
Where sheep may safely graze
By Helen G | 15 March 2008, 18:27
True confession? I’m one of those annoying people who wake early, even on a weekend. Another true confession? I listen to Radio 4 a lot. I live on my own and it’s company. So, last Saturday morning, I was semi-snoozing…
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Today is No Smoking Day
By Helen G | 12 March 2008, 08:32
Here is a link to the No Smoking Day website. Here is a link to the NHS Go Smoke Free website If you’ve decided to quit today, good luck and I hope you’re successful. That’s all I’m going to say…
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The privileged few
By Helen G | 11 March 2008, 14:13
Jess’ recent posts about class privilege at Liberal Conspiracy, and the Trans 101 For Dumbasses video by Calpernia Addams have started me thinking once again about the subject of ‘private law’, with particular reference to "My Life As A Trans…
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