Rest Room "Groupies?"

Recently, I saw this story about a gender fluid LGBT activist using the women's room at the Oscars.

From the Los Angeles Times and reporter Robin Abcarium: 

"On Sunday night, in a restroom at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, I was washing my hands when someone in a crimson ballgown swept past me toward the stalls. There was something about this person's energy that was different than that of other women who were milling around, redoing their lipstick, chatting about the Oscars show.

I felt I knew this person in the crimson gown. Or had seen them somewhere before. So I left the bathroom and waited outside, in the lobby. And when this person left the ladies room, I stopped them to chat.

Sure enough, it was Sam Brinton, 29, an unforgettable, gender-fluid LGBTQ activist whom I'd met almost four years ago at a conference in Las Vegas for educators who work with LGBTQ students. There, Brinton spoke about the degrading experience of undergoing reparative therapy as a teenager.

Today, Brinton, who has a master's degree in nuclear engineering from MIT, works for the Trevor Project, a suicide prevention group for LGBTQ youth."

For more on the story, go here.

The story reminded me of the "old days" when I would go out to the same venues (mostly straight) and normally always attracted the attention of a cis woman or two who were curious and/or just wanted to chat. Plus, from socializing with the other transgender women in one of my support groups  and hearing their conversations, I know the same thing still happens with them.

The reason why, I think, is very complex but mainly revolves a cis-woman's natural curiosity concerning why we trans women would ant to play in their "sandbox" at all.  Any other reasons would take another blog post to go into now!

Victory!

April 22, 2015 - TLDEF is thrilled to announce a settlement in a historic federal lawsuit against the South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles on behalf of Chase Culpepper. The settlement is featured in  Los Angeles Times.

Chase is a transgender girl who was targeted for discrimination in March 2014 when she attempted to get her first driver’s license. She was told by DMV employees that she could not take her photo unless she removed the makeup that she wears on a regular basis. They told her that she needed to “look male” in her license photo and refused to provide her with her driver’s license if she did not remove the makeup she was wearing.

For more, follow the link above.

Every Kid's Dream?

This Saturday the Children's network The Hub is introducing an animated series with a new super-heroine named SheZow  Turns out  that SheZow's alter-ego is actually a 12-year-old boy named Guy.  Guy magically  transforms into a female costumed crime-fighter by uttering the phrase "You Go Girl!" and using a power ring inherited from his dead aunt. 

ShaZam! How I would have loved a ring like that when I was 12! I'm pretty sure I would have "misplaced" the ring when it was time to switch back!

As I was looking at the above pix, I noticed the girl behind SheZow and her raised eyebrow thinking Wow I wish I looked as good in those boots. The kid on the floor? Typical first time reaction from insecure male. Tomorrow, he will be asking to borrow the ring.

Go to the Los Angeles Times  to catch more on this upcoming series and then figure out how to commandeer the television from your kids to watch it.

Coming to a Stage Near You?

According to the Los Angeles Times Sony Pictures Entertainment has announced it has signed a five-year deal with Tony-winning Broadway producer Scott Sanders to adapt the studio's films for the stage. First up in the studio's extensive catalog? The 1982 comedy "Tootsie," which starred Dustin Hoffman in drag. Don't look for it soon though. No creative team has been announced but you can start practicing now!