“Brogren and his team consulted with various LGBT groups to make sure that the scripts accurately and respectfully reflected a trans teenager. Adam will originally keep his secret hidden, but things reportedly come to a boil when the school finds out  the truth in the August 11 and 12 episodes. The show is tackling the tough issues here - things like when you should tell people you are transgender and the ideas behind why you even have to share that information. On top of that, Adam will have a homophobic stepbrother, Drew, as well as a series of confrontations with bullies at school.”

Source: gayrights.change.org

19 July 1 Permalink

“To ensure an accurate depiction of the life of a transman and of the process of transitioning, producers of Hollyoaks hired Benson Bell, a 17-year-old transman to consult with the actress playing Jasmine/Jason.

To play Jasmine/Jason, Victoria Atkin, 23, says she draws inspiration from Hilary Swank’s performance as Brandon Teena in Boys Don’t Cry, for her first ever television role.

Atkin told the Guardian that before meeting Bell and before preparing for this character, she had known very little about the transgender community.

“It was a big revelation for me how much taunting and bullying there is,” she said. “The trauma and the effect on the family is huge. The impact on siblings at school, for example, came up with a lot of the people I have spoken to. They are often attacked, too.’”

Source: 365gay.com

3 July 2 Permalink

Yet again Rhode Island’s Gov. Carcieri has proven he is a giant ass when it comes to passing any kind of law relating to the LGBT community. Late Tuesday night he vetoed adding ” ‘bigotry and bias’ against people based on their ‘gender identity’ to the state’s official list of hate crimes”. 

Some of you may remember, last year Carcieri vetoed an expansion of the funeral planning bill that would have allowed same-sex partners to make funeral arrangements. Thankfully that veto was overturned by the legislature in January.

Having recently moved out of Rhode Island I have thought a lot about Carcieri and what purpose these vetos serve, especially since these actions do not represent the majority of Rhode Islanders.  My only thought is that he is trying to set himself up to be a national player as an uber-conservative darling that kept the “liberals” at bay in a very blue state. 

Keep an eye on this one…. he has bigger plans.

24 June Permalink

I can believe this didn’t pass.  Well I can, but I am horrified.  If you want to get angry, read the senator’s comments as to their “concerns” about protecting transgendered New Yorkers. 

Source: New York Magazine

14 June 1 Permalink

This is excellent news.  I am loving how incredibly progressive on equality Hilary’s State Department has been.

Source: pamshouseblend.com

9 June Permalink