#Just like our act of living as transgender beings is often treated with horror

[hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmsstuff]

AGNUS DEI

Charcoal, acrylic and oil paint on canvas

48" x 32" x 1.5"

2024

This piece is dedicated to the memory of our beautiful transgender sister, Kitty Monroe. She was killed on the very first day of 2024 in my hometown of Phoenix, Arizona.

[oharascholar]

Why Sanji meeting Yamato has LGBTQ+ readers on edge - Scholar’s Summaries #1

(Image originally posted to Tumblr by user Rumenta)

As the Wano arc in One Piece progresses steadily, the cast of the series expands ever more. Amongst the unique cast of new characters, we meet Kaido’s Son - Yamato, a young man who wishes to be just like the beloved ex-hero of the country, a man named Oden.

Yamato is an exciting character to see for many LGBTQ+ people like myself. He is a man who was assigned female at birth, who has plump lips, long eyelashes, and breasts. This, to many LGBTQ+ readers, and definitely to myself, brings up the idea of masculine people being allowed to exhibit traditionally ‘female’ body parts, and a comforting reminder that you can be a man without paying for gender-affirming surgery or binding your chest. This speaks to me as a transmasc nonbinary person - I, too, was assigned female at birth, refer to myself as a man, and have a traditionally female body in the same way. I do not once think of myself as a woman.

(One Piece Chapter 984, page 17 of 17. First published in Weekly Shonen Jump 2020, issue 31)

My opinion of Yamato thus far, as a transmasc nonbinary person, has been entirely positive - I enjoy seeing a man who is openly referred to as a man in universe (for example, ‘Kaido’s Son’), who has features which are traditionally seen as non-masculine. It is how I feel about my own body - I rarely give a second thought to the fact that I have breasts. They don’t make me any less masculine, and I tend not to dwell on them at all. It makes me feel happy to see a character who I can truly relate to on such a personal level.

Yamato is a positively portrayed character in the series, and is a supporting character to our main protagonist, Luffy. He plays an important role in fighting against the main villain of this arc. He was even shown to be good friends with Portgaz D. Ace, one of the most beloved supporting characters in the series - even giving Ace the much important ‘vivre card’ which played a vital role in the Marineford Arc. Yamato is given plot importance within the story as a whole with this, linking him throughout the story.

(One Piece Chapter 1000, page 9 of 19 first published in Weekly Shonen Jump 2021, issue 5-6)

It is also easy, as a transmasc person, to read heavily into Yamato’s situation with his father. Initially, it seems positive - Kaido refers to Yamato as his son openly. To an outsider, Kaido accepts Yamato’s identity... Then enter the ‘Oden’ issue.

Yamato wishes to be just like Kozuki Oden on all fronts, changing his appearance to try and look just like him. This part of Yamato’s identity has caused contemption in Kaido, with Yamato even recounting that Kaido would beat him over it. Ever since Yamato first wanted to be like Oden, from the age of eight, Kaido has kept him shackled up inside of his residence.

Yamato states that he can’t truly be Oden until he is free of his shackles given to him by his father. To many, this strikes as a direct parallel towards living in a transphobic household.

When Luffy, a character who has represented liberation throughout the series, first tries to remove these shackles, Yamato is instinctively afraid. He explains that the shackles will explode, and that they’ve been on him for twenty years. He also ponders if he is being kept in by a lie - wondering if his father would really let his son be blown up for merely leaving the island.

(One Piece Chapter 985, page 9 of 19. First published in Weekly Shonen Jump 2020, issue 33-34)

No matter how you put it, Yamato is transgender. Though it has not been officially stated as such, it seems to be heavily implied that he is a transgender man, without issue.

Yamato instinctively wants to keep the status quo, one which technically keeps him safe, at the expense of his identity and freedom. The danger, of course, is purely created by his father. This something which many transgender people can resonate with, the idea of staying ‘in the closet’ so as to not cause contemption within your family.

Luffy removes the shackles and throws them away, causing them to explode - this event causes Yamato to become enraged and upset, stating that he no longer thinks of Kaido as his father. This is a powerful moment, the act of breaking the ties with an abusive parent who does not accept his identity.

It is important to be aware of why Elizabeth or Tibany was so offensive, whilst Yamato feels progressive. Transgender women in media are often presented as predatory, as if they were men in dresses who only want to prey on young men, and Elizabeth is a prime example of the worst of this transmysogynistic stereotype. Had this character been on their lonesome, along a multitude of other transgender women with different body types, and had Elizabeth not been predatory, this would be a fine character. Transgender women and transfem people as a whole should not feel guilty to exhibit as much body hair as they like, and to have as deep of a voice as they like, without worry of being mocked or ridicule. 

… Or, without issue, so far.

Sanji appears to be on a direct collision course for one Young Master Yamato, which puts a lot of anxiety into LGBTQ+ readers. Rightfully so, as in the past, Sanji has been used as a vehicle for horrific transphobia in the series, as touched on by the One Piece Podcast in text and in audio. This alone brings up multiple concerns - the most worrying of all is the possibility that Yamato has been a long setup for a particularly horrific transphobic punchline. The author, Eiichiro Oda, has been more than capable of writing transphobia into his series before, such as with the character Elizabeth (or Tibany, as this character is known in the manga), a transgender woman coded character who is a walking offensive stereotype - even acting in a predatory way towards young men. There is definitely a certain validity behind such worries.

But, when the only representation in this part of One Piece is predatory people with deep voices and stubble all over, you can see why this is completely different to Yamato exhibiting breasts and such.

(Chapter 543, page 1 of 20. First published in Weekly Shonen Jump 2009, issue 26 / Chapter 994, page 17 or 17, first published in Weekly Shonen Jump 2020, issue 48)

Another concerning path is that Sanji will see Yamato and fawn all over him - only for him to act horrified and disgusted upon hearing Yamato affirm that he is a man. During the infamous Fishman Island arc, Sanji had a life-saving blood transfusion given to him by two transgender-coded women - this alone was enough for him to start screaming and flipping himself around the bed in horror - a truly upsetting act of transmisogyny that many agree should never have been put in the series at all.

However, our combined worries may be for nothing. Oda has also written nonbinary and transgender characters who have been delightful to witness, and have been much accepted and adored by the LGBTQ+ community as a whole - Characters such as Bentham, a character who can shapeshift and monologues about their gender, or Kiku, a transgender woman in the current arc, who has been portrayed respectfully thus far, being in the series for almost 100 chapters. There is still hope that Oda has changed his ways from his dark Fishman Island Days.

In the most hopeful outcome, this meeting will serve as a character growth point - Sanji has matured as a character, and is ready to treat transgender people as human beings. This outcome seems tantalisingly possible to me, especially since characters will openly reffer to Yamato as male without issue.

(One Piece Chapter 979, page 14 of 17. First Published in Weekly Shonen Jump 2020, issue 23.)

Another hopeful outcome is that Sanji will simply not address it - but it certainly seems intentional that Oda has sent Sanji specifically towards Yamato, and I am certain that there is a reason. But, notably, Sanji had a meeting with Kiku in a similar vein, and nothing of note happened in that interaction.

I myself dearly hope that the day will not come where I look at this article and think, ‘This has aged horribly.’. I have a lot of faith in Eiichiro Oda to do the right thing - especially since almost 10 years has passed since his last major act of transphobia and transmisogyny. Surely, in today’s climate, and with the progressive nature of One Piece as a whole, he has learnt and is ready to write the LGBTQ+ characters that are respectful and progressive as a whole, without falling back on poor-taste punchlines.

As for now, only time will tell the true nature of Eiichiro Oda in 2021. Or, as many of us like to put it … "Who knows with this guy?!"

-

The Ohara Scholar / Róisí “Puppy” Law, 17th April 2021

[eichy815]

Twitter, Twitter, Little Star IV: Summer 2017 Edition

Originally Published on July 20, 2017 on Eichy Says

By now, most of you know that I’m a connoisseur of ABC’s The View and CBS’s The Talk – two daytime gabfests hosted by quintets of opinionated women from various celebrity walks-of-life.  When they open up their daily discussion topics to receive feedback from at-home viewers, I view it as an exercise in contributing to social commentary and pop culture.

The following are statements made by me over social media throughout the last two-and-a-half months, retweeted by the shows’ producers.  Following my “Spring 2017 Edition,” here are 103 tweets of mine – disseminated through my Twitter handle of @eichy815 – displayed in front of millions of other Americans who also enjoy The Talk and The View.  The text of each of my tweets, as each one of them had appeared in front of a national television audience, is denoted in bold.

The first 11 are my tweets broadcast by The View during this two-month period.

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May 4, 2017

What’s your reaction to Ben Carson saying we can’t make government-run housing too “comfortable” for its occupants because that would encourage them to become dependant?

“Carson is in way over his head.  Trump should have appointed him as Surgeon General, instead.”

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May 5, 2017

Is infidelity normal in a marriage?

“If a married couple sets boundaries and leeway for one another upfront, it can mitigate future disconnects over infidelity.”

Do you think teenagers should go to their parents for dating advice?

“Most teenagers are going to prefer dating advice from an older sibling, uncle/aunt, cousin, or family friend, rather than a parent.”

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MAY 8, 2017

Did Kurt Eichenwald’s health care comments (where he wished for suffering upon Republicans and their families) go too far?

“We need to get past this type of thinking, and, instead, push a solution that’s going to benefit a larger and broader amount of Americans.”

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MAY 17, 2017

Miley Cyrus regrets getting naked for her Wrecking Ball video.  Do you agree that her humiliation is justified?

“She has nothing to be embarrassed about.  She’s a performer, and it was iconic.”

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MAY 30, 2017

Are comedians dividing the country politically?

“No, I would blame the citizens who use cheap rhetoric from comedians as an excuse to mistreat fellow Americans in daily life.”

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JUNE 12, 2017

Are women treated differently in the workplace while they’re pregnant?  

“There should be no shame in pregnancy at any workplace.”

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JUNE 19, 2017

What do you think of family wedding planner Lynn Patton being appointed by Trump as HUD department head for the New York and New Jersey divisions?

“This isn’t technically nepotism...but it’s too close to cronyism.”

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JUNE 21, 2017

What should Democrats begin doing differently to win elections?

“Democrats need to redirect their money and efforts into swing districts held by vulnerable Republicans.”

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JUNE 26, 2017

Former tennis star John McEnroe said that Serena Williams is a great tennis player “for a girl” but would rank 700th amongst male tennis players.  Your reaction?

“Disregarding and discounting someone else’s skill BECAUSE OF their sex *is* the clearest definition of sexism.  Shut up, John!”

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JULY 11, 2017

Do you agree with Republican poll respondents who say colleges and universities are harmful to our children?

“They assume all professors are unbalanced liberals.  College professors are a little more diverse than they’d like to believe.”

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And then, here are 92 additional tweets of mine – once again, submitted through my Twitter handle of @eichy815 – that scrolled across the screen while the ladies of The Talk engaged in their discussion segments.  Each tweet of mine is denoted in bold.

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MAY 2, 2017

An inebriated American man on a Tokyo-to-Los  Angeles flight was charged with assault for brawling with another passenger.  How do you deal with drunks?

“I am really nice to them and humor them...until someone with actual defensive weapons shows up as reinforcements.”

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MAY 3, 2017

What do you think of Maryland parents Heather and Mike Martin losing custody of their children and stepchildren after posting a cruel prank on social media?

“I think it’s a good precaution in the short term, until their parental fitness can be reevaluated.”

Have you ever needed your friends to prevent you from contacting someone?

“I often need my friends to ‘talk me off the ledge’ whenever I let a toxic individual get to me.”

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MAY 4, 2017

If you were a public figure who was accused of infidelity, would you use every platform available to deny it?

“Yes, I would!  Tabloids have so many legal loopholes at their disposal, you have to fight fire with dynamite.”

What other changes would you like to see happen in social media?

“Allow more personal control over privacy settings, including tutorials for new users.”

What do you think of the trend of recreating parent/child baby pictures?

“Some of them can be cute or clever, but it depends entirely upon their execution.”

What pacifiers have you used to run for your feelings?

“Food and television.”

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MAY 8, 2017

How harmful do you think it is to fight in front of your child?

“If the fight becomes heated and vicious – very unhealthy!”

What’s your reaction to Emma Stone advocating for gender-neutral acting award categories?

“If the character [who is] being portrayed is transgender or intersex, this can be a valuable new category to add to award shows.”

Should celebrities be expected to endure criticism for their fashion choices no matter what?

“I find criticisms of fashion – either celebrities or non-celebrities – to be frivolous and a waste of time, in general.”

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MAY 9, 2017

What’s your reaction to The National Enquirer claiming that Sharon Osbourne has only weeks to live from her back surgery?

“Own your upbeat vibrancy, Mrs. O.!  Make them (the tabloids) look foolish!”

What do you think of the airport riot that broke out after a pilots’ strike on Spirit Air resulted in twenty cancellations and delays?

“Airlines *need* to have better contingency plans in place to deal with these unforeseen delays and cancellations.”

Do you think you would know what to do if you were attacked by an animal?

“This is why I support tranq-guns being legal for civilian use in every single state, city, town, and county.”

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MAY 11, 2017

How do you protect your personal life?

“I simply keep some people off of my social media networks, when I don’t want them to intersect with other areas of my life.”

Do you think drug users need help or jail time?

“Rehabilitation is the key – the earlier, the better!  Preferably long-term.”

Has anyone ever made you feel really special?

“Yes.  #TheTalk – every time you retweet one of my musings!”

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MAY 15, 2017

What nugget of wisdom would you like to pass along to the Class of 2017?

“I’d tell them to read Kirsten Gillibrand’s book, ‘Off the Sidelines’ – and to embrace some form of proactive civic engagement.”

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MAY 16, 2017

Do you consume a lot of caffeine?

“I’ve never been a heavy coffee or tea drinker...so not very much.”

What reality show is too hard for you to watch?

“Anything in the Real Housewives franchise...simply because I have no interest in their allegedly ‘real’ lives...”

How easy is it for you to lie?

“I generally don’t lie to people.  I only tell a lie if there are crucial or strategic stakes involved.”

What’s your reaction to Abby Lee Miller saying she’s going to approach her upcoming prison sentence like she’s starring as the lead in a film?

“Is she prepared to be the star of a horror flick?”

Do you find it easy to relate to other people?

“I can relate the best to people who have levels of empathy and life philosophies that are most similar to mine.”

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MAY 17, 2017

Is there any decision you made during your youth that you’ll never be able to live down?

“Winning my school’s geography bee in the 5th Grade.  It gave everyone an[other] excuse to harp on what a nerd I was.”

Zac Efron has announced he’ll be portraying Ted Bundy in a new movie set to begin filming later this year.  Do you think former Disney kids need to do something drastic to shed their squeaky clean image?

“Zac is just challenging himself in terms of his range as an actor.  No one should be compelled to remain typecast.”

A Texas man is suing his blind date for $17.31 for texting throughout their movie date.  Have you ever had a bad date that you wanted to sue over?

“This is why every couple should always ‘go Dutch’ until their relationship is official – *ESPECIALLY* if it’s a blind date.”

Alan Thicke’s widow is trying to invalidate their prenup and sue for a larger portion of their estates with threats of going to the tabloids.  Do you think there’s always family drama after someone dies?

“Tanya Callau’s alleged behavior illustrates the need for ‘living wills’ and ‘family planning’ when it comes to estates.”

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MAY 18, 2017

Tom Brady had a concussion last year even though he didn’t report it.  Has a family member of yours ever let something slip?

“Yes...health circumstances that they were trying to conceal from me.”

A fight broke out over saved seats at an Arlington High School graduation ceremony in Memphis, Tennessee.  Have you ever had a fight over a saved seat?

“One or two saved seats is fine.  A whole row of ‘saved seats’ is ridiculous.”

Taylor Swift went to great lengths to keep her romance with Joe Alwyn a secret.  Are you surprised this was kept under wraps for so long?

“If she’s a private person, I can understand why she wanted to keep it under wraps.”

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MAY 22, 2017

What was your reaction to Cher’s acceptance of her icon award at this year’s Billboard Music Awards?

“I hope Cher continues speaking out about humanitarian causes.”

What would you do if you found yourself in a situation like Michelle Jennings did where Lyft customer Stephanie Young spit on her?

“Depending on who the spitter was, I might actually spit back!”

What do you think of the little girl who was dragged into a Canadian harbor by a sea lion?

“Those animal preserves should probably begin building guard rails as an extra precaution against unpredictable wildlife.”

What are your thoughts on George and Amal Clooney being reluctant to suggest names for their unborn twins in public due to fear of criticism?

“George and Amal should choose names that are meaningful to them, which they believe their children will appreciate.”

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MAY 24, 2017

In the wake of the Manchester terror attack, should artists cancel their shows?

“No, there are other ways for artists to show their support and solidarity without canceling their own concerts.”

Do you think Kim Kardashian’s and Madonna’s posts in support of Ariana Grande were acceptable or narcissistic?

“Madonna is the same one who made the comment about ‘blowing up the White House’...I take her opinions with a grain of salt.”

Should Brian Kornbluth still be allowed to teach after his ‘candy-for-kisses’ crime?

“I do wonder if we all would be reacting as harshly if it had been a *female* teacher trading ‘candy-for-kisses’...”

Do you give money to panhandlers?

“Nope.  I have no way of knowing what their identities are...or what they might do.”

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MAY 25, 2017

Do you think Zac Efron hooked up with Madonna based on his Jimmy Kimmel interview?

“It sounds like he was trying to utilize a clever double entendre, not speaking literally.”

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JUNE 5, 2017

What’s your reaction to Phylicia Rashad and Keshia Knight-Pulliam supporting Bill Cosby during his current trial?

“They are delusional.”

Tiger Woods has been booked for a DUI after having four different types of painkillers in his system.  Are you more forgiving when someone drinks under the influence of alcohol?

“They still need to be punished, and they should also be screened to make sure it isn’t an addiction.”

Do you expect people who have a lot, in terms of wealth, to give a lot to others?

“Wealthy people should have the discretion to give (or not give) to whichever causes and endeavors they personally support.”

What’s your reaction to the mega-success of the new Wonder Woman movie?

“I hope it means more female superheroines, and increased multidimensional roles for female leads in films and TV.”

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JUNE 6, 2017

Do you think your social media account should affect other aspects of your life?

“If you type controversial things in public forums online, you need to expect to be held accountable for what you say.”

Do you think people are born with talent or have to develop it?

“It’s a combination of both.  Talent can be inborn or cultivated over time.”

Have you ever gone ahead and done something you knew you’d be judged for?

“I always speak my mind, knowing full well that I have a lot of radical beliefs that not many people agree with.”

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JUNE 8, 2017

Do you believe the recent fall that Phil Collins was hospitalized for is related to his recent alcoholism revelation?

“There’s a difference between whether it was a random accident or some sort of chronic medical ailment.”

Should Michelle Carter be convicted of involuntary manslaughter for her role in the suicide of Conrad Roy III?

“If there’s evidence that she actively goaded him into it, she needs to be held legally liable.”

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JUNE 12, 2017

Do you think Bachelor in Paradise was right to shut down production in the wake of sexual misconduct allegations between two of the participants?

“No, they should have simply ejected all participants who were perpetrators of the alleged misconduct.”

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JUNE 13, 2017

Do you think Megyn Kelly’s interview with Alex Jones should air as planned, or be scrapped?

“Megyn Kelly doesn’t appear to have journalistic bias on this one, so I’d say the interview is fine.”

Do you think Bill Cosby helped his case or hurt his case by not taking the stand?

“It may not hurt him, but I doubt it will help him either.  The damage has already been done.”

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JUNE 14, 2017

In the event of a house fire, do you have a firm exit plan?

“Fire is one of my greatest phobias.  If I was in a house fire, I might panic and perish.”

When was the last time you got excited about something?

“I get excited any time a politician’s office responds to one of my civic activism letters.”

Did your parents do anything to document memories of you, as a kid?

“They kept baby books and school picture ‘trees’ for both me and my sister.”

Do you see marijuana replacing alcohol as the preferred vice for Millennials?

“Anything can be abused. With any so-called ‘vice,’ the key is moderation.”

Do you think you’re too old to go to the club?

“I don’t dance.  I’ve never even set foot inside of a nightclub.”

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JUNE 19, 2017

Does Bill Cosby’s mistrial restore Cosby’s legacy?

“Nope.  His legacy is tainted forever, unless he admits his wrongdoing.”

What do you think is the appropriate sentence for Michelle Carter?

“The maximum sentence, with no chance of parole until 2028.”

What reasons have you had for a breakup?

“Emotional abuse and geographic limitations.”

Are there any parts of your life where you’ve taken on two roles?

“When it comes to politics, I’m both an agitator and a conciliator.  And I'm pretty good at it, too!”

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JUNE 20, 2017

What’s your reaction to Kim Kardashian receiving backlash for a photo promoting her new beauty line that prompted accusations of imitating blackface?

“Kim wasn’t trying to parody or joke about racial oppression.  Calling it ‘cultural appropriation’ is a stretch...”

What is your reaction to the news that Carrie Fisher’s autopsy showed cocaine, heroin, and ecstasy in her system when she died?

“It just goes to show that, even with their celebrity privilege, public figures aren’t immune from the downfall of addiction.”

Is there anything you’ll be better at when you’re 70 years old?

“Probably networking and socializing – since I’m confident I’ll have advanced in prestige by then.”

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JUNE 26, 2017

Do you put your trust in amusement park rides?

“I generally prefer slower, more serene rides.  StoryBookLand Canals, anyone? #DisneyStrong”

Do you think the professor who ripped into Otto Warmbier should have been fired?

“I think students should boycott her course.  Katherine Dettwyler is one hateful individual...”

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JUNE 27, 2017

What do you think of people socially-shaming Kim Kardashian for photographing her son, Saint, in a forward-facing car seat?

“Maybe they should quit spending so much of their time viewing Kim’s social media feed, instead?”

A coroner misidentified a dead body by using facial recognition photography. What do you think?

“Wouldn’t responsible and accurate DNA-testing eliminate false identification when performing autopsies?”

Do you think it’s reasonable to ask a woman to have a bra be part of her work uniform?

“It should be a woman’s choice, period – as long as she isn’t showing nipples at work.”

Are you in touch with why you were created?

“I believe I was put on this planet to avert disasters and to help humanity advance forward.  So were many other people.”

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JUNE 28, 2017

Do you keep tabs on your exes?

“No, not really.  Too many painful memories.”

Has any part of you improved with age?

“My mind...including my ability to think on my feet, and to generate witty verbal comebacks.”

Which style of parenting do you think is most effective?

“A holistic combination of discipline, compassion, and evenhandedness is usually ideal.”

How nosy are you?

“I’m a chronic eavesdropper.  #SorryNotSorry”

When’s the last time a family member was upset with something you said?

“I think whenever I call them out on their inanity...they get upset that they don’t have a better defense of their own.”

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JUNE 29, 2017

Do you think Christine Braswell should have been charged with a misdemeanor assault for running down her alleged purse snatcher, Robert Raines, in the North Carolina parking lot of a Wal-Mart with her car?

“Only the thief should be charged.  It was self-defense.”

Have you ever replaced one vice with another?

“Yes, I’ve replaced sadness with anger.”

Following the entrapment of Denielle Backstrom in her Colorado  Springs garage by a wild bear, are you concerned that bears are getting more and more comfortable with human contact?

“I would have gotten the hell out of there and called animal control.”

After the fatal “prank-shooting” of Pedro Ruiz – while his pregnant girlfriend, Monalisa Perez, assisted – do you think people are too desperate for social media *LIKES* and followers?

“Anytime someone orchestrates a prank, they need to take reasonable safety precautions.  This woman clearly didn’t.”

Who was your first celebrity crush?

“Erik von Detten”

Do you think Adele is really saying goodbye to touring?

“She may just need a break or a longer hiatus.  She reserves the right to change her mind again, down the road.”

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JULY 10, 2017

Do you think Rob Kardashian should be charged under California revenge porn law?

“Yes, although there should be a difference between commercial-based reparations versus punitive awards for malicious intent.”

Should Green Day have been told when one of their acrobats fell to his death right before their live concert?

“Yes, it was their right to know.”

Would catching your mate cheating automatically ruin your relationship, or could you work through it?

“Maybe the relationship could be repaired...but it would depend on all the circumstances leading up to it.”

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JULY 11, 2017

Do you care how long prior to his relationship with Jennifer Garner that Ben Affleck had been seeing his current girlfriend?

“This just shows how ridiculous it is for the peanut gallery to be gossiping about celebrities’ love lives in the first place.”

Have you ever been bothered by loud sex?

“I’ve overheard roommates engaging in sex, but I felt amusement moreso than annoyance.”

What are your thoughts on the male worker who was asked to remove his makeup on the job?

“It’s only an appropriate workplace rule if applied to both sexes equally.”

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JULY 12, 2017

Have you ever tried to help someone who didn’t want your help?

“Yes...but if someone isn’t ready to confront making changes in their life, there’s no reasonable way to force them.”

How easily do you give up?

“If it’s something that ignites my anger or an intense passion in me, I’ll never give up.  Ever.”

What do you think of Kendall and Kylie Jenner using images without permission on their new T-shirt line?

“They still need to make restitution if they commercially profited from someone else’s unauthorized image.”

How do you think trash-talking affects an athlete’s performance?

“It can be a cathartic release of adrenaline...or it can inflate the athlete’s ego.  Depends on the individual competitor.”

Is there anything you’ve vowed you will never do?

“I will never use the TSA airport body scanners, because I’m claustrophobic.  Plus, it’s degrading.  #PatMeDownPlease”

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JULY 13, 2017

What do you think of Chip Gaines’s man-bun on Instagram?

“Shaming men for our hairstyles or hair length is just another variation of gender discrimination.  Enough with the gender roles!”

When did you become okay with yourself?

“When I realized that too many people won’t go along with positive change unless you force their hand.”

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See you all again in the fall, for more tweeting!

[nancydhooper]

The Trump Administration Is Attacking Trans People in Federal Prison

Transgender people already face particularly harsh and violent conditions in United States prisons and jails

Jeff Sessions’ Department of Justice recently announced yet another attack on transgender people. This time, he’s targeting transgender people in the Bureau of Prisons with a new policy statement mandating placements based on assigned sex at birth except in rare cases and erasing hard-won changes to BOP policy that allowed transgender prisoners to be placed in accordance with their gender identity. We sat down with Chase Strangio, staff attorney with the ACLU LGBT & HIV Project, and Amy Fettig, deputy director of the ACLU’s National Prison Project, to discuss what this means for transgender people in prison and the ACLU’s work going forward.

Last Friday, the BOP announced a new rule concerning transgender prisoners and undid some Obama-era rules. Can you explain what changed and how it affects trans prisoners?

Amy: The former rules required that gender identity — a person’s authentic, core understanding of their own gender — play a central role in where a person is held in a male or female prison. Now, the BOP is saying gender identity doesn't matter really and what they call "biological sex" will determine placement. That is going to put a lot of people in danger.

Chase: The old policy — though certainly nowhere near perfect — was one that took decades of advocacy work to develop, and lots of prisoners fought and suffered to get to a better place with respect to BOP policy.

Notably, "biological sex" is never defined in the policy, and it seems to mean anything other than the gender that trans person knows themselves to be. Even though BOP attempted to undermine the safety of trans people in custody, they cannot change federal law, regulations, or the Constitution, and all of those things still protect trans people (however tenuously) and we will fight to ensure that they are enforced.

Amy: BOP is violating the law by not following the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA), which is mandatory for federal and state prisons and jails around the country. PREA requires that a person's own sense of where they will be safer be given real consideration. Now the BOP says that only in "rare" circumstances will anything beyond "biological sex" be considered. This is especially troubling because it sends the wrong message to prisons and jails around the country. If BOP doesn't follow the law, how can we expect others to?

You said that it took work from transgender people and advocates over the course of decades to create the previous rules. During that time, and since then, what have we learned about the conditions for trans people in the prison system.

Chase: The conditions for all people in prison are abysmal and inhumane, so we should start from that first premise. And then on top of that, trans people experience particularly harsh conditions because the sex-segregation of prison and the systematic anti-trans bias within the system make it almost impossible for trans people to survive.

Amy: In fact, trans people are the most vulnerable people in prisons and jails. Almost 40 percent of trans prisoners report being sexually assaulted in prison. And nearly 30 percent are placed in solitary confinement mostly because they are vulnerable.           

Chase: One California study found that 59 percent of trans women in men's prisons in California had experienced sexual assault, while less than 5 percent of the general population reported sexual assault.

Let's take a step back. What do we know about transgender people who are in our criminal justice system and how this community compares to our general prison population?

Chase: Our entire criminal legal system is the product of the over incarceration and policing of people of color and this is also true of transgender people of color. In one survey nearly 50 percent of Black trans women reported having been incarcerated at some point in their lives.

Due to family rejection, discrimination in schools and workplaces, housing discrimination, and lack of access to health care and ID, trans people are disproportionately living in poverty and homelessness. Since we criminalize poverty in this country, that also drives trans people into the criminal legal system.

Not to mention that trans folks are often profiled as sex workers or engaged in the drug and sex trades to survive.

Amy: Too often prison and jail are used to deal with issues that could be far, far better handled in the community. But we've left incarceration as the only social safety net available in this country. It makes no sense.

What about the ACLU's involvement here. Can you talk a little about the transgender people the ACLU has represented?

Chase: We have represented prisoners who have been denied access to health care related to gender transition, including a group of Wisconsin prisoners challenging a terrible law that tried to restrict any government funding for gender affirming care, Chelsea Manning in her challenge to the Department of Defense, and many others. We have also worked collaboratively with prisoners on many policy issues, including in the many rounds of providing comments on proposed PREA regulations.

Amy: Back in 1994, we represented Dee Farmer in front of the Supreme Court (Farmer v. Brennan) in what has become the seminal prisoner rights case.

Chase: And then for the 20th anniversary we organized a conference called Deliberate Resistance to commemorate all the work that Dee did.

Amy: I was actually on the phone with Dee last week, and she is still fighting for the rights of trans prisoners. She's a remarkable person. And I am proud that the ACLU was able to represent her.

Chase: We also have been involved in many cases on behalf of trans prisoners and detainees who have been subjected to violence in police lock-up, jail, and prison and have worked to ensure that they are able to have their day in court. Even though there is so much work that remains, some amazing people have fought back against the many inhumane and often torturous conditions they have faced.

Amy: Chase and I are working on a case right now about health care for transgender people in prison.  It's getting better in some places, but still too many prisons are denying people the lifesaving and life-affirming care they need.

Indeed, can you talk a bit about what would be a better set of conditions for transgender people in prison, and how the BOP rules supported those conditions?

Chase:  The most important thing is to first get people out of prison. We incarcerate too many people, and a lot of our work has to be about disrupting the drivers of incarceration. People should be able to survive while they are locked up, released sooner, and have access to basic survival needs when they do.

The former BOP policy that was rolled back allowed for the actual prisoner to assess the conditions that would be safest for them. We need policies that provide care that people need, that recognize the gender that people are, and that ensure that people receive safer housing and access to programming.

Amy: One of the first things that prisons should do is treat prisoners like people — not just numbers.

These changes are a profound culture shift in prisons. And it needs to happen if they are ever going to become anything but the warehouses of horror that they now are. BOP's policy rollback is in the exact wrong direction. And it sends a message of disrespect, discrimination, and disregard that will have implications down the line.

“Warehouses of horror” is quite the image. What is the ACLU doing at this point, with the rollback of the rules, to support transgender people in prison?

Chase: The ACLU is working in a broad coalition of groups to try to identify what trans people in custody need in confinement settings across the country. We will keep filing lawsuits to ensure people receive health care and are not subjected to unconstitutional, cruel, and violent conditions.

Amy: It's important that we let people know what's happening and why it's important. Prisons like to do things quietly so you won't know, especially because the majority of the public can't see what's happening. We have to make sure that people know and understand what undermining the rights of our most vulnerable people actually means.

from RSSMix.com Mix ID 8247012 https://www.aclu.org/blog/lgbt-rights/criminal-justice-reform-lgbt-people/trump-administration-attacking-trans-people via http://www.rssmix.com/