Links round-up

Posted by Lashings of Ginger Beer Time

In the wake of the death of Savita Halappanavar, the Secret Histories Project has some interesting Historical Facts About Abortion for you. Over at The F Word, Sarah Thomasin discusses the intersection of racism, religious dogma, medical incompetence and misogyny that killed Halappanavar.

(Content note: All of the posts linked to in the section below contain discussion or depictions of violence against trans* people and/or medical gatekeeping)

Today is the International Transgender Day of Remembrance. From Transrespect vs. Transphobia, here is the list of trans* people murdered from November 2011 - November 2012.

A number of remembrance events are taking place this evening: ones in the UK and Ireland include Belfast, Brighton (unlisted but here) Bristol, Cambridge, Coventry, Croydon, Cumbria, Dublin, Edinburgh, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Milton Keynes, Sheffield, and Southampton. If you are able to attend one, please consider doing so - the details are in the link above.

A post on gatekeeping and problematic treatment of trans* people by doctors at the New Statesman.

Natacha Kennedy on the problems of organising the 2011 TDoR.

Dr. Ziegler at blac(k)ademic on why centering race in transgender advocacy is key to equality for all:

Since the first Transgender Day of Remembrance in 1998, the violent deaths of trans women of color, have unfortunately come to dominate the yearly event designed to remember and celebrate the lives of those that are victims of transphobic murders. This year is no different as events around the country are set out to mourn recently deceased trans women of color, such as Brandy Martell, Coko Williams, Paige Clay and Deoni Jones–all black women whose only crime was daring to live openly.

Monica Maldonado offers an impassioned critique of the 'political grand standing' around TDoR and a vision of real change:

It’s a day where trans women of colour have greater value dead than we do alive... We should gather to mourn the dead, not conscript them into a battle they never had the privilege to fight while living. It pains me to stand here and remind you that these deaths, of our brothers and sisters and wives and husbands and daughters and sons, that these deaths are senseless tragedies that remain a black mark on society. These deaths are signs of a systemic, institutional, social, economic, and political failure to care for our most vulnerable and marginalized populations. But what may be worse, is the crude politicising of these deaths serves no cause more than that of the same vanity we decry. The currency of liberty, civil rights, and equality does not reside in death, but in our lives, our histories, our bodies, and our spirit. [...] Remember trans people today…but remember us tomorrow, and the next day, and the day after that. And never forget that fighting for trans justice is fighting for social justice. And just the same, fighting for economic justice, disability justice, and racial justice are fighting for trans justice.

(end content note)

In happier news:

On the webcomic Questionable Content, a character models one way of being a good friend to a person who's coming out as trans*. (QC has a mixed but largely positive history in its treatment of LGBT characters, disabled characters, and women - so we're cautiously optimistic!)

Andy Marra: 'The Beautiful Daughter: How My Korean Mother Gave Me The Courage to Transition'. This made most of Lashings cry -- in the good way.

The UN has declared access to contraception a universal human right.

In very fluffy news indeed, Horselizard has written "Enlightened 23rd Century Guy":  a fix-it fic for the trans-fail in a recent episode of Red Dwarf.