It's called the Kansas Fourth of July Weekend Trans-Tour. What it really is, is a transgender freedom tour.
The idea came out of a part of my brain that continuously searches for the next month's column for Liberty Press. When thiat idea ran into the realization that I had three days off, the notion of the tour was born. When the notion of the tour ran through the passion to make things better for transgender Kansans, there was no turning back.
And so, tomorrow morning I will set off with my friend, Chris, and we will drive 1500 miles, visit over 30 Kansas cities, and maybe make a difference.
The details of the tour are in place and can be found at www.k-step.org.
At 9:00 this morning, I will be talking with Maria Fisher of Kansas City's Associated Press office. At 6:00 this evening, I will be interviewed by Christopher Renner of Community Bridge, a radio show out of Manhattan.
We have yet to begin and people are reaching out, who have not known how to before this all started.
Previously unknown transgender friends have sent wishes for success from North Carolina, to Wisconsin, to Houston. I have no idea how things will unfold, but I am secure in the knowledge that we are making a difference.
It is indeed a freedom tour. Come along with us.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
It's not Willy Wonka, but . . .
M&M/Mars announced today that it will be building a $250 million chocolate factory in Topeka, Ks.
What does the planned Mars chocolate factory mean to transgender Topekans and transgender Kansans?
At the very least, it means another place where a company sees the value of embracing diversity and acknowledges the human value of transgender people.
It means that somewhere in America, people who are transgender are already lovingly bringing M&M's into homes around the world. The children of Westboro Baptist Church have been joyfully devouring LGBT processed chocolate. There is a bit of a wry smile on my face just now.
What it really means, is that the day is coming closer when corporations will tell insurance companies that their employees should have coverage for all medically necessary procedures, including Gender Affirmation Surgery.
The Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index shows Mars Inc. with a rating of 73. They have anti-discrimination policy protections for sexual orientation and gender identity, insurance benefits for same sex partners, and some transition-related coverage for transgender employees - but not surgery - at least not yet.
Beginning next year, companies will need to provide insurance coverage for surgery in order to receive a perfect 100 on the HRC index. It is time for LGBTQA Americans to begin to make our purchasing decisions with consideration of this score.
338 major U.S. businesses scored the perfect 100. It is a sign of things to come. It's not Willy Wonka, but . . .
What does the planned Mars chocolate factory mean to transgender Topekans and transgender Kansans?
At the very least, it means another place where a company sees the value of embracing diversity and acknowledges the human value of transgender people.
It means that somewhere in America, people who are transgender are already lovingly bringing M&M's into homes around the world. The children of Westboro Baptist Church have been joyfully devouring LGBT processed chocolate. There is a bit of a wry smile on my face just now.
What it really means, is that the day is coming closer when corporations will tell insurance companies that their employees should have coverage for all medically necessary procedures, including Gender Affirmation Surgery.
The Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index shows Mars Inc. with a rating of 73. They have anti-discrimination policy protections for sexual orientation and gender identity, insurance benefits for same sex partners, and some transition-related coverage for transgender employees - but not surgery - at least not yet.
Beginning next year, companies will need to provide insurance coverage for surgery in order to receive a perfect 100 on the HRC index. It is time for LGBTQA Americans to begin to make our purchasing decisions with consideration of this score.
338 major U.S. businesses scored the perfect 100. It is a sign of things to come. It's not Willy Wonka, but . . .
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
A Horse of a Different Color
Everything you need to know about life, you can learn from watching The Wizard of Oz.
Ruby slippers are awesome. The Wicked Witch of the West is no match for Glenda, the Good Witch of the North. And there's no place like home.
One other truism, is that Kansas really is in black and white. Except, of course, people who are transgender - We are a collective "horse of a different color".
It's hard for people to know what to do with us. We just don't fit the mold. They don't even know where we should go to the bathroom.
Now, if it is possible to colorize movies, we should be able to colorize Kansas. Just a good old-fashioned bit of reds and greens and yellows, correctly interspersed across the state, and voilà, Kansas would be magically transformed into Southwest Iowa.
However, Kansas is actually moving in the wrong direction (Brown-Backwards). Disenfranchised and marginalized Kansans have been stuffed into trash cans across the state.
I listened to Lt. Dan Choi speaking at the Wichita PRIDE rally on June 26th. He correctly defined Sam Brownback as a disease in Kansas. If this is true, the anti-Sam has to be a cocktail of change: Unity, Pride, Courage, Truth, and Love.
The unity is in becoming part of the movement. Kansas Equality Coalition has chapters across the state. Join. The pride part is to believe that you are created to be exactly who you are. The courage part is to stand up in the face of oppression. The truth part is that we are full, worthy human beings who can not afford to be comfortable with discrimination.
The love part is perhaps the hardest. Christianity has been hijacked. There is nothing Christian about Sam Brownback. There is nothing Christian about Westboro Baptist Church. There is nothing Christian about oppression of the LGBT community.
Christianity is about love for everyone. It is about allowing our differences to make us better. Pray for those who persecute us. Perhaps they need prayer more than anyone.
With unity and pride, with courage, with truth and love, we can make Kansas a state of a different color.
Ruby slippers are awesome. The Wicked Witch of the West is no match for Glenda, the Good Witch of the North. And there's no place like home.
One other truism, is that Kansas really is in black and white. Except, of course, people who are transgender - We are a collective "horse of a different color".
It's hard for people to know what to do with us. We just don't fit the mold. They don't even know where we should go to the bathroom.
Now, if it is possible to colorize movies, we should be able to colorize Kansas. Just a good old-fashioned bit of reds and greens and yellows, correctly interspersed across the state, and voilà, Kansas would be magically transformed into Southwest Iowa.
However, Kansas is actually moving in the wrong direction (Brown-Backwards). Disenfranchised and marginalized Kansans have been stuffed into trash cans across the state.
I listened to Lt. Dan Choi speaking at the Wichita PRIDE rally on June 26th. He correctly defined Sam Brownback as a disease in Kansas. If this is true, the anti-Sam has to be a cocktail of change: Unity, Pride, Courage, Truth, and Love.
The unity is in becoming part of the movement. Kansas Equality Coalition has chapters across the state. Join. The pride part is to believe that you are created to be exactly who you are. The courage part is to stand up in the face of oppression. The truth part is that we are full, worthy human beings who can not afford to be comfortable with discrimination.
The love part is perhaps the hardest. Christianity has been hijacked. There is nothing Christian about Sam Brownback. There is nothing Christian about Westboro Baptist Church. There is nothing Christian about oppression of the LGBT community.
Christianity is about love for everyone. It is about allowing our differences to make us better. Pray for those who persecute us. Perhaps they need prayer more than anyone.
With unity and pride, with courage, with truth and love, we can make Kansas a state of a different color.
Monday, June 27, 2011
Welcome to Trans-Christian by Stephanie Mott
Well, I guess it's time for me to have my own blog. As is typical for me, I have no idea what I'm doing.
What I do know, is that God loves me, and that God loves you, and that God loves everyone.
Being the "me" I was created to be is the one thing I found first necessary to becoming the person God wants me to be. Only then, was I able to begin to receive the gifts of life. Only then, am I able to truly share God's love.
What I do know, is that God loves me, and that God loves you, and that God loves everyone.
Being the "me" I was created to be is the one thing I found first necessary to becoming the person God wants me to be. Only then, was I able to begin to receive the gifts of life. Only then, am I able to truly share God's love.
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