Posts Tagged ‘trans’

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FKA This Thursday – Hanky Code

May 4, 2010

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I’m flagging black on the left and dark pink on the right. You?

FKA is my favorite monthly queer dance party in Chicago, for many reasons. Mostly because the vibe is simultaneously hype and unpretentious. The people are fashionable, the level of attractive attendees reaches critical proportions, and yet friendliness prevails. I’ve met countless new people at FKA, and it always feels like a reunion of like minded proactive individuals. Kate Sosin wrote a thorough piece of journalism aboug FKA’s history and place in Chicago’s queer culture over at Chicago Now. Come by this Thursday, no cover and cheap drinks!

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Jai Ho! – Queer Bollywood Night at Big Chicks

January 22, 2010

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Not yet having a stable home, Trikone is set to deliver its latest installment of Jai Ho!, Chicago’s only queer Bollywood dance party, on Friday January 29th.  From the Facebook Event:

Trikone is committed to creating community among LGBTQ South Asians and their allies in the Chicago metro area. We welcome people of all sexual orientations, and gender identities, and of all national, racial, religious, and ethnic backgrounds to Jai Ho!

I accidentally found myself at the first one last year in July, and I gotta say it was one of the most fun nights out I have ever had in the city. The crowd was as diverse as it gets, there was a nice spread of club/fancy/traditional/sports wear, and the music went from Bollywood show stoppers to tolerable mainstream. Organizer Kareem Khubchandani curates a drag show at midnight (and performs as LaWhore Vagistan), and if you care to chat with him, he’s a complete sweetheart. This party’s proceeds go to Haiti relief, DJ Sachin spins and there is a $5 suggested donation.

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Actor Slash Model at Las Manos Gallery

January 21, 2010

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Not stopping long enough to breath, Actor Slash Model recently released their 2nd record Things You Can’t Keep and have been playing a steady amount of local shows to back it up. The strength of the songs is quite a testament to their talent, considering that Simon Strikeback and Madsen Minax just finished and are still screening their amazing documentary about trans musicians. Add to that Minax’s new band, The Homoticons, and knock me over with an unproductive stick! How do you get all that in? You can ask them this Tuesday at Las Manos Gallery, where Actor Slash Model is playing a concert along with Slow Teeth and The Homoticons. 5220 N. Clark (Clark & Foster)
$5 / 8pm. Bigger post on the record in a little while, for now just get to the show.

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Bike Mechanic Classes for Women and Trans Folk

January 11, 2010

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West Town Bikes is hosting bike mechanic workshops for women and trans folk, what a way to kick off the new year! There are two sessions left that you can sign up for, each one is three consecutive Sundays from 10am-1pm at 2459 West Division Street Chicago, Ciclo Urbano/ West Town Bikes. From Mia Moore, the contact and person who will be conducting the workshops:

I am teaching these classes because I think it’s important and empowering to have a comfortable space in a traditionally hetero-male dominated environment for women and trans folks to learn basic bicycle mechanics skills. I have been a mechanic for five years, and feel it is part of my job to pass on the knowledge I have learned to other women and people in a non-biased setting.

The large workshop space at West Town Bikes has 8 bicycle repair stands and sets of tools, so all the work will be hands on using one’s own bicycle.

The only pre-requisite for the class is to have a bicycle. I don’t expect any other mechanical knowledge. We will start the first class by learning the correct names of all the parts of the bicycle, and the names and uses of all the basic bicycle repair tools. Then we will learn how to fix a flat tire, and how to adjust brakes.

In the second class, we will replace the cables on the front and rear brakes and both derailleurs. This will include a lesson on how all the shifting mechanisms of a bicycle work, and how to adjust them.

In the last class, we will learn how to true wheels.

any interested folks should email me at: ciclourbanochicago(((@)))gmail.com

The next workshop starts on January 31st, and the last session on February 21st.

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Kitten LeFemme’s Top Ten Sex Blogs for 2009

December 29, 2009

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Kitten LeFemme is a sex writer and educator living in Chicago.  She has written for UR Chicago, Poolboy magazine and is a weekly
contributor to lovelulumae.blogspot.com.

A list of my favorite sex blogs and why, in 2009, they were hotter than ever.

1) www.sugarbutch.net

Sinclair Smith has created a truly unique and truly sexy blog.   A combination of gender politics, philosophy, queer theory and smut make up the content of this hot butch’s site.  Smith writes about her real life experiences and in 2009 she started dating her girlfriend, and her lucky readers have gotten to read all about their naughty exploits as they explore their butch/femme and BDSM influenced relationship.

2) www.unspeakableaxe.com

Axe is a submissive, straight man living in New York City.  He breaks through stereotypes surrounding what it means to be straight, masculine guy and writes about his longing to do chores for and serve his lady partners.  In 2008 and early 2009, Axe was searching for a partner and his blog left the sexy and entered the sad.  Six months ago, he met the lady of his dreams and his content went from interesting to sexy to really fucking hot (literally. She put a pepper in his cock).

3)
http://belledejour-uk.blogspot.com/

Belle’s blog made news earlier in the decade, when she began writing about her day to day life as an escort in the United Kingdom.  The blog led to a book, Diary of an Unlikely Call Girl, which led to a television series, Secret Diary of a Call Girl, and the blog had a long lull.  Belle has long since ceased working as an escort, but her blog was bigger than ever in the later part of 2009 because she decided to no longer be anonymous and came out to the British press as an accomplished scientific researcher.  Belle’s posts about her clients are funny and sexy but the guts that it took to come out, deal with the subsequent press frenzy and dispel myths about sex workers is really hot.

4)
http://deviantdyke.blogspot.com

Author DeDe Delynn combines photos with her beautiful writing to create erotica that is as luscious as the sex she is writing about.  Her short stories and poetry spin tales of desire that feel so real that you can practically smell the sweat on the lovers’ skin. In 2008, Delynn’s writing was great; this year she seems to have tapped into her voice and has written pieces that leave the reader clutching the mouse (or um, other things).  Additionally, she writes about hot, lusty, sexy dyke sex – proving that queer women can have dirty sex, too.

5) www.luriddigs.com

I didn’t discover this blog until 2009, and it gets my award for best discovery of the year.  A photo blog with commentary from a team of sassy writers, Lurid Digs posts photos of amateur, male nudes (mostly solo) – think the kind of photo you would see in a M4M Casual Encounters ad – and critiques it.  The critique is not of the model, however.  It is of the décor.  And it is hysterical.

6) www.early2rise.net

New to the web in 2009, Early to Rise is the boy blog created by Early to Bed, a feminist owned and run sex toy store in Chicago.  In addition to news about products available at Early to Bed, Early to Rise has advice, reviews and tips for dudes.  The best part of the site is that there is info for all kinds of men: straight, bi, gay, cissexual and trans.  The writers are clever, give some pretty solid advice (the pussy licking primer is especially good) and create a space where authentic male sexuality can be discussed.

7) www.bearsimjealousof.tumblr.com

Ok.  There isn’t really a tie in with this to 2009, but I am including it in my list, because I love bears and think they deserve as much love as possible. So cute.

8) www.cutechicagoboys.com

Cute Chicago Boys isn’t an explicit sex blog, but a collection of boys that the authors have deemed to be cute, and have subsequently interviewed and photographed.  This is a new site, and I get the feeling that the authors are still finding their groove, but they are off to a good start.  They have a good mix of gay and straight and undecided, which makes up for the lack of variety in types of guys (we get it, hipster boys are dreamy).  That said, it is an adorable concept and I am looking forward to seeking what they do with the site in 2010. Confidential to Troy S: How in the world are you available?  You are gorgeous.  Totes my favorite Cute Chicago Boy.

9) www.flithygorgeousthings.com

Comprised of articles, blog entries, random confessions and beautiful photographs, Filthy Gorgeous Things is a welcome addition to the Internet sex media world.  Part blog, with weekly entries from contributors, and part literary magazine with monthly themed “issues, this site is undoubtedly both filthy and gorgeous.  The site design alone is eye candy (hint: click on the icons on the top and bottom of the page.  They bring up confessions submitted by readers. Hot.).  The writing is top notch and the photos are professional, compelling and artistic.  Oh, and the content is super dirty.  Note: some pieces require a subscription to read them, but there is plenty of free content to keep you, er, entertained.

10)
http://nattnightly.wordpress.com/

Natt Nightly is a genderfuck, transmaculine writer.  He covers topics ranging from love to lust, politics to romance and everything in between.  He is making the 2009 list because of an August entry; “Challenges”.  In the post, he challenges sex writers to extend beyond wham-bam fucking stories and delve into more intimate territory.  The post is thoughtful and sexy all at once.  I hope some sex bloggers take his advice and give us even hotter material for 2010!

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Original Plumbing TV Teaser Trailer

December 13, 2009

I’m really liking what Amos Mac and Rocco Kayiatos are doing with their extra-special print zine, Original Plumbing. If you don’t have Issue #1, I think there might be some reprints still available, but if you slept on it, don’t blame me. These two trans business men have embarked on a venture that really understands the market. They’ve identified a lack of product in a certain demographic, defined a clear brand, created a high-quality collectible magazine by/for trans masculine folks, and since its launch, have maintained a steady stream of promotional efforts. Release parties and signings, as well as stickers and  T-shirts AND NOW a preview for a video-podcast companion??!! Shit man, that’s A LOT of work and it’s fierce that they are doing it. Important to mention is that this kind of NEW MEDIA product-transparency is what connects people to the stuff they follow, it’s really of the times. The Spanish word dichosos applies here, as Mac and Kayiatos are clearly knee-deep in a labor of love, we should all be so lucky to trail blaze an iconic cultural moment within our own communities.  Congrats guys! I’m on the edge of my seat here…

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Rebecca Kling’s Trans Form

November 30, 2009

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When Tim Miller’s Charged Bodies mentorship program at Links Hall fruited several powerful performances in 2008, I was once again enTHUSED about the work being created in Chicago. One of those mentees, Rebecca Kling, has expanded her 20 minute piece about her life as a trans woman into an hour-long theater event entitled Trans Form, December 11th-13th at Links Hall. A recipient of the Critical Fierceness Grant, I’m interested in what she’ll add to an already personal deep-share. The work in progress was filled with understandible anger – her descriptions of the invasive questions people try to pass as small talk were as telling as they were familiar. When strangers assume rights to your personal space and private life, it makes you wonder why our culture translates freedom of expression into an excuse for dehumanizing those who openly express themselves. The work in progress did contain a triumphant fierceness in its final moments, and I’m hoping this expanded version will rely less on the literal and play a little more with nuance.

Trans Form will run at Links Hall, 3445 N Sheffield Ave, Chicago. It’s between the Belmont and Addison stops on the Red Line, and right next to a 22 bus stop. Tickets available at Brown Paper Tickets.

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Transgender Day Of Remembrance

November 20, 2009

Slowly, I’ve observed more media coverage of trans issues and while it may not always use the right language or take the most open-minded approach, visibility is still the fastest way to revolution. A result of that visibility, however, is a slow bubble to the surface of  people’s heated differences in opinion, knowledge and experience on what being trans means. There are splinters and factions even among the LGBT’s, where my ultra-lefty queers are intolerant of and keep away from spaces not predesignated as safe, my gay and lesbian colleagues want to take an insider attitude with offensive “tranny” jokes, and a sad number of near and dear straight allies still need an explanation as to why a finite gender or physical change isn’t necessary to identify as trans. 

This week in particular, for 7 days leading up to the 11th annual Transgender Day of Remembrance,  there was a spike in published articles about the topic.

People Magazine has a brief interview with Chaz Bono, who recently came out as trans. What we have here is a celebrity-mongering grocery store glossy taking an assimilationist approach to Chaz’s romantic relationship with lipstick-looker Jennifer Elia, and insisting that it’s a heterosexual union. An excerpt from a facebook comment thread about the article: “barf.” Why? A lot feel that trying to paint our queer relationships as a variation of straight only serves to weaken the power of our unique, queer perspectives. It’s the ways in which we are different that causes people to learn and reflect about what is outside of their experience. This article doesn’t teach you anything.

The Red Eye’s blog had a better, if still problematic feature around a younger woman named Adrianna King who has overcome homelessness and is now engaged in her community. The author, Alexia Elejalde-Ruiz did a good job of telling King’s story, but there is still a hint of northsidism (a Chicago problem where people stereotype the northside as “safe” and the southside as “phobic,” and runs so deep it has caused institutionalized discrepancies in funding for GLBT services) and she never burdens Lakeview residents to take ownership of their racist attitude towards the youth that visit the local LGBT community center. To say nothing of the horrendous comments left by reader JimLkvw , this article and the online response is a prime example of the need for more mainstream dialogue about queer issues on publications like the Red Eye. It might be the only chance we get to reach people like JimLkvw.

Finally, I came across an article about some recent killings of transgendered women in Guatemala. Mind you, these horrific crimes happen all the time in all nations. But being chapine myself, I could picture what the streets looked like, what the passersby did (probably nothing), and the nightmarish sounds and words that were exchanged while these crimes happened. It’s a long way from Chicago to Central America, and to think the families and friends of these women will probably have no legal recourse, it’s important to reflect on the physical and emotional pain that is being dealt with by our transgendered families all over the world. It wasn’t until recently that the United States included gender in its anti-discrimination laws, and it’ll be some time before that legal reality translates to instances of curbed behavior.

I just shared this link with some allies from the American Psychological Association. Unfortunately, trans is still a disorder on the books, sorry to travel so near that touchy area. However I thought this page used language that was accessible to most people, particularly if you are unfamiliar. If you are reading this and you’re a post-queer, post-feminist and so far post-everything that you are so far post-over it, there’s a facebook group for you. Not to be flippant, but we can’t get anything done without allies. The basic numbers make it impossible. If you aren’t at least trying to engage your surrounding community, including those that are not just like you, who are you helping besides yourself?

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COH Announces Trans Awareness Month Events

November 3, 2009

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A whole month of events over at the Center on Halsted for Transgender Awareness month, head over to the calendar for more information.

TRANcinema Film Festival–Tuesdays (Nov. 3, 10, 17, 24) 7:00 PM screenings 18yrs +, $5 Donation

Partners in Transition–Thursdays (November 5, 12, 19 and December 3, 10, 17th) 6:00 PM – 7:30PM

This 6-week group is open to women whose partners are transitioning and identify along a male spectrum. The group will offer support for those who are coping with the changing identity of their partner and their relationship. Topics will include identity, communication, gender, sexuality, culture and social support systems. This group is offered in conjunction with Chicago Women’s Health Center and Center on Halsted. Registration is through the Center. Contact 773.472.6469, ext. 279 for more information or to register.

An Evening with Diane Schroer–Sunday, November 15, 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM

The Center welcomes ACLU-Illinois and Diane Schroer (transgender activist) a woman, who lost a job offer because of her sexual status, and won a groundbreaking federal sex discrimination lawsuit. In 2008 a federal district court judge in Washington, D.C., ruled that the Library of Congress discriminated against Diane Schroer when it offered her a job and then rescinded it after learning she was transgendered. The American Civil Liberties Union, which represented Schroer, said Judge James Robertson’s ruling is the first to hold that the federal sex discrimination statute, Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, applies to transgendered people.

Fifth Annual Night of Fallen Stars – (A Day of Remembrance) Saturday, November 21, 2009, 5:30-9:00 PM
5:30 PM Reception (with Trans groups and vendors)
7:00 PM Performance
$5 suggested donation at the door

Transgender performers that will include poets, artists, musicians, comedians, dancers and other theatrical performers of all ages. Special appearance by Jaila Simms, the first Transgendered artist to win a reality series MTV/P. Diddy’s “Making His Band” Official member of Bad Boy’s “Dirty Money Crew.

Hosted by Broadway Youth Center, Center on Halsted, Howard Brown Health Center, Illinois Gender Advocates and Equality IL.

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Partners in Transition

October 24, 2009

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There is a new support group for people partnered with someone with is in the midst of a gender transition. From the press release: Is your partner considering or in the process of gender transition? Would you like a space to talk about what this means for you? Renegotiating the terms and context of a relationship can be difficult. This 6-week group is open to women whose partners are transitioning and identify along a male spectrum The group will offer support for those who are coping with the changing identity of their partner and their relationship. Topics will include identity, communication, gender, sexuality, culture and social support systems. This is a queer-friendly space and affirming of all sexual orientations, race and ability. Transfolks are most definitely welcome as are ciswomen. While the group isn’t open to cismen this time, if we hear from the community that there is a need and an interest they can/will do it in the future.

This group is offered in conjunction with Chicago Women’s Health Center and Center on Halsted (COH). For more information or to register, call COH at 773-472-6469 x279. There is a $5 suggested donation for each session.

Dates: Thursday Evenings, November 5th, 12th, 19th and December 3rd, 10th, and 17th.
Time: 6-7:30pm
Location: Center on Halsted, 3656 North Halsted

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