Articles- Collected Articles For The Transgender Community

By JESSE McKINLEY and MALIA WOLLAN
SAN FRANCISCO — Theresa Sparks, a candidate for the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, is running on what some might see as a conservative platform: she is pro-development and anti-loitering, pro-police and anti-grime. She has been endorsed by the mayor, the city’s firefighters’ union and the county deputy sheriff’s association.

But that is not what sets Ms. Sparks apart; it is her past. Until a decade ago, Ms. Sparks was a man, before a gender reassignment surgery. And while her sex may have changed, her politics did not.

“This district really needs someone with a strong business background, a strong economic background and a really wide diversity of experience,” said Ms. Sparks, who is an experienced engineer, a United States Navy veteran and the former chief executive of Good Vibrations, a sex toy company. “And I’m really the only person who has that in this race.” (more…)

MAPLEWOOD — A 25-year-old North Plainfield man wanted in the shooting death of a transgender Newark woman surrendered to authorities on Saturday night, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office announced.

Marquise Foster turned himself in at 8 p.m. Saturday, more than a month after the fatal shooting of Victoria Carmen White, 28, in Maplewood. He is charged with murder. Bail was set at $1 million.

A second man, Alrashim Chambers, 23, remains at-large and is also charged with murder. (more…)

Shannon Handy

CLOVIS, Calif. (KFSN) — A valley family speaks out against bullying after their transgender teen commits suicide.

Justin Lacey graduated from Buchanan High School in 2009. Just recently, the 18-year-old started living as Chloe — a transgender woman.

Chloe’s family says overall, her peers accepted her for who she was. But, she was still terrified of being bullied for coming out. They say that’s what led her to commit suicide.

According to gay rights group Equality Forum, in the past month, 7 teens have taken their own lives over these very same issues.
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Commentary: Why HIV/AIDS issues need to return to the forefront of the gay community’s collective consciousness.

By Dr. Marjorie Hill, Rea Carey, and Paul Kawata

When was the last time you talked about HIV/AIDS?

For far too many, the answer is, “Not lately.” “Don’t ask, don’t tell” repeal, securing job protections through the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, marriage equality — these are things many of us who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender talk about with great frequency. These are making the headlines in the LGBT community. But HIV/AIDS? Not so much.

Has the LGBT community moved on? We hope not.
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