sundries

[rm]

The couple imprisoned in Malawi for 14 years for being gay have been pardoned by Malawi's president. But I want to make one thing very clear Monjeza and Chimbalanga, while certainly members of the LGBT community, are not a same-sex couple. Chimbalanga identifies as a woman and it has been an act of trans erasure by the western press, and, sadly, many parts of the gay community, to insist on making this case about the equal marriage rights battle in the US. Chimbalanga and Monjeza are expected to be released from prison on Monday. May they be happy and safe.

Operation Write Home is a collection of cardmakers who make handmade greeting cards and send them, along with notes of encouragement and thanks, to deployed service members. There aren't any Hallmark stores in the deserts of Afghanistan. via kathrynrose

Update on the female marines trying to connect to the women of Afghanistan.

Meanwhile, some self-described "libertarian and anti-feminist blogger" has a bizarre and APPALLING screed on how rape is the reasonable, justifiable and obvious way for men to achieve equality with those thieving women demanding their rights. pecunium has a write up.

The challenge of cooking out in the city.

If I hang out with you in RL and you are going to the vintage beach picnic tomorrow, get in touch. I've just been to Costco and there will be big cooking tonight. If you want to pitch in with a few bucks or other goodies, we are willing to include you in our food plans.. I've just found out we're not allowed to bring our own food and drinks, and because of my celiac disease I can't eat anything on the menu. I've left a comment about my frustration on the event's facebook page and Patty and I are currently planning a plan B. If you're interested, let us know.

DanceAfrica, what we went to at BAM last night, was THE BEST THING EVER and since it happens in many cities around the country, if you have a chance, you should go. We are so totally going every year now. Also, all the tributes to our ancestors stuff was seriously on point to my current work and was a huge bonus.

Like many of you who are about my age and remember Gary Coleman as someone other than a punchline, I find myself surprised at how sad I am at this passing.

I have just heard about Dennis Hopper's passing, and am gutted.

The BP oil spill terrifies me. I fear we won't be able to stop it. Ever. That it will keep going for however long it takes for all the oil to come out. That this is how it happens, how the earth winds up looking like every post-apocalyptic story or movie that I love(d). Even if we do stop it, I think this much is true: there is no going back from here.

Today I got mistaken for an alcoholic because someone on the street mistook the mini hand sanitizer bottle half sticking out of my pocket for booze.

Comments

[wyld-dandelyon.livejournal.com]

As I'm sure you know, the intersection of being trans and marriage laws is complex and dreadful. Many laws assume that you are the gender that was originally put on your birth certificate when deciding if a marriage is legitimate, regardless of treating doctors' opinions, the trans person's self-identification, surgery status, the knowledge or lack of knowledge of the other spouse, etc. Until the gender of the parties is not part of what determines whether a law recognizes a marriage as valid, no trans-person's marriage will be free of potential pitfalls.

So long as marriage is seen as only a M-F pair, no trans relationship will be safe from someone claiming that they don't qualify to be married to whoever they're with.

So, although I agree wholeheartedly with you that it is unfortunate that Chimbalanga's identity as trans was missed or hidden by the press, I do not agree that her self-identification as female means this is not a pertinent example in the discussion of the need to recognize same-gender marriages.

On the contrary, I think every serious partnership that includes a trans person is an example of why we need to legally and socially recognize same-gender marriages.