Another disturbing paedophile accusation, homosexuality & paedohilia misconstrued

According to the Star News today 72-Y-O BUGGERS HIS OWN GRANDSON? - Grandpa accused of molesting 8-year-old an elderly man was charged with allegedly buggering his grandson. If this story is to be believed it's cases like this that make the case for justifying adult male homosexuality as not preditory weak as the public usual arrives at the conclusion with the aid of those who ought to know better that gays are interested in getting into little boys pants.

The story in the Star reads:

Rasbert Turner, Star Writer

A 72-year-old St Catherine man who was accused of buggering his eight-year-old grandson has been charged by the Ewarton Police in St Catherine.

THE STAR was informed that it was alleged that on May 1 the senior citizen sexually molested the boy who lived with him. It is said that the child's parents also live in the same yard, however, the boy lived with the old man.

After the ordeal, the child was alleged to have been threatened by his attacker and warned not to tell anyone about what had happened. However, it is said that relatives observed the child behaving in an unusual manner and when he was questioned, he alleged that the accused man had molested him. The child was medically examined and it was reportedly proven that he had been buggered.

An investigation was launched in the matter, which resulted in criminal charges being brought against the elderly man.

The accused man, whose name is being withheld, is to appear in the Linstead Resident Magistrate's Court later this week to answer to the charge.

THE STAR was also told that additional charges could be brought against the accused under the Child Care and Protection Act.ENDS

We must however condemn such acts publicly but then again we must also question why incidents like this happen to our children? The experts tell us that most paedophiles are usually heterosexual even when they comit homosexual rape or abuse.

See the tabs on Ephebophilia and paedohpila below this post

See other rantings and commentry on Paedophilia on Gay Jamaica Watch's Blog

With each story that makes it to the mainstream media like this it paints the an ugly look of the gay community if not by implication then guilt by association given the way the lifestyle has been misrepresented by opponents and by the religious right. Given the recent case also of a paedophilic nature (see post below) where a businessman has been accused of making sexual advances on a 13 year old boy in a popular restaurant's bathroom, the crowds that descended on the day of the trial clearly showed how the public feels about homosexuality in general and by marrying the two issues of adult homosexuality where persons make their own decisions together versus paedophilia that of an adult supposedly imposing sexual will on a minor, they shouted the usual Jamaican parlances of homosexuality and some even openly demanded his death in offering to end his life infront of the police who took him to the court's precinct.

Incidents like this allows us to test the temperature of the public's position on such matters.

So wroth is the public's disdain for homosexuality in general still that the police vehicle that actually took him to the court was mobbed twice, upon entrance and exit to the court and was stoned on the day in question of the incident when the police came to take him away from the restaurant. He has been housed at a facility outside of Mandeville. Here again we find our supposed advocates in the form of an seemingly impotent JFLAG silent and missing in action when there should be some comment and positions presented on this so as to help not only the community but the public grapple with these issues and avoid the unholy marriage which in essence puts us at a greater disadvantage in achieving tolerance and harmony. Where is the vigilance that ought to be present on such public issues that affect the lgbt community?

Peace and tolerance.

H

Crowds gather at Mandeville Courthouse for Trade show man charged with indecent assault on 13yo boy

In a suprise move today in the Mandeville resident magistrate court, the Resident Magistrate, Ms Yvonne Brown who was to hear the charges being brought against a citizen of the Domincian Republic and a member of the popular Columbian trade show that airs on televsion 23 year old George Miguel Silvero Santos ordered the court room cleared of all journalists and other persons waiting for their respective cases to be heard. There was a delay of the petty sessions court next door due to the clearance as only Mr. Salvaro and the boy's mother who is said to be mentally challenged were heard by the sitting judge.

Crowds had gathered from as early as 8am this morning to observe the proceedings with many persons openly expressing disgust at the matter and accusing him of being a battyman. Mr. Salvaro who was hurriedly brought to court from an outstation in Manchester was held in a Kentucky Fried Chicken store in Mandeville on June 6 around 8pm after he allegedly made certain advances to the 13 year old boy where they ended up in a bathroom at the store. It is alleged that the security guards forced open a stall and found the accused man and a boy in a compromising position. It is also alleged that the boy, who was reportedly begging, was given money in exchange for the sexual act.

Both were escorted from the restaurant to the nearby police station, but not before irate residents descended on the scene, armed with stones. The residents allegedly stoned both the police car, damaging the windscreen, as well as the accused man, as he attempted to run into the police station.

One wonders if any charges will be brought against any of those persons stoning the police's property, I doubt it very much.

See the post below named "Leave Our Town Now" for the Star News take on the matter. Of course they sensationlise as per usual by putting the boy's age at 10.

There was the usual combining of paedophile behaviour and adult homosexuality as was heard in the utterances of some of the persons who were waiting outside the court building according to sources who were present and passing by who alerted me. This case is of interest to me though as there has always been a marrying of the two, that of adult homosexuality versus paedophile behaviour which is a terrible mistake which unfortunately has been made by journalists and even so called psychological experts here in Jamaica. This case by the looks of it also suggests the boy was up to it and therefore to me shouldn't be regarded as an indecent assault but I am no legal expert.

The case is to continue on June 23 as Mr. Salvaro who was not asked to enter a plea is to reappear with his attorney Norman Godfrey. The Kingston branch of the popular trade show that wholesales an assortment of items at reduced prices was visibly empty yesterday when I passed the Pavillion Plaza branch there were only two females who look to be staff members and a male at the door who maybe a security guard.
The trade show has caught on all over the island as the very vibrant and attractive infomercials were run on a daily basis advertising and promoting various household, health and personal items to which many Jamaicans responded positively.

Peace and tolerance

H

Diane Abbott on the UK's Labour leadership ballot with 79% gay voting record

By Jessica Green

Left-wing Labour backbencher Diane Abbott of Jamaican parentage squeezed onto the starting line for the Labour leadership this afternoon just before nominations closed.

She will contest four shadow cabinet members for the post – Ed Miliband, David Miliband, Ed Balls and Andy Burnham.

A sixth hopeful, the left-winger John McDonnell, stood aside yesterday in order to allow Ms Abbott to become the only woman and left-winger in the race.

She won the 33 nominations required shortly before 12.30pm.

The party's new leader will be announced on September 25th after Labour members, MPs, MEPs and trade unionists are balloted.

Ms Abbott, who was the first female black MP, said she decided to join the contest to improve its diversity. Her four rivals are all Cambridge or Oxford-educated white men in their forties.

Acting Labour leader Harriet Harman said “Over the next few months over four million people will have the chance to help shape Britain’s progressive future by choosing the next leader of the Labour Party.

“This will be the biggest and most widespread election of any political party or any organisation in this country. The contest will be open engaging and energising. It will be a chance to invite supporters to join the party to have a vote."

In the run-up to the close of nominations, gay charity Stonewall ranked each candidate on their gay voting record in the last five years.

Mr Balls, the former education secretary, has the strongest record with a rating of 93 per cent. Both Milibands are on 86 per cent.

Ms Abbott has a rating of 79 per cent.

Although she has spoken in favour of gay rights and been a judge in the Stonewall awards, she has missed more than half of the gay rights votes she could have attended since 1998.

She has never voted against gay rights measures, but was absent for important votes on gay couples adopting, civil partnerships and equalising the age of consent.

Former health secretary Mr Burnham comes last with 71 per cent.

In 2008 he twice voted in favour of amendments that sought to discriminate against lesbian couple's rights to access IVF treatment. He abstained on three votes relating to the rights of gay couples jointing adopting children.

Early life and Career
Ms Abbott was born to Jamaican immigrants, her father a welder and her mother a nurse. She went to Harrow County Grammar School for Girls and then to Newnham College, Cambridge, where she read history. At Cambridge, she was tutored by historian Simon Schama.

After university she became an administration trainee at the Home Office (1976 to 1978), and then a Race Relations Officer at the National Council for Civil Liberties (1978 to 1980).

Sex Change And Surgery questions & answers

Sex: Expert Tips:
Sex Change And Surgery

What is 'sex reassignment surgery'?
Sex reassignment surgery for a transwoman is usually Vaginoplasty. It's a plastic surgery that sort of reconfigures the tissue and nerves of male genitalia to approximate female genitalia as closely as possible. A common misconception is that they remove or cut off genitalia. And, they don't, they reconfigure the existing genitalia, so that you still have genitalia, but it is in a new configuration or form. For transmen the surgical options are a lot more limited; but, there are Phalloplasties when they create a penis for the transmen. And there are Metoidioplasties where they sort of use existing structures to approximate a penis as well as possible.

Do all transgender people want to change their biological sex?All transgender people don't necessarily want to change their biological sex. Some are just comfortable living in the gender role socially. They can blend into society and be happy without ever taking a hormone pill or having any medical interventions whatsoever. And others just have it up to the level they're comfortable in doing. Especially for “F-to-M”, or female-to-male transsexuals, the genital surgery is not very advanced still, so many of them take some medical steps, but they do not have genital surgery. But they still feel very confident, in all of these cases, that they are their chosen gender, and they are comfortable and happy living that way.

How much does it cost to change your biological sex?
The costs involved in changing your sex and gender are vast, and they are spread out over a long time. It's a misconception that you can plink down some cash at some hospital, walk in, and walk out the opposite gender. It doesn't happen that way. The cost for genital surgery, which is where most outsiders seem to focus, for trans-women can be anywhere from, right now in 2008, anywhere from ten to fifteen thousand dollars, all the way up to twenty thousand dollars or more. For trans-men, it is actually a lot more expensive for genital surgery, and unfortunately, the results are often not as satisfying.

Does medical insurance cover sex reassignment surgery?
Insurance very rarely covers surgery for transpeople because most outsiders don't understand transpeople; they are repulsed by the idea and they are not even willing to consider the mental and sexual pain that we endure, just like someone with scoliosis or a club foot, or having a portwine stain on their face or something. Those people endure a lot of social stigma. Although they could so function under those circumstances, insurance does cover those situations. We are making progress though and some companies do cover the surgery, and socialized medicine in England and Canada will cover this.

What hormones does a male-to-female have to take during transition?
Usually take some form of estrogen during transition. And they usually take a testosterone blocker before they have genital surgery to block out whatever testosterone might be in their system. There are all different kinds of estrogen. From the little blue pills that your mom might take after menopause, to injections of Estrodol. There are basically different strengths and origins. But your doctor will help you decide on which of those are for you.

What hormones does a female-to-male have to take during transition?
Female-to-male transsexuals take some variant of testosterone, and they often try to block the estrogen. Testosterone is almost always injected, although there are some gels that you can apply. And the results, especially from testosterone, are pretty dramatic.

What is 'vaginoplasty'?
A vaginoplasty is the general surgery that a lot of male to female transsexuals have when they use the tissue of the penis and they invert it to create a vagina and the other structures of the female sexual anatomy, and they maintain the nerves and everything, so, most transwomen who, you know, go to a good surgeon still retain sexual function and sensation, and it's quiet an advanced surgery at this point, their results are really good from the surgery.

What is 'phalloplasty'?Phalloplasty is the surgery that some female-to-male transsexuals have, or even men who somehow are injured or did not develop a penis which happens occasionally. A phalloplasty is a surgery when they take some skin from another part of the body, often from the thigh or the forearm and they fashion a penis with that skin, and put it on to the body, and sometimes they'll put underlying structures that allow some sexual function, such as an erection in the same way that men who are impotent will sometimes have a little pump or something in there. It's basically just a surgery that creates a penis for female-to-male transsexuals.

Can anyone have sex reassignment surgery?
Anyone can have a vaginoplasty or a phalloplasty. Actually, those surgeries are not limited to the transsexual community. There a some women who are actually born with conditions of having a shallow vagina or even vaginal agenesis where they do not develop a vaginal cavity - so anyone can have a vaginoplasty. Some men due to congenital conditions or a female to male transsexual will have a phalloplasty. So anyone can have that surgery. It is important to note that having that surgery-in my mind at least- does not make you a woman or a man. In my mind you are already a woman or a man and you are just correcting your body. Just as a woman born with vaginal agenesis is already a woman, whether she has a vagina or not. The surgery just sort of makes her life easier.

What is the transition process a transgender person goes through to change their biological sex?
The transition process for a transgender person to change biological sex is very complicated because your dealing with gender issues which are complicated social issues, legal issues and your also dealing with mythical issues that are very complex so basically you got a through a phase of self-realization with you understand that you probably are transsexual and you want to take steps to begin living enroll that you are more countable in then you start doing a lot of research and finding support for your self then a lot of people will begin the essential process where they start going out as there new gender or expiring that then a lot of people will begin miracle inventions in a earful hormones all the way out to surgery and a lot of people somewhere in that process undergo to legal steps such as simply legally changing their names your social security documentation and people can switch up that order some people do only some of those steps but biological sex is an overview of the most of the steps.

What does it mean if someone has 'transitioned'?
The term transitioned is sort of a catch all term and a lot of people will have different definitions of this term, but basically it's used to mean that someone has made the majority of the journey over from their assigned birth gender to their target gender. It doesn't necessarily mean they've had genital surgery or whatever, but for all intents and purposes that person is living as their target gender.

What is a 'gender identity disorder'?Gender identity disorder is a classification in the DSM for the diagnostic and statistical manual, which is used by the psych community to identify mental issues. And it describes the situation when someone is uncomfortable with their assigned gender to the point that it is impacting their life negatively. And gender identity disorder is usually considered to be cured by transition. Whether that is just social transition or whether it is full social, medical and legal transition.

What is 'gender dysphoria'?
Gender dysphoria is the core symptom of gender identity disorder and dysphoria means basically, literally, sort of an unhappiness. It is the opposite of euphoria, and gender dysphoria just describes a situation when you are unhappy with your assigned gender. Used in the medical context, it means that you are unhappy with your assigned gender to the point that it's negatively impacting your function in society.

What are the 'HBIGDA Transgender Standards of Care'?
The Harry Benjamin International Gender Disphoria Association is a collective of medical and psychatric professionals who have come together to study and put out a concensus on issues of gender identity, and how it's dealt with in the medical community. It's named after Dr. Harry Benjamin, an eye doctor who was quite a pioneer in transgender and transexual medicine. "HBIGDA" is now referred to as "WPATH," and it sets out a standard of care that doctors use to treat transgendered people.

Intersex And Hermaphrodite Information Video

Transgender:
Intersex And Hermaphrodite


Intersex And Hermaphrodite

How many people in the world are born intersex?

When you are trying to determine the number of how many people are born intersexed, it can be a little difficult because there are a lot of different conditions that can be considered intersex. From genetic conditions to physical actual structural conditions. And so you can look at ISA.ORG which is The Intersex Society Of America, for exact breakdowns, but they estimate that one in a hundred births actually have some situation going on that pushes them along the continuum between male and female. 

Some of those of course are out liars when it is one in ten to twenty thousand. And they have more dramatic issues. And then there are some who have minor issues, hormonal issues and such that might not ever be detected without pretty intensive testing.

What are the similarities and differences between an intersex person and a transgender person?

Intersex people and transgendered people are different because some intersex people are facing a congenital condition that is manifested very detectably through different physical tests. Transgendered or transsexual people are dealing with sexual and gender issues that are not so easily diagnosable, and often seem to come more from the soul and the heart than from a chromosomal test. 

But by and large both intersex and transgendered people face similar issues of discrimination from society, stemming from society's discomfort with our failure to conform to the either/or gender binary. Although we're very different in a lot of ways, we often pool our resources to get legal and sexual rights.

UN committee moves to keep out gay-lesbian NGO

UNITED NATIONS, June 3 (Reuters) - A United Nations committee that decides which nongovernmental organizations can be accredited to the world body moved on Thursday to keep out the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission.

The group, which had applied for "consultative status" at the U.N. Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) three years ago, is an international NGO and advocacy group focusing on protecting the rights of homosexuals and lesbians worldwide.

Diplomats from Western nations that support gay rights complained that Egypt and other developing states that have been criticized by rights groups for discriminating against gays and lesbians prevented the committee from voting on whether to accredit the group, thereby leaving it in limbo.

"IGLHRC is disappointed by the vote of the Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations to block action on our application," Cary Alan Johnson, head of the New York-based group, said in a statement to Reuters.

The U.N. NGO committee has 19 members, among them the United States and Britain, who supported the NGO. Among those who voted against it were Egypt, Sudan, Qatar, Pakistan, China, Russia, Angola, Burundi and Sudan. Turkey abstained.

Johnson said it was "a clear case of discrimination against an organization because it defends the human rights of LGBT people around the world and promotes non-discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity."

LGBT refers to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people.

The U.S. delegation defended the work of IGLHRC (www.iglhrc.org).

"This NGO is committed to combating discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity," the U.S. statement said. "It has contributed to valuable research on HIV/AIDs and its work is well known to this committee."

A Western diplomat told Reuters that "unfortunately we didn't have the votes" on the committee to overcome opposition from countries like Egypt, Qatar, Sudan and others. The diplomat added that IGLHRC clearly fulfills all the criteria for U.N. accreditation.

The British delegation issued a statement expressing its "deep regret" for the decision to reject a U.S. proposal to take action on IGLHRC's application for a U.N. accreditation. The British statement said the move not to accredit the group was proposed by Egypt on behalf of African countries.

"This act of simple discrimination runs contrary to the principles of the U.N., of ECOSOC and of the NGO Committee," it said.

One envoy told Reuters on condition of anonymity that the United States and Europeans would push for the U.N. Economic and Social Council itself to move to accredit the group, a strategy that he said would have a better chance of success.

IPM 015 Phase I/II expanded Safety Trial in Africa of an Antiretroviral-Containing Vaginal Ring Designed to Prevent HIV

Study in Southern and East Africa evaluates safety and acceptability of combining proven, long-acting women's health technology with antiretroviral drugs to prevent HIV


WASHINGTON, June 8 /PRNewswire/ --
The nonprofit International Partnership for Microbicides (IPM) today announced the initiation of the first trial among women in Africa testing a vaginal ring containing an antiretroviral drug (ARV) that could one day be used to prevent HIV transmission during sex. The clinical trial, known as IPM 015, tests the safety and acceptability of an innovative approach that adapts a successful technology from the reproductive health field to give women around the world a tool to protect themselves from HIV infection.
"Vaginal rings, commonly used in Europe and the U.S. for hormone delivery, could be well-suited to deliver HIV prevention drugs for women in developing countries," said Dr. Zeda Rosenberg, IPM's Chief Executive Officer. "This study will provide key information on the safety and acceptability of this technology for HIV prevention. It is an important step forward in our efforts to give women options they can use to safeguard their health."

Since 2001, women in developed countries have successfully used vaginal rings, such as the NuvaRing®, ESTRING® and Femring®, for birth control and hormonal therapy. These rings are appealing because they are self-administered, discreet and provide protection for a month or more. The vaginal ring being tested in IPM 015 is an ARV-based microbicide -- a class of vaginal products currently being developed to prevent HIV infection in women. ARVs have revolutionized HIV treatment and have already been proven to reduce mother-to-child transmission of HIV. They are now being tested for their ability to prevent HIV infection.

The vaginal ring used in IPM 015 is made of flexible silicone, is durable and would be easy to distribute -- making it well suited for use in developing countries. Each ring slowly releases 25 mg of the ARV drug dapivirine over the course of 28 days, potentially providing sustained protection against HIV. The ring is manufactured by IPM, which has a royalty-free license for dapivirine from Tibotec Therapeutics, a division of Johnson & Johnson.

"Biology and gender inequality continue to place women at greater risk of disease and death, particularly in developing countries," said Elizabeth Mataka, the UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy for AIDS in Africa. "All too often, women are not in a position to control their sexual health or protect themselves from HIV infection. By empowering women with new tools to protect their health, this ring technology could bring hope where there was none before."

IPM 015 is a Phase I/II expanded safety trial that will compare the dapivirine ring with a placebo ring containing no active drug among 280 volunteers across Africa. Women in South Africa have begun volunteering for the trial, and it is hoped that other African nations will start the same study shortly. The women volunteers will be randomly assigned to use either the dapivirine or the placebo ring, which will be replaced once monthly for a three-month period.

The vaginal ring containing dapivirine has already been shown to be safe as tested in four prior IPM clinical trials among women in Europe, with another trial ongoing. If IPM 015 further confirms the safety and acceptability of the product among women in Africa, a Phase III program to test the ability of dapivirine rings to prevent HIV infection is scheduled to begin in Africa in 2011, with results due in 2015.
“The roll-out of treatment in the past few years has saved millions of lives, but the AIDS epidemic continues to spread, with women particularly vulnerable,” said Michel Sidibe, the Executive Director of UNAIDS. “Preventing HIV transmission is essential if we are to protect the health and safety of future generations.

If successful, innovations, like microbicides, could have an extraordinary impact.”
Every day more than 3,000 women worldwide become infected with HIV. And HIV/AIDS is the leading cause of death for women aged 15-49 years in Africa. Despite this challenge, women lack a discreet method to prevent infection. Current prevention options may be impractical for women who lack the power to ensure that their male partners use condoms or remain faithful, and for those who are married, want to have children or are at risk of violence.

The initiation of IPM 015 was announced at the Women Deliver conference in Washington, D.C., the largest conference focused on maternal health in more than a decade.

"Women and girls must be given the tools to protect themselves from HIV infection," said Jill Sheffield, President of Women Deliver. "The contraceptive ring has been a formidable tool for women seeking more control over their reproductive health, and it is wonderful to see HIV researchers adapt this technology to tackle the single biggest killer of young women. The simple fact is that we will never be able to fully ensure the health of women and girls globally without halting the spread of HIV and AIDS."

About IPM: IPM is a nonprofit product development partnership established in 2002 to prevent HIV transmission by supporting the development and availability of safe and effective vaginal microbicides and other HIV prevention methods in developing countries where women are at greatest risk for infection. IPM has offices in the United States, South Africa and Belgium. Please visit http://www.ipmglobal.org/

SOURCE: International Partnership for Microbicides

"LEAVE OUR TOWN NOW" - Colombian salesman accused of assaulting boy Residents want trade show to leave Mandeville

Angry residents of Mandeville, Manchester, are demanding that the Colombians affiliated with the popular trade show, which airs on local television, leave their town.
This after one of the men was taken into police custody Friday on suspicion of buggery.

THE STAR was told that sometime after 8 p.m., security personnel at a popular fast-food restaurant in the town were alerted to a strange situation in the male bathroom. It is alleged that the security guards forced open a stall and found the accused man and a boy, believed to be about 10, in a compromising position. It is also alleged that the boy, who was reportedly begging, was given money in exchange for the sexual act.

Both were escorted from the restaurant to the nearby police station, but not before irate residents descended on the scene, armed with stones. The residents, THE STAR was told, stoned both the police car, damaging the windscreen, as well as the accused man, as he attempted to run into the police station.

Police from the Mandeville area confirmed the incident but said they could not divulge details.

The residents, still seething with anger after their failed attempt to dish out a beating to the accused man, say both he and his compatriots must leave. One man told THE STAR, "Dem fi lef man. Wi cyaan harbour dem kind a people deh inna wi place. Not even inna Jamaica wi nuh want dem. It did come in like grand market out deh mi a tell yu, dem did waan gi dem some lick! Dem definitely fi come outta wi country."

Lovell Griffiths, another resident, said, "Dem fi leave di place, man. Wi nuh want no fh Colombian bwoy inna Mandeville town. Wi want dem pack up and leave now. Dem fi leave! Everybody upset bout it man. All when dem a drive off wid dem, a bare stone deh backa di car. Big ole excitement!"

Another resident, Patrene, suggested that if the accused is indeed guilty, he and his team abused the trust and warm reception they had received from Jamaicans. She said, "Everybody did think say dem nice, now dem just come wid dem foolishness. Wi need dem fi leave now. And if dem go back out deh, it a go cause problem."

Dan, another resident of Mandeville, also joined the chorus. He said, "A bun, di people dem waan bun dung out deh. Right now, to how mi see it, a betta dem lef. If people eva know whe dem deh, dem woulda go bite dem. Everybody mad bout it, man."

Up to press time last night, the accused was still in police custody and had not yet been charged. THE STAR also received reports that the trade show was open for business on Saturday, but that none of the Colombians were there.


Notes:

The English translation amounts to the residents clearly are upset at the news and are demanding he leave the area and the business as well, some suggest that they leave the country and issuing light threats. The story was also carried on CVM TV.



Sadly when one off incidents like this take place the entire homosexual community gets broad brushed as paedophiles which is definitely not true.

Rantings of a Lesbian Christian says: Lesbophobia (for want of a better word)

I'm not a sociologist or psychologist. I'm just one of your everyday lesbians who until recently never really felt the brunt of lesbo-phobia from the MSM (Men who have sex with men) community. Now technically speaking it may not have been lesbo-phobia in so many characters but it was sure discriminatory.

I'm part of a volunteer programme which (in this particular aspect) it is my responsibility as a volunteer to disseminate information on safe sex practices. I as well as a number of other persons have cried out that this programme is geared towards Men who have Sex with Men (MSMs) and that it ignores or at the very most pushes to the back burner the needs of Women who have Sex with Women (WSWs), Transgendered folk and all the others who fall under this umbrella.

I've always heard WSWs say that they would never work with MSMs because the MSMs dislike them, have no respect for them or something along those lines. As I said before I've never really gotten the brunt of it or any of it for that matter (not to my face anyway).

I'm known to be an associate of all and friend of few. I shun no MSM so long as he can carry himself good and don't draw me into the beating he may get because of his behaviour on the road. For this reason I assume (with good reason) that I'm loved or at least tolerated by many and hated by few.

Today in our regular meeting of the volunteers I discretely offered to do a presentation on Leadership and Mentoring since it has been the wide cry that many of these MSMs don't know how to conduct themselves. At the end of the meeting the moderator stated that the next meeting there will be a presentation on leadership and mentoring by a member of our group. All was well until someone said I hope it is a MSM because I don't want a WSW or other non-MSM to do a presentation (not exact words).

Now everyone was quite shocked by the statement and of course questioned him. He went on to say that he doesn't mean to insult anyone but that this is a programme for MSMs so it should be MSMs presenting and that even I as a WSW wasn't really to be counted (again to exact words). Now I won't lie I did get upset. I told him that though I'm a WSW I still have to meet with MSMs in order to continue on this volunteer programme and that I as a WSW is part of the greater lgbt community.

I pointed to him that the MSMs are not separate and apart from the rest of the community. I also pointed out to him that it is for this reason that MANY WSWs do not help, work, mingle, volunteer, participate (in anyway) with MSMs, for we are discounted.

I did get quite angry lashing out saying "dats why sometime mi nuh like battyman" (that's why I sometimes I don't like gay men) pretty harsh but it was in anger and everyone understood what I meant.

(No disrespect to my many gay and bisexual male friends I still love you guys)

This unquestionable discrimination came from someone within the community. This is how we tear down each other, in simple ways such as this. For had I been more upset and had not received an apology I probably would have left quite angry and be ready to leave the MSMs to 'work out their own salvation', I've felt that way before by the sheer behaviour of some of these MSMs.

Today's encounter brings me back to a question I've asked either here or to others. How can we in a community subject to so much intolerance, hate, torture, homophobia continue with this phobia among our own ranks? We fight each other butch fight butch, femme fight femme, top fight top, bottom fight bottom, gays fight lesbians and on and on and on (I don't know much of the TG community nor their fights but I can imagine it is there as well).

Yes there will be differences, we don't live in a perfect place, and we're imperfect people, but jeezam peez mek wi try live betta nuh man (my gosh let's try to live better please guys(and gals).

Source

Pride Month in June, Celebrate yourselves!, concerns though .........

So June is PRIDE Month internationally as various parts of the world will celebrate publicly in most instances their respective LGBTQ events. With new territories adding their own voices in expressing pride in themselves, Jamaica in times past has had our own set of private celebratory events, parties and lymes when the the days of JFLAG (Jamaica Forum for Lesbians Allsexuals and Gays) were far more introspective in the community itself and using such activities as a part of the social support strategy to engage the community and develop an identity given the homophobia and violence meted out to persons accused of being gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender as we have seen in recent times. Only some party promoters and bloggers like myself who will highlight or have events so themed in respect to the occasion still carry on, I hope that will change soon.

PRIDE presently is supposed to be a mostly American invention coming out of the Stonewall events in the late sixties, other jurisdictions have added their own historical experiences such as Brisbane, Russia, Canada and The UK. LGBT pride or gay pride is the concept that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people should be proud of their sexual orientation and gender identity. The movement has three main premises: that people should be proud of their sexual orientation and gender identity, that diversity is a gift, and that sexual orientation and gender identity are inherent and cannot be intentionally altered. The use of the abbreviated gay pride and pride have since become mainstream and shorthand expressions inclusive of all individuals in various LGBT communities.

The word pride is used in this case as an antonym for shame, which has been used to control and oppress LGBT persons throughout history. Pride in this sense is an affirmation of ones self and the community as a whole. The modern "pride" movement began after the "Stonewall riots" in 1969. Instead of backing down to unconstitutional raids by New York Police, gay people in local bars fought back. While it was a violent situation it also gave the underground community the first sense of communal pride in a very well publicized incident. From the yearly parade that commemorated the anniversary of the Stonewall riots began a national grassroots movement. Today many countries around the world celebrate LGBT pride. The pride movement has furthered the cause of gay rights by lobbying politicians, registering voters and increasing visibility to educate on issues important to LGBT communities. LGBT pride advocates work for equal "rights and benefits" for LGBT people.

Symbols of LGBT pride include the LGBT rainbow flag, butterfly, the Greek lambda symbol, and the pink as well as black triangles reclaimed from their past use.

Historical Background:Advocates of gay pride have used history to point to oppression as well as differing levels of acceptance of homosexuality throughout history. The ancient Greeks did not conceive of sexual orientation as a social identifier, as Western societies have done for the past century. Greek society did not distinguish sexual desire or behavior by the gender of the participants, but by the extent to which such desire or behavior conformed to social norms. These norms were based on gender, age and social status. "Lesbian" derives from the name of the island of Lesbos,which was famous for the poet Sappho, who wrote love poetry to female lovers. Homosexuality in the ancient Roman Empire is considered to have been widespread but was tempered by the complex social systems of the society.

During Medieval times all forms of sexuality began to be repressed by the church as the message of heaven and hell gained popularity. As technology fell behind, simple luxuries such as clean running water and proper sewage became a thing of the past. This caused horrible conditions and disease. People began to believe that they were suffering from the wrath of God, blaming immorality. Any and all forms of homosexuality became not only shameful but punishable by death.

see also:
Homosexuality in ancient Greece
and Homosexuality in ancient Rome
Symbols of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Movements
The Catholic Church and Homosexuality
Pride celebrated worldwide

In 390, the first law banning same-sex love was enacted in Rome, making it punishable by death.
Pride! but the problems on the ground still are real .......
In our most recent history though, it is disheartening that many activities that were once expected to occur during this period have died or discontinued, there were film festivals, art auctions, other forms of entertainment and forums/workshops as well that were helpful to the community to realize who we are with ordinary LGBTQ persons participating. Sad that the only advocacy group once again has failed us as a GLBTQ community in this regard to fuse our resolve in ourselves as proud people despite the problems we face literally on a daily basis. The closure of the MSM housing project for example under the watch and deafening silence from JFLAG is a further indication that we are representationless as a community as only certain issues seem to be of priority while others are cast aside for whatever reasons at the risk of violence due to displacement. Yes we may be proud as individuals as we assert ourselves as a natural survival instinct mechanism but it is sad we can't get the activities required on a larger scale to fuse the subgroups under the GLTBQ umbrella towards solving some of the inter-community issues that need urgent attention. Small cell groups however are doing what they can given their limited scope and resources available, many individuals would like to offer more but the present systems overlook or ignore such voices.

The GLABCOM (Gay Lesbian Allsexual Community) meetings that were discontinued in Kingston in late 2008 has been meeting constant stalls in efforts by some to restart them. Frankly in my estimation there is nothing to be proud of in this vein presently given the set of circumstances that prevail. We have an advocacy system for the most part now being driven by funders who now basically dictate how those activities ought to operate as we have failed to properly carry out basic continuity of previous interventions, ideas and strategies that would have produced tangible results and a seemingly special club decides what happens on that level excluding dissenting voices like this one and others as was evidenced in the recent IDAHO event, the wider community was never made aware in a meaningful way of what IDAHO actually entails let alone a planned activity in Jamaica.

What is happening to our lesbian and bisexual women in terms of the corrective rape typed instances of violence meted out to them with very little assistance or concern from the advocacy quarters on these problem that has been on the increase since 2007 is worrying as well. Not even so much as public outcry on the matter to bring attention to it or some forumatic discourse on the issue at the community level.

The invisibility in a sense of our transgender community members is disturbing to say the least, one prominent pre-operative trans woman is homeless presently and literally sleeps on a cot in an office ironically situated close to the JFLAG facility while many others just on the face of it seemed disillusioned on the lack of recognition. Sad.

Let us still celebrate PRIDE on an individual level non the less but we cannot and must not overlook these and other serious issues friends, I am sure there are many others you may know of as well in your own corners. See how best you can play however small a part in adding improvement of the lives of our brothers and sisters out there.

Peace, tolerance and PRIDE

H

Gender Variance (Dysphoria) another look

Gender Identity Research and Education Society

Definition
Gender variance is an atypical development in the relationship between the gender identity and the visible sex of an individual. In order to understand this atypical development, it is necessary, firstly, to understand something of the typical development of these elements of our make-up. Many in the scientific and medical professions recognise the terms ‘gender’ and ‘sex’ as having distinct meanings. ‘Gender identity’ describes the psychological recognition of oneself, as well as the wish to be regarded by others, as fitting into the social categories: boy/man or girl/woman. These social categories generate expectations of gender roles, that is, how we are expected to behave in society. ‘Sex’, on the other hand, is usually understood to represent the physical differentiation as male or female, indicated by the external appearance of the genitalia and the presence of gonads (testes in a boy/ovaries in a girl) which will determine reproductive function, and differences inbrain structure and function. Typically, gender identity, gender role and sex characteristics (known medically as the ‘phenotype’) are consistent with each other and with the underlying chromosomal pattern: 46,XX for a girl, 46,XY for a boy.

Fetus development
Typically, every fetus derives one sex chromosome from the mother; this is always ‘X’. The second sex chromosome is provided by the father and may be either ‘X’ or ‘Y’. Typically, a fetus having one X and one Y chromosome will develop as male because genes on the ‘Y’ chromosome play a vital role in triggering the complex cascade of hormones which masculinise (virilise) the fetus, ensuring that his brain, genitalia and gonads are congruent. Typically, a fetus having two X chromosomes will develop as a female so that her brain, genitalia, gonads and organs of reproduction are congruent with each other. So, the way the fetus develops and functions, in terms of sex and gender identity depends, in part, on its innate sensitivity to particular hormones, as well as the availability of the relevant hormones. These influence the sex development of the brain and other sex characteristics in a way that is consistent with, and typical of, each gender. Animal experiments have indicated that there may be, in addition, direct genetic effects on the brain development which are not mediated by hormone input. Whatever the various routes leading to differentiation, typically, an XY baby, showing the external characteristics consistent with the male phenotype will grow to adulthood identifying himself as a man. Conversely, an XX baby, showing the external characteristics consistent with the female phenotype will typically grow up comfortably identifying herself as a woman.

This scenario applies to the majority of us. Despite considerable gradations, we are close enough to one end or the other of the gender/sex spectrum that we never question whether or not our gender identity is consistent with our gonadal and genital sex. Since this is true for most, it is assumed to be true for all babies—that what you see is what you get. So, despite the fact that the baby’s gender identity cannot be discerned accurately at birth—since it depends, to a large extent, on the early development of the brain which is invisible—it is assumed to be consistent with the visible sex. So when ‘male’ or ‘female’ is entered on the Birth Certificate, a consistent and unchanging gender identity is inferred and, effectively ‘assigned’, at that time, on the basis of external appearance alone. Typically, this inference is accurate enough…

…but it is not always so. The gender/sex spectrum is complex. A few individuals do not fit comfortably into what we think of as typically male or female. For a variety of reasons, one in 100 or so babies is born with some kind of sex differentiation anomaly. This could be, for instance, because the pregnant mother has additional hormones in her system, which she has absorbed from, say, medication or the environment, and which she has passed on to the fetus, or the fetus, itself, may be insensitive to the influence of certain hormones. Occasionally, sex/gender anomalies may be associated with unusual chromosomal patterns, for instance, 47,XXY, 47,XYY, 45,XO, 49,XXXYY, or even a mosaic (more than one chromosome pattern in different tissues of one individual). The possible permutations are numerous. The degree of discomfort any resultant variation may cause to an individual depends on the nature and the degree of that variation from the typical. In a few instances, there can be a serious risk to health. On the other hand, in many cases the effect is so slight that the condition remains undiagnosed or, at least, requires no medical intervention. In some, the manifestations may not be discernible at birth or for many years, so diagnosis is delayed.

One example of such a condition will demonstrate just how complex this subject is. An individual with complete Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome (cAIS) has XY chromosomes so one would expect the presence of a ’Y’ chromosome to be associated with an individual who has a penis rather than a clitoris, whose gonadal material develops into testes rather than ovaries and whose brain takes on ‘male’ characteristics. However, in the case of cAIS, despite the presence of the ‘Y’ chromosome, the fetus has a degree of insensitivity to androgens (testosterone, dihydrotestosterone)[9] and is, therefore, not subject to their masculinising influence. The result is a mixture of female and male characteristics: the baby is born with the external appearance of a girl and retains female brain characteristics; she grows up identifying herself as a woman. It may be only at puberty, when the failure to menstruate is apparent, that the underlying condition is diagnosed. This XY female has no uterus, often a shortened vagina, or none, and undescended testes. ‘Partial’ AIS will lead to varying degrees of the condition, including one where assignment of sex (and, therefore, inferred gender identity) is not straightforward owing to the ambiguous appearance of the genitalia at birth. Some paediatricians would assign the baby as a boy, others, as a girl.

Gender Variant People
Many anomalies such as AIS can arise causing inconsistent development between the various elements by which we know ourselves to be either a man or a women. Among the larger group embracing all these varieties, there is a small subgroup of individuals who experience gender variance. The personal experience of this state is sometimes known as gender dysphoria (dysphoria means ‘unhappiness’). The impact of genetic and/or hormonal factors on their fetal development appears to cause parts of the brain to develop in a way which is inconsistent with their genitalia, gonads and, usually, with their chromosomes. This may give rise to another, rather different, example of XY women, that is, individuals whose visible physical sex appears to be that of a man, but whose brain has some female characteristics and whose gender identification is, therefore, that of a woman. Or, conversely, gender variance may occur the other way round. An individual having XX chromosomes and the visible physical sex of a female, may have some male brain characteristics and therefore, identify as a man. So the issue of one's gender identification, whether as a man or as a woman, or even neither (which occurs only rarely), is rooted in the brain, and is regarded by the individuals concerned, and is demonstrated by research, to be largely determined pre-birth and more or less stable thereafter.

Transexualism
Thus the experience of extreme gender variance is increasingly understood in scientific and medical disciplines as having a biological origin. The current medical viewpoint, based on the most up-to-date scientific research, is that this condition, which in its extreme manifestation is known as transsexualism, is strongly associated with unusual neurodevelopment of the brain at the fetal stage. Small areas of the brain are known to be distinctly different between males and females in the population generally. In those experiencing severe gender variance, some of these areas have been shown to develop in opposition to other sex characteristics and are, therefore, incongruent with the visible sex appearance.

Gender Variant Children
Very rarely, children may express this incongruence between gender identity and the genital sex, but their discomfort is not always easy to identify. Symptoms of unease with the assigned gender role and the visible sex appearance are often only apparent to the individuals concerned and may not be understood even by them. If these children are unable to articulate their unease, their discomfort may grow through adolescence and into adulthood, as their families and society, in ignorance of their underlying gender identity, relentlessly reinforce gender roles in accordance with their physical appearance alone. However, some children are able to express a strong cross-sex identification, and sometimes insist on living in the opposite role. In particular, the increasing disgust with the development of secondary sex characteristics experienced by young people during puberty may be taken as a strong indication that the condition will persist into adulthood as transsexualism. Therefore, in carefully screened individuals, hormone blocking treatment may be given, before pubertal changes become apparent, so that these young people have more time to decide in which gender role they can achieve lasting personal comfort. There is no evidence that raising children in contradiction to their visible sex characteristics causes gender variance, nor can the condition be overridden by raising children in strict accordance with a gender role that is consistent with their visible sex.

Those who are not treated in adolescence may continue to struggle to conform; they may embark on relationships, marriages and parenthood in an attempt to lead ‘normal’ lives by suppressing their core gender identity. Ultimately, however, they may be unable to continue with the charade of presenting themselves as something they know they are not. The artificiality of their situation drives individuals to seek treatment to minimise the mismatch between the brain and the bodily appearance. They experience an overwhelming need to be complete, whole people and to live in accordance with their internal reality. Until this is achieved, the personal discomfort is such that it leads to great unhappiness and sometimes to suicidal feelings.

Transition
For many, ‘Transition’ to live in the gender role dictated by the brain may be the only way forward if they are to avoid a life of psychological torment. This will often be assisted by treatment to achieve physical re-alignment of the sex characteristics, involving hormone therapy and corrective surgery. Transition marks the change in social status from man to woman or woman to man but the process does not change the gender identity of the individuals concerned, rather, it confirms their core gender identity by bringing their sex characteristics, especially their visible ones, and their gender role into line with it. Research indicates that this treatment is highly successful.

However, the level of discomfort varies widely from individual to individual, and personal circumstances also impinge on how those experiencing the condition respond: for instance, some may take hormones, but not have surgery or undergo transition of their gender role; some may become reconciled to their discomfort and learn to live with it. So, psycho-social factors may play a role in outcomes, though they appear to play no part in the causation, of the condition.

Gender variance, whilst it may be associated with a great deal of stress, is not caused by psychopathology or mental illness, rather, the stress may be understood to be a normal response to the internal biological conflict. The condition cannot be overcome by psychological or psychiatric treatments alone.

Sexual Orientation among Transsexual People
The term transsexualism does not indicate, or refer to, sexual orientation, i.e. a person’s preference for a sexual partner of the opposite, or of the same sex/gender. Trans people may identify as straight, gay, lesbian, bisexual, or asexual. Some trans people say that, until the process of transition is complete, they cannot tell what their future sexual preference will be. It may remain the same; it may change. A trans person who has always been attracted to women may remain so. Or not. A trans person who has always been attracted to men, may remain so. Or not. During the process of transition, the issue of sexual orientation may be of little interest to the individual concerned, since the issue of gender identity is uppermost in his or her mind.

Thoughts on “coming out” as Transgender to family

A. B. Kaplan (Transgender Health)

Before you come out:

I think it’s important to start with thinking about the purpose of your communication, and that is just to come out to them, to come out of hiding and let them know who you are and what you’ve been struggling with. I’m making the assumption that you also wish to remain as close as possible to your family, and be accepted and hopefully supported by them in the future.

There’s also the question of if you should come out at all. If you are dependent on your parents/family (under 18, or if they are paying for college, etc…) then you need to think of the very real possibility of their cutting you out or off. The last thing you want to be is a homeless transgendered youth. If this is the case, then it may be wiser to spend some time finding and getting support before proceeding.

If you decide that the time is right and it’s safe to come out to them then…

The Vehicle:

My experience has been with Transgendered clients, that a letter works best. The letter has several advantages over face to face communications.

You get to take your time and think about what to say and word it perfectly.
You can have a friend, therapist or supportive person read it over first and give you feedback.
You can’t be interrupted.
The recipient can go back and read it again and take their time with it.
Why a letter and not an email? Well, it’s more personal, email can be a little cold.

What to say:

I’m of the school of thought that you should just say it in your own words as clearly and plainly as possible. I think it can be good to also include the following:

Reassurance that you love them and want to remain connected and hope that they will be supportive.
Reassurance that this is not their “fault”.
A little bit about your struggle with gender over the years, your experience, coping, isolation, etc… (be specific! It will help them empathize with you)
A few recommendations of books, articles or support groups in their area
and I recommend to ask them specifically not to respond right away, but to take some time (a week) before they respond. Let them sit with it. This will weed out any immediate bad response and let them cool down.
Just as you would tailor a cover letter for a job you may need to tailor your coming out letter for different family members. Your parents are two (or maybe more than two) separate people, invite them to respond individually.

What not to say:

No need to talk about specific long term plans/timetables or surgeries in your coming-out letter. Remember, the purpose of the letter is to let your family know that you are transgendered. Period. Future plans are better left for future communications. Why? Because just digesting the fact that one has a trans son/daughter/brother/sister is enough to begin with. Remember, you’ve had a lot of time to think about this and are ready to move ahead. They are just learning of this for the first time and need to absorb it. I think its ok to gently allude to the fact that changes might be coming in the future, but I wouldn’t go father than that in your first communication on this topic.
There is no need to go into the etiology of transsexualism here. There are too many conflicting theories biological and otherwise, and even if you knew the origin of your being transgendered, it wouldn’t change it.
Afterwards:

If you get a positive response that’s great! Otherwise stay calm, even if you get a negative first response. Give them time.

Don’t be reactive to a negative response. Be the adult (or if you don’t feel it, just pretend). Remember the long term goal is to have them be connected to you and supportive. Keep the long term goal in mind in all your communications with them.

It does happen sometimes that parents have a very negative response and even reject you outright. This can be very hurtful and disappointing. When this happens, again, don’t be reactive no matter how you feel. Keep the long term goal in mind. It’s easy to “write them off”, but ultimately unsatisfying if you want to have your family.

A few things to do with a negative reaction:

Communicate that you are open and ready to talk when they are,
Be empathic with their difficulty in accepting/understanding/assimilating this information. Understand that they need time and may have a religious/cultural basis of understanding that can’t be overcome quickly.
Express your wish and hope that it will change over time.
Ask what you can do to help them accept this?
Other Approaches:

You know your family best, so keep that in mind when crafting your coming out communication.

Here are some other perspectives on how to come out to your family:

coming out, hormone, surgery, and other letters

http://www.videojug.com/interview/how-to-come-out-to-your-family-and-friends-as-transgender video ‘How To Come Out To Your Family And Friends As Transgender’

http://www.hrc.org/issues/3455.htm
Article ‘Coming Out to Family as Transgender’ fromThe Human Rights Campaign

http://www.tsroadmap.com/family/index.html
Transsexual Road Map – Family issues

Cuban Multidisciplinary Society for Sexuality Studies: Statement on Depathologization of Transexualism

Cuban Multidisciplinary Society for Sexuality Studies
5th Cuban Congress of Sexual Education, Orientation and Therapy

The Sexual Diversity section of the Cuban Multidisciplinary Society for the Study of Sexuality (SOCUMES) proposed the adoption of the following Declaration in its General Assembly of Members on 18 January 2010 in Havana, based on a proposal made by the National Commission for Comprehensive Care of Transsexual People, of the National Center for Sexual Education (CENESEX).

Recalling the current inclusion of transsexuality as a mental disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV (DSM-IV) published by American Psychiatric Association (APA) and the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) of the World Health Organization (WHO);

Recalling also that the Standards of Care adopted in Cuba by the National Commission for Comprehensive Care of Transsexual People rely on those published by the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH), which also includes the classification of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders and International Classification of Diseases E-10;

Considering that the American Psychiatric Association will publish in 2012 the fifth version of the above mentioned manual and that the chief and other specialists of the working group responsible for the review have recently proposed the non-removal of this category, as well as the application of corrective psychological therapy to children, to the sex assigned at birth;

Taking into account the concern expressed by individuals and human rights groups at the international level regarding this issue,

Considering that all transgender people -including transsexuality, transvestites and intersex people- may be vulnerable to marginalization, discrimination and stigma, based on the socially regulated binary approach that recognizes only two gender identities: male and female;

Considering also that the above classifications perpetuate and deepen social discrimination against these groups, causing irreversible physical and psychological damage that can lead these people to commit suicide;

Considering in addition that transsexuality and other transgender expressions are not an option for a lifestyle and that the modifications to their bodies have no cosmetic intentions. It is a right and an inner need to live with the gender identity which the person feels to belong;

Recalling the Yogyakarta Principles on the application of international human rights law in relation to sexual orientation and gender identity, especially Principle 18 on "Protection from Medical Abuses" which, among other things, make States and governments responsible to “ensure that any medical or psychological treatment or counseling does not, explicitly or implicitly, treat sexual orientation and gender identity as medical conditions to be treated, cured or suppressed”;

Considering that the right to public health and universal free access to its services are guaranteed by the Cuban government for all, but still requires additional laws to fully protect the rights of transgender people;

Recalling Resolution 126 of Public Health Ministry, of 4 June 2008, which regulates the procedures involved in health care for transsexuals;

Recognizing that multidisciplinary care provided by the National Commission for Comprehensive Care of Transsexual People, since its foundation in 1979 until today, has led to a remarkable improvement in the quality of life of transsexual people and their families.

Express our support for the removal of transsexuality from the international classification of mental disorder, especially in the DSM-V update to be published in 2010.

Reject the application of psychological therapies for transgender people, in order to reverse their gender identity, as well as sex reassignment surgeries performed to those under 18 years old.

Reaffirm that transsexuality and other transgender identities are expressions of sexual diversity, to which it must be ensured all psychological, medical and surgical treatments required to alleviate alterations to the mental health of these individuals, as a result of stigma and discrimination.

Also reaffirm that the implementation of these procedures respects sexual rights of each person, and are consistent with bio-ethical principles of autonomy, nonmaleficence, beneficence and justice.

Reaffirm in addition that transgender care should be comprehensive, beyond just medical and psychological care, to ensure recognition and respect for their individual rights.

Reiterate the need to consider all necessary legislations to ensure recognition of these rights, especially the Gender Identity Bill, which includes the identity change regardless sex reassignment surgery performance.

Call for a broader implementation of educational strategies regarding sexual orientation and gender identity at all levels of education and to the general population, as stated in the National Program for Sexual Education.

Reaffirm the need to include the attention to transgender people in comprehensive social policies of the State and Government of Cuba, in correspondence with the “Declaration of the General Assembly of the United Nations, condemning the violation of human rights based on sexual orientation and identity gender ", supported by Cuba on 18 December 2008.

Havana, 22 January 2010