Trans Woman Killed in Izmir

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It was learned that a trans woman, whose body was found wrapped in a blanket, was killed by hitting the head with a hard object in the Bornova district of Izmir.

When the bad odors started coming from the apartment of the trans woman using the name “Miraş Güneş”, who had not been heard from her for a while and who was filed for disappearance by his relatives, the residents of the building reported the situation to their relatives.

While it was learned that Yüksel was killed by shooting his head with a hard object, crime scene investigation teams made examinations inside the house.

It was determined that Yüksel lost his life after the checks carried out by the healthcare teams upon the notification.

After the prosecutor’s investigations, Yüksel’s lifeless body was taken to the morgue of the Izmir Forensic Medicine Institute for autopsy.

Izmir/Turkey

Acid Attack Against Syrian Trans Woman in Istanbul

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In Beyoğlu, Istanbul, a man attacked to a Syrian trans woman with acid.

It was learned that the woman who was taken to the hospital had vision loss in one eye.

Injured trans woman was taken to the “Okmeydanı Prof. Dr. Cemil Taşcıoğlu” city hospital.

The person who attacked the woman and claimed to be the man she left a while ago has not been caught yet.

On the other hand, a trans woman visited the attacked trans woman in the hospital and posted a video from her Instagram account.

According to the news in DHA, she stated that the trans woman was 17 years old and that the attack took place in front of the woman’s door.

She said, “There was a loss of vision in one eye, it was said that there was no hospital for burn treatment, and a doctor from the general surgery department refused to give me information.”

Understanding Transgenderism

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The prefix ‘trans’ comes from the Latin word for across, so ‘transgender’ literally means “across gender” (Huffington Post). This is an umbrella term with people of various types attached. Since gender is such an important part of identity in most cultures, it’s difficult for a transgender person to “come out” to someone. It takes a lot of trust and courage. If someone comes out to you, show them the utmost sympathy, ask them questions and find out more. If they begin to feel uncomfortable about your questions, give them some slack. Also, be there for them and let them know that you recognize how difficult it was for them to come out.

We have a dichotomous society when it comes to gender, which divides into whats called, “the gender binary”. We decide restrooms to use on our gender, what clothes to wear and how to act. Though this is simple and accepted by most people, this makes life very difficult to navigate for the transgender community.

“Gender identity” or “gender expression” is another complicated matter for transgender individuals. Though we often think we can tell, clothing is not always an accurate indicator of gender. What’s underneath may be far different then what is believed.

The moment of self-realization can take many forms for a transgendered person. Often times it takes them a while to figure out which sex they self-identify with. Many people are led to act a certain way by their parents, or they do what they think they need to do to fit in, but everyone’s situation is different. A person may be in denial for years or know all along that they felt more like one gender than the other. Many in this community continue to deny signs of what they feel is their proper gender. Surgery usually needed to become one distinct gender, but still some don’t need it. This “gender assignment” surgery helps people become on the outside, what they feel they are on the inside.

Dr. M. Mirza, LGBT Health Wellness – 2014

Transgender Children: Making The Change Early

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While not a common issue, growing up feeling like your body is the wrong gender is a struggle. About 700,000 people in the U.S., or 0.3% of the population identify as transgender in 2014. This often translates into stress for individuals and families because society has rigid guidelines for how it identifies an individual’s gender. In a shocking 2013 study, 41 percent of 6,400 transgender respondents claimed to have attempted suicide. Becoming who we feel we are is a very important journey; one seven-year-old A.J. (who’s name has been changed for privacy concerns) would go on much sooner than the average person.

A.J. was originally born a boy, but not long after A.J. turned 3, things started to changed. At the time, he wanted longer hair. Mother, Debi, claimed A.J. “screamed and fought when I got out the clippers and got one cut down the side … there were tears… like torture.” He did not feel comfortable in his clothes, frequently telling his parents he wanted to wear dresses and jewelery. The victim of constant harassment, A.J. said “When I first, in the fourth grade, cut my hair they called me he-she.”

At 4 years old, A.J.’s parents took her to their pediatrician, who declared the then boy’s gender identity did not align with her then body. While much happier now, her (A.J.) parents expressed great difficulty with the transition. Many of A.J.’s childhood friends have been distanced. Her parents have transferred her to a new school and guarded her transgender status with secrecy; something they plan to continue to do, fearing the discrimination their daughter could face.

A.J.’s story is truly a testimony of the power of love and family. Her family are not only Southern Baptists, they are also Republican and generally do not support things like transitional surgery/therapy. A.J.’s mother says they are in no way pushing a liberal agenda, and was quoted stating, “There is a profound difference between wanting to be something in imaginary play and in declaring who you are insistently, consistently and persistently. Those are three markers that set transgender children apart, and my daughter displayed all of them.”

Of transgenderism, A.J.’s dad said, “It’s not something we asked for. It’s not something we wanted. It just happened. My thought process all along is I would rather have a happy, healthy little girl than a suicidal, dead son.”

Dr. M. Mirza, LGBT Health Wellness – 2014

Turkish Police Detained Trans Women in Istanbul

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Turkey Women’s Movement, met the day before the March 8 International Women of Kadikoy. As they dispersed after the action, trans activists were stopped by the police and asked to be taken into custody. Trans women got into taxis after other protesters prevented their detention. However, trans women were detained in taxis that were stopped by the police.

Police took strict security measures during the demonstration. Some banners were not allowed.

The 8 March Women’s Platform announced that, Havin Özcan and Yıldız İdil Şen were detained.

It was learned that a total of 6 people, 1 of whom was a journalist, were detained.

On Friday, before March 8, International Women’s Day, women gathered in Istanbul to prevent femicides, end violence and effectively implement the Istanbul Convention.

After the Bosphorus protests, there is a harsh attitude towards LGBTI people. LGBTI banners were not allowed in the action held yesterday in Beşiktaş on Friday.

 

Harry Potter Game will Allow Players to Create Trans Characters

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The forthcoming Harry Potter game Hogwarts: Legacy will allow players to create trans characters, according to a new report.

The news comes after the author of the Harry Potter novel series, JK Rowling, has faced repeated accusations of transphobia relating to her social media activity.

Hogwarts Legacy, announced last year, is set to be published in 2022 by Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment Inc, and is developed by Avalanche Software.

According to Bloomberg, people “familiar with the game’s development” have revealed that players will be able to customise their character’s “voice, body type and gender placement” in a bid “toward inclusivity”.

While it’s becoming increasingly common for video games to allow the creation of characters that fall outside of the cisgender binary, the report claimed that the development team’s push for inclusivity was motivated in part by the controversy surrounding Rowling.

Rowling’s comments “rattled some people working on the game,” the report alleged. “As a result, some members of the Hogwarts Legacy development team have fought to make the game as inclusive as possible, pushing for the character customisation and even for a transgender character to be added.”

The Birmingham Lithuanian Community publicly stands for LGBTQ+

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The Lithuanian Community in Birmingham United Kingdom is one of the first Diaspora communities which publicly supports Tomas Vytautas Raskevičius, a member of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania and the chairman of the Human Rights Committee, as the only homosexual of 141 members of the Seimas.

The Parliamentary elections were held in Lithuania on 11 and 25 October 2020 to elect the 141 members of the Seimas. 71 were elected in single-member constituencies using the two-round system, and the remaining 70 in a single nationwide constituency using proportional representation. Furthermore,  the 4th party by elected seats were Liberal Movement and they received 13 seats in Seimas. Among these 13 elected people were Tomas Vytautas Raskevičius which spoken publicly about his sexual orientation and his presence as a member of LGBTQ +.

In 20 of November 2020 a members of the Human Rights Committee elected a chairman which was Tomas Vytautas Raskevičius who is the only one person from LGBTQ +.

However,  the chairman of Human Rights Committee received a  negative opinion, expression of hatred from the public, organizations, influencers, members of the Seimas and public figures. A Lithuanian liberal MP has been under attack for advocating pro-LGBTQ+ policies, with a petition, allegedly signed by 300,000 people, calling for his dismissal as a committee chairman. Critics of the initiative say the petition is clear discrimination.

 

The Birmingham Lithuanian Community publicly stands for LGBTQ+

The Birmingham Lithuanian Community publicly stands for LGBTQ+

 

So, we are The Birmingham Lithuanian Community in United Kingdom and we are the first Community from all Lithuanian’s Communities in the world which is going to hold 4th of March live meeting with Tomas Vytautas Raskevičius and we will speak publicly about our support to him and to continue to be as chairman of the Human Rights Committee.

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/events/259551035762314

Source: E-mail Newsletter

Alarming Facts About Meth In The Gay Community

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Crystal meth has become an epidemic in the gay community, especially in larger cities where “party and play” (PnP) is a well known scene.  While party and play can include any type of drug use combined with sexual activity, it usually refers to crystal meth. Following are some unfortunate facts regarding crystal meth use in the gay community:

Meth abuse is widespread

There are higher levels of drug abuse and addiction reported from gay men than heterosexual men.  Crystal meth has become an all too common dangerous problem in the gay community within the last 20 years.  In certain areas, arrests that have involved crystal meth have doubled, and higher rates have taken place in gay neighborhoods.

Meth is used in combination with other drugs

Many combine meth with other drugs.  One trend that wreaks havoc on the body is “speedballing”, which is the mixture of drugs that have opposite effects (sedatives with uppers). The most popular speedball concoctions involve meth and Viagra or GHB.  More recent data shows that combining crystal meth and viagra can speed up HIV production in the brain.

Meth and sex parties are growing in popularity

The increasing popularity of parties, which often include drugs, exists with a lot of help from social media sites such as Tinder and Grindr.  These parties are regular in many parts of the US. Those who host the get-togethers might even advertise that there will be free meth provided and anonymous sex.  This leads to many of the folks attending engaging in unprotected sex.

Meth is extremely dangerous for gay, HIV positive men

Of course, meth is dangerous for everyone, but is particularly harmful in the gay community. There is concern due to indications provided by data that crystal meth can greatly reduce the effects of HIV medication and/or create the “HIV SuperVirus”, which is a virulent strain of HIV.

New HIV infections are rising among young gay men

Gay men between the ages of 17 and 29 are reported to be the highest users of meth and the highest risk level is to those in the western states, under 40 and gay. These risks include that of acquiring HIV and crystal meth addiction.  Even if one is HIV negative, use of crystal meth could potentially lead to them contracting HIV more quickly.

IV use is increasing among gay men

Research shows that there is a significant rise in IV meth use seen in gay men.  The Antidote, which is LGBTI support service in the UK, reports that use has quadrupled between 2011 and 2013.  Users are given an extreme rush and high with an IV trend that is known as “slamming”, which sometimes lasts for several days at sex parties.

Sex can seem boring after quitting meth

It’s is extra difficult for gay men to quit meth due to the effects it has on dopamine in the brain, leading to intense euphoric feelings and heightened sexual arousal.

Removing Health Stereotypes Within The Trans Community

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A recent study published in the journal of LGBT Health (Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., 2014), reported findings that reveal health disparities among the transgender community within the U.S. These studies involved comparing transgender participants to non-transgender, otherwise known as cisgender, participants.

The common assumption is that the transgender community suffers from more cases of sexually transmitted diseases, along with other physical and mental health problems, than their cisgender counterparts. What has been missing, however, is an adequate comparison of transgender and cisgender participants from similar cultural and geographical backgrounds, thus eliminating those influencing factors.

This study provided important information regarding the overall health and wellness of the transgender community and helped combat the stereotype that those within this community are more likely to have STDs. Coming from the same geographical and cultural backgrounds, the transgender and cisgender communities had an equal amount of sexual transmitted diseases. The common factor among individuals with a higher presence of sexual and mental health issues, therefore, was the urban culture they came from; with economic status and cultural background being the most reoccurring commonality.

Research studies such as this help disprove findings based on limited comparisons and narrow views that don’t take other important factors into consideration. It’s hoped that with time better research methods will help the health stigma placed on the transgender community be demolished.

Dr. M. Mirza, LGBT Health Wellness –  April 2014

LGBT Health in Natural Disasters and other Emergencies

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Whenever there is a public emergency or a natural disaster, health centers generally become a nerve center of activity. However, when disaster is pending, health centers should take measures to ensure that they can provide the necessary assistance and resources to the area’s most vulnerable populations, including the LGBT community (LGBT Health Education. org). Specific issues health centers should be concerned about include: higher rates of homelessness, particularly for LGBT youth, making them difficult to locate in an emergency situation; LGBT seniors often live alone and don’t have children, making access to them and ensuring that they receive the right safety information in an emergency far more difficult; LGBT relationships aren’t recognized everywhere, complicating healthcare and first response issues; those in the transgender community are often placed in a different shelter from the gender which they identify; and some in the LGBT community may find it hard to trust first responders and medical professionals due to discrimination in the past. Bathrooms can be a problem for the transgendered as well. If and when possible, centers should provide gender neutral restrooms in order to save the LGBT population from embarrassment. Those in the community should also be prepared to stand up and advocate for themselves and one another in times of disaster and crisis.

With the help of LGBT community leaders, advocacy groups and others in the community, health centers should develop proper policies and procedures to deal with these distinct LGBT issues.

The staff at these medical centers should also be trained in LGBT-specific issues. Staff should be made to recognize couples without asking for documentation of their relationship status. Staff should be trained to recognize and use the preferred gender identity and name of a person who is transgender. Working with transgender people and same sex families to make their trauma and transition as smooth as possible should be a training topic for staff as well when managing an emergency situation.  Everyone working for the health care center should know the policies, procedures and best practices when dealing with the LGBT community in times of crisis. Those who are on HIV antiviral medications who have been cut off from their treatments during an emergency should have enough medication to last throughout the interim period. Emergency healthcare support and services should also be set up and policies and procedures for dealing with discriminatory acts, violence and other hate crimes against those in the LGBT community. In emergency situations it is generally the most vulnerable that are hurt the most.

Having the front line, vis-à-vis the healthcare community, on top of things will help protect the LGBT community and make sure they survive and do well during natural disasters and other emergencies.

Dr. M. Mirza, LGBT Health Wellness – May. 2014