Don't Forget About Our Trans Kids, Vanilla GL Community

Now that bullying and GLBT teen suicides are in the news, one of the things that has mildly irritated some quarters of the trans community is how trans people have been erased from the discussion.

While one kid taking their life due to suicide is horrific and one too many,  it bothers many of us that transteen Chloe Lacey's story is frankly getting overwhelmed vis a vis the overwhelmingly white gay male narrative taking shape on this bullying issue.

The fact that Black SGL and straight kids have taken their lives seems to have escaped the attention of the people pushing the It Get Better campaign as well.

Fortunately Black and trans celebs are stepping up on their own to record videos targeted to these communities.

It's an issue of concern to the trans community in light of the fact that 50% of transpeople of all ages at one time or another have contemplated suicide, or we know someone who unfortunately was successful in taking their own life. .

The bullying and BTLG suicide issue one that concerns us, especially when we consider we've been taking the brunt of the community's hate violence casualties and we are under just as much verbal abuse from the right wing Forces of Intolerance as the GL community is.

But you wouldn't know that based on the gaycentric message of the 'It Gets Better' campaign, and it's what elements of the trans community feared when noted transphobe Dan Savage came up with the idea for the campaign in the first place.

Vanilla GL community, don't forget about our kids, too.

Alexandra Billings-It Gets Better

TransGriot Note  Actress Alexandra Billings talks about her experiences being bullied as a child and explaining how life got better for her.

DISD Discussing Anti-Bullying Policy

Seeing how well the Dallas Independent School District's early 90's era sexual orientation only non-discrimination policy worked to keep Andy Moreno from being discriminated against last week when she ran for North Dallas High's homecoming queen,  methinks the Dallas area trans community probably needs to be making it voice heard at DISD headquarters not only about that issue, but the Board of Trustee discussions on revising the anti-bullying policy. .

The DISD board according to the Dallas Voice Instant Tea blog met October 14 to discuss the anti-bullying policy, and the Dallas trans community probably needs to be speaking loudly to ensure that gender identity or expression is included in it before a final vote is taken on it at the end of the month.

Resource Center Dallas Strategic Communications and Programs director Rafael McDonald stated in a press release:

“We are pleased that DISD is revisiting its approach to bullying. Unfortunately, the proposed policy does not define which students are to be protected by it. As a result, it does not provide specific protections for LGBT students. It is vital for this board to specifically articulate who this policy is designed to protect, rather than simply stating a broad definition of bullying. Absent any specific protections, it could be inferred that it would be okay to bully students based on their real or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. Given the rash of LGBT bullying-related suicides in recent weeks—including one in the greater Houston area—specifically articulated protections are not formalities; they are essential.

“Resource Center Dallas encourages the North Texas LGBT community to contact the nine members of the DISD board. Encourage them to modify the proposed anti-bullying policy to specifically include LGBT students. Board members still have time to improve the protections for the youngest members of our community. Contact information, including phone numbers and e-mail, can be found at http://www.dallasisd.org/about/boardcontact.htm.

Okay Dallas area TBLG people, time to get busy being agents of your own, and our kids matriculating in DISD schools.