Message from Gay Games to TransWomen -- Drop Dead!

["Christine Burns" <C_Burns@classic.msn.com>]

The following message was brought to the UKPFC-forum list earlier this 
week by 
a contributor who was rightly incensed and appalled by the content .. and 
its' 
implication.

I'm rebroadcasting the message to the larger UKPFC-News list, however, 
because 
I think the story requires a much wider airing .. until the stench of 
hypocrisy and bigotry which it contains has been blown away .. and because 
some may have blinked and missed it the first time.

I am sure that ordinary, decent, thoughtful gay and lesbian people would 
be 
appalled to learn that a body purporting to represent them practices 
apartheid 
in this form. FOR THAT IS WHAT IT AMOUNTS TO.

The only thing missing from the "Policy and Procedures for Gender 
Transitioning Participants" in the forthcoming "Gay Games" is a 
stipulation 
that transgendered contestants should have a nice bright triangle stitched 
on 
their tracksuits .. or is that to be added in a later revision ?

Contributions from any Lesbian or Gay leader in the UK who would like to 
offer 
an explanation .. perferably accompanied by an apology .. may be submitted 
direct to the editors of this list, at

UKPFC-News.submit@mbcomms.net.au

We are waiting.

Christine Burns
Press for Change

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PLEASE CIRCULATE AND PUBLISH THIS MESSAGE WIDELY

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Return-path: <MtMInFo@aol.com
Envelope-to: jhl@gael.u-net.com
Delivery-date: Wed, 29 Oct 1997 03:42:10 +0000
Date: Tue, 28 Oct 1997 22:11:28 -0500 (EST)
From: MtMInFo@aol.com
Subject: Fwd:  Gay Games to TransWomen - Drop Dead!
Forwarded Message:
Subj:    Gay Games to TransWomen - Drop Dead!
Date:   97-10-28 08:10:41 EST
From:   riki@pipeline.com (Riki Anne Wilchins)


Gay Games is officially going to require that any transwomen desiring to
compete "prove" they are really, seriously women, and not just men in drag
trying to crash women's events (as if we're all just dying to fly to
Amsterdam to do so). We will have to provide therapist letters, proof of
crossliving for 2 years, proof of name change, and have completed
electrolysis (of course, lesbians with beards are completely welcome).

In effect, Gay Games V has completely roled back all the advances we made 
at
Gay Games '94 when transwomen were allowed to compete (just like everyone
else) in the sex in which they live their normal daily lives, without
special stigma and without having to submit paperwork and proofs.

If anyone out there lives in Colorado, the next meeting on the Gay Games
policy for transwomen is in Denver.  Below are the contact addresses. Also,
you may want to contact Lee Sharmutt, TNYnews@aol.com, who helped us change
the policy in '94 and has been all over this.


suskennedy@aol.com
PeoBumJong@aol.com
Janssens@gaygames.nl


===========

POLICY AND PROCEDURES
FOR
GENDER - TRANSITIONING PARTICIPANTS


These Policy and Procedures are set in place to protect
and ensure the philosophies of the Gay Games as well as
the Transitioning Gender participant.

These Policy and Procedures are not difficult to follow
if a Gender Transitioning individual has been serious
about what they are doing and are progressing in a
healthy and legal direction.


1. Proof of a completed legal name change to match the
   desired gender role.

2. Letter from a medical physician stating that the
   participant has been actively involved in Hormone
   Treatment for a minimum of two full years without any
   time lapse. Letter also needs to explain current
   health condion.

3. Letter from a mental health professional therapist
   stating that the participant has been actively
   involved in psychotherapy for a minimum of eighteen
   months. Letter also needs to state that this
   participant had emotionally and psychologically
   transitioned info the desired gender role and why
   it would be impossible or severely detrimental for this
   individual to participate in their biologically born gender.

4. Proof of participant's cross-living and employment in
   the desired gender role for a minimum of two years.

5. Transitioning male to female participants will need
   to have had all identifying male facial hair removed.

6. Those who comply with the above shall be treated
   equally as their gender identification implies.