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Trans Justice: health care discrimination, me, you, and everyone we know

This is a re-posting of a Facebook message from trans advocate Tash Shatz.

When I was sixteen I woke up one night in a cold sweat in the worst pain I had ever experienced. I felt like I was being repeatedly stabbed in my abdomen. My only guess was that I was experiencing super heinous period cramps. I was nauseous and the pain washed over me in violent waves. My mom and I were soon on our way to the emergency room, and we found out I was passing the first of what would be many kidney stones.

That night at the ER my experience was typical of what would happen as I visited the hospital several times over the next few years. Staff members stumbled over pronouns, sporadically use my preferred name, and asked me what medications I was on. When I answered “testosterone,” the hospital staff launched into a line of questioning about my gender identity – what surgeries had I had? What did I plan to have? What did transgender mean? On more than one of my visits I heard nurses whispering behind the patterned curtain across the space which held my bed. They were talking about my gender.

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A weekend with bears, Bent, Big Freedia and Jackie Beat

Big Freedia will make sure the azz is ever'where on Friday

Thursday

Claudia Meza presents New Musics: A Night of Modern Classical and Avant Garde ExplorationExplode Into Color’s Claudia Meza helms this foray into experimental musical hipsterdom. Can queer drummer extraordinaire usher in Portland’s own version of a John Cage era? Tomorrow’s first night of acts including bearded electro-knight Copy, internationally renowned and absurdly prolific sound artist Daniel Menche, and Classical Revolution PDX, who will tackle Philip Glass’ dizzying String Quartet No.5 suggests so.

Cabin Project CD release party – Two experimental music happenings in one night? We are a blessed city. The yearlong “cabin project”  comes together this night to showcase the amazing congregation of cello, synth, drums, banjo, violin, and lots of voices.

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The Tranny Roadshow rolls into town

Tranny Roadshow

Tranny Roadshow

In Portland this Friday at Switchyard Studios (109 SE Salmon), the Tranny Roadshow is on touring the west coast for the first time in 5 years. It will also be in Olympia tonight at Evergreen and tomorrow in Eugene at the University of Oregon.

A diverse collection of self-identified transpeople the roadshow includes poets, rappers, filmmakers, storytellers, breakdancers, rock bands, comedians, actors, folk singers, photographers, […]