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Local Advocate to Attend International Transgender Symposium in Thailand

Published

11 years ago

February 5, 2014

Jenetta Marie Johnson, an African American Transgender advocate, wants to go to Bangkok, Thailand to be a voice for incarcerated Transgenders and especially Transgenders of color at a symposium she says is dominated by the white and wealthy Transgenders.

Johnson, who represents Transgender GenderVariant Intesex Justice Project, has been invited to be on a panel at the 24^th World Professional Association for Transgender Health International Symposium in Thailand. The organization promotes evidence based care, education, research, advocacy, public policy and respect in transgender health.

Webster’s defines gender as a societal or behavioral aspect of sexual identity. The term Transgender (TG) is actually an umbrella term that encompasses a variety of gender expressions including, cross-dresser, bi-gender, and transsexual and according to Johnson the list continues to grow.

Estimates show that the TG population makes up only one to five percent of the general population, while the population is highly vulnerable and marginalized, facing discrimination commonly, when seeking to obtain basic necessities, such as employment, housing, and healthcare.

Common are reports of violence and harassment, even from their own family members. It is directly because of these and other factors that transgenders, especially transgenders of color, experience severe health disparities including HIV.

The Transgender GenderVariant Intesex Justice Project is located in Oakland, providing assistance to Transgenders, transwomen of color who are in incarcerated and those getting out of custody.

Johnson wants the chance to speak about incarcerated TG people and their health needs.

“I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to attend, and I truly believe in my heart that I can make a difference by sharing my experience with the medical and mental health providers who will also be attending,” she said. “My goal in attending (the symposium) is to speak directly about the needs and issues faced by transgender people in prisons.”

She says that their organization, receives over 25 letters a month from TG inmates complaining about physical and sexual abuse behind bars.

Johnson has been through some bumpy roads herself, 13 and years in Florida prisons, for drug distributing. She looked for help but had difficulty finding services for Transgenders in Florida.

In 1997, Johnson came to the Bay It was in San Francisco that she blossomed, she said, getting educated, empowered, finding a place of worship. She soon became a service provider, helping others with the issues she had overcome.

At least 5,000 transgenders persons are estimated to call the Bay Area their home.

At the symposium in Bangkok, professionals, scientist and Transgender advocates from all over the world will gather together to present the latest advances in research, education, clinical service, and advocacy to promote the health and well being of transgender and transsexual people and their families.

Topics that will be addressed are primary care, psychiatry, endocrinology and surgery, gender and sexuality, speech and voice therapy, as well as other issues relevant to transgender heath.

They will also make recommendations to The World Health Organization (WHO), a specialized agency of the United Nations, who is in the process of developing the latest edition of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD), which is the standard set of definitions of diseases and health conditions used throughout most of the world.

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Related Topics:advocacy International LGBTQ Thailand Transgender Symposium

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Activism

LIVE! — TOWN HALL ON RACISM AND ITS IMPACT — THURS. 11.14.24 5PM PST

Join us for a LIVE Virtual Town Hall on the Impact of Racism hosted by Post News Group Journalist Carla Thomas and featuring Oakland, CA NAACP President Cynthia Adams & other Special Guests.
Thursday, November 14, 2024, 5 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. PST

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5 days ago

November 12, 2024

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Discussion Topics:
• Since the pandemic, what battles have the NAACP fought nationally, and how have they impacted us locally?
• What trends are you seeing concerning Racism? Is it more covert or overt?
• What are the top 5 issues resulting from racism in our communities?
• How do racial and other types of discrimination impact local communities?
• What are the most effective ways our community can combat racism and hate?

Your questions and comments will be shared LIVE with the moderators and viewers during the broadcast.

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Oakland Post: Week of November 6 – 12, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of November 6 – 12, 2024

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1 week ago

November 9, 2024

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OP-ED: The Illusion of Allyship. White Women, Your Yard Signs Mean Nothing to Me

NNPA NEWSWIRE – “The blue bracelets are something White women are wearing so others can see that they didn’t vote for Trump,” says Liberal Lisa from Oklahoma on X. Chile, bye. These bracelets are hollow symbols, empty gestures that mean nothing to me. An accessory to claim distance from Trump’s legacy is superficial comfort, while the choice to not stand with us in the voting booth is far more profound.

Published

1 week ago

November 9, 2024

Oakland Post

Political yard signs can symbolize intentions and allegiance. But this year, they’ve also symbolized betrayal. During this general election, Black women were led to believe that more White women would stand with us. Exit polls, however, told a different story. Despite overwhelming displays of support, more White women still chose to vote for the convicted felon, reality TV star, and rapist. White women answered the call but left us hanging at the polls.

A Familiar Disappointment

I live in DeKalb County, Georgia, and the abundance of Harris-Walz yard signs could’ve fooled me. But I’ve seen this before, back when Stacey Abrams ran for governor. White women showed up, put up signs, attended rallies, knocked on doors, and phone-banked. Yet, when it came time to vote, they let us down—not once but twice. I’ve been here for over 15 years, and if there’s one thing I know, it’s that political signs are symbols without weight.

In every election, I’ve talked with White women. Most aren’t the primary earners in their families and vote along party lines, aligning with the preferences of their fathers and husbands. These conversations reveal a reluctance to break from tradition, even when their votes affect women and certainly when their votes impact the lives of people who look like me.

The Illusion of Solidarity—Symbols Are Not Enough

On social media, I’m seeing White women posting pictures of blue bracelets to “prove” they didn’t vote for Trump. “The blue bracelets are something White women are wearing so others can see that they didn’t vote for Trump,” says Liberal Lisa from Oklahoma on X. Chile, bye. These bracelets are hollow symbols, empty gestures that mean nothing to me. An accessory to claim distance from Trump’s legacy is superficial comfort, while the choice to not stand with us in the voting booth is far more profound.

I’ve seen Black Lives Matter signs and black squares posted on Instagram to “prove” support for Black people, but we now know that was a lie, too. Will those same people who claimed Black lives mattered now take down their Harris-Walz signs and show their true selves?

Navigating these truths is a daily struggle for me—professionally and socially. White women often misuse their privilege, supporting us only when it’s convenient. Seeing overqualified Black women sabotaged or abandoned by White women at critical moments is a constant emotional challenge. It’s exhausting to live with this reality, especially when solidarity seems like something they pick up and discard at will.

One clever campaign ad from Harris-Walz that spoke directly to White women. “Your Vote, Your Choice” emphasized that their vote was private—independent of their household situation. Another was from Olivia Howell Dreizen, the “Vote Without Fear” campaign, which empowered women to consider the greater impact of their choices. But it seems many still couldn’t choose the roadmap to freedom—even when it was handed to them.

A Call for Action Beyond Words

White women, I want to believe you care, but actions speak louder than yard signs, bracelets, or Instagram posts. Show up in our communities, advocate in your workplaces, and stand up to dismantle the structures that uphold white supremacy. Only through real action will we know where you stand.

If you choose not to act, we see you—and we know exactly where you stand. Good luck these next four years.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of BlackPressUSA.com or the National Newspaper Publishers Association.