OCFTM Monthly Digest

May 2008

OCFTM May 2008 Digest

1. OCTC Picnic in the Park May 24^th    

2. Know Your Rights workshops  

3. Doheny camp out May 26^th

4. The National Center for Transgender Equality

5. Transgendered-soul

6. 2008 LGBTQ Youth in Care Conference

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1. OCTC Picnic in the Park May 24^th                               

Its that time again! Spring has sprung and its time to get out and get into a little fresh air. Bring your self, family -- spouses/SOs, kids, parents, pets (leashed!), lawn chairs or blankets, along with bikes, toys, a good book, and an interest in having a nice relaxing afternoon in a beautiful park (plenty of shade) and getting to know some really nice people. We’ll be on the middle, west side of Huntington Beach’s Central park (Gothard street) on Saturday, May 24^th  9-5pm.

Free food!  (hot dogs, soda, water) and bring a potluck item, side dishes, or goodies to share.

Check out the OCTC web site announcement for all the details and a map. www.octcca.org

The regular OCFTM meeting for May will be canceled in lieu of the picnic.

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2. Know Your Rights workshops  

The Center Orange County is excited to offer Know Your Rights workshops to the Orange County transgender community.  We are currently working with Transgender Law Center to bring a series of workshops to be hosted at The Center Orange County.  Workshop topics in consideration are: Trans Law 101, Trans Healthcare and the Law, and Patient Advocacy Strategies.  A name change clinic is also possible.  These workshops are planned for a Saturday and Sunday in late July/early August.  All workshops will be free to the community.  Both workshop days will include lunch.  Please stay tuned in.  Exact dates and more details to come!

Don't see a workshop topic you were hoping for?  Please contact Esther Wang at 714-534-0862 ext. 105 or esther@thecenteroc.org with workshop topic suggestions.

Esther Wang

Program Coordinator

The Center Orange County

12752 Garden Grove Blvd. Ste. 106

Garden Grove, CA 92843

Phone: 714-534-0862 x105

FAX: 714-534-3269

3. Doheny camp out May 26th.

There is a reserved a campground at Doheny State Beach in Dana Point 

for May 26 (Monday, Memorial Day arrive around 2 pm) through 30 

(leave Friday morning around 11:30 am).



I believe my site can handle one extra car and 6 or 7 more people - 

would you like to send out an announcement to the local OC group to see 

if anyone would like to join me? I can't carpool though because I am 

taking my animals - they will be occupying the front cab passenger 

seat. The cost would be nominal - the cost of parking plus pay me a 

small amount like 10 dollars.



I believe that campground has overflow parking if more cars were to be 

there than the one extra space at my site. You can call them to be 

sure.

Please contact Keven directly for details and to RSVP.

keven3@go.com

4. The National Center for Transgender Equality

The National Center for Transgender Equality

April 28, 2008 

Opening the Door to the Inclusion of Transgender People

New publication provides invaluable 'how-to' advice to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender organizations seeking to become fully transgender-inclusive

(Washington, DC)-The National Center for Transgender Equality and National Gay and Lesbian Task Force today released a joint publication titled Opening the Door to the Inclusion of Transgender People: The Nine Keys to Making Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Organizations Fully Transgender-Inclusive, geared toward lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) organizations.

"Transgender inclusion has been an important issue in the LGBT community, particularly in the past year. Yet, many organizations struggle with how exactly to become fully transgender-inclusive. We are excited to offer this free new resource," said Mara Keisling, executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE).  

Opening the Door, which is based on years of personal and professional experience within LGBT organizations, makes the case for full inclusion at every level of an organization. It examines the need for genuine, consistent advocacy for inclusion of gender identity and expression in policies, programs, legislative stances and public positions, and explores critical issues such as understanding the transgender experience and the role of an ally, how to address staffing issues, dealing with prejudice and ways to further outreach. The voices of LGBT leaders discussing real-life experiences with transgender inclusion are found throughout the guide.

"Our movement needs this publication right now. We are proud of the growth of the Task Force has made over the years in regards to inclusion, although our work is still not done. We hope that this guide will illuminate the process of becoming fully trans-inclusive," said Rea Carey, acting executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force.

"The Equality Federation was thrilled to contribute to this guide, and I believe it should be required reading for all board members, staff members and any type of leader in an LGBT organization. I am asking everyone I know to read it because I believe it will better prepare our movement's organizations to do what we set out to do," said Equality Federation Executive Director Toni Broaddus.

The guide is co-authored by Justin Tanis, program manager of the National Center for Transgender Equality, and Lisa Mottet, an attorney with the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force's Transgender Civil Rights Project. Mottet works on transgender-related legislation and policy and is the co-author of Transitioning Our Shelters: A Guide to Making Homeless Shelters Safe for Transgender People. Tanis, Ph.D., has a 20-plus-year career in LGBT nonprofits and is the author of Transgendered Theology, Ministry and Communities of Faith.

Download Opening the Door at www.theTaskForce.org and www.nctequality.org.

The National Center for Transgender Equality is a national social justice organization devoted to ending discrimination and violence against transgender people through education and advocacy on national issues of importance to transgender people. The National Center for Transgender Equality is a 501(c)3 organization.  For more information, please visit www.nctequality.org.

We need your support to continue this work. Click here to join our mailing list or to donate now. Thank you!

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5. Transgendered-soul

Here’s a good website to explore. Although the website is geared towards Inland-Empire guys/gals, it has many different places to reach. Check it out….

www.transgendered-soul.com

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6. 2008 LGBTQ Youth in Care Conference

Metro DC PFLAG’s

2008 LGBTQ Youth in Care Conference

“Removing the Barriers to Compassonate Care”

 Workshops Include:

Normalizing Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity

Homophobia (Overt/Subtle)

Homelessness/Risky Behaviors

Out-of-Home Care-- Group Homes, Shelters, Foster Parenting, Adoption and Detention Centers

Understanding Transgender Youth and Gender Non-conformity

May 20-21^st 2008 9-4pm

Temple Rodef Shalom 2100 Westmoreland St. Falls Church, VA

For more information contact Pat@Pflagdc.org or call 202-638-3852 ext. 226

Early bird registration $110

$70.00 for each additional person you bring from your organization until May 10^th !

***************************** SEE YOU AT THE PICNIC on the 24th! ***********************************