We wont be having any more events for a couple of weeks, as the SpringOut Pride festival swiftly approaches. Watch this space for advertisements for our events during November though!

Our Entry in Mardi Gras was a raging success. We had 22 people show up on the day to march with us. We wore fantastic green t-shirts, had awesome placards, and made waves with the crowd, the other floats, and the commentators alike!

It was my first ever Mardi Gras, and the feeling of marching with 21 other trans people, genderqueers, and our friends and families while being cheered on by the crowd, was an incredibly empowering experience. We handed out hundreds of stickers that said “Gender Rights are Human Rights” and lollipops with “Trannies are Sweet” written on them. Trans people and their supporters in the crowd screamed “I love trannies too!” at us from the sidelines, and we had post op FTM’s flash their scars at us.

I was thrilled to see the level of support for our community from other LGBT organisations, and from the wider community. Some people were obviously confused by our marching group, and our placards gave more than a few cause to pause and think about their preconceived notions of what a trans person looks like, and what they experience.

So, maybe next year YOU will be marching with us too! :)

To celebrate Gender Diversity Day we will be holding a BBQ. It will be a laid back, no pressure event. A bunch of us will be around eating food and hanging out for several hours, so even if you don’t feel like staying for an entire meal, feel free to just drop by and say hello.

This event celebrates Gender Diversity in all its forms, and so we encourage everyone to come along… whether you are gay, lesbian, straight, trans, non-trans, genderqueer, a parent, a partner, or a friend of someone who would like to come. The more the merrier is our philosophy!

The BBQ will be in Glebe Park at 1pm on the 28th of February. Bring your friends, and family and partners. This is a kid friendly event, and is definitely open to non-trans people as well as trans people and their families.

This video is an advertisement for an Argentinian bank, and features a trans woman. I say, good on Banco Provincia! May they get throngs of new customers for this!

Transcript after the cut.

[Speaking to a customer] Trans woman: Its more natural…

[A car pulls up and an elderly man gets out and walks over.]

Trans woman: Mr Lopez, how strange to see you around here!

Mr. Lopez: I’d like to know… When a bank credit was granted to you to open the hairdresser, did they ask for your identity card?

Trans woman: Yes.

Mr Lopez: But the document shows that you are a man!

[The woman frowns and folds her arms]

Trans woman: Yes.

Mr Lopez: And did they grant it anyway?

[The woman nods]

Mr Lopez: This is the same bank that has granted me a credit to buy the car.

Trans Woman: Mm.

Mr Lopez: That made me think. And so it encouraged me to come and apologize to you for treating you badly all this time. For not knowing how to treat you. Have this.

[Passes her a wood carving of a ballerina]

Trans woman: For me?

Mr Lopez: I’m sorry.

Trans woman: Thank you, Mr Lopez!

Mr Lopez: Bye!

[Mr Lopez's wife and the trans woman wave as one another as he gets back in the car.]

Caption: Your life changes when there is a bank disposed to change

Narrator: You have a life, you have a bank.

Banco Provincia.

Hat tip to Jacky for this one.