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(Thanx Linda!)Sunday, 24 April 2011
Woman brutally beaten for using women’s toilet in fast-food restaurant
Trigger warning: violence against trans women
Restroom panic, sometimes also known as bathroom panic; the terms mean the same. They refer to the sense of moral outrage and indignation experienced by some cis people on realising that trans people (generally trans women) use the same public toilets as they do. It’s an irrational fear grounded in the transphobic notion that trans women, regardless of our legal, medical or surgical status should be denied access to restrooms consistent with our gender presentation.
Too often the reasoning behind this idea seems to be that we will assault cis women if we’re not kept out of public toilets. Yet no proponent of this cissexist justification has ever come up with irrefutable proof – court case reports, police records, press reports, just one thing – to show that even one trans woman has ever attacked or otherwise assaulted a cis woman in one of “their” restrooms. Quite the reverse, in fact: there have been numerous instances of trans women being harassed and assaulted by cis people in public conveniences without fear of reprisal.
The latest manifestation of this ciscentric hysteria reached new depths last Monday, 18 April, in a McDonald’s restaurant in Baltimore with a vicious assault being captured on cellphone video:
The video shows two women — one of them a 14-year-old girl — repeatedly kicking and punching the 22-year-old victim in the head, as an employee of the Rosedale restaurant and a patron try to intervene. Others can be heard laughing, and men are seen standing idly by.
Toward the end of the video, one of the suspects lands a punishing blow to the victim’s head, and she appears to have a seizure. A man’s voice tells the women to run because police are coming.[Baltimore Sun]
Trigger warning: Here is a link to the video of the attack [YouTube]
As far as I know, the victim is still in hospital, where she was taken after the attack, and no update has yet been issued regarding her condition.
I have seen numerous commentaries online (Google News) and two themes are emerging. First, that the attack was motivated by race (the victim is white, her attackers are black). In my opinion, this is reverse racism and has no place in any discussion of this attack. In addition, it overlooks the fact that one of the attackers is herself quoted as saying that the fight was “over using a bathroom.” (Baltimore Sun). Finally, it ignores the published statistics showing that over 70% of transphobic violence is against women of colour (WoC). (Trans Murder Monitoring project) In that context, this attack is an exception to the norm – not that that makes it any better.
The second emerging commentary seems to be a call for the dismissal of the restaurant staff for failing to step in and stop the attack. In my view, this is a kneejerk reaction and I wonder what practical benefit it would have. Disciplinary action should certainly be taken by McDonalds but let’s not forget that any of the other customers could have intervened. One did, eventually – and another recorded the now viral cellphone video. So what action should be taken against those customers? It seems to me that education on trans issues should be a priority here, in the hope that the seeds of attitudinal change can be planted.
I believe it’s time to stop centring cis women’s unfounded concerns above the safety of trans women. Like it or not, trans women are women and, as such, we have as much right as any other woman not to be brutally assaulted when using public toilets.
(Cross-posted from Bird of Paradox)
Restroom panic, sometimes also known as bathroom panic; the terms mean the same. They refer to the sense of moral outrage and indignation experienced by some cis people on realising that trans people (generally trans women) use the same public toilets as they do. It’s an irrational fear grounded in the transphobic notion that trans women, regardless of our legal, medical or surgical status should be denied access to restrooms consistent with our gender presentation.
Too often the reasoning behind this idea seems to be that we will assault cis women if we’re not kept out of public toilets. Yet no proponent of this cissexist justification has ever come up with irrefutable proof – court case reports, police records, press reports, just one thing – to show that even one trans woman has ever attacked or otherwise assaulted a cis woman in one of “their” restrooms. Quite the reverse, in fact: there have been numerous instances of trans women being harassed and assaulted by cis people in public conveniences without fear of reprisal.
The latest manifestation of this ciscentric hysteria reached new depths last Monday, 18 April, in a McDonald’s restaurant in Baltimore with a vicious assault being captured on cellphone video:
The video shows two women — one of them a 14-year-old girl — repeatedly kicking and punching the 22-year-old victim in the head, as an employee of the Rosedale restaurant and a patron try to intervene. Others can be heard laughing, and men are seen standing idly by.
Toward the end of the video, one of the suspects lands a punishing blow to the victim’s head, and she appears to have a seizure. A man’s voice tells the women to run because police are coming.[Baltimore Sun]
Trigger warning: Here is a link to the video of the attack [YouTube]
As far as I know, the victim is still in hospital, where she was taken after the attack, and no update has yet been issued regarding her condition.
I have seen numerous commentaries online (Google News) and two themes are emerging. First, that the attack was motivated by race (the victim is white, her attackers are black). In my opinion, this is reverse racism and has no place in any discussion of this attack. In addition, it overlooks the fact that one of the attackers is herself quoted as saying that the fight was “over using a bathroom.” (Baltimore Sun). Finally, it ignores the published statistics showing that over 70% of transphobic violence is against women of colour (WoC). (Trans Murder Monitoring project) In that context, this attack is an exception to the norm – not that that makes it any better.
The second emerging commentary seems to be a call for the dismissal of the restaurant staff for failing to step in and stop the attack. In my view, this is a kneejerk reaction and I wonder what practical benefit it would have. Disciplinary action should certainly be taken by McDonalds but let’s not forget that any of the other customers could have intervened. One did, eventually – and another recorded the now viral cellphone video. So what action should be taken against those customers? It seems to me that education on trans issues should be a priority here, in the hope that the seeds of attitudinal change can be planted.
I believe it’s time to stop centring cis women’s unfounded concerns above the safety of trans women. Like it or not, trans women are women and, as such, we have as much right as any other woman not to be brutally assaulted when using public toilets.
(Cross-posted from Bird of Paradox)
Commentator - "And now Liverpool can relax". Yep, we were all worried at 4-0 with 5 minutes to go.
blakehounshell Blake Hounshell
Perspective: The Boston Massacre that kicked off the American revolution? Five dead.
Syrian troops open fire on mourners at funerals for pro-democracy protesters
Syrian security forces have opened fire on mourners at mass funerals for pro-democracy protesters killed in the bloodiest day of uprising against President Bashar al-Assad's regime.
Troops injured at least three people when they fired live rounds at a funeral in the Damascus suburb of Douma, while mourners approaching the southern town of Izra'a were shot at to prevent them from attending another mass funeral, witnesses told Reuters.
One of the witnesses at the Douma funerals told the news agency: "I saw three people falling on the ground, one of them had blood gushing from his mouth. I could not tell whether he was hit in the stomach or the chest."
A second witness said pallbearers abandoned coffins they were carrying and ran for cover when the funeral came under fire.
One witness who had come to Izra'a to attend the burials of at least 12 people shot by security forces on Friday told Reuters: "There was a heavy volley of gunfire in our direction as we approached Izra'a to join the funerals of martyrs."
Across Syria on Saturday, tens of thousands of mourners demanded the "overthrow of the regime" at funerals for about 100 protesters killed by the security forces on Friday.
Mourners at the funeral in Izra'a chanted: "Bashar al-Assad, you traitor. Long live Syria, down with Bashar."
Activists said at least 100 people were killed during Friday's protests – raising the death toll from initial estimates of at least 88 civilian casualties.
Demonstrators were killed across the country, from the port city of Latakia to Homs, Hama, Damascus and the southern village of Izra'a, activists said. Security forces around Damascus and other key cities ignored appeals to eschew violence, opening fire with live rounds and using teargas against several pro-democracy protests, activists and witnesses reported.
Protests have continued despite a string of government concessions earlier in the week, including the lifting of the hated 48-year-old emergency law.
The White House urged Damascus to follow through on promised reforms. US President Barack Obama called on the Syrian government to stop using violence against demonstrators and accused Assad of seeking help from Iran.
"This outrageous use of violence to quell protests must come to an end now," Obama said. "Instead of listening to their own people, President Assad is blaming outsiders while seeking Iranian assistance in repressing Syria's citizens through the same brutal tactics that have been used by his Iranian allies."
British foreign secretary William Hague condemned the "unacceptable killing of demonstrators" and called on Syrian security forces "to exercise restraint instead of repression". He said the authorities should respect the "people's right to peaceful protest".
David Batty @'The Guardian'
One of the witnesses at the Douma funerals told the news agency: "I saw three people falling on the ground, one of them had blood gushing from his mouth. I could not tell whether he was hit in the stomach or the chest."
A second witness said pallbearers abandoned coffins they were carrying and ran for cover when the funeral came under fire.
One witness who had come to Izra'a to attend the burials of at least 12 people shot by security forces on Friday told Reuters: "There was a heavy volley of gunfire in our direction as we approached Izra'a to join the funerals of martyrs."
Across Syria on Saturday, tens of thousands of mourners demanded the "overthrow of the regime" at funerals for about 100 protesters killed by the security forces on Friday.
Mourners at the funeral in Izra'a chanted: "Bashar al-Assad, you traitor. Long live Syria, down with Bashar."
Activists said at least 100 people were killed during Friday's protests – raising the death toll from initial estimates of at least 88 civilian casualties.
Demonstrators were killed across the country, from the port city of Latakia to Homs, Hama, Damascus and the southern village of Izra'a, activists said. Security forces around Damascus and other key cities ignored appeals to eschew violence, opening fire with live rounds and using teargas against several pro-democracy protests, activists and witnesses reported.
Protests have continued despite a string of government concessions earlier in the week, including the lifting of the hated 48-year-old emergency law.
The White House urged Damascus to follow through on promised reforms. US President Barack Obama called on the Syrian government to stop using violence against demonstrators and accused Assad of seeking help from Iran.
"This outrageous use of violence to quell protests must come to an end now," Obama said. "Instead of listening to their own people, President Assad is blaming outsiders while seeking Iranian assistance in repressing Syria's citizens through the same brutal tactics that have been used by his Iranian allies."
British foreign secretary William Hague condemned the "unacceptable killing of demonstrators" and called on Syrian security forces "to exercise restraint instead of repression". He said the authorities should respect the "people's right to peaceful protest".
David Batty @'The Guardian'
Beastie Boys - Make Some Noise MSG ALBUMSTREAM
Watch live streaming video from beastieboys at livestream.com
Saturday, 23 April 2011
abumuqawama Andrew Exum
You are NOT GOING TO BELIEVE THIS, but the WaPo editorial page is talking smack on Syria again without providing a policy alternative.
♪♫ Frankie Goes To Hollywood - Relax (Banned Version)
The first official video for "Relax", directed by Bernard Rose and set in a S&M themed gay nightclub, was allegedly banned by MTV and the BBC, prompting the recording of a second video, directed by Godley and Creme in early 1984, featuring the group performing with the help of "laser beams". However, after the second video was made the song was banned completely by the BBC, meaning that neither video was ever broadcast on any BBC music programmes.
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