The battle against transphobia is being fought on the streets, in public buildings, in the hospitals, and in conference rooms. Yesterday (03 feb 2017) it was being fought at the USPATH national conference of the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) – and won.
WPATH has long been criticized by transgender activists for being elitist and cis-dominated, speaking over transgender people, demanding prohibitly high fees for their conferences and inviting transphobic speakers.
Yesterday protestors held up this sign and others at the talk by transphobic promoter of conversion therapy Kenneth Zucker. Security was called on them by someone and security threatened to call the police. Witnesses photographing the sign were asked to identify themselves and told that they were being disruptive and would be asked to leave.
Security was called off by WPATH, but not before being assigned to stand outside of the room set aside for trans people throughout the conference.
After some lightning quick organizing by trans women of color, a meeting was convened between WPATH/USPATH organizing and the trans folks at the conference in which three demands were presented.
1. An unreserved apology for security being called and for Zucker being scheduled.
2. Zucker’s talk the next day (04 feb 2017) is to be cancelled.
3. Termination of whoever called security.
4. (bonus) trans people get to publicly read the apology, drafted between trans people and USPATH, at the gala tonight.WPATH agreed to everything.
This was a powerful victory showing that transphobic speakers will no longer be tolerated at WPATH events and that trans people will not sit back quietly while cisgender ‘professionals’ decide whose voices matter.
A press release by the activists involved is likely to be released after the gala.
Video of the incredibly brave Luna Riparia who stepped in to block Zucker’s speech can be found here:
https://www.facebook.com/luna.wilde.9/videos/694421037405416/
I wish I could be that composed and well spoken while facing a room of cis men who think they have the authority to speak over, silence and remove trans people from a conference that is supposed to be about trans care.
EUROPEAN TRANS ACTIVISTS ALERT
KENNETH ZUCKER WILL SPEAK AGAIN AT EPATH, APRIL 7TH, BELGRADE
IF THIS PISSES YOU OFF AS MUCH AS IT DOES ME, MAKE SOME NOISE.
QueerAnarchism 