Editors' Note: Guest blogger Helen Boyd is a partner of a trans person and queerio in her own right. She is the author of My Husband Betty and She's Not the Man I Married. Her blog (en)gender can be found at www.myhusbandbetty.com.
Yesterday, the National Stonewall Democrats teamed up with a bunch of bloggers from the trans community to create Trans Blogs for Obama Day, which was a neat way of raising awareness and funds for Obama's campaign. But despite Betty and I being "Obama Girls" from the geto-go (he had us at the DNC in 2006), the real reason we participated was to see the trans community go from being politically invisible to politically viable. That's important for everyone to see - not just the Stonewall Democrats (who have had trans leadership for a good decade now), but for the DNC and Obama's campaign, for all the other groups who have been helping fundraise for Obama on ActBlue, but for us, the trans community, to be able to see ourselves.
Because the question of whether or not there is a trans community comes around from time to time, and often the answer is that there are trans communities. While I've always been a big fan of plurals - I think there are feminisms, too - when it comes to political viability, you're either visible or not. So the idea for yesterday, and hopefully for ongoing activism, was to make us seen.
After raising more than $10k and finding nearly 300 donors - in a few short days - I'd say we look pretty fabulous. Bloggers like Riftgirl, Kate Bornstein, Lena Dahlstrom, and I all contributed. My lovely wife, Betty, outed herself to the Daily Kos universe for the cause. (For a complete list, check my blog posts at myhusbandbetty.com).
HRC, take note. We're not kidding. We want that gender-inclusive ENDA.
While yesterday was a lot of fun, it's not too late. It's not too late for this election until Election Day. So anyone who wants to help out the trans community, trans people, their partners, families, friends, and allies, and who also wants to donate to Obama's campaign, should go ahead & do so. And keep on doing so.
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4 Comments
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Helen, thank you for mentioning this fundraiser for Obama, which doubles to raise transgender visibility to the campaign.
I clicked on the link to donate, and see that the fundraiser has some kind of connection to Stonewall Democrats. I'm glad they are working with the trans community on this.
At this point the fundraiser is only 14 persons shy of its goal. Only 14! I hope that at least that many people will donate something, no matter how little, to help Obama and to help promote transgender rights.
Dale | September 30, 2008 10:55 PM
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This was a wonderful idea, Helen. You did one helluva job with this effort. Congratulations!
Bil Browning | October 1, 2008 9:08 AM
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My little secret is that I used to canvas & fundraise for NYPIRG. I also went to City College. As it turns out, Barack Obama was the City College co-ordinator for NYPIRG a whole 3 years before I got there.
Which is why I trust him. PIRG folks are a stalwart bunch.
helen boyd | October 1, 2008 1:26 PM
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Helen, I salute you.
Dr. Jillian T. Weiss | October 1, 2008 5:54 PM
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