By Lynnea Urania Stuart

 

News in the trans community is typically a roller coaster.  February was no exception.  This year with international tensions relieved, at least temporarily, with the Olympic Winter Games in Pyeong Chang, hope seemed to spill over in a world desperate for hope as if it was a nearly extinct mastodon hanging off a high precipice with a knot of overcooked spaghetti holding its tail to a snapdragon.

Transpeople savored the warmth of a trans Oscar nominee, Daniela Vega,¹ and some legal victories.  But we also felt sorrows with a rash of deaths, some spilled over from the previous month.  We faced mounting oppression at home and overseas.  We felt a special lesson in the month most noted for love whose central day carries the name of a saint.  The lesson wasn’t one of love so much as a lesson of hope amid an increasingly fragmented world.

Here’s a summary of the roller coaster of February 2018 as we found the headlines.  Click on the corresponding links in the references to read the details because a lot more could be said than can be said here.  After all, roller coasters are designed to run too fast to take everything in at once.  That’s part of what makes them so scary.

 

FEBRUARY 1: DOWN AFTER A TENSE RACHETING UP BY A WORN WINCH THAT SHOULDN’T HAVE PASSED INSPECTION

Indonesia: An effort is underway to help transwomen in Aceh province to escape.  In late January they had been rounded up by authorities, shorn, made to wear men’s clothing, and forcibly detransition.²

Iowa: Rep. Sandy Salmon introduces House File 2164.  It’s an anti-transgender bill with much of the language of North Carolina’s HB 2 in 2016.³

Michigan: Metro City Church in Riverview begins a 6-week course they called the Unashamed Identity Workshop.  It targets LGBT people between 12 and 16 years of age who had been assigned “female” at birth.  Their stated purpose is to “help your girl be unashamed of her sexual identity given to her by God at birth.”  Price?  $200.⁴

 

FEBRUARY 2: DOWN TO THE RIGHT WHERE YOU SEE YOUR SHADOW LIKE PUXATAWNEY PHIL

Washington, D.C.: The Republican National Committee endorses the White House directive ban transpeople from the military, calling trans status “a disqualifying psychological and physical” condition.⁵

 

FEBRUARY 4: HIDDEN BUMPS ON THE WAY DOWN AND DOWN SOUTH

Turkey: LGBT Activist Kıvılcım Arat begins a hunger strike to expose human rights violations at Tekirdağ Prison.  Her poster child for these violations is the trans inmate Diren Coşkun.⁶

Georgia (nation): ILGA Europe reports the January 28 attack of Miranda Pagava after she refused to enter her assailants vehicle.  The perpetrator had been arrested for the attack, but ILGA urges Georgian authorities to take into account the transphobic nature of the attack as an aggravating factor in a hate crime.⁷

Florida:  Black transwoman Celine Walker fatally shot in a Jacksonville hotel room.  Police misgender Celine, causing a delay in accurate reporting of the crime.⁸

 

FEBRUARY 5: UP TO THE LEFT

California: The American Civil Liberties Union announces the success of Jessie Meehan’s lawsuit against Walgreens.  Jessie asked at a Pride event to use the rest room and was compelled to use the men’s room because they said she “looked like a man.”  The suit leads Walgreens to adopt a new and stronger trans-inclusive policy.⁹

 

FEBRUARY 6: UP INTO THE NEW ENGLAND SUN

Massachussets: The principal of Boston area Swampscott Elementary School who had been assigned “male” at birth comes out as Sharon Daniels in a letter to the school community.¹⁰

 

FEBRUARY 7: DOWN IN VARYING DEGREES OF STEEPNESS AND ENDING IN THE SHADOW OF DEATH

Washington D.C.: Attorney General Jeff Sessions initiates installation of “Religious Liberty Czars” in each office of the U.S. Attorney General throughout the United States.  A 2016 memo had previously expanded “religious liberty” to include individuals, corporations, and other organizations the right to refuse services if that person, employee, or manager has religious disagreements with the life choices of anyone else.¹¹

Bermuda: Governor John Rankin signs legislation repealing marriage equality.¹²

Southern California: Jurors convict Robert James Spells on charges of human trafficking and sexual assault of a minor but are deadlocked on the murder of South L.A. transwoman Seshawnda Sanchez on December 3, 2014.¹³

New York State: Black transwoman Tonya (Kita) Harvey dies from gunshot in Buffalo.  A friend writes on Facebook, “Not only was she beautiful she was strong … everything she put her mind to she did it [sic] with conviction.”¹⁴

 

FEBRUARY 9: UP OUT OF A TUNNEL

Missouri: Trans prisoner Jessica Hicklin in Potosi Correctional Center gains access to transition care after a federal court grants it in a preliminary injunction.  She had served 18 years of a first degree murder sentence.  The action challenges Missouri’s “Freeze Frame Policy” that denied treatment to the prisoner who had been diagnosed with gender dysphoria after her arrest.¹⁵

 

FEBRUARY 11: WAY UP TOWARD THE STARS

Scotland: Coig Puing a’ Trì (Five Point Three) wins 3 Gaelic Film Awards, the first Gaelic film depicting a trans character.  It wins Best Student Film, Best Performance, and the People’s Choice Award.¹⁶

 

FEBRUARY 12: UP TO THE LEFT WITH A SLOWDOWN THAT ANTICIPATES FURTHER PUNISHMENT… JUST BECAUSE

China: A transman identified as “Mr. C.” wins a lawsuit against an employer for unfair dismissal after being terminated for wearing male clothing on the job at a Guishou health center.¹⁷

California: Assemblymember Todd Gloria (D- SanDiego) introduces legislation guaranteeing access to gender-affirming health care and gender-affirming behavioral health services to transgender foster children in the state.¹⁸

 

FEBRUARY 13: DOWN TO THE RIGHT

Russian Federation:  Social workers take away the foster children of Yulia Savinovskikh after she has breast reduction surgery.  According to a court ruling, “Savinovskikh’s self-identification as a male — taking into account her marriage with a man, the desire to adopt a social role peculiar to a male — in essence, contradicts the principles of our country’s family law, the traditions and mentality of our society.”¹⁹

 

FEBRUARY 14: UP AND DOWN LIKE WHAT REALLY HAPPENS ON VALENTINE’S DAY

Philippines: Representative Geraldine Roman, that country’s first transgender legislator is sworn in as a reservist in the Armed Forces of the Philippines.²⁰

United Kingdom:  The anti-trans organization Transgender TREND releases a publication titled “Supporting gender non-conforming and trans-identified students in schools.”  It proposes to help trans students and their families and schools but contains other language and misinformation that provides the impetus for the opposite.  Despite a surge in downloads, it’s quickly denounced in human rights circles.²¹

 

FEBRUARY 15:  YOU FEEL LIKE YOU’RE FLOATING AND YOU SMELL HEAVENLY, MS. THANG!

British Columbia:  Lush Cosmetics begins a new campaign  #TransRightsAreHumanRights with sales of the Lush Bath Melt going to the National Center for Transgender Equality ,and the Canadian Centre for Gender and Sexual Diversity with a goal of raising $450,000.²²

 

FEBRUARY 17: DOWN TOWARD A PRAIRIE FIRE

Kansas:  The state GOP approves a resolution that would “oppose all efforts to validate transgender identity.”²³

 

FEBRUARY 19: DOWN WITH A VIEW OF GRAVES

New Mexico:  A rancher finds one of the bodies of transwoman Zakaria Fry and her roommate Eugene Caroll Ray in a trash can in Moriarty.  The other body is found a couple of miles away.  The couple had been missing since January 18.²⁴

 

FEBRUARY 20: UP INTO THE CLOUDS, DOWN, THEN UP IN A CIRCLE

New York City: Megyn Kelly of Today interviews Chazzie Grosshandler, her family, and other members of Gender Cool on national television.  Gender Cool serves trans kids and their families.²⁵

Vermont:  Christine Hallquist announces her plan to run for the office of Governor in 2018 as a Democrat.  She is the CEO of Vermont Electric Corporation.  She is expected to run against Republican incumbent Phil Scott.²⁶

Indonesia: The city of Depok announces it intends to set up a “taskforce” [sic] to curb LGBT activities while the Jakarta government considers a law outlawing homosexuality.²⁷

 

Pakistan: The Pakistani Boy Scouts Association seeks to send 150 transpeople to serve as volunteers on the Hajj to the Holy Site of Mecca.  Saudi Arabia bans transpeople and does not recognize a 3^rd gender option on passports.  Applicants must be approved by the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony.²⁸

 

FEBRUARY 21: UP IN A SPIRAL LIKE A TIME MACHINE THEN DOWN THROUGH A MADHOUSE

California: The New Village Café in San Francisco stages a play by the Tenderloin Museum about the 1966 Compton Cafeteria Riot, a pre-Stonewall uprising of transpeople.²⁹

Washington D.C.: An event sells out at the Trump International Hotel conducted by leaders associated with the New Apostolic Reformation and POTUS Shield.  Titled, The Turnaround: An Appeal to Heaven National Gathering intends to set the stage for self-styled “apostles” and “prophets” to lead a triumphant church of Dominionists who believe Donald Trump is anointed By God to establish an American theocracy, ushering in the return of Christ.  Dominionists have been instigators of anti-transgender legislation and continue their agenda this year.³⁰

.

FEBRUARY 22: BUMPS THAT GIVE YOU GOOGLY EYES

California: Queer transgender employee, Tim Chevalier, sues Google for “retaliation, hostile work environment, failure to prevent discrimination and harassment, and wrongful termination.”  He had criticized a coworker on the company’s messaging platform that an anti-gay comment represented creation of a “permission structure for violence and discrimination.”³¹

 

FEBRUARY 23: DEATH DIVE

Las Vegas: Transwoman Lou-Bee Heywood is shot in her leg at the Las Vegas Lounge, the assailant randomly shooting through tinted glass at the club after being denied entry over his ID.³²

Ohio: Phylicia Mitchell, a Black transwoman is shot in front of her home in Cleveland and dies in her living room.  Friends describe her as “funny and kind.”³³

 

FEBRUARY 26: UP BUT ROCKING BACK AND FORTH WITH MISPLACED DEMONS

Virginia:  The Pentagon confirms that a transgender recruit signed up for military service, contrary to the President’s military ban on transpeople that later had been overturned in the courts.³⁴

Michigan:  The Metro City Church in Riverview who began the Unashamed Identity Workshop earlier in the month attempts a second (and unsuccessful) “transgender exorcism” on a 17-year old transboy named Seth.  A previous exorcism had been attempted on him when he was 13 and displayed no more success than this one.³⁵

 

Washington D.C.: The Supreme Court upholds an Arizona decision recognizing a woman as the legal parent of a child she and her same-sex spouse conceived through assisted reproduction.³⁶

Barbados:  Trans rights advocate Alexa Hoffman claims law enforcement mistreated her because of her gender identity after surviving an attack by her ex-roommate.  He cut her with a meat cleaver he had stolen from her kitchen.³⁷

 

FEBRUARY 27: LEVELING OFF WITH AN ACRID ODOR AND A SIGN READING, “FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE”

Russian Federation: The Twitter feed for the dissident LGBT rock group Pussy Riot reports that 2 members reappear after being “detained several times” by law enforcement while traveling to Crimea.³⁸

 

FEBRUARY 28: SLOWING DOWN

New Mexico: The Albuquerque Police Department announces the arrest of Charles Speiss for the murders of Zakaria Fry and Eugene Caroll Ray whose bodies were uncovered in the Moriarty area on the 19^th.³⁹

 

HEAD SPINNING?

We hope you enjoyed the ride.  With eyes reminiscent of the Delphi Oracle we offer you a bottle of Pepto Bismol because we know you might feel sick disembarking. Once you get your legs back, you might realize that you’re still up in the air after all. Welcome to the world of transpeople.

And welcome to a glimpse of madness in an increasingly fragmented world.  It’s admittedly a glimpse.  Remember Brazil who has given us the largest population of transgender dead year after year?  We in the United States didn’t see many, if any stories out of Brazil this month in our news feeds.  But we can sense we’re still being slaughtered by Brazilian criminals and bigots.  How about other places in the world where LGBT people are being literally hunted down and murdered because of who they are or who they love?  How many stories have been suppressed?  We don’t know.

You might ask how transpeople can begin to face a world like this.  February is supposed to be the month for lovers who warm beds because with all that snow on the ground there’s nothing better to do.  But a lot of us either don’t have a lover or discover our lover had been a manipulator all along.  Love can’t be the real lesson of February.

 

THE LESSON OF FEBRUARY

What it does teach is something akin to faith.  There’s a philosophical definition of faith from almost 2000 years ago that still appears in university courses from time to time because professors typically don’t have a better one:  “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”⁴⁰

Of course, faith offers much in the way of survival from day to day, regardless of the object of faith.  Without that, one wouldn’t even attempt to get onto a roller coaster.  But this definition also raises another question.  Does faith come before or after hope?

If we stick with this definition, then faith and hope must both grow together somehow.  But there’s a difference.  Faith requires the understanding of some kind of evidence to be faith.  Hope acts without evidence at all.

It’s a difference that evokes the image of a girl on a bicycle with training wheels.  Sooner or later the girl must know how to ride without them and without much regard for the terrain.  She just rides and loves the journey.

It suggests that faith are the training wheels of hope and that hope, the most maligned of virtues in modern society, has a dynamic the world hasn’t fully realized. Why is it maligned? Organizational and religious ambition did this.  How often is one who professes hope denounced as a “negative thinker,” whether in a corporation or a church?  It’s happened more often than this writer can count.

But the awakening of hope corresponds to the awakening of the Muse within: a quality deemed ethereal yet persuasive to anyone who listens.  It’s a Muse that enables in the cacophony of a world gone mad because it dares to look for the good where good is nowhere to be found… and sometimes it’s even rewarded.

Yes, the world is mad and getting madder.  The world is watching too, watching to see the unfolding drama of a minority of minorities.  It’s a fragmented world full of eyes: some are trans and some are not; but without hearts full of hope, the world remains in fragments, dissociated from one another.  It’s the heart that sees with hope that sees best, filling out the shapes of the fragments that eventually leads to wholeness when no evidence exists that they’re fillable.  What it facilitates is veritably a healing of the planet little by little.

So now that you have your head somewhat together, how about another ride: the month of March?  It’s likely to be another wild ride and even longer.  After all, March has 31 days instead of 28.

_________________________________

REFERENCES:

Featured Image: An edgy collage of eyes (exhibited or altered to imply sight in one form or another) pertinent to the stories of February 2018.  These consist of small fragments, altered, and arranged pursuant to federal Fair Use guidelines.

1. Jonathan Romney. “Daniela Vega: the transgender star lighting up the film industry” The Guardian (February 28, 2018, accessed February 28, 2018) https://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/feb/18/daniela-vega-transgender-star-film-industry-a-fantastic-woman-interview.
2. Lynnea Urania Stuart. “Religion Out of Balance: Aceh’s Pogrom” Trans Muse Planet (February 3, 2018, accessed February 28, 2018) https://thetmplanet.com/religion-out-of-balance-acehs-latest-pogrom/.
3. Josh Jackman. “Iowa just introduced an anti-trans bathroom bill” Pink News (accessed February 1, 2018, accessed February 2, 2018) https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2018/02/01/iowa-just-introduced-an-anti-trans-bathroom-bill/?utm_campaign=Echobox&utm_medium=PinkNews&utm_source=Twitter.
4. Allie Gross. “Church accused of planning a conversion therapy workshop for LGBTQ girls” Detroit Free Press (February 6, referencing “last Thursday”, making the event February 1, accessed February 7, 2018) https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/wayne/2018/02/06/downriver-church-accused-planning-workshop-lgbtq-girls-thats-been-likened-controversial-conversion-t/310931002/.
5. Trudy Ring. “Republican National Committee Backs Trump’s Trans Military Ban” The Advocate (February 2, 2018, accessed February 4, 2018) https://www.advocate.com/transgender/2018/2/02/republican-national-committee-backs-trumps-trans-military-ban.
6. (n.a.) “Turkish LGBT activist goes on hunger strike in support of transgender woman jailed in Tekirdağ” Turkey Purge (February 6, 2018, stating that the hunger strike had just begun its 3^rd day, accessed February 7, 2018) https://turkeypurge.com/turkish-lgbt-activist-goes-hunger-strike-support-transgender-woman-jailed-tekirdag.
7. (n.a.) “Miranda Pagava – an activist with Equality Movement and a trans woman – was attacked in Tbilisi on 28 January” ILGA-Europe (February 4, 2018, accessed February 5, 2018) https://www.ilga-europe.org/resources/news/latest-news/transhatecrime-georgia.
8. (n.a.) “HRC Mourns Loss of Celine Walker, a Transgender Woman Murdered in Florida” (HRC website, February 10, 2018, referencing the death taking place Sunday evening or February 4, accessed February 5, 2018) https://www.hrc.org/blog/hrc-mourns-loss-of-celine-walker-a-transgender-woman-murdered-in-florida.
9. Jeff Taylor. This transgender woman was discriminated against by Walgreens. She fought back & won” LGBTQ Nation (February 5, 2018, accessed February 7, 2018) https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2018/02/transgender-woman-discriminated-walgreens-fought-back-won/?utm_content=bufferc6163&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer
10. Steve Annear “‘I am transgender,’ Swampscott elementary school principal announces Swampscott elementary school principal Shannon Daniels at her office Tuesday” Boston Globe (February 7, 2018, referencing the action on “Tuesday” which is February 6, accessed February 7, 2018) https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2018/02/07/transgender-swampscott-elementary-school-principal-announces/TEolg8zr7MGRnOhDVAyjdK/story.html?s_campaign=bostonglobe%3Asocialflow%3Atwitter
11. Jeff Taylor. Jeff Sessions is installing ‘religious freedom’ czars in every U.S. Attorney’s office” LGBTQ Nation (February 7, 2018, accessed February 7, 2018) https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2018/02/jeff-sessions-installing-religious-freedom-czars-every-u-s-attorneys-office/.
12. (n.a.) “John Rankin signs bill repealing marriage equality” (Human Rights Campaign website, February 7, 2018, accessed February 7, 2018) http://www.hrc.org/blog/bermuda-governor-John-Rankin-signs-bill-repealing-marriage-equality.
13. City News Service. “Jury Deadlocked in Case Against Man Charged in Killing of Transgender Woman” NBC Los Angeles (February 8, 2018, referencing the previous Wednesday, February 7, accessed February 7, 2018) https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/Jury-Deadlocked-in-Case-Against-Man-Charged-for-Killing-Transgender-Woman-473334893.html.
14. Anna Swartz. “Transgender Woman Tonya Harvey Fatally Shot in Buffalo, New York.” Mic (February 8, 2018, referencing Facebook post Wednesday, February 7, accessed February 8, 2018) https://mic.com/articles/187853/transgender-woman-tonya-harvey-fatally-shot-in-buffalo-new-york#.JUpcUUWYO.
15. Nidhi Prakash. “A Transgender Woman In A Missouri Prison Will Be Allowed Life-Saving Health Care” Buzz Feed (February 10, 2018, accessed February 13, 2018) https://www.buzzfeed.com/nidhiprakash/trans-woman-missouri-prison-healthcare?utm_term=.xrMM1jY5P#.kwJ1kLgaR.
16. Shannon Power. “Trans man wins China’s first illegal dismissal case amid calls for anti-discrimination laws” Gay Star News (February 12, 2018, accessed February 13, 2018) https://www.gaystarnews.com/article/trans-man-wins-chinas-first-illegal-dismissal-case-amid-calls-for-anti-discrimination-laws/.
17. Brian Ferguson. “First Gaelic film tackling transgender issues in triple awards win” The Scotsman (updated February 12, 2018, accessed February 13, 2018) https://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle/culture/film/first-gaelic-film-tackling-transgender-issues-in-triple-awards-win-1-4687297.
18. (n.a.) “New bill to guarantee health care access to transgender foster children) KUSI Newsroom (February 12, 2018, accessed February 13, 2018) http://www.kusi.com/new-bill-to-guarantee-health-care-access-to-transgender-foster-children/.
19. Meka Beresford. “Russia takes woman’s kids away ‘because she’s transgender and gay’” Pink News (February 13, 2018, accessed February 13, 2018) https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2018/02/13/russia-takes-womans-kids-away-because-shes-transgender-and-gay/.
20. (n.a.) “First transgender lawmaker joins armed forces” com (February 14, 2018) https://www.rappler.com/nation/196068-transgender-lawmaker-geraldine-roman-reserve-force.
21. Lynnea Urania Stuart. “Questioning the Questioners” Trans Muse Planet (February 17, 2018, referencing the date as February 14, accessed February 28, 2018) https://thetmplanet.com/questioning-the-questioners/.
22. Sabrina Samone. “Lush Cosmetics Launches Latest Charity Pots Campaign; #TransRightsAreHumanRights” Trans Muse Planet (February 20, 2018, referencing the first date of the campaign as February 15, accessed February 20, 2018) https://thetmplanet.com/lush-cosmetics-launches-latest-charity-pots-campaign-transrightsarehumanrights/.
23. John Riley. “Kansas GOP approves resolution to “oppose all efforts to validate transgender identity” (February 19, 2018, stating that the resolution took place the previous Saturday, making it the 17^th, accessed February 20, 2018) https://www.metroweekly.com/2018/02/kansas-gop-approves-resolution-oppose-efforts-validate-transgender-identity/.
24. R. Oppenheim. “Man charged with murdering transgender woman, roommate” (March 1, 2018, the article states the couple were murdered on February 19, accessed March 1, 2018) http://www.kob.com/albuquerque-news/albuquerque-police-department-apd-eugene-ray-zakaria-fry-double-homicide/4808390/.
25. Today “” YouTube (Interview by Megyn Kelly February 20, 2018, accessed February 20, 2018) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UuYX-ogNV0.
26. Jess Glass. “This woman wants to be the first openly transgender governor in the United States” Pink News (February 20, 2018, accessed February 20, 2018) https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2018/02/20/vermont-could-be-about-to-get-its-first-ever-transgender-governor/?utm_term=Autofeed&utm_campaign=Echobox&utm_medium=PinkNews&utm_source=Twitter#link_time=1519138576.
27. Nicola Smith. “LGBT ‘taskforce’ in Indonesian city adds fears of gay rights crackdown” The Telegraph (February 19, 2018, accessed February 20, 2018) https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/02/20/lgbt-taskforce-indonesian-city-adds-fears-gay-rights-crackdown/.
28. Shannon Power. “Pakistan sending trans people to volunteer at Mecca is a ‘game changer’” Gay Star News (February 20, 2018, accessed February 20, 2018) https://www.gaystarnews.com/article/pakistan-sending-trans-people-volunteer-mecca-game-changer/.
29. “Tenderloin Play Depicts 1960’s Fight For Transgender Rights” ABC News (February 21, 2018, accessed February 21, 20188) http://abc7news.com/3120133/.
30. Peter Montgomery. “Dominionists Head To Trump’s DC Hotel To Bring ‘Heaven’s Rule’ To America” Right Wing Watch (February 21, 2018, accessed February 21, 2018) http://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/dominionists-head-to-trumps-dc-hotel-to-bring-heavens-rule-to-america/.
31. Josh Jackman. “Google fired queer transgender engineer after he confronted anti-gay colleagues, lawsuit alleges” Pink News (February 22, 2018, accessed February 22,2018) https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2018/02/22/google-fired-queer-transgender-engineer-after-he-confronted-anti-gay-colleagues-lawsuit-alleges/?utm_term=Autofeed&utm_campaign=Echobox&utm_medium=PinkNews&utm_source=Twitter#link_time=1519328570.
32. Jennifer Louise Lopez. “Transgender Woman Survives Hail of Gunfire in Vegas” Trans Networking (February 26, 2018, article references the incident taking place February 23, accessed February 24, 2018) http://www.transnetworking.com/transgender-woman-survives-hail-gunfire-vegas/.
33. Brian McBride. “HRC Mourns Phylicia Mitchell, a Transgender Woman Murdered in Ohio” (HRC website February 27, 2018, referencing the previous Friday as the day of the murder, or February 23, accessed February 28, 2018) http://www.hrc.org/blog/hrc-mourns-phylicia-mitchell-a-transgender-woman-murdered-in-ohio.
34. Carlo Muñoz. “First transgender recruit joins U.S. military, Pentagon confirms” Washington Times (February 26, 2018, accessed February 28, 2018) https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/feb/26/transgender-recruit-joins-military-pentagon-confir/.
35. Josh Jackman. “Church accused of conducting ‘transgender exorcism’ on 13-year-old” Pink News (February 26, 2018, accessed February 26, 2018) https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2018/02/26/church-accused-of-conducting-transgender-exorcism-on-13-year-old/?utm_campaign=Echobox&utm_medium=PinkNews&utm_source=Twitte.
36. Trudy Ring. “Another LGBT Rights Victory at the Supreme Court, This Time for Parental Rights” The Advocate (February 26, 2018) https://www.advocate.com/marriage-equality/2018/2/26/another-lgbt-rights-victory-supreme-court-time-parental-rights.
37. Michael K. Lavers. “Barbados police criticized for response to attack on trans activist” Washington Blade (February 26, 2018, accessed February 26, 2018) https://www.washingtonblade.com/2018/02/26/barbados-police-criticized-response-attack-trans-activist/.
38. Christina Maza. “Two Members of Pussy Riot Went Missing in Russia, Are Now Safe” Alternet (Quoting a February 27, 2018 Newsweek article February 28, 2018, accessed March 1, 2018) https://www.alternet.org/news-amp-politics/two-members-pussy-riot-have-gone-missing-russia.
39. R. Oppenheim. http://www.kob.com/albuquerque-news/albuquerque-police-department-apd-eugene-ray-zakaria-fry-double-homicide/4808390/.
40. Hebrews 11:1