Decidedly Obscure Human Complaints.

Today's news related to last night's demonstration here in Salt Lake City, Utah (in support of vulnerable LGBT youth affected by the anti-gay discrimination perpetuated by LDS leaders like Elder Boyd K. Packer's right on the heels of numerous LGBT teenage suicides): Utah Gay Activists Protest Mormon Church Remarks Connect 2 Utah Thousands protest outside Mormon church over LDS leader’s anti-gay remarks LGBTQ Nation Thousands ring Temple Square to protest LDS apostle’s words about gays Salt Lake Tribune And also, from the Huffington Post today: 4 Bullied Teen Deaths At Ohio School MENTOR, Ohio — Sladjana Vidovic's body lay in an open casket, dressed in the sparkly pink dress she had planned to wear to the prom. Days earlier, she had tied one end of a rope around her neck and the other around a bed post before jumping out her bedroom window. The 16-year-old's last words, scribbled in English and her native Croatian, told of her daily torment at Mentor ...

LGBT rights activists lay on the sidewalk in front of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' church office building Thursday, Oct. 7, 2010, in Salt Lake City. The demonstration was a response to remarks from Elder Boyd K. Packer that homosexuality is an immoral condition that can and should be overcome. (AP Photo/Jim Urquhart) From Q Salt Lake : Organizers estimate a crowd of 4,500 people completely surrounded the two blocks of Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints administration building and Temple Square in downtown Salt Lake City in protest of Boyd K. Packer’s remarks during the church’s semi-annual General conference last weekend. I just got home from participating this protest with my parents and some friends. We were extremely impressed by the turnout (the organizers literally walked around and counted, one by one, how many people were there) and how well it conveyed the underlying core message: that hate speech results in really, seriously hurting L...

Downtown Salt Lake City was swarmed by General Conference this past weekend, where a leader for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints named Boyd K. Packer brought up "any relationship outside of heterosexuality", stating: “There are those today who not only tolerate but advocate voting to change laws that would legalize immorality, as if a vote would somehow alter the designs of God's laws and nature. To legalize that which is basically wrong or evil will not prevent the pain and penalties that will follow as surely as night follows day." "A law against nature would be impossible to enforce... Do you think a vote to repeal the law of gravity would do any good?" And this on the heels of the suicides of at least four teenagers over the past month , all victims of anti-gay bullying or harassment? Wow, Packer. The Human Rights Campaign released a statement in response, "When a faith leader tells gay people that they are a mistake becau...

Back in 2005 I stumbled upon one of my favorite trans documentaries EVER, back when I was all closeted and terrified about being trans, and it helped so.much To this day, it's still, by far, my favorite and the one I relate to the most. And guess what? It's currently on YouTube! So, before it dissapears, I'd strongly recommend taking the time to stuff it under your viewing belt:

I woke up this morning trying hard not to feel anxiety about today's pap smear appointment. The last appointment was "successful" after being heavily sedated. And the two times I had attempted with doctors prior to that were fails. With the first attempt, after just a few minutes the doctor stopped and told me, "You know, we don't have to do this.", and, not anticipating it would be -that- awful, I agreed and we stopped. With the second attempt, I told the doctor about how horrible the first attempt was. She told me that since I'd never had intercourse, paps weren't necessary for me. Whether this was true or not, I liked the answer and rationalized that she was correct and ran with it. For years and years I accepted this logic and had resolved to never get a pap, ever - until I went in to meet my current doctor for the first time . Clearly, she's had a lot of experience with trans men avoiding the necessary health inevitable. Right off the bat...

On the 23rd, a Thursday, my dad and I bicycled together downtown, stopping for coffee as we do pretty much every morning. It's this fun, addictive routine that, to my surprise, has actually morphed me into a morning person. I'll get all giddy the night before about prepping my bicycle outfit and waking up to peddle.peddle.peddle , then relax and hang out for a bit before my 8am class or 10am class. It's messed up. I know it. After our peddling and coffee, I went in to the Social Security office right by 9am. Unlike the last time I meandered in , this time it was completely packed with people - so I whimpered internally and grabbed a number. Fortunate for me, the employee who had helped me the first time around was there at her window, so I chose a seat she'd hopefully spot me in. And when she finished up with the current individuals at her window, she waved me over. I thanked her profusely for making the whole process as painless as possible. She got my name updated...