LISA SALAZAR — BLOG

This episode of SPOTLIGHT was posted on YouTube on September 10, 2023 In a sensationalized television special on Australia’s 7NEWS Spotlight, titled “Breaking the Silence: The Reality of De-Transitioning,” which they heralded as the most contentious story of the year, the gender-affirming care debate took center stage. Spotlight’s investigative report delved into the highly charged discussions surrounding gender identity, medical interventions, and the ramifications of detransitioning. This program shone a light on two opposing factions in the ongoing dialogue: fervent supporters of the affirmation model, led by advocates like Professor Ian Hickey, and vocal critics, including parents and medical professionals like Dr. Jillian Spencer and Dr. Dylan Wilson. Supporters of the Affirmation Model: Proponents of the affirmation model, such as Professor Ian Hickey, firmly assert that gender clinics in Australia provide indispensable mental and physical health benefits to transgender individua...

In 2019, The United Church of Canada produced "Celebrating Gender Diversity: A Toolkit on Gender Identity and Trans Experiences for Communities of Faith."   I was invited to contribute because of the qualitative and quantitative study I did as part of my MA in 2015 titled "Transgender Spirituality Pulse Survey." This is what I wrote: Beyond Church Walls When I speak with ministers and church people who ask me how they can become affirming and welcoming of trans and non-binary persons, a question is often raised. “Why bother going through all the work of becoming an affirming congregation if, after all the hard work, not many trans persons are going to join my church community?” Because being affirming and welcoming is not fully measured just by how you treat people who enter the four walls of your church or sanctuary. What matters is how the members of your congregation treat trans people out in the world. Consider the following questions—these are just a few. How y...

In advance of a series of marches across Canada on September 20, 2023, a determined Canadian mother and ally to her lesbian daughter founded a Facebook Group on September 10. She aimed to provide a counter-narrative to the “1 Million March for Children” by creating a platform to quash the misinformation promoted against SOGIE and Trans identities. She wanted to foster unity instead. Initially attracting a modest few dozen members, the group mushroomed to over 7,000 individuals across Canada within three weeks, all united by principles of truth, inclusion, and steadfast support. A Beacon Amidst Shadows: 1 Million Voices for Inclusion emerges as a spectrum of love and unity, casting aside the shadows of division and hatred. This movement skillfully weaves a colorful tapestry that encompasses the myriad hues of the human spirit, establishing a robust front against prejudice and misinformation. An Undeniable Force of Inclusivity: More than a mere group, it’s a thriving entity exuding inclu...

This blogpost was inspired by a comment made on Facebook. In case you didn’t know, gender-affirming medical care, which includes treatments like puberty blockers, estrogen therapy, testosterone therapy, and breast augmentation, was initially developed for cisgender individuals seeking gender affirmation.  Puberty blockers were designed to assist cis children experiencing early onset puberty, while estrogen therapy was created for postmenopausal cisgender women to address hormonal changes.  Similarly, testosterone therapy was formulated to support cisgender men dealing with low sex drive and other health issues, and breast augmentation was an option for cisgender women experiencing body dysmorphia. The key takeaway here is that these treatments have been used successfully within the cisgender population for gender affirmation and to address specific medical needs. Applying them to transgender individuals is a logical extension of their original purpose, allowing us to provide v...

We knew it was only a matter of time before conservative voices in Canada would begin to sound like the anti-trans strategies GOP lawmakers have been employing in the U.S. They are determined to claw back the amazing progress we have made toward Trans inclusion in Canada. Screen capture from their website A Canada-wide day of anti-trans protest is being planned for Wednesday, September 20, 2023. In advance of this day, the organizers are promoting letter-writing campaigns to school boards.  To that end, they have provided a boilerplate letter for Ontario that people can sign and mail. I’m sure that with some minor tweaks to remove references to Ontario, people in other provinces will follow suit. Here’s a detailed response to each point raised in a boiler-plate letter being circulated in Ontario: 1. Request for Parental Consent for Preferred Pronouns, Names, Bathroom Use, and Extracurricular Participation: Rebuttal:  Respecting a student’s preferred pronouns, names, bathroom c...

What I’ve Learned from Science, History, Personal Experiences, and Meeting Other Trans Persons. Just like anyone diagnosed with a medical condition, I’ve dedicated significant time to educating myself about my reality as a trans person. Over the years, I’ve explored and contemplated my not-so-unique situation, accumulating valuable insights and personal experiences. Let me share what I’ve learned and discovered along the way. This knowledge has brought peace to my soul. Scientific evidence increasingly underscores what many have experienced and understood anecdotally: being transgender is not a choice, but rather a deeply ingrained aspect of identity. Some transgender individuals, who have participated in neuroimaging studies, such as functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI), assert the presence of a "gender identity nugget" deep within the brain. This nugget seemingly signals gender identity, much like a fish instinctively understands the concept of water. The majority o...

 A Manifesto for Trans Understanding and Acceptance Introduction: In a world abundant in diversity, variety, and uniqueness, it is distressing to observe the persistence of intolerance and the fostering of ignorance. The journey of trans people, marked by introspection, courage, resilience, and identity-affirmation, is too often misunderstood, misinterpreted, and maligned. This manifesto is an invitation for those who have been misguided by prejudice and misinformation, particularly from right-wing and conservative perspectives. It is a call to you to set aside biases and learn from my story and those of countless other trans individuals who simply seek acceptance, respect, and the right to live freely as our authentic selves. Compassion Before Judgement: Understand that being transgender is not a choice but an integral part of our identity. We are not seeking to create discord or impose upon societal norms but rather to live authentically, openly, and in alignment with our true se...

  “Historic wave of anti-trans bills focuses almost entirely on trans youth.” — npr.org For context, there are three times as many disabled persons in wheelchairs than there are trans persons (1% vs. .3% of the population), yet no one would ever think of passing laws targetting disabled persons. Why is it okay to target trans persons? Wouldn’t you be outraged and scandalized if GOP lawmakers went after disabled persons? For example, imagine these kinds of laws: Education Censorship:  No class discussion, instruction, or acknowledgment of the rights of disabled persons or that they exist Library Book Bans:  Remove all reading materials that include portrayals of disabled persons or use inclusive and explicit language about disabled persons Restroom Restriction:  No special accommodation Sports exclusion:  Disabled youth are only allowed to watch from the sidelines  Religious exemptions:  Anyone can refuse to treat, care for or provide services, includin...

Image: depositphotos.com Even before the bloody Columbine High School massacre in April 1999, mass shootings had been frequent in the US. From schools and churches to shopping malls and city parks, radicalized, politically motivated, and mentally ill persons with easy access to guns continue to shed blood and leave death in their wake.  So what else is new? The recent shooting in Nashville, Tennessee, occurred at a Christian school where the killer had once been a student. The shooter happened to be trans, which opened the door for hyper-conservatives to attack the trans community. The conservative media quickly seized on this fact and is using it to spread more lies and further their agenda to erase trans Americans. They labeled trans people "domestic terrorists" and are now using this unfortunate incident in Tennessee to justify their inaction regarding the gun violence epidemic. This is a pattern that minorities have seen before, with the Black, Muslim, Jewish, and Asian c...

Just weeks after a Daily Wire host called for “eliminating transgenderism,” Fox News host Tucker Carlson described in apocalyptic terms that transgender people are the “natural enemy” of Christianity on his show last night in a rant about the Nashville school shooter, who is possibly transgender. “The trans movement is the mirror image of Christianity and, therefore, its natural enemy,” he said. Firstly, Christianity is a religion based on love, compassion, and acceptance of all individuals, regardless of their gender identity. Jesus Christ himself emphasized the importance of treating others with kindness and love, and his message was intended for all people, regardless of their race, gender, or background. Therefore, it is incorrect to suggest that transgender individuals are the "natural enemy" of Christianity. Secondly, transgender individuals face significant discrimination and marginalization in society. They are often subjected to verbal and physical abuse, denied acce...

In June 2015, one month after Caitlyn Jenner graced the cover Vanity Fair magazine, the Family Research Council (FRC) published their infamous white paper on how to fight the war against “transgenderism.” This paper spelled out the strategies that Christians should use to fight the war against trans people. Eight years later we are seeing the brutal consequences of this strategy being played out in Republican controlled State Legislatures as they create laws that criminalize doctors and parents who support and care for trans persons; in particular, trans youth. On the opposite side of the debate stands the American Medical Association (AMA). The AMA is clear about why trans health care is important and ethical and has  released several statements and policies regarding transgender individuals. Here is a short list: The AMA recognizes that transgender individuals experience unique health disparities and barriers to care, and supports efforts to address and eliminate these disparitie...

It’s been more than four years since I blogged. My last blog post was on September 22, 2018. I had just returned from my 50th High School Reunion in San Jose, CA, where my family emigrated to in 1960 from Colombia. After I graduated from Blackford High School, I attended San Jose State University and graduated with a BA in Graphic Design in 1972. A year later, I followed my two older siblings to Vancouver; and my parents and two younger siblings followed two years later. I only share this to give a context for what motivated that “last” blog post in 2018. While we lived in San Jose, I was sexually abused and also raped by two different men. The first was a paper route customer, and the second was an Argentinian in his early twenties attending San Jose State when he raped me. I was 12 and 15 years old, respectively. Should you care to read that blog post , I share how the Brett Kavanaugh confirmation hearings triggered me.  On the Saturday of the reunion, I drove to the two apartmen...

Coincidental with my Class of 68’ 50th high school reunion, the reports of Republicans bullying Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, who question her memory of the attempted rape by Supreme Court nominee, Brett Kavanaugh, has thrown me into a bit of depression. I’ve been triggered. I am here, in a motel room in San Jose, California, where my high school reunion is to take place in an hour. Earlier this afternoon, I drove to the two locations where I was sexually abused and raped. I  remember all the details. I may not know the name of my attackers, but my body and brain remember how it felt to be forced to masturbate a man who was one of my paper route customers. I was 12 years old. I resist the compulsion to wash my hands for, God only knows, the millionth time. Then there was the rape when I was 15 years old. Someone who purported to want to help me audition as a rhythm-guitar player in a garage band and had offered to drive me to a house in Willow Glen, a neighborhood in San J...

An unexpected (and unforgettable) end of story. A couple of weekends ago, I went to visit my Mom. My sister arrived unexpectedly a short time later with her grandson, who is eight years old. Figuring the last thing the little guy wanted to do on a summer afternoon was to sit indoors with three older women, I said, “Let’s walk to the convenience store at the gas station; it’s only three blocks away, I’ll buy you a candy bar.” My niece's son... He gave me hope for the future.  We trundled off talking about candy, and as we passed the elementary school a block away, he asked, “How old are you?” Hum, I thought to myself, I wonder why he wants to know my age? “I’m sixty-seven, almost sixty-eight,” I replied. “Oh, then you’re older than my dad. He’s fifty-one,” he remarked. Then he asked, “Do you have any children?” At this point, I realized I had never spoken to my niece, his mother, about how much and how soon he should be informed about my ‘real’ position in the family ...

I took a leap of faith on the third Saturday in July 2008. It was either that or leap to my death. As scared as I was of what lay ahead, it was less frightening than the thought of never having experienced what it felt like to live authentically. I'm happy to still be here, as Lisa. A topic garnering much attention in social sciences is intersectionality, the categorizations of race, class, and gender as they apply to a given individual or group. It is regarded as creating overlapping and interdependent systems of discrimination or disadvantage. Add to this idea the questions we ask and the answers we get as we explore our world as children and in our youth. What assumptions, expectations, and conclusions do we draw? Do they set us up for success or failure? Same-sex attracted and trans and non-binary persons navigate and view life through a lens that often makes them imagine a future that is frightening. Fear of rejection, ridicule, and abandonmen...

Trigger Warning: Death by Suicide Officiating a friend’s Celebration of Life was an honour, but it shouldn’t have been necessary. I have been growing increasingly angry, and I want to lash out at the injustice and ignorance that has now claimed the life of someone I was becoming friends with. She was a fellow trans sister. Katterina was from Nova Scotia and transitioned socially and medically about six years ago. As is the case for many married trans people, she, too, went through a divorce. She was an electrician by trade. After finding her work being sabotaged and her tools disappearing from the work sites, she moved to BC. She spoke to Morgane Oger of Trans Alliance in Vancouver, who assured her that the trade unions in BC had zero tolerance for that kind of crap. Moving to Vancouver seemed like the only way to find peace of mind, yet she hated being separated from her parents and her adult children. She packed up her belonging into her brand-new Toyota Corolla and drove across the ...