Author: Invisible Men
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Us too…. Sexual Assault and Transmasculine Folks
Sexual assault can have a profound and devestating impact on any individual, regardless of their gender identity. However, the experiences of trans men who have been sexually assaulted are vey much shaped by a number of unique factors, including their gender identity, comncerned about being outed and any gender dysphoria they may experience. For trans…
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The Erasure of Transmasculine Folks: Why We Need to Speak Up
The transgender community has made great strides in recent years towards greater visibility and acceptance. However, one group within the community that often gets overlooked is trans men and transmasculine folks. Trans men and transmasculine individuals are individuals who were assigned female at birth but identify as male or non-binary and masculine. Despite our existence…
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We Are Birthgivers too!
birthgiv·er noun /bərTH/ /ˈɡivər/ bear a child or young. Babies, families, the next generation… Our community deserves the right to make their own people too! We also deserve the right to abortions and birth control. We too are birthgivers and we are often left out of the conversation around reproductive rights and family planning. Why?…
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Transmasc People & HIV Prevention
Prevention noun pre·ven·tion/prəˈven(t)SH(ə)n/ Definition of prevention the action of stopping something from happening or arising. As I move into 2022 my work has taken me deeper and deeper into the realm of HIV work and what that looks like for our transmasc community. The frustration and irritation I have experienced when when I pose the question…
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Violence & Transmasc Folks
noun vi·o·lence/ˈvī(ə)ləns/ behavior involving physical force intended to hurt, damage, or kill someone or something. Let’s talk about violence and the ways in which transmasc folks experience this. We are notmagically immune to it. Violence may show up in many forms: verbal, emotional, spiritual,financial, physical violence, sexual violence, intentional deception, name-calling, stalking,gas-lighting, smear campaigns on…
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HIV: Precieved Risk vs Actual Risk
risk noun\ ˈrisk \ Definition of risk in a state or condition marked by a high level of risk or susceptibility ie. patients at risk of infection Let’s really have a real conversation about transmasculine individuals and sex. For so long transmen and transmasculine people have been left out of many important conversations within the HIV and AIDS area. Why?…
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The Talk
A great friend of mine is an awesome leadership coach; she uses innovative tips and methods to get down to the bottom of a ‘thing.’ She shared a metaphor with a team that was in a confused state of mind in an effort to get them on the same successful path forward; this example fits…
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I SEE YOU.
I have been the mother of a transgender child for a little over 30 years. The key fact here is that I didn’t even know it. Hindsight showed me that there were several instances where my child was trying to tell me something that I didn’t see, hear or act on until the pain…
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Visibility: Why it is so important for Trans Men
vis·i·bil·i·ty ˌvizəˈbilədē/ noun the state of being able to see or be seen. “a reduction in police presence and visibility on the streets” the distance one can see as determined by light and weather conditions. “visibility was down to 15 yards” the degree to which something has attracted general attention; prominence. “the issue began to…
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Gender Identity Vs. Sexual Orientation
gen·der i·den·ti·ty noun a person’s perception of having a particular gender, which may or may not correspond with their birth sex. “he said that young children should be able to explore their gender identities” sex·u·al o·ri·en·ta·tion noun a person’s sexual identity in relation to the gender to which they are attracted; the fact of being…