Category: Voices

On July 26^th America’s 45^th president reached yet another low point as he blatantly turned his back on our transgender armed forces and LGBT Americans. “Please be advised that the US military will not accept or allow Transgender individuals to serve in any capacity in the U.S. Military,” Tweets Donald J Trump. This careless action denounced any present or future (current administration) presidential support for our transgender equality efforts and showed our America where he stood. Not to be redundant, but we (yet once again) were appalled.

 

Not that this guy ever makes sense, but WHY would this come out now? Out of all of his failing the people with the Paris Peace Treaty, endangered species acts, health care bills, pipelines and off shore drilling, why now does he decide to attack our LGBT community? BEAU needed some help trying to figure this out. So naturally, we turn to our LGBT Papa, Charlie Smith for help understanding… WTF?!?

 

“45 feels we are an easy target,” says Charlie with his famous ‘just try it you bastard’ grin. “But he’s going to find out that’s not the case. Strong coalitions have been built. The military has worked the transgender community into the process and they’re comfortable with it.” Charlie believes that Trump is acting in terms of what’s described in the book, Shock Doctrine as “disaster capitalism.” If you haven’t heard of this please check it out. You can read a synopsis here: http://www.naomiklein.org/shock-doctrine

 

Basically, Shock Doctrine reveals corporate tactics of taking over during or immediately following devastation in efforts to regroup and dominate. But what really happens in the end is corporate monopoly where the country becomes economically dependent on the success of the monopoly.

 

Charlie says that’s the tactic Trump has been using all along. His efforts are to destroy so that he can rebuild to create his corporate engineered regime where Trump businesses and affiliates benefit from profit without a care for the people or planet. Right now, Trump is hitting in different areas to create havoc between our communities while extracting the anti-equality/bigoted fanatics to help him by provoking peaceful protesting. “What’s a big group that he can distract and throw everyone off in another direction far away from something else important?” Says Charlie confirming Trump’s efforts to distract using our community as bait. “Disrupt and then steal. That’s what he does.”

 

Charlie laughs at Trumps futile attempt to band transgender people from our military. “He profits on what falls out. He’s not the first by any means. Disruption in general as a government policy is a tactic that has been used for a long time. But the LGBT community is very engaged,” says Charlie with pride, “we are because we have to be. He thinks we are the perfect targets to ‘wag the dog’ and distract from other internal attacks. His tactics will pull in the anti-LGBT fanatics that will scream and shout, helping him to separate the forces and then destroy until he can implement his corporate takeover and profit.”

 

After a while of talking to Charlie, I realized that we do have to take this as a sign of resistance and fight back. However, Trump and his anti-LGBT ban has picked a fight with the wrong community. We are made up of a strength not financed by “daddy’s money,” but forged from decades of fighting. We will crush any attempt to infringe on our LGBT rights and freedoms. Our allies are strong and our people fierce. But just out of curiosity I had to ask Charlie what he thinks would happen if Trump did follow through with a pushing a ban on our transgender community. His response was pretty exact as he effortlessly bounced back, “I think they (Trump administration) will be sidelined and assumed for what they are. If he does manage to succeed, we should all be on the front lawn of the white house.”

Words and Photo by Maria Rivers

~Masterpiece~

Written by Gina Mocha

 

Oh! the pictures, the pictures, not from a frame.

It’s the conceptual feelings from a true love,

I have embedded in my brain of you

It makes me toss and turn all night having

Silhouette cameo images of us two.

 

When we sipped the finest of wine,

From the candlelit vineyard,

As we dined, tasting the purest of grape berries

And succulent plump strawberries hanging from a vine.

 

Oh! The luxuries I had when you were I used to call you mine.

Piece by piece from your head to your feet.

Every time I spoke of you;

The kind words were eloquently a unique design

Formed from the blood drippings of my heart

Pouring shimmery golden crimson colored lines.

As fine as the strings of the harp that played an angelic melody

in my mind of you;

Her masterpiece imagery united our chemistry.

In my soul, you had driven out the connections of my past

Insecurities;

You had brought life to my legacy of having a soul mate

Who shared the same likes as me;

The finest of them all; you lived in my mind so candidly.

 

I became like a swarm of honey bees sensing the sweetness from

Your melanin skin.

Your almond shaped hazel eyes, matched your perfect set of

Hershey shaped lips which left me often times feening and wishing

For a kiss.

 

I remembered how you would quench my thirst.

When I felt the pulsating beat of your heart, I knew I had been

Your first.

You are now one of my finest memories;

You have my body yearning and wanting to spend another night

With you.

 

My Masterpiece,

You’re my caramel chocolate coffee delight,

Oh! The estranged memories

I have of you being apart

Of my life.

 

Many same sex couples in a loving relationship consider growing their family. The Fertility Center of Charleston helps couples in the LGBT communities across the Southeast make the dream of parenthood a reality. Our previous LGBT patients are a wonderful resource. We can provide names of families who are willing to discuss their fertility journey. Even though each person’s story is unique, there are some guidelines for what to expect that can help get you started.

First, schedule a new patient consultation. A new patient consultation includes time with the physician, Dr. Stephanie Singleton, and the staff. “Just coming to our office often gives patient’s a feel for the compassionate environment and team at the core of our fertility mission. We believe that truly listening is the best way to begin a successful fertility journey,” says Dr. Singleton. The new patient consultation includes a history and physical and an ultrasound. It allows time for the couple to meet with their nurse to discuss the proposed tests and to meet with the financial counselor to determine insurance coverage and costs of the proposed studies.

The initial fertility evaluations will include the following:

• an evaluation of ovarian reserve (the ability to make eggs)
• the evaluation of the uterus and its ability to allow for implantation and to carry a pregnancy
• the determination of tubal patency (are the fallopian tubes open to allow the sperm and egg to come together for fertilization?)
• the determination of access to sperm

These evaluations include a transvaginal ultrasound, blood work and a hysterosalpingogram (HSG) study. The HSG is an x-ray study to place contrast dye into the uterine cavity and tubes to determine if they are normal and could allow for pregnancy. “At The Fertility Center of Charleston, I conduct the hysterosalpingogram (HSG) evaluations in a caring and convenient setting to evaluate each patient for uterine anomalies/abnormalities and tubal patency for infertility. Together with the ultrasound and blood work, we get a good idea of fertility and can begin making decisions about next steps.”

It usually only takes approximately one month to get testing done and to schedule a follow up appointment with Dr. Singleton to discuss treatment options. Each treatment plan varies depending upon the individual situation. “There are really strong treatment options for LGBT couples seeking parenthood. Reproductive endocrinology as a specialty has opened for the same sex community and provides options that can make having children possible for many families. We are excited to be a part of that growth,” says Dr. Singleton.

 

To contact The Fertility Center of Charleston new patient coordinator, please call 843-881-7400. More information and online appointment requests are available at www.fertilitycharleston.com Offices are located conveniently in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina and Savannah, Georgia.

Dr. Stephanie Singleton is a proud member of Charleston’s LGBTA Community.

Attention my fellow LGBTQ community and our amazing allied (A) supporters. Today Trump has attacked our community hitting us directly in the heart. He has disgraced and denied our transgender solders to serve our country in the United States Military. This is disgusting. As Charleston’s OUT Crowd we need to bond together and rally to fight this ignorant move. Please take 3 minutes and watch this video to see our first step in fighting back. We will NOT rest until we have equality for our respected and honored, transgender solders. They fight for all of our rights. Now it’s time we fight for theirs.