We are excited to share today that the Social Security Administration has finally changed the gender marker policy from one that requires a form of surgery that is permanently  sterilizing to one that only requires a doctor’s letter that affirms their patient’s self determined gender. We want to thank our colleagues at NCTE and NGLTF for their hard work on this important change! To read the policy go here.

Why is this such a big victory for trans people, especially those who are low income, disabled and/or people of color?
Our work prioritizes access to gender affirming identity documents for trans people who are low income, immigrants, disabled, people of color and in prison.  We do this work because ID policies worsen already high levels of danger and vulnerability when dealing with police, impact ability to get healthcare, housing and education and keep people safer from transphobic violence.

Surgery policies, like the former Social Security Administration regulation, create huge obstacles for poor people and people of color who may not be able to afford nor want a form of surgery that is permanently sterilizing (See SRLP former attorney Gabriel Arkles’ article Prisons as a Tool for Reproductive Oppression for more information on this).

SRLP and community based organizations have advocated on the local level to bring New York City’s policies in line with ones that affirm self determination. Collectively we have won victories from city agencies such as the Department of Homeless Services, the foster care system, Human Resources Administration (which administers welfare benefits), the Department of Motor Vehicles and the NYPD, all of which have changed their gender policies.

At the state level we have successfully advocated with the Department of Correctional Services and the Juvenile Justice system to affirm people’s preferred names and genders, change the way they administer transition-related healthcare, and to allow placements according to individual self determination of safety.

The work of SRLP and our allies on the federal level resulted in changes to the US passport policy and immigration gender marker policy. Both agencies now no longer require surgery to change one’s gender marker.

While we do not believe that medical evidence should ever be required to affirm a person’s gender identity, we do believe that today’s announcement marks  a huge victory for low income people, and/or people of color who are trans, gender non conforming and intersex.

Congratulations to NCTE and everyone whose work made today’s victory possible!

The post SRLP Contributes to Social Security Victory! appeared first on SRLP (Sylvia Rivera Law Project).

Their workshop, Transgender Injustice: Police Encounters and Incarceration, A Know Your Rights Workshop runs from 2:20 to 3:40 in room 102A.  Check it out!

To find out more information click here!

The post SRLP Presents at Philly Trans Health Conference! appeared first on SRLP (Sylvia Rivera Law Project).

The Williams Institute at University of California Los Angeles awarded SRLP attorney Pooja Gehi with the 2012 Dukeminier Award & The Ezekiel Webber Prize for her recent law review article.

Pooja’s article, Gendered (In)Security: Migration and Criminalization in the Security State was originally published in by Harvard’s  Journal of Law & Gender and was selected to receive a Dukeminier Award recognizing the best law review articles on sexual orientation and gender identity topics of 2012! To read Pooja’s article click here.

Congratulations Pooja!

The post SRLP Attorney Pooja Gehi Honored by UCLA’s Williams Institute! appeared first on SRLP (Sylvia Rivera Law Project).

Both grassroots fundraising director Ola Osaze & membership director Reina Gossett made it into BuzzFeed last week.  Ola’s studious subway reading was captured here and Reina was profiled about her blog, which you can read here!

The post SRLP Mentioned On BuzzFeed! appeared first on SRLP (Sylvia Rivera Law Project).

Check out this amazing speech by Angela Davis, during which she names the importance of disability justice and trans activism in the prison abolition movement. She also holds up the work & lives of Miss Major Eric A Stanley, Cece McDonald, Beth Ritchie, and our very own Dean Spade!

Brilliant!

The post Angela Davis on Dean Spade’s Normal Life, Miss Major, Trans Activism & Abolition appeared first on SRLP (Sylvia Rivera Law Project).

Thanks to SRLP community for sharing the news about the press conference this morning to end Secure Communities and Stop and Frisk!  It was a great success, with many organizations sharing their visions and strategies to end policing practices that harm low income, people of color communities!

The post Success: Protest at City Hall to End Secure Communities & Stop and Frisk appeared first on SRLP (Sylvia Rivera Law Project).

Saturday, May 18th, 2013, 5-9PM. Bidding ends at 8pm sharp!
Judson Memorial Church, 55 Washington Square S., NYC *Wheelchair accessible*

VIDEO: SRLP’s 8th ANNUAL SMALL WORKS for BIG CHANGE!

VIDEO: SRLP’s 8th ANNUAL SMALL WORKS for BIG CHANGE the MUSIC VIDEO!

Featuring:

MC’d by Chanel International
Performances by Justin Vivian Bond and Yozmit!
Music by DJ Tikka Masala

For more info and full list of artists go to:
http://srlp.org/bigchange

ABOUT SWBC!
SW4BC has been a wonderful success story for the Sylvia Rivera Law Project: in the past 8 years, over 70 organizing host committee members and more than 300 progressive, transgressive, and cutting-edge artists have generously donated hundreds of visionary works of art! This vibrant annual celebration reflects the radical spirit of SRLP, as well as the experimental energy of some of New York’s most innovative established and emerging contemporary artists. 100% of the event’s proceeds will benefit SRLP’s crucial work for gender self-determination. The event is free to the public, and will including a silent auction with affordable price points beginning at $10, featuring photography, painting, drawing, sculpture, textile pieces and mixed media installations. More information at http://srlp.org/bigchange

The post New videos for SRLP’s 8th Annual Small Works for Big Change appeared first on SRLP (Sylvia Rivera Law Project).

HEY QUEEN! presents: 3rd Annual Benefit for SRLP & Official After Party of Small Works Big Change
Saturday, May 18, 10pm-4am
Public Assembly, 70 N 6th St, Brooklyn, NY

Sliding Scale $5-$50, 100% of Proceeds to benefit Sylvia Rivera Law Project!
Purchase your after party advanced tickets NOW: http://heyqueen.eventbrite.com/
Why advanced tickets? We have limited capacity and we don’t want folks to have to show up and not get in. So secure your ticket today.

PERFORMANCE by GEO WYETH [http://geoxxxwyeth.tumblr.com/]
MUSIC by: DJ Angel (Prime), DJ Ushka (iBomba, Azucar), DJ Average Jo (Yes Ma’am, On the Floor w/ the Dance Cartel)
PHOTOS by SYD LONDON
Public Assembly is wheelchair accessible. Gender neutral bathroom access.

More info about after party/Invite friends: http://www.facebook.com/events/154347978075739/

* * *

About Small Works for Big Change

The Sylvia Rivera Law Project Collective brings you our 8th Annual Small Works for Big Change Benefit Art Event
http://srlp.org/bigchange
Saturday, May 18, 5-9pm. **BIDDING ENDS AT 8PM SHARP*
Judson Memorial Church, 55 Washington Square South, New York, NY

Featuring:
MC’d by Chanel International, Performances by Justin Vivian Bond and Yozmit!, Music by DJ Tikka Masala
Fabulous art (see list at http://srlp.org/bigchange)

More info/Invite friends: https://www.facebook.com/events/383676535064124/

The post Buy your after party tickets now – Small Works for Big Change is Saturday! appeared first on SRLP (Sylvia Rivera Law Project).

Katrina del Mar

“Slapfight aftermath (handprints) Deelo & Katrina 2012″

2012

Medium: Digital Cprint on metallic paper

Dimensions: 8″W x 10”H

Minimum Bid: $150

Value: $500

Katrina del Mar is a New York-based art and commercial photographer, as well as an award winning film director. Her work has been described as beautiful exuding an intimate chemistry and also as filth of the highest quality. Katrina herself has been described as a major league cutie, a wild woman, the Lesbian Russ Meyer, and apparently, the lesbian stepchild of Kenneth Anger.

The post “Slapfight aftermath (handprints) Deelo & Katrina 2012″ by Katrina del Mar appeared first on SRLP (Sylvia Rivera Law Project).

Adee Roberson

“VENUS XTRAVAGANZA”

Minimum Bid: $50

http://blackpineappleadee.tumblr.com/
http://blacksaltcollective.tumblr.com/

The post “VENUS XTRAVAGANZA” by Adee Roberson appeared first on SRLP (Sylvia Rivera Law Project).