Today at noon, Thursday, Mar 12, on National Public Radio - NPR - WHRV, 89.5 FM, Barbara Hamm Lee of "Hear Say with Cathy Lewis" interviewed Tona Brown, a local member of the Hampton Roads Transgender community, Dr. Saundra Winstead, a physician who works for the Park Place Medical Center Transition Your Life Clinic, and Dr. Deanna Carpenter, a psychology professor at Christopher Newport University who specializes in gender identity and has worked with transgender support groups and outreach programs. Malcolm Venable from the Virginian-Pilot joining us via phone briefly at the top of the show. 
His story on Transgender silicone ‘pumping’ brought the local Hampton Roads Transgender community to the attention of "Hear Say".
In a press release, "Hear Say's main goal is to dispel myths that surround the word ‘Transgender’ and cover the issue in a way that is not salacious, as some media coverage of the topic tends to be. Also, given the guest list, we will discuss some health issues that are specific concerns within the Transgender community."
Ms. Lee accomplished her goals. This may have been the most positive interview I have ever heard. Unlike Operah, Dr. Phil, et al the subject of Transgender was treated with dignity and respect. In less than an hour, they covered Tona's experiences as a Transgender woman, 
Transgender definitions which is worth more than an hour in itself, health care, discrimination, ignorance, the Gender Identity Disorder controversy, lack of Transgender education for health care professionals, social justice issues and legal issues.
Transgender definitions which is worth more than an hour in itself, health care, discrimination, ignorance, the Gender Identity Disorder controversy, lack of Transgender education for health care professionals, social justice issues and legal issues. These are all issues which New Life Transgender Outreach and the Gender Expression Project at The Rainbow Bridge Connection are addressing now and in the near future.
If you didn't hear the broadcast, you can listen to the wonderful interview on the "Hear Say" web site. Thank you WHRV. Thank you Barbara Hamm Lee.
2 comments:
This is great! I am so sick of people thinking there is something wrong with transgender people. I would think people were used to being accepting by now, with different races, sexual identities, styles, etc becoming generally acceptable.
It seems that each new thing that the general public is confronted with poses the same challenge to their ability to accept and understand.
I am excited to hear about this interview, and it's certainly a step in the right direction, but I feel like "This is not enough!" I love npr and I think it is the most intelligent media outlet around, but so many people don't even know what it is. I wish this sort of information could be disseminated on a larger scale.
I was confronted with a girl in my class the other day who saw transgender folk on Maury (day-time talk shows are disgusting) and she was so close minded about transgenderism. I tried to get some compassion from her, but she didn't seem to care that these people face much opposition from the public. I became extremely frustrated. I wanted to scream and throw things and walk out of the class. I just had to accept her inability to relate...but it really hurt.
Interesting post you got here. It would be great to read more concerning this topic. The only thing I would like to see here is a few photos of some gadgets.
David Kripke
Block phone
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