ABCs Of Kink

Transgender Protection by Jurisdiction

August 20, 2014 by ABCs Of Kink

Recently an acquaintance of mine posted an article from May, about the city of Somerville, MA enacting public accommodations protections for transgender people by adding the term “gender identity and expression” to the city’s anti-discrimination policy. My friend also mentioned that he’s been working with his city’s Aldermen to put together language for legislation so that his city might update their municipal code.

The article he posted mentions

58% of surveyed transgender people in Massachusetts report suffering harassment or mistreatment in places of public accommodation

and that

implementing a policy like this is part of a progressive effort in Massachusetts to provide protections for all residents of the Commonwealth

Please read the full article here: Somerville Becomes Sixth Jurisdiction in Massachusetts to Enact Public Accommodations Protections for Members of the Transgender Community

My friend was working with his city, Melrose, to follow suit and is hopeful changes will pass soon. This was a great reminder that every one of us has the power to change our local politics with a little bit of thoughtfulness and effort. Participation in our community is a transformative power we all have the potential to engage.

What city do you live in? Perhaps that city’s municipal language needs some attention or an update? Consider helping your community join Boston, Northampton, Amherst, Cambridge, and Salem to protect all the people whom, regardless of their gender identity or expression, you live near.

We are in our world together, and rich for it. Like the sign in the photo above aptly points out, “injury to one is an injury to all”.

To Breath and Being,
~ Karin

If you like my blog, please check out my Patreon Page and consider supporting me, or just click here: Support the Artist

~Thank you.

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Be an ABCs contributor: Do you have a story or perspective to share about kink or would you like to promote a kinky event? Email Karin directly at: Karin @ ABCsOfKink . com or fill out the as-anonymous-as-you-want-it-to-be feedback form below and you could see your writing published as a part of Wednesday’s “Perspectives on Kink: Conversations with the Community” blog on this site. Don’t know what to write about? Consider answering some of the Survey Questions I posted recently. Happy writing, and thanks!

Filed Under: Perspectives on Kink Blog Tagged With: GLBT politics, legally protect your community, municipal language, transgender public protection, transgender rights

Fear and Faith

August 18, 2014 by ABCs Of Kink

Naked Mole Rats. Photo by Edward Russell

I woke up
My parents were divorced
Both sets of Grandparents
Divorced
I didn’t know my Great Grandparents, except my Great Grandmother
Her husband died before I was born
Three of my four Aunts
Divorced
I’m divorced

The marriage lasting so far in my family
Is the one between my born-again Christian missionary Aunt
And her high school boyfriend
They have a litter of kids and live in Guatamala

I wonder
Are fear and faith sitting in line with one another
A continuum strengthening as well as destroying relationships of all type and sort
I think community holds the middle
Naked Mole Rats crawling over one another
Blind but figuring it out together

The smell of our loved ones makes us safe

Ritual
Coming together
Sounding off on the finer, admirable aspects of humanity
Advice to the lowliest points in ourselves
Voice that with faith we move on, there is a way
But without our tribe, who keeps the heart strong
What path is discoverable

I am not religious
I do not believe faith belongs to God fearing masses
But beneath the dogma, cults might do something right
Our bones know the need for others
Wrapped into their traditions, they fulfill

Come to dinner with me
Bend your face to mine
Talk bloodrush and sorrow, joy, trepidation, adventure, and fear
Daydream with me

Therapy has helped
Outstretched fingers of my friends leading me from darkness too many times to count
Partners and family and loved ones crawling over one another in the dark
We fight, we fuck, we love, we cuddle, we learn

Paralysis is no fodder for connection

Your warm hand on my shoulder releases me
Helps me find faith
That love is worth the work
The work is overcoming fear

To Breath and Being,
~ Karin

If you like my blog, please check out my Patreon Page and consider supporting me, or just click here: Support the Artist

~Thank you.

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Filed Under: Brain on Download Blog Tagged With: community keeps people together, divorce, fear vs faith, naked mole rats, relationship quandries

B is for BUILDING OUT A VAN

August 15, 2014 by ABCs Of Kink

I am in the throes of preparing for a nine month cross country tour! I bought a huge and ridiculous vehicle today, and can’t wait until it’s ready to bring home and retrofit into a a place to live… Because of the crazy in my day, I’m taking this blog entry to a simpler place than most Fridays and asking YOU a question…

Here’s what I would LOVE: please comment below, PM me, email your thoughts, or comment on the facebook page about what a good cargo-van-turned-home-for-a-year might look like… What features would your vehicle/home have? Here’s a pic of what I’ve got:

How should I outfit this for 9 months on the road?

Here’s one direction we could go (should everything be glued down):

Photo by Founders4

But I want to think about our buildout a little less conventionally… All ideas and images are welcome! Have a great weekend my friends – oh, and if there’s anywhere in the US we should check out while my partner and I are on the road, send me that info too! I’d love to check out kink spaces and meet interesting and wonderful people from everywhere we end up going.

To Breath and Being,
~ Karin

If you like my blog, please check out my Patreon Page and consider supporting me, or just click here: Support the Artist

~Thank you.

###

Filed Under: ABCs Blog Tagged With: kinky people across the USA, turn my van into a home