The Absurdity of Blood Donation Restrictions for Gay Men After the Orlando Shooting

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Published by The Huffington Post.

In the wake of the tragic mass shooting at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida, on June 12, in which 49 LGBT+ individuals were killed and 53 injured, many questions have been raised about how this vicious hate crime was allowed to happen and how its kind can be prevented in the future. Gun laws in America have been debated ferociously in the last few years and even more so now as 13,286 people were killed and 26,819 injured by firearms in the US in 2015 alone. While gun control and background checks on gun buyers are being widely criticised, many have also been outraged following the shooting in Orlando for a very different reason.

In the aftermath of such a tragedy, it’s only natural for everyone, particularly members of the LGBT+ community, to want to do something, anything, to aid those who have been injured. A great way to help those still wounded and, in some cases, fighting for their lives in hospital is to donate blood, which many people in Orlando have been queuing up in streets to do. It is absurd, however, that one group of people is yet again being segregated in the process: gay men.

Despite the urgent need for donations, homosexual and bisexual men who have been sexually active within the last year are still not being allowed to donate blood; and, furthermore, are being refused the opportunity to show solidarity and much needed support for fellow members of the LGBT+ community injured in this hateful attack.

The outdated and discriminatory restrictions on gay men giving blood, which were established in the early 1980s as a panicked reaction to the HIV/AIDS epidemic, unequivocally show that homophobia is not something now only kept alive by a tiny minority of fanatics and religious extremists, but something that is deeply embedded within our society and our institutions. It shows the painful irony that the homophobia which motivated 29-year-old gunman Omar Mateen to open fire on innocent people is the same homophobia quietly ingrained in our health services that is restricting men who have sex with men from donating to those suffering as a result of this mass homophobic attack by so-called Islamic State.

At this very moment in America, it is easier for a member of the public to obtain a firearm capable of killing and wounding hundreds of people than it is for a sexually active monogamous gay man to donate blood.

Blood banks in Orlando are overwhelmed by people queuing for hours. – but many gay man cannot donate blood.https://t.co/C1AA8BI61R

— Channel 4 News (@Channel4News) June 13, 2016

 

Although there used to be a complete ban on gay men giving blood, these rules were changed in America on December 21, 2015, as the FDA issued guidance for the deferral of donations from men who have sex with men and allowed them to donate blood after remaining celibate for one year. While appearing to be a step forward in the eradication of these old rules which, according to the American Medical Association, were discriminatory and without a solid scientific justification, men who have sex with men are still being discriminated against based on their sexual behaviour, something that heterosexual men who wish to donate blood are not judged on.

On this basis, a heterosexual man who has unprotected sex with several partners would be allowed to give blood, while a homosexual man in a monogamous relationship would be refused. When examined from this angle, the restrictions on men in same-sex relationships giving blood still appear to be based on the stigma of sexual promiscuity attached to gay men, showing that the eligibility of gay men to donate blood does appear to be based on their sexual history while the eligibility to donate for straight men is not scrutinised in this way.

In the UK, our health service has similar restrictions on blood donation as the NHS Blood and Transplant service also have a year-long deferral on men who have sex with men giving blood. The NHS claim this decision ‘isn’t discriminatory’ and is not ‘based on anyone’s sexual history or sexuality’ but that the guidelines recommended by the Department of Health merely ‘reflect statistical risks for the sexual behaviour that increases the risk of virus transmission’.

Refusing to take a gay person’s blood even though you need it to save a gay person’s life is adding insult to injury. #PulseShooting

— Fabian. (@warpedrhythm) June 12, 2016

 

While stating that the restrictions are not based on sexual history and then contradicting that statement in the same breath, we can see that our health services and organisations here in the UK, too, despite their objections, seem to be basing the eligibility to give blood on an outdated and backwards stigma attached to homosexual and bisexual men.

As some countries like Argentina have completely lifted the ban on men in same-sex relationships giving blood and have recognised that this decision is ‘scientifically and technically accurate‘, the restrictions on blood donations still in place in America, Britain and in many countries around the world serve as a reminder that religious and societal homophobia is continuing to cloud people’s judgement, fuel hatred and social stigma, and inspire violence.

As we come to terms with the tragic loss of life and continue to express our solidarity and support with the victims of the Orlando shooting in the face of mindless homophobia and terrorism, these discriminatory rules are being brought into question and scrutinised under the public spotlight now more than ever before, as we ask ourselves: what is the real reason why a monogamous gay man cannot give blood while a heterosexual man with an indeterminate number of sexual partners would be welcome to donate?

What do you think of the restrictions on gay men giving blood? Let me know in the comment section below.

Dismantling Islamophobia: The Qur’an According to Muslims – CultNoise Project

After the Paris attacks, I came up with the idea to compile a collection of quotes and stories from Muslims and/or people who have studied the Qur’an to address and dismantle the onslaught of Islamophobia being directed an innocent Muslims and refugees who are being wrongly associated with terrorism. We got some great and really fascinating quotes after appeaing for contributors and I hope everyone enjoys reading them. If you have any thoughts, please let me know in the comment section below.

A big thank you to Matt Sloan and Rania Mattar from CultNoise for helping me put the piece together, and thank you to the people who contributed.

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Published by CultNoise magazine.

In the wake of the Paris terror attacks last week (November 13), we have unfortunately, but sadly not surprisingly, seen a huge backlash against the Muslim community with everything from ignorant and abusive posts on social media, to news reports of racially motivated assaults against innocent Muslims. In response to the onslaught of Islamophobia that followed the attacks, CultNoise appealed to readers who are Muslim and/or have studied the Qur’an to tell us what the religion of Islam truly stands for.

In order to illustrate that no religion is inherently good or evil, it’s down to how people choose to interpret it, we asked our readers to share their stories and interpretations of Islam to create a genuine and accurate picture of the religion. We at CultNoise believe that all forms of discrimination are unacceptable, and Islamophobia, too, should not be tolerated. ISIS and other extremist groups are not representative of Islam or any other religion, as our contributors told us:

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“The representation of Islam in my last twenty years of comprehension has become so warped, that I myself find it difficult to have my single voice of reason heard in a sea of Islamophobia.

Throughout history and recent times, it is evident that our Western politicians need to find and infamously hail a scapegoat. In our current affairs, it seems to be Muslims and Islam.

‘Whoever kills a human being it shall be as if he has killed all of mankind, and whoever so saves the life of one, it shall be as if he saved the life of all mankind.‘ – Chapter 5; verse 32, Qur’an.

This is the single sentence that cannot be emphasised, highlighted, shared and understood enough.

Islam is a religion that perpetuates peace and love among brothers and sisters, a phrase that the right wing and Islamophobes are tired of hearing and have never believed in. Regardless, I’ll still continue to write and share and educate those around me who are ignorant as best as possible. I’ll try not to hold my breath, and thrust my head into my hands with frustration and preparation of my defence, my condemning of a terror act, anytime I hear or see of an attack. I’ll keep doing so and hopefully my sisters, aged 3 and 6-years-old, won’t have to endure bullying for their skin colour or religion. They won’t have to deal with offensive language scrawled in black marker on their front doors. Hopefully, those will be incidents that voices like mine can end.”

– Sidrah Choudhry, full-time international politics student

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“The Qur’an 6:151 says: ‘…and do not kill a soul that God has made sacrosanct, save lawfully,’ i.e. murder is forbidden but the death penalty imposed by the state for a crime is permitted.

5:53 says: ‘…whoso kills a soul, unless it be for murder or for wreaking corruption in the land, it shall be as if he had killed all mankind; and he who saves a life, it shall be as if he had given life to all mankind.’

This is the most important point in the Qur’an discussing how murder is strictly forbidden.”

– Nora Adlouni, CultNoise writer

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“The Qur’an does not condone violence. I have studied the Qur’an and Islamic sciences growing up for more than 12 years. I don’t identify with a lot of the teachings anymore. But it’s fair to say that Islam, like most religions out there, aims to establish an ethical code through which people can coexist in peace and harmony.

Generally speaking, many verses in the Qur’an promote peace and see it as the ultimate goal. It would be disingenuous, however, to say that there aren’t verses that condone violence. They are explicitly applicable to specific situations. And some verses are just plain intolerance and cruelty. However, in this sense, the Qur’an is not any different than any other ancient text – the Bible for instance – in which the portrayed God takes a very rigid stance on many subjects, such as homosexuality, extramarital relationships and many other topics.

Trying to prove, however, that there are no parts of the Qur’an that condone violence would be like trying to prove that the Bible does not condone violence. But any sensible person who reads the Bible would say that by today’s standards, some parts of it do. And the same goes for the Qur’an. But the overall message is a message of peace, and the overall objective of the religion is to be an ethical guide.  

In the context of taking innocent lives, the Qur’an’s standpoint is in Surah 5 Verse 32: ‘…whoever kills a soul unless for a soul or for corruption [done] in the land – it is as if he had slain mankind entirely. And whoever saves one – it is as if he had saved mankind entirely.’ But even in this verse, where the Qur’an makes it a heinous crime to take a life, it does make exceptions: ‘…unless for a soul or for corruption [done] in the land.’ And this is what the radicals feed on. Because that part is open to interpretation to some extent. But I think ultimately, if someone wants to commit evil, then they would interpret anything as a message of evil.”

– Mohamed Arab, Heriot-Watt University

Mohamed’s views are his own and not representative of his employer.

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What does the Qur’an mean to you? Let us know in the comment section below.

Featured image courtesy of Muhammad Ghouri via Flickr.

 

CultNoise Appeal: Dismantling Islamophobia after Paris Attacks – Get Involved!

Published by and re-posted from CultNoise magazine.

– Please contribute to our CultNoise project if you can in order to dismantle prejudice attitudes. –

In light of the terrible events on Friday (November 13), in which approximately 127 civilians were killed in Paris through a series of terror attacks reportedly committed by ISIS, we at CultNoise are appealing for readers to get involved in dismantling the onslaught of Islamophobia and racist posts that filled Facebook timelines and Twitter feeds in the aftermath of the attacks. These posts have inspired many people to take to social media in response and to dispel the myths and misconceptions of Islam:

ISLAM IS NOT A RELIGION OF VIOLENCE pic.twitter.com/oJ7yELEf9m

— sajl (@spiralbass) November 14, 2015

//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

While many have jumped to blaming the entire Islamic faith, verbally abusing innocent Muslims, and inciting hatred and racism, we are appealing for Muslims and/or people who have studied the Quran to share their opinions with us to be included in a piece demonstrating what Islam truly stands for. As many are falsely starting to believe that Islam teaches, condones and promotes violence, we want to hear the real story and to show that Islam is a religion that teaches peace and harmony, not of violence and cruelty; to show that ISIS violates Islamic beliefs and teachings. We aim to illustrate that extremism and radicalisation are not representative of any religion, and that the so-called Islamic beliefs of ISIS militants are merely twisted and contorted to match their own violent agenda.

Image courtesy of Flickr.

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How to get involved:

If you would like to contribute with your thoughts on what Islam means to you, please send an email to pitches@cultnoise.com, including the following email address in the CC line: politicaleditor@cultnoise.com and lifestyleeditor@cultnoise.com. Please include:

– Your name

– Age

– Occupation

– And your opinion on what Islam represents for you

If you would instead prefer to remain anonymous in your contribution, simply let us know. We want to create a genuine article with real opinions, therefore your words will not be changed or misinterpreted, nor will we reveal your identity in any way. However, hate speech for Islam or any other religion will not be tolerated nor published.

We very much appreciate any contribution from our readers, especially in this case, as we feel passionately about dismantling all kinds of discrimination and prejudice. Thank you from all of us here at CultNoise Magazine.

Header image courtesy of Themeplus via Flickr. Edited with Canva by Sophie McNaughton.

Editing @ The University Paper, Glasgow – Freshers Edition

The Freshers edition (September/October) of ‘The University Paper, Glasgow’ with me as Editor is now live online!

As the newly appointed Editor for the Glasgow edition of The University Paper, I am thrilled to be able to share the online version of this month’s edition with you all! It was a really great first edition for the new academic year and a lot of fun to put together (despite the stress!) and it’s something that I and all the writers can be proud of.

There’s nothing quite like picking up a newspaper and seeing your name in print but it’s also handy to have an online version too so that anyone from anywhere in the world can have a look at the stories we found including: a Strathclyde graduate who has invented a rape/personal attack alarm with GPS and audio, fascinating research indicating that Scottish universities are less likely to accept students from disadvantaged backgrounds and much more!

You can also find the articles I wrote for this edition in png form below –

(Click on the images to zoom in)

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The next edition of The University Paper, Glasgow will be distributed on October 26 so stay tuned for more Glasgow news stories, comment pieces, music articles, interviews, sport and much more!

If you’re a student studying in Glasgow and you’d like to write or photograph for The University Paper, please email me at: glasgowedition@unipaper.co.uk

Let me know what you think of these articles in the comment section below!

Guest Blog: “Comparative Racism” by Ellen Hawley

Introducing moon child guest blogger: Ellen Hawley!

My name is Ellen Hawley and I am an American living in Britain. I have published three novels: The Divorce Diet (Kensington Press; 2015), Open Line (Coffee House Press; 2008), and Trip Sheets (Milkweed Editions; 1998).

I blog at Notes from the U.K. and have worked as an editor, a cab driver, a radio talk show host, a janitor, an assembler, a file clerk, and for four fun-filled hours a receptionist. I have also taught writing. I have never worked as a lion tamer and, at this stage in life, I am unlikely to.

You can also follow Ellen’s work on her website.

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“Comparative Racism” by Ellen Hawley

For better and for worse, the US has a reputation. Big cars, loud voices, outsize promises. It’s the place British writers send a character when they can’t resolve his or her situation at home and they’re not willing to write a tragic ending. It promises freedom, opportunity, vast stretches of land. And – oops – racism. We’re known for that too.

I say “we” because although I live in Cornwall and have become a British citizen, I was born and raised in the U.S. Ask me my nationality and the odds are I’ll say “American” before I remember that I have two.

Our American version of original sin was stealing the land from the Native Americans, and we compounded that by basing our developing economy on slavery. But injustice is never stable, so we needed laws, police forces, armies, vigilante groups, everyday beliefs, and religious interpretations to keep all the pieces—and the people—in their places. Racism sank it roots deep into our culture and our consciousness. Hundreds of years later, no one grows up there unaffected by it.

All of which you may already know. I don’t know you and it’s hard to know where to start anyway. The topic’s huge. I’ve started this essay three times already. Even a small chunk of the topic is more than I can do justice to. Sophie lives in Scotland, though, and asked me what racism’s like in the U.S. Since I don’t know where you – her readers – live, I’ll address her question as best I can and hope it’s of some use to you.

What’s the U.S. like now that we’re all officially free and equal? The laws designed to keep the races separate and unequal have been repealed and the army no longer fights the Native American tribes, but we live with our history. Here’s a quick and wildly incomplete report.

Back in the mid-1960s when I went out with a black man (I’m white), heads turned when we walked down the street. Literally: If I looked behind us, I’d often find that people had turned to stare once they thought we wouldn’t notice. Some didn’t wait that long. And that was in cosmopolitan New York. In parts of the South, he could easily have been killed for going out with me. Or walking down the street with me, regardless of what our relationship was or wasn’t.

Today. the shock is gone and the physical threat is gone. White families that would once have turned their backs on a mixed-race descendant now include and treasure them. (I use the phrases race and mixed race for lack of anything better; race is a myth, and I know it.) In some families that happened easily and in others it was a battle, but it happened all the same. I’m sure a few families are exceptions, but I’d bet not that many. Of the ones who include and treasure, not all are wise enough to do it well, but change is never smooth and easy, and this is a change. A small but also a huge one.

Times change, and it’s always personal.

I should add that my experience comes from the North. Parts of the South may not have gotten around to taking it in their stride yet.

Another thing that’s changed is that racial name calling now carries a social stigma and people who indulge in it complain about that, waving the banner of free speech; although the people shutting them up are exercising their free speech as surely as the name-callers are. Nothing in the Constitution guarantees the right to not hear it from other people when they think you’re an asshole. What the Constitution says about free speech is that Congress shall make no law abridging it. It’s not Congress that’s holding the name-callers back, it’s public opinion, and that really, really pisses them off.

But in spite the changes in law and culture, the average income of blacks and Native Americans is far lower than that of whites. Segregation of schools and neighborhoods continues, although no law enforces it. Some horrifying percent of young black men are in prison, and having been convicted of felonies will never vote or get a decent job (if they ever had one to begin with) again. Blacks are more likely to be stopped by the police, beaten by the police, killed by the police, and charged with more serious offenses for the same cause. Forgive me if I don’t trot out statistics. I’m a disaster with numbers. If you want them, they’re there to be found.

Not that many years ago, someone did a study of hiring practices by sending out two versions of the same resumes, one with a name that sounded African-American, the other with one that could assume was white. Guess which one wasn’t offered an interview? I don’t know how many they sent out – again, you don’t want to trust me around numbers – but enough to see a pattern.

We’re none of us out from under the shadow.

So we have a body of black people who don’t see any way to get at the American dream. Predictably, they’re angry. The Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s raised hopes and changed some things, but not enough. When the tide of hope receded, it left a ring of bitterness. Do you know the Langston Hughes poem: What Happens to a Dream Deferred?

Does it dry up
like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore—
And then run?
Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over—
like a syrupy sweet?

Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load.

Or does it explode?

If you’re white, you can live your entire life in the same country and never know what it’s like to live there in a black or brown skin, and you can manage not to know what they’re so angry about. Slavery ended a long time ago. What’s their problem?

I sound like I’m being a wise-ass there. I am a wise-ass, but I’ve seen those words, written in not quite that order. As a serious question or statement.

We also have a body of whites who feel aggrieved by what has changed. They can’t forgive Obama for being (a) black and (b) the president. Some of them will say that outright and others won’t, but either way he just drives them nuts. Their sense of grievance is wider and deeper than just Obama, but that’s enough to give you a sense of it. Huge topic. Limited space. We’ll stop with that one example. When a group loses its privileged position – or even a small part of it – its members aren’t all going to smile and say, “Well, that’s a relief” – although an enlightened few may.

You’ve heard about the young black man shot by the police in Ferguson, Missouri, and about the fury that sparked. You may have heard about Trayvon Martin, an unarmed seventeen-year-old, shot by a vigilante who, having been charged with second-degree murder, was acquitted. The list goes on. With social media, suddenly it’s possible to track these incidents, to put them together, to start a #BlackLivesMatter movement. That’s part of the American reality. It’s not new, but the wider world is finally hearing about it.

Sophie asks if the U.S. is being demonized (actually, she said “demonised”) by the media stories. I wouldn’t say so. What you’re reading and hearing is true. We’re talking about a country built over a deep pool of bitterness, and we live at a time when it’s found a way to the surface. It’s not a pretty sight, but then it’s not a pretty reality. Making it visible may – just may – mean we stand any chance of changing a few more things.

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A few words from the primary blogger – I chose to feature a piece by Ellen because I found her work, particularly her blog post on the Cornwall Gay Pride, to be truly fascinating, intelligent and sophisticated. Ellen’s writing has an exceptional way of reveering the reader; to open their mind to new perspectives they may not have considered.

After talking with Ellen, we decided that a piece on comparative racism would make an interesting guest blog post and this piece is truly excellent. It begs a lot of questions about not only racism in America but racism all around the world, and furthermore encourages the reader ponder on their own humanity. This piece is very sobering, evocative and thought-provoking, and I can’t thank Ellen enough for allowing this piece to be featured on ‘moon child’.

Featured image courtesy of Ted Eytan via Flickr.

If you’d like to guest blog for ‘moon child’, visit the guest blogging page for more information.

Refugees Welcome: The People Have Spoken

Published by CultNoise Magazine.

Today, David Cameron finally bowed to the overwhelming public outcry, and immense national and international pressure urging Britain to do more to help in the Syrian refugee crisis.

Following the shocking image that went viral this week of three-year-old Syrian boy Aylan Kurdi who drowned and was washed up on a beach in Turkey as his family tried to flee to the Greek island of Kos, the British Prime Minister announced that Britain will act “with our head and our heart” and “accept thousands more” Syrians from refugee camps in countries bordering Syrian; in the hope that this move will discourage Syrians from taking the treacherous journey to Europe on boats organised by people smugglers which has already resulted in thousands of deaths at sea.

The disturbing and tragic image of Aylan Kurdi, who was buried in his hometown of Kobani today, and the story of the 71 refugees found dead in a lorry abandoned on an Austrian motorway this month have galvanized public interest in the urgency and scale the Syrian refugee crisis, sparked by the Syrian civil war which initially began in 2011.

While many have taken to social media to share their feelings of disgust that an image of a dead child was being “politicized” and that the use of such a photograph is “disrespectful”, these comments only illuminate how misdirected and ignorant attitudes in Britain still are in relation to this crisis.

The mere fact that such a young child like Kurdi and his five-year-old brother Galip and their mother Rehan were forced into a situation where they had to flee their home and seek asylum by embarking on a dangerous and unpredictable journey that resulted in their harrowing deaths is the part of this story that warrants a public outcry. The fact that this harrowing event was allowed to happen in the first place is what deserves to be acknowledged. The use of this, albeit disturbing, image does not deserve public angry in comparison with the suffering of tens of thousands of refugees. It is the crisis itself and the inaction to stop it that deserves public outrage – not a photograph.

While many have praised Britain’s role in proving aid and opening its doors to Syrian refugees, others have criticized the slow response and have said that accepting thousands rather than tens of thousands of refugees is simply not enough.

What remains clear is that much more must be done on a global scale to ease the suffering of refugees and we all have a part to play. It is now the time to put our religious and political differences aside and look within ourselves to find our compassion and humanity, and to recognize that this is not a migrant crisis – it is a humanitarian crisis.

It is the moral responsibility of all of us as citizens of developed countries to implore world leaders to act now. It is of paramount importance that we collect donations, raise awareness, hold vigils and demonstrations and shout about this issue until our voices are heard; until leaders around the world listen to the people. This is a time to temporarily forget about the rigidness of policies, legislation and formalities, and to acknowledge that this is the biggest and most devastating refugee crisis since the second World War.

At one time, there were thousands of Britons in need who sent their children, sometimes thousands of, miles away to the countryside and rural towns to escape the danger in the cities during WW2. We seem to have forgotten that at one time, Britons were seeking help and safety just as the Syrians and refugees from other nations are today, which is all the more reason to have empathy and compassion; and to offer help in the form of our various resources from donations and aid to welcoming refugees who want nothing more than safety, freedom and peace.

Image courtesy of Eoghan Rice / Trocaire via Flickr.

It is the time to dispel ignorance, racism and selfishness, and to instead offer help and support to those who need it most. The millions of people in Syria and other countries struggling in conflict and poverty are not just refugees or asylum seekers; they are human beings. They are people just like you and I with their own families, hopes, ambitions, dreams and sorrows, and they desperately need to be greeted with compassion and, above all, help.

A crisis of this scale is never going to be solved over night. There is only so much that any one country can do to help relieve the suffering of the refugees of the Syrian civil war. The solution to this crisis remains unclear, but what is clear, is that we should be doing more to help.

To contribute to the relief efforts, you can: gather clothes, shoes and toiletries to take down to your local collection point to donate; donate money through Oxfam or Save the Children; fundraise yourself; buy an item on the Amazon wish list for donation to refugees in Calais and Greece; donate directly to the relief efforts in Calais; attend a vigil in your city (Glasgow has sparked a series of “Sees Syria” events around the country); or anything at all that you can manage to do – every act of charity, no matter how small, will help.

No human being is illegal. Let’s create a world without borders. Refugees welcome.

What are your thoughts of the refugee crisis? Let us know in the comments section below.

Featured image courtesy of Haeferl via Wikipedia.

Header image courtesy of Leif Hinrichsen via Flickr.

Sophie’s Choice: I am Cait (TV review)

Published by Student Rag magazine.

Following on from the Keeping Up with The Kardashians: About Bruce special led the way for the newly unveiled Caitlyn Jenner’s E! documentary series: I am Cait. We’ve all seen that already iconic Vanity Fair cover (a victory in itself for transgender rights) and seen the tweets of support for Caitlyn from celebrities including Ariana Grande and Barack Obama, but I am Cait offers an authentic and unique glimpse into Caitlyn’s newly discovered world of hair, makeup, slumber parties and sleepovers as she goes through a “second adolescence”.

But after the fun dressing up part comes the more serious side of being a transgender individual as Caitlyn meets other transgender women who have some heart-breaking stories; experiencing everything from bullying, sex work, abuse and sexual violence; to disownment from their families and friends, poverty, homelessness, unemployment, depression and suicide.

As well as the physical transformation, the change in Caitlyn as a person is remarkable. Bruce Jenner was only seen crying once in KUWTK during Khloe Kardashian’s wedding episode, but as the born again Caitlyn Jenner in I am Cait; Caitlyn is drastically more sensitive, thoughtful and in touch with her emotions as the incredible stories she hears and the tremendous love and acceptance she receives from members of her new community easily brings her to tears on several occasions.

Although Caitlyn’s new friends offer her encouragement, advice and support in bucket loads, they are also quick to call her out on her privilege and make sure she knows that what she has achieved in only a few short months is more than what some disadvantaged transgender individuals will ever achieve in their entire lifetime. Her friends are also quick to point out that what she has done isn’t actually ground-breaking; that many other people have come out as transgender and transitioned against all odds and they haven’t received anywhere near the same amount of credit and support. But on the spin side, Jenner also defends herself; pointing out that living in the public eye and being stalked by paparazzi is its own beast.

In Sunday’s episode, we saw Jenner having her first girly sleepover with her friend and suspected love interest, actress Candis Cayne, as well as having tense confrontations with Kim Kardashian West and Khloe Kardashian over the comments Caitlyn made in the Vanity Fair article as she described ex-wife Kris Jenner and daughters Kendall and Kylie Jenner as “distractions”.

The more tactile of the elder sisters, Kim, is the first to speak to Caitlyn about how her comments have hurt Kris and, later on, Khloe goes in not quite all guns blazing but definitely not tip-toeing around the subject with Caitlyn. In a way, I do think Caitlyn has lost herself in this amazing new world and, maybe for a brief moment, overlooked her family. As Khloe explains why the family are hurt by her comments, Caitlyn snaps back with “you don’t know what you’re talking about”, which may be true to a certain extend but just because her family don’t, and probably never will, fully understand her transition, that doesn’t make their feelings invalid.

Fortunately, Khloe and Caitlyn quickly make amends; hugging, kissing and talking about accessories and eyelash extensions as soon as both sides have said their piece and expressed themselves.

In the snippet of next week’s episodes, we finally see Kris and Caitlyn have a tense and emotionally charged first meeting where Kris raises her own issues with comments Caitlyn has made in the press.

I am Cait is truly an authentic and exceptional documentary series that shows the highs and lows of gender reassignment and does an excellent job at showcasing that transgender individuals are no different from everyone else. The overall message of this series is one of acceptance, tolerance and love, and with every episode, the audience becomes more and more inspired to be kinder and more accepting of everyone no matter their gender, sexuality, race, religion or disability. I am Cait continuously encourages the audience to embrace and love our differences and flaws instead of masking them.

The next episode of I am Cait airs on Sunday at 9pm on E!

For more on Caitlyn Jenner, read my CultNoise Magazine opinion piece: “Call Me Transphobia: The Caitlyn Jenner Halloween Costume“.

Featured image courtesy of Caitlyn Jenner’s Instagram.

Call Me Transphobic: The Caitlyn Jenner Halloween Costume

Published by CultNoise Magazine

I’ve always loved Halloween. It’s a holiday where we have the excuse to dress up in elaborate costumes and makeup, be silly, play games and go out trick or treating with friends and family for bags full of free sweets and chocolaty treats that’ll rot our teeth — it’s basically Christmas come early — which then, as you get older, turns into going Halloween parties where, with the help of alcohol, things get a little scarier. But in the last couple of years, I’ve noticed that fewer people use Halloween as an excuse to create imaginative outfits and cosmetics and instead take the opportunity to make some kind of provocative statement.

This particular “provocative” statement, however, is in not funny or clever or in the true spirit of Halloween in any way, shape or form. The latest costume craze emerging from fancy dress shops takes the form of this extremely damaging, transphobic advertisement: the unisex Caitlyn Jenner Halloween costume.

The initial concept of a costume styled in the image of Caitlyn Jenner’s iconic Vanity Fair cover isn’t in itself offensive. In fact, had it been marketed appropriately and modelled by a woman, it could have been a celebratory statement; a tribute to Jenner just like when fans of Marilyn Monroe and Beyoncé dress up in the image of their idols for Halloween as a way of honouring them.

This costume, however, in the way it has been represented, is not honouring Jenner at all but, instead, is shaming and ridiculing her. The first aspect of this ad that is offensive is the category it has been placed in: “mens costumes”. By reducing Jenner’s legacy and image down to “mens costumes” when she is now legally a woman, Wholesale Halloween Costumes have completely insulted, disregarded and belittled Jenner’s 65-year-long struggle to come out as transgender and fully transition — physically, emotionally and mentally — into the woman she always was on the inside.

It’s unimaginable how much courage it must have taken Jenner to dismantle the carefully-constructed hyper-masculine facade she had been hiding behind her entire life and admitting to herself and to the world — quite literally the world since Jenner stars in a reality TV show that is broadcast around the globe and is stalked daily by ruthless paparazzi —  that she was in fact a woman, and to have her struggle reduced down to a mockery in the form of this tasteless, transphobic Halloween costume is utterly disgraceful.

The second thing that makes this representation of Jenner offensive is the model. Having a man representing a transgender woman in this way is essentially the epitome of transphobia and I don’t think much more could have been done to create a more offensive, insensitive and harmful statement.

And last, but not least, the third offence of this ad is categorizing the costume as “humorous”. Turning the image of Caitlyn Jenner into a joke is extremely damaging to all the activist work that Jenner and other transgender individuals, groups and supporters have been doing for decades to try to spread a message of love, acceptance and tolerance towards LGBTQ individuals (as seen on E! documentary series I am Cait).

The decision to market the costume in this way and having a man dressing up as Jenner not only implies that society should still perceive Jenner as a man rather than the woman she chooses to identify as, but is also a huge step backwards for gender equality; implying that LGBTQ activist work is a laughing stock rather than a serious issue that deserves respect, recognition and support.

In the public outcry that quite rightly followed the publication of the ad, a petition has been created on Change.org aiming to stop Caitlyn Jenner being exploited with this transphobic costume and has already received over 4000 signatures and counting.

While this costume may, at first glance, appear to be a harmless joke made by someone who isn’t very aware of the struggles that LGBTQ individuals face daily; it is when we take a closer look at the connotations of transphobia, ignorance and intolerance associated with the way this costume has been designed and marketed, that we see just how much work still needs to be done before all transgender individuals will be truly accepted and respected within society.

It is important to remember that while the UK, America and other developed countries are reasonably — but not yet entirely — tolerant towards transgender individuals, there are still many transgender men and women who not only have to cope with a few little jokes and jibes here and there but also face poverty, unemployment, disownment from their family and friends, suicide and even murder in many countries around the world. This ad does nothing but promote the ongoing stigma that transgender people are freaks when in fact they are just people who deserve the same rights and opportunities as everyone else; people who deserve respect, acceptance and love.

Although many people have spoken out against the companies making and selling this costume and have shown huge support for Caitlyn Jenner, it is clear that our society is still far from perfect when it comes to acceptance and much more still needs to be done to achieve equality for all genders.

What do you think of the Caitlyn Jenner Halloween costume? Let us know in the comments section below.

Featured image courtesy of Heikki Siltala via Flickr.

Makeup Shaming: We Don’t All Wake up Like This

Read my new CultNoise article on how women and young girls are shamed for wearing ‘too much’ makeup. We’ll wear as much or as little makeup as we like, but thanks for your input.

Makeup Shaming: We Don’t All Wake up Like This

Recently I’ve noticed, especially on social media, that making a statement along the lines of “I love makeup” seems to be associated with negative connotations. If you say you enjoy buying, trying and wearing everything from lip liners to contour kits, people often label you as being one of three things: vain, insecure or false.

It’s upsetting to see memes like this one that attempt to shame girls for using coverup. I almost pity people who make these images because you must feel quite bad about yourself to have to shame other people in order to feel better. Also, to whoever made this, I highly doubt that anyone would actually want to go out on a date with you when you sit at your computer making memes to try to shame girls into not using makeup. I mean, get a job or a hobby or something. Is this really the best thing you can do with your time?

Alongside this new makeup shaming debate, sparked by beauty vlogger NikkiTutorials posting a video on YouTube entitled The Power of Makeup, women are already criticised daily for pretty much everything we could possibly do.

A Cultural Shift for LGBTQ Support: OITNB’s Ruby Rose on Gender Fluidity

After working as an intern at The National last week, I was so busy I didn’t have any time for writing other articles. So, I’m so happy to now have the time to write some more for Cult Noise! I absolutely love writing for this publication and I think what Cult Noise do is so important and they offer a unique platform for aspiring journalists.

Read my new piece for Cult Noise on LGBTQ, the meaning of gender fluidity and the new it girl that everyone is talking about, Ruby Rose.

A Cultural Shift for LGBTQ Support: OITNB’s Ruby Rose on Gender Fluidity

How many different sexualities are there? Heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual, pansexual and asexual. That must be all of them, right? Wrong.

How many different genders exist? Male, female, trans-male, trans-female, bi-gender, gender binary and agender. Is that all of them? Wrong again.

Theoretically, the list of all the different sexualities and genders in existence is infinite. A person who does not wish to identify with the gender they were assigned at birth can essentially choose any form of gender identity they like. They can choose to be either one or the other traditional sex (male or female), or they could be both, or neither, or both at the same time – whatever they choose. I personally think of gender and sexuality as subjective social constructs, something that, in our day and age, we have the option to explore and define for ourselves.