The Free Speech Bus

[lb-lee.livejournal.com]

Okay, you guys have probably already heard, but the Free Speech Bus is coming our way. (It's this total horseshit bus covered in slogans about how only XX girls and XY boys exist and anyone who says otherwise is against free speech and also SCIENCE because that's totally how science works.)

The bus got hit hard in NYC, so it's in the repair shop until Wednesday; I'm not sure when it's going to hit Boston and Harvard Square, but I'm planning something to do when it does.

Much as I hate giving these dude a platform, I think I hate being played even more, and their whole idea is to try and trigger outrage and then play the victim, allowing them to milk their supporters for money and sympathy. If I can't change their minds, and I can't stop the bus except for a short time, I'd rather help my fellow trans and intersex people, and their allies.  I figure a lot of us will be there, and probably ground down by this jerkbus, so I can try and pump us up.

I have a bunch of free 101 and resources on our computer, and a stack of blank CDs nabbed from a garage sale. I can burn the files to CDs, write 'em down, shove 'em in sleeves, put on pride gear and a homemade sign and follow that bus around offering resources and actual science to anyone who'll take them.

I'd like to have someone with me while I'm doing this. I don't think anyone'll try and curbstomp me, but you know what, luck favors the prepared, and two people are always much braver than one.  However, until they release a new schedule, I don't think there's really a way for anyone to make any guarantees.

Documents I have so far:

* Domestic Violence Guide for Trans People (from the Greater London Domestic Violence Project)
* Trans Safer Sex Guide (from HRC and Whitman-Walker Health)
* Hello Cruel World Lite 101 (from Kate Bornstein, the short free version of her suicide-prevention book)
* Medical Therapy and Health Maintenance for Transgender Men for Healthcare Providers (from Spade, Buth, and Gorton)
* various orthodox Jewish articles about the history and categories of gender from the Mishnah and Halacha. (Will probably have some Christian articles too in a sec.)
* Fucking Trans Women zine (from Mira Bellwether)
* Transcending Anatomy: a guide to bodies and sexuality for partners of trans people (from Eli Aaron)
* Sexile (a comics biography of Adelia Vasquez, a trans woman activist and educator)
* Trans People In Love (stories of trans people in relationships, from and by trans people)
* Some science about fetal development and how sexual differentiation in nature doesn't actually conform to our human categories.
* Intersex 101 and Know Your Rights articles (from InterACT)

Documents I'd like to have but don't:

* More transition info for trans women

Any recs? Any thoughts?

--Mori

Comments

[awkwardduckling.livejournal.com]

I'm unfortunately far away to help, but I think you've picked a very smart way to go about this!

[justphoenix.livejournal.com]

Seconded on the approach. Best of luck to you!

ETA: Boston Magazine's website reports the bus will be here either tomorrow or Thursday.

[lb-lee.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I'll have to keep an eye on it!

[lb-lee.livejournal.com]

Thanks! Looks like the bus'll be hitting tomorrow. Which is good, the weather's kinda grody today and the last thing I want is to get wet for nothing.

[rmd.livejournal.com]

I believe the bus is sponsored by the National Organization for Marriage.

[lb-lee.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't be surprised; I'm not entirely sure who all is involved, besides CitizensGO.

[ceelove.livejournal.com]

I'm an intimidatingly tall, cis woman (white, for extra privilege) with some free time in the middle of the day on Thursday and an interest in making the world suck less. I know nothing about organizing, but I can be an able and not-easily-stomped body alongside you.

[lb-lee.livejournal.com]

Okay! Yeah, I don't need any real organizing, I've got everything set up myself, mostly just looking for an ally so I won't be as scared doing it. (I don't even think the risks are very high, just, you know, luck favors the prepared.)

EDIT: Ah! Looks like it'll be here on Thursday! (And possibly Wednesday; they're giving contradictory information, and Thursday will be easier for me to manage.) https://www.facebook.com/events/1857290147845475/permalink/1859687090939114/?ref=1&action_history=null

[ceelove.livejournal.com]

All right, when shall we meet to go to Harvard? The Davis Square T stop, College Ave side, would be a good meeting place for me. I've got short blonde hair and a hot-pink-and-orange pussyhat.

[lb-lee.livejournal.com]

I'm actually way out in JP! And it looks like the bus might be hitting town hall, rather than Harvard. I'm not entirely sure where it's going to be yet, so I'm trying to keep track of what scuttlebutt is saying, so we don't end up scrambling all over Boston trying to find the darn thing.

Sorry for the inconvenience!

[lb-lee.livejournal.com]

Okay, so I've been watching the event page (https://www.facebook.com/events/105943726615496/?active_tab=discussion) all day, and I STILL don't have a concrete time or place of when this stupid bus is going to be. I am really tired and kinda frustrated, and am going to have to give up for a bit.

Especially since the confusion seems to be on the bus's part, rather than the organizers'. I don't have a smart phone, so I can't check regularly, and damned if I'm being chained to my desk constantly clicking refresh.

I am deeply annoyed. -_-

[ceelove.livejournal.com]

I'm afraid it's going to be too many unknown variables for me. I'm not familiar with downtown and also don't have a smartphone for ease of meeting up with strangers. Sorry, but I think I had best bow out now. :(

[lb-lee.livejournal.com]

Honestly, at this point it looks like I might be stuck bowing out too, just because I can't FIND the stupid thing! >.< I'm sorry for all the confusion, I did not realize this would be such a clusterfuck!

[lb-lee.livejournal.com]

As a final side note (and again, sorry for the confusion, this update JUST popped up), it's at Government Center now. Jesus, what a chaotic mess.

[kdsorceress.livejournal.com]

Shit, I'm not able to help out this week, but if it's still here after the sixth-ish, I am absolutely interested in helping you out.

Thank you for fighting for us. <3

~Sor

[lb-lee.livejournal.com]

Sadly it looks like it'll be here this week. Oh well!

[sauergeek.livejournal.com]

Calling it by the organizers' preferred name gives them power. Call it the Transphobia Bus or something similar.

Also, these guys are probably just looking for attention -- they're acting like trolls. Is the literature distribution worth giving them the attention they crave? Ignoring them utterly may be a better answer.

[lb-lee.livejournal.com]

I'm not giving THEM attention. I'm giving allies the attention. The Douchebag Bus just happens to be the thing ATTRACTING them, which is convenient for me.

It's very clear that ignoring them isn't going to happen; the protests are going to happen regardless of my involvement; I'm merely trying to use it to my advantage.

[teko.livejournal.com]

I think the bus should be put back into the shop when it visits our city.

[lb-lee.livejournal.com]

I'm okay with that, but I don't think I should be the one to do it. I'm way better at education stuff, and if I can't educate THEM, I can at least educate other folks around them!

[dcltdw]

Are there any LGBT groups that are organizing an event? I'd rather join in their efforts, because as a cis guy, I sure as heck don't know what's actually helpful vs not.

[lb-lee.livejournal.com]

There's a FB event about it, but I don't know who exactly is involved, because I don't understand how FB works: https://www.facebook.com/events/1857290147845475/

You're free to join me, though, if you like! I'm trans, queer, and disabled, and I'd deeply appreciate an ally!

[dcltdw]

Hmm. That URL looks like it should be a fb event, but fb says it's a broken link. Do you know the event title, perhaps? (Or it may be a non-public event.)

[lb-lee.livejournal.com]

Oh! Yes! It's called 'Protest the Free Speech Bus.' It very well might be an invite-only event. (Sorry, I've only been on FB for a few months, and I pretty much never use it, so am still perplexed by it.)

[ron_newman]

Link is not working for me, either.

[lb-lee.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it looks like it's a private event; my roommate invited me, which I guess is why I can see it. Would you like me to invite you? (Can I even do that?)

[ron_newman]

Yes, if you can.

[lb-lee.livejournal.com]

AH! Okay, I think I managed

[ron_newman]

I suggest monitoring this page for news.

[lb-lee.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much! Yeah, this one seems to be much faster on the updates.

[mem-winterhill.livejournal.com]

I was watching this page--the photo looks the same but I'm not on FB so I am not sure it is. https://www.facebook.com/events/1932145307022951/

There is gonna be dancin' in the streets. And the discussion that I saw on reddit about this also had the City of Boston support.

[lb-lee.livejournal.com]

Yeah, due to the date change, it looks to have migrated here (https://www.facebook.com/events/105943726615496/?active_tab=discussion).

I am determined to give these folks a big Boston welcome whether they want me to exist or not.