From Lisboa to Paris: A WPATH travel diary

I've been in Lisboa, Portugal for the past week, attending my first WPATH symposium. It's my first time here and I'm glad I came, but it's also been a strong reminder of how far we still have to go.

Why do we ignore the evidence?

So, where is the problem? If the authors cannot identify a case where Sport NZ's guidelines might cause an issue - why, then, does Chris Bishop reckon "they make some fair points"?

What's up with the Olympics?

The Olympic spirit is aspirational, and I think it's one that's worthy. But, in contrast, the reality of the Olympics and how they've been used to violently enforce these ideals leaves a lot to be desired.

New Yale Law report finds Cass Review critically flawed

A new report from the Yale Law School, Yale Medical School, and the Integrity Project (based at Yale Law) was released this week, critically examining the Cass Review, its processes and its findings, and has found it critically flawed.

Remembering life beyond mahi

It's hard, at the moment, for me to remember that there's a full life outside of work, so it's been nice to get to do that for a weekend. Lots of people don't know that I have a background in music and radio, and I got to do a bit more of that again recently, too.

NZ First & the phantasm of gender

I don't think this bill was ever intended to pass. While it certainly seems Seymour and Peters have the run of the house, I'm not sure that Peters cares enough about this bill to hold the coalition government in a stranglehold over it. So then, who's afraid of gender?

They do this because they know we're winning.

A common refrain I've heard in the past is something like "why do you have to make being trans such a huge part of your identity?" At the moment, I think about being trans every day, because I have to.

On continuing to work in the chaos

Aotearoa seems a little dimmer today. The sitting government using urgency to rush through a bill ahead of a Waitangi Tribunal hearing seems so out the gate - I feel like if you wrote it in fiction, you'd be ridiculed for being too unrealistic.

Ten years (and one month and a few days)

Around eleven, twelve-ish years ago, a young and very nervous Jennifer Shields went to see her doctor. After a bit of a circuitous journey, ten years and one month and a few days ago, she went back to her doctor and left with a small but lifechanging bit of paper.

Bobbops

Growing up, my grandfather knew everything. As an eternally-curious child (ask my mother how she feels about the question why?), it was a blessing to have him at my fingertips.

And then it was Christmas

On new years eve eight years ago I moved back home to Ōtautahi, a city I hadn't lived in since I was ten, a city that had changed so much in the years since. It was the best decision I ever made - I'm so grateful for it today.

Ka whawhai tonu mātou

I am relentless with hope. We keep turning up. Ōtautahi spoke up, big time.