LGBTQ
Fountain City Frequency | Making History in Missouri Politics
Fountain City Frequency’s Matt Hodapp sat down with Kansas City Councilmember Jolie Justus to talk about her historical tenure as the first openly-gay member of the Missouri State Senate, where she served from 2007-2015. Here, and in the accompanying podcast, Justus gives the back story on her experience serving in the Missouri Legislature. Two years before…
Local transgender blog reflects on gender fluidity in “Kumu Hina”
“Kumu Hina,” a new documentary exploring the journey of a transgender Hawaiian woman, airs tonight on Independent Lens at 9 p.m. on KCPT. Kansas Citians got a sneak peek of the film in April at KCPT’s Community Cinema series. After the film, community partners from the Transgender Institute and Transas City, a local website dedicated…
Transitioning in KC: 5 questions with Transgender Institute founder Caroline Gibbs
One of the first questions gender therapist and coach Caroline Gibbs asks people who are considering transitioning from male to female or from female to male is if they want to “blend into society.” Gibbs said that nearly everyone she has worked with at the Transgender Institute answers that question with an emphatic yes. It…
Kansans react to Brownback’s LGBT decision
In the several days since Gov. Sam Brownback rescinded protected-class status for Kansas state workers who identify as LGBT, the mostly negative reactions of other politicians, journalists and Kansas citizens have crowded news sites and social media. On Tuesday, Brownback rescinded an executive order — issued by former governor Kathleen Sebelius in 2007 — that…
Commentary | A Local Love Story with International Echoes
As Doug Anning and Kirk Isenhour turned to walk up the aisle after an Episcopal blessing of their same-sex commitment to one another, the packed church erupted. I have never seen a sanctuary full of such joyful people. They were applauding, shouting, cheering, even crying. At the time, I posted a blog entry about it…