Wednesday 24 December 2014

Merry Christmas 2014!

 
A couple of years ago, on Christmas Eve, I wrote a post called "Do You Hear What I Hear?" It was, like many of my posts, about me, although I've also made reference to many world events. This year, while my life has had its highs and lows, it has turned out alright. The world on the other hand, has not.

This past week, I found out some history on the perennial carol "Do You Hear What I Hear?" Written by the songwriting/composing couple Noel Regney and Gloria Shayne Baker in October 1962, the carol was a plea for peace during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Recorded by the Harry Simeone Chorale, it was released a month later, after the Crisis, and went on to sell  250,000 copies during the holiday season; it has also been covered countless times since then.

With this post, I hope for a better, and more just world, less hate and more attention paid to our shared fate. Hopefully we can build a better world from the inside out, just like this song.

Merry Christmas!


Friday 19 December 2014

The December Project, 2014



The December Project is back for the fourth year in a row, ready yet again to make your holiday season brighter and warmer.

The December Project was launched on December 1, 2011 as a support network for transfolks who, given that this season is a lonely, isolating one for many of us, would like someone to talk to. The Project, founded by Jennifer Finney Boylan, Helen Boyd, Mara Keisling and Dylan Scholinski, aims to: "raise the spirits of people in the trans community during what can be a difficult time of year". This year has seen some changes among the volunteer ranks. Blogger Helen Boyd posted earlier this month:

"The project this year will be run by five people – four to make calls, and one to organize the emails. Dylan Scholinski, director of Sent(a)mental Studios; Helen Boyd, Professor at Lawrence University; Allyson Robinson, pastor-teacher, and Brynn Tannehill, journalist and educator. We are two trans women, a trans man, and a spouse of a trans woman.  Between the four of us, we have heard many different kinds of trans narratives.  If we can help you, we would be glad to do so. Our fifth person, who will receive your emails and get the right ones to us callers, is Donna Levinsohn, a lawyer and old, trusted friend of Helen’s who has been involved in trans activism for years."

The December Project will be calling all month, straight through until New Years' Eve. If you would like to receive a call, email them at decemberproj@gmail.com. Send them your name and phone number, what date and time you would like to be called, and who in the Project, if you have a preference, you would like to call you.

And to the December Project network: Once again, Good on you! Keep up the great work!