News :: Commentary

Transmissions: Stereotypes, biases, and bad theories

Transmissions: Stereotypes, biases, and bad theories

  • by Gwendolyn Ann Smith
  • Jun 3, 2020

At the heart of many of society's "-isms" is a laundry list of stereotypes that seek to characterize a group in ways that both provide an easy, if inaccurate, method of describing that group, while also confirming already inherent biases against it.

Transmissions: All about Aimee

Transmissions: All about Aimee

  • by Gwendolyn Ann Smith
  • May 20, 2020

Aimee Stephens was a transgender woman.

Transmissions: Trans care and COVID-19

Transmissions: Trans care and COVID-19

  • by Gwendolyn Ann Smith
  • May 6, 2020

I'll admit that as I write this, I am quite out of sorts. Last week, a friend of mine died due to complications of COVID-19, the illness caused by the novel coronavirus.

Thanks to matching offer from anonymous donor, Bay Area Reporter extends fundraising appeal

Thanks to matching offer from anonymous donor, Bay Area Reporter extends fundraising appeal

  • by Michael Yamashita
  • May 1, 2020

Thank you very much, it has been both humbling and encouraging receiving your generous support when so many are also in need of help. So far, we have raised just over $25,000 and are just 15% away from reaching our goal of $30,000.

Transmissions: Cracking the egg

Transmissions: Cracking the egg

  • by Gwendolyn Ann Smith
  • Apr 22, 2020

There are those who believe that transgender and nonbinary people only become trans or enby after they are exposed to the notion, or after they are "indoctrinated" into the transgender community.

You can help support the Bay Area Reporter fundraising campaign

You can help support the Bay Area Reporter fundraising campaign

  • by Michael Yamashita
  • Apr 15, 2020

San Francisco is one of 11 US cities that is fortunate to have a legacy LGBT publication by us, for us, and about us. Help preserve the BAR as an historic and important community institution for the future.

Transmissions: Papers, please

Transmissions: Papers, please

  • by Gwendolyn Ann Smith
  • Apr 8, 2020

You don't need me to tell you how difficult and challenging these times are. We're all living through a pandemic and the affiliated economic collapse, made all the worse by an inept and cruel response from a corrupt federal government.

Transmissions: Life during germ time

Transmissions: Life during germ time

  • by Gwendolyn Ann Smith
  • Mar 25, 2020

Some people think that being transgender is a mere choice, just a bunch of people who — apologies to my non-trans female siblings — just want to wear a dress and makeup and call themselves women.

Transmissions: My life is not your hypothetical

Transmissions: My life is not your hypothetical

  • by Gwendolyn Ann Smith
  • Mar 11, 2020

Across the country, right now, state legislators continue pushing bills that seek to legislate transgender lives.

Transmissions: Trans athletes: 80 years of controversy

Transmissions: Trans athletes: 80 years of controversy

  • by Gwendolyn Ann Smith
  • Feb 26, 2020

I recently discussed some of the many bills making their way through statehouses this year, attempting to curtail, or even criminalize, transgender care.

Transmissions: What lies ahead

Transmissions: What lies ahead

  • by Gwendolyn Ann Smith
  • Feb 12, 2020

In statehouses around the country, the 2020 legislative sessions have fired up — and with them, several bills have been introduced to curtail the rights of transgender people.

Bay Area Cannasseur: Lesbian couple launches CBD startup

Bay Area Cannasseur: Lesbian couple launches CBD startup

  • by Sari Staver
  • Feb 5, 2020

A year after selling Hip Chick Farms, their multimillion-dollar natural foods company, two Bay Area lesbians moved to a 10-acre lavender farm in Oregon to build what they hope will be their next successful startup: a CBD snack business.

Transmissions: A hair-raising talk of race, sex, and gender

Transmissions: A hair-raising talk of race, sex, and gender

  • by Gwendolyn Ann Smith
  • Jan 29, 2020

While I typically write about trans issues, this particular column will not start with a story about a transgender or nonbinary person. Rather, it begins with a story about hair. Specifically, DeAndre Arnold's hair.

Transmissions: New year, new (trans) you

Transmissions: New year, new (trans) you

  • by Gwendolyn Ann Smith
  • Jan 15, 2020

I want to take a moment to primarily speak to those who may be questioning whether they may be trans or nonbinary themselves, or are still fairly new to the potential transitions. Don't worry, if that isn't you, you're still welcome to read on.