A mix of fear, guilt and action after finding refuge in Canada

Danny Ramadan (photo by Mike Carter, Xtra)

Refuge Canada

More are joking about moving to Canada post election. But here’s a post by someone who’s 2-years in, an LGBT emigrant escaping more than Trump…Syria. We might have more of these stories coming out of the states were it not for the reactionary votes last year against taking refugees from the war torn country. Danny Ramadan writes about what it’s like in Vancouver. -ed

On Sept 9, 2016, I marked my two-year anniversary in Canada or, as I like to call it, my Canaversary. Last year at this time I was still taking my first steps to establish myself here, trying to understand my place in this great nation I immigrated to without prior knowledge of its culture or customs.…

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Chelsea Manning Gets Promise of Gender-Affirming Surgery, Ends Hunger Strike

Manning, the whistleblower serving a sentence in military prison, would be the first in the U.S. to undergo such surgery while incarcerated.

www.advocate.com/transgender/2016/9/13/chelsea-manning-gets-promise-gender-affirming-surgery-ends-hunger-strike

Chelsea Manning Ends Hunger Strike On Day Five, Army Agrees To Treatment

Imprisoned whistleblower Chelsea Manning ended her hunger strike Tuesday after the Army agreed to provide medically prescribed treatment for her gender dysphoria.

The news was announced in a press release from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which represents Manning in a lawsuit against the Department of Defense that was first filed in 2014 over the department’s refusal to treat Manning.

The announcement notes that treatment will begin with the surgery that was recommended by her psychologist in April.

“I am unendingly relieved that the military is finally doing the right thing. I applaud them for that. This is all that I wanted — for them to let me be me,” Manning said in a statement. “But it is hard not to wonder why it has taken so long. Also, why were such drastic measures needed? The surgery was recommended in April 2016. The recommendations for my hair length were back in 2014. In any case, I hope this sets a precedent for the thousands of trans people behind me hoping they will be given the treatment they need.”

Via the ACLU’s announcement:

“Since she was first taken into custody in 2010, Manning, a transgender woman being forced to serve out her sentence in an all-male prison, was subjected to long stretches of solitary confinement during her court martial and has been denied medical treatment related to her gender dysphoria. On September 9, she began a hunger strike to demand, among other things, that she be treated with the medically necessary and recommended care for her gender dysphoria.”

Chase Strangio, staff attorney with the ACLU, said:

“This is a monumental day for Chelsea, who can now enjoy some peace knowing that critically needed medical care is forthcoming. This medical care is absolutely vital for Chelsea as it is for so many transgender people — in and out of prison — who are systemically denied treatment solely because they are transgender. Thankfully the government has recognized its constitutional obligation to provide Chelsea with the medical care that she needs and we hope that they will act without delay to ensure that her suffering does not needlessly continue.

“It is nonetheless troubling that the government continues to insist that they will enforce the male hair length standards against her and subject her to a disciplinary board over administrative charges related to her suicide attempt in July, which was precipitated by the government’s refusal to adequately treat her for gender dysphoria. Given the recognition of Chelsea’s health care needs, we hope that she is immediately permitted to grow her hair consistent with the standard for female military prisoners and that all charges related to her suicide attempt and the investigation that followed are dropped.”

Chelsea is set to become the first transgender person to receive gender affirming surgical treatment in prison, despite doctors’ recommendations for cases across the country.

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13 Of The Most Amazingly Popular Queerty Posts Of The Year (So Far)

To celebrate today’s release of the fabulous new Queerty app (Android, IOS), we’ve rounded up 13 of your most-read stories this year, according to Google Analytics.

Download the app now, so you can read even more of Queerty’s real and inimitable coverage of your world with just a few swipes of your fingers and get alerted to more must read stories.

Kim Davis Is Trying To Rewrite Her Antigay History; Too Bad The Internet Remembers Forever

Seven Gay (Or Gay-ish) Men Who Helped Unleash Awful Donald Trump On The World

Meet The Queens Of RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 8

Teen Who Spread Rumor About Gay Teacher Learns His Lesson Twenty Years Later

Five Reasons Every Straight Man Should Go Gay At Least Once Or Five Times

Science Confirms The Bigger The Belly, The Better The Lover

Franco And Efron Confirmed To Be Dating, James Franco Offers Congratulations

Young Gay Black Man Explores The Intersectionality Of Racism And Homophobia

RIP David Bowie–Here’s His Isolated Vocal Track From Under Pressure With Freddie Mercury

Aussie Footballer-Model Luke Case Offers Unforgettable Full-Frontal

The Ultimate Collection Of Cuddling Bros Photos

My Big Fat Disabled Relationship: Finding Love When You Have A Disability

Watch Colton Haynes’ Butt Do A Jiggle For Team USA

Never miss a thing with Queerty’s New Mobile App, Get it Today

Queerty now has an app for iPhone, iPad and Android phones and tablets.  Download the new Queerty app and enjoy the best gay entertainment news and discover what’s trending.
• Breaking news alerts: Get notified about major news stories in real time
• News story updates 365 days a year
• Easy navigation to popular categories, including Dragaholic, Morning Goods and Queerty Ever After
• Easily share articles via email, twitter and facebook
• Add a comment to that story, we know you want to.

Download the app today on Android or iOS

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Lady Gaga, Neil Patrick Harris, Tesla Motors, Matt Bevin, Oxford English Dictionary, Ryan Potter: HOT LINKS

SUPER BOWL 2017. Lady Gaga is in talks to perform the halftime show this year. NFL says, ““We have had conversations with several fantastic artists about the Pepsi Super Bowl Halftime Show.”

ON THE STUMP. President Obama campaigns for Hillary in Philadelphia: “We can’t afford to act as if there’s some equivalence here.”

NORTH CAROLINA. GOP Congressman says NCAA withholding championship games is extortion: “We will not be intimidated by elitists who are attempting to extort and embarrass North Carolina for defending its citizens.”

TESLA. Company announces ingenious fix to problem that killed Florida driver using autopilot: “Bolstered by new signal-processing techniques and a crowdsourcing system called ‘fleet learning,’ radar now enjoys a co-starring role alongside video in the autopilot system.”

CELEBRITY INSTAGRAM. NPH is looking jacked. 

DEFINITION. The Oxford English Dictionary just got some new words: “Splendiferous, meaning full of or abounding in splendor, joins yogalates, a fitness routine combining pilates exercises with the techniques of yoga, and moobs, unusually prominent breasts on a man, as new entries to the 150-year-old dictionary’s collection of 600,000 words. Other words and phrases in the latest edition include the ‘Westminster Bubble’ of supposedly insular British politicians and civil servants, ‘gender-fluid’, meaning a person with a fluid or unfixed gender identity, and ‘YOLO’ – an acronym for ‘you only live once’.”

GLEE. Naya Rivera was not shocked about news of ex Mark Salling’s child porn charges. 

MATT BEVIN. The Kentucky governor warns of violence if Hillary is elected president: “I want us to be able to fight ideologically, mentally, spiritually, economically, so that we don’t have to do it physically,” Bevin said Saturday. “But that may, in fact, be the case.”

SKIN. European watch company KYOBE! uses shirtless male models to help sell watches during NY Fashion Week.

WAVES OF DEBT. Streaming service Tidal is in trouble: “Presented as an artist-friendly alternative to streaming services like Spotify, Tidal was supposed to be a haven for musicians; at least according to its marketing materials, which touted higher royalties and exciting exclusives for subscribers. In practice, all the good stuff ends up on YouTube anyway, and according to reports, anyone whose name doesn’t rhyme with fiancé isn’t getting paid.”

RYAN POTTER. Does Batman need a Robin? Big Hero 6 actor Potter makes his case to Ben Affleck.

TRAILERS. Full first trailer for 50 Shades Darker.

TWO HOT FOR TUESDAY. Mr. India Jitesh Thakur.

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Wentworth Miller Reaches Out to Those Struggling with Depression and Considering Suicide: WATCH

Prison Break actor Wentworth Miller, who has discussed his struggles with depression in recent years in an effort to help de-stigmatize mental illness, recorded a PSA for The Mighty, a site where people share their personal experiences with disability, disease and mental illness. The video was posted during last week’s National Suicide Prevention Week.

Said Miller in the video, which offers the number of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-TALK):

“Each year, depression affects an estimated 15 million people in the United States and 350 million worldwide. If depression is part of your story, there is hope…don’t be afraid to take the first step. Someone cares.”

Watch:

Miller came out as gay in 2013. He talked about his own thoughts of suicide in a Facebook post last March. He said that he became depressed and suicidal in 2010 when he semi-retired from acting, and he was mocked by the paparazzi for putting on weight during his struggle.

At the time I suffered in silence. As so many do. The extent of my struggle known to very, very few.

Ashamed and in pain, I considered myself damaged goods. And the voices in my head urged me down the path to self-destruction. Not for the first time.

I’ve struggled with depression since childhood. It’s a battle that’s cost me time, opportunities, relationships, and a thousand sleepless nights.

In 2010, at the lowest point in my adult life, I was looking everywhere for relief/comfort/distraction. And I turned to food. It could have been anything. Drugs. Alcohol. Sex. But eating became the one thing I could look forward to. Count on to get me through. There were stretches when the highlight of my week was a favorite meal and a new episode of TOP CHEF. Sometimes that was enough. Had to be.

And I put on weight. Big f–king deal.

One day, out for a hike in Los Angeles with a friend, we crossed paths with a film crew shooting a reality show. Unbeknownst to me, paparazzi were circling. They took my picture, and the photos were published alongside images of me from another time in my career. “Hunk To Chunk.” “Fit To Flab.” Etc.

My mother has one of those “friends” who’s always the first to bring you bad news. They clipped one of these articles from a popular national magazine and mailed it to her. She called me, concerned.

In 2010, fighting for my mental health, it was the last thing I needed.

He said the image of him is now a source of strength. He added:

The first time I saw this meme pop up in my social media feed, I have to admit, it hurt to breathe. But as with everything in life, I get to assign meaning. And the meaning I assign to this/my image is Strength. Healing. Forgiveness. Of myself and others. If you or someone you know is struggling, help is available. Reach out. Text. Send an email. Pick up the phone. Someone cares. They’re waiting to hear from you.

Read his post from last March:

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