WILMINGTON--Sylvia Guerrero, Mother of slain transgender youth Gwen Araujo, will speak in recognition of National Coming Out day inside the Lumina Theater at UNC Wilmington, Sunday, October 12th at 6:00pm.
As a mother, Guerrero has endured unthinkable tragedy, yet she still finds the strength to make a difference in the lives of others through her advocacy work. Since the murder, she has become a prominent figure on the national scene advocating for tolerance and equal rights for people who live the transgender lifestyle. Her daughter's story has been made into a movie by the Lifetime television network.
"Diversity is often defined in black and white, particularly here in the South," said Kimberly McLaughlin-Smith, UNCW Multicultural Center coordinator. "This story and the event built around National Coming Out Day for gay and lesbian people will serve as an eye opener about the many aspects of diversity. It is a reminder that hate crimes are still very much an issue in the new millennium."
Guerrero's talk will be followed by a question & answer session as well as a brief panel discussion with members of a Wilmington support group for transgender people. Scenes from the critically acclaimed documentary "Transgeneration" will also be shown. The National Coming Out Day program is sponsored by the Multicultural Center, UNCW Presents in conjunction with OUT Wilmington.
Ridiculous
I can't believe what UNCW has become. They are more concerned with brainwashing than educating these days.
What can you do about it? They have an agenda and are going to push ahead with it no matter what anybody thinks.
Gone too Far
Well I think that the society that we live in has taken things too far. This nation that we live in was founded on religious beliefs and here we are trying to destroy what our country stands for. If you want same sex marriage then move to another country that allows it. As for a "Coming out day" I think that it is crazy to have a day to celebrate it. We can't even say "Merry Christmas", have prayer in schools because someone might be offended but oh yeah let's have a coming out day. Well guess what that offends me!
Guest28405, I too am
Guest28405, I too am frustrated with "political correctness". Almost as much as I am frustrated by narrow minded folks like yourself, who seem to forget that "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" means different things to different people. I am sick to death of folks like yourself justifying hatred with their religion. Here's the thing, Guest28405...the people you are so intolerant of, are your fellow Americans. If you feel so put out, maybe it is YOU who should find a country that doesn't have any gay people for you to be bothered with. Let me know how that turns out for you.
Well since you are too
Well since you are too frustrated with "political correctness" maybe you should move to Cuba where you won't have to worry about "political correctness" anymore and let Castro run your life!
You really aren't that
You really aren't that bright, are you, 28405....lol. Thanks for the laugh..
???
Why on earth did WWAY approve your comment? You blatantly insulted another poster without managing to say anything intelligent yourself.
Uncle Dimbulb
It's not nice to pick on folk for something they can't help.
Ex-pats
We have a great many of your people living in my country. They're good people, open-minded, intelligent, polite, a credit to your nation. So why aren't they in it?
We'll take your gays, your transgenders and so forth. We have evolved an immigration system and a society that copes with diversity. But then we've been around a lot longer than you. Since God was a boy, in fact.
This country was founded by
This country was founded by people who were seeking freedom from religious persecution. The constitution was designed so that one groups religious beliefs (including the Christian majority) would have no part in our government or laws.
What?
Where did you go to school? The Bill of Rights, Amendment One: "congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..." This means the Federal Government may not establish one specific religion as the one religion of the Nation. It certainly does not mean or imply that "religious beliefs would have no part in our government or laws."
If a state passes a law
If a state passes a law based on a religious belief, what do you think the appeals courts would do to it when it came before them?
Do you mean like...
Thou shalt not kill?
Thou shalt not steal?
Those kind of laws?
Like it or not, both English Common Law and the Napoleonic Code (used in LA) are based upon Judeo-Christian beliefs.
But you are correct in stating that the courts want to reverse these laws. Adultery is no longer a criminal matter in most states, and anything acknowledging a "Lord thy God" using public money is struck down immediately.
I just hope they strike the prohibitions against murder while I'm still young enough to be competitive.....
transgender
Apparently most of you have no idea what transgender is. These men and women are not just gay, they have gender identity issues that they were BORN with.
The males that beat her to death and had sex with her previously didn't notice that she was a male? Only shows me how STUPID those men/boys were.
No one deserves to be murdered because of someones embarrassment.
Obviously this girl had problems other than her gender identity and desperately needed guidance and counseling. Hopefully her Mother can open the eyes of a few people that may know a child suffering with this disorder and get them the counseling and guidance they need to properly adapt in this HATE filled society.
" At a party held on October 3, 2002, a forced inspection by one of the guests revealed Araujo to possess male genitalia. Over the course of the next five hours, Araujo was beaten to death with a frying pan and a barbell, and driven to a remote location in the Sierra Nevada foothills, where she was buried in a shallow grave."
Das, think outside the box
Um...you can engage in some sexual activities without removing your clothes, if you catch my drift.
I don't understand how anyone can call Edward a "girl" with a clear conscience or a straight face. Putting on female clothing does not make you a girl.
Elucidation
You don't understand... so I shall explain. All human embryos start out as physically female. As the embryo develops, those destined to be male receive two boosts of testosterone, one at eight weeks, the other at fourteen. These cause the genitals and the brain to become male. They are separate processes, so that if one of these is interrupted, say by a hormone imbalance, then the child will develop as transgender.
If the brain does not receive its testosterone, then the brain remains female, as with Gwen and myself.
Please remember that Gwen is not here to defend herself. In my country we do not speak ill of the dead. I can defend myself and the last person to try to force my birth name on me was met by a robust warning from the police. We have harassment laws here and on the whole we frown upon ungentlemanly conduct.
Elucidation II
A brain that is "female" does not negate the "physical package configuration." You can't pretend that the genitalia do not exist, and simply say, "Oh, it's girl!"
Discussing Edward's behavior is not a matter of speaking ill of the dead, but re-stating what was clearly established in the trials of his murderers. Edward was deceptive, dishonest, and engaged in extremely dangerous behavior. Add drugs and alcohol, and it proved a deadly mixture.
So your argument is to use the term"shim?"
If the brain remains female, the genitalia don't exist?
Sorry, it's not that simple, especially when you are dealing with a group of drunk and high young males. His brain may have longed to dance before a mirror singing "I Feel Pretty" from West Side Story, but his body carried the same equipment as John Wayne or Hulk Hogan. You can't simply say, "Oh, that doesn't count."
As far as speaking ill of the dead, I am simply stating which was established as fact at public trial. Edward possessed male genitals, deceived several males into thinking he was a TOTAL, 100% female (happy?), and performed sexual acts upon them. When they found out his true "outfitting," they reacted badly....as many, many people would.
It wasn't the lack of testosterone that caused him to be a deceptive sex-maniac who played with fire and got burned. His actions certainly contributed to his fate.
Did anyone hear about the 15
Did anyone hear about the 15 year old boy that was stabbed on ashley high grounds during friday's game oct.10.
Thinks about it
Just think about this. If every single person turned homosexual right now, then within 90 years there would not be one single human left on Earth. So, how can anyone not be appauled be a coming out day. Regardless of your religious preference, we are by nature suppossed to be heterosexual. Celebrating gays and lesbians should make people sick. It's just not natural.If it was, then homosexuals would be able to pro-create. What is wrong with society?
Even if every single person
Even if every single person were to turn homosexual, they can still procreate by either natural, or medically aided means. Your argument is silly.
Hate creates more hate
I doubt Sylvia Guerrero is advocating for tolerance; equality yes, tolerance not so much; how about acceptance and equality. I tolerate narrow minded bigots, but that doesn't mean I accept them. Being transgender is NOT a lifestyle, it is a persons life and all human life is deserving of respect.
The phrase "Coming Out"
The phrase "Coming Out" makes it sound as though it means "At Last".
Who gives a rats a** what ones sexual preference is??...Oh...except the news media that hunts down stories such as this.
Shut the front door...
Yes it's true. "As a mother, Guerrero has endured unthinkable tragedy." Her son decided to dress like and pretend to be a woman.
And it's also true that "hate crimes are still very much an issue in the new millennium." Personally, I am not for diversity. Every one should try to reach the same high standards. I checked out the outwilmington.com site and they have a list up of 32 famous people in or bound for Hell. Really special people like Rosie O'donnell and Robert Mapplethorpe. The site also states New Hanover County Sheriff Sid Causey sent a congratulatory letter and a donation to the center. Exciting isn't it? Aaaahhh, if only every one was homosexual, the entire population would die in one generation. Throw in some UNCW TAX PAYER dollars and... whatever, you won't post this anyway and I'll be celebrating World living right day like I do everyday. Celebrate with me! Be happy not LGBTQ.
Thick as a plank
Hate to break this to you, son, but diversity is what allows humanity to function. Folk specialise... If we were all the same, there'd be no dentists, so where would you go when someone knocks your teeth out of line?
Hmmm... I am all for
Hmmm... I am all for diversity since it is shoved down my throat daily but a "coming out" day?
I want a day too I just have to think of a cause. How about a "Give me a break Day"
re: hmmm...I am all for
Just like heterosexuality is shoved down everyone's throat daily.
If you want a "Give me a break Day"...then get off your butt and start one.
Heterosexual?!
Shoved down your throat everyday? *giggle*
It's normal. It's life. That's like saying blinking eyes or breathing air is being shoved down your throat everyday.
get over yourself and get back to kicking McCain signs over, or whatever you do for a living.
UNC Wonderful
WTF?
Gwen Araujo
Don't you mean Edward Araujo?
If he had not passed himself off as a female while still biologically a male and engaged in sexual activities with males who were under the mistaken impression he was a female, he would still be alive today.
There's nothing wrong with coming out. There's something terribly wrong about tricking heterosexuals into homosexual activity through deception.
If I claim to be an astronaut, it doesn't make me an astronaut. Edward had the exact same genitalia at the time of his death that he had when he was born. Despite his and others' attempts to deny reality, he was in no way a daughter. He was a simply a son who received a post-morten name change in the California courts.
Get real, people! Political correctness cannot trump physical reality.
The Scariest thing
is what is inside us but can't dare to admit, hence it is what we despise and often hate the most.
FYI: The 100% man or the 100% woman, does not exist.
I agree with you. Being
I agree with you. Being gay.....that was his cross to bear and no one else's business. Tricking a normal man into thinking he was a woman was not okay. I'm not saying he deserved to be killed ,but he was playing with fire. Some people find being gay to be sick and morally wrong, so you don't trick someone into participating in such a lifestyle. Look for some of your own kind to have sex with.
Very well put
Very well put. Very well put indeed! As far as a coming out day, I wish they would have a "crawl back in your hole day".
wow. wow to every comment
wow. wow to every comment left on here. i don't care either way. just wow.
Guest..Rapper....You are
Guest..Rapper....You are evil....I hope and pray you never have to deal with a situation like this..Prays you never lose a child...
People see evil in people
People see evil in people and things in which they don't agree. The Guest Rapper is one of those people who sees evil in homosexuality. We don't have to accept things that our own ethics and morals condemn. However, no one has the right to take the life of that person they disagree with. Tolerence is something that has been lacking on both sides of most issues. The gay pride movement isn't requesting tolerence, they are demanding validation from people who have a different moral view. The death of this young human being was a tragic event in the life of his mother and the parents of those who killed him. There are no winners in this situation. But just because people have a moral disagreement with homosexuals and transgender doesn't make them evil.
You are wrong
I see no evil whatsoever in homosexuality.
I simply provide an accurate appraisal of the case, and see trickery and deception as contributing to this young MAN'S murder.
There's nothing wrong with being gay. There's nothing RIGHT about convincing a straight male that you're a woman when you are concealing the fact you are not.
Corrective education
I met a fellow with precisely your point of view two years ago. He insisted on calling me "Young MAN". Fortunately, being a sometime 200lb scaffolder, I was quickly able to correct the, er, accuracy of his appraisal.
It is not what lies between our legs that makes us what we are. A man who has lost his tallywhackers to a landmine does not cease to be a man. Instead it is that which lies between our ears that determines what we are. Or, perhaps, that which isn't there.
It's neither
It's what is on your birth certificate, until you have a court agree to change it.
That mean ol' reality really stinks, huh?
Incorrigible
Reality doesn't stink, thank you. I have a driver's license that shows I'm female. I never have to produce it because the world accepts me as female anyway. No court order required...
It's all very well taunting me from a safe distance, isn't it? My long arms won't quite stretch 4,000 miles to give you one upside the earhole, so I'll just say this...
I've been more of a gentleman than you'll ever be.
Taunting you????
Whoa! Is paranoia a natural byproduct of this dual-sex condition?
Perhaps you need to go through with the surgery. That's the second post in which you refer to your physical prowess and propensity for violence.
Could it be excessive testosterone?
You can threaten me all you wish and accuse me of being no gentleman. I simply state facts. If the truth bothers you, that does not alter the fact that it is still the truth. After all, of the two of us, I'm not the one who lives in an imaginary fantasy world.
(BTW, "board warriors" neither intimidate nor impress anyone. Big yawn, sweety!)
Not Uncle Dimbulb
I simply state facts.
That you do not. Something does not become fact because you assert it to be so.
Dearest Lizzy
Interesting to note that Edward received a post mortem NAME change, but guess what his birth certifiacte still says, to this day?
Male, because California will only amend birth cerificates after full reassignment surgery. That's the way it is in almost every one of the United States. Most states haven't even addressed the issue. I know of no state that will allow amending the birth certificate without sugrery.
I fully understand that the EU is far more liberal. The UK's Gender Reconition Act lets you be formally recognized as a female after simply living as a female...
...but this isn't about YOU. It's about Edward, and the law in his state is quite clear: He was born and died a male. The nonsensical post-mortem name change simply made him a "Boy Named Gwen."
Hugs-n-kisses,
Uncle Dimbulb
(BTW, name calling is about as impressive and convincing as making threats. We should stop corresponding. After all, I get irritated with your failure to comprehend American law, and your mascara is likely running after you have to deal with my constantly pulling you back into reality. We're both wasting our time.)
Farewell then
So, you are blessed with a trammelled mind. Off-piste is not for you, clearly.
We'll differ, then. Some of us are built to follow laws, others to enforce them, and a few of us to devise them.
If the law says it's a swan and it waddles like a duck and quacks like a duck, then what is it? It doesn't take a genius to answer the question correctly, but it does require more than a scintilla in the cranial void.
Adieu.
Telling the truth is evil?
What did he say that isn't factual?
That's a large portion of what's wrong with this country today - we can't stomach the truth.
What's wrong with this
What's wrong with this country today is that someone can be brutally beaten to death because of how they express themselves, and the best thing that anyone has to say about it is "oh, they were deceptive, they had it coming."
It doesn't matter what you think of gender identity or homosexuality - which are, by the way, two completely different topics altogether involving two different sections of the brain. The most sacred right of the American people is the right to express themselves. This person was expressing self, albeit in a bit of an unorthodox way, and was doing nothing to encroach on the rights of anyone else. Then, this person was clubbed to death with a blunt object. How can you not see anything wrong with that?
And go ahead, rip out your Bibles and preach at me, but this country was founded on the notion that unpopular ideas and expressions would still be protected. If I'm not mistaken, "Thou shalt not kill" was one of the commandments, and "Thou shalt not be transgendered" was not. The Bible also says that eating pork is a sin and that women should be submissive to their husband's desires, but you don't see those ideas governing our society anymore.
As for me, I mourn the death of Ms. Gwen. Yes, I said MISS GWEN, because that was HER identity and I think that we owe every human being the decency of a little respect for their sense of self. May SHE rest in peace.
I invite you to join me in showing a little bit more condolence. However, if you would prefer to keep telling yourself that "people who are different deserve to be killed," well... Whatever helps you sleep at night.
My two cents.
ANNA