The Kind Clinic is a new force in Austin, Texas. I was informed of their existence and services when my general provider, a private practice MD who has some experience in gender care, mentioned them during our conversation on PrEP. I asked her how much the prescription would cost out-of-pocket, she pulled the information up on her laptop, and we both leaned over her desk in dismay.…
In June 2018, I started my consulting and expert witness firm, The National Center for Equity and Agency, which specializes in sexual misconduct prevention and increasing cultural inclusion. Starting my own business meant building a brand, not only for the business, but a brand for me personally as well. What was the image I wanted to portray? Who did I want to impress and connect with? What was the vibe that I wanted our logo, language, and colors to exude?…
Gender Infinity is a transgender- and gender-variant-focused conference that takes place annually in Houston, Texas. This year, it spans the weekend of October 5-6, with both days crammed full of programming that caters to the specific needs of the trans and gender-diverse population. Now in their eighth year, the conference offers workshops, discussions, community and health education, and keynote speakers on hot topics that are affecting the gender-diverse population, and specifically has included many spaces for the queer Black, indigenous, Latinx,…
Spectrum South was proud to sponsor the 26th annual Houston Transgender Unity Banquet, held on September 15, 2018 at the Doubletree Houston Intercontinental Airport.…
The Houston Transgender Unity Banquet, the largest annual transgender community event in the city, is celebrating its 26th anniversary on Saturday, September 15 at 6:30 p.m. at the Doubletree by Hilton Houston Intercontinental Airport.…
Dominic Anthony Green is on a journey and the universe is guiding him. “I was raised by a Christian family,” Green, who identifies as a pansexual trans man, explains. “Yet, I have different beliefs and I make them very known. I believe in more than a God—I believe in many Gods, I believe in myself, and the universe. I believe the mind is a prison and the only way out is to open your mind. That’s what I have been…
Senior police officer Jackie Boniaby is a staple within the Houston Police Department. For the past 26 years, she’s dedicated her life to service, holding various positions throughout the department. The last few months, however, have been a transition—Boniaby recently came out as a transgender woman and is taking steps to live publicly as her authentic self. “I just recently transitioned,” Boniaby tells Spectrum South. “I had to conceal who I was for years. It’s a journey, but I’m simply…
Since the reboot premiered on Netflix in 2018, Queer Eye has garnered nearly unanimous praise for its inclusive nature, loveable hosts, and expansive base of people the Fab Five seeks to help. Set in Georgia, the second iteration of the early-2000s Queer Eye for the Straight Guy has ditched its “straight guy” base and made over the lives of a woman, a gay man, and perhaps most notably, a trans man. Skyler Jay is a Georgia native, and if you…
At some point in your early childhood, a well-meaning parent or teacher probably sat you down and shared what they believed to be the simple facts of life—that the world was made of boys and girls. Boys have penises and girls have vaginas, they said, and they made you think it was really that simple. We see the same sentiment reiterated in political debates over “bathroom bills” and job protection acts being contested in state and local governments all across…
Verniss McFarland III is tired of queer Black and Brown stories taking a backseat. For the past year, McFarland has worked to uplift these voices through their work as founder of The Mahogany Project, a Houston-based nonprofit focused on bridging the gap between empowerment and education in Black and Brown LGBTQ communities. McFarland now seeks to bring these narratives to the forefront with the launch of the organization’s new visibility campaign, Dear Somebody: The Voices Once Unheard.…
