NEW INTERNATIONALIST The New Internationalist workers’ co-operative exists to report on the issues of world poverty and inequality; to focus attention on the unjust relationship between the powerful and powerless worldwide; to debate and campaign for the radical changes necessary to meet the basic needs of all; and to bring to life the people, the ideas and the action in the f ight for global justice. The New Internationalist magazine was founded by Peter and Lesley Adamson in 1970. Together with a range of other publications it is published by New Internationalist Publications Ltd which is wholly owned by the New Internationalist Trust and co-operatively managed: Accounts: Frank Syratt. Advertising: Michael York. Administration: Anna Weston. Design: Andrew Kokotka, Ian Nixon, Juha Sorsa. Editorial (Magazine): Vanessa Baird, Dinyar Godrej, Jo Lateu, Hazel Healy, Chris Spannos, Jamie Kelsey-Fry. Editorial (Publications): Chris Brazier. Mail Order: Bev Dawes, Emma Dunkley, James Rowland. Marketing (Magazine): Amanda Synnott, Rob Norman. North American Publisher: Ian McKelvie. Marketing (Publications): Dan Raymond-Barker, Kelsi Farrington. Production: Fran Harvey. Web and IT: Charlie Harvey, Pete Stewart. SUBSCRIPTIONS Website: newint.org/subscribe Email: subscriptions@newint.org Phone: +44 (0) 1604 251 046 Phone (from Ireland): CallSave 1850 924 331 Fax: +44 (0)1604 251031 Post: New Internationalist, 3 Queensbridge, The Lakes, Northampton, NN4 7BF, UK. ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION PRICES UK: £39.85; Institutions £70; Ireland: �47; Rest of World: Individuals: £44.85/�58/ US$68. Institutions £90. Despatch by air only. Subscribers in Canada, USA, Australia, New Zealand and Japan should contact their local subscriptions office whose addresses can be found at newint.org/about/contact/ UK OFFICE New Internationalist, The Old Music Hall, 106-108 Cowley Road, Oxford OX4 1JE. Tel: +44 (0)1865 403345; Fax: +44 (0)1865 403346; Email: ni@newint.org Advertising (magazine & web): Michael York 01865 403339 michaely@newint.org Contract enquiries: ni_cg@newint.org Web queries: tech@newint.org Permissions & general enquiries: Anna Weston 01865 403345 annaw@newint.org News trade distributor: COMAG Specialist Division, Tavistock Works, Tavistock Road, West Drayton, Middlesex UB7 7QX, UK. Tel: +44 (0)1895 433800. Fax: +44 (0)1895 433801. The New Internationalist is published monthly except that the Jan/Feb and July/Aug issues are combined.
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Editor’s letter newint.org
The transgender revolution
A couple of years ago, at a National Union of Journalists event in London, I heard a speaker from Trans Media Watch talking about the way in which the tabloid papers had ‘outed’ and hounded Lucy Meadows, a transgender schoolteacher who subsequently committed suicide.
The incident was an example of the gutter press at its most despicable – and ignorant. Trans Media Watch condemned it, of course. But they also set about working with even the most bigoted and offensive sections of the media to try to change the way in which transgender people and their issues were reported.
The work of transgender organizations is often two-fold – to provide practical and emotional support to transgender individuals, but also to undertake the massive task of educating non-trans or cisgender people.
This month’s Big Story shows some of the progress being made, as well as the many challenges ahead. Most of the stories and illustrations are the work of transgender writers and artists, from different countries, while invaluable help has come from Christabel Edwards and Jennie Kermode of Trans Media Watch.
Elsewhere in this edition: as Burma heads for the polls, what is in store for its ethnic minorities? Worldbeater, meanwhile, takes a closer look at Wolfgang Schäuble, German finance minister and darling of the ruthless. ■
vanessa baird for the New Internationalist Co-operative newint.org
This month’s contributors include:
Amanda Palha, is a bisexual trans activist in São Paulo, Brazil where she works with people who are marginalized and on the streets. Amanda also writes a thoughtful and impassioned blog for the Brazilian online magazine, Revista Geni.
Daniel Patino Flor is an Ecuadorian photographer currently working in Sweden as a photojournalist. In 2014 a selection of his work was published in the book Ecuatorianos Retratos.
Jason Barker is a filmmaker, illustrator and animator who also works for Gendered Intelligence. His own gender journey has taken various twists and turns. He did the from cover for this issue and illustrations on pp 25-27. You can see more of his work at jasonelvis.co.uk Koren Helbig is an Australian freelance journalist based in Spain. She particularly loves telling stories of passionate women doing good in the world, and blogs about simple, soulful living at She Makes Magic.
Crowdfund our climate news hub! In December, 196 countries meet in Paris to get a global agreement on climate change. This is an important moment in the fight against climate change. But, negotiations are heavily compromised by power imbalances, corporate lobbying and the exclusion of grassroots voices and solutions.
We’re excited to launch our crowdfunding appeal to create an alternative online news hub for Paris. It will act as a ‘one stop shop’ for anyone who wants to know what’s really going on at the talks. It will provide a platform to the grassroots and Global
South voices sidelined by the talks. And, give exposure to the huge range of campaigns challenging the vested interests undermining the negotiations. We’ll also send two New Internationalist reporters and a filmmaker to Paris to report the reality from both inside the talks and on the streets.
Please pledge your support if you can and get great rewards: newint.org/go/Paris Helen Wallis Engagement Manager, New Internationalist helen.wallis@newint.org
New I nter nat io nal ist ● October 2015 ● 3
