Workers World fought gay oppression before Stonewal By Leslie Feinberg


Years before the 1969 Stonewall Rebellion, the leadership of Workers World Party understood the need to fight oppression as a many-headed hydra.

I joined Workers World Party (WWP) in Buffalo, N.Y., in 1973, drawn to its ranks by my rage at the Israeli occupation of Palestine and the bloody CIA-orchestrated counter-revolution in Chile. The first person in the branch leadership that I “came out” to as transgender in late 1973—Jeanette Merrill—listened to me very intently. She responded, “I don’t know much about your oppression, but I know oppression when I hear it.”

My comrades in the Buffalo branch quickly made discussion and understanding about my oppression an important part of branch work. They demonstrated to me that comradeship is different than friendship or family. It is a powerful relationship among people who unite on a solid platform of political principles and who fight against each other’s oppression as though it were their own.

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A Metis Birthday celebration turned into death ceremony, it may not be just an unfortunate tragedy

On the eve of 25th November, Nima a Metii (cross-dressing effeminate male, age about 25 years), who celebrated her birthday with few friends and friend's of friends in kumarigal near Baudha in Kathmandu, died yesterday afternoon around 2 PM, 25th November, at the Teaching Hospital. The hospital told that Nima died with "methyl" that may have contained at the alcohol they drank in the 25th Night. Nima was rushed to the hospital just before 2 mp after started vomiting, the doctors at the emergency unit told that it was too late and Nima died soon after. Then at the evening other people who were at the party and drunk same alcohol started getting sick and rushed to the teaching hospital and were cared for methyl. They were treated by ethyl agent to neutralized methyl. 3 Metis were released yesterday after the treatment, 6 others were in serious condition and teaching hospital told us to look for other hospital as the condition may get worse and need ICU support.

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Metis, victims (of political change?) in Nepal by Sunil Pant

After the recent peace deal between the Nepal Government and Maoist, like every other Nepalese, Métis (cross dressing effeminate males) also were in expectation that their rights would be ensured and they would also enjoy freedom and safety. But the situation and hate crimes they faces from many angles everyday makes them believe that the situation for Métis has become far worse than before. Before, most of the violence against Métis were committed by Nepal police but recently many Métis were victimized by men who called themselves Maoist. On night of 24th November 2006, four men, tow of them were in combat dress came to the Métis room at Lazimpat where few Métis share a apartment building and the group of Métis were abused physically, verbally, beten badly, threatened not to become Métis anymore. Their mobile phones, money, jewelries were also looted. Those 4 men, who claimed themselves from Maoist party, told Métis to come and collect the phones at Maoist office either in Kalanki or in Kupondole.