Promoting Health Justice With A Celebration of TransMasculine Magic
Health inequities are often the result of deliberate power structures that impose a gender binary. The only way to counteract and change the flawed systems put in place is to give a voice to the community of folks who regularly go unheard. This is precisely what the hardworking team at Gender Justice Los Angeles has done by publishing a groundbreaking report on April 7, coinciding with World Health Day. The report highlights the serious health inequities impacting transmasculine people in Los Angeles County.
The trans-led research and organizing initiative began in 2015 by the City of Los Angeles AIDS Coordinator’s Office and Gender Justice Los Angeles. The research that was done by and for transmasculine Angelenos tackles the erasure of transmasculine people from local public health data, policy, planning, and practice. The work that they do is important to the health and survival of transmasculine people who face serious health problems such as high rates of victimization, inequitable access to health care, depression, and anxiety.
“I work on social justice issues,” said Héctor Trinidad Plascencia, Vice Board Chair with Gender Justice Los Angeles, consultant, and director of Placentia Consulting. They worked with the team to develop the TransMasculine Health Justice LA report. “My background is in immigrant rights, and Trans and Queer immigrant health, and so being able to have an opportunity to celebrate during these times, is always great while at the same time recognizing our responsibility to the community and being able to share resources and continue to create access. That's what the report’s intention is as well, and as we're doing that, being able to create community, celebrate everything that we are and that we offer.”
Héctor Plascencia, along with DJ Kellye Kell, is hosting the event, TransMasculine Summer 2021, on Saturday, August 28, from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm at Sazon Bar & Grill in Los Angeles to bring awareness to these issues surrounding the transmasculine community. The event is a trans and queer day party to celebrate transmasculine magic, elevate the TransMasculine Health Justice: Los Angeles report, and raise some funds for Gender Justice LA.
“I looked at the study, and I've known Hector for a while, and I enjoyed and admired all the work that they do,” said DJ Kellye Kell, a mobile DJ, event promoter, and producer based in Los Angeles who has collaborated with The Queer 26 in the past. “I just thought it was really necessary to create an opportunity to come together to celebrate transmasculine folks and promote the health justice study that they worked on. The study moved me, and I wanted to take action. That's why we got this justice celebration going. I'm also a pre-nursing student, and I felt it was important to go into this field to create visibility for transmasculine people and to increase health justice in the field. I'm just here to have a good time and mainly focus on creating community for trans and queer folk and POC.”
The two advocates are creating a day of awareness, celebration, dancing, and delicious food with raffles, DJs, and musical performances by talented community members, all for a cause. Other performances from talented artists include Gabriel Ephraím Rondón, jez.who, lolarevolucion, Ziggy Bobo, Grey Rain, gfunktrece, djfrench_la, and of course DJ Kellye Kell. There will also be surprise raffle prizes from Jovan Wolf Leather Products & Ethical Punk Apparel y Arte.
“I like to say that Kellye's heart brought us together,” said Plascencia. “Kelly read the report, reached out, shared it. They wanted to create something beautiful to celebrate, bring attention, and elevate the need for trans health, justice, and opportunities that we can build together through access and resources. So, people should definitely attend the event.”
“For folks that are celebrating trans magic with us, we'll be sharing findings from the report, and we will be learning a little bit as well as we're dancing in between sessions and DJs and performers,” continued Plascencia. “We'll also be raising funds for Gender Justice LA, which is one of the long-standing organizations in Los Angeles that centers transgender, gender non-conforming, and intersex lives. We want to be able to support them so that they continue to work and elevate the need for on the ground, community-based organizations to be supported by all.”
When asked how the general public can become more involved in the efforts of prioritizing transmasculine health Héctor Plascencia had this to say: “get curious about who transmasculine people are, we want you to learn, we want you to read the report, and join us as we're learning together, around who transmasculine people are and, and what our needs are within health justice.”
All are welcome to attend the TransMasculine Summer event on Saturday, August 28, from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm at Sazon Bar & Grill located at 7127 Pacific Blvd, Huntington Park, CA 90255. You can purchase presale tickets for $10.00 via Venmo @TransMascMagic, or on Eventbrite here. Proof of vaccination is required at the door.
For more information about the Gender Justice LA organization, please visit their website at gjla.nationbuilder.com. You can view the full health justice report that Gender Justice LA released this year by visiting the following link tmhealthstudyla.org/2021-report.