Category Archives: Activism

April 12, 2024 – Second Friday In-Person Meeting

The Transgender Education Association (TGEA), in coordination with MCC NoVA, are pleased to announce that Second Friday for April will be an in-person monthly meeting format on Friday, April 12th from 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM.

We’ll meet at the Metropolitan Community Church of Northern Virginia (MCC NoVA), 10383 Democracy Ln, Fairfax, VA 22030.
We will feature our open session for Transgender, Gender Non-Binary, Agender +, Significant Others, Friends, Family, Allies.

There will also be three break-out groups:
  * Parents
  * Teens & Tweens
  * Transmasculine and TransMasc Nonbinary
We will feature our open session for Transgender, Gender Non-Binary, Agender + Significant Others, Friends, Family, and Allies. We will also provide two separate closed group break-out sessions exclusively for Parents/Guardians and for Teens and Tweens.

In these challenging times we will be taking some additional steps for your security. The Second Friday facilitators will be monitoring the facility entrance. Prior to the start of the meeting, we will have folks at the entry door. After the gathering begins, late arrivals will be provided a phone number to call or text for entry.

Masks are optional.

We are grateful that we can open our doors to our community once more!
We look forward to seeing everyone!

Leigh Anne Arnold
September 18, 1951 – March 16, 2024

It is with sadness and a heavy heart that I announce MCC NoVA church member, Leigh Anne Arnold, died at 1 AM March 16 in the ICU of Reston Hospital Center. She was was 72 years old.
Her son, Chaz, wrote a beautiful obituary. You may read it HERE
A Celebration of Life will be held at MCC of Northern Virginia on April 27 at 2 PM, with a repast to follow. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations made to the Metropolitan Community Church of Northern Virginia on Leigh Anne’s memory.
If you would like to share any memories or thoughts of Leigh Anne, you may send them to Rev Emma, with “Leigh Anne” in the subject line. Thank you.
In Peace & Love, Rev. Emma

2024 WREN Project Scholarships!

The WREN Project’s 2024 LGBTQ+ Scholarship program has opened!
This year we are thrilled to be able to offer five $1000 scholarships to high school seniors in Fairfax County and Loudoun County who identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community or have demonstrated they are a strong ally.
The deadline for all completed applications is June 7. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to admin@thewrenproject.org

March 2024 – Community News

On March 19, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors
Proclaims March 31 Transgender Day of Visibility
On March 19, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors will present TGEA with a certificate officially proclaiming March 31 as the Transgender Day of Visibility. The meeting will be held at 9:30 AM in the Board Auditorium at the Fairfax County Government Center, 12000 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax, VA.
Rev. Emma will be speaking briefly and receiving the proclamation on behalf of the organization.
It would be wonderful to have any many folks there as possible – LGBTIQ + friends, family, allies – all together in unity, especially during these challenging times. There will be an opportunity for a group photograph, and we would love to make it a big “family” photo!
🙂
There will be other proclamations, and at this point, there is no way of knowing when this proclamation will happen, although it is often within the first hour (sometimes there are multiple speakers and so it is difficult to predict).

Day of Visibility Rally Thurs March 21 6 PM

Join FCPS Pride and other supporting organizations at
Luther Jackson – 3020 Gallows Rd. Falls Church, VA
Rally Begins at 6 p.m
At 7 folks should go in to the school board meeting to support and stand for 1)
Theatre Programs and teachers as they are honored by the school board; and
2) in support of community speakers as they testify about 1) Diversity in Our
School Libraries and in Our Theatre offerings and 2) in support of the school
board and superintendent Reid as they oppose the abhorrent lawsuit against
transgender students existence from Stephen Miller’s America First Legal
Foundation. If interested in speaking at the Rally
email fcpspride@gmail.com
or text Robert at 202-295-7939.
There will be songs, speakers, chants, calls for action, signs and miniature
flags. After the Rally, the school board meets at 7:00–presentations begin
soon afterwards. We can wave our flags to honor the theatre teachers, join the
photo if we would like, and wave flags, hold signs.

United Against Hate presentation, Nov 15

Greetings from the Office of Nicholas Durham
Assistant United States Attorney
Civil Rights Coordinator
Eastern District of Virginia

I am writing because my office, along with various partners, is putting together a United Against Hate presentation on Wednesday, November 15, 2023, in Arlington, Virginia, and we would like to cordially invite you and members of your community to attend. This event is open to everyone, but will have a special emphasis on the issues and concerns facing the LGBTQIA+ community.

United Against Hate is a U.S. Department of Justice initiative that convenes local forums that connect community groups to federal and local law enforcement to increase community understanding and reporting of hate crimes; build trust between law enforcement and communities; and create and strengthen alliances between law enforcement and other government partners and community groups to combat unlawful acts of hate. Through using hypothetical scenarios and video clips depicting real-life hate crime cases and stories, United Against Hate promotes robust interaction between community members and law enforcement participants. Program topics include defining hate crimes versus hate incidents; the importance of reporting unlawful acts of hate; providing options for responding to hate incidents when situations do not constitute a federal or state crime; and distinguishing unlawful conduct from protected First Amendment activity, including identifying protected speech versus speech that advocates violence or encourages people to commit hate crimes.

We are fortunate to count on the participation of the FBI, the Arlington County Police Department, and the Arlington County Sheriff’s Department, along with the amazing coordination of Arlington Public Library, to bring this event to fruition.

We hope you and others from the Transgender Education Association might be interested in attending; in suggesting groups or community leaders who we should invite to this event; and/or in disseminating information about this event to your organization’s members.
I have attached a flyer for the event.

Sincerely,
Nicholas Durham

Here is the link to register –

United Against Hate: A Panel Discussion – Events Calendar – Home (libcal.com)

2023 Transgender Day Of Remembrance – Monday Nov 20


This will be the 15th year that TGEA has sponsored the Northern Virginia Interfaith Transgender Day of Remembrance Service, in conjunction with the Metropolitan Church of Northern Virginia (MCC NoVA), and various host communities.

What is The Transgender Day of Remembrance?
This is the day we remember our dead. Last year there were 41 individuals in this country who were killed while living their life as their authentic self. The remembrance service is traditionally held on November 20, 2023 which is a Monday this year, and will be held at 7:00 PM.

This year the service will be hosted at
Unity of Fairfax
2854 Hunter Mill Rd,
Oakton, VA 22124

Running in a Body That’s My Own (NY Times article)

I know I look like a man. I know I sound like a man and maybe even walk like a man and dress like one, too. But I’m not a man; I’m a woman. Playing sports and having muscles and a deep voice make me less feminine, yes. I’m a different kind of woman, I know, but I’m still a woman.

I began running competitively as a teenager in South Africa, and by age 18 I was competing on the international stage. In 2009, as I prepared to run in the Berlin World Championships, athletic authorities sent me for some medical testing. Because of my looks, there had been speculation from my fellow athletes, sports officials, the media and fans that I was not what I said I was.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/21/opinion/running-body-semenya.html?unlocked_article_code=1.4Uw.QLkO.p2u21i6oMuVD

FCPS RALLY AND MARCH – AUGUST 15, 2023

TGEA Board members Chaiya, Rabbit and Willow marching
TGEA Board members Chaiya, Rabbit and Willow were at the rally protesting the recent attempt to change the policies already in effect.
The rally and protest began at Luther Jackson Middle School at 3020 Gallows Rd. at 6:30pm and was followed by a short march to Gatehouse Administrative Center.

Fairfax County Public Schools Pride – We must let FCPS know that we will not allow our transgender and non-binary students, staff, and faculty remain under assault. See https://www.fcpspride.org for direct info.
Questions? Contact fcpspride@gmail.com.

Saying Farewell to a Dear Friend

Sharon Brackett died suddenly at her home in Baltimore Maryland on May 24, 2021. Sharon started attending Second Friday at the very beginning, close to 10 years ago, driving down from Maryland in order to connect with others in the community. Her contributions to the Trans Communities, and the world at large, cannot be understated. She was not simply an activist, she was also a dear friend, and I will miss her. (Rev. Emma Chattin)

Link to Sharon’s Obituary and Photo Here