Tune into Out-FM on Tues., February 20, 2024 from 8:00-9:00 pm EST, on 99.5 FM WBAI/NY or listen live at https://www.wbai.org/listen-live/ 

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Cecilia Gentili: Pioneering TransLatina Activist Remembered

Cecilia Gentili (l) and Pauline Park (r)

On Tuesday's program, Pauline Park will pay tribute to Cecilia Gentili following the death of the pioneering translatina activist who emigrated from Argentina and survived sex trafficking, rising to become a major advocate for services for the transgender community and the decriminalization of sex work. Even in death, Cecilia caused a ruckus with a funeral service at St. Patrick's Cathedral in Manhattan that outraged transphobic right-wing Catholics. For more information about Cecilia, read Pauline Park’s essay, "Cecilia Gentili & her legacy of transgender activism & decriminalization advocacy work."  

Hashtags: #CeciliaGentili #Cecilia #CeciliaPresente #transgender #translatina #SexWorkIsWork #Decriminalize #Decriminalization

Tribute to Trans/Intersex AIDS/Queer Activist Kathy Ottersten

Illustration: Allan C. Carandang

From Jewish Currents, Fall 2023 issue

In our second half, we pay tribute to a courageous trans and intersex AIDS and trans rights activist originally from New York, who died on January 31 at age 57 in their adopted home of Fairbanks, Alaska. Kathy Ottersten was born intersex, came out as bisexual in their early teens, later identified as a lesbian trans woman and more recently identified as nonbinary and used the pronoun “they.” Starting at age 19, they threw themselves into social justice activism on a range of intersectional issues. In 2018 they became the second openly intersex person elected to public office in the U.S., winning a seat on the Fairbanks City Council. Out-FM’s Bob Lederer interviewed Hannah Gold, a journalist and adjunct professor at Columbia University and Pratt Institute, who interviewed Kathy in 2021 for the online magazine Jewish Currents. For Hannah's moving Feb. 2024 tribute to Kathy, click here.

In 1991, Kathy was one of eight ACT UP members and independent activists who distributed clean needles on the streets of Manhattan, becoming defendants in a critical test case. Those defendants mounted a necessity defense, calling expert witnesses to explain how needle exchange programs had been scientifically shown to reduce HIV infections and save lives, and they won an acquittal, thereby helping to legalize the harm reduction practice of needle exchange in New York.

In this segment, we will also play clips from an interview with Kathy for the ACT UP Oral History Project, as well as hearing Hannah’s reflections. And we will hear a tribute from Alexis Danzig, a former ACT UP colleague of Kathy.

About Out-FM

Out-FM is a weekly progressive, intersectional queer show on listener-sponsored, noncommercial WBAI/Pacifica Radio. It airs at 99.5 FM and wbai.org, generally on Tuesdays from 8-9 PM.  Please support us by donating to WBAI. Become a member for $25 or a BAI Buddy (sustainer) for $10/month or more. Go to give2wbai.org or call 212-209-2950 and let the station know you listen to Out-FM by supporting the station with a donation. Be sure and mention our show when you donate.  Sign up for Out-FM's Weekly Newsletter with show announcements.