Allison Woolbert: Difference between revisions
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Allison D. Woolbert (formerly Dennis Wayne Woolbert) is a [[transgender ideology|trans activist]] from New Jersey who was | Allison D. Woolbert (formerly Dennis Wayne Woolbert) is a [[transgender ideology|trans activist]] from New Jersey who was infamous among trans-critical feminists for the blog "[[TERF]] Tracker," which he started to complain about and, arguably, harass feminists. After it was revealed that he had a past conviction for sexually molesting a 15 year-old relative, he seems to have disappeared from the Internet. | ||
== Professional life == | == Professional life == | ||
According to his public Linkedin profile, Woolbert has been working in IT since the early 1980s.<ref | According to his public Linkedin profile, Woolbert has been working in IT since the early 1980s.<ref>{{ cite web | url = https://www.linkedin.com/in/allison-woolbert-428629b9 | title = Allison Woolbert, Linkedin }}</ref> | ||
His many early job descriptions include: | His many early job descriptions include: | ||
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* 1990: PSE&G: Maintenance Software Programmer | * 1990: PSE&G: Maintenance Software Programmer | ||
* 1990 - 1992: Xerox: Technician/Operator | * 1990 - 1992: Xerox: Technician/Operator | ||
After that, there is a gap in Woolbert's résumé for a few years, which is the time he was in prison. See below for details. | |||
In August 1995, Woolbert founded his own software development business, Phoenix Consultants Group, Inc., which seems to still exist.<ref>{{ cite web | url = https://www.crunchbase.com/person/allison-woolbert | title = Allison Woolbert, Crunchbase }}</ref> | In August 1995, Woolbert founded his own software development business, Phoenix Consultants Group, Inc., which seems to still exist.<ref>{{ cite web | url = https://www.crunchbase.com/person/allison-woolbert | title = Allison Woolbert, Crunchbase }}</ref> | ||
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The website NonProfitFacts.com, lists a tax report by the Transgender Human Rights Institute (THRI) for 2012 period, apparently filed by Woolbert.<ref>{{ cite web | url = http://www.nonprofitfacts.com/NJ/Transgender-Human-Rights-Institute-Inc.html | title = Transgender Human Rights Institute Inc. in Princeton, New Jersey (NJ) | website = NonProfitFacts.com }}</ref> The income is listed as zero dollars so it seems the organization did not start to be active until later. | The website NonProfitFacts.com, lists a tax report by the Transgender Human Rights Institute (THRI) for 2012 period, apparently filed by Woolbert.<ref>{{ cite web | url = http://www.nonprofitfacts.com/NJ/Transgender-Human-Rights-Institute-Inc.html | title = Transgender Human Rights Institute Inc. in Princeton, New Jersey (NJ) | website = NonProfitFacts.com }}</ref> The income is listed as zero dollars so it seems the organization did not start to be active until later. | ||
In October 2013, Woolbert started a Kickstarter campaign to create the Transgender Violence Tracking Portal (TVTP).<ref>{{ cite web | url = https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1280267427/transgender-murder-violence-and-suicide-website/description | title = Transgender Violence Tracking Portal | website = kickstarter.com | author = Allison Woolbert | date = October 7, 2013 }}</ref> The fundraiser started with a goal of $3,500 and gained $4,772 in total. In a November 2013 interview published on Huffpost, Woolbert explains why he believes there to be a need for tracking anti-transgender violence, and how his software development business started providing the technologies needed to start the TVTP.<ref>{{ cite web | url = https://www.huffpost.com/entry/allison-woolbert-on-the-need-for-tracking-of-anti-transgender-violence_b_4233566 | title = Allison Woolbert on the Need for Tracking of Anti-Transgender Violence | author = A.J. Walkley | publisher = HuffPost | date = November 11, 2013 }}</ref> A follow-up article from October 2014 talks about how the TVTP had been successfully set up at that point.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.huffpost.com/entry/transgender-violence-trac_b_5948606 | title = Transgender Violence Tracking Portal: One Year Later | author = A.J. Walkley | date = October 10, 2014 | publisher = HuffPost }}</ref> | In October 2013, Woolbert started a Kickstarter campaign to create the Transgender Violence Tracking Portal (TVTP).<ref>{{ cite web | url = https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1280267427/transgender-murder-violence-and-suicide-website/description | title = Transgender Violence Tracking Portal | website = kickstarter.com | author = Allison Woolbert | date = October 7, 2013 }}</ref> The fundraiser started with a goal of $3,500 and gained $4,772 in total. In a November 2013 interview published on Huffpost, Woolbert explains why he believes there to be a need for tracking anti-transgender violence, and how his software development business started providing the technologies needed to start the TVTP.<ref>{{ cite web | url = https://www.huffpost.com/entry/allison-woolbert-on-the-need-for-tracking-of-anti-transgender-violence_b_4233566 | title = Allison Woolbert on the Need for Tracking of Anti-Transgender Violence | author = A.J. Walkley | publisher = HuffPost | date = November 11, 2013 }}</ref> A follow-up article from October 2014 talks about how the TVTP had been successfully set up at that point.<ref>{{ cite web | url = https://www.huffpost.com/entry/transgender-violence-trac_b_5948606 | title = Transgender Violence Tracking Portal: One Year Later | author = A.J. Walkley | date = October 10, 2014 | publisher = HuffPost }}</ref> | ||
In December 2014, the THRI started a petition against "transgender conversion therapy" after the suicide of a 17 year-old teenager.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.change.org/p/president-of-the-united-states-enact-leelah-s-law-to-ban-transgender-conversion-therapy|title=Enact Leelah's Law to Ban Transgender Conversion Therapy|website=Change.org|date=December 31, 2014}}</ref> The petition garnered about 350,000 signatures and some mainstream media attention.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/transgender-teens-death-inspires-petition-conversion-therapy|title=Transgender teen’s death inspires petition against conversion therapy|publisher=Public Broadcasting Service (PBS)|date=January 2, 2015}}</ref> | In December 2014, the THRI started a petition against "transgender conversion therapy" after the suicide of a 17 year-old teenager.<ref>{{ cite web | url = https://www.change.org/p/president-of-the-united-states-enact-leelah-s-law-to-ban-transgender-conversion-therapy | title = Enact Leelah's Law to Ban Transgender Conversion Therapy | website = Change.org | date = December 31, 2014 }}</ref> The petition garnered about 350,000 signatures and some mainstream media attention.<ref>{{ cite web | url = https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/transgender-teens-death-inspires-petition-conversion-therapy | title = Transgender teen’s death inspires petition against conversion therapy | publisher = Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) | date = January 2, 2015 }}</ref> | ||
== TERF Tracker == | |||
In August 2014, Woolbert started a blog called "TERF Tracker" described as being "about the cause to eliminate transphobic harassment and violence by the pseudo-feminist group called the [[TERF]]s (Trans-Exclusionary Radical Feminists)."<ref>{{ cite web | url = http://terftracker.blogspot.com/2014/08/a-commentary-on-feminist-guide-to-all.html | title = A commentary on “A Feminist Guide to all things Trans” - Part 1 | author = Allison Woolbert | date = August 4, 2014 | website = terftracker.blogspot.com }}</ref> | |||
Later in the same month, Woolbert posted on TERF Tracker that he would be focusing on TVTP instead, and designated Melissa Savage as the director/facilitator of the blog.<ref>{{ cite web | url = http://terftracker.blogspot.com/2014/08/allison-woolbert-to-focus-on-tvtp.html | title = Allison Woolbert To Focus on TVTP, Designates Melissa Savage the TERF Tracker Director/Facilitator by Allison Woolbert | author = Allison Woolbert | date = August 29, 2014 | website = terftracker.blogspot.com }}</ref> | |||
Among the targets of TERF Tracker was lesbian lawyer Cathy Brennan and her blog Gender Identity Watch, the [[Women's Liberation Front]] (WoLF), and the blog GenderTrender by GallusMag. | |||
== Revelation of past sexual offense == | == Revelation of past sexual offense == | ||
On January 6, 2015, the Twitter account @TERFTracker | On January 6, 2015, the Twitter account of the TERF Tracker (@TERFTracker), controlled by Melissa Savage at that point, tweeted at the account @TransHarmTrack: | ||
"Hey Allison, does the year 1991 have any significance to you? - Melissa Savage" | |||
It had come out that in 1991, Woolbert had been convicted of Aggravated Sexual Assault in the First Degree, his victim apparently being a 15 year-old family member. Woolbert was 28 years old at the time and would serve the next 4 years in prison. Within the days after that, Woolbert resigned from the Transgender Human Rights Institute. | |||
== References == | |||
<references/> | |||
Revision as of 17:04, 10 September 2022
Allison D. Woolbert (formerly Dennis Wayne Woolbert) is a trans activist from New Jersey who was infamous among trans-critical feminists for the blog "TERF Tracker," which he started to complain about and, arguably, harass feminists. After it was revealed that he had a past conviction for sexually molesting a 15 year-old relative, he seems to have disappeared from the Internet.
Professional life
According to his public Linkedin profile, Woolbert has been working in IT since the early 1980s.[1]
His many early job descriptions include:
- 1982: IBM: Mail Room
- 1983 - 1987: U.S. Air Force: Maintenance Statistical Analyst, Computer Programmer
- 1983 - 1986: Radio Shack: Assistant Manager
- 1987 - 1988: Interwest Bank of Arizona: Mainframe Computer Manager, Mainframe Installer
- 1988 - 1992: Simply Computers: PC Sales, Assembly, Tech Support
- 1989: Wheaton Glass: Maintenance Software Programmer
- 1989: Mannington Mills: Engineering Assistant/Programmer
- 1990: PSE&G: Maintenance Software Programmer
- 1990 - 1992: Xerox: Technician/Operator
After that, there is a gap in Woolbert's résumé for a few years, which is the time he was in prison. See below for details.
In August 1995, Woolbert founded his own software development business, Phoenix Consultants Group, Inc., which seems to still exist.[2]
His Linkedin profile also lists an entry for 2003 titled "Private Business Owner" and with the description: "Custom cabinet maker, furniture maker and beautiful handmade gifts from exotic woods of the world."
A later 2016 entry on the same page lists him as the president of his multi-generation carpentry family business. The decision to move away from IT and into the family business in 2016 might or might not be related to the 2015 revelation of his past as a sex offender...
Trans activism
There seems to be no public information as to when exactly Woolbert decided to start living as a transwoman, and when he began being involved in trans activism, but the latter seems to be the early 2010s.
The website NonProfitFacts.com, lists a tax report by the Transgender Human Rights Institute (THRI) for 2012 period, apparently filed by Woolbert.[3] The income is listed as zero dollars so it seems the organization did not start to be active until later.
In October 2013, Woolbert started a Kickstarter campaign to create the Transgender Violence Tracking Portal (TVTP).[4] The fundraiser started with a goal of $3,500 and gained $4,772 in total. In a November 2013 interview published on Huffpost, Woolbert explains why he believes there to be a need for tracking anti-transgender violence, and how his software development business started providing the technologies needed to start the TVTP.[5] A follow-up article from October 2014 talks about how the TVTP had been successfully set up at that point.[6]
In December 2014, the THRI started a petition against "transgender conversion therapy" after the suicide of a 17 year-old teenager.[7] The petition garnered about 350,000 signatures and some mainstream media attention.[8]
TERF Tracker
In August 2014, Woolbert started a blog called "TERF Tracker" described as being "about the cause to eliminate transphobic harassment and violence by the pseudo-feminist group called the TERFs (Trans-Exclusionary Radical Feminists)."[9]
Later in the same month, Woolbert posted on TERF Tracker that he would be focusing on TVTP instead, and designated Melissa Savage as the director/facilitator of the blog.[10]
Among the targets of TERF Tracker was lesbian lawyer Cathy Brennan and her blog Gender Identity Watch, the Women's Liberation Front (WoLF), and the blog GenderTrender by GallusMag.
Revelation of past sexual offense
On January 6, 2015, the Twitter account of the TERF Tracker (@TERFTracker), controlled by Melissa Savage at that point, tweeted at the account @TransHarmTrack:
"Hey Allison, does the year 1991 have any significance to you? - Melissa Savage"
It had come out that in 1991, Woolbert had been convicted of Aggravated Sexual Assault in the First Degree, his victim apparently being a 15 year-old family member. Woolbert was 28 years old at the time and would serve the next 4 years in prison. Within the days after that, Woolbert resigned from the Transgender Human Rights Institute.
References
- ↑ Allison Woolbert, Linkedin.
- ↑ Allison Woolbert, Crunchbase.
- ↑ Transgender Human Rights Institute Inc. in Princeton, New Jersey (NJ). NonProfitFacts.com.
- ↑ Allison Woolbert (October 7, 2013). Transgender Violence Tracking Portal. kickstarter.com.
- ↑ A.J. Walkley (November 11, 2013). Allison Woolbert on the Need for Tracking of Anti-Transgender Violence. HuffPost.
- ↑ A.J. Walkley (October 10, 2014). Transgender Violence Tracking Portal: One Year Later. HuffPost.
- ↑ Enact Leelah's Law to Ban Transgender Conversion Therapy. Change.org. December 31, 2014.
- ↑ Transgender teen’s death inspires petition against conversion therapy. Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). January 2, 2015.
- ↑ Allison Woolbert (August 4, 2014). A commentary on “A Feminist Guide to all things Trans” - Part 1. terftracker.blogspot.com.
- ↑ Allison Woolbert (August 29, 2014). Allison Woolbert To Focus on TVTP, Designates Melissa Savage the TERF Tracker Director/Facilitator by Allison Woolbert. terftracker.blogspot.com.