I spent most of Friday and Saturday attending the annual meeting of a national privacy coalition. Topics for the conference included the Real ID Act, the Feds' Employee Verification System, and privacy of medical records--all issues that are of vital impotance to trans people.
Generally NCTE is the only LGBT organization represented in policy coalitions focusing on privacy, which is not ideal, but some others now are starting to get involved in the trans privacy isues somewhat. Privacy (and related ID documentation work) has become a very large part of what NCTE does.
You'll be hearing a lot more from us about these issues this year.
Monday, January 29, 2007
Friday, January 26, 2007
NCTE in the News: Camp Out
One of the things we are very proud of this year is that we were able to work with the Triangle Foundation to support Camping.Out. Camping.Out is a summer camp opportunity for LGBT youth from across the country to be held this August in Michigan. Other national supporters include the Task Force, PFLAG and the National Youth Advocacy Coalition (NYAC).
For too long, trans and other LGBT youth have been excluded or felt unsafe at summer camp, so for the kids who participated in the first Camping.Out last summer, this was life changing. We applaud Triangle for there great work on Camping.Out.
For more information, here is a link to an article from OutInDetroit.com as well as a link to the Triangle Foundation's Camping.Out website.
Thursday, January 25, 2007
CNN's Glenn Beck is a real "Thinker"
The Thinker did it again. But was he really thinking? And what is CNN thinking?
Glenn Beck, one of the most inflammatory and hate-mongery television personalities actually said "faggot" [quoting another actor] on the air and dismissed it as a "naughty name." CNN is making excuses for him again.
This is what we have come to expect of Beck, and unfortunately, of CNN.
For a fuller story on this episode click here.
Why do I call him "the Thinker" though?
On May 25, 2006, Mr. Beck did a segment about the transgender teen in Indiana, who was barred from a high school prom for wanting to wearing an appropriate prom gown after wearing girl's clothes in school for an entire school year. Mr. Beck carefully analyzed the legal situation the school faced. By carefully analyzing, of course, I mean he called the teenager "Dame Edna" and remarkably "freak boy." Then he announced, "I`m not a lawyer. I am a thinker." So that's nice. So I call him "the Thinker."
Here is the link to that episode. http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0605/25/gb.01.html
Working with GLAAD, the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, we called CNN on Beck's bigotry and were told pretty much what we are hearing now about this latest bigotry, that is that Beck's show is not a news show, but rather an opinion show. I can't remember why I think that a show on CNN's Headline News network might confuse Americans into thinking that there was news content. Could it be that the CNN Headline News network has the word "news" in its name not once, but twice CNN's (Cable News Network) Headline News.
Imagine being a teenager and being called "freak boy" on a national news network--I mean opinion network. It is simply wrong and unfair and plain bigoted.
Mr. Beck's may be the one of the most egregiously explicit anti-trans of the news, errrr, opinion shows, but actually, he disrespects us on the air less often that Tucker Carlson of MSNBC. More on that in a later post.
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
The Minimum Wage: NCTE in the news
Already this year, there have been policy advancements that could dramatically impact the lives of transgender people. Not the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (yet), nor the federal hate crime bill (yet). But one advancement that we are watching closely is the proposed increase in the minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.25 per hour.
NCTE has joined with ten other LGBT organization in signing a letter asking the Senate to folow the lead of the U.S. House of Representatives which has already passed the increase.
In a letter to the Senate, we collectively noted, “The current minimum wage makes it difficult for workers to support their families and themselves. As working peoples’ wages have remained stagnant or declined over the last ten years, their health care, energy and housing costs have increased substantially."
The lead on this collaborative letter to the Senate was taken by our friends Pride at Work, AFL-CIO, which has been among the strongest supporters of trans-inclusive policies.
Here is a link to an article about the effort.
NCTE has joined with ten other LGBT organization in signing a letter asking the Senate to folow the lead of the U.S. House of Representatives which has already passed the increase.
In a letter to the Senate, we collectively noted, “The current minimum wage makes it difficult for workers to support their families and themselves. As working peoples’ wages have remained stagnant or declined over the last ten years, their health care, energy and housing costs have increased substantially."
The lead on this collaborative letter to the Senate was taken by our friends Pride at Work, AFL-CIO, which has been among the strongest supporters of trans-inclusive policies.
Here is a link to an article about the effort.
Monday, January 22, 2007
European Transgender Coalition Registered
TransGender Europe, a new coalition of 66 transgender and transsexual organizations in 21 nations, was officially registered by Austrian authorities this month.
"This is a major milestone towards the recognition of the rights of transgender people," said Chairperson Justus Eisfeld. "Now TransGender Europe can apply for funding and make our voices heard on an international level."
The group plans to fight for "legal recognition of the gender of trans people in the gender they live in, as well as nondiscrimination in all aspects of life, equal access to health care, and social acceptance."
For more information, please visit www.tgeu.net
Reprint from
INTERNATIONAL NEWS #665
January 22, 2007
by Rex Wockner
Friday, January 19, 2007
NCTE in the News: Transgender Religious Summit
January 18, 2007
First Ever Trans Religion Summit this Weekend
by Heather Cassell
Transgender religious leaders are convening the first-ever Transgender Religious Summit at the Pacific School of Religion this weekend in Berkeley.
Religious leaders, academics, and policymakers are meeting January 19-21 to focus on how people of faith can respond to discrimination and hatred against transgender people within their congregations and communities.
"It's important to mobilize progressive people of faith who want to see more justice for transgender people in their own communities," said Justin Tanis, a graduate of Harvard Divinity School and program director of the National Center for Transgender Equality, who helped organize the summit.
To read the full article, click here.
NCTE in the News: Employment Non-Discrimination Act
January 19, 2007
Kennedy mum on new version of ENDA;
Trans-inclusive rights bill faces unclear future in new new Congress
by Lou Chibbaro, Jr.
Trans-inclusive rights bill faces unclear future in new new Congress
by Lou Chibbaro, Jr.
With the Democrats in control of Congress for the first time in 12 years, gay, [lesbian, bisexual and transgender] rights advocates are optimistic about a vote in the House and Senate later this year on the long-stalled Employment Non-Discrimination Act, or ENDA.
. . .
Mara Keisling, executive director of the Washington-based National Center for Transgender Equality, said she is optimistic that Kennedy would eventually support a trans-inclusive ENDA, but she acknowledged that he has yet to disclose his position on the issue.
“The answer is we don’t know,” Keisling said. “But I’m not feeling a minute-by-minute crisis on this. Senator Kennedy is one of the nation’s leading figures on civil rights. I am very optimistic that he is going to come out strong on this.”
To read the full article, click here.
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
NCTE in the News: Transgender People Face Violence, Obstacles
The New Standard has an article about violence against trans people. NCTE spoke with the reporter at length. The full article is at http://newstandardnews.net/content/index.cfm/items/4103.
Robert Eads
And Then There are Families
I met Robert Eads only once. I did not know him.
The night he died, about three months after I had heard his amazing speech, and months yet before I saw the movie about him, I danced until four with much of his Southern Comfort family—by then my family too. I remained fully clothed; I can’t speak for any of the others. That was eight years ago tonight.
I had gone to the Southern Comfort Conference in October 1998, knowing that it was the most attended of the transgender conferences I had secretly been reading about online. I already had made my decision to transition a couple years earlier, and with my target date less that a year away, it was time to push myself out there to learn who I was and was becoming.
I had arrived in Atlanta without even a name by which to introduce myself —with almost nothing but the knowledge that I was a transsexual and it was time to do something about it.
At lunch on Friday, I think it was, Robert walked to the microphone to deliver the keynote address. I was stunned at the peaceful man calmly telling us that he was about to die. I remember being shocked, even unable to cry, when he shared that he had asked God to let him make it to one more Southern Comfort. As he spoke, the room was silent—the most silent and attentive audience I have ever felt. So powerful was it that when I see the film, I still feel my breath slow like on the that day in October when he stood on the stage.
Soon enough, after his death the following January, Robert became somewhat famous as the focus of the powerful documentary “Southern Comfort,” named for the conference that still feels to me like my transgender home. To many people, Robert’s story—the part covered in the film anyway—is of the months leading to his death from ovarian cancer after being turned away by dirty dozens of health care providers because he was a transgender man. Society, and even medical providers, carelessly and with great callous allowed (and still allow) it to be okay to disrespect an obviously wonderful person and even watch him die because he was different. Apparently it was embarrassing for the gynecologists and oncologists to have a man with cervical cancer in their offices. So Robert died. But as he said in the film, and you had to believe him, the movie was not about his death but about family.
Like most decent people, I was outraged at his story and thankful that he told it. I feel awe at how much Robert has done for me and all trans people.
It was Robert who startled me, in the gentlest way, to begin to understand both what I would win and lose by transitioning. I might gain a family and a large measure of inner-felt congruence and dignity, but I would most certainly lose the advantages I had taken for granted in society when people had assumed unconsciously that I was not transgender.
I saw the tradeoff in Robert’s story and knew that, like him, I would voluntarily join his amazing community, not worrying about the rejection, the disrespect, the tradeoff. He made it seem in the speech that day like an easy choice. So I selected the community—the family really—that would be there for me as my life attempted joyous but anxious pirouettes and I came to acceptance of my transness and how so much would be different.
After the speech, I never saw Robert again, except in the film and in pictures taken by my friend Mariette. But just over three months later, I had joined his Southern Comfort family and was with them in Atlanta on the night he died.
Coincidentally, many of us were there that weekend to plan the next year’s conference; some were in town to be with Robert. Those of us who were not at the hospital that Saturday night, ate, drank and danced. The dancing began in earnest in honor of Robert when Lola came to the hotel and let us know that Robert had gone. In my mind there was a sudden quiet frenzy to the dancing. A couple of the women removed their tops; others may remember why. I remember only that it was intense and calming and surreal and for Robert. Maybe that night, maybe the next day someone called it the dance of the Trans Nymphs and that has stuck in my memory.
For a large part of the dance, my new friend and sister Celia, at a similar unsure but determined early point in her transition, huddled with me in a corner, wondering, talking quietly and doubting that our planned transitions would allow us to be so confident in our physicality. Even in that very safe family space in a large hotel suite, I couldn’t imagine ever feeling safe about being out as transgender. I had spent forty years feeling unsafe about it, and though I was exhilarated about the transition that was becoming more and more inevitable, I could still taste the real danger. Robert, lying there, dying there, just miles away made that danger even more palpable.
I was very aware of what Robert’s story said about that danger. Though he seemed as confident and safe in his own skin as anyone I had ever seen, society had helped kill him or at least throw him away for his transness. No doubt there was danger. Yet there I was, eight years ago today, in a hotel suite with twenty or so transsexuals and some others, feeling free and hopeful and even surprisingly safe.
Those two weekends, three months apart, simply changed my life. Robert and his Southern Comfort family silently enveloped me as I edged away from much of my life as I had lived it.
And Robert, thanks to your love, your story and your voice, your family is ever bigger and safer.
Thank you, brother.
I met Robert Eads only once. I did not know him.
The night he died, about three months after I had heard his amazing speech, and months yet before I saw the movie about him, I danced until four with much of his Southern Comfort family—by then my family too. I remained fully clothed; I can’t speak for any of the others. That was eight years ago tonight.
I had gone to the Southern Comfort Conference in October 1998, knowing that it was the most attended of the transgender conferences I had secretly been reading about online. I already had made my decision to transition a couple years earlier, and with my target date less that a year away, it was time to push myself out there to learn who I was and was becoming.
I had arrived in Atlanta without even a name by which to introduce myself —with almost nothing but the knowledge that I was a transsexual and it was time to do something about it.
At lunch on Friday, I think it was, Robert walked to the microphone to deliver the keynote address. I was stunned at the peaceful man calmly telling us that he was about to die. I remember being shocked, even unable to cry, when he shared that he had asked God to let him make it to one more Southern Comfort. As he spoke, the room was silent—the most silent and attentive audience I have ever felt. So powerful was it that when I see the film, I still feel my breath slow like on the that day in October when he stood on the stage.
Soon enough, after his death the following January, Robert became somewhat famous as the focus of the powerful documentary “Southern Comfort,” named for the conference that still feels to me like my transgender home. To many people, Robert’s story—the part covered in the film anyway—is of the months leading to his death from ovarian cancer after being turned away by dirty dozens of health care providers because he was a transgender man. Society, and even medical providers, carelessly and with great callous allowed (and still allow) it to be okay to disrespect an obviously wonderful person and even watch him die because he was different. Apparently it was embarrassing for the gynecologists and oncologists to have a man with cervical cancer in their offices. So Robert died. But as he said in the film, and you had to believe him, the movie was not about his death but about family.
Like most decent people, I was outraged at his story and thankful that he told it. I feel awe at how much Robert has done for me and all trans people.
It was Robert who startled me, in the gentlest way, to begin to understand both what I would win and lose by transitioning. I might gain a family and a large measure of inner-felt congruence and dignity, but I would most certainly lose the advantages I had taken for granted in society when people had assumed unconsciously that I was not transgender.
I saw the tradeoff in Robert’s story and knew that, like him, I would voluntarily join his amazing community, not worrying about the rejection, the disrespect, the tradeoff. He made it seem in the speech that day like an easy choice. So I selected the community—the family really—that would be there for me as my life attempted joyous but anxious pirouettes and I came to acceptance of my transness and how so much would be different.
After the speech, I never saw Robert again, except in the film and in pictures taken by my friend Mariette. But just over three months later, I had joined his Southern Comfort family and was with them in Atlanta on the night he died.
Coincidentally, many of us were there that weekend to plan the next year’s conference; some were in town to be with Robert. Those of us who were not at the hospital that Saturday night, ate, drank and danced. The dancing began in earnest in honor of Robert when Lola came to the hotel and let us know that Robert had gone. In my mind there was a sudden quiet frenzy to the dancing. A couple of the women removed their tops; others may remember why. I remember only that it was intense and calming and surreal and for Robert. Maybe that night, maybe the next day someone called it the dance of the Trans Nymphs and that has stuck in my memory.
For a large part of the dance, my new friend and sister Celia, at a similar unsure but determined early point in her transition, huddled with me in a corner, wondering, talking quietly and doubting that our planned transitions would allow us to be so confident in our physicality. Even in that very safe family space in a large hotel suite, I couldn’t imagine ever feeling safe about being out as transgender. I had spent forty years feeling unsafe about it, and though I was exhilarated about the transition that was becoming more and more inevitable, I could still taste the real danger. Robert, lying there, dying there, just miles away made that danger even more palpable.
I was very aware of what Robert’s story said about that danger. Though he seemed as confident and safe in his own skin as anyone I had ever seen, society had helped kill him or at least throw him away for his transness. No doubt there was danger. Yet there I was, eight years ago today, in a hotel suite with twenty or so transsexuals and some others, feeling free and hopeful and even surprisingly safe.
Those two weekends, three months apart, simply changed my life. Robert and his Southern Comfort family silently enveloped me as I edged away from much of my life as I had lived it.
And Robert, thanks to your love, your story and your voice, your family is ever bigger and safer.
Thank you, brother.
This Here New Blog
It's about time. NCTE finally has a Blog. We hope that you find it both useful and enjoyable. Before we begin, just a few guidelines about how things work here.
1. A primary purpose of this blog is to get enhanced information to transgender people and our allies in a more expedited way than we have been able to in the past. Thus, there may occasionally be mistakes caused by our haste.
2. Additionally, please remember that this is a new endeavor for us here. We will make mistakes for that reason also. These might include typos or even factual errors. Let us know.
3. We will try to fix mistakes we make.
4. As appropriate, we will try to state when individual bloggers are expressing their own opinions as opposed to the opinions of NCTE.
5. Initially we will be allowing unmonitored comments from readers to posts we make. We do reserve the right to delete comments or to entirely disallow them in the future. We will however, at least initially, allow even extremist transphobes to post ranting comments, which we expect will help expose the hatred that we all know is out there. We should not be afraid of these words. We do however reserve the right to delete any comment for any reason. We also reserve the right to take comments and build new posts around them to further expose the intolerance and hatred we may hear.
6. While, initially only NCTE staff and Board members will be blogging, in the future, we will be adding additional bloggers to increase the content and perspective available here.
7. In the spirit of the best blogging, we will attempt to be somewhat more informal in style than we are in our other communications. Hope that’s okay.
Please enjoy.
Mara Keisling
Executive Director
1. A primary purpose of this blog is to get enhanced information to transgender people and our allies in a more expedited way than we have been able to in the past. Thus, there may occasionally be mistakes caused by our haste.
2. Additionally, please remember that this is a new endeavor for us here. We will make mistakes for that reason also. These might include typos or even factual errors. Let us know.
3. We will try to fix mistakes we make.
4. As appropriate, we will try to state when individual bloggers are expressing their own opinions as opposed to the opinions of NCTE.
5. Initially we will be allowing unmonitored comments from readers to posts we make. We do reserve the right to delete comments or to entirely disallow them in the future. We will however, at least initially, allow even extremist transphobes to post ranting comments, which we expect will help expose the hatred that we all know is out there. We should not be afraid of these words. We do however reserve the right to delete any comment for any reason. We also reserve the right to take comments and build new posts around them to further expose the intolerance and hatred we may hear.
6. While, initially only NCTE staff and Board members will be blogging, in the future, we will be adding additional bloggers to increase the content and perspective available here.
7. In the spirit of the best blogging, we will attempt to be somewhat more informal in style than we are in our other communications. Hope that’s okay.
Please enjoy.
Mara Keisling
Executive Director
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
TLDEF Has Summer Legal Fellowship
Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund (TLDEF) will host a summer legal fellow. For more information, go to transgenderlegal.org.
Number of fellows sought: One.
Location: New York City.
Qualifications: Because of the focused and challenging nature of the work TLDEF does, we prefer to hire a law fellow who has some experience with transgender issues. A background in or familiarity with issues, legal and otherwise, that are important to transgender people will greatly strengthen an application. Commitment to public interest law also greatly strengthens an application.
Fellow's Responsibilities/Projects: Our summer intern will assist attorneys with research and drafting in ongoing cases, prospective cases, and amicus curiae briefs, in all areas of transgender civil rights; research, draft, and/or edit publications on same issues for general public education.
Funding: This is a paid fellowship; nevertheless, the fellow is strongly encouraged to seek out and apply for grants and/or funding from other sources in order to supplement the fellowship stipend.
Application Procedure/Deadline: Students interested in applying for the Pauline Park Fellowship should apply immediately. The applicant pool closes on January 31. We strongly encourage you to apply early as the position may be filled before that date. Applicants should send a resume, cover letter, and recent writing sample by email only to Michael Silverman at msilverman@transgenderlegal.org. Please enter "Pauline Park Summer Fellowship Application" in the email subject line.
People who identify as transgender, lesbian, gay, or bisexual, as well as people of color and people with disabilities, are strongly encouraged to apply. TLDEF is an equal opportunity employer.
Application instructions:
Students interested in applying for the Pauline Park Fellowship should apply immediately. The applicant pool closes on January 31. We strongly encourage you to apply early as the position may be filled before that date.
Applicants should send a resume,
cover letter, and recent writing sample by email only to Michael Silverman at msilverman@transgenderlegal.org. Please enter "Pauline Park Summer Fellowship Application" in the email subject line.
People who identify as transgender, lesbian, gay, or bisexual, as well as people of color and people with disabilities, are strongly encouraged to apply. TLDEF is an equal opportunity employer.
http://www.idealist.org/en/org/148576-316
Number of fellows sought: One.
Location: New York City.
Qualifications: Because of the focused and challenging nature of the work TLDEF does, we prefer to hire a law fellow who has some experience with transgender issues. A background in or familiarity with issues, legal and otherwise, that are important to transgender people will greatly strengthen an application. Commitment to public interest law also greatly strengthens an application.
Fellow's Responsibilities/Projects: Our summer intern will assist attorneys with research and drafting in ongoing cases, prospective cases, and amicus curiae briefs, in all areas of transgender civil rights; research, draft, and/or edit publications on same issues for general public education.
Funding: This is a paid fellowship; nevertheless, the fellow is strongly encouraged to seek out and apply for grants and/or funding from other sources in order to supplement the fellowship stipend.
Application Procedure/Deadline: Students interested in applying for the Pauline Park Fellowship should apply immediately. The applicant pool closes on January 31. We strongly encourage you to apply early as the position may be filled before that date. Applicants should send a resume, cover letter, and recent writing sample by email only to Michael Silverman at msilverman@transgenderlegal.org. Please enter "Pauline Park Summer Fellowship Application" in the email subject line.
People who identify as transgender, lesbian, gay, or bisexual, as well as people of color and people with disabilities, are strongly encouraged to apply. TLDEF is an equal opportunity employer.
Application instructions:
Students interested in applying for the Pauline Park Fellowship should apply immediately. The applicant pool closes on January 31. We strongly encourage you to apply early as the position may be filled before that date.
Applicants should send a resume,
cover letter, and recent writing sample by email only to Michael Silverman at msilverman@transgenderlegal.org. Please enter "Pauline Park Summer Fellowship Application" in the email subject line.
People who identify as transgender, lesbian, gay, or bisexual, as well as people of color and people with disabilities, are strongly encouraged to apply. TLDEF is an equal opportunity employer.
http://www.idealist.org/en/org/148576-316
Monday, January 08, 2007
Friday, January 05, 2007
Maryland Could Pass in 2007
Maryland is one of the states for which we have high hopes of passing a gender identity/expression anti-discrimination bill in 2007. It has been about five years since the state passed it's sexual orientation protections. I have recently spoken with Equality Maryland folks as well as with openly gay Maryland State Senator Rich Madaleno (quoted n the linked article) and they are very optimistic for this year. They are not only optimistic, but committed and that matters a lot. NCTE Board of Directors member Donna Cartwright and NCTE Board of Advisor member Dr. Dana Beyer will be in the trenches with lots of other folks this year working on this effort.
Here is a link to an article in the Washington Blade today. Notice, the prominance of the discussion about the gender identity/expression bill.
http://washblade.com/2007/1-5/news/localnews/md.cfm
For those of you keeping track, there are currently eight or nine states (see explanation below) that have legislatively enacted sexual orientation protections without gender identity/expression protections (CT, MA, MD, NH, NV, NY, VT, WI) A ninth state, Hawaii, has passed protections based on gender identity for housing and public accomodations, but the employment discrimination bill was vetoed in 2005 by Gov. Lingle who is therefore not on my Holiday cookie list. Thus far four states that previously had passed anti-discrimination laws for sexual orientation, amended further to include transpeople with gender identity/expression (CA, DC, NJ, RI). [Writer's note: DC counts as a state--get used to it.] We hope Maryland will be on that list shortly.
Arizona Job Opening at AHRF
Arizona Human Rights Fund and Foundation (AHRF) is seeking a development director.
Position Summary
AHRF seeks a passionate, outgoing, experienced Development Director to plan and direct the fundraising activities of the organization. The successful candidate will have a strong fundraising track record and proven leadership skills to ensure that funding is available to support AHRF’s efforts to secure equality for LGBT individuals and families in Arizona. Key responsibilities include researching, organizing, implementing, and evaluating all fundraising activities of the organization.
Email a resume and cover letter to: barbara@ahrf.org; or
Mail to: Barbara McCullough-Jones, Executive Director
Arizona Human Rights Fund and Foundation
PO Box 25044
Phoenix, AZ 85002
A full position description can be found at http://www.ahrf.org/. For more information, email or call Barbara McCullough-Jones, Executive Director, at mailto:Paul@equalitytexas.org or 602-650-0900.
Position Summary
AHRF seeks a passionate, outgoing, experienced Development Director to plan and direct the fundraising activities of the organization. The successful candidate will have a strong fundraising track record and proven leadership skills to ensure that funding is available to support AHRF’s efforts to secure equality for LGBT individuals and families in Arizona. Key responsibilities include researching, organizing, implementing, and evaluating all fundraising activities of the organization.
Email a resume and cover letter to: barbara@ahrf.org; or
Mail to: Barbara McCullough-Jones, Executive Director
Arizona Human Rights Fund and Foundation
PO Box 25044
Phoenix, AZ 85002
A full position description can be found at http://www.ahrf.org/. For more information, email or call Barbara McCullough-Jones, Executive Director, at mailto:Paul@equalitytexas.org or 602-650-0900.
Thursday, January 04, 2007
Trans Tennessee Rocks
I just received the fourth quarter report (below) from the Tennessee Transgender Political Coalition (TTPC). Look at all they are doing. Holy Moley.
Here is an article by Beth Maples-Bays from the Equality Herald about the great work TTPC is doing.
Our friend Marisa Richmond compiles these reports to show members all of the work that they are doing. And it's really amazing. They are an inspiration. It's a great reminder that this kind of work is happening all over the country, even in places like Nashville and Chattanooga. (Chattanooga is not actually mentioned in the release, but I wanted the challenge of trying to spell it.)
We have worked closely with TTPC on Congressional education--Tennessee is one of the states where we know people in the state (TTPC) will continuously do education of the Congressional delegation. They are fabulous.
If everyone got involved in all this kind of work wherever they live, wow. Just wow. A lot of states have groups like TTPC; others don't, but maybe And to be fair, a lot of trans folk and allies do great work individually without group support and that's great too. JUST GET INVOLVED PLEASE.
Maybe folks would be kind enough to use the comments feature below to mention efforts in their states that people might want to get involved with.
Here is the release from TTPC.
From: Ttgpac@aol.com [mailto:Ttgpac@aol.com]
Sent: Tuesday, January 02, 2007 12:52 PM
To: Ttgpac@aol.com
Subject: TTPC Fourth Quarter Report
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release: Dated January 2 2007
From: Tennessee Transgender Political Coalition (TTPC)
Contact: Marisa Richmond, Ph.D., Nashville Contact Address: P.O. Box 92335, Nashville, TN 37209 Contact Email: TTGPAC@aol.com Contact Cell Phone:
615-293-6199 Contact FAX: 615-353-1834
Website: http://ttgpac.com/
Fourth Quarter Report
October to December 2006
Provided ongoing support to the Vote No on 1 campaign opposing the Constitutional Amendment Against Marriage Equality.
Lobbied members of Congress from Tennessee in favor of equal rights for all LGBT persons.
Lobbied members of Tennessee General Assembly in favor of equal rights for all LGBT persons.
Participated in Tennessee Valley Pride Fall Festival in Chattanooga on October 1.
Co-sponsor of National Coming Out Day event in Nashville organized by Church Street Freedom Press on October 11.
Participated in National Coming Out Day Rally in Knoxville on October 14.
Participated in Dick Dialogues at Montgomery Bell State Park, October 20 to 22.
Participated in 4th Annual Nashville Black Pride, October 28.
Appeared on Tennessee Progress Report on WRFN (98.9) in Nashville on October 30.
Participated in GLBT Life and Business Expo hosted by the Nashville Association of Professional Persons on November 4.
Participated in Transgender Day of Remembrance ceremony in Knoxville on November 18.
Spoke to Our Whole Lives sexuality education class at First Unitarian Universalist Church of Nashville on November 19.
Appeared on Avalon Farmcast Podcast show on November 20.
Participated in Transgender Day of Remembrance ceremony in Memphis on November 20.
Co-sponsor of Transgender Day of Remembrance ceremony in Nashville along with Tennessee Vals on November 20.
Upcoming for First Quarter 2007:
Will participate in Advancing Equality Day on the Hill organized by Tennessee Equality Project on February 20.
Will participate in Women's Studies Conference at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro on February 22.
The Tennessee Transgender Political Coalition (TTPC) is an organization designed to educate and advocate on behalf of transgender related legislation at the Federal, State and local levels. TTPC is dedicated to raising public awareness and building alliances with other organizations concerned with equal rights legislation.
For more information, contact:
Tennessee Transgender Political Coalition (TTPC) P.O. Box 92335 Nashville, TN 37209 TTGPAC@aol.com
Here is an article by Beth Maples-Bays from the Equality Herald about the great work TTPC is doing.
Our friend Marisa Richmond compiles these reports to show members all of the work that they are doing. And it's really amazing. They are an inspiration. It's a great reminder that this kind of work is happening all over the country, even in places like Nashville and Chattanooga. (Chattanooga is not actually mentioned in the release, but I wanted the challenge of trying to spell it.)
We have worked closely with TTPC on Congressional education--Tennessee is one of the states where we know people in the state (TTPC) will continuously do education of the Congressional delegation. They are fabulous.
If everyone got involved in all this kind of work wherever they live, wow. Just wow. A lot of states have groups like TTPC; others don't, but maybe And to be fair, a lot of trans folk and allies do great work individually without group support and that's great too. JUST GET INVOLVED PLEASE.
Maybe folks would be kind enough to use the comments feature below to mention efforts in their states that people might want to get involved with.
Here is the release from TTPC.
From: Ttgpac@aol.com [mailto:Ttgpac@aol.com]
Sent: Tuesday, January 02, 2007 12:52 PM
To: Ttgpac@aol.com
Subject: TTPC Fourth Quarter Report
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release: Dated January 2 2007
From: Tennessee Transgender Political Coalition (TTPC)
Contact: Marisa Richmond, Ph.D., Nashville Contact Address: P.O. Box 92335, Nashville, TN 37209 Contact Email: TTGPAC@aol.com Contact Cell Phone:
615-293-6199 Contact FAX: 615-353-1834
Website: http://ttgpac.com/
Fourth Quarter Report
October to December 2006
Provided ongoing support to the Vote No on 1 campaign opposing the Constitutional Amendment Against Marriage Equality.
Lobbied members of Congress from Tennessee in favor of equal rights for all LGBT persons.
Lobbied members of Tennessee General Assembly in favor of equal rights for all LGBT persons.
Participated in Tennessee Valley Pride Fall Festival in Chattanooga on October 1.
Co-sponsor of National Coming Out Day event in Nashville organized by Church Street Freedom Press on October 11.
Participated in National Coming Out Day Rally in Knoxville on October 14.
Participated in Dick Dialogues at Montgomery Bell State Park, October 20 to 22.
Participated in 4th Annual Nashville Black Pride, October 28.
Appeared on Tennessee Progress Report on WRFN (98.9) in Nashville on October 30.
Participated in GLBT Life and Business Expo hosted by the Nashville Association of Professional Persons on November 4.
Participated in Transgender Day of Remembrance ceremony in Knoxville on November 18.
Spoke to Our Whole Lives sexuality education class at First Unitarian Universalist Church of Nashville on November 19.
Appeared on Avalon Farmcast Podcast show on November 20.
Participated in Transgender Day of Remembrance ceremony in Memphis on November 20.
Co-sponsor of Transgender Day of Remembrance ceremony in Nashville along with Tennessee Vals on November 20.
Upcoming for First Quarter 2007:
Will participate in Advancing Equality Day on the Hill organized by Tennessee Equality Project on February 20.
Will participate in Women's Studies Conference at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro on February 22.
The Tennessee Transgender Political Coalition (TTPC) is an organization designed to educate and advocate on behalf of transgender related legislation at the Federal, State and local levels. TTPC is dedicated to raising public awareness and building alliances with other organizations concerned with equal rights legislation.
For more information, contact:
Tennessee Transgender Political Coalition (TTPC) P.O. Box 92335 Nashville, TN 37209 TTGPAC@aol.com
10 or 15 Reasons Why I am excited about 2007
1. Reaching the Tipping point on state and local anti-discrimination laws
We start 2007 with nine states and almost one hundred localities having passed anti-discrimination laws that protect people based on gender identity or expression. While it is remarkable that this brings the percentage of people in the United States living in jurisdictions with such laws to 34%, and it is arguably more remarkable that this compares to only 5% at the end of 2001, it is probably most remarkable that we could see our largest single annual gain ever in 2007. We appear to have reached the tipping point where these laws will be passing with more and more rapidity. In fact, there are as many as nine additional states that could possibly pass laws this year. I’m not ready to predict we’ll get all nine this year, and in fact, getting four or five would be spectacular, but things are definitely hopping. We are in touch with even more than that. Stay tuned.
Last month, I went to New Hampshire and met with a group of transpeople and allies (including NCTE’s good friend State Representative Mo Baxley) who are hoping to introduce a gender identity anti-discrimination bill later this year hopefully for passage in 2008.
2. Introduction of Trans-inclusive ENDA
Legislatively, nothing has been more anticipated among transgender people and our allies than the introduction and passage of a trans-inclusive ENDA. We are very optimistic that 2007 will be the year when the bill is introduced and maybe even passed. We have worked very hard on this since even before NCTE was founded and we are hopeful, very hopeful.
NCTE has been intimately involved in the drafting of new ENDA over the past several years, so we’ve seen the proposed language. And we like. Early this year, when our allies in Congress give us the go-ahead, we will post the language on the bill and an explanation of what it means for all LGBT people.
3. Passage of Trans-inclusive hate crime law
Because it has already passed the House of Representatives (Septmeber 2005) in its trans-inclusive form and the Senate several times in a different form, members of Congress are telling us, the media, and each other that the most likely LGBT bill to move this year is the hate crime bill. Who knows if the President would sign it (sometimes I wonder if he likes us), but seeing it pass Congress only three years after we were told it would never happen will be a great testiment to the work of NCTE and our allies.
4. Thousands of new trans people will evolve and come out and help the educational efforts
This is why we are winning. Every year another huge bunch of people come out and join in the effort to educate America about trans people and our lives.
5. Helen Boyd’s new book
Since the publisher sent us an advanced copy, I’m not sure if Helen’s new book She’s Not The Man I Married is out or about to be out (sounds like a lot of us). But I have read it and it is a wonderful sophmore effort from the author of “My Husband Betty. An important disclosure: Betty is on NCTE’s Board of Directors—I am not trying to sell Helen’s books, but I have read it and once again Helen shows her ability to write with fully engaged brain and heart.
There will no doubt be other really great books coming out this year and we will read them and tell you just how great we think they are. I will personally develop a complicated rating system for trans-themed books.
Update: I just went to MyHusbandBetty.com and found that the publishing date for She’s Not the Man I Married is March 2007.
6. Trans 101 101 (Not a typo)
Here is the premise: hundreds or even thousands of trans people and allies conduct Transgender 101 training each year. Of those thousands, most do it fairly competently, some do it spectacularly well. Actually though, even the best can use some tips from others who are doing such training.
To that end, NCTE will soon be releasing our new publication which I have been calling—to the chagrin of colleagues at NCTE—Trans 101 101. I like the name because the publication is not really a Trans 101 document, but rather a 101 on doing a Trans 101
7. Privacy and Documentation Coordinator
NCTE will be hiring one. Increasingly, more and more work at NCTE has been focusing on ID documentation for trans people. You know, passports, birth certificates, driver licenses. Much of the policy work we do now is about that. And the largest share of calls for information and help we get are about these issues. Thus we are working hard to raise money to hire someone speficially to become our privacy and documentation expert. This person will be available to problem solve with individuals who need help, but they will primarily be working to impact policy at the federal and state level to make them more reasonable for trans people. To help support this effort, you can make a donation by clicking here.
8. NCTE Blog
I think my excitement speaks for itself.
9. “52 Things” is no Longer Weekly
Everything else on this list is about things that are going to happen; this one is about something that is not going to happen As noted on a post below, we are no longer doing our weekly “52 Things” campaign. This nifty effort was always planned as a project of one year in duration—thus how we picked 52 as the number. NCTE Program Manager Justin Tanis ably oversaw this project throughout 2006 and, in fact, did almost all of the writing. This is no small feat (even for a guy with no small feet), basically equivalent to writing a weekly column in addition to his many other duties. So thank you much, Justin. We have heard that it has been very useful to a lot of people.
But the 52 Things will live on even as they no longer cross your Internet doorway each week. First, they are and will continue to be available on our website here. Second, we have compiled them already into a really cool poster which is available for download now here. And third, we will soon be compiling the 52 Things columns into a single publication which we hope will be available in the next few months.
10. Religious Summit
In just a few weeks,on January 19-21, NCTE along with the Center for Lesbian and gay Studies in Religion and Ministry will be holding a summit of religious leaders in Berkeley, CA to focus on public and denominational policy issues that affect transgender people.
Invitations have been extended to transgender and non-transgender leaders from various faith traditions. Programming will focus on the following four topics:
* Denominational Policy
* Outreach to the Transgender Communities
* Public Policy
* Transgender leadership
This should be an excellent opportunity to continue discussions about how faith affects our fight for equality and vice versa.
11. NCTE’s Funky New Human Rights Calendar
Throughout 2007, NCTE will be highlighting vital human rights issues and exploring how those issues are important to transgender people. Each month, you'll be able to download a free calendar that has information about a principle of human rights. Click here for your free January Calendar
12. Seven Is My Lucky Number
I heard that’s why they named this year 2007.
52 Things You Can Do for Transgender Equality
(January 1, 2007) - During the past year, we've explored more than 50 actions that people can take for transgender equality. All of the ideas were drawn from the work of real people in real communities. It was our goal to share effective ideas that will take both large and small steps to transform our world. As the year ends, this week's idea is to make a New Year's resolution to advance transgender equality.
Click here to read on
To view the complete 52 Things page, plus download a free poster, click here.
Click here to read on
To view the complete 52 Things page, plus download a free poster, click here.
NCTE's New Human Rights Calendar Available
Throughout 2007, NCTE will be highlighting vital human rights issues and exploring how those issues are important to transgender people. Each month, you'll be able to download a free calendar that has information about a principle of human rights.
Click here for your free January Calendar which focuses on the Right to Work.
Postcards From the Rim
I just received a postcard from my friend Kanako Otsuji who is the first openly out lesbian (or gay person at all) elected official in Japan. She is member if the Osaka Prefectural Assembly which is esentially like an American state legislature. [Notice how Americans always want to Americanize everything.]
Kanako came to the U.S. in June and came to our office to talk about lessons from here she might apply to their more nascent LGBT movement and vice versa. We were able to set up a roundtable meeting for her with representatives of five or six LGBT organizations. I know we learned a lot and hope she did as well. We were also able to facilitate a meeting between Assemblywoman Otsuji and Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) who is the first openly out lesbian in the U.S. Congress. The Congresswoman has been a wonderful friend to transgender people and NCTE.
Kanako came to the U.S. in June and came to our office to talk about lessons from here she might apply to their more nascent LGBT movement and vice versa. We were able to set up a roundtable meeting for her with representatives of five or six LGBT organizations. I know we learned a lot and hope she did as well. We were also able to facilitate a meeting between Assemblywoman Otsuji and Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) who is the first openly out lesbian in the U.S. Congress. The Congresswoman has been a wonderful friend to transgender people and NCTE.
NCTE and Documentation in the News
An article just appeared in the online Edge magazine about the difficulties transpeople face in trying to access appropriate identification documents. I must say that I really like the soundbite I gave about the purpose of border security being to find out who has weapons, not who has penises. I know a lot of folks may wince at my use of the word penis and think it crass or harsh, but sometimes being stark is effective.
Click on the underlined words above to link to the article.
And here is the whole sentence as written in the article:
Click on the underlined words above to link to the article.
And here is the whole sentence as written in the article:
The purpose of passports and birth certificates is not so you
can tell who the transsexual people are, Keisling contends. "It is nobody’s business and no one has any interest in it. We want to know who has weapons, not who has penises."
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
Obligatory Blog Post About Mara's Pet
Let's get this out of the way.
I have been a reader of quite a few blogs for the past few years, and if I have learned just one lesson, I have learned that every blogger is obligated at some point to write about her pet and maybe show a picture. I feel that my obligation in this regard is expecially intense since my pet is likely the cutest of those who might have their pictures adorning any blog anywhere. [This is one of those instances in which I feel obligated to note that this is my opinion and not necessarily the official organizational position of NCTE].
So, voila. Here is Puffington--an eight month old Shih Tzu puppy.
I have been a reader of quite a few blogs for the past few years, and if I have learned just one lesson, I have learned that every blogger is obligated at some point to write about her pet and maybe show a picture. I feel that my obligation in this regard is expecially intense since my pet is likely the cutest of those who might have their pictures adorning any blog anywhere. [This is one of those instances in which I feel obligated to note that this is my opinion and not necessarily the official organizational position of NCTE].
So, voila. Here is Puffington--an eight month old Shih Tzu puppy.
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