5 Things You Need To Know Today
November 21st, 2007 by Stephanie StevensFor Wednesday …
#1 - In law and legislative news …
[In Florida] County commissioners voted 5-1 today, with Commission Chairwoman Addie Greene dissenting, to prohibit discrimination based on gender identity or expression. The decision will add gender identity as a “protected class” in the county’s equal employment ordinance. Commissioner Mary McCarty referred to it as the “lipstick and high heels” rule.
[In Michigan] Michigan governor Jennifer Granholm has signed an executive order banning discrimination in state employment based on gender identity or expression, according to Michigan LGBT rights group Triangle Foundation. The legislation applies to the approximately 50,000 state employees in Michigan’s executive branch, which makes up 95 percent of all state employees. The order will protect not only transgender workers but also any state employee who faces discrimination because he or she does not conform to traditional gender norms in behavior or appearance.
[In Ohio] The City Commission voted 3-1 to add sexual orientation and gender identity to a list of protected groups. Commissioner Dean Lovelace was the sole “no” vote. McLin and Commissioners Matt Joseph and Nan Whaley voted for the measure. Joey Williams requested additional dialogue and did not vote.
[In Maryland] Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett (D) signed off yesterday on legislation to protect transgender individuals from discrimination, over the objections of religious and community groups that say the measure would give male cross-dressers access to women’s restrooms and locker rooms.
#2 - In politics …
[In Georgia] Michelle Bruce says she didn’t run for office to be a pioneer, but there’s no denying that she cuts a unique figure in political circles: She’s perhaps Georgia’s first transgender politician.
Four years after she won a seat on the Riverdale city council, she’s battling a lawsuit launched by an unsuccessful opponent who claims Bruce misled voters by running as a female. And to Bruce, the line of attack is somewhat confusing.
“I’ve always been Michelle,” she said. “If someone has a problem with that, I can’t help them. It’s a personal issue.”
It’s a rather perplexing legal challenge aimed at a rather perplexing political figure …
The complaint, which identifies Bruce as “Michael Bruce,” claims she misled voters by identifying herself as a female and asks a judge to rule the November election results invalid and order another general election.
Fuller did not return calls seeking comment, but her attorney said that voters in Riverdale tend to favor female candidates — particularly if they are incumbents.
“It gives her an unfair advantage,” said Michael King, the attorney who filed the lawsuit. “It’s not just sour grapes. The people need to know whether the election is fair.”
Transgender politician fights claims of fraud because she ran as a female
Some video accompanying the Bruce story may be viewed here. And …
[In Colorado] Pam Bennett, an at-large candidate for city council who missed unseating one of two incumbents this November, says she intends to start her next campaign this December for a seat on city council in 2009 …
Although a few transgender candidates have been elected to offices across the United States in recent years, an openly transgender candidate has never held office in Aurora.
“Pam is absolutely a pioneer - not the first, but part of the first handful,” said Mara Keisling, executive director for the National Center for Transgender Equality, an organization that does not make political endorsements.
#3 - Stonewall redux?
[In New York City] It was not exactly the Stonewall Rebellion II, but a group of about 40 mostly veteran LGBT activists picketed a social gathering for members of the Human Rights Campaign at the Stonewall Bar on Christopher Street, scene of the 1969 uprising by gay and transgendered people that sparked the modern LGBT movement.
Jon Winkleman, a gay activist and board member of the National Stonewall Democrats, organized the protest against what he termed HRC’s “dishonesty and duplicity” in supporting the US House passage of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act covering sexual orientation but dumping gender identity and expression.
“HRC and its executive director Joe Solmonese repeatedly told the community they were fighting for an inclusive ENDA when they were secretly lobbying Congress to pass the more expedient lesbian-and-gay-only version.” Winkleman said …
“I feel betrayed,” said Honey, a transgendered woman. “I used to help them and give them publicity on my TV show.”
Caprice Bellefleur, a person of mixed gender, noted Solmonese’s solemn pledge in mid-September never to divide the bill and his betrayal in the home stretch. “They came late to transgender inclusion in the first place,” Bellefleur said.
Bill Dobbs, an independent gay activist if there ever was one, said, “The ENDA vote was part charade to shore up HRC’s donor base and gay votes for the Democrats.”
Jay Kallio, a trans man and activist for 36 years, said that given that ENDA wasn’t going to become law anyway, “you should place LGBT community unity over passing a meaningless bill.”
#4 - Pawned off?
It’s a very special day in Gayville: Transgender Day of Remembrance: a solid 24-hours of commemorating our gender bending allies who have fallen on the road the freedom. In honor of this honorable day, the National Stonewall Democrats would like to share the following thoughts:
Whenever transgender citizens are told that their inclusion hinders the advancement of the LGBT movement, our own history is ignored and strategic lessons forgotten. As we remember the lives of those we have lost, we must work to secure equal protections for our entire movement. We owe a special duty towards those whose contributions have already led to legal protections for many in our community but not for themselves. If we are to reduce violence against transgender citizens, we must reduce attempts to marginalize transgender Americans within the law and, when necessary, within our own community.
Human Rights Campaign also delivered a trans message: they’re not holding a memorable event. They are, however, encouraging their supporters and staff to attend a vigil at DC’s Whitman Walker Clinic. Pawning Transgender celebration onto another organization?
Why are we not surprised…
#5 - Mein kampf redux?
My ‘‘Heil Hitler” comment was clearly directed at the council president for the Nazi-like manner in which she ran the vote and would not tolerate public input. My comment about my fear of dead little girls being found in rest rooms was couched in the context of the infamous Hadden Clark, who is in prison for the deaths of Michelle Dorr and Laura Houghteling. He enjoyed dressing like a woman.
This will go down in history as the most profoundly insane idea that our County Council has ever voted for. What woman is willing to go into a restroom alone, or allow her daughter in said restroom, with a man in there wearing a dress? This legislation will only attract those looking for fertile hunting grounds for little girls.
Posted in 5 Things You Need to Know Today, Elections, HRC, LGB civil rights, in the media, law and legislation, letters to publications, politics, transactivism, transgender, transgender civil rights |