Before You Vote No…

I wrote the following e-mail to my (Indianapolis) city-county council member concerning the Human Rights Ordinance (Prop. 622).

A Transgender Lives In Beech Grove!

My name is Marti Abernathey. I am writing you concerning Prop. 622. I live in Willow Glen Apartments on 9th and Thompson. I’ve lived in your district almost all my life. I grew up at 3740 South Ewing. I am a graduate of Southport High School and I am a Cat Scan Technologist at St Francis Hospital in Beech Grove. I am a single parent of my son, Nik. He is a Freshman at Southport High School. I’m also transgendered.

Clinically, my therapist diagnosed me as “gender dysphoric” in 2001. The only accepted treatment for this condition (by the medical establishment) is full gender transition and surgery. I’m on track for sexual reassignment surgery (SRS) some time in 2008. Many ask me if i fear all the surgeries that lie ahead. Do I? No. But I do have fears.

I fear losing my job strictly because I am a transsexual. During my last evaluation my supervisor commented that she “never had a patient complaint about me” and that I gave my patients kind and compassionate care. I am a good employee and a compassionate care giver. She also commented that I am the person she calls “in an emergency.”

That being said, I could be fired tonight, without any question. Many of my transgender brothers and sisters have been fired for being transgendered (somewhere between 50% and 70%) but I cannot be one of those people. I have a 15 year old son, and a 9 year old daughter that depend on the money I bring in.

I know you voted no last time , but I just thought I’d inform you that you do have transgenders in your district and this does directly effect a constituent directly. If I can assist you in any way, please let me know.

Marti Abernathey

Marti Abernathey is the founder of the Transadvocate and the previous managing editor. Abernathey has worn many different hats, including that of podcaster, activist, and radiologic technologist. She's been a part of various internet radio ventures such as TSR Live!, The T-Party, and The Radical Trannies, TransFM, and Sodium Pentathol Sunday. As an advocate she's previously been involved with the Indiana Transgender Rights Advocacy Alliance, Rock Indiana Campaign for Equality, and the National Transgender Advocacy Coalition. She's taken vital roles as a grass roots community organizer in The Indianapolis Tax Day Protest (2003), The Indy Pride HRC Protest (2004), Transgender Day of Remembrance (2004), Indiana's Witch Hunt (2005), and the Rally At The Statehouse (the largest ever GLBT protest in Indiana - 3/2005). In 2008 she was a delegate from Indiana to the Democratic National Convention and a member of Barack Obama's LGBT Steering and Policy Committee. Abernathey currently hosts the Youtube Channel "The T-Party with Marti Abernathey."

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