1/28/10

H. R. 4530, the Student Non-Discrimination Act (SNDA)

Polis Seeks to Protect LGBT Students from Discrimination in Schools through Introduction of Student Non-Discrimination Act

Press Contact: Lara Cottingham (202) 225-5693

Washington, Jan 27- Congressman Jared Polis (D-CO), a leading proponent of equality in education, today introduced historic legislation—H. R. 4530, the Student Non-Discrimination Act (SNDA)—that would protect Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) students by establishing a comprehensive Federal prohibition of discrimination in public schools based on actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity and provide victims with meaningful and effective remedies. Thus far, SNDA has 60 original co-sponsors.

“Every day innocent students fall victim to relentless harassment and discrimination from teachers, staff, and fellow students based on their sexual orientation,” said Polis. “These actions not only hurt our students and our schools but, left unchecked, can also lead to life-threatening violence. Like Title VI for minorities in the 60s and Title IX for women in the 70s, my legislation puts LGBT students on an equal footing with their peers, so they can attend school and get a quality education, free from fear.”

While Federal civil rights statutes expressly address discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, disability or national origin, they do not explicitly include sexual orientation or gender identity and, as a result, LGBT students and parents have often had limited legal recourse for this kind of discrimination. By establishing a comprehensive Federal prohibition of discrimination in public schools based on actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity and empowering victims with meaningful and effective remedies (loss of federal funding and legal cause of action for victims) for discrimination, SNDA represents an enormous step toward safe public schools for all kids, regardless of their gender identity and sexual orientation.

“Hatred has no place in the classroom,” said Polis. “Every student has the right to an education free from harassment and violence. This bill will protect the individual freedoms of our students and enshrine the values of equality and opportunity in our classrooms.”

Polis, a member of the House Education and Labor Committee and Co-Chairman of the House LGBT Equality Caucus, is a former chairman of the Colorado State Board of Education and has founded and served as the superintendent of charter schools serving at-risk student populations.

Congress.org Bio Rep. Jared Polis (D-CO 2nd District)

1/27/10

Iranian Railroad for Queer Refugees (IRQR) Urgent Action needed Stop Asghar Hedayati's Deportation to Iran


Please support this URGENT call for support for Asghar Hedayati, a 40 years-old Iranian gay man from Norway — he may be sent back within a few days to a country where numerous gay men are currently on death row.
http://www.irqr.net/English/231.htm
This urgent CALL TO ACTION comes via Iranian Railroad for Queer Refugees (IRQR). They say that Hedayati has been seeking asylum in Norway since 2003. He is one of IRQR refugee cases who has not lucky so far, but he is still fighting for his rights.
“I was waiting for good news, everyday for the last seven years,” he says. “I was optimistic that I can start a normal life here in Norway. Unfortunately, it did not happen for me, I lost my hope, energy, happiness, and future when I got negative answers from Norwegian authority.
“There is no light for my future now but I never ever give up,” Asghar says in a letter to Iranian Railroad for Queer Refugees – IRQR.
Asghar was in love with his boyfriend, Mr. J [for security reason we can not publish his name] and they were so happy but their happiness until Asghar’s family forced him to get married.
It was really difficult time for Asghar and “J” as they could not ‘come out’ for their families and Asghar did not have any reason to convince his family that he did not want to get married. Finally, he was forced to get married.
“I did not love her, I did not like her, and she was not the right person at all,” he says. “We lived together but we were together just at kitchen table. I could not stop thinking about [Mr. J] for a moment.”
After all the difficulties, he left Iran for Denmark and sought refugee status on basis of his sexual orientation. Unfortunately, his asylum application was refused by the Danish government and he was scared to death because he did not want to be deported back to Iran.
So he fled Denmark, going to Norway where he applied for asylum. At that time, he did not imagine that one day he will be in the same situation again. He has now received a letter from the Norwegian government that he has to leave by January 25, 2010 and he does not know what will happen in next day.
He has been told by the Norwegian authorities he can go back to Iran and “nothing will happen for you if you do not come out”.
“How it can be possible? Can they recommend it to Norwegians as well to just shut up and do not ask your basic rights?” Asghar said.
His life is now in danger and the Norwegian government has to grant his asylum because there a lot of evidence that Iranian gays in Iran are threatened because of their sexual orientation and gender identity. There is no doubt his life will be in danger.
Asghar Hedayati is in an unjust situation and needs your urgent action. Please show your support by writing to the Norwegian government to urge them to grant refugee status to Asghar Hedayati. You may copy and paste the sample letters (below) into an email and send it to the provide emails below or you may write your own letter in support of Asghar Hedayati. Please CC IRQR: info@irqr.net for tracking purposes. Thank you for your support.
Further information:
* UK Gay News: “Now I Have Lost Hope” – Gay Iranian Who Faces Deportation from Norway in Hours* Twelve Men Face Execution for Sodomy in Iran: For first time, activist confirms queer organizing on university campuses (Doug Ireland, published in Gay City News)* From Teheran to Riyadh, this is how we are discriminated against* Human Rights Watch: Iran prepares to execute gay teens
Send your letters to:

Mr. Knut Storberget
Minister of Justice and the Police
E-mail: postmottak@jd.dep.no
Phone: Switchboard +47 22 24 90 90
Mailing address: Postboks 8005 Dep, 0030 Oslo, Norway
&
Immigration Appeals Board of Norway – Utlendingsnemnda
Email: postmottak@une.no
Telephone: +47 21 08 50 00
Mailing address: Utlendingsnemnda, Postboks 8165 dep. 0034 Oslo, Norway
In addition, if you or your organization is interested in hosting an event to support Asghar Hedayat or interview him, please contact us at info@irqr.net as soon as possible. Thank you for your support.
- – - – - – Sample Letter – - – - -
Date:
To: Minister of Justice and Police, Mr. Knut Storberget, postmottak@jd.dep.no
Immigration Appeals Board of Norway, postmottak@une.no
CC: IRQR, info@irqr.net
Subject: Norway threatens to deport Asghar Hedayati to Iran – Please stop him deportation
Dear Minister,
I am contacting you to request your assistance on a very urgent case involving Asghar Hedayati a gay Iranian, who is currently in Norway. I received some information about him through the IRanian Railroad for Queer Refugees, based in Toronto, Canada.
Asghar Hedayati is a citizen of Iran, with case number DUF 2003 046 114 08. He escaped Iran in 2003 because of his well-known fear of persecution on basis of his sexual orientation. He applied for asylum in August 2003, but the Norwegian Government unfortunately denied his asylum status for several times and he is now at risk for deportation.
His asylum judge said that he can live in Iran if does not ‘come out’, which is against fundamental human rights. I would like to express my deep concern about his situation, as he will experience imprisonment, torture, and even execution upon his forced return to Iran.
I am urging you to reconsider this case under the spirit of respect for human rights and I am requesting you to grant Iranian queer refugees the full state of asylum in Norway because there a lot of evidence that Iranian queers in Iran are threatened because of their sexual orientation and gender identity.
Sincerely
X

1/26/10

Myra Ical Another Unrecorded Transgender Murder

The Brutal beating death of Myra Chanel Ical illustrates the absolute necessity of a Texas Hate Crimes Bill making the recording transgender hate crime murders a mandate for local and state police.



Until then only the community will recognize Myra as one more murdered Transgender person.

Please note. The last speaker said Myra's choice to "live a lifestyle" put her in jeopardy.
I strongly object to that persons statement.
Transgender people do not choice to "Live a life style" as gay and lesbian people do not live a life style choice.

Secondly the speaker may have been making a assumption that Myra was murdered because she was involved in illegal activities such as prostitution of drugs. That is a ASSumption.

Thirdly, speaking from my own life experiences I will testify that the homelessness and discrimination are the LEADING cause of transgender murders because it is those conditions that force transgender people to the street.

Source YouTube:

HOUSTON, TX A public memorial and candlelight vigil will be held on Monday, January 25 at 6 pm to honor Myra Ical, whose body was found last Monday in the 4300 block of Garrott St near Richmond Avenue.

The memorial will include two moments of silence, one for Ms. Ical and another for the 6 transgender Houstonians who have been murdered since 1999 whose crimes remain unsolved, as well as a moment of noise-making to recognize that it is silence that allows the perpetrators of crime to go unpunished.

The time for silence has ended said Cristan Williams, executive director of the Transgender Foundation of America. Myras body was discovered at 2 in the afternoon at a busy intersection. Somebody saw something or knows something about this crime. We want to encourage people to make noise about the violence that is inflicted on our community.

The press release sent by the Houston Police Department identifying the victim used male pronouns to refer to Ms. Ical, whose legal name was Ruben Dario Ical, raising protests from transgender advocates.

The local media took their cue from HPD, consistently referring to Myra as he which is disrespectful of her memory said Ms. Williams. Every media style book in the country, including the Associated Press, is clear that transgender people should be referred to using pronouns that reflect their gender identity. I am thankful that HPD is working hard to solve this crime, but they have a duty to communicate with the public in a way that respects the victim.

Houston Police have no leads in the case. Anyone with information is encouraged to call the Transgender Foundation of America at 713-520-8586.

The Memorial will be held at the site where Ms. Icals body was found, at the vacant lot at 4300 Garrott. Attendees are encouraged to bring noisemakers. Candles will be provided.

1/25/10

Disgraced ANTI Gay NJ Firemen seek reinstatement Garden State Equality Protest!


Vicious anti-LGBT firefighters may be reinstated - join us in protest Tuesday night

THIS WILL MAKE YOU SICK: The town of Secaucus in Hudson County may reinstate three firefighters who made anti-LGBT death threats against, and threw condoms at, a same-sex couple who lived next door to the firehouse. In a $4.8 million verdict that came out of taxpayers' pockets, a court ruled against the town and the firefighters, who were forced to step down. But now, the brand new mayor, himself a firefighter, may reinstate his friends back onto the force. This anti-LGBT cronyism is revolting. You can read this weekend's Bergen Record story about their possible reinstatement at North Jersy.com Firemen seek reinstatement of 3 who left in gay bias flap

Garden State Equality is holding an urgent rally and speak-out at the Secaucus Mayor-Council meeting this Tuesday night, January 26 at the Secaucus Municipal Government Center, 1203 Paterson Plank Road. Please arrive at 6:00 pm if you can.
Please forward this email immediately to everyone you know in Northern New Jersey - to each of your friends, colleagues, organizational members and list servs.
Questions? Contact Garden State Equality's field manager at Troy Stevenson or cell (405) 802-8229.

New York City TLDEF Arranging Free Name Change

The Name Change Project

"For many transgender people, a legal name change is a first step towards conforming their legal identities to the way they identify and live their lives. But securing a legal name change can be an intimidating experience, involving interaction with the court system and judges that is foreign to many people. It can involve a significant expense as well as a serious commitment of time and effort. By ensuring that transgender people have adequate legal representation when seeking name changes, TLDEF's Name Change Project ensures that they can successfully negotiate the legal process and move forward with their lives."

"In only a short time, The Name Change Project has helped hundreds of people on the road to getting legal recognition for their names. The project is straightforward. Everyone who wants a lawyer deserves to have one to make the legal name change process as simple as possible. If you can pay the costs of your name change (not the legal fees; we never charge those!), we ask that you do so. If you can't, those fees will be covered. You must live in New York City to participate in the project."

Need Help?
If you are seeking a legal name change, please call our office at 646.862.9396 or
contact us by electronic mail.

Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund Name Change Project

NY Times For Transgender People, Name Is a Message

1/24/10

Virginia Supervisor Eugene A. Delgaudio(R) Should Resign for unrepentant Transphobic Slurs


Tell Eugene A. Delgaudio, pictured left, transgender people are not "Real Life Tootsies".

Anyone who has attended a council meeting where the expansion of LGBT liberties are debated have memories indelibly imprinted on there minds of seemingly normal neighbours suddenly and inexplicitly transformed into disillusioned venomous bigots. However most comments by citizens and council members are contained within civil discourse, and regardless if one disagreed, were not statements that would inspire violence.



Virgina Supervisor Eugene A. Delgaudio(R) has crossed the line of civility and has unrepentantly attacked transender people repeatedly with sentiment that in fact encourages violence towards transgender people.



This is not a attack on freedom or speech but a attempt to insure that our right to freedom of speech is not abused by government officials who espouse sentiment that gives credence to violence.

Virgina Supervisor Eugene A. Delgaudio(R) should Resign.

Equality Loudoun Believes that Delgaudo's remarks were another attack and ask you to email the council members and express your views.

Supervisor Delgaudo has made it clear he will not moderate his language and must be removed so that it becomes known that the public only accepts civil language while addressing minorities by our elected leaders.

Washington Post Loudoun Supervisor Delgaudio rebuked for anti-gay remarks


Loudouni Loudoun Not to Discriminate Based on Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity

HT Metro Weekly Loudoun Co., VA Supervisor Delgaudio blasted for public, anti-transgender remarks [video]