9/28/10

TEXANS! Another child is bullied to death DEMAND ACTION!



Another Texas child has been bullied to death.
Thirteen-year old Asher Brown committed suicide on September 23, 2010. He shot himself in the head after enduring what his mother and stepfather say was constant harassment from four other students at Hamilton Middle School in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District. Brown's parents said they had complained about the bullying to Hamilton Middle School officials during the past 18 months, but claimed their concerns fell on deaf ears. [Houston Chronicle story]
This is the same school district in which Langham Creek High School freshman Jayron Martin was repeatedly beaten with a metal pipe last November. Martin said he had asked for help from two principals and a bus driver, but it took a neighbor with a shotgun to stop the beating. [KHOU story]
DEMAND ACTION!
There is simply no excuse for failing to protect school children. The State of Texas is obligated to provide a safe learning environment.
Under current law, students are not specifically protected from bullying and harassment based on actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity/expression. Current law does not establish a uniform state school conduct policy and does not provide for monitoring or enforcement of independent school district policies.
This coming January, for the third legislative session, Equality Texas will be working to pass safe schools legislation. It will not pass until lawmakers know it is a top priority for their constituents. During the 81st Legislative Session, Rep. Mark Strama filed a bill relating to safe schools for all youth. While it was voted favorably out of committee, it died on the floor of the Texas House of Representatives. Will this be the session to finally pass a safe schools bill?
Ask your state representative to take the issues of bullying and harassment seriously by supporting the passage of safe schools legislation - legislation that would protect all children, including children of lesbian or gay parents and teens who are gay.
DEMAND ACTION NOW!
Equality Texas advocates and lobbies for the elimination of discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity/expression.

9/27/10

Queer Activists Commence SOS: NYC Congressional Vigil For Equality Bill



RELEASE:
For immediate release (9/27/10).
Media Contact: Iana DiBorna, 718-309-8598,
queersos@gmail.com

Today, Monday, Sept. 27, 2010, NYC activists will commence a daily vigil Standing OutSide of Senator Gillibrand’s campaign office at 15 W. 26th Street, from 10 a.m to 6 p.m. to urge the Senator to take action for LGBTQ inclusion in the 1964 Civil Rights Act.

The demand is that Gillibrand file a bill to start this process called The American Equality Bill (AEB) which would add “sexual orientation & gender identity” (SO+GI) to all U.S. nondiscrimination laws, consistent with her campaign platform announced last October, 2009 (http://bit.ly/GillibrandCRAoct09).

The AEB was created by veteran activists Karen Doering, Esq. and Juan Ahonen-Jover, Ph.D., and is supported by www.equalitygiving.org and www.actonprinciples.org, as well as grassroots activists around the country.

“We need a bill worthy of our dignity to organize around and we will wait no longer,” said Iana DiBona a lead SOS! organizer. “It’s been 46 years since the ’64 CRA passed, how long must we wait to start the process?”

Activists maintain that it is long-past time that our community demand equal inclusion in the 1964 laws that protect everyone else in American from discrimination.

It was after all, Bayard Rustin, a black gay hero who helped lead the black civil rights movement and created the March on Washington where MLK gave his Dream Speech, almost 50 years ago.

“In ’64, we were shoved aside and Mr. Rustin’s civil rights and ‘sexual orientation’ were excluded from America’s non-discrimination laws,” said Todd (Tif) Fernandez, the Campaign Facilitator for The AEB Project (on FB at http://bit.ly/AEBnow). “Our time has come, our dignity demands it.”

The action – called THE QUEER SOS! – will involve sentries Standing OutSide Gillibrand’s office every day, all day (10 a.m. to 6 p.m.) until the bill is filed. If no action is taken, on October 11th – National Coming Out Day – the vigil will go around the clock (24/7), and, as of Nov. 2nd, some members will begin a water-only fast to demonstrate the urgency.

Each day at noon there will be a “Homophobia Kills Die-In” to bring attention to the fact that LGBTQ people commit suicide or are killed regularly due to this country’s on-going sanction of homophobia.

“Homophobia kills,” said Alan Bounville, a founding member of Queer Rising NYC, “and each day that Congress fails to include us in the Civil Rights Act they are complicit with more of these deaths.”

The Queer SOS! daily vigil and community commune will feature art, music performances and friendship, amidst steady activism. See the schedule at www.queersos.com, or just come by.

PERFOMERS and ACTIVISTS can sign up for sentry duty, or to perform by emailing queersos@gmail.com, or at www.queersos.com – or just show up – 15 W. 26th Street/Broadway.

Follow The QUEER SOS! – on FB & Twitter.

NOTE: The AEB Project is all grassroots, all volunteer. The AEB adds SO+GI (sexual orientation and gender identity) to the 1964 Civil Rights Act and the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, giving full and equal federal non-discrimination/civil rights protections to over 30 million LGBTQ Americans in every state with one bill – covering housing, employment, credit, public places, gov’t buildings (including schools), and all federally funded programs (like HIV and health programs, homeless youth, adoption, etc.) (see bill and FAQ at: www.queersos.com).

9/26/10

Protest Democracy INACTION at Kay Bailey Hutchison's Offices Austin

Monday, October 11 · 6:00pm - 11:30pm

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Location Outside Kay Bailey Hutchison's Offices
300 E 8th St
Austin, TX

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Created By EAA Texas: Austin Branch

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More Info In the face of widespread support for LGBT equality, we get inaction from Democrats and hostility from Republicans. Join EAA Austin in sending a clear message to both parties that WE WILL NOT ACCEPT THE STATUS QUO! Get out there with us and show 'em what democracy looks like!

On Facebook No, YOU'RE FIRED! Democracy Inaction Protest

$5,000 reward offered in conjunction with Myra Ical Murder Mystery

Mathew, who anonymously wrote Cristan Williams the executive director of the Transgender Foundation in Montrose maybe in line for a substantial reward should he contact police. Included in Mathews letter were the times and locations that he came into contact with the alleged murderer. Also included was the first name of the murderer.



Not included was a way for police to contact Mathew. The transgender community hopes he will come forward before this violent person acts again.

Crime Stoppers is offering up to $5,000 for information leading that leads to the arrest of a suspect. Anyone with tips is asked to call the hot line at 713-222-8477. Full story at abclocal.go.com

9/24/10

OHIO climbing Equality Pinnacle. What are you afraid of Senator Harris?

What are you afraid of Senator Harris?

Back on September 15, 2009, the Ohio House of Representatives with a bipartisan vote of 56-39, passed the Equal Housing and Employment Act (HB 176). Since then, Senate President Bill Harris has refused to send HB 176 to a committee in the Senate for FULL hearings and to be called for a VOTE in committee and on the Senate Floor. The Equal Housing and Employment Act (HB 176) would add sexual orientation and gender identity to the state's civil rights laws, giving people who are discriminated against in employment, housing and public accommodation based solely on their sexual orientation or gender identity some recourse through the Ohio Civil Rights Commission or through the courts.

What are you afraid of, Senator Harris? Are you afraid that the time is right for all Ohioans to be protected from discrimination? Are you afraid that there is enough support to pass HB 176? Otherwise, why not let the issue be debated in the Senate? ~Equality Ohio Facebook

Please call your Senator and ask her/him to urge Senator Harris to give HB 176 full hearings, so the issue of ongoing discrimination against people based on their sexual orientation or gender identity can be fully debated in the Ohio Senate.

You can reach your state senator by calling 800-282-0253 or Click Here for the directory.

Trans Ohio.org

TransPanic in San Antonio. Another beaten transgender woman to blame?



My comment at Ken5.com

Another skewed Texas news report parroting wording that infers curability on the transgender victim and suggests the one who committed violence was somehow justified since he 'snapped' after learning that the person was transgender.

You further denigrated her position when you made a point that she was 'begging' at a stranger's door for help!

WTF. That is what victims do EVERWHERE anytime they recover enough of there senses after being beaten and left for dead. That is what the Ken5 writers would do.

Who's account is Ken5.com and the police using as irrefutable fact? The criminal assailant? It certainly was not the victims.

Most of the time the attacker had already performed sex with the victim and as a way of escaping peer condemnation, expunging there conscience and repairing there egos beat the transgender victim. More often than not they are gang members who attack transgender sexual partners in order to avoid a beat out by fellow gang members.

As despicable as the assailant was this news channel found a lower level as they painted him as a unwitting dupe.

You can change social mores by commenting at Kens5.com. The victims story must be told fairly and impartially.