10/17/12

Memphis Approves Sexual Orientation and Gender ID Protections

As expected Memphis passed the amendment to it's cities employees non discrimination policy to include sexual orientation but totally unexpected was the reinsertion of gender ID including trans people as well!

The Amendment originally included trans protections.

Upon learning that the amendment had been rewritten to exclude transsexuals behind closed doors  at the last moment before the vote I began a petition asking Memphis to protect Trans people. Four hundred people signed sending a email message each time to every council member. I will close that petition now and thank the Council for there vote.

To all those of us who signed the petition, we can only speculate as to what effect our effort had but since we were the only petition to address trans exclusion specifically, and mainstream media  made absolutely no mention of our being written out, I can assure you, we helped.

My friend and great ally Rafael McDonnell, Communications and Advocacy Manager  Dallas Resource Center (RCD)  posted this on my facebook profile:
"From an activist friend of mine in Memphis: Memphis City Council passes non-discrimination ordinance and resolution prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity!(though the title is wrong)"
From the Commercial Appeal "Memphis approves protections against discrimination for sexual orientation":

The Memphis City Council on Tuesday approved a nondiscrimination ordinance that includes workplace protections for sexual orientation and gender identity, ending a debate that began in 2010.

"City of Memphis employees will go to bed tonight and wake up in the morning to hear the news that their hard work will be respected and their ability to contribute to their community will be preserved," said Jonathan Cole, vice president of the Tennessee Equality Project, one of the backers of the legislation. "It's a new day in Memphis, Tennessee."

There's at least one more person I must mention. Thank you Jonathan Cole, I know our brief relationship was contentious at times but given the situation I think we did a good job to keep everything in perspective. Thank you for your patience.

And I thank the following Memphis City Council Members for voting yes to protect your city's trans and gay employees: Council members Flinn, Harris, Harold Collins, Edmund Ford Jr., Janis Fullilove, Wanda Halbert, Reid Hedgepeth, Myron Lowery and Jim Strickland.

Council members Bill Boyd, Joe Brown, Bill Morrison and Kemp Conrad you all vote against it. I have faith as your city's trans people become empowered by your new ordinance and begin living authentically you will get to know who they truly are and will ask yourself why you hadn't voted for this measure in the first place.

Thank you Memphis City Council for doing the right thing.









10/16/12

Harvey Milk Plaza Will Be Graced With The Trans Flag This TDOR

Usually I acknowledge a win by updating the post that helped contribute to our advancement, like I did one post back, but there's nothing usual about this achievement. The MUMC have publicly announced they will fly the Transgender Flag on Transgender Day of Remembrance, at the Harvey Milk Plaza in the Castro.

MUMC President Terry Asten Bennett  who has control of the flag pole went into detail explaining why his organization denied the request to fly our flag, ultimately blaming it on a technicality, a request the flag be flown at half mast November 20th.

Be that as it may the reality is on November 20th 2012 Trans people are going to go where no trans person has dared, to the pinnacle of the gay mans tower in the heart of the Harvey Milk Plaza. I don't wish to lord this over anyone, and I won't. It would be nasty and would only cause discontent.

What I want to do though is to point it out how huge an advancement this is in our recognition as a valuable and equal component of the LGBT community. On our most solemn of days we will have a beacon of hope, a reminder that the LGBTQI is one community. A win for everyone.

I also want to thank everyone who was responsible for this happening including the anonymous person who bought the huge flag. I have a sneaky suspicion it was a gay man. Thank you.

10/15/12

US Census: Transgender People To Be Counted In 2020


Once we've been counted we can't be discounted.

The US Census Board Announcement  indicating a willingness to acknowledge transgender people exist comes as welcome surprise but we can't take for granted that the procedure that will be established will ask the right questions. But how much of a focus will be put on trans issues?

A issue a facebook friend quickly pointed out:
...when I was an NRFU Enumerator, also in 2010, I was told to write down what people anwsered, with no questions. Are they going to start counting people who are androgyous and crossdressers, people who are in the closet, as well as one's who are out? and how about someone like me who just went all the way? This could be harder than it sounds..
All of the media reports to date I have seen regarding this announcement make scant mention of transgender population (just the T at the tail of LGBT)  instead focusing mainly on gay couples concerns.

 So who's advising?

Shane Snowdon  the only LGBT community member announced is the HRC Director, Health & Aging Program and the 2005 Transgender Law Center Community Ally Award  recipient.

10/14/12

MUMC: Trans Flag Will Never Fly At Havey Milk Plaza. Not Even For The TDOR


Normally, without exception the Gay rainbow claims its rightful spot atop Harvey Milk Plaza.

But this past Presidents Day weekend the Bear 2.0 Flag flew proudly in it's stead. To the casual observer, like myself, this change in flags might go unnoticed, even welcomed as Bears have always been one of transgender peoples greatest allies, but there's more to the story. Much more.


The  Merchants of Upper Market and Castro (MUMC) who have control of the flag pole denied a request this year from local trans resident Veronika Fimbres to fly the  Transgender Flag on the TDOR just days after  the MUMC instituted their new policy dictating that the flag pole at Harvey Milk Plaza fly one flag, the Rainbow.

It's not a matter of principle, vanity or pride. It is a matter of respect for a valued allies dead and it only takes one day to show us you really care. Like the MUMC's own web page states we are LGBT people. The flag pole at Harvey Milk Plaza should be flying the transgender flag on the TDOR. 

If you also find this  exclusionary flag policy troubling you can:
Sign Veronika Fimbres petition "Demand that MUMC fly the Transgender Flag on the Transgender Day of Remembrance! "
and you can contact the MUMC directly
Phone: 415 - 835 - 8720
Email:: :info@castromerchants.com
or use their web contact form

10/13/12

Russian "Coming Out Day" Attack: Orthodox Terrorists Again


It really hadn't occurred to me just how much our international "Coming Out" day bothers some people. In Russia a particularly gruesome attack sanctioned and inspired by the official church of the state occurred on Coming Out day.

Much like the coordinated al-Qaeda attacks on American Embassies this past 9/11 the attack on the mainly female patrons of the 7freeday club  on October 11th was meant to do one thing.

The Russian Orthodox Terrorists  wanted to spread uncontrollable panic and fear among our peoples just like al-Qaeda intended on 9/11.

The world stood with the American people after 9/11 as we are doing now with our Russian LGBT family on 10/11.

The St. Petersburg organization "Coming Out" offered the following statement:(please excuse my translation)
Statement "Out" of the attack on the LGBT event in Moscow

October 11, the International Day of coming out - open and voluntary recognition of a person to belong to a sexual minority or gender - unknown smashed 7freeday club in Moscow and injured several people. The attackers were armed with pistols and traumatic Boomstick.
LGBT organization "Coming Out" extends its sympathy to the victims and is ready to support the Moscow human rights defenders, tracking the progress of the crime. This attack shows what risks today are LGBT as open about their sexual orientation and gender identity, and visitors LGBT clubs. The growing violence and aggression - a direct consequence of homophobic legislation, to take in the country.
Despite the fact that Moscow odious "antigeysky" the law has not been adopted, the results of the discussion were not long in coming.
In the case of homophobic attacks or transfobnogo Petersburg residents can apply not only to the police, but in the legal department of the "output": 8 (812) 313-93-69.
I just want to know will the Russian government condemn this act of religiously inspired violence and pursue the perpetrators with as much enthusiasm as it did when apprehending and incarcerating Pussy Riot for praying?


"Never before in my life, have I experienced such horror,” Elias Regul, who witnessed the gang ransacking the club and called the police, told the Moscow News. Regul and his friend were talking outside the club, when at about 9:25 p.m. they heard the sounds of a fleeing crowd. “It happened very quickly, in a closed space,” Regul said. “It dawned on me, that they are coming to kill us.”

To put into context the difference between the physical attack suffered by the 7freeday patrons and the actions of Pussy Riot I have included the latest interview of Pussy Riot member Yekaterina Samutsevich who was recently released from confinement.




10/11/12

FX + Walton Goggins + Dominatrix Outfit + Sons of Anarachy = Epic Fail

It is so embarrassing and humiliating to watch this cisgender woman announce that Walton Goggins played a transgender rapist in this FX episode of Sons of Anarchy.

For the record, Walton Goggins did not 'transition' anything as he said he did. He's not even a drag queen. He's a cisgender actor who pasted on some fake tits, donned a dress, heels and acted like a degenerate immoral dirt bag.

Just what he and the FX writer intended. They knew the latest FX episode “Orca Shrugged" would garner them immense free publicity and all they had to do was sit back wring their greedy hands and wait for the outraged  reactions from buddytv.com  and this to come rolling in. Yeah, as a biker riding for the past 36 years its my experience when you cross the line you get called out for it.


In the finest tradition of biker sisterhood and brotherhood I have one thing to say about this piece of shit. Walton Goggins, you are an asshole dirtbag, but you already know that, don't you?