Where would our community be without controversy. The National Transgender
Advocacy Coalition (NTAC) has stepped into the void created by GenderPac's
apparent disenfranchisement of the transgender community. But NTAC doesn't
assume the role without taking on the same dissention that GenderPac carried.
Will there be peace in our time? Who knows?
That segues into the inauguration of George W. Bush as president. This is
a frightening time, especially since ole GW demonstrated his "reach across
party lines" style of politics with the appointment of flaming right wing
Christian conservative John Ashcroft as Attorney General. Ashcroft, who is
an embarrassment to anyone who truly considers themselves to be a Christian,
has shown himself to be anti-gays, anti-women, anti-choice, and anti-blacks.
As Garry Trudeau's "Doonesbury" comic strip noted, the Bush Administration
desire to bring all people together, "From whites to males to CEO's! Everyone
in the country is now moving together into the future!"
It's frightening, but hopefully the GBLT communities will rise together to
protect what we all have worked so hard for. Now isn't the time to duck and
cover. Instead, this is the time when we have to get louder and let this
administration know that we won't go away.
Perhaps it's because of people like Bush and Ashcroft, or perhaps it's a
case of someone being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Central Georgia
was beginning to make a name for itself as a sane haven for GBLT rights and
protection. Now we hear of a young man beaten into a coma near the Interstate
75 corridor through central/southern Georgia. Apparently, the young man was
wearing a women's wig. Residents of the community, it is noted, teased by
young man for "being gay and dressing in female attire." We can't permit
this to continue.
I have a dream, that one day this nation will rise up and live out
the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident,
that all people are created equal."
Martin Luther King
Join Us!
This month's
meeting will be on Thursday, February 1st at our normal location,
using our regular format. If you are inspired to cook up an entrée
for this month's meeting, please indulge yourself.
Items to bring:
Casseroles/Main Dishes
Side Dishes
Hors d’oeuvres
Snacks
Soda (pop)
And
Desserts
Need directions?
Call (216) 691-HELP (4357) or
e-mail Karen at
karen_gross@transfamily.org
Volunteers are needed not only to take charge of committees but to
serve on those committees as well. We need people to commit to take leadership
roles in the organization and to actively serve. We really need your
skills and commitment of time. If you have benefited from TransFamily,
then please consider giving back. We also need people to help cleaning up
after the meetings. Please, help us out. Call or email Karen and find out
what you can do to help TransFamily continue.
Special Safety Advisory
Submitted by Gloria Przeslicke,
Trans=Action Board Member at
Gloria2995@aol.com
This is to all
Transgender individuals traveling through or living in Central and South
Georgia. Be advised that a Transgender individual has been badly beaten in
the town of Ashburn, Georgia, located halfway between Macon and Valdosta,
on Interstate 75. I-75 is a major freeway that starts in the Midwest and
bisects Georgia and Florida. The victim, 26 year-old Robert Martin, is currently
on life-support in extremely critical condition and is not expected to
live.
This assault on Robert Martin happened 20 miles south of Cordele, Georgia,
where Tracy Thompson was beaten to death by a baseball bat in March of 1999.
Like Martin, Thompson was left for dead on the side of the road, but she
later died of her injuries. The two incidents may not be related, but the
similarities are enough that the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) is
looking into it. Tracy Thompson's murder has never been solved.
The assault also has the Florida Transgender community worried. When informed
about the incident, Jessica Archer, Director of FORGE said, "FORGE would
like to also express their concern for Transgender individuals living along
the I-75 corridor in Florida. We are especially concern for those people
in the area who chose to meet strangers through personal ads and off the
Internet, or sex workers who frequent truck stops and other transportation
center along I-75."
"Trans=Action is staying in touch with the GBI," Monica Helms remarked, "getting
updates from them regularly. We will keep our people informed as to the condition
of Mr. Martin and the progress of the investigation."
Contact: Monica F. Helms, Director of Trans=Action, at
TGActivist@prodigy.net
Ashburn Beating Victim "Slightly Improved"
By Laura Brown, Southern Voice
ASHBURN, Ga.
- January 18, 2001 - A gay man found brutally beaten on Jan. 7 has been upgraded
to serious condition, while law enforcement officials continue their
investigation into the assault. Meanwhile, an Atlanta-based gay civil rights
group has retained a lawyer to help the victim's family advocate for a complete
investigation in the case, including the possibility that anti-gay hate could
have been a motive in the attack.
Robert Martin, 29, was found severely beaten at an abandoned school in Ashburn,
a small South Georgia town located near Interstate 75, about 30 miles east
of Albany. Martin sometimes dressed as a woman, and family members have said
he was wearing a woman's wig at the time of the attack.
At press time Tuesday, no arrests had been made in the case, according to
staff in the Georgia Bureau of Investigation's Perry, Ga., office, which
is leading the investigation. Tom Davis, special agent in charge of the office,
said last week that investigators have "no indication" the case is a hate
crime, and several leads were being pursued. Davis could not be reached for
comment at press time.
Georgia Equality, Inc., a gay rights group with members around the state,
sent Field Director Christy Little to Ashburn last week to talk with Martin's
family members and discuss the crime with local authorities. Little met with
Martin's mother, aunt, uncle and other relatives at Phoebe Putney Memorial
Hospital in nearby Albany, Ga., where Martin remains hospitalized.
Martin has "slightly improved" and been upgraded from critical to serious
condition, according to a hospital spokesperson. She declined to give any
further details, including whether Martin, who was in a coma following the
attack, has regained consciousness.
After Little's meetings with family members and law enforcement officials,
Georgia Equality has not taken a position on whether the beating was a hate
crime, said Harry Knox, the group's executive director. "There's no way to
say at this point in the investigation," Knox said. "But we do feel good
that we have been able to help his family advocate for everything to be done
that can be done in the process of finding out what happened."
Georgia Equality has retained Kirby Woods, an attorney in nearby Cordele,
Ga., to "advocate for the family" during the investigation and "help them
monitor whether or not Robert Martin's rights are being fully protected,"
Knox said. Georgia Equality also helped provide transportation for Martin's
family members visiting him at the Albany hospital, he said.
In addition to working to support the victim's family, GEI has also talked
with law enforcement officials about the case, Knox said. Knox said he was
assured by GBI leaders that "the hate crime angle as a possibility is being
fully investigated." GBI officials have refused to discuss other possible
motives for the case, citing the ongoing investigation. But the abandoned
school where Martin was found and authorities believe the attack took place
is known as a hangout for drinking and drug use.
According to Knox, the GBI official he talked with "did not imply that Robert
Martin was part of the drug activity, but he might have been a victim because
of being in the proximity of where that was going on." In discussions with
Little from GEI, Martin's family expressed shock at the attack, Knox said.
While they said Martin was sometimes teased by young Ashburn residents for
being gay and dressing in female attire, people were generally tolerant and
employed him in odd jobs in the community, Knox recounted.
Straight Spouse Network
The Straight
Spouse Network has announced that TransFamily's Miriam Huebscher-Scott has
been named to SSN's Advisory Council. The purpose of the Advisory Council
is to provide input and initiates ideas for the further development of the
Straight Spouse Network.
According to SSN's Amity Piece-Buxton, author of
The Other Side of the Closet, the Advisory Council
mainly involves "thinking and dreaming together how to help spouses or
significant others deal in a healthy, constructive way with their partners
coming out as gay, lesbian, bisexual, or trans."
Miram is the moderator of TransFamily's email support group for spouses and
partners. Her video presentation, discussing Cindy's transition, has been
screened at several national conferences (including the Millennium March
On Washington) with delightful responses. She can be contacted at
miriam@transfamily.org
Call for Vaniqa Research Volunteers
The Papillon
Center is looking for volunteers in Phoenix, Ariz.; Philadelphia, Pa.; and
Dallas, Texas for a study on the new prescription to lessen facial hair in
women, called
Vaniqa.
Two groups of 20-50 MTF transsexuals are needed to begin trials on. One group
will be post-ops and the study will try and quantify the effectiveness of
this new drug on body hair. The second study will be on pre-ops (taking hormones)
and will be testing the effectiveness of the drug on their facial hair.
It will be a 6 month study and volunteers will be evaluated once a month
to document their progress. Volunteers need to be in one of the three cities
listed above.
If interested, contact Dr. McGinn at
PapillonCenter@aol.com.
California To Revisit Transsexual Birth Certificate Bill
The National Transgender Advocacy Coalition (NTAC) salutes California Assemblyman
John Longville (D-Rialto) who promises to reintroduce AB1851 this session
in the new Assembly.
Existing California law provides for California-born transsexual residents
to obtain a new birth certificate. Last year's State Assembly Bill AB1851
provided a means for those born in California but living elsewhere, and those
new to the state to be able to also take advantage of that right. The bill
easily passed through the California legislature. Governor Gray Davis, however,
vetoed the bill.
The bill will be reintroduced this session and assigned a new number, but
will remain true to its spirit. The bill will simply call for a clarification
of the process by which transsexuals, other than those born and still living
here, can access their right to legal documentation.
"He wants to take another crack at it," Kristen Wingate, a spokeswoman for
Longville said. "The assemblyman is a strong advocate of LGBT rights and
believes he can guide this bill into law."
"This is a simple matter of correcting a technicality" began NTAC's Board
Chair, Yoseñio Lewis, "that will allow transsexuals who are California
residents, but born in other states - like me - to have the legal option
to change our birth certificates to accurately reflect our gender."
Not much has been done to reword the bill yet, in part because many LGBT
advocates felt that Davis' previous veto came not from opposing it, but rather
from an apparent lack of comprehension. Longville's office has pledged to
work with the governor to ensure that this time, the bill will be signed.
"We are planning on working more closely with his office so he understands
what the bill does," said Wingate. "And, if there are parts of it that remain
a concern for him, we plan to come up with a resolution."
Members of the California Alliance for Pride and Equality (CAPE) and the
Lambda Letters Project cheered Longville's perseverance and promised to
immediately open a dialogue (sic) with Governor Davis, hoping to interpret
his reasons for last year's veto so that the bill will be passed and signed
into law this session.
"NTAC applauds Assemblyman Longville for his proactive vision and support
of transgender and transsexual people by reintroducing AB1851," stated NTAC's
Lewis. "Assemblyman Longville provides another example of what an ally can
do to make a difference in many people's lives."
NTAC, the nation's premier transgender civil rights organization, supports
the efforts of Assemblyman Longville, CAPE, and the Lambda Letters Project.
We recommend that everyone follow and support this bill by visiting
www.lambdaletters.org where the bill can be tracked, and fought for, throughout
its process.
Transgender Advocate Receives Mayor’s Human Rights Award
PORTLAND, OR
January 15, 2001 - In public ceremonies to honor Dr. Martin Luther
King, Jr., the prestigious Mayor’s Human Rights Achievement Award for
2001 was presented to a Portland transgender rights advocate, Lori Buckwalter.
Mayor Vera Katz, in personally presenting the award, cited Ms. Buckwalter’s
work on the recent changes to Portland’s Civil Rights Ordinance to include
gender identity protections, and her work for the rights and safety of all
the citizens of Portland.
Lori Buckwalter has served as the Executive Director of It’s Time, Oregon!,
as the co-chair of the Portland Sexual Minorities Roundtable, and as a public
educator and advocate concerning gender identity and gender expression rights.
Lori responded to Mayor’s Katz’s recognition by stating, "I am
deeply honored to receive this award on a day which honors the memory of
Dr. King, whose dream inspires us still. I feel so fortunate to be a citizen
of Portland, where leaders like Mayor Katz nurture all people’s hopes
to be a respected part of this city’s future. I want to honor the courage
of people in the transgender community, and of all those who strive to live
their lives in dignity."
More Transsexuals Start New Life, Keep Old Job
By Sarah Schafer Washington Post Staff Writer
December 28,
2000 - Ron Hoyman had something shocking to tell his boss. He was about to
become Rhonda.
For months, Hoyman, supervisor of vocational programs for Baltimore County
schools, had changed clothes in his pickup truck each evening as he left
work so that he could live his personal life as a woman. But now it was time
to become Rhonda full time, dressing as a woman at work as he prepared for
the surgery that would transform him physically from male to female. And
it was time to tell his supervisor and coworkers that soon they would have
a new colleague.
"I am trying to make changes which impact my personal wellness as well as
be a more productive worker," Hoyman wrote to his supervisor in the summer
of 1995, explaining that he was a classic transsexual -- someone who felt
he had been born the wrong sex. "[If] I can learn to begin living life for
myself as well as the benefit of others, could you accept Rhonda instead
of Ron as someone you could work with?" he wrote. He signed it! "Ron/Rhonda."
The supervisor's response? First, shock. And then, "Why not?" She immediately
started discussing ways she and Hoyman could prepare other coworkers for
the change.
Until about five years ago, someone in Hoyman's situation likely would have
quit his job and disappeared, preferring to start a new life with a new identity
and employer rather than tell his boss that he would soon change his sex.
But transsexuals -- people who have undergone or are about to undergo sex-change
surgery -- have gained a new measure of acceptance from employers, according
to some mental health and workplace experts. As a result, more transsexuals,
their managers and coworkers are learning how to cope with a transformation
that can be long, painful, emotional and unsettling.
Roughly one in 30,000 men and one in 100,000 women undergo sexual reassignment
surgery, according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders,
a handbook for psychiatrists. About 1,000 people seek reassignment surgery
each year, according to an estimate by the Transgender Education Association,
a nonprofit research organization. At least half of all people who undergo
sex-change operations return to their jobs after the surgery, according to
the association and mental health experts. Not many years ago, almost none
did.
Transsexuals enjoy few legal protections when it comes to workplace
discrimination, but that is gradually changing.
Minnesota includes transsexuals in its human rights act. Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack
(D) plans to ask the state legislature to pass an anti-discrimination law
covering transsexuals, according to a spokeswoman. And increasingly, local
governments are incorporating transsexuals in their anti-discrimination policies.
This year, Portland, Ore.; Boulder, Colo.; Madison, Wis.; and Atlanta all
expanded their laws to bar discrimination against transsexuals. About 35
local jurisdictions have such laws, up from about 11 in 1996, according to
the Human Rights Campaign, a gay and lesbian advocacy organization in Washington.
At least three Fortune 500 companies -- Xerox Corp., Apple Computer Inc.
and Lucent Technologies Inc. -- cover transsexuals in their anti-discrimination
policies. After changing their sex, transsexuals may be straight or gay,
and so they do not necessarily qualify for protection under policies that
prohibit discrimination against homosexuals.
Experts trace the shift toward acceptance in part to the nation's tight labor
market and the imperative to retain talented workers. In addition, advocates
for gays and lesbians have been paving the way for transsexuals and other
minority groups by broadening society's view toward those who go against
sexual norms, these experts say.
"The competition for talent is extraordinary, and that certainly has presented
opportunities for a lot of folks," said Suellen Roth, vice president of policy,
diversity and retention at Avaya Communication, a spinoff of Lucent Technologies.
Both companies bar discrimination against transsexuals.
To be sure, many transsexuals continue to face intense on-the-job prejudice
and discrimination. The American Civil Liberties Union has received an increasing
number of such complaints, according to Jennifer Middleton, a staff lawyer
with the organization's lesbian and gay rights project. But Middleton said
the spike in cases reflects a positive change as well: "Today, people are
more willing to challenge society to accept them."
Because of that willingness, companies are learning -- often one employee
at a time -- how to accommodate transsexuals in the workplace. And some
transsexuals find that their coworkers may handle their transition more easily
than their families do.
Janet, a computer systems administrator who was once a male, agreed to be
interviewed but asked to be identified only by her first name because her
teenage children are worried their friends might see this article. Janet
said telling her boss about her coming sex change proved far easier than
announcing it to anyone else. Janet said she was so nervous that her hands
were trembling when, carrying a stack of papers explaining transsexualism,
she went in to tell her boss. She was prepared to be fired.
Instead, her boss barely looked up from his desk when he heard the news,
Janet recalled recently, sitting on a sofa in her Fort Belvoir apartment,
dressed in a short, loosely fitted, flowered dress. "I was told it wasn't
an issue," she said. Janet's boss, who had supervised transsexual employees
in the past, asked how he could help her prepare colleagues for the change,
asked her to use the unisex bathroom, and said he would call a meeting to
explain her situation to the rest of the staff.
Switching sexual identities is a long process. The "standard of care" to
which most doctors subscribe (only a handful of hospitals perform the actual
surgery) stipulates that patients must undergo hormone therapy and live as
a member of their desired sex for a year before gaining approval for sex-change
surgery. During that time, a patient may change the pitch of his or her voice
and most male patients begin what will be a lifetime of painful electrolysis
sessions to remove unwanted hair. Others get cosmetic surgery. Some say they
endure roller-coaster emotions as their body adjusts to new hormones.
Coworkers actually seem to fret most over the bathroom question -- which
one to use before having the sex-change surgery -- said Michelle Martin,
an American Airlines employee who had such an operation nearly 10 years ago
and who now consults with companies that have an employee making the change.
Some coworkers prefer to know as little as possible about a transsexual's
experience, but unanswered questions could drive many colleagues to distraction,
especially that nagging question, "Why?" Because of this, Martin said,
transsexuals should tell their managers about mental-health practitioners
who could come speak to workers. Or, she suggests, transsexuals should be
candid with their co-workers.
That's what Hoyman did.
Hoyman, 53, knew her peers and coworkers would be surprised because, as a
carpenter by training, she had always projected a stereotypical guy image
at work and in professional associations. "They wondered why I drove a pink
pickup truck," she said, laughing, during a recent interview at the Sollers
Point Southeastern Technical High School. After sharing her plans with her
supervisors, Hoyman began telling the principals and teachers at the 25 schools
whose vocational education programs she helped to manage. Telling the large
staff of Sollers Point in Dundalk, Md., was one of her toughest moments,
she said. Principal H. Edward Parker suggested Hoyman address the faculty
at an afternoon staff meeting.
Parker, 63, said he had to reconcile Hoyman's revelation with his limited
worldview. "I guess my first exposure to [transsexualism] was in the 1950s
with Christine Jorgensen," Parker said, recalling the highly publicized
first-ever sex-change operation that turned American ex-GI George Jorgensen
into Christine. "As a teenager at the time, I was mortified."
Parker said his views hadn't changed much by the time Hoyman revealed her
new identity, although he learned to accept her. "This is an age of
enlightenment," he said. "I changed a lot of things that I learned growing
up. You have to learn to operate in those gray areas." Those areas included
watching Hoyman swap makeup tips with the women on staff, "which was interesting
to us," Parker said diplomatically.
Those tips were valuable lessons in how to fit in at work. A male-to-female
transsexual is "essentially doing a crash course in learning about feminine
styles," said Gregory Lehne, an assistant professor of medical psychology
at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine who has counseled transsexuals
for nearly 20 years. "They might dress too young for their age, or overdress,
trying to represent themselves as a femme fatale in the workplace rather
than 'Jane Doe goes to work.' "
Hoyman worked with an image consultant to carefully choose makeup and clothing
appropriate for work. "Every eye is on you, judging your walk, your appearance.
You have to be willing to reprove yourself," Hoyman said. At work, Hoyman's
transition appears to have gone as smoothly as possible.
But some mental-health experts worry about potential unintended effects of
the growing acceptance of transsexuals in the workplace. Transsexuals suffer
from more psychological problems -- including severe depression and suicidal
tendencies -- than other groups of people, said Cynthia Osborne, associate
director of the sexual behaviors consultation unit at the Johns Hopkins School
of Medicine! Osborne worries that if the workplace sends the message that
"anything goes," people may not seek out the psychiatric help they need.
But many transsexuals say their problems were mostly medical. They would
not have suffered such mental anguish if they had been born as a member of
the opposite sex, they say. And once the "mistake" had been corrected, they
felt healthier than ever, not to mention more productive, they say.
Janet and Hoyman insist they're not activists. They simply want to live life
as they think they were intended to live it. Keeping their jobs helps them
maintain normalcy, they said. Besides, starting over from scratch in a new
job with a new identity is hard because it means building a brand-new resume
at middle age. "It's easier to change on the job," Janet said, "because then
you have references."
Evangelists Seek Sex-Change Ban
By Victoria Combe, The Daily Telegraph
Great Britain
- January 13, 2001 - Sex-change operations should be halted, a Christian
umbrella group says in a highly-critical report on transsexuality to be published
next week.
The Evangelical
Alliance, which represents one million members in Britain, claims that
surgery is "unnecessary" and transsexuals can be healed in other ways. The
100-page report, which includes contributions from doctors, lawyers and
theologians, argues that transsexuals should be given "holistic" treatment
for their spiritual and their mental health.
An alliance spokesman said: "Transsexuals are, we believe, confused about
their identity and the correct response is an holistic one, which emphasizes
psychosomatic unity without recourse to surgery. It is a condition that cannot
be cured by the surgeon getting the knife out."
The report calls for sex-change operations to be stopped and an independent
inquiry into transsexuality to be carried out by the Chief Medical Officer.
Claire McNab, a transsexual and spokesman for
Press for Change,
attacked the report yesterday for failing to include positive evidence from
transsexuals. She said: "I offered to speak to the alliance but they were
not interested. They have only talked to transsexuals who are unhappy."
She said: "It is like writing a report on the Catholic Church but only speaking
to those who were abused by priests." There are estimated to be 2,500 to
5,000 transsexuals in Britain. The
NHS (National Health Service)
conducts sex-change operations for men and women who are diagnosed with gender
dysphoria, a recognized medical condition.
(c) 2001, Daily Telegraph
Soulforce Stage II Begins
January 15, 2001
- Martin Luther King's Birthday - For the past 14 months, Soulforce has been
engaged in Stage I of our Soulforce Campaign to STOP SPIRITUAL VIOLENCE.
So many of you have responded with your time, your talents, and your financial
gifts. We could not have done it without you. More than a thousand Soulforce
volunteers have mobilized to do justice in Cleveland, Orlando, Long Beach,
Denver, Washington, DC, and Rome. More than 500 have been arrested in our
elegant, nonviolent acts of spiritual resistance.
Today people all over the United States are celebrating Martin Luther Kings
Birthday, let's not just celebrate with words, but with action! It is time
to begin Stage II of our Soulforce Campaign to STOP SPIRITUAL VIOLENCE. Our
deeply moving vigils and symbolic arrests have announced our presence and
demonstrated our concerns. But these nonviolent direct actions are just the
beginning of our Soulforce Campaign.
We are once again going to ask you to take a stand against our oppressors,
this time on a very individual and personal level. There will not be hundreds
of people being arrested, but these individual acts are just as significant
and just as important. Stage II requires mobilizing tens of thousands of
individual lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender people along with our friends
and allies to join us. We will not see justice done until thousands of us
have the courage to take our own, personal stand against the teachings and
actions that oppress us.
Stage II is built upon these words of Gandhi and King: "It is as much our
obligation NOT to cooperate with evil as it is to cooperate with good." Stage
II of our Soulforce Campaign to STOP SPIRITUAL VIOLENCE begins when one by
one, each of us takes a stand (any stand, large or small) to quit supporting
the oppression.
These are only suggestions. Design your own program of resistance. But resist
for God's sake, for the sake of the church you love, and most important,
for your own sake - RESIST!
Option A
If you are in
a local congregation that does not support the full inclusion of God's lesbian,
gay, bisexual, and transgendered children:
From this moment until the oppression ends, when the plate is passed, don't
give your usual tithes, offerings, or special gifts. Put in a note to your
pastor or priest instead. Make it clear that you love your church but that
you can no longer support the untruth and injustice that flows out of the
antigay teachings (and actions) of your denomination. Share your story or
the story of others. Or use the sample note you will find on our web page.
http://www.soulforce.org/withholdingcard.html
Sign your note proudly. Or if you're not ready to come out, leave it unsigned.
It isn't enough to leave your church or just stop giving. That is a missed
opportunity to do justice. If you've left a church, go back this week and
drop your note in the plate. Tell your truth in love and pray that God will
use your courageous act to make a difference.
Withholding your financial support is NOT meant to punish your church. Your
tithes or offerings may not even make a dent in the church budget anyway.
This act of spiritual resistance IS FOR YOU! When you place that note in
the offering plate, you are reclaiming your dignity, asserting your worth,
demanding your full acceptance as a child of God. You are ending your silence
and finding your voice. We can STOP SPIRITUAL VIOLENCE best when we finally
refuse to support it.
You might include on your note the name of the organization that you will
support with your tithes and offerings and why you will support them. Or,
if you don't need a tax deduction, you can deposit your funds into a savings
account for the church on that day when they become a welcoming and affirming
congregation.
Option B
If you are in
a welcoming and affirming congregation or one that is seriously in the process
of becoming fully welcoming and affirming, but is a member of a denomination
that IS NOT fully accepting:
Ask your pastor or priest what percentage of the church budget goes to the
denomination. Withhold that percentage from your tithes and offerings and
place a note in the plate that makes clear why you are taking this action.
Or, write clearly on the check what percentage of your offering must be forwarded
to an organization that does justice or loves mercy FOR ALL God's children.
When an offering is designated, it must be used in that way. If, for example,
you designate it to a local HIV/AIDS service organization, the church treasurer
has to send it to that organization and even include the organization's name
in the year end financial report.
Option C
If you are in
a welcoming and affirming congregation that is also a part of a welcoming
and affirming denomination, put a note in the plate this week thanking your
pastor for his or her courage and commitment. You are a part of a very rare
community of faith. Show your gratitude in every possible way!
Stage II will be introduced in small steps. This first step has to do with
our treasure. We'll roll out suggestions for time and talent later. If you
have a suggestion, email us today. But in the meantime, let's mobilize thousands
of our friends and allies to withhold or designate their tithes, offerings,
and special gifts.
If you join us in withholding or designating your financial support to a
local congregation, let us know. We want to thank you in an Honor Roll of
Faithful Dissenters. Send your name or initials and your local congregation
and denomination, and a description of what you are doing to stop supporting
oppression to HonorRoll@soulforce.org. If you want to include a brief note
describing your own act of spiritual resistance, we'll post that on our web
page as well.
The Reasons For STAGE II of the Soulforce Campaign to STOP SPIRITUAL VIOLENCE
Gandhi asked
millions of Indians to refuse to pay the salt tax that supported their
oppression. King asked tens of thousands of African-Americans to quit riding
the segregated busses in Montgomery or shopping in the segregated stores
of Birmingham. These non-cooperation campaigns helped restore dignity to
the oppressed and eventually undermined the economic power of their
oppressors.
Protestant and Catholic church teachings are the primary source of misinformation
about sexual and gender minorities. The antigay teachings and actions of
our churches lead directly and indirectly to wasted lives, broken families,
ruined relationships, discrimination, suffering, and even death. And yet
year after year we continue to support our own oppression.
We give our tithes, our offerings, and our special gifts to maintain the
religious institutions that discriminate against us. We are their pastors
and priests, their organists and choirmasters, their deacons and elders.
Yet they refuse to acknowledge our presence let alone grant us the full rights
and privileges of membership.
After thirty years (and more) of endless dialogue (sic) and debate the Baptists
still call us "sick" and "sinful." The United Methodists still call us
"incompatible with Christian teaching." The Roman Catholics still call us
"objectively disordered" and our loving acts "intrinsically evil." Most churches
still refuse to ordain us, to marry us, or even to acknowledge our presence
openly.
For too long, we have accepted our second-class-membership. We have lived
by their "don't ask, don't tell" policies. We have "passed" as heterosexuals,
hiding our lives and our relationships. And we have supported by our faithful
donation of time, talent, and treasure the very system that oppresses us.
Remember, if you join us in withholding or designating your financial support
to a local congregation, let us know. We want to thank you in an Honor Roll
of Faithful Dissenters. Send your name or initials and your local congregation
and denomination, and a description of what you are doing to stop supporting
oppression to HonorRoll@soulforce.org. If you want to include a brief note
describing your own act of spiritual resistance, we'll post that on our web
page as well.
Here is a sample note:
For centuries,
church anti-homosexual teachings have led to suicide, wasted lives,
discrimination and physical violence. Until those teachings end in this church
and God's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender children are fully welcomed
here, I am withholding my usual contribution.
Gandhi said, "It is as much a moral obligation not to cooperate with evil
as it is to cooperate with good," therefore, I am withholding my
tithe/offering/gift today and contributing it, instead, to
__________________________ [name of church or organization] because it welcomes
gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgenders into the full life and service
of the church or because it provides important services to sexual and gender
minorities.
You can help
launch Stage II by forwarding this email to your entire list of friends.
Thanks for your assistance. One day, when we all take our stand, truth will
prevail and God's GLBT children will be welcomed home!
Mel White, Executive Director, Soulforce, Inc.
PS: If you are not gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgendered, but consider
yourself a friend of our community, we need your help. Your notes in the
offering plate will make a huge difference. Your support will change minds
and hearts that we cannot reach. Thank you for taking your stand on our behalf.
We are grateful!
Transgender Lobby Days Announced
It's lobbying
time again! The National Transgender Advocacy Coalition (NTAC) is pleased
to announce preliminary plans for the group's first-ever organized lobbying
effort in Washington DC. The premier transgender community initiative on
Congress will occur the week of May 14, with a plenary training and strategy
session on Sunday, May 13.
NTAC, the newest national transgender civil rights organization, is sending
out a call to the nation's transgender and intersex community, all supportive
family and friends, and helping professionals to unite for a show of strength
on Capitol Hill. Founded in 1999, NTAC is currently the only national group
with special focus given to education about, and advocacy for, all gender
variant citizens.
Many may ask why attempt lobbying a Congress that is numerically stacked
against us? While there is no shot at favorable legislation this session,
there is still much education to be done with our legislators. NTAC realizes
that only by educating our legislators regarding our needs, can we affect
change for our community - and our community has ample need.
Some talk around the nation has centered around a "mandate for morality"
this congressional session, and what that means to our community. If indeed
there is such a mandate, the last thing any of the target minority communities
should do is to disappear or become complacent. This only lends the impression
that we, as a community, have become disgusted and "given up the fight."
Anyone who would have such a mandate in mind will take our inaction at this
time as momentum for their movement.
Our community can make a statement by being proactive. Our needs must be
heard, our experiences must be told. Help us as we begin laying the foundation
for our future equality. We can do this! Please join NTAC, and other transgender
and intersex groups and individuals from around the nation, on the week of
May 14 in our nation's capital. For more information see the NTAC web site
at
www.ntac.org/lobby.html
The National Transgender Advocacy Coalition is the nation's preeminent
transgender civil rights organization. NTAC works for the advancement of
understanding and the attainment of civil rights for all transgendered and
intersexed people in every aspect of society. For more information, visit
the website at http://www.ntac.org)
GenderPAC Disenfranchises Transgender Community
By JoAnn Roberts of tgforum.com
On December 8th,
GenderPAC, an organization originally founded for and by the transgender
community, put out a press release heralding a "new Mission." In that press
release, GPAC executive committee co-chair, Becca Hover, is quoted as saying
"We want a vision that unites all the diverse communities and groups that
have a common interest in gender civil rights: people of every gender, gender
identity, race, class, age, and sexual orientation." That statement could
not be any farther from the truth.
According to well-placed sources within GPAC, during a special GPAC board
meeting held in South Beach Miami, December 13, 2000, executive director,
Riki Wilchins, along with Ms. Hover and board member, Katherine Palmer, hammered
out a new vision of GPAC that excludes any identity-based concerns from its
mission, including the transgender community. In fact, GPAC seems to be going
out of its way to disconnect itself from the tg community altogether. During
this same meeting, GPAC managing director, Gina Reiss, is quoted as saying
she is tired that 85% of the calls she receives at the GPAC office are from
transgendered people looking for help.
At Southern Comfort 2000 last September, GPAC board president, Tony Bartto-
Neto announced that he had been asked by Ms. Wilchins and Ms. Reiss to step
down as president, which he did. At the December 13th meeting however, the
new GPAC board attempted to remove Mr. Baretto-Neto from his board seat,
even though he was not present. Further attempts were made to remove Carrie
Davis (IFGE board rep) and Julie Johnson (the most senior board member after
Mr. Baretto-Neto), all of which failed. Clearly, the ruling junta of GPAC
wants the organization cleansed of these transgendered troublemakers.
Subsequently, Baretto-Neto, Davis and Johnson have resigned from the GPAC
board or will do so shortly.
Also at the December meeting, the new GPAC strategic plan came under discussion.
GPAC has decided to drop its attempt at G.I.D. reform and drop the inclusion
of transgender identified people in ENDA. A new board member said it was
"plainly wrong" to ask that of GenderPAC. And, even in its call for workshops
for its first National Gender Conference, GPAC has made it clear that
Trans-related workshops will not be favored. GPAC's disconnect from its roots
is now complete.
Commentary
Yes, GenderPAC
has earned some measure of respect among congressional leaders, but at what
cost to the community that gave it shape and form? I hate to be the one to
say, "I told you so," but I told you so. I, and others like me, most notably
Ms. Phyllis Frye, warned the community about GenderPAC and how it would turn
on our community.
I was there the day GPAC was born, Nov. 2, 1996; I wrote its By Laws. Not
one month after 12 organizations signed onto that historic agreement, Ms.
Wilchins had made trash of it and brought the GPAC board to its knees. The
fall out was a flurry of resignations that eventually left GPAC broke and
down to three members, Tony Baretto-Neto, Carrie Davis, and Julie Johnson
just two years ago. Ms. Johnson is responsible for saving GPAC from oblivion
and her reward is to be disrespected and asked to resign. Is this any way
to run an organization?
The transgender community is left with no advocate at the federal level.
The National Transgender Advocacy Coalition (NTAC) has not yet reached its
potential, although it may yet rise to the challenge. But until that happens,
we have no real political voice. Many transgender activists are bemoaning
the fact that GPAC has left us high and dry, and there are already several
"call to arms" circulating that will try to create another political
organization. That is a good sign, but I say we have some unfinished business
with GPAC.
First, we, as a community, have to make it clear to GPAC that we will not
take this slap in the face sitting down. Every transgender organization has
to let every one of its members know how we have been betrayed by GPAC. Let
not one cent flow from the transgender community to GPAC from this day forward.
Second, we must retaliate in kind. GPAC has its National Gender Conference
and Lobby Day planned and scheduled for May 18 - 21, 2001. We must go to
Washington, in force of numbers, BEFORE that date to lobby Congress on behalf
of transgender specific issues such as ENDA and Hate Crimes legislation.
And while we're there, we must make clear to those Congressional leaders
that GPAC does NOT speak for the transgender community.
Finally, as we stand at the brink of the Third Millennium, we, as a community,
must put aside the pettiness and parochiality of the past. We must get past
our differences so we can find the commonalities that unite us in sister
and brotherhood as transgendered people. For, as Benjamin Franklin said,
"We must all hang together, or most assuredly we shall all hang separately."
JoAnn Roberts Jan 8, 2001
Identity Crisis: Politics Shapes Debate Between Gender Groups
By Katie Szymanski, Bay Area Reporter
January 19, 2001
- If the fight for gender rights could be narrowed into two different camps,
those branches might look almost identical: in one corner, there are those
who believe in a broad movement that includes people at all points along
the gender spectrum; and in the other corner are those who believe in the
exact same mission, but want to approach it differently.
It has been almost two weeks since a group of transgendered activists from
all around the country sent an open letter of concern in regard to GenderPAC,
the national lobbying arm of the gender rights movement that was born from
- and until recently had focused upon - trans-identified battles. Within
the last year the organization has moved to Washington, D.C., gained a full-time
staff, and emphasized its desire to fight for gender rights on a more mainstream
scale.
What this means is that GenderPAC now has a strategy that "appears to involve
de-emphasizing its connection to the trans community," according to those
who signed the letter. Many of those signatures belong to people who were
once a part of GenderPAC but left due to irreconcilable differences.
"This new focus has resulted in the dropping of some of GenderPAC's
transgender-focused projects," the letter continued. "GenderPAC's call for
its 'National Conference on Gender' next spring made it clear that proposals
for trans-focused workshops would not be well-received."
These criticisms are unfounded, according to Riki Wilchins, GenderPAC's executive
director and a well-known transsexual activist and writer.
Paradigms falling
"Nobody is being squeezed out, they're just being included into a broader
spectrum of people who need their right to express their gender," Wilchins
told the Bay Area Reporter. Wilchins added that proposals for the upcoming
conference must be inclusive in all ways, and that someone presenting a seminar
on women's issues was recently asked to revise the curriculum to include
transgenders.
"Our mission and vision has always been to build a broad-based inclusive
movement. In the early days it was just me and a handful of volunteers, so
we took a lot of transgender cases. Nobody else was doing that work. Now
we have a budget and staff and resources and we are able to begin fulfilling
our mission and working on other cases." Wilchins pointed to two such cases:
one that involves a woman who was fired from her job for refusing to wear
makeup, and another that addresses the fact that a female athlete who looked
"too masculine" was assaulted and injured by security guards after leaving
a women's bathroom. Neither victim identifies as "transgender" and yet both
were persecuted for not fitting into strict gender expectations.
"I think what we're hearing is the sound of paradigms falling," said Wilchins
of the comments directed toward GenderPAC. "I won't build another identity-based
movement because I've been locked out of every one I tried to join. I'm not
welcome at cross-dressing, feminist, or gay groups, and I'm not going to
lock anybody else outside the door. We embrace everyone or we embrace no
one."
"It is ironic when people begin portraying inclusion and diversity as bad
things," she added. "We think bringing more people to the struggle is the
only way to build a vibrant movement for the 21st century. And if you really
think we're pulling away from transgender work, just look at our Web site.
You'll see all the transgender stuff up there."
But Wilchins's rebuttal misses the point, say the activists behind the open
letter, a three-page statement that specifically declares, "We share with
Riki Anne Wilchins … a critique of the narrow 'identity politics' that
would divorce the concerns of transgender-identified people from a broader
politics which recognizes oppressions experienced by all people who express
their gender in non-normative ways."
In fact, they say, if transgenders are supposed to be embraced along with
others, why are they hardly ever mentioned by name in contemporary GenderPAC
statements, particularly on the Web site that Wilchins references?
Although Wilchins says she has reluctantly allowed people to keep their identity
labels in GenderPac matters, in fact it is only the transgenders who have
not consistently been labeled on the GenderPAC Web site. Posted news items
about Brandon Teena (who may or may not have identified as "trans") and others
who have referred to themselves as "transgender," for instance, almost never
include the T-word, and in fact these stories are hard to recognize as GenderPAC
presents them (in regard to Teena's situation, for instance, the story is
presented as "a man in Nebraska is beaten and raped by two assailants who
want to 'prove' he's really a woman").
To Bay Area transsexual activist and writer James Green, this effort not
to use "transgender" goes overboard. "I hate identity politics," Green told
the B.A.R. "And yet to a certain extent these issues are identity issues,
and to say we're going to leave identity behind and not address things that
have to do with identity is very shortsighted in my mind."
Green pointed to GenderPAC's filing of an amicus brief in the Brandon Teena
wrongful death suit as an example of how GenderPAC's de-emphasis on identity
could hurt their work. "Any reference to 'trans' was taken out of that brief,
and they were simply talking about Brandon's gender," said Green. "There's
also a point at which they went off on some tangent about how gender expression
affects everyone. If I were the judge in this case I would say, 'What the
hell are they talking about?' and toss it out.
"Not only does their brief not speak to the facts of the case but
it takes you into other areas irrelevant to the suit. Many of these paragraphs
- if you don't say 'gender identity,' - are meaningless. There are places
it would be important to say that Brandon sought medical advice for gender
dysphoria not for his 'gender,'" laughed Green.
"If you take away all of the qualifying language then you lose the specificity,
and in law you must have specificity. So while of course I support the broad
positions that everyone should be free from gender stereotyping, unless we
talk about issues that face individuals, we'll never get to that place."
Once upon a time
In a word far, far away, "transgender" was supposed to be the language that
would have solved this conflict. While "transsexual" was exclusive to those
who had transitioned to the "opposite" sex; transgender could include everyone
in between: the cross-dressers, the butch lesbians, the straight people who
did not conform to rigid codes. In fact it was this word alone that was supposed
to cover all these people, as witnessed by the national push to tack it on
to non-discrimination laws that covered sexual orientation. Even if they
did not identify as "trans," these people would be covered by a definition
that allowed them to fall anywhere along the gender spectrum.
Yet little by little, transgender began to be interpreted - both by common
folk and queers, legislators and judges - as transsexual, or, in simpler
terms, as a person who had assumed a life as the other sex. There was no
longer an "in between" allowed, or maybe there never was in the first place.
Just recently, for instance, the mayor of Portland, Oregon proposed that
the city expand its non-discrimination law to cover any person who dresses
and/or identifies as a sex different from how they may be perceived. However,
she was careful to emphasize that the law would cover only people who are
"consistent" with their behavior and not those come to work "dressed as a
man one day and a woman the next."
It was recognition of this problem, said Wilchins, that prompted GenderPAC
to push for laws to cover more than those people who had fully transitioned.
But just what language should go into broader laws remains to be decided.
Wilchins, for one, says that GenderPAC is "agnostic" when it comes to language,
but would be biased toward words like "gender," that are "inclusive."
But Green cautions that not pushing for "transgender" or "gender identity"
will inevitably mean that the trans population will be left of protections,
particularly since "gender" is already a part of most non-discrimination
ordinances.
"I don't believe that you can go back to the 1970s and say this ordinance
means 'gender expression,' when as it stands that word is universally understood
to mean a person's sex," said Green, who believes a better way for GenderPAC
to lobby would be to reclaim the original meaning of "transgender" and work
to make sure it is translated broadly. "That was the whole reason we embraced
the term to begin with," said Green. "Unfortunately, GenderPAC does not see
it that way."
What GenderPAC does see, according to Wilchins, is a new understanding of
the group as a result of the open letter. "No matter how many times I tried
to tell people about our mission, nobody believed me. They couldn't see or
hear past my body," said Wilchins. "Now that a group of transgender people
are saying the same thing, it helps us explain our case."
But the trans activists speaking out emphasize that it is not GenderPAC's
mission they have a problem with, but rather the manner in which it is being
pursued. As GenderPAC seeks the politics of non-identity, they say, the group
may ironically achieve a result of exclusion.
"Quite honestly, when Riki talks about post-identity politics, she doesn't
understand the nature of identity politics to begin with," said Pauline Park,
a co-founder of New York Association for Gender Rights Advocacy. "Identities
form in relation to the oppression of marginalized groups. And dropping
identity-based labels does not end the oppression of those groups." Park
also took issue with GenderPAC's implication that trans-identified activism
is limited to one population.
"Riki is trying to create the impression that her critics are intent on creating
a trans-exclusive organization, and that's not the case," said Park. "NYAGRA,
for instance, is identified as a trans organization, but our mission is to
advocate on behalf of all gender variant people. And unlike GenderPAC, we
can advocate for freedom of gender identity and expression without losing
trans people - the most marginalized of the groups - along the way." To
GenderPAC, this notion is absurd, particularly since half of its board members
are trans-identified.
"I firmly believe in our mission," said Katherine Palmer, a trans-identified
activist and co-chair of GenderPAC. "I think this whole thing is an overreaction
from within the trans community itself." Yet when asked to clarify her position
on language and identity, Palmer - while touted by Wilchins as someone who
"gets it" - seemed to come from an entirely different place, assuming quite
generally, among other things, that, "a butch lesbian is not crossing gender,
she's making a sexual statement," and "cross-dressers don't consider themselves
to be the opposite sex they just know they're dressing differently."
Ahead of its time?
Perhaps, as Wilchins herself has surmised, GenderPAC's lack of identity politics
might be ahead of its time, even for those who have remained on board. At
times, said Wilchins, it's as if the questions she faces, "are being asked
in German, and I'm answering in Spanish."
But although their language may be different, both sides of the debate seem
to be arguing the same thing: that gender rights belong to everyone, not
just people who live their lives on a binary male/female system. And both
sides also agree that GenderPAC may not be the avenue that fulfills all the
needs of the trans-identified community.
"We will always do transgender advocacy, because you can't have a gender
rights movement without it," said Wilchins, and even people like Green agree
that GenderPAC's transgender work will continue. "But there are issues that
remain specifically transsexual which other organizations might do a better
job at addressing," added Wilchins.
It is for this reason, said Green, that he signed the letter. "I wanted to
open the dialogue about what we need to create at the national level. There
are still people giving money to GenderPAC and thinking they're helping the
trans community when they're not going to be able to rely on GenderPAC to
meet their needs."
If a national transgender group is started, Wilchins has vowed to support
it any way she can. But GenderPAC, she maintains, has always come from a
different place.
"The centrifugal forces of 20th century identity politics have in many ways
driven us farther apart from one another. We need to try a post identity
form of organizing that stresses our commonalties instead of our differences."
Those interested in helping to form a transgender movement at the national
level that operates outside of GenderPAC are encouraged to visit a contact
link at NYAGRA's Web site at www.nyagra.org and/or join a discussion group
by e-mailing nyagra@nyagra.org. For more information on GenderPAC, visit
www.gpac.org.
Presenters/Speakers Wanted for Illinois Youth Pride 2000
Rainbow Youth
Outreach is looking for presenters/speakers who are willing to donate their
skills, ideas and passion to this summer's Illinois Youth Pride event. We
surveyed LGBT youth groups across Illinois and intersex and transgender issues
were topics that topped their interest lists over and over. We are looking
for excellent keynote speakers, panel participants and discussion moderators.
If you or someone else representing your organization would be interested
in talking with the LGBT youth of Illinois please contact us as soon as
possible.
Event Details:
Illinois Youth Pride 2000: True Colors June 11th at Jubilee State Historic
Site Kickapoo, IL
An opportunity for GLBT youth to celebrate, network and socialize, including:
speakers, discussion groups, games, art, pride merchandise, food and much
more!
Early Registration - $7 for group members/youth, $12 for adult volunteers.
Day of registration - $10 for group members/youth, $15 for all others.
Registration begins at 10:30am Opening ceremonies at noon.
Dance with DJ at 6:30pm
Sponsored by Rainbow Youth Outreach Peoria, IL To pre-register or for more
information contact Amy Jo: rainbowyo@yahoo.com 309-673-7954
Submissions Invited for Vancouver Bisexuality, Gender & Sexual Diversity
Conference
The following
notice is an invitation for all interested parties to submit proposals for
the First North American Conference on Bisexuality, Gender & Sexual Diversity
2001 (NACB 2001), to be held at the University of British Columbia Conference
Centre in Vancouver (CANADA), August 9 - 12, 2001.
NACB 2001 represents the first opportunity for the international community
to come together to discuss aspects of bisexuality and gender under a purely
North American context. As a reflection of the widespread diversity within
the cultural fabric of this region, NACB 2001 is proud to present a multifaceted,
multilingual event, with many opportunities for cultural exchange. Proposals
for all subjects related to the region(s) of North America will be considered,
and contributions from all levels of expertise, and experience are welcome.
Thus, NACB 2001 seeks submissions in the form of proposals for papers,
presentations, panel discussions, lectures, interactive workshops, readings,
cultural events, performances, displays, and days of action to be held during
the conference on all subjects relating to bisexuality, gender and sexual
diversity. Proposals could be placed into one of the following general
subject/track areas:
* Gender * Sexuality * Activism * Youth Issues * Women's Issues * Relationships
* Spirituality * Personal Growth * Health* Safer Sex & HIV * Body Image
* Partners & Families of Bi * *Media & Culture * Race & Culture
* Arts & Culture * Film & Video * History * Vanguard Research &
Theory * Community Organizing * Technology & Cyberspace * Open-X *
The thematic concentration for NACB 2001 will be summarized by the following
heading: "Unity in Diversity: The Many Faces of Bi & Queer in the Americas"
Please submit your proposal at the earliest possible date, to ensure it has
the best chance of being implemented! Completed proposal forms, with all
supporting materials, must be received by NACB 2001 no later than APRIL 1,
2001. Conference fees will be waived for the presenters of all accepted
proposals.
Send completed forms to:
NACB 2001 - Call for Submissions
c/o P.O. Box 53515, 984 West Broadway
Vancouver, British Columbia
Canada V5Z 1K0
Further information about the conference can be found on the World Wide Web
at:
http://bi.org/~binetbc/2001.
NACB 2001 is facilitated by a coalition of members from the Bisexual Network
of British Columbia (BiNetBC).
I'm Finally Taking Who I REALLY Want To The Prom!!
The Pride Center
cordially invites one and all to the first annual
R
A I
N B
O W
P
R O
M
at The Oaks Lodge in Chippewa Lake, Ohio
Saturday, March 31st, 2001
The Prom begins at 6:00 pm, seating for dinner is at 6:30 pm sharp. Tickets
are $40.00 for individuals and $80.00 for couples. Ticket price includes
a DJ, entertainment by the Front Alley Girls, and a choice of entrees: beef
choice, chicken choice, or vegetarian choice. Any alcohol is at an extra
cost.
Buy your tickets now!!!
Seating is limited!!! Contact The Pride Center at 330-253-2220
and leave your name, number attending, phone number, address, and entree
desired. Check or money order should be made payable to The Pride Center
and mailed to P.O. Box 22254, Akron, Ohio 44302. Tickets and directions will
be mailed upon receipt of payment.
Prom Portraits by Vicki Lantz Photography
Packages range in price from $18.00 to $40.00 Payment by check or cash due
when portrait is taken. Portraits will be taken from 5:30 pm until 6:30 pm
(there will also be a short period of time available after dinner for those
unable to arrive early). Portraits will be mailed upon completion of professional
processing (please allow three to four weeks).
The following corporations deserve your support for their commitments to
the GBLT community.
AT&T
American Airlines
American
Express
Anheuser Busch
Ben &
Jerry’s Ice Cream
Coors Beer
Disney
Corporation
IBM
Kodak
Levi Strauss
Miller Beer
NAYA Spring
Water
Neiman
Marcus
Starbucks
Coffee
Subaru
Toyota
SSAFE
News
SSAFE is looking for an Intern to provide clerical and program support. This
is a paid position.
SSAFE Speaker Training
Saturday, January
20th, 9:30 - 4:30 at The Center. This is the training for those interested
in either our speakers Bureau or SSAFE presentations. Speaker's Bureau topics
are usually about awareness of general LGBT issues. These range from "Homo
101" to specific topics like marriage, hate crimes, parenting, HIV/AIDS and
aging. SSAFE presentations focus on GLBT issues.
To register, please call The Center at 216-651-GLBT (5428) or TransFamily
at 216-691-HELP(4357). There is no charge, but reservations are needed, so
please call by January 10, so we have a correct count. Please help SSAFE
and TransFamily to be successful in this join endeavor with The Center and
GLSEN! !
SSAFE and TransFamily
SSAFE Coalition has voted to accept TransFamily
as one of the collaborative groups. Our name will now appear on all
SSAFE brochures along with GLSEN, PFLAG, and Gay Lesbian Center. We
need many of you to volunteer to help with their projects. Please
call the center (216-522-1999) and Judy Maruszan, identify yourself as a
member of TransFamily, and ask what you can do to help. Their biggest project
is the annual fund raiser, which is held in either March or April (at the
Cleveland International Film Festival). Let's have many of our members available
to help with the project. In the fall, there will be a need for many of our
members to speak at area schools. Please let the center know if you will
be available.
Trans information is being required more often at some of the SSAFE seminars.
It is really important to have a transperson represented at some of these
programs. Please help schools better understand how to help trans youth and
take part in these programs!
Call The Center for the location and date for the next SSAFE meeting. And,
for more information on any of the above events, please contact The Center
at 216-522-1999.
Community Calendar
Courtesy of The
Center February
February 1 TransFamily Of Cleveland, meeting at our usual location,
6:30 pm
February 3 North Coast Men's Chorus Dinner Dance at the Cleveland
Playhouse Club (8501 Carnegie Ave) 7 pm. $75 per person. Cash bar cocktail
hour followed by dinner and cabaret entertainment by members of the Chorus
and dancing. All reservations must be made by Jan. 26th. 440-473-8919.
February 4 Wearing the Blue Collar: a Gay Perspective chat night sponsored
by BWMT 6pm at The lesbian/Gay Community Center 6600 Detroit Ave. For more
info contact BWMT 216-397-2968
February 4 Queer as Folk Night, first weekly showing starting with
episodes one and two, pop corn provided 6:30 at The Center 6600 Detroit Ave
216-651-5428
February 7 The Center's Volunteer Meet and Greet for all who are
interested in volunteering. 6:30pm 6600 Detroit Ave. For more information
call 216-651-5428
February 8 Tret Fure will be performing at 8pm The Beachland Ballroom.
For more info visit www.tretfure.com
February 9-11 Love Sweet Love Dance Concert presented by the Cleveland
Contemporary Dance Theatre. For information and make reservations call
216-631-2727. February 10 "Paint the Town Red" 7pm Sammy's at the
metropolitan Ballroom on the 21st floor of the Huntington Building, 925 Euclid
Ave. For more information call 216-229-6722. February 10 Gay and Sober
Dance at The Center 6600 Detroit Ave. 8pm-12am
February 13 The Center's 4th annual Valentine's Day Raffle Dinner and
Cocktails 5-10pm, complimentary Hors' d' oeuvres and raffle drawing at
10pm. Snickers Tavern 1261 West 76th St. Call 216-631-7555 for dinner
reservations. Raffle tickets available at The Center.
February 15 A Family Response: Coming Out in Cleveland. Sponsored
by the J Halle Theatre, The Center, and Chevrei Tikva. A performance of Visiting
Mr. Green will follow the discussion. 7pm at The Mayfield JCC Senior Adult
Lounge. For more information call 216-651-5428.
February 16 The Center's Singles Mixer 5:30pm at 6600 Detroit Ave.
For more information call 216-651-5428
February 17 The Living Room's Valentine's Day Dance 7pm at The Center.
February 18 V Day 2001 A worldwide initiative to Stop Violence Against
Women. Featuring The Vagina Monologues at The Highland Theatre in Akron.
6:30p doors open for viewing the exhibit "Transforming Trauma with Art" and
live music provided by Roland Paolucci. Play performed at 7:30p followed
by reception and silent auction. Tickets are $25. Proceeds benefit the YWCA
of Summit County Rape Crisis Program. For reservations or information
330-929-3382 or visit www.queenbeeprod.com
February 21 Same Sex Union Workshop at The Center 7pm - 9pm.
February 24 Women's Variety Show @ the Civic (corner of Mayfield and
Lee Rd) doors open at 6p, 7:30 show. $18 For more information call 216-321-7799.
March
March 1 TransFamily Of Cleveland, meeting at our usual location, 6:30
pm
March 31 Rainbow Prom hosted by The Pride Center.
April
April 5 TransFamily Of Cleveland, meeting at our usual location, 6:30
pm
The American Boyz 5th Annual True Spirit Conference
The American
Boyz, Inc., a national organization for people who were born female but who
feel that is not a complete or accurate assessment of who they are (FTMs)
and our significant others, friends, families and allies (SOFFAs), will host
its 5th annual True Spirit Conference (TSC) in Washington, D.C., February
16-19, 2001.
The conference, co-chaired by Mike Sanders and Tynan Power, will feature
interactive workshops and caucuses presented and facilitated by leaders within
the trans+/SOFFA community. Workshops and caucuses will range in subject
from health and wellness; identities; SOFFA issues; legal, political and
activism topics; "out" in the world; relationships; sexuality; spirituality;
and much more. Each night will culminate in entertainment and keynote speeches
from trans+ people and SOFFAs.
The True Spirit Conference is open to all who wish to attend and covers issues
of interest to a broad spectrum of people, including significant others,
friends, families and allies (SOFFAs).
Registration for TSC 2001 will be $60 for advance registration before January
1, 2001 and $90 after January 1. Student registration is $45 at all times;
work scholarships are also available.
The True Spirit Conference will be held in the Washington Plaza Hotel at
10 Thomas Circle, NW. This central location is convenient to public
transportation via the Washington, D.C. subway system and metropolitan bus
routes.
For more information about the conference and to obtain a registration form
for TSC 2001, visit http://www.amboyz.org/TSC/TSC.html or contact Mike Sanders
at hoobieone@aol.com.
To make a hotel reservation, call the Washington Plaza Hotel at (800) 424-1140
or (202) 842-1300; use group #9840 when you make reservations. For travel
arrangements, please call Bruce Forchheimer at 703-522-3777 ext.3106, or
email him at bruce@rttl.com.
FTM 2001: A Gender Odyssey
(Seattle, WA)
FTM 2001: A Gender Odyssey is the fifth conference organized under the auspices
of FTM International for female to male transsexuals and anyone interested
in gender issues, or the people who love them. It will be held in Seattle,
WA. Memorial Day weekend, May 25th -28th, 2001.
This is the follow-up to the very successful Forward Motions conference held
in Burbank, CA. in October 1999. Local organizers for FTM 2001: A Gender
Odyssey expect as many as 500 participants from around the world, across
the nation, and all walks of life.
The featured speakers will be Phyllis Randolph Frye, Houston attorney for
Christie Lee Littleton and transgender activist extraordinaire, and noted
author Patrick Califia-Rice. There will also be numerous workshops, "town
meeting" plenaries, social activities, and information sources.
Topics will include gender theory, cultures, and politics; all aspects of
transitioning from female to male; relationships with family, friends, partners,
and lovers; and their relationships with FTMs and others who were born with
female bodies but have a masculine gender identity.
Special early registration rates are available until Feb.15th, and
there are a limited number of scholarships, especially for youth. Registration
information can be found at the conference web site
www.ftm2001.org or
can be requested via voicemail at 206-527-7433 or in writing to P.O. Box
23157, Seattle, WA. 98102. There are also advertising and vendor opportunities
at the conference. That information is also available at those contact sources.
If you have a web site that you would like to link to the conference's, please
inform us; or if you know of other people or organizations who should be
getting these announcements, please forward them and/or send us the necessary
contact information to do so.
Contact Rory Gould at
ftmconference@yahoo.com or leave
a voicemail message for the organizing committee at 206-527-7433 for further
information.
I Believe
I believe-
that we don't have to change friends if we understand that friends
change.
I believe-
that no matter how good a friend is, they're going to hurt you every once
in a while and you must forgive them for that.
I believe-
that true friendship continues to grow, even over the longest distance. Same
goes for true love.
I believe-
that you can do something in an instant that will give you heartache for
life.
I believe-
that it's taking me a long time to become the person I want to be.
I believe-
that you should always leave loved ones with loving words. It may be the
last time you see them.
I believe-
that you can keep going long after you can't.
I believe-
that we are responsible for what we do, no matter how we feel.
I believe-
that either you control your attitude or it controls you.
I believe- that regardless of how hot and steamy a relationship is at first,
the passion fades and there had better be something else to take it's place.
I believe-
that heroes are the people who do what has to be done when it needs to be
done, regardless of the consequences.
I believe-
that money is a lousy way of keeping score.
I believe-
that my best friend and I can do anything or nothing and have the best time.
I believe-
that sometimes the people you expect to kick you when you're down, will be
the ones to help you get back up.
I believe-
that sometimes when I'm angry I have the right to be angry, but that doesn't
give me the right to be cruel.
I believe-
that just because someone doesn't love you the way you want them to doesn't
mean they don't love you with all they have.
I believe-
that maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you've had and
what you've learned from them and less to do with how many birthdays you've
celebrated.
I believe-
that it isn't always enough to be forgiven by others. Sometimes you have
to learn to forgive yourself.
I believe-
that no matter how bad your heart is broken the world doesn't stop for your
grief.
I believe-
that our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are, but
we are responsible for who we become.
I believe-
that just because two people argue, it doesn't mean they don't love each
other. And just because they don't argue, it doesn't mean they do.
I believe-
that you shouldn't be so eager to find out a secret. It could change your
life forever.
I believe-
that two people can look at the exact same thing and see something totally
different.
I believe-
that your life can be changed in a matter of hours by people who don't even
know you.
I believe-
that even when you think you have no more to give, when a friend cries out
to you will find the strength to help.
I believe-
that credentials on the wall do not make you a decent human being.
I believe-
that the people you care about most in life are taken from you too soon
Feeling Creative??
Hey folks, we
need some input. This family newsletter is for the whole group. Please share!
Turn in articles and ideas as soon as possible so that they may be included
in the next newsletter. Also, don’t forget to inform us of the date,
time and place of upcoming events.
If you have any ideas, articles, poems, etc. for the next newsletter, please
get them to Karen or Cindy at the next meeting, or calling (216) 691-HELP
(4357) or e-mail Karen at
karen_gross@transfamily.org
or Cindy at
cindy.scott@transfamily.org
Promoting Awareness
TransFamily of
Cleveland was founded to provide support and education for transgender persons,
their families, friends and significant others. We hope to form an outreach
group to promote awareness of transgender persons and their issues through
PFLAG and to bring awareness to our school systems, through their principals
and counselors, by offering literature, speakers, consultation and
support.
Notice
Organizations, health care providers, gender clinics, etc. If you have a
web site or e-mail address and would like to have us put a link to you on
our web site, please contact Cindy Scott at
cindy.scott@transfamily.org
