TLC's Masen Davis Discusses Unjust Arizona Transphobic Bill

Transpeople have been using gender appropriate public restrooms for six decades.  But because the trans human rights movement has been successful over the last few years passing laws and the Forces of Intolerance have no justifiable reason to oppose them, the right wingers and their radical feminist allies have gone to a tactic straight from the segregationist playbook in terms of 'fear and smear' over the bathroom.

Arizona Republifool legislator John Kavanagh has taken it to the extreme by proposing a draconian unjust 'Your Papers Before You Potty' bill.    Transgender Law Center Executive Director Masen Davis discusses it on MSNBC.

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Unjust 'Your Trans Papers To Pee' SB 1432 Bill Filed In Arizona

When I spoke at the University of Arizona last year, I had a wonderful time visiting the state, chatting and having lunch with Antonia D'orsay, dinner with Dr. Susan Stryker, and interacting with the students, faculty and people in the Gallagher Theater audience during my speech.

When I was transiting the Phoenix and Tucson airports entering and leaving the state, eating lunch and dinner at the two restaurants I dined at in Tucson, and just before I took the stage for my speech in the Gallagher Theater I committed an act several times during that visit that would have gotten me arrested or harassed had an unjust bill that is now being proposed been in effect at that time.

I used the gender appropriate public restroom..

In the right wing (and trans exclusionary rad fem) zeal to grasp at anything to frack with the human rights of transpeople that they know they have no logic based reason or excuse to oppose, they have seized upon a tactic from the old white supremacist segregationist playbook and are trying to 'scurr' up opposition to transpeople by pimping the bathroom meme.

In the wake of Phoenix passing last month and preparing to implement a trans human rights law with public accommodations protections, the Forces of Intolerance in Arizona struck back. 

Republican John Kavanagh (surprise, surprise) penned SB 1432, an unjust bill that would make it a Class 1 misdemeanor offense punishable by six months in jail and a $2,500 fine to use a public toilet, bathroom, shower, bath, dressing room or changing room associated with a gender other than what is on one's birth certificate.

And y'all wanna know why I went off last year about the Massachusetts trans rights bill that doesn't have public accommodations language in it that they're trying to lobby to get added in now? 

Never mind the fact that two states, Idaho and Ohio will not let you change the gender markers period on your birth certificate, and others require gender reassignment surgery before they will do so.

While the unjust 'Your Trans Papers To Pee' bill was aimed at the transgender community, cisgender gay and straight folks who have ambiguous gender presentations would also find themselves caught up in this gender policing dragnet if SB 1432 passes the Republican-dominated Arizona legislature and gets Gov. Jan Brewer's (R) signature.

I'm concerned for my Arizona trans brothers and sisters about the increased harassment they will face from overzealous police officers and security guards, transphobic restroom patrons, passerbys and business owners if the unjust SB 1432 bill passes.

I'm also concerned about the trans people traveling into or through the state via its airports, by bus,  Amtrak trains, or driving Interstates 8, 10, 15, 17, 19 and 40 who would also be affected by this unjust bill and have to deal with that statewide cadre of  gender policing vigilantes.  These cisprivileged folks would have no problem reporting others to the po-po's who in their opinion don't measure up to their goalpost shifting standards of what a man or woman is supposed to look like.

I'm also concerned as a trans person of color that those unwanted interactions with POC transpeople and police could escalate to deadly levels.    

So Arizona TransGriot readers and allies, get busy helping our Arizona trans brothers and sisters defeat this unjust bill.   Here's some talking points on SB 1432 courtesy of my homegirl and proud Arizona resident Dyssonance to get you started.   

Let our people pee in peace.  And if they won't, time to consider having a few sit in's and pee in's protesting this unjust bill until they do.
   

Alexander Goodrum-Gone Ten Years

I'd been in Louisville just over a year on this date when Dawn told me the shocking news that Alexander John Goodrum was dead a few days short of his 42nd birthday on October 3.  

I had the sincere pleasure of meeting him during the 1999 Creating Change conference that took place in Oakland, and it was one of the first times since becoming a national activist I'd met one of our African-descended trans brothers and had a chance to talk about trans life and issues from their perspective. 

Alexander was a Chicago native and had been an activist in GLBT organizing and social justice issues since 1980 in Chicago, San Francisco and after moving there in 1996 in Tucson.   He'd been doing some trailblazing work for the trans human rights community and he was one of my early role models.  He was also one of the first people I met who identified with the bi end of it.

In addition to being a dynamic speaker, Goodrum also founded TGNet Arizona, was a board member on the Tucson GLBT Commission, and the Funding Exchange's OUT Fund, which allocates an annual grant named after Goodrum to LGBT community organizing projects.

Goodrum was instrumental in getting Tuscon to include gender identity in their non discrimination law in 1999, and wrote this paper that appears on the Southern Arizona Gender Alliance (SAGA)  website entitled Gender Identity 101-A Transgender Primer  

But what I and many folks in the national community didn't know about Alexander was he was dealing with some major personal issues that would unfortunately drive him to take his life on the morning of Saturday, September 28, 2002 while under observation at La Frontera Psychiatric Hospital in Tucson.

I couldn't make it to that October 5 memorial service that day, but there isn't a time when I don't think about that handsome smiling guy I met in Oakland that people called 'Bear' and wonder where our community would be on our human rights march if he were still around. 

It's been ten years since his untimely passing, and I definitely want to make sure we never forget this African descended trans man who was a major player in our Black trans history 

Heading To Arizona

Yep, Moni's headed to the Grand Canyon State

Fear not loyal TransGriot readers, I'm headed to the southern end of it and I'm already in bed getting by beauty sleep for what promises to be a busy day.   

Tucson is my destination and I'm headed there for my speaking engagement at the University of Arizona later tonight at 7 PM MST.   Unlike my previous trips originating from H-town I'm leaving out of IAH for the first time in ten years. 

Sorry CAL family, got booked on USAirways for this trip  Will make it up to y'all and stop by Terminal C when I come back since I'm in the neighborhood.

If I get some time in between the tight travel schedule and the event to sit down in front of a computer and talk about it, you know I will. 

Countdown To Tucson

For those of you in the Tucson area who read my blog, many of you know that in a week I'll be on your end of Interstate 10 next Tuesday speaking on the University of Arizona campus.

The title of it is: TransGriot: Blogging at the Intersection of Race and Gender and it'll be happening at the  Gallagher Theatre at the UA Student Union starting at 7 PM MST

It's sponsored by the ASUA Pride Alliance, the Women's Resource Center, and African American Student Affairs as part of their Black History Month.activities

Now that it's less than a week away, not only looking forward to bouncing out of the Houston city limits for a few days, looking forward to seeing as many of my Tucson area readers there.  
   

First Anniversary Of Tuscon Shooting

Today is the one year anniversary of the attempted assassination of Rep Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ) by Jared Loughner that killed six people and wounded 13 including Rep. Giffords.

She was hosting a 'Congress On Your Corner' constituent meeting in the parking lot of a suburban Safeway store on that fateful day when at 10:11 AM MST Loughner drew a pistol and shot Congresswoman Giffords in the head and then began randomly shooting at other people in the crowd.

Five of the six people killed died at the scene except for 9 year old Christina Taylor-Green.  The five who died at the scene were Gabriel Zimmerman, one of Congresswoman Giffords staffers, US Judge John Roll,  Phyllis Schneck, Dorwan Stoddard, and Dorothy Moore. 

Giffords survived the shooting due to her intern Daniel Hernandez, Jr's 's quick thinking and assistance.  her condition stabilized enough to the poit that she was transferred to Houston on January 21 to begin the lengthy rehabilitation process.    She made such remarkable progress that she was present in the House of representattives on August 1 to vote in favor of raising the debt limit ceiling.

Loughner was indicted on January 19 by a federal grand jury on three counts for attempting to kill Congresswoman Giffords and federal employees Ron Barber and Pamela Simon.   He was also found after two medical examinations on May 25 incompetent to stand trail

Loughner is facing a total of 49 counts on the federal level, and the state of Arizona has filed murder and attempted murder charges for the victims who were not federal employees    If he's convicted in either federal or state court, he could possibly face the death penalty.

Because of the assassination of Judge Roll, all federal judges in Arizona recused themselves from the case because of his role as the Chief Judge for the District of Arizona.   It is being heard by a San Diego based federal judge.  The alleged assassin is being held without bail in a federal facility in Phoenix without bail and is still awaiting trial for the crime.

Let's also hope justice is served as the legal process winds its way through the court system

There was also political fallout in the wake of the shooting with the person most affected being Sarah Palin.  

It's been a year since this tragic event happened, and the city of Tucson and the people affected by it are still  trying to rebuild their lives in various ways.

Safeway Inc. has put together and unveiled a landscaped memorial plaque near the entrance to the store  to remember the victims of that day.

Bells will ring in the area starting at 10:11 AM, the time the shooting started with congresswoman Giffords attending a memorial service later that evening.

This Is H.O.W Life Made Better: Our Own Place Campaign

TransGriot Note: Y'all know I have much love and respect for Antonia D'orsay, the ED of This Is H.O.W.    The organization has been affected in an unexpected way by the housing crisis.

Can y'all help some sisters out?

A local charity, This is HOW, has launched a new project “Life Made Better – Our Own Place” to raise $20,000. Their current property, which was leased, recently received a notice of foreclosure. This property is home to 8 residents who are members of the most underserved population in the Phoenix metro area.

Life Made Better: Our Own Place: The organization must raise a minimum of 20K to ensure their current level of service to the community. Through their housing, education and empowerment programs they have helped over 500 individuals since their launch 6 years ago, including the current Executive Director, Antonia D’orsay, who was rescued from homelessness and given a chance during a deep crisis period in her life. She has also served as the House Manager, and the Chair of the Board before stepping into her current position a year ago. Her ambitious efforts have resulted in the creation of model programs that are highly sought after by social service agencies. She and all of the staff at TIH are volunteers.

The organization’s goal is to ensure that the needs of their constituency are served in the most efficient, cohesive and cost effective manner. The current foreclosure on the leased property has highlighted the need for the organization to own their facility thus ensuring their future ability to be of service to the entire community.

Board member at large, Kim Pearson said, “This project is very important to the community. It helps folks who are homeless by providing a safe haven while they heal from their life crises. We provide opportunities for them to learn the skills they need to move out into the larger community in a healthy and empowered way. This is HOW provides a hand up, rather than a hand out!”

Executive Director Antonia D’orsay said “’Life Made Better’ is our motto, and I live by it. This place saved my life, gave me purpose and direction when I had lost all confidence in myself, and made possible changes in my life that could never have happened without it. The thought of our current residents not having those same life saving opportunities terrifies me. We can’t do it alone, though.”

This Is H.O.W. (TIH) is a six year old 501(c)3 organization that works to reduce homelessness, aid victims of domestic violence, teaches skills to help lift people out of poverty, teaches general life skills, performs advocacy, and handles crisis moments for a segment of the population that is usually ignored, looked down on, or outright denied services by other organizations. Led by Executive Director Antonia D’orsay, it began an extensive expansion of services and dramatically improved its ability to provide services to the men and women it assists while establishing itself as the local expert in their field.

Baja Arizona-The Quest Continues

TransGriot readers, time to get your learn on.  

:Let's review what Article IV, section 3 of the United States Constitution says about the formation of new states from currently existing ones. 

New States may be admitted by the Congress into this Union; but no new States shall be formed or erected within the Jurisdiction of any other State; nor any State be formed by the Junction of two or more States, or parts of States, without the Consent of the Legislatures of the States concerned as well as of the Congress.

If the rest of the Republican dominated state of Arizona and their supporters thought the residents of Pima County were sore losers kidding about forming Baja Arizona because they are tired of being dominated by Maricopa County and the conservamadness emanating from the state capitol building in Phoenix, the folks in Tucson and the rest of Pima County ain't laughing.  

Proposed Baja Arizona Initiative Language 

WHEREAS, the citizens of Pima County desire to separate from the current State of Arizona in order to form a new state within the Union of the United States of America, as prescribed by Article IV, Section 3 of the United States Constitution; and

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the citizens of Pima County hereby petition the Arizona State Legislature to enact legislation permitting Pima County to separate from Arizona and seek statehood from the United States Congress, as prescribed by Article IV, Section 3 of the United States Constitution.

Yep, they're going there.   The Start our State group launched a petition drive last month with the goal of collecting 47,339 valid signatures by July 2012 in order to put a resolution on the November 2012 ballot.   


The initiative if passed wouldn't immediately create a new state.  It simply asks the Arizona Legislature to give Pima County permission to request that Congress consider statehood under the provisions of Article IV, Section 3 of the Constitution to form what people are calling Baja Arizona.

of course, the Start Our State folks are recoiling from the 'secessionist' label they are being tagged with by right wingers while pointing out the true secessionists are in the state capital of Phoenix and Maricopa County.

"Secessionists want to leave the United States of America," said attorney Peter Hormel, one of the organizers of the drive. "During the Civil War—those were secessionists." "We view ourselves as good American citizens," he said at a SOS meeting last month "What they're doing in Phoenix (in the Legislature), with the states rights moves, the nullification of federal laws—that's secession. We want to remain totally inside the United States."

Meanwhile the work continues.  A rally will be held on Friday in Tucson for supporters of the idea of statehood for Pima County and hopefully all of Southern Arizona as the rest of the country watches with interest to see if it will happen.