Yeah, The Conservafools Are Definitely Fighting Us Now

"Our human rights win is inevitable no matter how much money, time and propaganda the haters deploy to stop it.  We have a human rights win that is there for the taking.  But that win will become a reality only if we transpeople here in the United States and around the world are tough minded enough to push back even harder against all our trans oppressors lies." 
-TransGriot February 20, 2013  'First They Ignore You...'

Told you they were coming for us.   I fact, I've been warning y'all the conservafools would be coming for us on this blog since 2007.  

And now, more signs that the wingnuts are about to pull the plug on their lost culture war against the gay and lesbian community over marriage equality and shift their money and energy to fighting the trans community with their patented 'fear and smear' tactics. 

We already have seen it come to pass with the transphobic falsehoods that Fox Noise has been broadcasting against us.  Going on the attack against the San Antonio non-discrimination ordinance that sought to add gender identity and sexual orientation language that still overwhelmingly passed thanks in part to soon to be former San Antonio councilmember Elisa Chan's transphobic utterings.

Now they are going after our trans kids.  The most recent pathetic example was Bryan Fischer's disgusting bullying of Cassidy Campbell after her historic homecoming queen win.  The California conservafools are gearing up to gather signature to force a referendum to repeal AB 1266 backed by the California Republican Party.  

And now we have former South Carolina GOP chair Todd Kincannon letting fly with the transphobic remarks and stating trans people should be interned in camps. 

Surprised the TERF's haven't declared Kincannon an 'honorary woman' for that one.  

So transpeeps, if you thought I was selling you woof tickets about the two front War on Transwomen the right wing is about to ramp up on their front, the unmistakable evidence piling up leads no doubt to the conclusion that is exactly what's happening.  

And for those of you in the trans community who continue to vote for Republican candidates or claim you are 'proud conservatives', you are complicit in and contributing to enabling your own oppression.

So get ready trans peeps, we have a fight on our hands, and it's a war we must win.
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TPOCC And NCTE Join Forces To Lobby For ENDA And Immigration Reform

With a trans inclusive Employment and Non Discrimination Act (ENDA) once again being introduced in the 113th Congress in both houses on April 25 and The Border Security, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Modernization Act  currently being debated that will affect our community, the time has come for trans* people across the United States to let our voices be heard and for us to be seen exercising our constitutional rights to talk to our legislators about this important legislation.  

That's why the Trans People of Color Coalition and the National Center for Transgender Equality will team up today to ensure the voices of trans people across the country are represented and the diversity of our community is visible in the fight for justice.

"Immigration reform is equally important in addressing the concerns of transgender and gender non-conforming people. Many immigrants have lived here their whole life or were born here, we need to include the needs and voices of these people into this legislation," said Bamby Salcedo, the president of the Trans Latin@ Coalition.

“Both ENDA and comprehensive immigration reform allow us the opportunity to sustain ourselves and our communities. The experiences of Trans* and gender non-conforming communities of color highlight the reality that  these are not two separate issues. When we Lobby on Monday we will be working to secure legal protections for trans*, gender non-conforming, and immigrant individuals who are already working in our schools and our businesses. We are already here doing the work and deserve to be free from violence and discrimination while we help build this country,” stated Parker T. Hurley, deputy director of TPOCC.

The Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) would prohibit employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and/or gender identity.   ENDA (H.R. 1755/ S. 815) would create explicit protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people similar to those available under existing federal anti-discrimination laws for other protected classes of workers.

“America prospers when all are given basic protections for economic and job security - and ENDA is a critical piece of legislation to help ensure job security for millions of people and families in the United States, particularly transgender people and people of color that suffer from pervasive discrimination due to societal misunderstandings and stigma. It’s important that the playing field be level for all.” said Kylar W. Broadus, executive director TPOCC. 

The Border Security, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Modernization Act (S. 744) is a bipartisan immigration reform bill with several components, including: (a) creating pathways to citizenship for undocumented youth and adults; (b) preserving family unity by clearing out green card backlogs; (c) expanding protections for asylum seekers and refugees; and (d) reforming immigration detention.

TPOCC and NCTE will gather in Washington D.C. at 8:30 AM EDT at the American Federation of Teachers - AFL-CIO headquarters building at 555 New Jersey Ave NW, 4th Floor, for a rally and briefing before heading to Capitol Hill to tell our stories to House and Senate legislators that will be voting on immigration reform and this much needed trans* human rights legislation.

“We hope this will be one of the most diverse lobby days for transgender Americans on Capitol Hill," added Broadus. "While we realize everyone cannot come to Washington D.C. it is important for us to be here. We will do follow up with those not able to make it here to ensure their voices are heard.”

We hope that you will join TPOCC today in lobbying for the passage of ENDA and immigration reform that takes into account the needs of trans" immigrants.  If you can't join us on Capitol Hill please call your congressional representatives offices and ask they do so.


TPOCC is an organization to inspire and nurture collaboration among communities of color dedicated to anti-racism, fighting transphobia and the empowerment of transgender persons of color. We work to strengthen and mobilize individuals, families, and communities by changing laws, educating the public, and building social and economic strength among all persons of color.

This Seat's Taken

And if everyone does their part on November 6 (or whenever early voting starts in your locale) it'll be taken until January 20, 2017.   Just an FYI fellow Texans, early voting for us starts on October 22. so make sure you're registered to vote before that date.


Here's information about casting absentee ballots and the deadlines for doing so in very state.

This has been the best president ever when it comes to trans human rights issues, and it's not just me saying that.

Tona Brown

Toni Newman

Trans United For Obama

I'm going to do my part to ensure that President Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama and his family are residing at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave for another four years. 

And yeah, it would be nice if you send some people to the House and Senate while you're at it to help him pass some lesiglation to help the country.

Trans United For Obama Launched

As I've stated more than a few times on TransGriot, while elements of the GL community have sniped at President Obama and in some cases delusionally called him 'the worst president ever on gay issues', as far as the trans community is concerned, he's been the best president ever on trans issues in US history.

A national volunteer organization was recently formed called Trans United for Obama (TU4O) that is designed to rally transgender people, supporters, allies, and families to re-elect President Barack Obama and ensure he is taking the oath of office on January 20, 2013 for his second term.

Here's the TU4O announcement post courtesy of Meghan Stabler, elected Texas delegate for the upcoming 2012 Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, NC.

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President Obama has led so many historic positive policy changes for transgender equality--- more than any elected official in history! We are involved on all levels, from door-knocking, doing data entry, fundraising, registering voters, and getting the message out that President Obama must be re-elected... all the things a victorious campaign and our community needs.

I am personally inviting you to be a part of this community.

We are trans leaders, advocates, educators, bloggers, authors, and allies out to educate people about the historic accomplishments that the Obama Administration has made in the past four years to secure equal rights and protections for transgender, transsexual and intersex identified, and for for all LGBT Americans.

Did you know that more has been accomplished by the Obama administration for trans rights equality than all 43 other presidents combined? For example:

• Ended the Social Security Administration’s gender “no-match” letters and allowed for true gender passports
• Ensured that transgender Americans can receive true gender passports without surgery
• Established guidelines to help protect transgender federal employees from discrimination in the workplace
• Made sure transgender veterans receive respectful care according to their true gender through the Veterans Health Administration

You can read additional accomplishments here

This is where you play a part. We are standing with our President and ask that you join us, and help build TU4O!

• We will hold frequent conference calls with you and with the campaign where you will be invited to participate.
• We will work with the campaign to make sure that all of the campaign offices are ready for and respectful of trans volunteers. 
• We will work with the campaign to register trans voters and make sure trans people aren’t denied the right to vote because of the recent new voter ID laws in certain states.

So join us! Together we can re-elect President Obama for another 4 years of solid progress, legislation and policy for the trans community.

Sign up now to join Trans United for Obama.

Donate to the campaign

Click for more information on Trans United for Obama and follow us on Facebook.

Don't forget to donate whatever you can to get President Obama re-elected; $25, $50, $100 can go a long way to help protect our community!

Senate To Hold ENDA Hearings Soon

While we know  that ENDA is not getting through the Tea Klux Klan controlled House this year, at least they can do the groundwork and build the legislative record so that when the opportunity presents itself things will proceed quickly.

Wonderful news coming out of Hollywood for Ugly People (AKA our nation's capitol) is that the Democratically controlled Senate will be holding hearings soon on the Employment and Non-Discrimination Act

According to a Washington Blade story Sen Tom Harkin (D-IA), the chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Committee will call those hearings on June 12..

“This upcoming HELP Committee hearing will provide an excellent opportunity to build on the Committee’s previous work and help advance our shared goal of equal rights for all Americans. I am hopeful that working together, we will reach a point where lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons enjoy the same rights and protections, and full equality, as all our fellow Americans.” said Sen. Harkin.

Here's hoping that unlike in 2009, they will at least have trans witnesses, and especially some trans witnesses of color giving testimony to this committee.

Mass AG Martha Coakley's Letter Supporting Trans Rights Bill

She may have famously flamed out in her campaign to keep the late Teddy Kennedy's US Senate seat in Democratic hands, but Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley is proving beyond a shadow of a doubt that she is a supporter of trans rights.

According to a Hannah Clay Wareham article in Bay Windows, AG Coakley authored a July 20 letter to Massachusetts Legislature House Chairman Rep. Eugene O’Flaherty (D-Chelsea) and Senate Judiciary Chairwoman Sen. Cynthia Creem (D-Newton), seeking a favorable recommendation from the Judiciary Committee for H. 502/5. 764, "An Act Relative to Transgender Equal Rights," AKA the  "Transgender Equal Rights Bill." 

It's a bill the Massachusetts trans community has long sought after being cut ages ago out of the one the GL community passed for itself in the state.  The proposed legislation would add gender identity and expression to existing Massachusetts civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination on the basis of age, race, creed, color, national origin, sexual orientation, sex, and marital status in the areas of employment, housing, public accommodations, education, and credit.

On June 8 the Transgender Equal Rights Bill had a hearing before the Judiciary Committee.  Governor Deval Patrick (D) is on record as saying he would sign the bill if it it is passed by the legislature and hit his desk.

Here's Attorney General Coakley's letter in favor of the bill.

The legislation currently before the Joint Committee on the Judiciary addresses the inequalities, mistreatment and abuse that transgender individuals regularly face by making it clear that they are protected against discrimination and violence under state law. This legislation will add gender identity or expression to our existing antidiscrimination laws concerning employment, housing, public accommodations, education, lending and credit. In practice, this change will prohibit landlords, employers, educational institutions, businesses, banks and places of public accommodation from discriminating against persons based on their gender identity or expression. And it will prohibit transgender individuals from being singled out and denied the same, basic rights and privileges that non-transgender people have long enjoyed and take for granted. Finally, this legislation will add gender identity or expression to our existing hate crime laws so that those who criminally victimize transgender individuals because of who they are will be properly charged and punished.

Over the past several years, opponents of this legislation have attempted to stoke fears about the public safety implications of this bill. Just last week, opponents began running radio ads that mischaracterize the bill to foster fear and bigotry, specifically by terming it the "bathroom bill" and threatening that its passage will permit men to dress as women for the purpose of entering restrooms to engage in unlawful conduct and claim protection under this law. Given the incorrect and unfortunate misconceptions generated by such statements, I wish to address this issue directly.

First, this bill does nothing to change existing laws in place to prosecute and punish individuals who engage in criminal conduct. As a prosecutor for more than 25 years, I can emphatically state that this bill only increases our ability to prosecute criminal conduct and protect the civil rights of all, and does nothing to restrict our ability to protect victims of any crimes. All people should be able to use restrooms and locker rooms in safety and with privacy, and that would remain the case under this new law. Allowing transgender people to use facilities that comport with their gender identity and how they live their lives is the safest and most workable approach and one that reduces further stigmatization. It is also the policy of the federal government as set forth by the Office of Personal Management which now requires federal employers to allow their employees to use the restroom or locker room consistent with their gender identity.

         

Second, inherent in this harmful commentary is the implication that transgender individuals are sex offenders or sexually deviant persons. Not only is this characterization inaccurate, it is deeply offensive and insulting. I note for the Committee that our office is unaware of a single instance where an individual has attempted to use this type of gender identity or expression protection as a defense to claims of criminal conduct or violation of privacy in any of the jurisdictions that have passed similar laws. Contrary to some of the commentary, it does not extend any new protections to sex offenders.


In short, I believe this legislation is the next step in our forward path of extending equal protections to all citizens and eradicating discrimination in our Commonwealth. I strongly urge you to give 11.502/S.764 a favorable recommendation.

 Thanks AG Coakley.  Now lets see if the peeps at Beacon Hill follow through on your recommendation.


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