Hey Hollywood, Trans Actors Exist, So Hire Them!

TransGriot Note:  Actress Trace Lysette on the Emmy's red carpet.

One of the things I've been increasingly pleased to see is the increasing proliferation of my trans siblings gracing the red carpets of Hollywood as they work in the industry doing various film and television projects'

What I not happy about is film and television roles that are designed as trans feminine characters being played by cis men, and cis white men in particular when there are plenty of qualified trans actors who are ready, willing and able to play those characters and give them the nuance our community deserves..

Doing that feeds 'the man in a dress' stereotype that is negatively impacting our lives and the human rights of everyone.  That stereotype needs to die, Hollywood, and you need to lead the way in ensuring that happens.

Look cis white male actors, y'all already get 70% of the roles in Hollywood, let some other peeps get some roles and some of that money, too.

We've come a long way from the days when Aleshia Brevard was non disclosed while working there and on stage, and didn't reveal until 2001 her trans status.  I also remembering us celebrating in 2007 when Candis Cayne broke ground with her recurring role of Carmelita Ranier on the canceled ABC series Dirty Sexy Money..  

Now we have a long list of trans actors working in Hollywood like Alexandra Billings, who many of you saw on the first and second seasons of Transparent, and in an episode of ABC's How To Get Away With Murder and teaches future actors,.  

We also have the amazing Scott Turner Schofield repping the trans masculine community with not only his historic role on the CBS soap The Bold and the Beautiful, but his one person shows like Debutante Balls and tonight's Chicago performance of Becoming A Man In 127 Easy Steps.


Break a leg, Scott.

And yes, I'm pleased to see my sisters Laverne Cox and Angelica Ross starting to get roles in which Black trans women are not the butt of a joke or are killed in the first ten seconds after they appear on screen.

Laverne will make history when the CBS legal series Doubt debuts in the 2016-17 midseason with her playing Ivy League educated attorney Cameron Wirth.  It will be the first scripted TV series ever with a transgender main character, and it's past time that happened.  

And can't forget Mya Taylor, Zackary Drucker, Jamie Clayton, Trace Lysette, Michelle Hendley, Calpernia Addams and the others trying to make a name and get paid in Hollywood for their acting talents.

Hollywood, don't just hire trans actors for trans roles.  Free your minds and cast trans actors for non-trans roles  like you have done for far too long with cis males playing trans characters.

Hollywood, if you're going to tell our stories, make money off them and get awards for writing, filming and producing them, then you need to stop pretending trans actors don't exist.  

It's undeniable that they do, and it's past time you not only start hiring trans actors to tell those stories, but trans peeps behind the camera to write and film them.

Trans Woman Wins Landmark NZ Discrimination Case

As I've been pointing out throughout the history of this blog, a trans human rights win or advance anywhere is good for trans kind everywhere on this planet.

In New Zealand, our trans siblings there and around the world are celebrating Dakota Hemmingson's recent Employment Relations Authority win that awarded her nearly $13,250 ($9680.65 US).

The Employment Relations Authority ruled Hemmingson was unjustifiably dismissed from her job and awarded her back pay of $3248 ($2373 US) and $11,000 ($8036.77 US) compensation for the hurt and humiliation the dismissal caused her.     

The 23 year old Hemmingson was employed at a hair salon in Auckland for six weeks until she revealed to her employer Matt Swan on April 11 2015 she was transitioning.  She was told by Swan that although he supported her move on a personal level, he was 'concerned about her safety' and in a later April 14 meeting that her transition 'didn't fit the commercial profile of the business', located in the Barkers clothing store.  

She felt after that conversation she had no choice but to leave that job and resigned that day.




"It's a huge win for transgender rights and human rights, but personally its been a huge burden," she told the New Zealand Herald. "I didn't want any special treatment (at the salon)  This was never about money or attention."

Hemmingson hopes that the positive Employment Relations Authority case ruling sent a message to employers to educate themselves on gender identity issues.

She said she was proud the case would set ERA precedent against discrimination aimed at New Zealand trans people in the workplace. And it's also more irrefutable evidence that we are also everywhere on Planet Earth, but trans rights are international human rights.

FAA No Longer Stigmatizing Trans Pilots

I had the pleasure during my Air Marshal days of meeting the trans pilot who cleared the path for me to transition at work.  It was an emotional meeting for both of us because I'd not only heard about her via her court case, she's heard through the CAL company grapevine there was a Houston gate agent who was transitioning as well.

Jessica Starnes filed a successful lawsuit that reinstated her job, her seniority and paid her an undisclosed settlement back in the early 90's.  It was a case I was watching closely because I was at the emotional point of being ready to live in my truth and getting  my transition started but was worried about whether I would be able to keep the airline job I absolutely loved at the time.

She won, and in 1994 I finally got my own transition started.   She was based in Newark, and I ran into her at where the south side hallways of Terminal C intersected near the food court.

Both of us were crying when the meeting happened, and she told me, "You were one of the reasons why I fought so hard to get my job back.  I wanted to make it easier for the next trans person to be themselves and keep their job,"

I thanked her for doing so, and she headed to her next flight and I headed to my gate.

The reason I'm going through this Moni flashback moment is because I not only have much love and respect for trans pilots I know or who are on my FB page like Denver based pilot Jessica Taylor, I have heard and read the wonderful news that trans pilots have won their long battle with the FAA and gotten them to drop the disorder label they saddled transgender pilots with.

On January 27 the  FAA changed its Aviation Medical Examiners guidelines to remove the disorder label for trans pilots and replace it with  'gender dysphoria'.  The change according to the FAA will allow trans pilots to get their medical certifications more quickly and not undergo a time consuming and expensive process in order to convince federal officials they were medically fit and stable enough to fly.

Pilots have to get medical exams every year before they are certified to fly, and trans pilots not only are given that extra scrutiny before flight certification is granted, they face discrimination from the FAA in doing so.

This FAA policy change is also wonderful news to the Transgender Pilots Association..

However, trans pilots who have been on hormone therapy for less than five years or undergone gender reassignment surgery less than five years ago will still have to undergo additional testing and paperwork before they are certified.

But it still doesn't change the fact that the FAA policy change, despite the attempts of that organization to downplay it, is good news for trans pilots.

More Like The Gay, Inc Job Interview For Black Trans Women

This graphic has been making the rounds in Trans World recently, and far from being representative of the lack of job opportunities for trans women in Gay, Inc organizations, it's more accurately reflective of the lack of Gay, Inc job opportunities for African-American trans women.

Since we now have America's attention, one of the things that needs to be addressed that has been a longtime sore spot with our community is the problematic pattern of trans hiring (or lack thereof) in Gay, Inc organizations that claim to be advocates for the rights of transgender people.

As an example of what I'm discussing, the LGBTQ Task Force used to have until Kylar Broadus took over that role, a cisgender woman named Lisa Mottet running their Transgender Civil Rights Project. 

While Mottet is a wonderful ally, has now moved on to NCTE and has done an admirable job in that role, it's still problematic with all the qualified trans people out there across the country doing the work (some for decades), you would still ignore them on an issue that they are more than qualified to advocate for, eloquently speak on in favor of hiring cisgender peeps to do that advocacy work.

And when they do deign to hire a trans person in a Gay, Inc org for a leadership position, it has been either predominately white trans masculine ones or a white trans woman. 

It's even more galling to notice this pattern within Gay Inc orgs when the people who take the brunt of the hate crime casualties are Latina and African-American trans women.

We Black trans women have in many cases done the work for decades and put our asses on the line for all the letters of the TBLG community including our own, but when it comes time to get paid for it, we aren't the ones reaping the rewards.  

When it comes time to getting paid to be a professional LGBT activist, far too often it is cisgender white gay males who do and get those positions and parlay those entry level positions into fast tracks to the leadership ranks of Gay, Inc organizations.


Even in the organizations that are trans oriented, the same problem crops up.  With the notable exception of TPOCC, trans organizations are not only devoid of Black trans feminine people, but have a glaring lack of melanin in their senior leadership ranks.

Kudos for our work in articles, inclusion on community leadership lists or tributes in Gay, Inc org CEO speeches while deeply appreciated, don't pay our bills or get us out of poverty.

Sustained money from a decent job at a livable wage does.

When African-American trans people are facing 26% unemployment, it would send a powerful message to the corporate ranks you push your equality indexes on if you would actually practice what you preach at others and hire transpeople for your own Gay, Inc organizations.

And yes, Black legacy orgs, I'm giving y'all the side eye as well.   This isn't just a Gay, Inc problem, and you traditional legacy orgs could also send a powerful message inside and outside our community about hiring us in these advocacy positions if you would take the bold step of leading instead of following on this issue.  

If you are wishing to become competent on transgender human rights issues, wouldn't hurt for you to hire the people who are experts at it and who are also culturally competent in the issues that ail Black America as well

Will that pattern change?   I hope and pray it expeditiously does, but that remains to be seen. 

But for our community's sake, change it must.

Another Landmark Trans EEOC Ruling

Just in time for our next lobby day in Texas (which be a Trans* one on April 27) comes this wonderful news about a case that could potentially put an end to the GOP rush to demonize trans people with bathroom bills.

The U S Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) ruled on April 1 in a recent case brought by trans woman Tamara Lusardi that denying transgender people access to restrooms or respecting name changes violates federal sex discrimination law.

The EEOC ruling also confirms the October 2014 ruling by the Office of Special Council that the Army had discriminated against Ms Lusardi. 

The Army also has to pay the trans lady an unspecified amount in damages and provide discrimination training in the office where Lusardi works..

Lusardi is a civilian Army employee in Huntsville, AL and filed the case after she began her transition in 2010.   She was forced to use a single stall restroom and denied use of the women’s restroom.   Lusardi also stated that a team leader persistently referred to her using male pronouns and made other hostile transphobic remarks.

This EEOC ruling in the Lusardi case expands upon its previous findings in Macy v Holder that Title VII sex discrimination protections include transgender people.  It also sends a clear message that denying trans employees access to the correct gender presentation matching restroom is discrimination.

The reason I'm surmising this would potentially put an end to the conservafool attempts to demonize trans people by using bathroom bills is twofold. 

The Department of Justice has recently begun interpreting Title VII of the Civil Rights Act to be inclusive of trans people for sex discrimination    It was the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that ended racially segregated bathrooms, and it could also be interpreted to mean that these laws that GOP legislators are rushing to try to enact will be a waste of time because they will overruled and eventually found unconstitutional.

At any rate, this is a huge win with the potential to have ripple effect beyond just Lusardi's case. ,

"From the start, this has been about getting a fair shake to work hard at a job I love," said Lusardi in a statement. "This decision makes it clear that, like everybody else in the workplace, transgender people should be judged by the quality of the work we do, not who we are."

Don't Buy Where You Aren't Hired

One of the things we have been trying to grapple with in the African-American trans community is what is the best way to deal with the crushing 26% unemployment rate that ails our community .

While passing non discrimination ordinances is one way of doing it, there are just some areas of the country that isn't going to happen for them until a federal ENDA is passed or businesses start feeling the sting of adverse EEOC rulings or federal lawsuits for their anti-trans bigotry.

So what can we trans peeps do in the interim to get companies to do the right thing and hire trans workers? 

Borrow a page from the tried and true tactics of the Civil Rights movement.   Hit 'em in the wallet.

There is this false belief in the trans community that we don't have much economic power.   Not true.   If we use it collectively and efficiently target it, we do have economic leverage.   

If you don't think the over $12K the trans community donated to the 2008 Obama campaign didn't get their attention or isn't one of the reasons the Obama Administration has been the most trans friendly presidency in US history, you are naive or haven't been paying attention.

Money talks.  Businesses who value our community know that diversity is good for their bottom line.  But there are some for whatever reason don't want us in our establishment of discriminate against our people who simply want to be hired and get a decent paycheck.

So it's time to bring back a tactic from the Civil Rights Movement era and remix it for the 2k10's.on behalf of the trans community. 

Don't spend our T-bills where they won't hire us or treat us with respect and dignity.

We not only use economic boycotts to get companies to hire us, we also partner with organizations to have transpeople run undercover stings.   We do so to test these companies and ensure they are hiring our people.  And if they aren't, publicly embarrass them as was done in New York a few years ago to J. Crew. 

They got busted in 2008 for not hiring transpeople despite having gender identity and expression language in their non-discrimination policy.   We can also use that discrimination data collected in these stings to press the case for adding trans people to non-discrimination laws in those areas without those protections.

So let's consider implementing this policy as soon as possible.   Don't buy or spend your money where they won't hire or respect you.

US Senate Vote On Trans Inclusive ENDA Happening Later Tonight

For the first time since November 2007, a vote is scheduled to be taken on The Employment and Non Discrimination Act  (ENDA) later this evening.  

The passage of ENDA by Congress and its subsequent signing into law by President Obama would make it illegal to discriminate against someone in hiring or employment based on sexual orientation or gender identity

This trans inclusive version of the bill was introduced in the House by Rep. Jared Polis (D-CO) and Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR)  in the Senate and has the public support of all 53 Democratic senators, both independent Senators and four Republicans.  Susan Collins (R-ME) and Mark Kirk (R-IL) are ENDA co-sponsors, while Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Orrin Hatch (R-UT) voted for it in committee.  Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH) has indicated he is 'inclined to support the bill' and has a gay son and it true, it would bring the bill to the 60 vote threashold needed to cut off GOP-Tea Party attempts to filibuster it.

The trans community has long and bitter memories of being cut out of ENDA in 2007 by then Rep. Barney Frank in controversial circumstances.  The trans free bill passed the House 235-184 but subsequently died in the Senate    In 1996 another trans free version of ENDA was voted on in the Senate and failed 50-49.

This cloture vote will pave the way for that to happen, with the final vote scheduled to happen sometime on Wednesday.  

We'll have to see what transpires (pun intended) in tonight's vote, but hope we get to witness history.  

Gay Inc Orgs, When Are You Going To Start Hiring Us?

So that leads me to pose this question once again. It's one the transgender community and our allies are impatiently waiting for an answer to from our lawmakers and the business community.

How can transpeople contribute to society if you won't hire us?

TransGriot  December 9, 2009  'How Can We Contribute To Society If You Won't Hire Us?'


I asked that question in December 2009, and a comment Katrina Rose made on my Facebook page last night got me thinking about employment issues and the sorry record of Gay, Inc. advocacy orgs in terms of hiring transpeople.  

Sadly the question I posed in that 2009 TransGriot post is not only relevant today, but is even more apropos if I aim it at the Gay Inc. advocacy orgs.   This inquiring TransGriot mind and my readers would love to know how many transpeople they have on their staffs they write paychecks to?

And don't even get me started about the leadership ranks and staffs in these organizations being so overwhelmingly monoracial they look like a Republican Party convention..

There were probably more Black delegates at last year's GOP convention (47) than the number of transpeople gainfully employed in all the Gay, Inc advocacy organizations combined.

That lack of transfolks on your staffs is not only problematic, but creates a 'things that make you go hmm' moment in transworld.  It makes us wonder just how committed you are to getting the trans inclusive ENDA passed and adding non-discrimination language on the basis of gender identity and expression to state and local non-discrimination employment laws.

It would also be wise, especially if you as a Gay, Inc advocacy org claiming to be speaking for the entire community, to have diverse, talented people from all letters of the TBLGIQ rainbow putting together policies that positively move our community forward.

The United States is going to be a majority-minority country by 2050.  Trans people have long considered gainful employment as a non-negotiable bedrock trans human rights issue.  It's past time the people you employ and hire to lead your organizations reflect the reality of a multicultural America. 

It would also be nice that trans POC's be increasingly included in that candidate mix as you strive to make Gay, Inc. advocacy orgs look more like America.

And one other thing to consider.  By doing so you not only send a message to the rest of the world that you're putting your money where your mouths are in terms of hiring and retaining qualified transpeople for your own organizations, you're making a dent in the horrific trans unemployment numbers.

You're also giving that person good, stable employment at good wages and the opportunity with the money they earn to give back to the TBLG community.

You can either do that willingly Gay, Inc advocacy orgs or suffer the embarrassment and fiscal consequences of being called out on this issue or even hauled into court for your pitifully sorry hiring record. 

So Gay, Inc advocacy orgs, when are you going to start hiring more transpeople to work for you?

Upcoming Event: Creating Transgender Workplace Inclusion

For those of you in the Baltimore, MD area, if you have the time and the ability to do so, you may wish to check out this event that will be happening November 2.

Denise Norris, who is the Global Lead for Transgender Workplace Inclusion at Accenture will discuss how large corporations are approaching Inclusion and Diversity for Transgender, Gender Dysphoria and people with non-conforming gender expression and or identity.

It will take place from 7:30-9:30 PM EDT at the Sheraton Inner Harbor hotel.  Address is 300 South Charles Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21201

This will be a fascinating and informative discussion on the issue of trans workplace inclusion that you probably don't want to miss if you live the area.  

It would also be nice Baltimore area trans community if you show our sis Denise some support as well.  
 

EEOC Discussion On Macy Ruling

In case you aren't aware of it, transpeople are protected under Title VII.  This is video of a recent discussion on Trans workplace protections that makes this abundantly clear 

Ashley Yang-Fired By The TSA For Being Trans

Trans people when we fly already have concerns about undergoing TSA screenings and the potential for getting harassed and disrespected when we do.  Now come word about a Transportation Security Administration screener who when she was discovered to be trans, was harassed and fired by the TSA weeks before her two year probationary period expired




The TSA asserted that in order for Ashley to work as a female, she had to undergo a sex reassignment surgery.  Yang pointed out she is not a 'man' and refused to go to work as a man, so she was terminated..

When the San Francisco based Transgender Law Center heard about Ashley's case, they filed a complaint against the TSA noting that Title 7 protected Ashley against discrimination as a transgender federal employee.

The TSA eventually reached a financial settlement with Yang that included her back pay and payment for pain and suffering. TSA was also required to undergo training about transgender employees.

“I see how important job protection is,” Ashley said. “I should be able to work checkpoints as who I am. I really want to change those policies; I really want to push forward in some way."
 
No kidding, Ashley.   It's one of the reasons I've been griping, bitching and taking trips to DC since 1998 to lobby for the successful passage of ENDA.

As long as the GOP is running thangs in the House, sadly it ain't happening.