NH Senate Gets It Right This Time, Passes Trans Rights Bill

So how long will my transgender brothers and sisters in the Granite State have to wait for their legislators to pass laws that allow them to 'live free or die'? 

And will you find the courage to do so?
TransGriot, May 4, 2009

Nine years ago I was justifiably going nuclear and putting the then Democratically controlled New Hampshire Senate on blast on my birthday after the all female led body voted 24-0 to kill a trans rights bill that narrowly passed the female led Democratically controlled New Hampshire House by one vote.

That vote, gallingly after they had no problem passing a marriage equality bill, kept New Hampshire  as the only state in the New England region that didn't have discrimination protections for its transgender citizens

The political script has flipped in New Hampshire since then.  Instead of the Democrats controlling all three branches of government, it's now the Republicans.   The NH Senate now has a 14-10 GOP edge versus the 14-10 edge the other way at the time.  The NH House is 226-174 GOP instead of the 225-175 Democratic edge it had in 2009.

HB 1319 is a bill that would update New Hampshire's non discrimination law and prohibit discrimination against my Granite State trans family in employment, housing and public accommodations. 

The House passed HB 1319 in a bipartisan fashion 195-129 back on March 7 after three emotional public hearings with a combined twelve hours of testimony from many trans New Hampshire residents that went into the wee hours of the morning. 

Today the New Hampshire Senate righted a nearly decade old wrong.by passing HB 1319 with bipartisan support 14-10.

The bill now heads to Gov. Chris Sununu's (R) desk, where he is expected to sign it into law. 

Once he does, New Hampshire will become the 20th state along with the District of Columbia to legislatively protect its transgender citizens.

And this day has been one trans Granite Staters have been waiting on for a long time.

Virginia Del. Danica Roem Sworn In Today

Today was the day that Danica Roem made history by being officially sworn in along with the rest of her colleagues in the Virginia House of Delegates. 

Del Roem (D-Manassas) became the first openly trans person to be elected and seated to a state legislature since Althea Garrison served one term in the Massachusetts House in 1992 

Ironically that was the same year Bob Marshall, who Roem handily beat last November, was elected to the district that Roem now represents.

Marshall was one of the more outspoken opponents of TBLGQ rights and earned the nickname 'Bigot Bob' for his longtime efforts to use his powers to legislate oppression against the Virginia TBLGQ community.

Who controls the Virginia House is still very much in doubt asn wo close races are headed to court to hopefully be resolved.   The Republicans for now have a 51-49 edge in the chamber pending the results of the court cases.

But today I'm focused on Del. Roem's historic achievement.   She's already filed ten bills, many of them focused on he campaign promise to fix the traffic problems on Route 28, and will soon find out her committee assignments as this session continues.

Danica Roem Makes History!

Ever since Althea Garrison won a seat in the Massachusetts House in 1992, was outed two days after her win and served one term, out trans women in several states over multiple election cycles have tried to get elected to their respective state legislatures.

Tonight Danica Roem cracked that legislative glass ceiling for the trans community, and did so in an impressive and huge way, beating him by 10 points 55% - 45%

It's a win that is resounding across the commonwealth of Virginia, the nation, and in the American transgender community.  Roem not only took down 26 year incumbent delegate Bob Marshall (R) in their VA 13 race, the win is even sweeter because 'Bigot Bob' Marshall is one of the TBLGQ community's longtime legislative haters.

Roem also outraised Marshall 3-1, receiving $500,000 in donations.  She also had a TransUnited Fund fuelled ground game that knocked on 75,000 doors and provided critical support during this historic and now successful run to a legislative seat.   

Marshall lived up to that nickname by not only refusing to debate Roem, but repeatedly misgendered her throughout the campaign.   Looks like Danica had the last laugh and Bigot Bob just discovered the hard way that rampant transphobia is not a pathway to electoral victory

Congratulations to Del-Elect Roem, who will possibly be taking her seat as part of a Democratic majority in the Virginia House of Delegates. 

She also with the breakthrough win has become the first out trans person to be elected and in January seated to a major state legislature.

Now There Are Seven Elected Trans National Legislators!

When she tried to get elected to Ecuador's National Assembly back in 2013, it didn't happen that year for Diane Rodriguez.   

But despite the loss, she didn't give up on making that dream of getting elected to office a reality.    On February 19, 2017 the 34 year old Rodriguez became a member of a very small (for now) international sorority in terms of trans feminine politicians who were elected to their national legislatures.

And South America is leading the way.   Of the now seven trans women around the world who have been elected to their national legislatures, three of them,  Michelle Suarez of Uruguay, Tamara Adrian of Venezuela, and now Rodriguez reside on the South American continent.

The others in case you're wondering, are Georgina Beyer of New Zealand, Vladimir Luxuria of Italy, Anna Grodzka of Poland and Geraldine Roman of the Philippines.

Rodriguez ean on a platform of combatting anti-trans workplace discrimination, combatting bullying aimed at transgender students and legalizing adoption for same gender couples. 

It probably also didn't hurt her chances that Ecuadorean trans people were allowed for the first time to vote as their chosen gender.  In Ecuador, man and women wait in separate lines to cast their ballots.

Rodriguez also become a parent in 2015 with her transmasculine partner Machado and a psychologist along the way.  She has received some death threats now that she is an elected politician. 

"Being a public figure comes at a price. But is see that cost is a sacrifice for younger generations so that they don't have to suffer the same experiences that I suffer through now."

As a legislator, she fights against a broad spectrum of injustices, but she hasn't forgotten as a trans person that she is also fighting against her community marginalization in Ecuadorian society, and it her primary legislative focus.

Congratulation to Senator Rodriguez!   Hope it happens soon in my own country. 

2017 Texas Lege Liberal To Conservative Analysis

Since we're less than 30 days from the start of our Texas Lege Special Oppression Session, time to start doing our homework and preparation for when we finally get to the Pink Dome and see the folks who are really on our side and who are a waste of our valuable time to talk to.

The Texas Tribune recently compiled a left to right political analysis of the Texas House and Texas Senate to find who are our most liberal and conservative legislators in both parties.

It's an analysis that will come in quite handy if you're planning to lobby under the Pink Dome this summer during the upcoming Special Oppression Session that starts July18.

It'll help you peeps who haven't been paying close attention to who these peeps are or where their politics fall.   It also give some of you planning to run for the state House or Senate the ammo you need or confirmation enough of their political orientation to run against some of those Texas legislative and senate peeps in 2018.

So let's start with the Texas Senate.

In our 31 member senate that has a 20-11 GOP majority, the most liberal member was state Sen. Sylvia Garcia (D-Houston), and the most conservafool, oops conservative was Sen. Van Taylor (R-Plano)

The most conservative Democratic senator was drum roll please, Sen Eddie Lucio, Jr (DINO-Brownsville)  and the least conservative Republican one was Kel Seliger (R-Amarillo)

Moving on to the Texas House

In our 150 member Texas House that has a 94-56 GOP Majority, Rep. Lina Ortega (D-El Paso is the most liberal House member, and the most conservative House member is a tie between Briscoe Cain (R-Deer Park), Jonathan Stickland (R-Bedford) and not surprising (Matt Rinaldi (R-Irving)

All three are members of the twelve member Texas Oppression Freedom Caucus that caused so much trouble in the latter days of the 2017 regular session.

The most conservative Democratic House legislators was a tie between Rep Joe Pickett (D-El Paso) and Ryan Guillen (D-Rio Grande City) and the least conservative state rep was Rep. Sarah Davis (R-Houston)

Davis still pissed off a lot of people in her liberal leaning district with that affirmative SB 4  vote

And it also illustrates why the Republican caucus had some entertaining and contentious intra-party squabbles during that last session, because in effect, they are basically split into two groups, the Centrist Conservatives and the Tea Klux Klan-Movement Conservatives.  

So hope this post was helpful in getting you to understand where the legislative and senate players stand ideologically in advance of July 18.
 

Texas GOP Messes With Texas Trans Kids

Pissed off because their big unjust anti-trans discriminatory bills in SB 6 and HB 2899 were bottled up and died in committee,  the Texas GOP majority on Sunday, facing a looming threat of a special session, decided to switch tactics and attack Texas trans kids.

The Texas GOP House decided to attach an anti-trans amendment to SB 2078, which was supposed to be focused on Texas school districts 'multihazard emergency operations plans' and by a 91-50 party line vote amended it to require transgender students to use a single stall restroom, locker room, and changing facility at their school if they didn't want to use one based on their birth gender.

The amended bill then passed a 92-49 second reading vote as trans kids and their parents observed the unjust proceedings from the House gallery.

The Texas Democrats put up a fight, with Rep Senfronia Thomson (D-Houston) pointing out along with other Dems during a tense House floor debate that this was nothing more than a replay of Jim Crow era segregation as the Republicans tried to pathetically claim it wasn't meant to target transgender students.

“White. Colored. I was living through that era ... bathrooms divided us then, and it divides us now,” said Rep. Thompson, the dean of the TX House, to her colleagues. “America has long recognized that separate but equal is not equal at all.”

Equality Texas CEO Chuck Smith said this in a statement concerning SB 2078 and another unjust bill in HB 3859:

“Tonight, the state of Texas voted to advance two bills that discriminate against LGBTQ Texans. SB 2078 allows for continued discrimination against transgender students with regard to restroom facilities and HB 3859 allows faith based child welfare providers to use taxpayer money to refuse to serve LBGTQ people. No amount of discrimination is acceptable. There is no middle ground. All discrimination is bad, full stop. Targeting some of the most vulnerable children in our state is abhorrent, shameful, and disgraceful. The Texas lawmakers of the 85th legislative session are on the wrong side of history. No matter how upset or scared our LGBTQ friends and families are feeling this evening, Equality Texas wants you to know that we stand with you; and we will fight to protect you.”

The unjust SB 2078 It still faces a third reading vote later today before it heads back to the Texas Senate for its approval before it goes to Governor Abbott's desk

Crucial 2017 Texas Legislative Deadline Day Passes

We can't relax yet since the 85th Texas Legislative session is still running until May 29, but for those of us watching odious bills like SB 6 and HB 2899 I have some good news for you.

In addition to today being the 120th day of the 140 day biannual Texas legislative session, yesterday was the deadline for bills that originate in one chamber to be passed and be taken up for consideration in the other legislative chamber.

Translation into English:  If your House bill for example, hasn't been voted out of committee or been voted on by the Texas House to send it to the Texas Senate, it is dead for this session.

That means the odious SB 6 and HB 2899, which are both stuck in the House State Affairs Committee that yours truly and over 389 friends from across the state testified against a few weeks ago into the wee hours of the morning, are dead for this session.

That also means that if they didn't get a hearing, or out of committee, some of the good bills that would positively impact us also died for this session like SB 1341, which would have made the name change process in Texas an administrative procedure and taken it out of our partisan judicial court system.

I am keeping an eye on another one of those positive bills, HB 192 authored by Rep Diego Bernal (D-San Antonio), which would add sexual orientation and gender identity as classes in the area of preventing housing discrimination aimed at TBLGQ Texans.  I testified in favor of passage of it and it surprisingly made it out of the Business & Industry Committee on a 4-3 vote when Rep. Jason Villalba (R-Dallas) voted YES.  

We still have to be on the alert for attempts by legislative haters to attach these unjust anti-trans bills as amendments to other bills already on the House calendar to be attached to them in order to pass them that way.

Attempts have already been made by the GOP House legislative transphobes to do precisely that, but so far have failed.   I hope that pattern continues as the clock inexorably ticks down and the days rapidly dwindle to the last day of the 85th Texas Legislative session on May 29.  

As far as getting bills on the House Calendar and through that committee to the House floor, the deadline to make that happen was May 8  

So exhale a little, but not completely until 12:01 AM CDT on May 30.  

Rep. Geraldine Roman Handling Her Legislative Business

Back in May Geraldine Roman became the first out trans person elected to the Philippine Congress and only the sixth person internationally to become a member of that small sorority of trans national legislators.

It was a BFD when it happened, and it's still a BFD now.that she is now officially Congressmember Roman.

There has been recent debate in the Philippines concerning an anti-discrimination bill that would include sexual orientation and gender identity language, and she has been at the forefront, since she is now a legislator, of helping craft that legislation

Here's two videos that you need to watch.

The first is a privileged speech that starts at the 36:00 minute mark that she is making concerning the proposed bill.

The second is the Q&A she is engaged in with several legislators concerning the proposed legislation.

Enjoy it, and imagine it happening in the USA.

Someday we will have one of our own trans peeps elected to Congress, and I hope I'm still around to see that glorious day occur..
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It's what we need to have happen in our US Congress and state houses across the nation in terms of electing trans people to our national and state legislatures to help write good laws and kill bad ones.

Thanks Rep. Roman for doing so with dignity and class.
 

British Columbia Finally Passes Trans Human Rights Law!

Provincial trans rights laws in Canada have been on the fast track since 2012, with seven Canadian provinces, Ontario, Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, Saskatchewan and Alberta  plus the Northwest Territories being ones that have laws that explicitly protect  transgender people from discrimination..

New Brunswick, Quebec, Nunavut Territory and Yukon Territory don't have explicit language in their human rights acs, but interpret the current laws in ways that imply trans human rights are covered in those areas

We are also awaiting action on C-16, the federal trans rights bill that has been tabled by the Liberal federal majority and has passed its first reading.

On Monday British Columbia finally joined that list of provinces that protect the rights of their trans citizens thanks to the passage of Bill 27, a bill that was fast tracked through the legislature in one day as transgender BC residents like Tru Wilson, her family and others came to Victoria to lobby for its passage
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NDP MLA Spencer Chandra Herbert has been trying for five years to get four different private members trans right bills through the BC Legislature without success, so it was a surprise that the BC Liberal majority finally decided on July 25 to table and pass in all three readings Bill 27.

Bill 27 is now awaiting royal assent by BC's lieutenant governor, and adds explicit trans rights protection to the BC Human Rights Code.  Gender identity and expression are now listed as protected classes, and BC trans folks can no longer be fired, lose housing or face discrimination just for being their trans selves.

While Bill 27 was passed unanimously,  there was opposition from one of the ruling Liberal Party MLA's in Laurie Throness.  He cited the usual anti-trans BS to justify his opposition to the bill, called it 'unnecessary', but abstained from voting against it.,

Well peeps, if you live in the Chilliwack-Hope provincial riding, y'all know what to do in the next provincial election.   Vote this transphobic bigot out of office.

Congrats British Columbia for finally recognizing that trans rights are human rights, and doing the right thing in protecting the human rights of BC residents.

You Can Call Her Representative-Elect Scott!

One of the other races that had my attention besides the contentious race between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders was the 41st District race between longtime incumbent Rep. Tom Riner and former Louisville metro Councilmember Attica Woodson Scott.

Riner had occupied that seat since 1982, but was increasingly out of touch with this overwhelmingly Democratic district.   It didn't help his admission he hadn't caucused with the Democrats since the 90's and he introduced Kim Davis to the Liberty Counsel.

Scott was attempting to become the first African-American woman since 2000 from the Louisville area to be elected to the Kentucky General Assembly.

The race wasn't even close.  Scott amassed an overwhelming victory, taking 59% of the vote in the district to 23% for Riner.  Phil Baker, the third candidate in the race received 19%.  

Since there will be no Republican candidate for the District 41 seat in the fall, you can call her Representative-elect Scott.

She will be headed to Frankfort when the 2017 session starts, and becomes the first African-American woman elected to the house from Louisville since Rep. Eleanor Jordan left to take on then US Rep. Anne Northup. .

Congratulations Representative-elect Scott!  How apropos you won this race four months after the first ever Kentucky African-American legislator in Sen. Georgia Davis Powers has joined the ancestors.

Now let's hope that the Democrats can hold their majority in the House on November 8.

I have no doubts that you will do a wonderful job for your constituents in the 41st District and they will get the representation they have been lacking recently.    .

Geraldine Roman Elected To Philippine Congress!

It's official!   You can now call her Congresswoman-elect Roman!  
49 year old Geraldine Roman has made Philippine and world trans history by becoming the first out trans person elected to the Philippine Congress!

She was favored to win her race thanks in large part to her mother preceding her in the First District of Bataan House seat and serving for nine years, and her father being also a political heavyweight in their native Bataan region.

She didn't disappoint on election day.

With 95% of the vote counted, Roman is cruising to a comfortable win over her opponent Danny Malana in their First Legislative District of Bataan race to get her first three year term as a Philippine congress member

Dindi Tan, a trans advocate in the Philippines and a former board member of the QC Pride Council there, is just as excited about the historic election of Roman as much of the international trans community is.

She is hopeful that Roman's election to the Philippine Congress results in more positive changes LGBT rights wise in her nation

"For a country that has yet to catch up with the significant LGBT rights developments and inroads around the world, the election victory of Congresswoman-elect Geraldine Roman is an inspiration by itself for a community that has long yearned for its own voice in the halls of Philippine Congress,"said Tan.  

"Her election is a breath of fresh air and is welcomed with great optimism by the Philippine trans community. Her being the first openly trans woman voted into Congress is a clear testament that the tide is slowly shifting to our favor. For the longest time, the Philippine LGBT community has persevered in lobbying for a national law on anti-discrimination. It has taken us 16 long years and counting. We hope that with the election of young blood political movers like Roman, we are rest assured that the lobby will take on an easier path," Tan continued.

"While we celebrate her victory, we also give meaning to the political statement that her election entails-- that politics in the Philippines is slowly becoming more and more embracing of the LGBT agenda. By breaking the glass ceiling in politics, she has paved the way for others like us. We look forward to working with her in Congress and in pushing for more gender-inclusive policies and the advancement of the rights of LGBT people."  

"This is such a history-in-the-making for the LGBT movement on this side of the globe,." added Tan. 

Roman is now part of an elite sorority of out trans feminine politicians internationally who have been elected to their national legislatures that includes Georgina Beyer (NZ), Vladimir Luxuria (Italy), Anna Grodzka (Poland), Michelle Suarez Bertora (Uruguay) and Tamara Adrian (Venezuela)

In her remarks to me concerning this historic win, Naomi Fontanos, the executive director of GANDA Filipinas was also excited and optimistic about the upcoming term of Congresswoman-elect Roman.

"Yes. I am very happy that herstory was made today with Ms Geraldine Roman winning the congressional race in Bataan. While it is radical that she is the first openly out transwoman to be elected in Philippines Congress,she is also undeniably a product of a political dynasty that has dominated local politics in Bataan for a long time.' said Fontanos.

"This is a historic moment though, and I want to focus on the many good things that Ms Roman can bring to the Lower House of the Philippine Congress. I laud the fact that she has openly stated that she would make legal gender change part of her legislative agenda," she added.

Roman is the sixth out trans person worldwide to have accomplished that feat, and the second in the Asia-Pacific region after Georgina Beyer of New Zealand, who was the first out trans person in the world to do so in 1999..

And while Congresswoman-elect Roman is officially representing her constituents in the 1st Legislative District of Bataan, she is also by default the defacto representative of all TBLG people in the Philippines as well.

Congratulations Congresswoman-elect Roman!.   May you be successful in representing not only the voters of the 1st Legislative District of Bataan, but also your Filipino TBLG siblings across the country.

TransGriot Update: Roman won her race in a landslide:  106,315 votes to 64,643 votes for her opponent Danny Malana  

Will The Philippine's Geraldine Roman Become The World's Sixth Trans National Legislator?

In November 1999 Georgina Beyer made news that electrified trans kind and gave hope to trans people dreaming of holding elective office in their respective nations across the globe when she was elected to the New Zealand Parliament.   The Labour party member served until September 2005 representing the Wairarapa electorate, and was the world's first ever trans parliamentarian.

Beyer was followed by Italy's Vladimir Luxuria in 2006, Poland's Anna Grodzka in 2011, Uruguay's Michelle Suarez Bertora in 2014 and last year Tamara Adrian in Venezuela.

It's an exclusive sorority of trans national legislators, and we have news coming out of the Philippines that another trans feminine politician on the verge of making history in 49 year old Geraldine Roman..

National elections are taking place in the Philippines on Tuesday, May 10 (Monday, May 9 on our side of the IDL), and Roman is running for a congressional seat in the 1st district in Bataan where she grew up.

But Roman is not your average political candidate. Besides being a proud transpinay, she has some advantages that make her an odds on favorite to become the first trans person elected to national public office in the Philippines.   Roman is not only a member of current President Benigno Aquino's ruling Liberal Party, but she comes from a powerful dynastic political family.   Her mother has represented Bataan's 1st district in the Philippine Congress for nine years, and her father was a powerful politician in that predominately rural province.

Roman transitioned over two decades ago, speaks three European languages, holds two masters degrees and worked in Spain as senior editor of the Spanish News Agency before she returned home to the Philippines four years ago to care for her ailing father.

'My life has not been a secret. I grew up here. People know me. (Gender) only becomes an issue when you try to keep it a secret," Roman said in a recent interview.  "It's nothing bad. I never hurt anyone in the process. I'm so happy so why should I be ashamed?"

She hopes that her election if it happens, will send a powerful message that aids in the Philippine fight for TBLG human rights.  

"My loyalty is to the first district of Bataan.  But that somebody of my condition is going to enter Congress for the first time is a statement that even transgender people can serve our country and should not be discriminated against."

Should Roman win her race, she would not only become the first trans person elected to office in the Philippines and the sixth worldwide, she would be the second in the Asia-Pacific region after Georgina Beyer.

Best of luck to Ms. Roman, and hope she's successful in making Philippine and international trans history on Tuesday. (Monday our time)

SD Senate Committee Kills HB 1112

Lost in the euphoria over the failed attempt to override Gov. Daugaard's veto of HB 1008 by the GOP controlled South Dakota House was news on the senate side of the capitol building in Pierre that another unjust anti-trans bill has died.

The Senate Education Committee on a 5-2 vote killed HB 1112, which was another attack on our trans kids that would have if passed rescinded the pro-trans participation policy of the South Dakota High School Activities Association (SDHSAA)..

Trans students and allies like the SDHSAA, the ACLU-SD,  and others stood up for the huan rights of trans kids that wee under assault by the Concerned Transphobes Women Of America, the Family heritage Alliance and other assorted haters.

While this unjust bill is dead, the session still is in effect until March 31, so the South Dakota trans community and our allies will have to be vigilant for any attempts to resurrect HB 1112 as an amendment to another bill  or smoke it out of the committee by having it brought to the SD Senate floor by a senate floor vote.

But congrats once again to South Dakota for their so far successful efforts to beat back the attempts to legislate anti-trans bigotry aimed at our trans kids.

SD House Fails To Override HB 1008

If you thought the drama over HB 1008 was over when Gov. Dennis Daugaard (R) vetoed the bill Tuesday, well it wasn't. 

Never underestimate the eager determination of Republicans and the outside groups pushing the unjust bills to oppress a downtrodden group.  They've made it clear that oppressing trans people is on the legislative agenda for their party in 2016. 

One of the reasons the anti-trans hate groups like the Liberty Counsel and the Alliance Defending Freedom chose South Dakota for this fight is because the Republicans in the Mount Rushmore State have had decades long supermajorities in both houses.  They have controlled the 70 member South Dakota House since 1976, and the 35 member South Dakota Senate since 1996.

The Republican controlled House attempted to jump start the process today of overriding the governor's veto.  They needed to get two-thirds of the House members to vote for the override resolution, and then do the same in the senate in order to successfully override Gov. Daugaard's veto and make HB 1008 law.

The vote to override in the SD House went 36-29 with five abstentions, which means it failed to get the necessary two-thirds support. to send it to the senate and turn this unjust bill attacking the humanity of SD trans kids into an unjust law.

Translation: HB 1008 is DEAD!

They failed thanks to the determined efforts of South Dakota based trans people, advocates at the local, state and national level and their allies. 

But there is still one more anti-trans bill, HB 1112 still percolating in the South Dakota legislature we have to keep our eyes on that is attacking our trans kids.

I hope the South Dakota legislature will see the wisdom of not attacking the humanity of trans kids and let that unjust bill suffer the same fate.