KY Rep. Marzian Files Bill Requiring Spousal Permission & Doctors Visits To Get Erectile Dysfunction Drugs

Mary Lou Marzian was my state rep during the nearly nine years I was living as a Texan in Exile in Louisville, and while I was there had a chance to talk legislative shop with her and see her at other events during my time in Kentucky.

Her day job when she's not bouncing to Frankfort to look out for the interests of her constituents is as a registered nurse, and as you probably guessed she wasn't happy with the 'informed consent' bill the boys in the KY legislature overwhelmingly passed on January 28 and Gov. Matt Bevin (R) signed into law.

To register her disgust with the Commonwealth of Kentucky inserting themselves in the private health decisions of the women living in the state, Marzian on February 11 filed HB 396. a bill that would require men in the commonwealth who wanted an erectile dysfunction drug like Viagra or Cialis to get a sworn and dated letter from his spouse, make two office visits with a medical practitioner and make a sworn statement with his hand on the  swear Bible that he will only use the erectile dysfunction drugs while engaged with sexual relations with his current spouse.

In an interview, Rep Marzian said while HB 396 is tongue in cheek, the issue she is highlighting in government interference in women's health decisions

"Maybe it will wake some people up in this state to say, "Hey wait a minute, where are they going with seven abortion bills?'"

Go get 'em Rep. Marzian!

Tamara Adrian Elected To Venezuelan National Assembly

Since 2010, trans women in Colombia, Ecuador and Chile have attempted to run for their national legislatures and not only become the first out trans people in their various nations to do so, but the first in South America and the Western Hemisphere.

While the efforts of Shelcy Sanchez, Diana Rodriguez and Valentina Verbal fell short for various reasons to make that history, the historical breakthrough came last November when attorney Michelle Suarez Bertora was elected last year to Uruguay's senate.  

Latin America is leading the way when it comes to trans elected officials, with the most recent electoral breakthrough happening in October when trans woman Luisa Revilla Urcia was elected to local office in Peru.

Attorney, professor and trans human rights advocate Tamara Adrian became the next South American trans person to attempt to run and win public office when she announced in August she was running for Venezuela's National Assembly.

The Venezuelan national elections happened yesterday and history was made as Adrian was successful in breaking through that trans glass electoral ceiling in her nation.

The Popular Will Party announced that Adrian had been elected to the Venezuelan National Assembly and will represent Caracas, Venezuela's capital.

Adrian made history on multiple fronts because of this historic win.  She is not only the first out trans Venezuelan to be elected to their national legislature, she is the second trans person in South America, the second in the Western Hemisphere. the second in Latin American and only the fifth worldwide to accomplish the electoral feat of being elected to her national legislature.

So yes, Adrian's election to her national legislature is a Big Fracking Deal.  It's so much of a BFD that Luisa Revilla Urcia said to the Washington Blade "We are very pleased with another trans woman in power.  This is a great triumph."

So am I and all my trans brothers and sisters in the US.  It gives us hope that one day we will see one of our own elected to Congress and our various state legislatures.

Congratulations to Ms. Adrian, and hope we see more trans people follow in your footsteps and get elected to their national legislatures.


TransGriot Update:  Was advised by Andres Duque of Blabbeando about Michelle Suarez Bertora, and post corrected to reflect that new information  

Transgender Lobby Day In Austin Today

Heading back to my state capitol for an unprecedented for me third time this session to do what I can to help kill some bad anti-trans bills (HB 2801, HB 2802, HB 1748, HB 1749) and drum up support for the good bills like Rep. Garnet Coleman's HB 2058 

This effort is so important that I'm delaying my trip to Dallas for the BTAC Conference by 24 hours so I can participate.  Last night there was a caucus held in Austin to discuss issues of importance to the Texas transgender community.

In a few hours we hit the Capitol to lobby against the unjust bills by the Discrimination Duo of Pena and Riddle, and for Rep. Coleman's bill that will streamline the process for changing gender markers.

All of the bills in question are in the State Affairs Committee, and for those of you who can't make it to Austin, you can still be agents of your own trans liberation and make calls to your state legislators.

TransGriot Update:  Was trying to fit this Austin lobby trip in before I left for Dallas, and thought the shuttle was leaving from the Montrose Center at 6 AM.    I arrived at the Montrose Center at 5:40 AM.  When I didn't see anyone arrive by 6:30 AM headed to Austin left and returned home.   The shuttle left at 7 AM while I was enroute back home.

Oh well, little upset I'm not in Austin, but did my part to ensure I could be there to represent my community.

Unjust TX HB 2801 Bill Must Die

Yesterday the Texas Transkid Bounty Bill, HB 2801 was scheduled to receive a hearing in the State Affairs Committee.  

It was one of the bills I lobbied against Monday, and Jessica Farrar, my state rep is on state affairs.  They have already seen my smiling face in their ATX office, and will hear from me again soon.

Pena's other legislative travesty attacking transkids in HB 2802 and Debbie Does Discrimination Riddle's unjust bills criminalizing being trans in Texas (HB 1747 and HB1748) have also been assigned to State Affairs but as of this writing don't have a hearing date set.

But back to the more important ones criminalizing and putting a bounty on trans kids in HB 2801

We are already facing the unacceptable situation of 85% of Texas trans* students being harassed in schools.   46% of Texas transgender students have experienced physical assault.  9% have experienced sexual assault.   11% of Texas trans students drop out because of these issues.

And Rep. Gilbert Pena (R-Pasadena) has proposed two bills that don't solve these problems, but exacerbate them? 

This unjust HB 2801 bill is also in violation of Title IX, the federal law that prohibits discrimination based on sex in schools, and transpeople are covered in Title IX. 

This unjust bill will also cost cash-strapped Texas school districts thousands of dollars.

Rep  Pena came before the committee yesterday in a hearing room packed with transpeople, parents of trans kids and other supporters and asked the State Affairs Committee not to hear it yesterday because he is rewriting the bill. 

The State Affairs committee hearing on HB 2801 has been until next week, so that gives us time to build the pressure to kill it.  We do have allies on that committee who don't like those unjust bills either.  

So it's time to do something to help our trans kids.  If you want to help them, pick up your smartphone and call the members of the State Affairs Committee and let them know you oppose this bill.   If you are a constituent of these state affairs committee members, even better because you have heightened clout and influence in this situation.   Same goes if you are a mother, mother of a trans child, teacher, or school administrator..

These bills attacking our trans kids in a school setting and offering bounties targeting them are not only unjust, but do nothing to help Texas create a climate conducive to learning.   Texas teachers and school administrators should not be put in the position of policing gender identity.

Transphobia Rep Pena, is not good for business.   Those unjust bills will have a deleterious effect on attracting corporations and talented people to the Lone Star State.    

Don't need trans hate in the Lone Star State!

The Lege and Rep. Pena need to expeditiously find out what happens when you mess with Texas transkids.  Call, write and e-mail them.

And yes HB 2801 needs to die.

Back To Austin To Lobby

The Texas Legislative session is still going on for another several weeks, and we still have 20 unjust anti-trans and anti-SGL bills that have been filed that have yet to get a hearing.

The last time I'd been to Austin to lobby was 2001.   This will make my second trip to our state capitol this year because of my deep concern for those anti-trans bills filed by Reps. 'Debbie Does Discrimination' Riddle and Gilbert Pena.

I'm headed up to the ATX to participate in the Equality Texas organized Freedom Advocacy Day.   'Once again me and a few friends from Houston and elsewhere in our state are inside the Pink Dome to remind our state legislators that we are proud Texans who love this state, and passing unjust laws that attempt to legislate anti-TBLG  hatred will have dire consequences for this state's economy.

The 2016 Final Four and the 2017 Super Bowl are scheduled for Houston.   I'd like them to stay there and not get yanked because of GOP legislative stupidity.

I hope you're also listening to business people in your own conservative ranks that are basically saying the same thing we are in terms of this bills are not good for the business climate of the Lone Star State

Will let y'all know how things transpired on this latest day trip to Austin.

Paula Sophia Makes It To Runoff For Oklahoma Legislative Seat

Paula Sophia gets a step closer to making history and becoming the first out transperson elected to a state legislative seat.

Tuesday night the Desert Storm vet and retired OKC cop advanced through the Democratic primary field in House District 88 to make it to the August 26 runoff election.

She will be competing against businessman and former pastor Jason Dunnington in that runoff election.  Because there is no Republican opponent in the HD 88 race, whoever wins the runoff will become the representative for that district.

If it's Paula, she would not only become the first transperson ever elected to the Oklahoma state legislature, she'd become the first out trans person nationally to accomplish the feat and be the first sitting trans state legislator since Althea Garrison did so in Massachusetts in 1992.

Good luck Paula, and hope you win that seat.
 

Retired OKC Trans Cop Running For OK State Legislative Seat

Back in the 2010 election cycle, the world's eyes were focused on Oklahoma as Brittany Novotny unsuccessfully tried to unseat homobigoted state Rep. Sally Kern (R). 

Now another Oklahoma transwoman is attempting to become the first transperson elected to its state legislature and the first elected nationally since Althea Garrison was elected to the Massachusetts legislature in 1992.

Paula Sophia, a Desert Storm veteran and 22 year veteran of the Oklahoma City Police Department announced she would run in House District 88, the same one she patrolled as an OKC police officer until she retired on April 7. 

“I was a community oriented police officer, now I’m going to be a community oriented legislator,” says Sophia in a KFOR-TV interview.  

Sophia was the first transgender officer in Oklahoma City PD history and won numerous awards during her career including the OKC Exchange Club's Police Officer of the Year award and an FBI Community Leadership Award.

The District 88 seat was held by state Rep. Kay Floyd (D), the first openly lesbian representative in Oklahoma history who was elected in 2012.   Floyd announced in February her intention to run for the Oklahoma Senate District 46 seat being vacated by openly gay state Sen. Al McAffrey, who was the first ever LGBT member of the Oklahoma legislature and is running for Congress in this cycle for the 5th Congressional District seat being vacated by Rep James Lankford (R). 

Sophia says she wants to focus on a number of issues should she be successful in winning that historic seat in Oklahoma's legislature.. “I have a deep concern about peace and justice, about respecting the dignity of every human being and I still deeply believe in those issues.”

She first has to get out of the June 24 Oklahoma Democratic primary election.  If she does become the second transperson since Amanda Simpson accomplished the political feat in Arizona in 2004 to win a primary, she'd move on to the November general election.   

Best of luck, Paula and hope you make some more Oklahoma and transgender history in the process..

Maryland Trans Rights Bill Passes House!

Today, the Maryland House of Delegates righted a human rights travesty that took place in 2001. 

It was in that disgusting year a gay-only human rights law for the state passed that deliberately cut transpeople out of it. 

That human rights wrong was corrected today when the Maryland House of Delegates voted 82-57 to pass SB 212, the Fairness for All Marylanders Act!  This bill, unlike the unjust 2011 one I blasted all over these TransGriot pages at the time along with a coalition of trans people just as pissed off about the unjust bill, expand Maryland's anti-discrimination laws to protect transgender people in employment, housing, access to credit and public accommodations.

SB 212 passed the Maryland Senate on an overwhelming 32-15 vote. 

Of course the right wing haters stuck on the wrong side of history tried to get amendments passed to strip out the public accommodations language and gut the bill, but they all failed in the Democratically controlled chamber. 

Elections matter.   Remember that on November 4. 

"After more than 15 years of advocacy for trans Marylanders, the tremendous work by all our legislative champions, and the solid support of the leadership in Annapolis, history was made today.  The House of Delegates sent the same loud and clear message the Maryland Senate did:  Every Marylander deserves equal rights under the law.  We welcome the Governor's promised signature and the full and successful implementation of this bill," said Jenna Fischetti of TransMaryland, an MCTE coalition member.        

Congratulations Jenna, Maryland Coalition for Transgender Equality, the legislative sponsors, and everyone else in Maryland who busted their behinds to get this inclusive bill passed.   I couldn't be happier for you and all my trans family living there to see this day finally happen. 

Transgender Marylanders now have legal recourse if someone messes with their human rights in their home state.   Break out the crabcakes! 

The bill now heads to Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) desk for his signature, and when he does sign it, Maryland will become the 18th state plus the District of Columbia in which the trans population of it will have full human rights coverage.   

The haters aren't going to give up, and will attempt to force a referendum by collecting enough signatures to place it on the November ballot for repeal.  The Maryland Coalition for Transgender Equality anticipated the Force of Intolerance, Maryland Division would go there.  They are already shifting to the next phase and preparing to defend this hard won human rights bill.

Congrats Cecilia!

Congrats to my Cali homegirl Cecilia Chung, who along with trans women Desiree Jade Sol and Dayna Sinopoli were honored Monday by the California State Assembly as Women of the Year. 

Every year each California state lawmaker selects one person in their assembly district for the honor who have broken down barriers and helped fight for equality.  

Assemblyman Phil Ting, (D-San Francisco), honored San Francisco resident Cecilia.   Assemblyman Richard Bloom (D-Santa Monica) selected Desiree Jade Sol of West Hollywood; and Assemblyman Mark Stone, (D-Monterey Bay), chose Dayna Sinopoli of Monterey Bay.

In addition to being honored in a ceremony on the floor of the California Assembly, she and the other honorees received resolutions celebrating her accomplishments.  

I've known Cecilia for years and finally got to meet the senior advisor to the Transgender Law Center in person during Creating Change 2014.  She's also a health commissioner at the San Francisco Department of Public Health, a member of the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS, plays a leadership role in international organizations such as the Global Network of People Living with HIV (GNP+) and the Sero Project.

She's also been a trans trailblazer in her own right.   She was the first deputy director of the San Francisco based Transgender law Center, the first trans woman and first Asian to be elected to lead the Board of Directors of San Francisco’s LGBT Pride Celebration, and the first person living openly with HIV to Chair the San Francisco Human Rights Commission.  

Under her leadership, the San Francisco Human Rights Commission documented widespread discrimination against transgender people and prompted the city to adopt many pioneering anti-discrimination ordinances and policies.

"Cecilia has an inspiring record of breaking down barriers," said Assemblyman Ting. "Her bravery and brains have made our community a more compassionate and welcoming place. As we strive for even greater equality, we can simply look to her for a roadmap forward. Cecilia's passion and commitment to equality know no bounds."

Kentucky HB 171 Hearing Testimony

It was one of the things I was working on before I left Kentucky, and I was pleased to hear that the statewide Fairness Bill, HB 171 finally got a committee hearing in the Kentucky House.

It was introduced back on February 5 and assigned to the House Judiciary Committee the next day. 

If passed, HB 171 would protect people in the commonwealth from discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in employment, housing, and public accommodations. 

It would also make Kentucky one of the first Southern states to do so. 

Six Kentucky cities, Louisville, Lexington, Covington, Vicco, Morehead and the state capitol of Frankfort,  representing a quarter of the state's population of 4,380,415 are covered by Fairness laws.   But those laws only protect BTLG Kentuckians if you live in one of those six cities, which is why we've had the ongoing push for a statewide Fairness law. 

HB 171 is sponsored by my former state rep when I lived in Da Ville, Mary Lou Marzian (D).  It has as co-sponsors (all Democrats) Reps. Arnold Simpson, Kelly Flood, Ruth Ann Palumbo, Joni Jenkins, Jim Wayne and Susan Westrom    Speaker of the House Greg Stumbo is considering becoming a co sponsor as well and House Judiciary Committee chairman John Tilley (D-Hopkinsville) indicated in an interveiew that he supports HB 171.

Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/2014/03/05/3122897/after-15-years-lawmakers-hold.html#storylink=cpy

.  .
The General Assembly is not yet ready to vote on a civil rights bill covering gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people, Tilley said. The bill might be called again at a future date, he said.in an interview with the Lexington Herald-Leader .

"There still is concern among members on both sides of the aisle. This hearing was an attempt to dispel some of that concern," Tilley said.

Chris Hartman, the director of the based in Da Ville Fairness Campaign, said in a Herald-Leader interview that Wednesday's hearing on the statewide fairness bill was progress because past versions of HB 171 were never even discussed in a committee.

"At the very least, there was conversation, and that ultimately engenders support," Hartman said   "Without conversation, the bill would ... languish for the next 15 years."

Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/2014/03/05/3122897/after-15-years-lawmakers-hold.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/2014/03/05/3122897/after-15-years-lawmakers-hold.html#storylink=cpy

In the Senate it's SB 140 and is sponsored by Sen.  Morgan McGarvey (D) with co-sponsors (once again all Democrats) Sens Gerald Neal, Denise Harper Angel, Perry Clark, Reginald Thomas and Minority Whip Jerry Rhoads.   It was introduced on February 12 and assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee on Valentines Day.   

After 15 years of liberal-progressive Kentuckians pushing for it to happen, the hearing that Chairman Tilley talked about finally took place on March 5.  But with a divided legislature  (Republicans 23-12-1 independent in the Kentucky Senate, Democrats 54-46 in the Kentucky House) and the political shockwaves from the recent federal judicial decision invalidating Kentucky's same sex marriage amendment still reverberating throughout the Commonwealth, this may be all we get before the session ends in April

Then again, I never thought I see a Fairness law passed in Frankfort either. 

You can check out the video testimony from the HB 171 hearing.






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TBLG Rights Bill Fails In Brazil

The eyes of the world's TBLG community were turned toward Brazil yesterday as Senator Ana Rita as promised brought PLC 122 to a vote.  

It was a TBLG human rights bill that had been stalled by fundamentalist religious forces for 12 years as increasing number of trans and gay people have died in the country or faced escalating levels of horrific anti-BTLG violence.

It didn't go well.  29 senators voted against it, on 12 in favor and 2 abstained.    The defeat also erased the concepts of sexual orientation and gender identity from a review of Brazil's penal code.  

PLC 122 would have prohibited discrimination or inciting violence on the basis of gender identity and sexual orientation and it went down to defeat as evangelical leaders like Silas Malafaia gloated  

“You can swear, we’re hahahaha plc122 [the bill outlawing LGBT discrimination] is dead, hahahha try something else and wait a few years hahahaaha, if God laughs at the wicked, imagine me, hahahaha.”

“Our chances to add the concepts of sexual orientation and gender identity into the penal code are now near impossible,” said Luiz Henrique Coletto, Vice President of the Secular Humanist League of Brazil (LiHS), in a statement to LGBTQ Nation.

“This means that we have no nationwide federal protection against discrimination of, and violence against LGBT people,” he added. “The vote was a clear demonstration of anti-LGBT prejudice in Brazil.”

The Brazilian Forces of Intolerance won this round, but TBLG activists in Brazil, despite the disappointing defeat are continuing the fight and considering other options.

They have been successful in the Brazilian court system, and will go in that direction to obtain the human rights they so desperately need.  With Brazil set to host both the upcoming World Cup this summer and the Olympics in 2016, local activists are calling upon the world to do more to financially support indigenous Brazilian LGBT rights organizations.

They are also calling upon the United States, the European Union, the UN, the OAS and other international human rights actors to pressure President Dilma Rousseff and Brazilian legislators into getting thei nation to live up to the various human rights agreements they have signed.


Said attorney Paulo Roberto, a member of GADvS (Group of Lawyers for Sexual Diversity), to LGBTQ Nation, “Brazil is in violation of international resolutions and statements where it signed a commitment to protect GLBT citizens, both at the level of the United Nations and Organization of American States.”

“Furthermore,” he added, “If this country is not safe for our own people considering anti-gay violence, how can it be safe for people coming for the world cup and the Olympics?”

Indeed.  If it's not safe for its TBLG children, sooner or later it won't be safe for you ostensibly cis and straight Brazilians either.

C-279 Second Session Update- At Senate Second Reading

You peeps on both sides of the 49th Parallel, AKA the Canada-US border are wondering what the blazes is happening with C-279, the federal trans human rights bill that passed the Canadian House of Commons back on March 13 with a 149-137 vote. 

It has been in the Canadian Senate ever since, and if C-279 passes, it would amend the Canadian Criminal Code to add gender identity to the list of grounds protected from discrimination under the Canadian Human Rights Act and under the hate propaganda section of the Criminal Code.  

Translation:  It would protect trans people from discrimination at the federal level.


Because Conservative PM Stephen Harper asked for and got Parliament prorogued, it basically reset the entire legislative process.  C-279 at the time it was prorogued was at the stage where it only needed to undergo its last two hours of debate and pass its third vote before moving to the Royal Assent state to become Canadian law.  To sponsor Sen. Grant Mitchell's (Liberal-Alberta) unhappiness, the Conservatives in the Senate stalled it before they went on their summer recess on June 30.

NDP MP Randall Garrison, the sponsor of the private member's bill is still optimistic that it will pass even though Sen. Mobina Jaffer (Liberal-BC), whose Human Rights committee C-279 passed through in June on its way to Third Reading, expressed some pessimism in a July Straight.com article that it would pass after the successful last minute Conservative stalling tactics.  .

She is a supporter of the legislation along with Sen. Mitchell, who is the Senate sponsor shepherding its passage through the Red Chamber. 

So here's what has happened since the Canadian Senate returned to handle the nation's legislative business during this second parliamentary session on October 16.


Parliament was prorogued until after Canadian Thanksgiving on October 14.   When the senators returned to work on October 16, the good news was they reinstated C-279.   The bad news is that it had to start the entire legislative process in the Senate all over again. 

C-279 received its First Reading the next day (October 17), but didn't receive Second Reading until November 26.  Starting today this week is the last of five fixed sitting days for the Canadian Senate in 2013 before they go on their holiday break December 20.

The Senate will not return from that break until January 28, so any further action on C-279 is probably going to be delayed until after New Year's Day to give the haters like REAL Women of Canada (think the Maple Leaf division of the TERF's), their right wingers and Conservative senators in opposition to it a chance to throw more 'bathroom bill' (arrgh) shade at it again in an attempt to kill it. 

Okay, Canadian TransGriot readers, that's you cue to become agents of your own trans liberation and get busy calling, writing or e-mailing your senators to urge passage of C-279.

It's vitally important if your senator is a Conservative.  They need to hear from you and know they have trans constituents. 

All we can do on our side of the 49th Parallel is watch the bill's progress, wait unless y'all tell us otherwise, and cheer for its passage when it finally happens. 
.   

Elisa Chan Resigns From San Antonio City Council

There's good news and bad news for our TBLG peeps on the western end of I-10.

The good news is that transphobic and homophobic councilmember Elisa Chan has resigned from the San Antonio City Council effective October 18.

“I have done my best to represent the conservative values of these fine people. The people of this district take an active role in deciding policy, giving their input, volunteering their time and listening to the views of their neighbors,” she wrote in her resignation letter to Mayor Julian Castro. .

She was one of the three NO votes against the San Antonio non discrimination ordinance that added gender identity and sexual orientation language on September 5 and incredibly voted against the veterans protections that passed on a 9-2 vote the same day. 

In addition to he anti-gay comments, Chan also attacked former San Antonio city councilmember Leticia Ozuna and disparaged her marriage to a trans woman.

So now that I've given you the good news, hope you're sitting down for the bad news trans and SGL Texans. 

The bad news is that Chan resigned in order to run for the Texas state senate   She announced she was challenging incumbent Teapublican freshman State Senator Donna Campbell for the District 25 seat   Texas law requires that she resign from her council seat in order to run for the state legislature with the filing period starting on November 9 and running through December.

Please tell me San Antonio BTLG family y'all have a strong Democratic candidate running for the District 25 senate seat in case Chan knocks off Campbell and gets through that GOP primary.

The last thing I want to see in the 2015 Texas Senate is Elisa Chan sitting in it. 
 

Sen. Wendy Davis Filibuster For Texas Abortion Rights

For you folks who think progressive Democrats are extinct in Texas, au contraire.   I'm one of them. 

When a draconian unjust anti-abortion bill was proposed by the GOP oppressors, the Texas Democrats in the House and our allies used any means necessary to slow down and stop its progress.

We also got an assist from Gov. Goodhair because he added the abortion issue to the special session agenda late in the session, thus giving the Democrats a way to stop the bill and putting the Teapublicans under time pressure to pass it.

There was the 'people's filibuster' in which 700 opponents signed up to speak against the bill at a Thursday Austin hearing and dragged it out to 3:45 AM Friday morning despite State Affairs committee chair Byron Cook (R) trying to shut it down after midnight.  

The House Democrats showed up late to deny a quorum, used the rule book and basically did everything they could to frustrate and slow down the passage of that unjust bill.  The drama in the house led to the major gaffe by Rep Jodie Laubenberg (R-Parker) not knowing what a rape kit is for   

When it finally passed the House on a 97-33 vote,  Sen Wendy Davis was lying in wait to filibuster it, which started at 11:18 AM CDT this morning. 

And as a TransGriot public service and my effort to #StandWithWendy, I've got the live feed of the filibuster up in this post. 

She has to stay on her feet, stay on the bill topic, take no bathroom or food breaks and keep talking until midnight when the special session ends and killing the bill..




Governor Goodhair can simply call another special session, but the legislative process on that unjust bill has to start all over again.

And I would love to see Sen. Davis run for governor someday or the US Senate and replace either one of the two worthless excuses for senators we have desecrating them now. 

TransGriot Update:  Lt Governor David Dewhurst tried to stop Sen Davis filibuster at 10:03 PM claiming that her discussion of the sonogram bill they passed in 2011 wasn't germane to SB5.  That triggered a procedural floor fight by Democratic senators that lasted until  midnight and the Republicans having to wade through several procedural votes before they could even clear the decks to stage a vote to pass SB 5 which they attempted to do.  But since that SB 5 vote started after midnight, the bill was dead for this special session.
  

Is The Texas Special Session Over Yet?

The Teapublican controlled Texas Legislature went into a special session moments after the sine die date on the regular 2013 session that is mercifully drawing to a close. 

In addition to taking on the redistricting issue which will have a lawsuit filed against it when this session is over faster than you can say 'Rick Perry', Governor Goodhair (R) also threw a right-wing bone to the teabaggers and added the issue of abortion to the issues being worked on during the legislative special session,.

That's when the fun started. State Rep Jodie Laubenberg (Teabagger-Parker) obliged by being the House sponsor of SB 5, a bill that not only bans abortion after 20 weeks, it sets standards for existing clinics in Texas that will force 37 of the 42 clinics that currently operate in the state to close. 


Rep Senfronia Thompson (D-Houston) then introduced an amendment to the draconian bill that would carve out an exception for it in the cases of rape and incest, and it was in the context of explaining why it wasn't needed that Laubenburg made the gaffe that is going to follow her to her grave and hopefully will lead to her being voted out of the legislature next November.  

Rep Thompson's amendment was defeated but not before the dean of the Texas House engaged in some of her classic oratory excoriating the Republifools.  





With the GOP having a 95-55 Texas House majority, there was no doubt this odious bill was going to pass and it did 97-33.  But due to there being differing versions of extremism in SB 5, it has to go back to the Senate for reconciliation, where Senate Dems are preparing to welcome it with a filibuster in the hopes of killing it when the special session ends at midnight and denying Perry the chance to scribble his signature on it an make it law.

Lt Gov David Dewhurst (R) who is rumored to wanting to run for Perry's job next year is dropping hints that if 'certain measures' don't pass, we'll have another tax money wasting and drama filled special session. 

Is it November 6, 2014 yet?

Delaware House To Vote On Trans Rights Bill Today

All eyes in the trans community will be turned towards Dover, DE and the First State today as the 41 members of the Delaware House are poised to debate and vote on SB 97.
The bill sponsored by African-American state Sen. Margaret Rose Henry (D-Wilmington) passed the Delaware Senate June 6 on an 11-7 vote and favorably out of the House Administration Committee last Tuesday on a 4-1 vote.

The Gender Identity Nondiscrimination Bill would add gender identity to the existing list of protected nondiscrimination categories, including race, age, religion and sexual orientation. It also allows for enhanced penalties under Delaware's hate crimes law for targeting someone based on his or her gender identity.

The Democrats have a 27-14 edge in the Delaware House, and the bill also has the support of Atty General Beau Biden (D) and Gov. Jack Markell (D), who has indicated he would sign SB 97 if it passes.

If the bill passes, Delaware would become the 17th state to pass a statewide trans rights law.

21 votes is the magic number were looking for today, and I'm crossing my fingers and saying my prayers along with trans Delawareans in hopes that there will be more good news to celebrate trans human rights wise before the end of the day.

Clock's Ticking On GENDA

While there is good trans rights news about Delaware passing SB 97 out of committee and being solidly on the road to becoming the 17th state to pass trans human rights coverage and internationally out of Canada, that's sadly not the case in New York.

The GOP controlled Senate there is stalling GENDA's passage and trying to run out the clock to ensure they reach the June 20 summer adjournment date without bringing it to the Senate floor for a vote.

GENDA has passed the New York State assembly six consecutive times only to be stalled by the GOP controlled senate.

Albany County just made the New York Senate look even more like the trans oppressors they seem hell bent on being by unanimously passing Local Law D, which bans discrimination based on gender identity and expression.

So keep up the pressure on the Senate, New York trans community and keep channeling your inner Sylvia Rivera.  The bill has the support of your fellow New Yorkers.  You have the moral high ground and the stats and the testimony to prove this bill is needed.   The New York Times just posted a June 12 editorial calling for the passage of GENDA

But where is Gov. Andrew Cuomo who was so vocal on marriage equality?  Why so cricket chirping silent on this human rights issue? .Start calling out Gov. Cuomo on his hypocritical silence on GENDA and point out trans people do vote in presidential primaries especially since he's  rumored to be thinking about running for POTUS..          

Delaware Trans Rights Bill Out Of House Committee

More good news out of Delaware as the First State shows New York how it should be done when it comes to passing a trans rights bill. 

Senate Bill 97 has bipartisan support and passed in the Delaware Senate June 6 on an 11-7 vote. 

It passed out of the House Administration Committee with a favorable bipartisan 4-1 vote Tuesday as the two Republicans on the committee went in opposite trans human rights directions.

The usual 'bathroom bill' spin meistering from Nicole Theis and her haters from the Delaware Family Policy Transphobic Hate Council ain't working because the bill has support from Gov. Jack Markell (D), Atty General Beau Biden (D), and several people testifying favorably for its passage. 

One of those people is Delaware native Sarah McBride who is lobbying with Equality Delaware along with her parents.  Sarah was the trans White House intern I met during OUT on the Hill last year and now she's handling her trans human rights business.   

The bill now goes to the full Delaware House for a vote on June 17 that will be watched by all of us in Trans America.  If it passes on Tuesday the bill heads to Gov. Markell for his signature. .

GENDA Stalled In NY Senate Again-What's Up With That?

And as residents of the state where Sylvia Rivera spent her life up to and including her deathbed working for trans rights, it's past time for y'all to start channeling her fighting spirit and kick azz tough minded determination to pass the civil rights coverage that our community needs."--TransGriot June 27, 2011 What Are Y'all Gonna Do New York Trans Community?

New York trans community, I know you won't rest (and shouldn't) until GENDA becomes law but y'all should be taking it as an insult that a statewide trans rights bill introduced on May 31 in Delaware is halfway to passage and becoming law in that state. 

Meanwhile you peeps that reside in the state where the Stonewall Rebellion was kicked off by Ms Rivera in 1969 are once again facing the fact it has been eleven years since human rights coverage for gay New Yorkers was passed by throwing you under the civil rights bus to get it and thirteen years since the non trans inclusive New York hate crimes law passed in 2000.

The what would have been 62nd birthday of Sylvia Rivera is approaching on July 2.  What would Sylvia be doing in this situation if she was still here in this plane of existence?   Raising hell about it until GENDA passed and had Gov. Cuomo's signature on it. 

How about setting a goal of having that done by her birthday?

New York trans community, y'all need to get pissed off and channel your inner Sylvia Rivera.  You not only need to start demanding ASAP the New York Senate bring GENDA out of committee and to the Senate floor for a vote,  but respectfully demand that the governor you helped elect spend some of his political capital pushing for GENDA's passage so he can sign it into law as he claims he would do if that happens.

Here's the phone number of his Albany office to get you started on the road to being agents of your own trans liberation: 518-474-8390 and making Sylvia smile.

That's a nice opportunity for me to segue into focusing on Gov. Andrew Cuomo.   Here's a Democratic governor who loudly proclaimed as he was signing the marriage equality bill into law after it passed in June 2011 that "New York at its finest has always been a beacon of social justice.”

It seems he has amnesia about the fact that same New York social justice has eluded its transgender  residents.  I also must remind folks of those shame inducing moments in 2000 and 2002 when my transpeople were deliberately excluded from New York's social justice when they were cut out of the hate crimes bill and SONDA. 

It also is quite interesting to note that Gov. Cuomo, who couldn't shut up about marriage equality in 2011 and was tirelessly drumming up support to pass it, is cricket chirping silent about equality when it applies to trans New Yorkers.   

And don't forget Governor Cuomo, it's not just trans New Yorkers who are watching you as a GENDA bill that has passed your state Assembly now six times continues to languish in the New York Senate.  We compare and contrast your inaction on this bill of vital importance to the trans community and our allies to the active and vocal 2011 role you took in passing marriage equality. 

Your inaction and silence on GENDA is being noticed not only by trans New Yorkers, but our allies inside and outside the state.  This Change.org petition is evidence of that.

I also need to remind you we transpeople do vote and are active members of the Democratic Party.  If you follow through on the rumors to run for the Democratic nomination for president in 2016 or 2020, you dismiss at your political peril the ability of the trans community to affect a Democratic nomination process. 

If you think I'm kidding about that, did you get an invite to President Hillary Clinton's inauguration in 2008 or 2012?   We may not have as much money as the gay community does and the anti-trans discrimination we face plays a large role in that GENDA would address, but we did manage to donate over $13K to the 2008 Obama campaign.   What we don't have in cash we make up for with votes and people power for campaigns.

16 states, with Delaware on its way to becoming the 17th to do so have laws on the books to protect the human rights of their trans citizens. 

New York has the chance to join that list and no, signing a continuation of Governor David Paterson’s executive order barring discrimination against transgender employees of NY state is not enough.

The transpeople who don't work for the state need the legal protection that GENDA will provide, and the only thing stopping you from becoming known as a state that values its trans citizens is the New York Senate

You also said at the time you signed the marriage equality bill, "The other states look to New York for the. progressive direction. What we said today is, you look to New York once again. New York made a powerful statement, not just for the people of New York, but for people all across this nation.”

And we need you Gov. Cuomo to make that powerful statement once again not only for trans New Yorkers, but the nation as well.
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Trans Rights Bill Passes Delaware Senate

Well, that was quick.   Senate Bill 97, the trans rights bill introduced late last month by Senate Majority Whip Margaret Rose Henry (D-Wilmington) that would add gender identity and expression to the state’s anti-discrimination and hate crimes laws was passed on an 11-7 Delaware Senate vote on June 6.

Senate Bill 97 would specifically ban anti-transgender discrimination in housing, employment, public accommodations and works contracting and insurance.  It has the support of Atty Gen. Beau Biden (D) .and Governor Jack Markell (D).

It also has determined opposition from the Delaware Family Policy Transphobic Bigotry Council.

According to the Washington Blade, of the eleven senators voting YES on SB 97, one Republican, state Sen. Catherine Cloutier (R-Heatherbrooke,) joined the ten Democrats voting in favor of the bill's passage. 

Of the seven senate NO votes, two Democrats, state Sens. Bruce Ennis (D-Smyrna,) and Robert Venables, Sr., (D-Laurel) joined the Republicans voting to continue oppressing trans people in the state.

State Sens. Brian Bushweller (D-Dover) and Senate Minority Whip Gregory Lavelle (R-Sharpley) abstained, while Sen. Brian Pettyjohn (R-Georgetown) was absent.

Keep that in mind Delaware transpeeps when November 2014 rolls around.

“This bill lets people know that Delaware will welcome you and that, in keeping with our highest ideals as Americans, we will not tolerate discrimination or violence against a person based on their race, color, religion, sexual orientation or now based on their perceived gender,” Sen. Henry said after the vote.

SB 97 now moves on to the Delaware House Administration Committee which is scheduled to hold a June 12 hearing on the bill.   Advocates arre confident it has the votes in the Delaware house to pass and get Gov Markell's signature.