Paige's Open Letter To Charlotte City Council

Was not happy to hear that yesterday the Charlotte City Council, after resisting a so-called 'deal' in September to  repeal their NDO in exchange for the Republican controlled North Carolina legislature subsequently repealing the unjust HB2, the Charlotte City Council on a surprise 10-0 vote threw the Charlotte trans community under the bus and repealed the trans protective NDO as part of a 'deal' brokered by Roy Cooper that allegedly will result in the repeal of the unjust HB2.

Of course I'm pissed about it along with trans folks in Charlotte and North Carolina who don't trust the NC GOP to follow through on their end of it.   But what has them even more incensed is that they weren't consulted, and are livid that the Charlotte City Council would take this step without consulting them.

Local trans leader Paige Dula composed an open letter to the Charlotte City Council that expresses the feeling of trans folks in the Queen City, and I'm posting it as a guest op-ed because the voices of the local trans community needed to be signal boosted.

And now, here's Paige Dula's open letter..

***

As a member of the local LGBTQ community I must say I was totally taken aback by the sudden repeal of Charlotte's NDO on the condition of the NCGA lifting HB2. I have been personally contacted by a couple of you privately and I appreciate you reaching out as you have. But I have to ask why didn't you reach out to our community sooner to discuss this course of action? We worked together very hard over several years to make the NDO happen. So many people in the local LGBT community have a LOT of skin in that game. It's not safe or easy to be out as a transgender woman but I and a few others did so the past couple years to put a face to why the protections are important. We sacrificed our personal safety and privacy for the betterment of our whole LGBT community. In one meeting you rendered that as worthless. I understand the state and Charlotte in particular is really taking on the chin financially in the wake of HB2 and the boycotts. But why give in NOW? Why when you said you wouldn't in September?

I've been assured that in the future Charlotte will pass another NDO, once Roy Cooper is in office. The problem is the NCGA still has a Republican super majority that will just be able to do a repeat of HB2. That is, unless Charlotte passes an NDO the NCGA finds palatable. That would entail stripping transgender protections in the public accommodations area. That would be unacceptable as that is the area where transgender people experience the most harassment and discrimination.

The other option would be to hope the redistricting and subsequent re-election of the NCGA next year results in there no longer being a republican super majority and a fully inclusive NDO could go in and stand unchallenged at least as long as we have a Democratic governor. In that case we have at minimum a year before a new ordinance can go in. And let me tell you that at least for the Trans community the incidences of harassment have done nothing but increase thanks to HB2 and the Trump campaign. Bigots feel emboldened now and we need protection now more than ever. Next year transgender people are likely to lose a ton of protections that Obama put in place for us: Affordable Care Act requiring medical treatment for Trans patients... GONE, Title IX protections for Trans students... GONE, DOJ case against HB2... GONE, transgender people serving openly in the military... GONE.

So pardon me if I don't have a lot of trust that you all are doing what is best for me, my community, Charlotte, and NC. What good is a government who doesn't stand beside the least of their constituents? We fought hard to make sure you were elected because we were assured you had our backs. All I see now is your back turned against us.

Fairfax Co. VA School Board Adds Gender Identity To Non Discrimination Policy

The Fairfax County School District is the largest in Virginia and the tenth largest in the nation, and Thursday night had a vote adding gender identity to their nondiscrimination policy on the agenda.

The haters had something on their agenda too, and it was busing in out of town haters to stir up anti-trans animus in a desperate attempt to derail doing the right thing for its trans and gender variant students, teachers and staff.

The contentious meeting took place in front of a room packed with opponents to the proposed policy change that were polite to the ten speakers allowed to comment pro and con on Policy 1450, but cut loose to rudely interrupt board members who spoke in favor of the change as they unleashed every lie from their anti-trans fear and smear playbook.

The transphobes were so out of control that five were removed from the meeting room, others were threatened with removal, and Board Chair Tamara Denarek Kaufax threatened to clear the room if they didn't cease and desist with the nekulturny behavior.

After a failed attempt by the two board opponents of Policy 1450 to delay the vote until October, the Fairfax School Board voted 10-1 with one abstention to pass it as the opponents shouted insults at the board and policy supporters and stormed out of the room.

Ryan McElveen, the Fairfax School Board member who introduced the update to Policy 1450, proclaimed, “Our board will be remembered not for postponing, not for delaying civil rights but for protecting all of our employees and all of our children.”

A statement from Chair Kaufax said that the policy will ensure everyone in the district is treated “with dignity and respect.”

And that's all transpeople and trans students want.  Policies that protect their human rights so they can focus on getting their education, and if they are staff or teachers, do their jobs to the best of their ability..

That's obviously something the professional trans haters forgot in their zeal to foment hatred of transpeople for their paymasters.

Plano, TX Passes Problematic TBLG Inclusive Ordinance

With Houston becoming in May the most recent Texas city to enact  an inclusive non-discrimination law with the passage of HERO, Lone Star TBLG Texans were waiting to see what Texas city would step up to the human rights plate next.

Turns out it was Plano, TX with a population of 274,000 peeps. The Plano City Council on a 5-3 vote Monday night expanded its non-discrimination ordinance that has been in effect since 1989 to include gender identity and sexual orientation in front of a standing room only City Council chamber.

Note to all you folks considering the same thing for your cities and towns.  Draft the strongest ordinance you can and bump the haters because you only get one shot to do it right.  The Plano ordinance problematically excluded bathrooms, and the expanded ordinance is STILL getting hated on.

The Plano Equal Rights Policy that takes effect in January affords equal rights to individuals regardless of “U.S. military/veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation and gender identity.”

It prohibits discrimination in places of “public accommodation, employment practices, housing transactions and city contracting practices.”

City contractors must agree to comply with the equal employment opportunity clause but may apply for a waiver “based on a conflict with federal or state law.”

Exemptions are provided for religious organizations; political organizations; nonprofit organizations, except those receiving city grant money; educational institutions; private clubs; and state and federal agencies.

The Plano ordinance does not require employers to provide benefits to an employee’s domestic partner

Plano is not only the sixth Texas city to do so, it is the first suburban Texas one to take that human rights step. “Providing equal rights for everyone is the right thing to do,” Mayor Harry Rosiliere said during the contentious meeting as the haters once again tried to deploy their patented  fear and smear tactics and failed.

The expanded policy has the support of large Plano employers such as Frito-Lay, Toyota and PepisCo, and the North Texas Gay and Lesbian Alliance.    Jeanne Rubin, vice president of the North Texas Gay and Lesbian Alliance said after the affirmative council vote was tallied .“I’m glad the Plano City Council did the right thing,”

But there are people gearing up to do the right wing hate thing.  There was opposition from Texas Values, Collin County GOP (surprise, surprise) state legislators like Jodie Laubenberg, Pat Fallon, Jeff Leach, Rep-elect Matt Shaheen and (indicted) Attorney General elect Ken Paxton.   The Plano based ''christian" advocacy group the Liberty Institute is threatening to file a lawsuit.

There were also threats by the sore bigot losers of recalls against the five councilmembers who voted for it and the mayor.

In big cities like Houston that have sizable progressive populations, we laugh that off, but in GOP leaning 'Collin County, it's stay tuned time to see if they make that threat happen.

Hearing that trans folks in North Texas hate the cave on the bathroom.   I'm going to be interested to hear from Nell Gaither and other peeps in the Dallas metro area to find out if they were even consulted in terms of crafting the language on this.

But congrats to Plano for trying doing the right thing.. 

Texas Non-Discrimination Ordinances Panel Discussion Today

If you're looking for an interesting and timely discussion concerning non-discrimination ordinances in Texas especially in light of our upcoming court fight over HERO, that will be happening on the campus of the South Texas  College of Law this afternoon at 1 PM.

It's sponsored by the Stonewall Law Association of Greater Houston , South Texas College of Law AMICUS, Social Sciences & The Law Society and the ACLU Student Organization.

It will take place at the Joe M. Green Auditorium on the South Texas College of Law campus at 1301 San Jacinto St. in beautiful downtown Houston from 1:00-5:00 PM CST

The panel will feature Houston City Attorney David M. Feldman, Attorney and human rights advocate Susan L. Hays, Founding CEO of First Person Christina Canales Gorczynski,  South\Texas College of Law Professor Richard R. Carlson, and ACLU Texas Legal and Policy Director Rebecca Robertson.

Upcoming Texas Non-Discrimination Ordinances Discussion

Too bad I will miss this event on November 7 sponsored by the Stonewall Law Association of Greater Houston , South Texas College of Law AMICUS, Social Sciences & The Law Society and the ACLU Student Organization

It will be a timely and fascinating discussion on non-discrimination ordinances in the state of Texas with a concentration on our own fight to implement the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance that was passed back in May.

And note to those Houston area human rights hatin' preachers, there have still been no bakers forced to bake swastika cakes in the Houston city limits.

The panel will feature Houston City Attorney David M. Feldman, Attorney and human rights advocate Susan L. Hays, Founding CEO of First Person Christina Canales Gorczynski,  South\Texas College of Law Professor Richard R. Carlson, and ACLU Texas Legal and Policy Director Rebecca Robertson.

That's definitely shaping up as an interesting panel for this human rights discussion, and it will take place at the Joe M. Green Auditorium on the South Texas College of Law campus at 1301 San Jacinto St. in beautiful downtown Houston from 1:00-5:00 PM CST

Attendance is free, but you must RSVP slaghlaw@gmail.com by November 5 to attend.

CLE's will also be offered, but you need to be a member of the Stonewall Law Association of Greater Houston to receive those credits.   Membership is $20 for attorneys and $10 for non attorneys at the reduced rate in effect for the rest of 2014.

AISD Meeting To Add Gender ID To Nondiscrimination Policy

The Houston, Dallas and Forth Worth ISD's have done this already, and now Austin will have an opportunity to do this at their board meeting tonight at7 PM.

Thanks to Paige Schilt, I was alerted to the fact that AISD is pondering adding gender identity to the nondiscrimination policy  .  While this should be a no brainer decision for Items 14.3 and 14.5, you can bet there will be some haters in the AISD house spreading lies to try to stop it, or delay the decision so they can gather the hate troops from out of town..

If you can do so and support AISD adding gender identity to their policy, now is your time to speak and be heard.   The board needs facts and your stories to base their vote on, not lies and disinformation.

The meeting was last night, and I'm trying to ascertain if AISD became the fourth district in the Lone Star State to protect its trans students and employees.

Hoping we had people from the AUSTEX area signing up to speak during Citizens Communication. The policy for Citizens Communication can be found at http://www.austinisd.org/board/meetings.

AISD is the fifth largest school district in the state, and it would send another powerful message to the rest of the ISD's waffling or ignoring this critical issue.

AISD headquarters is located on 1111 W. 6th Street, so if you feel that Austin should be on that short list of school districts that protect their trans students and employees, you may wish to help pack the room and ensure the right thing is done.

TransGriot Update:  The AISD board voted unanimously last night to make the fifth largest school district in the state the fourth one in Texas to add gender identity to their nondiscrimination policy for students and employees.   

Now we'll see if other Centex  ISD's follow their lead.

6th Annual TTNS Hits The Road Next Month

One of my favorite events to attend since I'm moved back home and haven't missed is the Texas Transgender Nondiscrimination Summit.

The second TTNS summit at Rice University was the first in state and in town event I attended mere weeks after my May 2010 return to Houston, and I haven't missed one since. 

This 6th annual edition of the TTNS is going to be a historic and interesting one because for the first time it ventures out of its Houston area backyard and hits the Lone Star roads as founder Josephine Tittsworth intended it to do.  

So whats the Texas Transgender Nondiscrimination Summit?  

The TTNS is a two day event that invites interested parties in higher education and interested advocates to discuss and come up with strategies and best practices in regards to codifying inclusion of "gender identity and expression" into institutional policy. 

The TTNS summit serves as a way to facilitate that policy and procedural inclusion.  It does so via discussion of divergent and respective strategies in regard to overcoming the inevitable barriers that always arise when proposing policies that will expand education opportunities for transgender students and the human rights for all.

The 2014 edition of the TTNS will take place at the LBJ Student Center on the campus of Texas State University August 8-9.  

Our keynote speakers for this year will be Dr. Gage E. Paine, Vice President for Student Affairs at The University of Texas at Austin and Daniel Williams, Field Organizer and Legislative Specialist for Equality Texas.

In addition to the keynotes, the TTNS will have two days worth of seminars covering various topics,  chances to network with other people doing this work and hopefully the TTNS chocolate break.

For the second straight year yours truly will be doing more than just chronicling the TTNS happenings, I'll also be teaching a seminar. 

What subject?   You'll have to roll to San Marcos and join us to find out.

But you still have time to do precisely that.
 

The Truth About The Houston HERO Haters

Pretty much sums up the attitudes of the opponents on the other side and a nauseating talking point we have heard repeatedly cited over the last three hearings.

Now The H-Town Fight For Equal Rights Begins

We Houston activists, public officials and TBLG leaders have been anxiously awaiting the release of the language in the proposed Houston Equal Rights Ordinance.

The Mayor's Office finally released the initial draft of the Equal Rights Ordinance at 2:30 PM followed by a press conference in which Mayor Annise Parker answered questions about it.

http://www.houstontx.gov/ordinancefeedback/equalrights_ordinance.pdf

Got people analyzing it now. but on first glance the ERO prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.    It covers city and private employment, housing and has the public accommodations language the trans community wants in it.

Now comes the fight to pass it.   It will take nine city council votes to pass in and finally add Houston to the long list of over 180 cities that have already done so.   If we are successful in accomplishing that task, out job then becomes pivoting to successfully defending our hard won ERO from the misguided people on the wrong side of the moral arc of the universe.  

We have every confidence in H-town that we can and we will build the broad based coalition necessary to accomplish both tasks.   

Houston is a world class city.   It's way past time our human rights laws reflected that.   The fight to make that happen begins today.

TransGriot Update:  The City of Houston's Quality of Life Committee chaired by Councilmember Ellen Cohen, will be meeting on Wednesday, April 30th, at 2:00 PM in Council Chambers at City Hall (901 Bagby St).  There will be discussion on the City's Equal Rights Ordinance, and public comments are accepted.

Federal Reserve Bank Of Dallas Refuses To Add Trans Protections

Over the last several years we have had governmental entities and colleges and universities all over the Dallas-Fort Worth area add sexual orientation and gender identity language to their non discrimination statements or employment policies.

The Federal Reserve Bank in Dallas, which has branches in San Antonio, Houston and El Paso, has employment protections for sexual orientation in its non discrimination policy but is refusing to add gender identity language to it.

What's up with that FRB of Dallas?

Rafael O'Donnell, the Communications and Advocacy Manager of Resource Center Dallas sent a letter in June requesting a meeting with FRB Dallas representatives to discuss adding gender identity and expression protections, to which he received an email declining a meeting. After an email response that went unanswered, McDonnell sent a second letter in August, but received no response. He then sent a follow-up email in September. that has gone unanswered.

Tyrone Gholson, the senior Vice President of FRB Dallas not only has not responded to McDonnell's request for a meeting, he has also not answered the Dallas Voice's request for comments concerning this issue. 

“It’s baffling,” McDonnell said in a Dallas Voice interview about the process. “Other branches of the Federal Reserve Bank offer fully inclusive employment protections. Many of the nation’s largest commercial banks offer full LGBT employment protections. To be dismissed in an email, without responding to other attempts to contact, makes me wonder how truly committed FRB Dallas is to inclusively.”

Same here, especially when other governmental entities in the Dallas-Fort Worth area do so. 

So you know what that means TransGriot readers.  Time to be agents of our own liberation once again.

Respectfully call Mr. Gholson at 214-922-6000 or hit up his email address  tyrone.gholson@dal.frb.org and encourage him and FRB of Dallas CEO Richard Fisher to add trans employment protections to their policies as expeditiously as possible. 

Garland TBLG Residents Address City Council

Garland DART board member Michael Cheney taking that futile walk that denied a quorum for passage of domestic partner benefits during the September 24 DART board meeting may have been the spark that finally motivated the TBLG peeps in Garland to push for their own non-discrimination ordinance.

Garland BTLG community residents accompanied by Rafael McDonnell and Dallas Gay and Lesbian Alliance President Patti Fink showed up at a recent meeting of their city council accroding to the Dallas Voice and expressed themselves not only about Cheney's walkout at the DADT meeting but the lack of a non-discrimination ordinance in Garland.

Lerone Landis told the council at the October 2 meeting he is a daily DART rider who lives in the city with his husband and their 4 year old daughter. He stated he was disappointed to learn that it was Garland’s representative who prevented the healthcare equalization plan from passing and urged the Garland City Council to pass a nondiscrimination policy for its own employees and city residents to show they are serious and committed to diversity in the city. 

Carmarion Anderson said she was embarrassed to be a Garland resident after Cheney’s stunt at the DART meeting.  “We live here and pay our taxes here,” she said and expressed her expectations to the council that she and DART's LGBT employees receive equal treatment. 

Fink called Cheney’s action at the DART meeting “shameful.” and encouraged the council to pass an ordinance that would cover city employees.

“Be on the cutting edge and bring new business to the city,” Fink said.

Garland Mayor Douglas Athas and two councilmen spoke to the group in the council chambers when the council meeting concluded  and said the city would consider the idea of a nondiscrimination ordinance.

“We have a lot of lesbian and gay employees,” Mayor Athos said. “We would never allow that sort of discrimination.”  He said he had never heard a request from any of the city’s lesbian and gay community for a nondiscrimination ordinance. But he called the ordinance “nothing to rush into because no one’s come forward” with a complaint.

Mayor Athas, just because nobody's filed a complaint concerning anti-LGBT discrimination doesn't mean you can make the conclusion jump the discrimination isn't happening in a city the size of Garland.  And as far as your comment that no one from the Garland TBLG community has requested a nondiscrimination ordinance, I guess you weren't paying attention during that meeting when Carmarion Anderson and Lerone Landis were taking three minutes each of their valuable time to address the council.


Patti Fink told the mayor that most Fortune 500 companies have a nondiscrimination policy and look to relocate in cities that have similar policies. She said that the city may not have received any complaints, but many people looking for work may have skipped applying in suburban Garland because they have no protections.

Could Garland be the next community in the DFW Metroplex to protect its TBLG residents from discrimination?   Stay tuned to this TransGriot channel to find out.

San Antonio City Council Considering Adding Gender Identity To Non-Discrimination Ordinance

San Antonio is the second largest city in Texas and is considering adding gender identity and sexual orientation to their anti-discrimination ordinance. 

If this human rights ordinance change is passed by the San Antonio City Council, it would amend the city codes to protect people from discrimination in housing, public accommodations and employment based on their sexual orientation, gender identity and veteran’s status. It would also make San Antonio the largest city in the state of Texas to do so. 

It was headed to a final vote in June but was delayed until either this month or September as I suspect by the opponents on the San Antonio City Council to give the Forces of Intolerance time to organize opposition in order to protect their special right to discriminate.

They have been busy flooding the San Antonio City Council and Mayor Julian Castro (D) with negative calls at a 60-1 ratio and those of you who are on the side of fighting for TBLG human rights need to be heard ASAP and countering the faith based lies.. 

It takes six votes on San Antonio City Council to pass ordinances.  As of this moment the supporters for the changes are Mayor Julián Castro, District 1 Councilman Diego Bernal, District 4 Councilman Rey Saldaña, District 5 Councilwoman Shirley Gonzales, and District 6 Councilman Ray Lopez.

Opposed to the ordinance changes are District 9 Councilwoman Elisa Chan and District 10 Councilman Carlton Soules.

So if you're keeping human rights score at home, that's five YES votes and two NO votes

There are four council members whose votes are either undeclared at this time.or who are still evaluating the changes.  Those councilmembers are District 2 Councilwoman Ivy Taylor, District 3 Councilwoman Rebecca Viagran, District 7 Councilman Cris Medina, and District 8 Councilman Ron Nirenberg . 

All we need is one of the four to vote YES for passage while the haters need all of them to vote NO to defeat it.  So let's get busy RESPECTFULLY trying to convince them to vote our way.

Trans discrimination exists in Texas and has deleterious effects on us.  With many of us living in Texas urban areas like San Antonio, it's past time for the cities to do what we know our GOP dominated state legislature won't in terms of protecting the human rights of their TBLG citizens.

San Antonio clergy have come out in favor of the change to the non-discrimination ordinance and are circulating this letter in support.

As faith leaders from a wide range of denominations, faith traditions and communities from across San Antonio, we dedicate our lives to fostering faith and compassion and work daily to promote justice and fairness for all God’s children. It is out of this common call to fairness and justice that we strongly encourage the San Antonio City Council to amend the city codes to protect people from discrimination in housing, public accommodations and employment based on their sexual orientation, gender identity and veteran’s status.

The sacred writings and traditions that we follow carry the messages of love, justice and inclusion. Our faiths teach us that we should treat others as we wish to be treated. These common-sense additions to the city code promote the common good and express our fundamental commitment to basic fairness. All hardworking people in San Antonio should have the chance to earn a living and provide for their families without fear of being fired for reasons that have nothing to do with their job performance. Everyone should have equal access to housing and public accommodations.

The time for San Antonio to extend its commitment to fairness and compassion is NOW: As religious leaders in San Antonio, we call on the City of San Antonio to do more to protect all its residents and visitors from arbitrary discrimination by ensuring that all have equal access to employment, housing, and public accommodations. By updating the city codes, the City Council will strengthen our community by fostering an atmosphere of respect and inclusivity and will send the message that San Antonio is a welcoming place to live, work, and raise a family.

In addition it's time for our trans brothers and sisters residing in San Antonio to become agents of your own liberation.  You have a golden opportunity to get an ordinance passed that protects your human rights and all you need to do is e-mail or pick up the phone and call your city councilmember and Mayor Castro.

Of course visiting their offices won't hurt either in addition to planning on being in council chambers when the vote happens.  But first things first, here's a list of the folks you need to chat with who either oppose or are non committal about this sensible change.  

Here's hoping I will have positive news to report to the rest of the state, nation and world in terms of whether or not the Alamo City values its TBLG citizens. 


TransGriot Update: There's an additional website, Support Equal Rights In San Antonio you can click on to stay abreast of what's happening in the Alamo City concerning the non discrimination ordinance. You can also follow the Twitter hashtag #ndo4sa for info as well

ENDA Set For July 10 Senate Committee Vote

The long delayed Employment and Non Discrimination Act (ENDA) will finally get a Senate committee vote.

The bill if passed would prevent discrimination by civilian non religious employers of 15 or more people on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity in hiring and employment.

I'd personally like to see religious employers added to this bill as well because as far as I'm concerned, you don't have a special right to discriminate. 

It was reintroduced by a bipartisan group of lawmakers back in April and has been scheduled for a July 10 vote before the Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Committee.

President Obama supports ENDA, wants to sign it and is urging action on the bill as a coalition of legislators and LG groups press him to sign an executive order that won't have the coverage that passed Congressional legislation will.   An executive order is also vulnerable to being overturned which is why the POTUS wants to go the legislative route.   
 

Puerto Rico Considering TBLG Inclusive Anti-Discrimination Bill

It's past time it happened, but it took the November 6 election for this welcome news to become a reality. 

The Puerto Rican legislature is proposing a trans inclusive anti discrimination bill.    It would make it a crime to discriminate against someone based on their gender identity or sexual orientation.

Until the Popular Democratic Party gained control of the Puerto Rican House of Representatives and the Puerto Rican Senate, this bill would be proposed, pass the House of Representatives, but die in the conservative leaning Senate controlled by the pro-statehood New Progressive Party.

The proposed bill was submitted by Senator Ramon Luis Nieves and seeks to protect people in Puerto Rico from being discriminated at work, in public places, and during transactions including renting or selling property.

“A human being’s dignity cannot be violated,” said Sen. Nieves, who was flanked by supporters including Pedro Peters Maldonado, a San Juan legislator who is Puerto Rico’s first openly gay elected official.

The bill has long been sought by human rights activists and organizations in the territory who have long complained about the transphobic and homophobic attitudes that deleteriously affect TBLG Puerto Ricans. 

Despite most government departments having their own anti-discriminatory policies, local human rights advocates say they are far too often not enforced.  The spike in anti-BTLG violence on the island also has activists demanding that the human rights of the Puerto Rican LBGT community be protected. 

The bill will be debated in the upcoming weeks and is expected to pass.   We'll see once it starts going through the legislative process.  

 The spike in anti-LGBTRead more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2013/01/15/4012500/puerto-rico-to-consider-anti-discrimination.html#storylink=cpy

SMU Adds Trans Policy Protections

The list of Lone Star State colleges and universities adding trans protections just grew by one.

Thanks to the hard work of the folks at Resource Center Dallas and other allies in the Dallas area. Southern Methodist University's Board of Trustees voted at their December 2012 meeting to make the necessary additions to the policy to protect the trans students matriculating on their campus. 

The revised policy took effect on January 1.

SMU will not discriminate in any employment practice, education program, or educational activity on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, genetic information, or veteran status. SMU’s commitment to equal opportunity includes nondiscrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity and expression.

Over the past several years, RCD officials provided SMU with several examples of fully-inclusive nondiscrimination policies in both higher education and other settings, and met with SMU officials to explain the importance of adding the trans protections for their students.  .

SMU becomes the first four-year college in North Central Texas to have fully inclusive nondiscrimination protections and hope others in that region step up to the plate and join them..

Memphis Passes Inclusive Non-Discrimination Law

It wasn't looking good for this to happen last month after word leaked of an alleged secret deal to cut transpeeps out of the civil rights mix.

But the Memphis City Council did the proper civil rights thing and passed on a 9-4 vote an inclusive non-discrimination ordinance that has protections for disability, age, national origin, gender identity, sexual orientation and ethnicity.

It was sexual orientation only until Councilwoman Janis Fullilove proposed an amendment to the ordinance that added protections on the basis of gender identity that also passed 9- 4.

The only "no" votes on the gender identity amendment and the main motion to amend the city's nondiscrimination ordinance came from Memphis council people Wanda Halbert, Bill Boyd, Kemp Conrad, and Joe Brown.

And thanks to all the hate calls conservative Councilmember Reid Hedgepeth received because he voted in favor of the ordinance last time, he voted for this one as well.   Hedgepeth told the audience that harassment and robo-calls from the amendment's opposition, the Family Action Council of Tennessee (FACT) had only strengthened his resolve to vote in favor of the amendment again.

"One e-mail said 'I hope you and your family burn in hell together.' How is that for Christianity?" Hedgepeth asked.

Thank you FACT haters for flipping a vote to our side.

It was delayed 30 days to get legal opinions on whether it would violate the city charter. City Attorney Herman Morris gave an opinion that the ordinance would not violate the charter because it would strengthen an existing policy to prevent discrimination while the City Council Attorney asserted the proposed ordinance was unnecessary.



The 9-4 vote in favor of the ordinance set off celebrations amongst the Memphis rainbow community while the haters of the Family Action Council of Tennessee slunk out of the chamber in defeat.

The arc of the moral universe is bending toward justice for the TBLG community in Memphis this morning and I couldn't be happier for my trans brothers and sisters who live there.    . 

HBCU Law Schools Non Discrimination Policies

While researching the Houston area back to school post I stumbled across the inclusive non-discrimination policy of the Thurgood Marshall School of Law at Texas Southern University that includes gender identity and expression 

Not only was I deliriously happy to see it, I was curious to discover if the same applied to the other five American Bar Association accredited  HBCU law schools since I have African descended trans friends who are in college right now who are considering applying to law school.

These six law schools started because African-American students were denied opportunities to study law at white dominated campuses.  These historic institutions educated many of our nation's most distinguished African-American judges, legal scholars and attorneys, and Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall.  

I'm happy to report that many of these HBCU law schools are more forward thinking than their main campuses in terms of having inclusive non-discrimination statements and employment policies.

So let's start with the aforementioned Thurgood Marshall School of Law at TSU in my hometown which passed this policy to my pleasant surprise in 2011.

Thurgood Marshall School of Law, Texas Southern University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression, age or disability in the administration of its academic or employment policies, or other school-administered rights, privileges, programs or activities. 

Texas Southern University's main campus does not have an inclusive non discrimination statement that includes sexual orientation or gender identity. and expression..


North Carolina Central University School Of Law 

North Carolina Central University is committed to equality of education opportunity and does not discriminate against applicants, students, or employees based on race, color, national origin, religion, gender, age, veteran's status, sexual orientation or identity, or disability. Moreover, North Carolina Central University is open to people of all races and actively seeks to promote racial integration by recruiting and enrolling a larger number of white students.

The North Carolina Central University does not have a non-discrimination statement that includes sexual orientation or gender identity. and expression..


Howard University School of Law  policy was adopted by Faculty Resolution in February 1991

Howard University School of Law is committed to a policy against discrimination in the interviewing or employment of its students based on race, sex, religious creed, marital status, national or ethnic origin, age, sexual orientation, handicap, or political affiliation.

Howard University main campus, unlike the School of Law doesn't have a non-discrimination statement i could find on their website, but with the school being located in Washington DC is under the 1977 DC Human Rights Law that was expanded in 2005 to cover transgender people 

Southern University Law Center  

The Southern University Law Center (SULC) is committed to ensuring equal opportunity without regard to race, color, national or ethnic origin, sex, actual or perceived gender, age, religion, creed, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, genetic information, or parental, marital, domestic partner, civil union, military, or veteran status.

Southern University main campus statement does not include sexual orientation, gender identity and expression language in its non discrimination statement. 

Florida A&M University College of Law

Florida A&M University College of Law does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations, and veteran status as protected under the Vietnam Era Veteran’s Readjustment Assistance Act in the administration of its education policies, admissions and placement policies, and other school administered programs.

Back in February a student referendum passed seeking to add sexual orientation and gender identity in Florida A&M's non-discrimination policy.. 

University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law

In accordance with federal law and the Human Rights Act of 1977 (DC Law 2-38), the University of the District of Columbia—David A. Clarke School of Law does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, marital status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, family responsibility, matriculation, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, source of income, or place of residence in its programs, activities, and employment practices. In addition, the school complies with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1973.

As for the University of the District of Columbia,

It is the policy of the University to prohibit discrimination of members of the University community on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, family responsibilities, matriculation, political affiliation, marital status, personal appearance, genetic information, familial status, source of income, status as a victim of intrafamily offense, place of residence or business, status as a covered veteran, as provided for and to the extent required by District and Federal statutes and regulations.

HBCU's, time for y'all to emulate these six distinguished law schools and get busy protecting the trans and SGL students not only currently matriculating on your campuses, but future ones as well.

You need to handle your academic business HBCU's because Black LGBT students exist, aren't going away and it's the right thing to do.

Have A Great 2012-13 School Year Houston TBLG Students!

While I was enroute back to Houston on Monday the 2012-13 school year kicked off in the various school districts in the area, at Houston Community College, Texas Southern University, Prairie View A&M University and at the University of Houston.  Rice started classes on August 20.

I hope you rainbow students matriculating in HISD schools and those college campuses I mentioned got your school year off to a wonderful start

Wanted to point out for you TBLG students in the area that in HISD the anti-bullying and employment non-discrimination policies have gender identity and sexual orientation language in them, so for you rainbow community kids matriculating in HISD schools, know you are covered if people start jacking with you.

Unfortunately the other school districts in the area have yet to follow HISD, the largest school district in Texas and seventh largest in the country's lead, but a statewide anti-bullying law takes effect September 1..

On the local college front, HCC has gender identity and expression language in its non-discrimination policy along with Rice University, which has had it since 2006.  The San Jacinto College system along with UH-Clear Lake also has gender identity and expression language in their non-discrimination policies. 

On February 15 Texas A&M's President R. Bowen Lofton added sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression to the yearly TAMU-College Station employment memo. 

"...It is our policy to not discriminate in employment opportunities or practices on the basis of race, sex, color, national origin, religion, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law. Furthermore, we will maintain a work environment free from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression."


Although my alma mater as of yet has not yet incorporated gender identity and expression language into their nondiscrimination statement, in January 2010 the UH Vice Chancellor of Legal Affairs, Dona H. Cornell issued a memo stating that transgender individuals are protected from discrimination at the University of Houston based on the analysis of the court case Lopez v. River Oaks Imaging & Diagnostic Group.

Unfortunately neither area HBCU has sexual orientation or gender identity language in their non discrimination policies, but interestingly TSU's Thurgood Marshall School Of Law does.

Hopefully TSU and Prairie View A&M will see fit to join other local colleges and universities in the Houston metro area and the TSU Thurgood Marshall Law School to expeditiously add sexual orientation and gender identity language in their non-discrimination statements.

It would be nice for these HBCU's to set a sterling example in the SWAC and other HBCU campuses in this region and around the country of being leaders on this issue just as they have for decades produced outstanding leaders in their classrooms.  The SGL and trans students who matriculate on your historic campuses deserve it.

Houston area rainbow community students, keep working to get that education and hope you will have a fantastic 2012-13 school year.

ACA Bans On Sex-Based Discrimination Covers Transpeople

TransGriot Note: Sharing this wonderful news I received from the Task Force concerning the Affordable Care Act
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently confirmed that the Affordable Care Act’s ban on sex-based discrimination includes discrimination based on gender identity. This affirms the Task Force’s longstanding position that federal civil rights statutes that prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex include protections against discrimination on the basis of gender identity. This means that no one can be discriminated against because of their gender identity or because of a health care provider’s stereotype about sex – what a man or a woman “ought to look like.”

"We agree that... sex discrimination prohibition extends to claims of discrimination based on gender identity or failure to conform to stereotypical notions of masculinity and femininity."


Back in June, the Task Force and our New Beginning Initiative coalition partners sent HHS a letter asking for exactly this clarification. We’re thrilled they agree with us and numerous federal courts that have issued similar opinions clarifying that sex-based discrimination protections also address gender identity as well.

We encourage anyone who feels they have been discriminated against because of their gender identity to file complaints so it can be investigated. Have you been discriminated against in a health setting in the past? We ask that you file a complaint with the HHS Office of Civil Rights.

DC Office Of Human Rights Launching Anti-Trans Discrimination Campaign

Was pleased to see this wonderful news coming of of Washington DC in term of the Office of Human Rights  creating the first government funded campaign to battle anti-trans discrimination.

The groundbreaking OHR campaign will feature two trans women, two trans men and a self-identified genderqueer person appearing in one of the five separate ads that the agency will place throughout the city in the fall.

The OHR campaign was developed with the help of D.C.-based Transgender Health Empowerment; the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force; the Movement Advancement Project; Jeffrey Richardson, director of Mayor’s Office of GLBT Affairs and others.   Two clients of Casa Ruby are some of the DC residents who appear in the ads.

The anti-trans discrimination ads will highlight respect, shared values and D.C.’s anti-discrimination law that includes trans-specific protections. The ads will also encourage trans Washingtonians to contact OHR if they experience discrimination based on gender identity and expression.

“LGBT organizations are telling us this is the first government-sponsored campaign in the nation to focus solely on transgender and gender non-conforming people, and the Office of Human Rights is incredibly proud of that,” OHR Director Gustavo Velasquez told the Washington Blade in a statement. “To ensure we take full-advantage of the opportunity, we identified three primary goals for the campaign: increase understanding of transgender and gender non-conforming people, reduce discriminatory incidents in the District and increase the number of community members who report discrimination. The courageous and bright D.C.-based participants appearing in the ads and the powerful accompanying messages can make this happen, although we know much more work needs to be done to eradicate discrimination towards this community.”

Longtime DC activist Ruby Corado was pleased that the District is tackling this issue. “Our city is a pioneer in lots of things,” said Corado in an interview. “Having the Office of Human Rights take some leadership on this for me is remarkable. I’m proud and I’m very happy that this city and [it’s] LGBT leaders has taken on this issue and supported us 100 percent.”