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. 

I Don't Want Tolerance

Tolerance according to the dictionary definition of the word is 'the ability or willingness to tolerate something, in particular the existence of opinions or behavior that one does not necessarily agree with.'  

When that word is used in conjunction with discussing the human rights of transgender people, I do believe it's problematic on some levels. 

If your goal as a cis person is to simply tolerate transpeople, then you aren't inclined or motivated to do the work necessary go beyond a Trans 101 level of understanding about our lives and the issues we face.  If you think your religious faith trumps our lives, you will act in transphobic ways that aren't in lockstep with the tenets of your faith.   Tolerance leads to the unjust situation trans people find themselves in remaining a deadly societal status quo for us. 

I don't want tolerance. I want the same first class citizenship that you demand for yourself.  I want recognition from you that I am living my life, not a 'lifestyle'.   I want you to hear me and my transbrothers and transsisters when we say we are the men and women you see when we are out and about in the world and take it at face value when we talk about how we live our authentic lives.

I don't want tolerance.  I want you to have a crystal clear understanding that transpeople are part of the diverse mosaic of human life and our existence isn't subject to a debate by transphobic cis people. I'm tired of cis folks demonizing my people, writing anti-trans hate speech on your websites and broadcasting incendiary rhetoric on your YouTube channels and television and radio stations that gets African-American and Latina #girlslikeus severely beaten or killed   Any attempt to dehumanize us from this day forward will be met with swift, unrelenting and unyielding determination to set the record straight.   

I don't want tolerance. Our trans existence is not a vehicle for vanillacentric privilege wielding TERF's to turn failed disco era transphobic second wave feminist hate speech into new book sales in a desperate attempt to remain relevant in the second decade of the 21st Century. 

I don't want tolerance.  I'm looking for acceptance of the emerging reality that our trans lives are not fodder for transphobic cis people who think the best way to score political points and fundraise for their failing right wing causes is to engage in a morally bankrupt War on Transwomen.  Neither is it an opportunity for alleged Christians to pimp faith-based hatred of transpeople from the pulpit because they are losing the culture war against the gay and lesbian community and think we're an easy target.  

I don't want tolerance.  My human rights as a trans person shouldn't be subject to a vote by cis people who hate me or so-called gay and lesbian allies who have no problem throwing us under the bus to advance their own human rights cause.  You scream bloody murder about your liberty and pursuit of happiness and freedom as enunciated in the Declaration of Independence being impeded, but have no problem engaging in actions that restrict mine and the trans community's opportunities to experience the same freedom and liberty you demand for yourself.

And for that you should be ashamed of yourselves.

I don't want tolerance  I want acknowledgment from society that my humanity and human rights as a trans person living in this country are non-negotiable. 

Masen Davis Address At 2013 TLC Spark Gala

The San Francisco based Transgender Law Center back on October 3 recently had their SPARK gala in which my West Coast trans brother Kortney Ryan Ziegler was honored with their inaugural Authentic Life Award. 

Here's TLC's Masen Davis addressing the crowd at the SPARK Gala.

First Ever UN Ministerial Meeting On LGBT Rights

You've heard me frequently write and say that trans rights are an international human rights issue.  On September 26 a groundbreaking meeting took place at the United Nations in New York that underscores that comment.

Leaders from the UN's core group of countries working to end violence and discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people gathered for the first ever UN ministerial meeting on LGBT rights.


The meeting's purpose was to discuss advancements for protecting the human rights of LGBT persons and to secure commitments from Member States toward making the protection of TBLG citizens in those member state and elsewhere in the world a reality.

Free & Equal -- the unprecedented UN public information campaign for LGBT equality -- captures strong statements by several attendees, who included the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, the Argentine, Brazilian, Croatian, Dutch and Norwegian foreign ministers, the French Minister of Development Cooperation, senior officials from the European Union, Japan and New Zealand, and the directors of Human Rights Watch and the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission.




Those present issued an historic Ministerial Declaration on Ending Violence and Discrimination against Individuals Based on their Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity that was endorsed by Secretary of State Kerry, the foreign ministers of Argentina, Brazil, Croatia, El Salvador, France, Israel, Japan, The Netherlands, New Zealand and Norway, and the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of the European Union.

In case you TransGriot readers are wondering what the declaration says, you knew I'd find it for you.:

Ministerial Declaration on Ending Violence and Discrimination against Individuals Based on their Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity



United Nations, New York, 26 September 2013

1. We, ministers of Argentina, Brazil, Croatia, El Salvador, France, Israel, Japan, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway and United States, and the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy – members of the LGBT Core Group at the United Nations – hereby declare our strong and determined commitment to eliminating violence and discrimination against individuals based on their sexual orientation and gender identity.

2. In so doing, we reaffirm our conviction that human rights are the birthright of every human being. Those who are lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) must enjoy the same human rights as everyone else.

3. We welcome the many positive steps taken in recent decades to protect LGBT individuals from human rights violations and abuses. Since 1990, some 40 countries have abolished discriminatory criminal sanctions used to punish individuals for consensual, adult same-sex conduct. In many countries, hate crime laws and other measures have been introduced to combat homophobic violence, and anti-discrimination laws have been strengthened to provide effective legal protection against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity in the workplace and other spheres, both public and private.

4. We also recognize that countering discrimination involves challenging popular prejudices, and we welcome efforts by Governments, national human rights institutions and civil society to counter homophobic and transphobic attitudes in society at large, including through concerted public education campaigns.

5. We assert our support for, and pay tribute to, LGBT human rights defenders and others advocating for the human rights of LGBT persons. Their work, often carried out at considerable personal risk, plays a critical role in documenting human rights violations, providing support to victims, and sensitizing Governments and public opinion.

6. We commend the adoption by the United Nations Human Rights Council of resolution 17/19 on human rights, sexual orientation and gender identity, and we welcome the efforts of the Secretary-General and the High Commissioner for Human Rights to raise global awareness of human rights challenges facing LGBT individuals, and to mobilize support for measures to counter violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

7. Nevertheless, we remain gravely concerned that LGBT persons in all regions of the world continue to be victims of serious and widespread human rights violations and abuses.

8. A landmark 2011 study by the High Commissioner for Human Rights, which drew on almost two decades worth of work by United Nations human rights mechanisms, found a deeply disturbing pattern of violence and discriminatory laws and practices affecting individuals on the basis of their sexual orientation and gender identity.

9. It is a tragedy that, in this second decade of the 21^st century, consensual, adult, same-sex relations remain criminalized in far too many countries – exposing millions of people to the risk of arrest and imprisonment and, in some countries, the death penalty. These laws are inconsistent with States’ human rights obligations and commitments, including with respect to privacy and freedom from discrimination. In addition, they may lead to violations of the prohibitions against arbitrary arrest or detention and torture, and in some cases the right to life.

10. In all parts of the world – including in our own – LGBT individuals are subjected to intimidation, physical assault, and sexual violence, and even murder. Discriminatory treatment is also widely reported, inhibiting the enjoyment of a range of human rights – including the rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly, and work, education and enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health.

11. We are fully committed to tackling these violations and abuses – both at the domestic level, including through continued attention to the impact of current policies, and at the global level, including through concerted action at the United Nations.

12. We recognize the importance of continued dialogue between and within countries concerning how best to protect the human rights of LGBT persons, taking into account regional initiatives. In this context, we welcome the outcome of a series of recent regional consultations on the topic of human rights, sexual orientation and gender identity that took place in March and April 2013, and encourage the holding of further such meetings at regional and national levels.

13. Key to protecting the human rights of LGBT individuals is the full and effective implementation of applicable international human rights law. Existing international human rights treaties provide legally binding guarantees of human rights for all – LGBT people included. But for these guarantees to have meaning they must be respected by Governments, with whom legal responsibility for the protection of human rights lies.

14. Cognizant of the urgent need to take action, we therefore call on all United Nations Member States to repeal discriminatory laws, improve responses to hate-motivated violence, and ensure adequate and appropriate legal protection from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.

15. We strongly encourage the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to continue its efforts to increase understanding of the human rights challenges facing LGBT people, advocate for legal and policy measures to meet these challenges, and assist the United Nations human rights mechanisms in this regard.

16. We agree with the United Nations Secretary-General’s assessment that combating violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity constitutes “one of the great, neglected human rights challenges of our time”. We hereby commit ourselves to working together with other States and civil society to make the world safer, freer and fairer for LGBT people everywhere.

I Don't Want Trans Civil Rights Crumbs In Houston

I've been involved in the trans human rights activism fight for 15 years and long ago noted a certain disgusting pattern when it comes to codifying trans rights protections.

I've noted that the predominately white gay and lesbian peeps running these organizations and campaigns with some white trans sellout help either write a gay-only human rights bill while uttering the tranquilizing  'we'll come back for you' mantra, include but throw trans people under the civil rights bus to get gay-only protections or compile a trans human rights bill with no public accommodations language in it and expect the entire trans community to settle for it in order for their GL dominated organization to declare it a community 'win'.  


The parties involved then move on to bigger and better things and fat paychecks in other Gay, Inc orgs while the rest of us transfolks and especially transpeople of color are legislatively Left Behind to deal with the aftermath of an ineffective law that doesn't solve the problems the bill was supposed to address.  

I'm tired of 'bidness' as usual, and so is the POC trans community.  With the chatter increasing on my end of I-10 in the wake of San Antonio's lopsided 8-3 vote on September 6 passing their trans inclusive nondiscrimination ordinance and us in the middle of a city council and mayoral election trying to get Mayor Annise Parker her third and final term on November 5, just wanted to send the message now that I want full trans equality when we start making the effort to add gender identity and sexual orientation language here in H-town.

Anything less than full trans human rights IS NOT and WILL NOT be acceptable for me and the transpeople I represent in H-town.  I will not hesitate to call it out and go as far as help organize people to fight to kill that ordinance if it isn't the full trans equality we desperately need.  

An ordinance with gender identity language that doesn't cover public accommodations or protect our employment citywide is a worthless civil rights crumb, a waste of legislative time and not an option.   The Izza Lopez case and the 2010 arrest of Tyjanae Moore instigated by a transphobic security guard for using the damn bathroom at the downtown Houston Public Library location more than emphatically pointed out the need for the non-discrimination ordinance to protect trans Houstonians. 

Bump Dave Welch, his band of right wing haters and so called 'Christians' who have nothing but foaming at the mouth bigotry, ignorance, deception and the bathroom meme to deploy against the passage of that vitally needed human rights ordinance along with elements of the Houston LGBT community who have a problem with trans people.  Some of the 2.2 million people who live here are trans, so get over your internalized transphobia. 

We're here in H-town, always have been and aren't going away.  With a little luck and a lot of citywide votes in her race a trans woman may join Mayor Parker and Mike Laster on City Council in January.

We already tried the sexual orientation only non discrimination ordinance route in June 1984 and it was overwhelmingly repealed in that ugly January 1985 referendum.  We don't need to repeat that mistake, so let's make is as inclusive as possible so the whole Houston TBLG community can get behind it and pass it.  Once we do, we'll need that community unity to gear up for the referendum battle we know will swiftly come from the Forces of Intolerance.      

This is 2013, and it's past time for my hometown to prove it is the world class city it proclaims itself to be. World class cities protect the human rights of all their residents, and it's past time that we stop treating trans Houstonians like third class citizens.  It's past time for trans Houstonians who don't work for the city to have their human rights protected.  

It's also past time Houston joins Dallas, Austin, San Antonio and the other over 180 municipalities in the United States in doing so.

Way To Go San Antonio!

After a contentious summer in which FOX Noise, Texas Republicans, Christobigots and the conservafool movement stuck their nose in this TBLG human rights fight in order to deny Mayor Julian Castro a victory (and because they are straight up haters), the San Antonio City Council passed on an 8-3 vote last night the revision to their non-discrimination ordinance that added gender identity and sexual orientation protections to the ordinance.

Mayor Castro is a rising star in Texas politics, and you know the GOP is 'scurred' of the prospect of him leading the inevitable blue wave that will sweep them out of power in the Lone Star State.  He supported the changes to the non-discrimination ordinance.

"This ordinance is about saying there are no second-class citizens in San Antonio," Mayor Castro told the AP. 

Damn skippy.   It also makes San Antonio the largest city in Texas to have those protections and you know the TransGriot wants the same thing to happen in Houston ASAP.

I am disappointed and pissed off that Ivy Taylor, the only African-American member of the San Antonio City Council joined with oppressors Elisa Chan and Carlton Soules in voting NO.

VOTE ON LGBT NON-DISCRIMINATION ORDINANCE

San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro - YES
District 1 Councilman Diego Bernal - YES
District 2 Councilwoman Ivy Taylor - NO
District 3 Councilwoman Rebecca Viagran - YES
District 4 Councilman Rey Saldana - YES
District 5 Councilwoman Shirley Gonzales - YES
District 6 Councilman Ray Lopez - YES
District 7 Councilman Cris Medina - YES
District 8 Councilman Ron Nirenberg - YES
District 9 Councilwoman Elisa Chan - NO
District 10 Councilman Carlton Soules - NO


VOTE ON VETERANS NON-DISCRIMINATION ORDINANCE

San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro - YES
District 1 Councilman Diego Bernal - YES
District 2 Councilwoman Ivy Taylor - YES
District 3 Councilwoman Rebecca Viagran - YES
District 4 Councilman Rey Saldana - YES
District 5 Councilwoman Shirley Gonzales - YES
District 6 Councilman Ray Lopez - YES
District 7 Councilman Cris Medina - YES
District 8 Councilman Ron Nirenberg - YES
District 9 Councilwoman Elisa Chan - NO
District 10 Councilman Carlton Soules - NO

Congratulations San Antonio!   Looking forward to the day in Houston when all TBLG people in our city are protected from anti-BTLG discrimination and not just those who work for the city.

Open Letter To San Antonio City Councilmember Ivy Taylor

Dear Councilmember Taylor,
I'm writing this open letter to you because I understand at the moment you are one of four San Antonio councilmembers who are undecided about how you will vote on the proposed changes to the San Antonio non-discrimination ordinance.

Section 2-550 of it would read

(a) It shall be the general policy of the City of San Antonio to prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, age or disability, as set forth in the Divisions following, unless exempted by state or federal law or as otherwise indicated.

(b) A religious corporation, association, society or educational institution or an educational organization operated, supervised or controlled in whole or in substantial part by a religious corporation, association or society does not violate the non-discrimination policy by limiting employment or giving a preference in employment to members of the same religion.

I understand you may have some valid concerns about that, but as an African American transperson who also happens to be a proud native Texan, I believe the changes to San Antonio's are necessary, way overdue and here's why. 

In 2012 UCLA's Williams Institute released a study of 61 non discrimination ordinances that have gender identity and sexual orientation language.   That study also included Austin and Dallas.  

They found that not only did municipalities with these ordinances not have any problems attracting qualified contractors to carry out government work or operations, the 61 municipalities also reported it wasn't administratively burdensome or causing additional administrative costs.


The National Transgender Discrimination Survey entitled 'Injustice At Every Turn' was released in 2010, and it documents how much hell the trans community, and especially transpeople of color are catching by NOT being included as a protected class for non-discrimination.

In its Texas specific results, there were alarming indications of widespread harassment and discrimination aimed at transgender Texans.

• 79% reported experiencing harassment or mistreatment on the job
• 26% lost a job
• 22% were denied a promotion
• 45% were not hired

• Harassment and Discrimination at School

• Those who expressed a transgender identity or gender non-conformity while in grades K-12 reported alarming rates of harassment (85%), physical assault (46%) and sexual violence (9%)
• Harassment was so severe that it led 11% to leave a school in K-12 settings or leave higher education

• Economic Insecurity - Likely due to employment discrimination and discrimination in school, survey respondents experienced poverty and unemployment at higher rates than the general population:
• 10% of respondents had a household income of $10,000 or less, compared to 4% of the general population, which is more than twice the rate of poverty
• 10% were unemployed compared to 7% in the nation at the time of the survey

• Housing Discrimination and Instability - Survey respondents experienced blatant housing discrimination, as well as housing instability, much of which appears to stem from the challenges they face in employment.
• 8% were evicted
• 15% were denied a home/apartment
• 17% had become homeless because of their gender identity/expression
• 22% had to find temporary space to stay/sleep
• 50% had to move back in with family or friends
• 39% reported owning their home compared to 67% of the general U.S. population

• Harassment and Discrimination in Accommodations and Services
• 47% were verbally harassed or disrespected in a place of public accommodation or service,including hotels, restaurants, buses, airports and government agencies.
• 23% were denied equal treatment by a government agency or official
• 16% were denied equal treatment or harassed by judges or court officials.
• 23% of those who have interacted with police reported harassment by officers
• 41% reported being uncomfortable seeking police assistance

• Health Care Discrimination and Health Outcomes
• 16% were refused medical care due to their gender identity/expression
• 1.9% were HIV positive, compared to the general population rate of 0.6%
• 19% postponed needed medical care, when they were sick or injured, due to discrimination
• Only 43% of the respondents had employer-based health insurance, compared to 59% of the general U.S. population at the time of the survey.
• 41% reported attempting suicide at some point in their life, 26 times the rate of the general population of 1.6%

And yes, Councilmember Taylor, these things are happening to transpeople who reside in the Alamo City. 

To underscore the point these things are affecting trans people who live in San Antonio, in 2005 and 2010 two SAPD officers, Dean Gutierrez and Craig Nash were arrested for sexually assaulting trans women while on duty and later received ridiculously low sentences for it.  

There was the nationally televised 2011 case of former San Antonio Macy's employee Natalie Johnson who mistakenly believed her personal religious beliefs trumped Macy's corporate policy as she denied a gender variant person access to a dressing room.

Lone Star State shero Rep. Barbara Jordan once stated, "One thing is clear to me: We, as human beings, must be willing to accept people who are different from ourselves."

The question being asked of San Antonio at this time is does the Alamo City accept people who are different from themselves like its LGBT residents?    If the answer to that question is yes, then the second question you must ponder is in the face of demonstrated discrimination and harassment aimed at the LGBT residents of San Antonio, does the city have the will in the face of loud and wrong opposition to pass non-discrimination laws to protect the human rights of those same LGBT people who are different from themselves? 

Passage of this non-discrimination ordinance would make it clear that San Antonio is willing to accept people different from themselves. Its defeat would send the opposite message across the city, the state, the nation and the world.


Councilmember Taylor, it would make me, my fellow African-American trans Texans in San Antonio and across the state and our supporters in the African-American community proud to know that the lone African-American member of the San Antonio City Council was a drum majorette for justice.  It would make us happy that you stood up for our humanity and the human rights of our transgender brothers and sisters residing in the Alamo City.

You have the power to make history and change this negative paradigm the trans citizens of San Antonio currently experience and usher in a new birth of freedom and equality for this downtrodden community.

As a fellow African-American who also happens to be transgender, I am humbly and respectfully asking for your YES vote in favor of the revised non-discrimination ordinance.

I hope and pray that you will do so and be one of the San Antonio councilmembers next month who stand on the side of human rights and justice.

Sincerely yours,
Monica Roberts
The TransGriot

Help Our San Antonio Trans Brothers And Sisters Pass A Trans Human Rights Non Discrimination Ordinance

TransGriot readers, need your help with a critical Lone Star State human rights mission. 

I wrote about the upcoming vote around September 5 concerning trans inclusive revisions to San Antonio's Human Rights ordinance that would prohibit discrimination on the basis of gender identity and sexual orientation and is sorely needed. 

There was a contentious San Antonio City Council public hearing on the issue in which 120 people spoke pro and con about and we are also battling FOX Noise sliming and lying about the ordinance as well

This ordinance is desperately needed.  We have had two trans sisters sexually assaulted in 2005 and 2010 by two San Antonio cops who barely served any jail time for their crimes.  In 2011 we had a gender variant person there denied access to a Macy's dressing room by faith based transphobe Natalie Johnson who the local wingers there are trying to use as their  'christian persecution' poster child in opposition to the ordinance.

And that's before we even start talking about the Texas specific results of the National Transgender Discrimination Survey. 

It takes six votes on San Antonio City Council to pass ordinances.  As of this moment we have FIVE supporters for the changes who 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.

Call them and tell them thank you for support the changes to the San Antonio Non-Discrimination Ordinance that prohibit discrimination on gender identity and sexual orientation grounds.

Two have said they are voting NO period, and they are  District 9 Councilwoman Elisa Chan and District 10 Councilman Carlton Soules.

But there are four people on council who haven't committed yet and one is rumored to be leaning NO.   The Forces of Intolerance and their FOX Noise allies sliming the changes need all FOUR of these people to vote their way to defeat the ordinance while all we need is just ONE.  Let's shoot to get ALL of them voting our way for an overwhelming victory.

Please respectfully ask these four people for their YES votes. 

Those councilmembers are District 2 Councilwoman Ivy Taylor, District 3 Councilwoman Rebecca Viagran, District 7 Councilman Cris Medina, and District 8 Councilman Ron Nirenberg . 

They need to hear people calling or e-mailing them in favor of this ordinance.  Mayor Castro and the San Antonio City Council are damned sure hearing from the Children of Darkness who are foaming at the mouth opposed to it.  Children of Light y'all need to get busy being just as zealous in FAVOR of this ordinance. 

You can share this website supporting equal rights in San Antonio.  You know that as I get further developments as to what's transpiring human rights wise on I-10 west I will keep you posted.

But start calling these folks tomorrow and don't stop until September 5 because the haters sure won't.

TransGriot Update: Here's a Change.org petition I'm asking you to sign and share asking the San Antonio City Council to support and vote for the inclusive non-discrimination ordinance.

CAUSA's website

Audrey Mbugua Landmark Kenyan Case Update

I wrote back in June about the groundbreaking lawsuit that my Kenyan homegirl Audrey Mbugua filed against the Kenyan National Examinations Council (KNEC) and the Kenyan Attorney General's office to change the name on her KCSE certificates and other identity documents including her national identity card and passport to reflect who she is now.

In an August 6 hearing at the Milimani Law Court, the Kenyan Christian Lawyers Fellowship stuck their noses in Audrey's business and indicated they wished to join the case, claiming this landmark case will have an impact on legal practices in the country.  

Audrey (and I concur with her) says otherwise, but Judge Wilson Korir is giving the KCLF lawyers seven days to file an application proving that contention which Mbugua says she will oppose. 

The KCLF lawyers bid to join the case will be heard on September 2. 

Just for grins Audrey, I'd investigate whether some of our American faith based haters are either pumping cash into the Kenyan Christian Lawyers Fellowship, advising the KCLF attorneys or they have any connection to either Scott Lively, Ugandan MP David Bahati or other high profile American based or African continent fundamentalist haters and organizations. 

Hopefully this turns out to be just a legal speed bump and in the end common sense reigns and she emerges triumphant, which is probably what's scaring some of these faith based transphobes in the first place. 

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

Will C-279 Ever Pass The Senate And Become Canadian Federal Law?

When we last checked in on Bill C-279's progress through the Conservative dominated Canadian Senate on its way to passage and Royal Assent it had come out of the Senate Committee on Human Rights and was at Third Stage before the Cons started showing their repressive behinds. 

The bill seeks to add gender identity as a prohibited grounds of discrimination in the Canadian Human Rights Act and amend the Criminal Code to forbid the promotion of hatred against trans people.

The Senate Conservatives stalled progress on C-279 long enough so they moved into the summer break that started on June 28 with it still at Third Stage status and an amendment to it proposed by Conservative Senator Nancy Ruth that if it passes will send the bill back to the House

And there's also the possibility that Prime Minister Stephen Harper will prorogue parliament when they return in the fall, which means that the entire Senate legislative process for C-279 would start at the beginning if that happens. 

It's this situation that has Liberal BC Senator Mobina Jaffer, the head of the Senate Committee on Human Rights expressing her concerns in a recent Straight.com interview that she's no longer confident that the bill can pass when the Canadian Senate returns to session on September 17 despite it getting through her committee with the support of Conservative senators.

“I can’t tell you that when it comes back to us that we will approve it,” Senator Jaffer said. “And this is a bill that we should approve; it’s unacceptable not to.”

If C-279 is sent back to the House, where it passed on a 149-137 vote with the help of 18 Con MP's with PM Harper voting against it and Liberal leader Justin Trudeau was a no show for the vote.  Jaffer is pessimistic about its chances of passage if that scenario happens.

NDP MP Randall Garrison, the sponsor of the private member's bill is still optimistic that C-279 will pass.  he noted that the Senate passes bills on First, Second and Third reading in one day if they wish to and see no reason why that can't happen for C-279.

“There’s no reason for the unelected Senate to block the bill,” Garrison told Straight.com “And nothing came up in the [Senate] committee that would suggest there was any reason for them to block the bill.”.  

We'll see who is correct when the calendar page turns to September.   But in the interim, I would suggest that you Canadian trans folks get busy becoming agents of you own liberation and lobbying and e-mailing your senators to defeat the Ruth amendment and pass C-279 on Third Reading.

You have a chance to have happen in your lifetimes with our gridlocked Congress your trans cousins south of the 49th Parallel won't see in terms of your national legislature passing a federal law that protects your human rights.

GL Community, When Are You Coming Back For My Trans Brothers And Sisters In Wisconsin, New York, New Hampshire and Maryland?

Another subject that needs to be talked about that has been weighing on my mind lately has been the fact that the GL community has human rights protection in Wisconsin, New York, New Hampshire and Maryland and my transpeeps in those states don't.

In these four states the GL community gained sexual orientation non-discrimination protection while throwing transpeople under the human rights bus to do so.  Wisconsin passed a GL rights law in 1982.  Maryland did so in 2001.  New York and New Hampshire in 2002.

And did the GL community come back for us in those states much less even lift a finger or donate money to help their trans allies?   Nope.  They were busy passing marriage equality legislation and after it passed they felt their heavy civil rights lifting was done and started planning their weddings. 

In New Hampshire the marriage bill passed in 2008 but a trans rights bill winding its way to passage the same year inexplicably died n a Democratic female controlled Senate on a 24-0 vote.

The same pattern repeated itself in New York in 2011 and Maryland in 2012 in which marriage equality legislation passed, but trans rights legislation moving to passage ironically died in those states Senate chambers as well. 

You could make the argument the GL community has been a bigger impediment to trans human rights legislation passing than the Republican Party in all those states, especially since they focused on passing marriage in three of them and are still trying to do so in Wisconsin.

And as ENDAblog 2.0's Kat Rose would argue, the gay community still has the special right to discriminate against the trans community in all of those states they have 'full equality' in.   Judging by the publicly foul crap that happened to Allyson Robinson, they damned sure are exercising it, especially in the Gay, Inc organizational ranks.


In the meantime the trans community has been waiting 31 years for gender identity language to be added to the non-discrimination law in Wisconsin, 12 years in Maryland, and 11 years in New York and New Hampshire.  

For the folks in New York it has been even more aggravating as they have seen GENDA pass their assembly six straight times only to get bottled up in the New York Senate.   Meanwhile as they painfully watched GENDA get stalled again in a state whose governor ironically boasted it leads the way on human rights issues, the folks in Delaware took less than a month to show New York how it's done and become the 17th state to pass a trans rights law.

Prominent gay male blogger (and transphobe) John Aravosis recently stated in an Americablog comment thread that the gay community isn't obligated to come back for trans people and help them gain human rights coverage.  

It 's an opinion shared by elements of the white gay male and lesbian community and is probably is a factor in why the predominately white gay male run orgs have been glacially slow or outright refuse to engage in doing intersectional human rights work on behalf of the trans community. 

Aravosis was the same person when marriage equality failed in Illinois doing loud and wrong bigoted griping about it.   Can you say 'vanillacentric privileged white gay male hypocrite'?   Thought you could.

John, I and the Black community will keep that highlighted comment in mind the next time you and your like minded friends ever part your lips to complain about marriage equality failing in an area with a sizable African-American population.

I will also remind you of that comment the next time you ever open your mouth or write in a blog post the Black community has a responsibility to help you oppressed gay and lesbian people gain your marriage rights.

If you insist we African-Americans have a responsibility as your allies to help you on your issues, you and the GL community have the same responsibility and reciprocal obligation to help oppressed trans people do the same in addition to support other oppressed people who are part of the progressive coalition with their issue concerns..

It's called intersectionality, and it's something the gay community has historically sucked at.  It has led to the perception with non-white trans and SGL members of this liberal-progressive coalition that the gay rights movement is only concerned with pursuing policy stances and issues that help them get their lost white privilege back and frack everybody else.  

So I ask the question I posed at the beginning of this post.  When is the GL community coming back to help the trans community get their human rights coverage?

The trans community, the liberal-progressive coalition and the world is anxiously awaiting your answer to that question.

Colorado Civil Rights Division Lets Coy Pee In Peace

The Colorado Civil Rights Division has ruled in favor of 6 year old trans kid Coy Mathis, who was barred from using the girls' restroom at her elementary school despite a statewide law banning discrimination on the basis of gender identity in public accommodations.


The Fountain-Fort Carson School District 8 told Coy's parents in December that the first grader would not be able to continue to use the girls' restroom after the holiday break
.
The family then filed a civil rights complaint in February.   The Civil Rights Division eventually ruled that the district's solution of letting Mathis use staff bathrooms was a violation of the young girl’s rights and was similar to discriminatory “separate but equal” laws.

"Schools should not discriminate against their students, and we are thrilled that Coy can return to school and put this behind her," Kathryn Mathis, Coy's mother, said in a statement published in the Denver Post. "All we ever wanted was for Coy's school to treat her the same as other little girls. We are extremely happy that she now will be treated equally.

And all any transperson wants, no matter what their age is to be treated as a first class citizen and be able to pee in peace.

Thank You Sen. Henry!

I'm already stoked that Delaware has become the 17th state to enact anti-trans discrimination legislation.  I'm even more stoked about it after I discovered some interesting tidbits about the senator who sponsored the legislation, Margaret Rose Henry.

She is not only the first African-American to serve in the Delaware state Senate, she also has a Texas connection, having earned her undergrad degree from Texas Southern University here in Houston. 

In the wake of white gays (John Aravosis) trying to throw that tired 'Blacks are more homophobic' shade (that needs to die), I find it interesting and amusing in the wake of that Illinois legislative debacle that an African-American legislator not only sponsored this trans rights bill that is the law of the land in Delaware

So John. me and the African-American community are still waiting for that apology for your loud and wrong pronouncement of a few weeks ago.

Since that's not going to happen, let me move on to what his post is for.

***

Dear Senator Henry,
We in the national trans community breathlessly watched as this just SB 97 legislation you introduced back on May 31 wound its way through the Delaware legislature and eventually became law. 

On behalf of the national trans community, thank you for sponsoring it.  I know the trans community of Delaware deeply appreciates your efforts, and so do their trans brothers and sisters around the country and the world.

For African-American members of the trans community, it gave us a great sense of pride to know that the sponsor of the Delaware Gender Non Discrimination Act is one of us and was standing up for our humanity and our human rights.   It lifted our spirits at a time when we face unacceptable levels of anti-trans discrimination and hatred aimed at it.    It was also wonderful to note that even in the wake of a period in which we lost three more African-American trans lives in April to that violence, to see a person who shares our history and ethnic background stand up so publically and forcefully for trans human rights.

It gives us renewed hope that other African-American legislators and thought leaders will follow your sterling example and I hope your constituents in your senate district and the state of Delaware realize how fortunate they are to have you as a champion and shero fighting for them 

God bless you Senator Henry and continued success in all your future endeavors.

Sincerely yours,
Monica Roberts
the TransGriot

   
. 

Second Kenyan Transperson Wins Legal Case

Sometimes all it takes is one person standing tall, unapologetically living their lives and fighting tooth and nail for their own human rights to empower others to come out of the shadows and do the same.

It appears that is what's happening in Kenya right now.

Alexandra Nthungi  (using femme derivative of old name until I find out the name she goes by) was working in her grocery shop in January 2011 en femme in the town of Thika near the Kenyan capitol of Nairobi when police arrived, arrested her claiming she had assaulted a cis woman and taken to the Thika police Station for questioning about the assault.  Nthungi was stripped nude in front of the media to ostensibly discover her gender identity 

On June 18 Justice Mumbi Ngugi awarded Nthungi Sh200,000 ($2328.20 USD) for having her rights and dignity violated by officers at the Thika Police Station.     

Justice Ngugi stated the police did not have the powers to strip him to ascertain his gender and that the best they could do was to refer him to a medical doctor for assessment. She ruled that by subjecting her to a search, the police had an intention of humiliating Nthungi because she was dressed as a female and it was unlawful to strip her.

She ruled that whatever Nthungi’s choice was in relation to her mode of dressing and regardless of the fact that she perceived herself as a woman, she still retained her inherent worth and dignity to which all humans are entitled.

Of course Audrey Mbugua was pleased about the outcome of Nthungi’s case. “Although we are happy about the judgment, the judge should have compelled the police to offer a public apology. Sometimes it’s not about being compensated with money but being recognised as human.”

C-279 Vote Stalled By Conservatives At Third Stage

Well, it was only a matter of time before the Conservatives in the Canadian Senate showed their anuses and did so as Bill C-279 was on the verge of passing.  

For those of you new to this story, C-279 is a  Canadian federal trans rights bill would 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.  

It passed successfully out of the Senate Standing Committee on Human Rights on June 10, but with it being only a tantalizing two hours of debate, an affirmative vote and Royal Assent away from becoming law the fun started in the Conservative dominated Senate chamber to slow its roll toward that happening. 

First Conservative lesbian senator (why am I not surprised) Nancy Ruth added an amendment to C-279 on June 13 that adds "ethnic origin, sex, gender identity or sexual orientation” to the bill citing the specious reason 'that it was time to do so'.  

“This bill will add the category of gender identity to section 318 of the Criminal Code, but one of the categories missing in that enumerated ground is the category of ‘sex,’” Ruth said on the floor of the Senate

“We had a chance 10 years ago when we put ‘sexual orientation’ in that section of the Criminal Code. This is the time to add now the category ‘sex’ for the women of Canada.” 

You've been in the Canadian Senate since 2005 and you haven't been concerned about that issue until a bill that protects the rights of transpeople in the Great White North is about to pass.   Transphobic much? 

If Ruth’s amendment were to pass which was unlikely according to Sen. Mitchell since it didn't have support,  the bill would have to go back to the Conservative dominated House of Commons and pass again.  If the amendment was defeated and the bill subsequently passed, C-279 would move on to royal assent stage and become law.

But first it has to get a vote, which Conservative Senator and Government Leader Marjory LeBreton isn't allowing to happen according to Liberal Senator Grant Mitchell, the senate sponsor of C-279. 

“The real disappointment that has become clear in the last few days is they are not going to allow it to come to a vote. The bill will not be voted on, amended or unamended,” he predicted in an Xtra.ca interview.

“They are not calling a vote because the leadership in the Senate doesn’t want to have a vote. Because the prime minister voted against it, probably,” he said.

“I deeply care about this,” said Senator Mitchell. “My caucus deeply cares about this. It is a betrayal of democracy that elected MPs representing 65 percent of the popular vote supported this bill and the Conservative leadership in the Senate won’t even allow a vote.”

So do trans Canadians, who were hoping they would have something to really celebrate on Canada Day.

Even if they don't allow a vote on C-279 before the Senate goes on summer break June 28, it would return to the order paper at the third reading stage in the fall unless Prime Minister Stephen Harper prorogues Parliament.  If that happens, because it is a private member's bill, C-279 would start all over again in the Senate at the first reading stage.

Well, as Dr. King once stated, we must accept finite disappointment, but we must never give up infinite hope.

You will see that day my Canadian trans cousins when your human rights are protected by your federal legislature far sooner that it will happen south of the 49th parallel. 

It just won't be before July 1 as you'd hoped.

Number 17!

With the Delaware Senate on a 11-9 vote passing the House amended Gender Non Discrimination Act Wednesday afternoon and it getting Gov Jack Markell's signature that evening, Delaware became the 17th state to pass trans human rights legislation. 

The Gender Nondiscrimination Act adds 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 amendment the House added to the passed Senate bill raised concerns with the national trans community breathlessly following SB 97's progress through the Delaware legislature.
 
It was supported by the bills' proponents in the First State and clarified how a trans person could establish his or her gender identity.  It also stated that the GENDA law would not protect a person attempting to use gender identity as an excuse to enter an opposite-sex changing area for an “improper purpose.”

The cool thing for me about the whole process besides my Delaware trans brothers and sisters getting their too long delayed human rights coverage was not only how fast it happened, but the law was lead sponsored by African-American senator Margaret Rose Henry (D-Wilmington)   

The bill was introduced on May 31 by Senator Henry, who is the Delaware Senate Majority Whip and as of 6 PM EDT yesterday with Gov Markell's signature affixed to it is now the law of the First State.  It's also a law that Attorney General Beau Biden (D) stated he would rigorously enforce. 

The other cool thing for me is that Sen. Henry has a Texas connection in that she graduated from Texas Southern University here in Houston.  .

But for my Delaware-born girls like us homegirl Sarah McBride, the cool thing for her was that her home state passed a trans rights law.

“I’ve never been prouder to be a Delawarean,'she said in an interview.  "There will be none of the doomsday scenarios that the opponents of this legislation said, and all Delawareans will see that in the coming months and years ahead. The only difference will be that transgender people will be safe and secure in this state.”

And Sarah, you should be proud of your home state   It is now one of 17 states in this country that protect the human rights of trans people.  That's something to be bursting at the seams proud of and I look forward to the day it happens in my home state of Texas.  

With the demographic changes happening in Texas blue state transpeople, that day may be coming sooner than you think. 

But congratulations Delaware!   Lets hope, pray and continue to work toward the inevitable day that trans human rights coverage becomes a reality in all our states. 

Amended Trans Human Rights Bill Passes Delaware House

Yesterday in the Delaware House SB 97, the Gender Identity Nondiscrimination Act ran into a speed bump on its way to passage and out of the House for Gov. Jack Markell's signature.

After House Minority Leader Daniel Short (R) brought trans oppressor Nicole Theis of the Delaware Family Policy Transphobia Council into the debate on the House floor to spread her patented brand of 'bathroom bill' hate, an amendment to it was introduced by the House sponsor, Rep Bryon Short (D-Claymont).

The amendment passed on a 25-16 vote.  It clarifies the definition of gender identity and ensures a person cannot claim a gender identity that is not their own to access a locker room or other sex-segregated facility.

The amended trans rights bill then passed the House on a 24-17 vote.   Three Democrats voted NAY along with the  entire Republican House delegation against your human rights Delaware transpeople.

Reps. William Carson, John Mitchell, and W.Charles 'Trey' Paradee are the folks who will forever go down in trans infamy as the ones who stood on the wrong side of human rights history along with (surprise, surprise) the Republican Party, so punish them all accordingly at the polls next November. 

The amendment to the bill means that since there are now two different versions of SB 97 that passed,  the bill will return to the Delaware Senate for them to approve the amendment that passed in the Delaware House before it can go to Gov. Jack Markell (D) for his signature.

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..