Dallas Voice :: View Points Crews Inn reaction disturbing, full of blanket statements

This letter was written by Jase Donaldson of Oak Lawn, Texas in response to letters published on Aug 8, 2008 and can be found in the Dallas Voice View Point Aug 15, 2008;

(On Aug 8, 2008) "Alejandro De La Garza wrote: “Gay men who make it a habit of dressing up like women are among the most obnoxious and disrespectful people I’ve ever met,” and “It’s also ironic that, while they champion being out and proud, they feel the need to adorn themselves with wigs and makeup and use fake names” (“Drag queens aren’t our perpetual torchbearers”).

Mr. Jase Donaldson responds;

"Blanket statements like these that are so off-putting and poorly thought out that, frankly, they’re akin to saying “All gay men are pedophiles.” And that’s surely something that outrages gay men (myself included) far and wide."...............=========================================

Kelli Busey adds her 2 1/2 cents

I am proud to be a sister of MR. Jase Donaldson. Your spirit strengthens our souls.

However.....

I was somewhat ashamed and chagrined by Mr. De La Garza's mean spirited letter. It is a hurtful thing when a member of your own community attempts to splinter and wound the GLBT people.

I was chagrined because I had originally appeared at the protest to support a part of our community that I do not identify directly with, drag queens.

Not that there is anything wrong with people who identify as Drag Queens, But as it turns out, the Dallas Voice's original article gave no clue as to who was the offended parties.

The offended parties are TRANSGENDER WOMAN.

I would also like to make perfectly clear, transgender people do not have any wish to invade the space of gay and lesbian people and even though my own sexual affinity is for both genders I identify as transgender because that is what I am.

I personally am extending an invitation to any and all who would like to witness or join our demonstration to come down to the Crews in at 10:00 pm.

Its a place for everyone. No exclusions.

A Universal Response to Bigotry; Crews Inn Protest

Protest at Crews Inn; a Universal response to bigotry

Protesting indignities forced on a class of people has drawn together the community of Dallas Texas on Tuesday evenings at Crews Inn.

The desire to demonstrate against oppression unites in a way no other can.
The passion and dedication being shown by people of all ethnic backgrounds and nationalities including straight allies, Gays, Lesbians, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersexed, asexual, gender diverse and those who just wandered in and stayed awhile is awe inspiring.

We all have one united belief. All people are entitled to the basic dignity that one expects to be shown.


This commitment to our belief in the transgender community is most recently demonstrated by our support of the many issue which would normally be associated with Gay and Lesbian rights.

Many transgender people understand that standing up for our entire community is a basic building block for success.

What we are focused on will ultimately benefit our community, city, and country. We even have aspirations we may find a way to stem the outward flow of hate and bigotry that the United States has become known for, i.e. secret torture chambers, indefinite imprisonment without due trial, warrant-less invasions of privacy, etc, etc.

It's a small statement at this henceforth unheralded bar, on this quite street.

But then again, our voices are the ones being heard!

Kelli Busey
Transgender Advocate
Dallas Texas

We will be at the Dallas Texas bar "Crews Inn" tonight.

Many thanks to Dallas Voice DVTV News.

Transgender Protest at Crews Inn

For Immediate release
Friday August 1, 2008

Transgender and allies protest discrimination

Contact Kelli Busey
Tel. 214.226.7080
kellibusey@yahoo.com
http://planetransgender.blogspot.com

Protest
Tuesday evenings at 10:00 pm
Crews Inn
3215 N Fitzhugh Ave
Dallas, TX 75204
(214) 443-9350

Why
Unfair and discriminatory actions of David Moore, co-owner Crews Inn.

Dallas Transgender advocates and allies have committed to a continuing a protest at Crews Inn, a Gay bar in Dallas Texas, in response to the expulsion of transgender woman from the bar on Tuesday July 15, 2008.

According to protest leader Celeste Williams, "We will let David Moore co-owner know that LGBT people will not abide with discrimination, especially from within our own community and that there are many other Gay bars close by that have publicly announced and displayed a non discriminatory policy towards the LGBT population".

A opinion that David Moore has displayed a random disregard towards transgender entertainers, guests and woman is reinforced by experiences of Sierra Nicole Standridge, who performs as Sierra Nicole Andrews,
"I was kicked out three years, he does this every so often for no reason".
Bar patrons who stopped by after seeing the protesters said he "gets into one of his moods" and acts unpredictably.

Robert Clawson, a dancer at Crews Inn who stopped by the protest on his way into work said,

“David is set in his ways,” Clawson said. “I think it is just awful, but I have to make my dollar.”

The protests have been joined by Patti Fink of the Dallas Gay and Lesbian Alliance, Daniel Williams of the Dallas Peace Center, allies and friends.

The protest which has gained local TV and national media attention, has highlighted the need for legal protections in the workplace which transgender people have been excluded from recently in the 2007 ENDA defeat.