Make it Happen. Political Activism Training By Equality Texas

Attendees included two transgender people. Nikki Taylor, founder of the newly formed Fort Worth Transgender support group, bottom row second from the right, and of course myself sitting next to her in my T peep shirt grinning like a lunatic.

Most of my posts in recent years have been about gay.com or what a certain equality federation member misdeeds have been, but its time for me to come out of the transsexual menace closet.
I have been a member of and have participated in events with Equality Texas for years.

Equality federation members have a lot of latitude in how they approach equal rights issues and the methods they use to obtain that end. Sadly in the recent past some Equality Federation members have sacrificed public accommodations or at least tried to, on the alter of marriage equality or even worst, just for a feather in there caps.

Not so in Texas. In talking with Equality Texas Executive Director
Dennis Coleman at the class he reassured me the official position of Equality Texas remains unchanged regarding public accommodations.

In all reality this came as no suprise to me. Daniel Wiilams, the newly appointed field activist is one of the people I admire the most in the world and one our most impassioned allies.

So the class? It was fun, informative and energizing. Daniel travels nearly every weekend conducting these, focusing on getting to places which otherwise would have never had a LGBT political activism class, like colleyville, Texas.

I'm going to schedule a appointment with my districts Representative. It's time to make that change I want to see globally, happen locally.

What of your Equality Federation Member? What is their position on Public Accommodations?

Live in Texas and are interested in attending a political Activism Class?
Check out the where and when on the EQTX Event Calender

Contact Daniel Williams, EQTX Field Organizer for details at:

DanielWilliams@equalitytexas.org

Inlaws & OutLaws at Plano West CineMark Its What U Get When You Fall In Love

And it's what I got for falling in love with our Lesbian, Gay and straight allies too. InLaws & OutLaws.

This showing is a WIN-WIN for the north Texas LGBT community. For us it's more than the movie its a new day. We have come to learn from CineMark Vice President Bob Shimmin CineMark is now offering same sex benefits for their employees and is including gender identity and sexual orientation in it's non discrimination policies.

From Mr. Shimmin: "I hope to answer some of the questions you have about Cinemark. First, Cinemark began offering domestic partner benefits nationally on Jan 1, 2010....I have included the cover page of the 2010 Benefits Packet that was distributed to all employees in the fall of 2009 which clearly highlights the fact that domestic partner benefits were added for 2010."



I would personally like to thank Mr. Bob Shimmin for his part in helping overcome the controversies that so embroiled his company and embrace a inclusive workplace.

Inlaws & Outlaws on Wednesday, August 24th, at 6:30 pm at the Cinemark West Plano in Plano, Texas

TEXANS! Another child is bullied to death DEMAND ACTION!

Another Texas child has been bullied to death.
Thirteen-year old Asher Brown committed suicide on September 23, 2010. He shot himself in the head after enduring what his mother and stepfather say was constant harassment from four other students at Hamilton Middle School in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District. Brown's parents said they had complained about the bullying to Hamilton Middle School officials during the past 18 months, but claimed their concerns fell on deaf ears. [Houston Chronicle story]
This is the same school district in which Langham Creek High School freshman Jayron Martin was repeatedly beaten with a metal pipe last November. Martin said he had asked for help from two principals and a bus driver, but it took a neighbor with a shotgun to stop the beating. [KHOU story]
DEMAND ACTION!
There is simply no excuse for failing to protect school children. The State of Texas is obligated to provide a safe learning environment.
Under current law, students are not specifically protected from bullying and harassment based on actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity/expression. Current law does not establish a uniform state school conduct policy and does not provide for monitoring or enforcement of independent school district policies.
This coming January, for the third legislative session, Equality Texas will be working to pass safe schools legislation. It will not pass until lawmakers know it is a top priority for their constituents. During the 81st Legislative Session, Rep. Mark Strama filed a bill relating to safe schools for all youth. While it was voted favorably out of committee, it died on the floor of the Texas House of Representatives. Will this be the session to finally pass a safe schools bill?
Ask your state representative to take the issues of bullying and harassment seriously by supporting the passage of safe schools legislation - legislation that would protect all children, including children of lesbian or gay parents and teens who are gay.
DEMAND ACTION NOW!
Equality Texas advocates and lobbies for the elimination of discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity/expression.

DVTV Video of DART Meeting: Equality Texas Weighs In

Israel Luna of DVTV attends the DART board meeting in which the GLBT community voiced it's concerns over the regional transportation providers reaction to a transgender woman's need to transition.

Texas Heavy Weight Equality Texas Weighs in on DART Advocacy

Equality Texas Joins with Resource Center Dallas and Dallas Transgender Advocates and Allies in Calling for DART to Amend its Nondiscrimination Policy to Include Gender Identity/Expression
Discrimination, harassment, and violence against people with nonconforming gender identities/expressions must be prohibited.

Classrooms, communities, and workplaces should be safe for every person, regardless of whether or not the person fits expectations for masculinity or femininity. From workplaces to homes, to just walking on the streets, people who do not conform to stereotypical gender identities/expressions face widespread discrimination, harassment, and even violence.

While DART (Dallas Area Rapid Transit) has long been recognized for having a diverse workforce, its internal Diversity and Equal Employment Opportunity (DEEO) policy does not currently include gender identity/expression in its nondiscrimination language.

Adding gender identity/expression to DART's nondiscrimination language would remedy this inequity.

Equality Texas Foundation's Workplace Project, a public education program on the economic and social benefits of comprehensive workplace non-discrimination policy, joins with Resource Center Dallas (RCD) and Dallas Transgender Advocates and Allies in asking DART to amend its DEEO Nondiscrimination Policy to add the words gender identity/expression so that it has a fully inclusive diversity strategy.

RCD is to be commended for their exemplary efforts, which will result in discussions with DART human resources and diversity staff on this issue. You will be called upon in the next ten days to two weeks to assist in this effort with a coordinated and targeted advocacy campaign. Please join in this effort.

Equality Texas news letter March 11, 2010

Go here to read John Wright’s latest story on the situation.

Many thanks to Israel Luna for doing such a great job.

THERE IS NO EXCUSE NOT FOR NOT PROTECTING TEXAS SCHOOL CHILDREN

THERE IS NO EXCUSE NOT FOR NOT PROTECTING TEXAS SCHOOL CHILDREN

Click here to take action.

Bullying & harassment are not rites of passage; they are serious problems.

Children are being bullied to death.

When will the madness stop?

In 2007, the anti-bullying and anti-cyberbullying "Corinne's Law" was introduced in the Texas Legislature by Rep. Harold Dutton and supported by Equality Texas.

The bill died on the floor of the Texas House of Representatives for lack of action.

YOU can help stop the madness.

Urge passage of House Bill 1323 by Rep. Mark Strama.

Take Action. Ask your representative to vote FOR HB 1323. Help stop the madness.

Click here to take action.

Support the TEXAS "Freedom from Workplace Discrimination Act"

Sign this petition End Workplace Discrimination!
Equality Texas is joining with State Representative Mike Villarreal (D-San Antonio) in his efforts to secure a public hearing for his bill, HB 538 - "The Freedom from Workplace Discrimination Act". This bill would prohibit employment discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity/expression.
Please sign this petition in support of the bill and calling for a public hearing in the House Committee on State Affairs.
All the petitions will be delivered by Rep. Villarreal to the Honorable Burt Solomons (R-Carrollton), Chair of the House Committee on State Affairs. Our goal is to obtain 2,000 signed petitions in order to persuade Chairman Solomons to schedule a public hearing on this bill.
Please take action. YOU make equality happen.

Sign this petition