Integrity USA Begins Pride Month With Focus on The "T"

We invited Bishop Robinson to his first ever "transgender conversation" in 2008 following the exclusion of trans people from ENDA. We wanted to understand his statement in regards to gay people leaving us out of ENDA "A Half a love is better than none at all". It took place inside of the HRC Black Tie Dinner in Dallas Texas in Lu of our protesting the fundraiser.

I was upset that Bishop Robinson had refused to take the podium, instead took the the chair of our one and only gay panelist, a black man. He then refused to speak directly on his position regarding transgender inclusion in work place non discrimination laws. Afterwards in his luxury suite I asked him about this and he became quite agitated. Recognizing it would be better to continue the conversation at a later date I asked if we could.

Bishop Robinson simply answered "Why should I".

It became obvious to us at the conversation he had a long ways to go to accept us as equals in gods eye, but as evidenced by this video Bishop Robinson has come a long ways since 2008.



Integrity marks the beginning of Pride Month with the June 1st release of "Voices of Witness: Out of the Box" – the groundbreaking documentary giving voice to the witness of transgender people of faith. Courageously inviting the viewer into their journeys, the film is ultimately a celebration of hope and the power of God's love to transcend even seemingly insurmountable obstacles. Produced by Integrity’s Communication Director Louise Brooks, the film is being offered as a gift to the Episcopal Church as a resource for both teaching and transformation.


"Gender identity and gender expression are issues that can easily be misunderstood and cannot be wrapped up in a neat little box,” said Brooks. “So the goal of “Out of the Box” was to answer some of the most frequently asked questions. We have been blessed by a truly amazing cloud of witnesses who shared their stories and their lives with us. It has been a privilege to work with them to take this project from a dream to a reality as we offer their voices of witness to the church and to the world.”


"I believe God is calling us into this conversation now,” said New Hampshire Bishop Gene Robinson, one of the voices featured in the project. “It is an opportunity to get to understand another part of God's never-ending diversity and another way to live into our baptismal calling to love all God's children."

The third in the Voices of Witness series, “Out of the Box” was released on the IntegriTV YouTube Channel on Friday, June 1st. It will also be distributed to every bishop and deputation prior to the 77th General Convention of the Episcopal Church meeting in Indianapolis in July, along with a study guide written by the Rev. Gary Hall.


“Making ‘all’ mean ‘all’ is the foundation of Integrity’s platform for General Convention 2012,” said Jon Richardson, Integrity’s VP for National Affairs. “And partnering with our TransEpiscopal allies to complete the work of adding gender identity and expression to our non-discriminations canons is part of the work “Out of the Box” will help us do.”


For more information contact:
Louise Brooks
Director of Communications
Integrity USA
communication@integrityusa.org
626-993-4605

Cece McDonald Sentencing Monday: Please Write The Judge

If one person reads this post and writes before 1:00pm central Friday June 1st I will be happy. I know its short notice but our letters could make the critical difference during her sentencing.

email your letter to mpls4cece@gmail.com and the support committee will print and hand carry them to the judge.

From the Support Cece McDonald Committee

Write to Judge Moreno!
CeCe's sentencing is scheduled for this coming
Monday, June 4, at 1:30pm. Our expectation is that she will be sentenced to 41 months in prison (between time already served and time off for good behavior, the time left that she'll remain incarcerated is likely under two years), in accordance with her plea agreement.


HOWEVER, we believe that CeCe's status as an African American transgender woman makes her especially vulnerable to abuse while incarcerated, and so we are asking Judge Moreno to exercise his judicial discretion and order that she serve her sentence *on house arrest rather than in prison.*



We are calling on supporters to take a few minutes and write a letter to Judge Moreno, urging him to order house arrest rather than prison.



Letters should be addressed to Judge Daniel C. Moreno, but *submitted to the CeCe Support Committee via email (mpls4cece@gmail.com) by THIS FRIDAY, June 1, AT NOON.* We're going to deliver them all at once to the judge personally.



We have met with her lawyers and the following are their suggestions on how best to write letters.

Please consider the following points when crafting your letter:

-Genuine sentiment and honesty are more important than length and eloquence. Don't worry about how articulate your letter is--just say what you mean (in a respectful manner)!

-Letters should speak to any or all of the following topics:

--That house arrest is a reasonable option given the offense CeCe pled to and which adequately addresses her vulnerability in the prison system

--CeCe's good character (explain your relationship to her in the letter, and include anecdotal evidence of what a loving, caring and constructive person she is)

--That CeCe poses no threat to the community

--Ways that CeCe's imprisonment will have an unduly negative impact on her friends and family (if you have personal knowledge of this)

-DO NOT disparage or even comment on Dean Schmitz, or any of the other people (including CeCe's attacker) present that night.

-DO NOT comment on issues of innocence vs. guilt. DO NOT claim that CeCe is innocent, or that she was falsely or unfairly convicted or coerced into taking a plea deal, or that she acted in self-defense. In considering her sentence, the Judge will be looking at whether or not CeCe takes full responsibility for the action she pled guilty to, and any arguments undermining that taking of responsibility may do more harm than good.

-DO NOT use the letter to make arguments about the unjust nature of the criminal legal system. We all feel it, but the Judge won't!


In solidarity,
the CeCe Support Committee

++++++++++++++++++

The following is a letter sent by a friend. You can use it as a example, if you wish. You can find my letter at the bottom of the post. Your letter does not have to be long, just words from your heart.

+++++++++

Dear Judge Daniel C. Moreno,

I am writing you in regard to the case of CeCe McDonald who has a sentencing hearing scheduled on June 4, 2012 at 1:30 PM.
... I would like to ask you to show discretion and take into account her time served along with good behavior in her sentence. Please take into consideration the possibility of allowing her serve her sentence under house arrest.

I feel incarceration in a public facility could be detrimental to CeCe’s mental health and physical safety since she is not only African American but also a transgender woman. I fear this will make her even more vulnerable to physical abuse if housed with the general population.

While I do not personally know CeCe I have followed her case since the beginning and have had many communications with her support group. In following those communications I do truly believe that CeCe wants to take full responsibility for her actions. I know she has a solid support system of family and friends which will give her a solid foundation of support during the service of her sentence. She is of no danger to herself or a threat to the community.

Thank you for taking all options into consideration and I hope you will give CeCe a chance to redeem herself and have the opportunity to give back to her community.

######################

The letter I just sent.......

Dear Judge Daniel C. Moreno,

I am writing you in regard to the case of CeCe McDonald who has a sentencing hearing scheduled on June 4, 2012 at 1:30 PM.

As a advocate and columnist I have become aware of the terrible times transgender people in general population face, and this would even be worst for Cece being a woman of color.

I have been following this case since the beginning and have faithfully read her supporters statements. I believe Cece could be trusted to do her time under house arrest. She is of no threat to the general population and I believe, not a risk to flee.

Cece has an amazing support network who truly care for her waiting to help this young woman become a productive citizen.

Thank you,

Kelli Busey

Dallas Transgender Advocates and Allies (Co Admin)
http://dallastaa.ning.com

planetransgender
http://planetransgender.blogspot.com