Thirty seven Senators Urge President Obama To Act on ENDA

The Washington Post  published a letter signed by thirty seven Democrats urging Obama to sign a executive order banning job discrimination with companies that contract to the Federal Government.

Trickle Down Transgender Protections?

Many of us ask, OK so thats nice, cynically remembering the HR3015/3685 debacle, even if there was a executive order how would that affect me as a civilian?
Nether executive orders, legislation or company policy guarantee fair treatment, but it does affect employers perceptions on how they should treat all LGBT people.

The letter published on the Post can be read in full Here:

[Y]ou are in a position to protect millions of American workers immediately by including sexual orientation and gender identity alongside long-standing anti-discrimination protections.

As you know, ENDA would prohibit most workplaces in the United States from discriminating against potential and existing employees on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity. From our perspective, ENDA’s premise is simple: it would make federal law reflect the basic principle that Americans should be judged on their skills and abilities in the workplace, and not on irrelevant factors such as their sexual orientation or gender identity.

Currently, an Executive Order prohibits federal contractors from discriminating against employees based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin…Issuing an Executive Order that includes sexual orientation and gender identity is a critical step that you can take today toward ending discrimination in the workplace.

The Washington Blade reports that support for ENDA is building in the Senate:

In addition to Merkley, who has sponsored ENDA in the Senate, signers of the letter include longtime members of the chamber who’ve supported the bill, such as Sens. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Senate Health, Labor & Pensions Committee Chair Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), who pledged to move the ENDA legislation out of committee this year.

New faces to the Senate have also signed the letter, including Sens. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), William Cowan (D-Mass.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.). Lesbian Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), the only openly gay member of the Senate, is also a signer. No Republicans signed the letter, but an Independent, Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), penned his name

Jimmy Kimmel Live Trashes Trans People on V Day With "The Art of Seduction with Christoph Waltz"

Notice the woman didn't need to check Christoph Waltz's crotch. She already knew he's not a real man. And Kimmel, I feel sorry for any woman trans or cis that you fool.

Kez Ban Auditions - AMERICAN IDOL SEASON 12 .

"Before we get started am can I ask you one question? If you think I am destined to the bloopers reel in a way the would embarrass my mother let me know right now and I will leave."

A dear friend, Kelly who I'd like to wish a very happy Valentines to, shared this with me. I think its wonderful.

Kez being a fire performer was asked if she ever had a accident to which she replied, "I burnt down a tomato plant once and the hairs on my chinny chin chin"

Hailing from "North Carolina, Planet Earth", Kez Ban has stated that she believes she won't win the competition outright, but at least advance to the Hollywood round. Does she get her wish?

Published on Jan 17, 2013. For your V day pleasure Kez Ban:

California Saddleback College Breaks Laws Denying Public Accommodations Outing Transgender Student

Saddleback College (commonly referred to as Saddleback) is a community college in Mission Viejo, California. As a part of the California Community College system Saddleback is required to abide by Callifornia Sate law The Gender Nondiscrimination Act (AB 887) which specificaly applies to secondary schools that receive public funds.

According to the Saddleback student news paper Lariat NewsNatalie Smith a transgender student, was told by campus police that she would be arrested for using the woman's restroom in the girls locker room late January at the beginning of the semester.

"We can't have men in the women's locker room," said Interim Chief of Police Christopher S.M. Wilkinson."

"Wilkinson said that once Smith completes her therapy requirements, undergoes surgery to become a transsexual, and carries official documentation then she is more than welcome to use the woman's restroom."

The Gender Nondiscrimination Act (AB 887) [Approved by Governor October 9, 2011. Filed with
Secretary of State October 9, 2011.]

Saddleback college is clearly violating the law but the damage doesn't stop there. The Lariet article by putting Natalie's name in parentheses suggests her name is less than authentic then goes on tho make public her birth name a number of times, outing her and putting her at grave risk.

Mark Daniel Snyder Communications director at the Transgender Law Center replied to my media injury by stating:

"California law prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender identity and gender expression in any program or activity conducted by an educational institution that receives, or benefits from, state financial assistance or enrolls pupils who receive state student financial aid."

"California law says it is the responsibility of school district governing boards to ensure that school district programs and activities are free from discrimination and have policies to combat harassment and discrimination."

"California law does not distinguish between “transsexual” and "transgender” persons for the purpose of nondiscrimination law – every person is protected from discrimination based upon their gender identity and gender expression. Discrimination includes permitting some women, but not others, to use women’s restrooms on campus."

"There is no California law requiring a transgender woman to have sex reassignment surgery in order to use the women’s restroom."

"If you are denied restroom access based upon your gender identity you should call the Transgender Law center."
The California based Transgender Law Center championed AB 887 and welcomes requests for help.

Video: FEMEN inside of the Notre Dame de Paris: NO More Homophobic fascist Benedict XVI No More Pope

FEMEN France sextremists played a funeral march by ringing bells of the citadel of Catholicism Notre Dame de Paris for the Pope. The fight between activists and grieving popephiles and the security took place during the action . The stuff of the museum decided to switch off the light to obstruct the work of journalists.


FEMEN NO MORE POPE from FEMEN Video on Vimeo.

FEMEN France noted the final hour of the homophobic Pope. FEMEN is congratulating the whole progressive world with the resignation of fascist Benedict XVI from the place of the head of the Catholic mafia. It's symbolic that today is the day of the voting of law of same-sex marriage in France. The ex-Pope was a fierce opponent of gay marriages. FEMEN applaud the complete capitulation of the middle age homophobia! Pope go to the devil! Viva common sense! Viva freedom!
video by Joseph Paris Femen France Facebook

Summit Church Sparks Nevada's Response To Christianity? Throw Her Out.

Kent Paris who's reparative NARTH based agenda focuses on polluting middle of the road  Christian churches was confronted by Kathy Verbiest Baldock who authors Canyon Walker Connections at the Summit Church Sparks Nevada on February 10th 2013. This is what happened:



From the Youtube description: On February 10, 2013, after attending four sessions of the six given by ex-gay leader Kent Paris at Summit Church, Sparks, NV, I stood to make a 1:30 minute statement that I posted on my blog. I am confident Pastor Bond and Paris had already read it.
I had two plain clothes policemen and three church security men on me immediately. I had only gotten my name out of my mouth. nI am confident Pastor Bond and Paris had already read.
I had two plain clothes policemen and three church security men on me immediately. I had only gotten my name out of my mouth.
The man taping it, Mark, was pushed to a chair and also escorted out.
Here was my posted statement that got me evicted:

"Do you know the consequences of rejecting your gay youth as opposed to accepting them?

If parents with gay children were to follow the teachings and therapeutic tools offered by Kent Paris, your gay youth are EIGHT times more apt to attempt suicide than those gay youth who are accepted.

They may suffer depression SIX times more often than those who are accepted.

They are THREE times more likely to get involved in drug and alcohol abuse than those gay youth that are accepted.

They are THREE times more likely to contract HIV and/or STDs than accepted gay youth

This is research; this is scientific, peer reviewed research.

If you are the parent of a gay youth, when you leave here, stop on the way home and buy a package of razors, a bottle of whiskey, a hypodermic needle and a lifetime supply of antibiotics because that is the life you will more often impose on your gay child through your rejection and shaming.

This is what you will be doing to the child you have been charged to raise in the way they should go.

Do not try to force your child to be something they are not, something to your liking. You will not only be responsible for the effects on their mental and physical health, you will also, in all likelihood, push them from God."

Pope's Stepping Down and God says he's quiting too

I decided to check out god's response to the Rat's announcement he was retiring and what better place to do that than twitter?

So this asshole is quiting? The jerk that made me cry all Christmas after his hatfill screed attacking me last Christmas eve is stepping down? My tweeter response:

In any case at least this man won't be able to hurt me anymore. I just hope he stays away from kids, or doesn't get into a position to enable pedophile priests again.

Spring Launch Planned For Chrysalis First Trans lingerie Line

Underwear with attitude!

All trans woman we have one thing in common regardless of any other differences.

Its dang hard to find underwear that fits comfortably, is affordable, supports us as we need is feminine and is made to wear on a day to day basis.

There may very well be relief just over the horizon. Chrysalis Lingerie which according to the Daily Beast will be doing a grand opening this spring. Good! Its really hard for me, a 144lbs 5'8 transwoman with a "B" cup to find a bra.

Trans Woman Slain On Antonio Felix Street Mãe Luíza Brazil

Source: BLOG DO EDMILSON SOUSA [Bing Translate] "Shemale is persecuted and executed in Mother Luiza"

A young man of 30 years was executed with two shots in the head, on the street Antonio Félix, in the neighborhood of Mother Luiza, the area east of the capital. Carlos Robson dos Santos was shemale and was chased by the gunman before being killed. According to officers of the 1st Battalion of the military police, who were at the site shortly after the murder, the victim tried to escape the criminal ran through the streets of the place, but ended up being reached and killed.
According to Felipe, shemale soldier may have been killed because of the war of drug trafficking. The victim's father, he reported that the son was getting involved with drug dealers because of the addiction and that has no doubt that Carlos was killed for this reason. "I talked to the father of the boy still on the site of the crime, he reported that the son was in the world of drugs since his 16 years and who knew that this would be their fate" reported.
The Civil Police who went to the scene of the crime had difficulties to gather information about the authorship of the implementation, since the law of silence reigns in the community that has been suffering for a long time with the violence. The case will be investigated in the 4th Police District.

Travesti é perseguido e executado em Mãe Luiza

Um jovem de 30 anos foi executado com dois tiros na cabeça, na rua Antônio Félix, no bairro de Mãe Luiza, zona Leste da capital. Carlos Róbson dos Santos era travesti e foi perseguido pelo atirador antes de ser morto. De acordo com policiais do 1º Batalhão da Polícia Militar, que estiveram no local logo após o assassinato, a vítima tentou escapar do criminoso correndo pelas ruas do local, mas acabou sendo alcançada e morta.
Segundo o soldado Felipe, o travesti pode ter sido morto por causa da guerra do tráfico de drogas. O próprio pai da vítima, segundo ele, relatou que o filho estava se envolvendo com traficantes por causa do vício e que não tem dúvidas que Carlos foi morto por esse motivo. "Conversei com o pai do rapaz ainda no local do crime, ele relatou que o filho estava no mundo das drogas desde seus 16 anos e que sabia que esse seria o seu destino", relatou.
A Polícia Civil que foi até o cenário do crime teve dificuldades para colher informações sobre a autoria da execução, visto que a lei do silêncio impera na comunidade que vem sofrendo há muito tempo com a violência. O caso será investigado no 4º Distrito Policial.

Nadine Williams South Wales Transgender Woman Cleared of Rape Charge

Nadine Williams, a transgender woman has been cleared of rape and two counts of sexual assault which she was accused of committing  before transitioning while presenting as Dean, a male.

Ms. Williams who spend 6 months remanded to pretrial confinement with men while waiting for the trial simply said she was relieved the "torment" was finally over.

The unfortunate articles I've seen to date have misidentified Nadine as a 'transgender man,'  further adding confusion by misgendering with male pronouns.

But as a testament to her character Nadine told The South Wales that while waiting trial she "worked to try to make the prison trans-friendly" and decided to make her tribulations public knowledge to help people understand the transgender community.

The  Swansea Crown Court archives don't give details only stating that the case was closed.

She now wants to move on with her life and continue her journey.

"I can now rebuild my family life," said Miss Williams.

"I am cleared and I have been vindicated," she said.

But she said the road for her could still be hard.

"There could be lasting effects to me, my family, my close friends and the whole transgender community. I just hope people will understand and let me get on with my life."

Read more at This South Wales

Boston Shelter And Police Rule Breakers Humiliate Trans Woman Settle For $30G

Trans woman Brenda Wernikoff had been staying at the Boston Woods Mullen homeless shelter for a year when a employee called the police on her for using the ladies room.

According to the Lawsuit she was arrested and humiliated, made to strip and jump up and down for the officers who then called her by male pronouns.

The Woods Mullen homeless shelter policy regarding trans peoples access to public accommodations:

It's been my experience with Dallas Homeless Shelters they can be extremely reluctant to include transgender policies. Many claim its a simple lack of physical safe space but the reality is as we see here, it's more often than not a case of embedded transphobia.

Have shelters changed that much since 2004? Not really. Lesbians and Transgenders (still) Struggle for Shelter

They Love to Function In the Dark. We'll Humiliate Them Forcing Them Into Sunlight: Oklahoma Legislator On LGBT Health Care

* Note: I changed the title from "Transsexuals" to "They" after a number people commented they thought the title was misleading. After watching the video a number of times I still believe Lankford didn't specify who "they" were, leaving that to speculation. I believe the "they" Lankford was alluding to is the LGBT people, specifically the addicted among us.

Source Think Progress: The fifth-ranking House Republican took a shot at the LGBT community at a recent town hall, saying he wanted to use “the power of humiliation” to undermine a program that helps individuals who need substance abuse treatment.

Rep. James Lankford (R-OK), who at the same Oklahoma City meeting earlier this month blamed gun violence on “welfare moms”, took a question from anti LGBT state legislator Sally Kerns about a program that counseled LGBT individuals with substance abuse problems. The woman accused the Substances and Mental Health Services Administration of “pushing the homosexual agenda” and “indoctrinating our citizens.”

Lankford agreed with the woman’s concern, vowing to open an investigation into the matter. “They love functioning in the dark,” the Oklahoma Republican said of the LGBT program, promising to use “the power of humiliation” to uproot it.



The only one being humiliated is you Lankford and possibly some of your constituents when they realize you such a bigot who may turn on them some day. Kerns, its more than obvious that you understand mental health leads to sobriety and safe sex which of course you oppose for LGBT people. You would be very happy to see AIDS continue to decimate us.

LGBT people face life threatening addictions, its a fact. Many like myself before transition turned to drugs to escape reality. Early in my sobriety I saw my transsexuality as a curse. I've been clean and sober for 23 years now thanks to god and AA. But now there's real hope for our affected population regardless of  faith beliefs or interventions of a  higher power thanks President Obama leadership.

Its called the Substance Abuse Mental Health Administration which is conducting conferences country wide to help educate mental health providers opening the door to our elevation from despair, drug dependency and suicidal thoughts.

SAMHA is opening the skylight enlightening health care providers about the obstacles LGBT people find when seeking help. However, there were a couple things I find troubling in the teaching PDF. There was a marked brevity in explaining gender expression and identity and I could not find the word 'transphobia' in the PDF. Instead the authors chose to describe our discomfort with societal misconceptions as 'homophobia'.

Source SAMHA PDF

Accessibility

"Due to homophobia and discrimination against LGBT individuals, some may find it difficult or uncomfortable to access treatment services. Substance abuse treatment programs are often not equipped to meet the needs of this population. Heterosexual treatment staff members may be uninformed about LGBT issues, may be insensitive to or antagonistic toward LGBT clients, or may falsely believe that sexual identity causes substance abuse or can be changed by therapy. These beliefs by providers become barriers to treating the LGBT client."

In any case its a great teaching tool.

Fox News Mocks Brown University's New SRS Insurance Coverage

Of all the things going on in the world, war, trained killers turning on each other and rape Fox uses its airtime to denigrate a health plan that they have no part of except...its money  in the bank for Fox, pandering to their hateful constituency like that. The Atlantic Wire reports this deplorable conduct by Fox and friends has ignited a firestorm of hate filled commentary on other media outlets.

Brown university's recommendation to the APA that Gender incongruence be removed from the DSM-5 has fallen on deaf ears so Brown did what it could to facilitate our transitions. Brown has now joined with Cornell, Harvard, Stanford and Penn by paying for SRS.

Kelly Garrett, LGBTQ Center coordinator, said she has strongly advocated this change for the past several years. A milestone in the movement to add coverage for these surgeries was the inclusion of hormone treatment in the current school year’s coverage plan, Garrett added. The sexual reassignment procedures that will be covered are “very standard and very comprehensive,” she said.

In the past, transgender students did not have access to sex reassignment surgeries at Brown and often were barred from treatment due to high costs, Garrett said. “I know people where it’s taken them 10 years because they needed to save money,” she said. The LGBTQ Center has no statistics on how many transgender students are at Brown, and it is difficult to get accurate data due to self-reporting and the nature of some students’ gender identity changes during their time in college, she said.

Without Brown would graduate Kate Bornstein have become the person she wanted to be?



HIGH FIVE to Brown and ALL of the other colleges. You are saving lives and molding our future leaders with those same lives. Thank you!

Ravens Superbowl Champion Brendon Ayanbadejo on Transgender Rights: If a man wears womans clothes and is really a man, who cares?

Human rights activist Brendon Ayanbadejo Ravens linebacker explained his support for transgender rights on CNN after eloquently stating his support of marriage equality:

“If a woman wants to wear a man's clothes or if a man wants to wear a woman's clothes or you feel like you're a woman on the inside and you're really a man. Who cares? Let's just treat everyone equally. Let's move on. Let's evolve as a culture, as a people.”

I honestly believe Ayanbadejo ether lacks a understanding of transgender people or was talking about cross dressers. In ether case it was a tragic faux pas at a crucial moment stereotyping transgender people as really men or woman who dress in the opposite sex's clothing. Can we help to understand who we are? Yes we can! (did someone say that before?) Heres Brendon's facebook fan page. Show some love. Be nice, help educate Brendon.

Human Life International (HLI): A Catholic Organization Promoting Death For Being LGBT?

Uganda: a modern day battle ground between indigent LGBT people and Western Catholics power brokers intent on passing the "Kill Gay" bill.

In 2008 I became a soldier in this conflict in this far off land not because the methodologies employed by anti gay groups were so nefarious, but because this hate is being funded and promoted openly by American organizations and secretly by the US goverment officals who belong to the  'family'.

Thes lies and hate mongering have taken an amazingly brave man from Uganda:

American Catholics killed David Kato who lead the fight for Sexual Minorities Uganda. Did an American actually  beat Mr Kato sending him to this agonizingly slow death?? No. Cowardly American Christians such as Scott Lively got someone else to do that for them.

The Kill Gay Bill was reintroduced this year and is intended silence if not by murder by imprisonment.

Mercedes Allen wrote a open letter to Life Site News asking for a clarification about it's relationship with Human Life International. Mercedes has also begun the petition: LifeSiteNews, stop promoting organizations that stir up anti-gay hatred in Africa.

From 2009 about the 'family'....

Victory! Fernanda Milán Has been Granted Asylum In Denmark!

Trans woman Fernanda Milan has been granted asylum by the Danish goverment! Fernanda Milan, originally from Guatemala sought refuge in Denmark after her transgender advocacy endangered her life. At first it appeared she was going to be forced into returning to Guatemala which for Fernanda would have been a death warrant.

Enter the worlds transgender and allies advocates! Together we made our outrage be heard and the Danish Government listened to us!

Please read these articles by my amazing friend and advocate Natacha Kennedy who's grass roots activism was crucial to this success:

Press Release from T-Refugee Project, Denmark

Fernanda Milan: Activism Works!

Translation of article about Fernanda Milan in Danish newspaper Politiken

Będzie MP Anna Grodzka nominację do Parlamentu zastępca Pass głośnik?

Will trans woman Ms. Anna Grodzka Nomination For Deputy Speaker Pass The Conservative dominated Polish Parliament?

It seems is that Ms. Grodzka nomination may receive a up vote in this conservative Catholic country's Parliament. But how could that be?

Polityka, politics politics!

Recently there was a bill introduced in Parliament for civil unions between same sex couples which was dismissed out of hand. Didn't even get discussed.

Ms. Grodzka's nomination by the minority liberal party quickly followed on the heals of that defeat and is seen as a challenge to the dominate conservatives and fence sitting parties to show they are in fact progressive as they say they are.

Listen to the debate on Dateline Warsaw – transsexual MP to become deputy speaker? The debate and back story.

Video: Obama On Super Bowl Sunday "Gays and Lesbians Should Be Allowed In The Boy Scouts"

Obama on women in combat, gay Boy Scouts

In an interview with CBS Evening News anchor Scott Pelley, President Obama discussed the recent decision to allow women to fill combat roles in the military and the Boy Scouts' mulling ending the organization's ban on openly gay members, voicing support for both changes.

Michigan Dept. Of Civil Rights Report: LGBT Discrimination Is Hurting our States Economy

Some highlights of the executive summary:

Over the course of 2012, the MDCR conducted public forums, surveys, and archival research to examine whether the state’s current laws and policies have an economic impact on individuals, businesses, or communities and whether changes would brighten or dim our economic outlook.

While ELCRA prohibits employment, public accommodations, public services, education, and housing discrimination based on race, religion, color, national origin, sex, age, marital status, height, weight, and arrest record, it does not currently prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity/expression. This means that employers can fire or refuse to hire people, landlords can deny housing, and business owners can refuse restaurant service based on an individual’s actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity/expression and those individuals would have no means of legal redress.

The first section also examines the non-discrimination policies of Michigan’s largest employers, in both the private and public sector. It is particularly significant to note that institutions have adopted these inclusive internal policies because they saw doing so as ‘good for business,’ and did not experience any anti-business burden.

Section two provides an overview of the current state of LGBT discrimination. This section shows that there is convergent evidence of significant discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity/expression across a variety of sources and collection methodologies.

The third section outlines the effects that not prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity/expression is having on Michigan citizens, families, communities, and the economy. Many people who identified as heterosexual delivered testimony on behalf of their LGBT children, parents, siblings, and friends.

The Department’s research showed that out-migration is perhaps the most substantial effect of the state’s lack of LGBT inclusive policies. Approximately one-fifth of the testimony the Department heard alluded to people leaving the state for reasons related to discrimination. Professionals and college students, including students who identified as heterosexual, said that they planned to leave the state because they do not feel that Michigan values all of its citizens. Several people used the phrase “compelled to leave” and stated that they would not stay unless the state became a “community for all people.”

The fourth section is a response to some of what was offered in testimonials provided at the public forums. This section is not a comprehensive response to those who oppose LGBT inclusive laws. Neither is this report intended to support or refute anyone’s views about homosexuality. The purpose of this project, this report is to add analytical and anecdotal evidence to the public policy debate about whether Michigan should adopt more inclusive legislation by asking whether the decision has economic implications.

All available evidence shows that discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity/expression, (1) exists and is significant, (2) is protected in other states, but not in Michigan, which (3) has direct negative economic effects on Michigan.

Lastly, at the conclusion of this report, the reader will find recommendations for the future. Although much of what can be done necessarily falls to the legislature, there are a few steps that can be taken by the Commission and the Department that would improve the situation for LGBT persons in Michigan.

1. The Commission should publicly support the expansion of federal, state, and local laws that protect people from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity/expression in employment, housing and other real estate, and the full and equal utilization of public accommodations, public service, and educational facilities.

2. In addition to promoting expanded civil rights laws and policies, the Commission should oppose laws and policies that restrict LGBT civil rights.

3. The Commission should direct the MDCR to amend intake forms to reflect an individual’s sexual orientation and gender identity/expression.

4. The Department should continue to do outreach and partner with organizations that are already fielding complaints of discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity/expression.

5. Commissioners and Department staff should continue to further their internal understanding of LGBT issues and concerns.

6. The Department and Commission should continue to support and pursue policy changes in the area of non-discrimination.

7. The Department should seek to rectify the discrepancy between voter perception of nondiscrimination protections for LGBT persons and the reality of current local and state nondiscrimination laws.

8. The Commission should advocate that the legislature strike from state policy discriminatory state laws that are superseded by federal laws or have been ruled unconstitutional by the United States Supreme Court, such as the law against sodomy and cohabitation.

9. The Department should share with the governor’s policy staff the results of the survey that shows out-migration of professional students due to a lack of statewide LGBT inclusive policies.

10. The Department should make itself available to consult with communities with local non-discrimination ordinances or that are considering local non-discrimination ordinances.

11. The Department should make this report readily available to business owners so that they can better understand and make the business case for anti-discrimination employment protections.

Read in full the MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL RIGHTS REPORT ON LGBT INCLUSION UNDER MICHIGAN LAW