DC Trans Day of Action to Demand Police Protection, Accountability and Respect

November 17 Transgender Day of Action
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Monday, November 14, 2011

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Miguel Tuason, glaatuasmig@gmail.com, 571-218-7505

Alison Gardner, alison@venusplusx.org, 202-290-7077



M E D I A A D V I S O R Y

November 17 Transgender Day of Action

Delivers Demands to District Officials

WASHINGTON, D.C.—On November 17 at 1:00 PM, a broad coalition of organizations and concerned DC residents will be hand-delivering written goals, demands, and deadlines aimed at stemming the escalation of violent crimes against Transgender people in the nation’s capital. Starting with Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) Chief Cathy Lanier and U.S. District Attorney for Washington, DC (DA USAO) Ron Machen, who oversees the city’s federally-administered justice system, the activists will continue with Mayor Vincent Gray, and all 13 City DC Councilmembers.

WHAT: Transgender Day of Action
WHEN: Tuesday, November 17, 2011, starting at 1 PM
WHERE: MPD Headquarters (300 Indiana Avenue NW) to the US Attorney’s Office (555 4th Street NW)
and City Hall (1350 Pennsylvania Avenue) in Washington, DC
WHY: The Trans community and its allies throughout the city come together to demand change.
HOW: Activists deliver a set of written demands with date certain expectations and consequences.
WITH: Transgender Day of Remembrance at MCC on Sunday @ 5 PM (474 Ridge Street NW)


The grim media reports trumpet the District’s rise in violent crime against Trans people, including two murders this summer, LaShai McClean, 23, on July 20, and Gaurav Gopalan, 35, on September 10, while experts contend that crimes against Trans people are generally underreported or misreported by the police. And, MPD’s clearance rate for assaults and murders involving trans victims is just a quarter of the average rate, 20% versus 80% of crimes solved, respectively, according to Police Chief Lanier.

Late August brought together a dozen community organizations in a coalition called DC TLGB Police Watch, all determined to bring immediate, systemic, and sustainable change to the District. TLGB, rather than LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Trans people), is part of the group’s name to signal its primary focus on Trans issues. These activists intend to continue bringing public pressure on elected and appointed officials to seriously address this crisis that, sadly, includes anti-Trans violence and unconstitutional profiling by MPD officers.

DC TLGB Watch includes the local organizers of the annual Transgender Day of Remembrance, this year scheduled for Sunday, November 20, at the Metropolitan Community Church. Each year the Trans community and its allies solemnly gather to honor murder victims and their families. The Transgender of Action was conceived to honor these victims, as well, by bringing advocacy to the streets and sidewalks.

The still-expanding coalition consists of local and national organizations including DC Trans Coalition (DCTC), Helping Individual Prostitutes Survive (HIPS), Gay & Lesbian Activists Alliance (GLAA), GetEQUAL DC, Woodhull Sexual Freedom Alliance, International Socialist Organization (ISO), Cedar Lane UU Church LGBT Task Force, VenusPlusX, Rainbow Response, Transgender Health Empowerment, and Gender Rights Maryland.

We invite you to download the the group’s goals and demands and color Poster, listen to the TransFM interview with Alison Gardner and Ruby Corado regarding the day of action, and find more info at Facebook/Transgender Day of Action or TLGBpolicewatch.tumblr.com.

#####

Call For Transgender Unity After St. Petersburg Russia Anti LGBT Law Proposed!

Google doc English translation

The police simply stand by as St Petersburg pride celebrants were beaten this year but thats not enough for Putin. This purposed amendment to a St Petersburg law would further criminalize public gatherings of LGBT people equate us with pedophiles effectively banning all transgender, lesbian and gay gatherings be it for social functions like a picnic or activism events.

LGBT Asylum News reports Putins national party is enacting regional laws one city at a time shutting and dead locking the closet door.


The world is responding by petitioning the Russian government not to enact this draconian law. This English translation can be found on Moscow resident Anno Komarov's facebook page:

Anno Komarov in brown jacket being led by police from the rally

"Against the adoption of the St. Petersburg law restricting freedom of association, peaceful assembly and freedom of expression
Category:
Public law regulation, laws and legislation
Region:
St. Petersburg
... Author:
Semenov, AA
Maintained by:
Organizations do not
№ 5832
Gathering signatures.
Donate
Description
Документы (1)
Voted (525/19)
Comments (22)
История (2)
Against the adoption of the St. Petersburg law restricting freedom of association, peaceful assembly and freedom of expression
in the Legislative Assembly of St. Petersburg
St. Petersburg Governor Poltavchenko GS COPIES Commissioner for Human Rights in the Russian Federation, VP Lukin, Commissioner on Human Rights in St. Petersburg, AS Kozyrev Ombudsman for Children in St. Petersburg, SJ Agapitovoy November 11 faction "United Russia" made in the Legislative Assembly amended the Law "On Administrative Offences in St. Petersburg." "United Russia" proposed to introduce administrative liability and impose a fine for public action aimed at the so-called "propaganda of sodomy, lesbianism, bisexuality, transgender," and to promote pedophilia among minors. We, the undersigned, urge you to pay attention to the use of improper language in the law and definitive substitution of concepts. We consider it inadmissible to compare the public mention of homosexuality, bisexuality and trangendernosti propaganda of sexual crimes against minors (pedophilia). We consider it inadmissible to the adoption of this law to homosexuality, bisexuality and transgender as a normative act, which violates the basic rough shape human rights (as well as groups and organizations) to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly enshrined in the Constitution of the Russian Federation, as well as a number of international human rights instruments. We believe that the law contributes directly to the feuding and an increase in xenophobic attitudes in society . We ask you not to allow adoption of the Act without proper public hearings, taking into account the full range of scientific views of the Russian and the international community, as well as peer review. We urge the authorities to respect the Constitution, in which the protection of human rights is the highest value. We ask the authorities to pay attention to the significant risk of the consequences that inevitably follow in the event of adoption of this law, namely fomenting xenophobia against homosexuals, bisexuals and transgender people, fomenting discord in society and the increase in aggressive mood among the population."

Please sign the petition at Проблема 5832: Против принятия в Санкт-Петербурге закона, ограничивающего свободу объединений, мирны
democrator.ru