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Sunday, October 25, 2009
Dana Beyer notes:
With the inspiration of my friend and namesake from New Zealand, Georgina Beyer, and the encouragement of my friend and fellow NCTE board member Amanda Simpson, who ran for state office in 2004, I am poised to become the first openly trans American state legislator in 2010.
I am here today only because of the struggle and sacrifice of those who came before me. I am profoundly aware of this. And I am asking you all to invest in me and sacrifice just a little bit more, because my electoral success will take us all to the next level of full American citizenship. I work for us all – trans, gay, racial and ethnic minorities, the disabled, anyone who is left out and vulnerable – but I am well aware that through this work all Americans become better off.
More information on Dana’s campaign and how you can contribute $20.10 toward her 2010 victory see:
http://www.danabeyer.com
This is talk, not advice. See Terms of Use for details.
Posted by Andrea James on 10/25 at 03:41 PM
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Amanda Kelly sends along some encouraging information about how her union has handled transgender members. She notes:
I was reading on your page that you have little knowledge of Trade unions, how they function & trans people within those organizations. A few years ago we I worked with other trans-involved union activists & we put forward changes to our national constitution to have Transgender people included in the language. Trans-activists from all over the country put in similar requests as we did in Toronto to change this language & it was unanimously voted in! This wonder occured in 2002.
D-18 Rights of Transgender Workers
The Union recognizes that transgender workers face discrimination in the workplace, society at large and the Union. The Union recognizes that all people, regardless of their gender identity and/or gender expression, have a right to be treated with fairness, respect and dignity.
The Union strongly opposes discrimination based on gender expression and/or gender identity. The Union will work with other union organizations and community organizations to protect, defend and expand the rights of transgender people.
The Union will develop an internal union education program outlining the experiences and situation of transgender people. The Union will develop an internal union education program to challenge and counter transphobia.
Ever since we’ve been fighting to get the language in our collective agreement (Contract). The union is CUPW - the Canadian Union of Postal Workers. Bellow is a link to the document in PDF format.
http://www.cupw.ca/multimedia/website/publication/English/PDF/2008/cupw_constitution_2008_en.pdf
Hope this helps & puts a positive spin on Trade Unions for you.
More employment information:
http://www.tsroadmap.com/reality/jobtrans.html
This is talk, not advice. See Terms of Use for details.
Posted by Andrea James on 10/25 at 03:21 PM
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The Equality and Human Rights Commission issued the 27th in their Research Report Series on trans issues. This 100-page report is a detailed compilation of findings in various areas of law and health. They note in their conclusions:
The following implications emerge from the review:
- Work needs to be done with the Government to ensure that the needs of trans people are included in policies and legislation.
- The Department of Health could undertake an investigation of the need for and feasibility of specific trans services in health and social care (including transition and non-transition-related healthcare).
- The Department of Communities and Local Government could undertake an investigation of the need for and feasibility of specific trans services in housing provision.
- All central Government departments could review their gender equality schemes to ensure that they have paid due regard to the need to eliminate unlawful discrimination and harassment of transsexual people.
- A national online resource could be developed that brings together advice and information on a range of trans issues.
- Anti-homophobic bullying strategies could address bullying related to gender-variant behaviour.
- Employers need to respond to their legal obligations and implement good practice on trans.
TRANS RESEARCH REVIEW
Martin Mitchell
Charlie Howarth
Equality and Human Rights Commission 2009
First published Autumn 2009
ISBN 978 1 84206 160 2
You can download a copy of this report as a PDF from:
http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/researchreports
This is talk, not advice. See Terms of Use for details.
National Center for Transgender Equality notes:
In an historic move, the United States Senate, by a vote of 68 to 29, joined the House of Representatives in passing The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, which will be the first federal law to include gender identity and transgender people. Once signed by the President, this law will add sexual orientation, gender identity, gender and disability to the categories included in existing federal hate crimes law and will allow local governments who are unable or unwilling to address hate crimes to receive assistance from the federal government. President Obama has indicated that he will sign the bill into law.
“Transgender people have been waiting so many years for assistance from the federal government in addressing the rampant and disproportional violence that we face,” noted Mara Keisling, Executive Director of the National Center for Transgender Equality. “Today we move one step closer to our goal of ending violence motivated by hatred. Everyone in America deserves to live free of fear and of violence. We know that the dedicated leadership and hard work of Senator Kennedy and Representative Conyers and many other legislators made the passage of this bill possible. Words can’t really express our gratitude for their commitment to equality for all people.”
In the past, federal law has only mentioned gender identity in a negative context, such as explicitly excluding transgender people from the Americans with Disabilities Act. The passage of the hate crimes bill marks a significant turning point from the days in which the federal government contributed to the oppression of transgender people to today when federal law takes action to protect our lives.
The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act will have a number of positive impacts. First, it will help educate law enforcement about the frequent hate violence against transgender people and the need to prevent and appropriately address it. Second, it will help provide federal expertise and resources when it is needed to overcome a lack of resources or the willful inaction on the part of local and/or state law enforcement. Third, it will help educate the public that violence against anyone is unacceptable and illegal.
Transgender people continue to be disproportionately targeted for bias motivated violence. Thirteen states and Washington, DC have laws which include transgender people in state hate crimes laws.
NCTE website
http://www.nctequality.org/
This is talk, not advice. See Terms of Use for details.
Posted by Andrea James on 10/25 at 09:18 AM
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Transgender Law Center notes:
The Transgender Law Center (TLC) applauds the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for announcing new plans to ensure that HUD’s housing programs are open to all, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. To date, HUD is the first federal agency to publicly propose guidelines that would explicitly address discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
HUD’s announcement represents an important victory in the struggle to end discrimination against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people. “This is a great day,” noted Masen Davis, Executive Director of the Transgender Law Center. “Housing is such a basic need, yet we regularly hear from transgender people who experience housing discrimination and fear homelessness.” Indeed, TLC’s 2008 Transgender Economic Health survey of almost 650 transgender Californians revealed that housing protections and programs are critical for transgender people. Among survey respondents, 19% experienced housing discrimination and 21% have been homeless. Meanwhile, home ownership for transgender Californians is disproportionately low (20%) compared to the overall population in California (56%).
The new HUD regulations would require grantees and those who participate in the Department’s programs to comply with local and state non-discrimination laws that cover sexual orientation or gender identity, such as California’s Fair Employment & Housing Act. They would also clarify family status to ensure greater access to subsidized housing programs for transgender people and their families, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity, and will mandate that any FHA-insured mortgage loan be based on the credit-worthiness of a borrower and not on unrelated factors or characteristics such as sexual orientation or gender identity.
In addition, HUD plans to commission the first-ever national study of discrimination against members of the LGBT community in the rental and sale of housing, which will provide vital data for our community.
HUD’s announcement
http://portal.hud.gov/portal/page/portal/HUD/press/press_releases_media_advisories/2009/HUDNo.09-206
Transgender Law Center
http://www.transgenderlawcenter.org/
This is talk, not advice. See Terms of Use for details.
Posted by Andrea James on 10/25 at 09:14 AM
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