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LETTERMAN SHOW PERPETUATES "TRANSPHOBIC" ACTIONS

Posted Thu, 01/07/2010 - 1:20pm by Laura Gonzales

The Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation's largest gay rights
advocate, has asked comedian David Letterman to apologize for a joke
the group has labeled “transphobic.”

Gay Group Calls David Letterman's Joke 'Transphobic'
By On Top Magazine Staff Published: January 06, 2010 On Top Magazine, USA 

On Tuesday, during Letterman's opening Late Show monologue, the show's
announcer, Alan Kalter, feigned “trans panic” when Letterman announced
that President Obama's historic appointment to the U.S. Department of
Commerce, Amanda Simpson
<http://www.ontopmag.com/article.aspx?id=5077&MediaType=1&Category=26>
, was a transgender woman.

“What? Amanda used to be a dude? Oh my God!,” Kalter screamed in
disgust and then ran off the stage upon hearing the news.

In a letter address to David Letterman and carbon copied to Nina
Tassler, president of CBS Entertainment, HRC called the skit
“inappropriate.”

“The decision to ignore the fact that Ms. Simpson is incredibly
well-qualified for this vital national security position and focus
instead on her gender identity reflects transphobia.”

“You may not be aware that the punch line in your skit has been used
as a defense in nearly every hate crime perpetrated against
transgender people that has come to trial,” HRC said.

The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), a GLBT media
watchdog group, also asked for an apology.

Amanda Simpson (TG) Hired by President Obama!

Posted Fri, 01/01/2010 - 7:20pm by Laura Gonzales

 

Obama Hires Trans Woman Amanda Simpson

Thursday, 12. 31. 2009  –  Section: Featured, TransNews

from the National Center for Transgender EqualityAmanda Simpson

Amanda Simpson, who has served on NCTE’s Board of Directors for the past 3 years, has been appointed by the Obama Administration as a Senior Technical Advisor to the Department of Commerce. She’ll be working in the Bureau of Industry and Security.
“I’m truly honored to have received this appointment and am eager and excited about this opportunity that is before me. And at the same time, as one of the first transgender presidential appointees to the federal government, I hope that I will soon be one of hundreds, and that this appointment opens future opportunities for many others.”

Reflections on Christine Daniels

Posted Mon, 12/14/2009 - 11:28am by Laura Gonzales

By: Christine Beatty, writer and member of transgender.fm (TGCD)
Comment to Christine Daniels article:

"What frosts me the most of the LA Times' post mortem treatment of Christine Daniels is not the erasure of her female identity. Given that she had apparently abandoned her transition in 2008 — doubtlessly because her colleagues and the world in general were not as supportive as the rosy picture the Times painted — and had reclaimed her old name of "Mike," I cannot fault the paper for using that name and male pronouns. What sticks in my throat is how eagerly the paper seems to perpetuate the idea that "Mike" was just a tortured and fundamentally unhappy guy who would have killed "himself" no matter what gender s/he lived in. Why do I believe this? Read on.

The Times just rejected a well-written OpEd piece that met all of the requirements for submission. Given my 20 years of journalism experience, it wasn't poor writing that kept it from appearing. What I believe they didn't like was my alternate theory about Christine's death, that the world wouldn't let her be happy as a woman. Thus Christine did what I did in late 1986, detransitioned. I almost killed myself numerous times as well, only I had more people in my corner than she did. I had a reason to live. Christine believed her life was over.

ENDA TO BE CONSIDERED BEFORE END OF YEAR

Posted Sun, 12/13/2009 - 5:20pm by Laura Gonzales
Jillian Weiss December 9 at 4:25am Reply
HRC announced on its Backstory blog late Friday afternoon that it had been officially informed by the House Committee on Labor and Education that ENDA will not be considered by the House this year. http://tinyurl.com/yh467bk

I have been privileged to write about ENDA daily since its introduction in June. Thank you to all of those who have followed my posts and made those calls. We moved ENDA far up the field before the time out, with well over the votes needed in the House and missing only a few votes in the Senate.

I will now take a hiatus from my daily postings to address the personal and professional issues that have received short shrift during the past six months. I will continue to post occasionally about this and other issues, and I note that we need to continue our efforts to ensure that this bill isn't parked again.

Mike Penner (formerly Christine Daniels), Times Sports Writer is Dead (L.A.Times)

Posted Sat, 11/28/2009 - 5:25pm by Laura Gonzales

Mike Penner, the veteran Los Angeles Times sportswriter who made international headlines in 2007 when he announced he was transsexual and began working under the byline "Christine Daniels," has died.

From L.A. Times Metro Staff,  LA Times, KTLA, Fox5 San Diego  11-28-09
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2009/11/veteran-times-sportswriter-mike-penner-dead.html

Colleagues said today that Penner was found dead at his Los Angeles home and that suicide was the suspected cause of death. He was 52.

"He was one of the most talented writers I've ever worked with," said Times Sports Editor Mike James, adding that Penner covered numerous beats including the National Football League and sports media during his more than two-decade-long career at the paper.

"He was a gentle man, a kind man," James said. "It's just a tragedy."

Penner garnered much support and some criticism when he announced he was a "transsexual sportswriter."

Governator Vetoes California Bills Affecting Trans People

Posted Mon, 10/26/2009 - 10:53am by Laura Gonzales

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) was busy yesterday signing and vetoing a pile of bills sent to him by the California State Assembly.
Two bills affecting and of concern to California trans people were ones that got sent to the veto pile by the Governator.
http://transgriot.blogspot.com/2009/10/governator-vetoes-california-bills.html  (From Susan Forrest)

One of those was AB 1185, filed by Assembly Member Ted Lieu (D-Torrance). It's a bill that would have allowed better access to birth certificates for transgender people.

AB 1185 would have allowed qualified transgender people born in California to return to the county of their birth to obtain a new birth certificate reflecting the correct gender, as well as any accompanying name change.

It would have ensured that transgender people born in California can return to the county of their birth to obtain a corrected birth certificate. It would also have provided greater access to transgender persons living in the state, allowing them for first time to petition the court in their home counties. This legislation would have had no fiscal impact to the state.

Schwarzenegger also vetoed AB 382 which would have established protections for LGBT prisoners, which he said was ³unnecessary.²

The measure was sponsored by openly gay Assembly Member Tom Ammiano (D-San Francisco) and would have amended the Sexual Abuse in Detention Elimination Act by adding sexual orientation and gender identity to the current list of
factors that should be considered in the classification of prisoners for purposes of housing.

Senate sends gay hate crimes bill to Obama, Biggest Legislation Yet for LGBT!

Posted Fri, 10/23/2009 - 3:01pm by Laura Gonzales

WASHINGTON (BP)--The U.S. Senate sent a landmark bill Tuesday to
President Obama that includes hate-crimes protections for homosexuals
which critics say will infringe on the religious liberty of pastors
and other faith leaders. 
BP News, USA  Posted on Oct 22, 2009 | by Staff  UPDATED version, 4:20 p.m. Oct. 22, 2009 
It is the biggest federal legislative victory to date for homosexual
organizations.

In a 68-29 vote, senators passed 2010 National Defense Authorization
Act, which includes the hate crimes measure that adds "sexual
orientation" and "gender identity," as well as disability, to the
current categories -- such as race, religion and gender -- protected
from hate crimes. The House of Representatives voted 281-146 on Oct. 8
for the same defense legislation, which was used as a vehicle for the
hate-crimes measure though it is not directly related to the
controversial provision. President Obama has said he would sign the
bill.

"Sexual orientation" includes homosexuality and bisexuality, while
"gender identity," or transgendered status, takes in transsexuals and
cross-dressers.

Obama has promised to sign it into law despite his opposition to
funding in the bill for a specific fighter jet engine. He made his
pledge at an Oct. 10 dinner sponsored by the Human Rights Campaign,
the country's leading homosexual organization.

First Transgender Supervisor for SF?

Posted Fri, 10/23/2009 - 2:20pm by Laura Gonzales

Transblazer!
SF Weekly, CA, USA   © 2009 Village Voice Media All rights reserved.
She just became the city's first transgender department head, but
Theresa Sparks is already setting her sights on becoming the city's
first transgender supervisor.

By Lauren Smiley Published on October 19, 2009 at 2:59pm
http://www.sfweekly.com/2009-10-21/news/transblazer
On a recent Saturday morning, Theresa Sparks strode into Rasselas Jazz
Club in the Fillmore in her size 11 leopard-print flats, peeled off
her sunglasses, and sized up a tough room. It had been just seven
weeks since she had started her new job as the director of the Human
Rights Commission, the agency that boosts the ability of small,
locally owned businesses to compete for city contracts and
subcontracts. She had been invited to speak by the African American
Democratic Club to answer one main question: What did this
mayor-appointed white lady raking in a $167,000 salary plan to do to
get black folks jobs?

HUD Plans to Prohibit Gender Identity Discrimination

Posted Fri, 10/23/2009 - 2:12pm by Laura Gonzales

Transgender Law Center applaudes HUD Plans
(This in from the Transgender Law Center on 10-23-09

Senator Mary Landrieu COMES OUT TO SUPPORT ENDA!

Posted Sun, 10/18/2009 - 5:32pm by Laura Gonzales

Please Call and Thank Senator Mary Landrieu, ENDA's Newest Co-sponsor

Filed by: Dr. Jillian T. Weiss October 16, 2009 10:30 AM  Bilerico, USA
Senator Mary Landrieu of Louisiana has signed on as the newest
co-sponsor of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, S. 1584.

Just as it is important to ask for support, it is also important to
say thank you.

It is particularly important to say thank you to those who, like
Senator Landrieu, have shown that they have the courage to stand up
for civil rights and workplace equality in areas of the country that
are more conservative on many issues. She is now our 50th confirmed
yes vote <http://bit.ly/14TDll> .

Please take the time to call and say thank you to Senator Landrieu for
stepping up to the plate on civil rights.

Contact info and more after the jump.

It is particularly meaningful that Senator Landrieu has done so as a
Senator for one of the most conservative areas of the country, as one
of the most conservative Democrats in the U.S. Senate, and as the
Chair of the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.

Unlike other Senators who have raised specious questions about the
effect of ENDA on business (are you listening, Senator Lugar
<http://www.bilerico.com/2009/09/indianas_lugar_fighting_enda.php> ?),
Senator Landrieu seems to understand better than most that valuing
diversity and eliminating prejudice is good for American business, as
our experience with Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 has
clearly demonstrated.

Thank you, Senator Landrieu, for co-sponsoring the Employment
Non-Discrimination Act, S1584.

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