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Great News on Trans Marriage Rights in NYC

From the Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund (TLDEF):

We are happy to announce that the city of New York has adopted a new policy designed to ensure that transgender people have equal access to marriage licenses. The policy was adopted as part of an agreement to resolve threatened legal action involving a transgender couple. The couple wishes to remain private and we refer to them as Jane and John.

Jane and John are both transgender. They are an opposite-sex couple who have been in a relationship for over a decade. In Dec. 2009, they attempted to marry in the Bronx. They fulfilled all of the requirements for receiving a marriage license in New York City and presented their government-issued photo identification – the only identification required by the City Clerk’s office. Rather than issuing the marriage license, the City Clerk refused and instead demanded that Jane and John produce their birth certificates before they could be married – something not required of other marriage license applicants.

Under the terms of the new policy, issued on Feb. 7, 2011, once a marriage license applicant produces the required photo ID, the City Clerk may not request additional proof of sex. Moreover, City Clerk employees are forbidden from considering the applicant’s appearance or preconceived notions related to gender expression when deciding whether to issue a marriage license.

“Transgender people are challenged all the time about their status as men and women,” said TLDEF executive director Michael Silverman. “Our clients are legally entitled to marry and were denied that right just because they are transgender. We applaud the City Clerk’s office for adopting this policy and for taking steps to ensure that this does not happen again.”

In addition to the adoption of the new policy, the agreement to resolve the couple’s claims calls for the City Clerk to apologize to Jane and John, to institute training for all City Clerk employees on issues relating to gender identity and gender expression, and to ensure that Jane and John are free to marry at a time and place of their choosing.

For more about this new policy, read up at TLDEF’s site.

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Two Tune Tuesday: Marianne Faithfull

It IS Women’s History Month, so we’ll be hearing only from the ladies this month. That said, I’m not sure Ms. Faithfull would want to be called a lady, either.

Still, “Working Class Hero” is a classic (and hereby dedicated to the ongoing protests in Madison). It’s been covered by Green Day, too.

And then there’s “Why’d Ya Do It?” which is probably the angriest song ever: “why’d you betray my little oyster for such a low bid” is one of the nastiest, most poetic accusations ever put to music.

Yikes. Barbed Wire Pussy, indeed.

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Trans Friendly Bathrooms

Genderqueer Chicago is working on a campaign to make bathrooms in Chicago trans-friendly:

CHICAGO–In an unprecedented effort to make the city of Chicago safer for transgender individuals, Genderqueer Chicago, a local youth group, launched the “T-Friendly Bathroom Initiative,” a grassroots project that challenges business owners to recognize and protect gender identity in their public restrooms, according to a press release.

This year, more than 500 businesses and organizations will be asked to sign a pledge that commits them to allowing gender-variant customers to use the bathrooms they choose. Businesses that sign the pledge will receive window decals that gender-variant people can easily identify as trans-friendly.

It sounds like a very cool plan; I hope to see this idea transfer to other cities. Maybe there will be a day when Safe 2 Pee isn’t needed — imagine!

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Roller Derby Trans Grrrl

I’ve known other (trans) women in roller derbies before, but I’m happy to see an official policy by a women’s organization siding in favor of inclusion. Bethany Johnson said:

“We’ve yet to send out a formal press release regarding this, but we are very proud of the diversity represented by our league and we’re glad that our league can be one of the leagues to formally create a policy allowing transwomen skaters . . . For The Chicago Outfit, I think that having this policy is another step for our league to show how open and accepting of women from all walks of life we are. This policy also hopefully will help to continue the legitimization of transwomen athletes in this sport in other leagues throughout the country.”

Although “allows” really chafes, even if the person who said it is trans herself.

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Catwalk

I thought this blog needed a lighter moment, so here is Maru trying on wigs:

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Trans Candidate for Mayor of Amarillo

There’s a trans woman running for mayor of Amarillo, TX.

Today Sandra Dunn announced her intentions to run for Amarillo mayor. The mother of two was not always known as Sandra and this is not her first time running for public office. She ran for city and county commissioner when she was known as Fred Dunaway.

I’m probably going to be taken to task for this, but as far as I’m concerned, she’s still their father, no? What they call her has nothing to do with it: that’s their own business. But she did contribute the sperm. They could at least use “parent”. It’d be one thing if this person were stealthy, but she’s open & out as trans.

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No, Really.

This is amazing. The rabid (not in the good way) governor of WI has effectively locked up the state capitol, so state reps have moved their desks outside to meet with voters.

How incredible is that? Honestly, I feel at home here in a way I never expected; the WI response to this governor’s powergrab tells me WI has got bigger shoulders than Brooklyn or Chicago. Damn.

And by the way, it wasn’t more than 20 something degrees out today. These folks are not kidding around.

(h/t to my friend Matty for the photo)

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Women’s History Month: Forward

For the start of Women’s History Month, here’s a photo of two images of women in the Wisconsin state capital of Madison. The gold one, which sits atop the building’s cupola, is actually named “Wisconsin” but she’s often referred to as “Miss Forward” — which is the name of the statue that stands at ground level on the capital grounds.

Named Miss Forward for the state’s motto, she is a 7-foot tall allegorical representation of devotion and progress that, from Ms Miner’s experience, could also symbolize patience and persistence.

Jean Pond Miner is her sculptor, and “Forward” is the state motto (which people have been writing backwards on signs protesting the recent power grab by Governor Walker, or using in signs in other ways).