RIP: Michele LaFreniere
Trans activist Michele de LaFreniere died on Halloween. I didn’t know her myself, but she sounds like a stalwart soul.
Victory in Kalamazoo
Woohoo! Kalamazoo Michigan got it’s non-discrimination ordinance! One down, two to go! Here’s One Kalamazoo’s press release:
ONE KALAMAZOO DECLARES VICTORY IN BALLOT FIGHT
Kalamazoo residents approve nondiscrimination ordinance
“Our campaign started with a very basic idea, and today voters confirmed that we are One Kalamazoo,” said Campaign Manager, Jon Hoadley.With only absentee ballots outstanding, 65 percent of Kalamazoo voters have approved Ordinance 1856 by a vote of 6,463 to 3,527, adding protections for gay and transgender people to the city’s nondiscrimination ordinance. This margin is larger than the number of outstanding absentee ballots that are currently being counted. Continue reading “Victory in Kalamazoo”
Pam’s House Blend Guest Post
I’ve got a piece up at Pam’s House Blend about the passage of the new & improved Hate Crimes Act. It’s part of a series about the passage by people from the trans communities.
T Girl Sticker
Best unintentional trans-friendly marketing: 
It’s the logo of the Tennessee Volunteers Pink Tennessee Girls, and it’s $5.95.
(Courtesy Autumn Sandeen & Kevin O’Connor, via Twitter)
Obama on Passage of Hate Crimes Law
“But we sense where such cruelty begins: the moment we fail to see in another our common humanity — the very moment when we fail to recognize in a person the same fears and hopes, the same passions and imperfections, the same dreams that we all share.” – President Barack Obama, 10/28/09
Hate Crimes Bill Signed Into Law
From NCTE:
President Obama has just signed into law the very first protections for transgender people in US history: The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act.
“This is a powerful day as the United States government, for the first time, stands up and declares that violence against transgender people is wrong and will not be tolerated in our country,” stated Mara Keisling, the Executive Director of the National Center for Transgender Equality. “Every day transgender people live with the reality and the threat of personal violence, simply because of who they are. This must end and it must end now. The new law provides for some vital first steps in preventing these terrible crimes as well as addressing them when they occur. At NCTE, we are dedicating this day to all those who have been victims of hate-motivated violence as well as recommitting ourselves to ending the epidemic of hate that continues to damage our communities and our country.”
Mara will be present at the White House this afternoon when President Obama offers commemorative remarks to mark this historic moment.
The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, which adds sexual orientation, gender identity, gender and disability to existing law, will have a number of positive impacts for transgender people:
- It will help educate law enforcement about the frequent hate violence against transgender people and the need to prevent and appropriately address it;
- It will help provide federal expertise and resources when they are needed to overcome a lack of resources or the willful inaction on the part of local and/or state law enforcement;
- It will help educate the public that violence against anyone, including transgender people, is unacceptable and illegal.
Most importantly, this law marks a turning point for the federal government, by including positive protections for transgender people and taking seriously the need to address the discrimination that we face.
Transgender Workplace Discrimination Stats
I don’t remember hearing anything about this study, nor that the results were in, but I thought others might want to check it out.
The key findings are:
- Survey respondents reported twice the unemployment rate of the population at large.
- 97% of respondents reported harassment on the job.
- 47% reported an adverse job situation (firing, lack of raise/promotion, not hired).
- 15% of transgender people lived on $10k a year or less.
I expect my usual skeptics to be surprised by these stats, and to want to know more about how the survey worked & who responded. It was done by NCTE and The Task Force, and included participants from all 50 states.
Hate Crimes Through Senate
The Hate Crimes Act has made it through the Senate:
WASHINGTON – A bill to make violence against gays and lesbians a federal crime cleared the Senate Thursday and is headed to the White House for final approval.
The 68-29 vote was a victory for civil rights groups that have been fighting for years to expand the federal hate-crimes law beyond attacks motivated by bias based on religion, race, national origin or color. The new bill, which President Obama is expected to sign, includes penalties for assaults based on a victim’s sexual orientation, gender, disability or gender identity.
Historic good news.
T-HUD!
It’s not sexy, but it’s great news from NCTE:
(October 21, 2009, Washington, DC) The National Center for Transgender Equality praises the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for its announcement today that it will ensure that its programs are available to all, including LGBT people. Today’s announcement is historic, since HUD is the first federal agency so far to officially propose guidelines that would explicitly address discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
“The evidence is clear that some are denied the opportunity to make housing choices in our nation based on who they are and that must end,” said HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan. “President Obama and I are determined that a qualified individual and family will not be denied housing choice based on sexual orientation or gender identity.”