From All Over: GenderNews
  • NY County Gay Rights Law Omits Gender Diversity Protection
  • Massachusetts Transwoman is Fired For Transitioning On The Job
  • US Congress Members Advocate Equal Rights for Transgendered

  • Posted August 31 1998




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    NY County Gay Rights Law
    Omits Gender Diversity Protection

    An August 3, 1998 press release from EON, Inc. You can reach EON's president, Angela Brightfeather Sheedy, at Britfether@aol.com

    Fair practice law passes Onondaga County legislature, but not without protest from the GLBT community.

    In a turn of events that would usually signal a demonstration of joy within the GLBT community, instead a shallow victory was won by some GLB's who sponsor a heirarchy of individuals in this upstate New York community.

    An existing Fair Practices Law that was passed 8 years ago in the City of Syracuse was sought to be expanded to the county level by the local G & L political group called the Stonewall Committee. Comprised of members of the G & L community, the Stonewall Committee had been collecting petitions from the local members of the GLBT community at events held over the last 8 years and lobbying legislators. Many who signed the petitions thought that the legislation being sought would include GLBT transgender people in the community and were shocked and suprised to find at public meetings designed to introduce the legislation, that inclusive language was not in the new version of the legislation.

    EON, Inc., a local transgender group, active in the community for the last 20 years, gave testimony at the legislative voting session along with other leaders in the GLB community who protested the exclusionary intent of the legislation by the Stonewall Committee. Testimony offered by the Stonewall Committee noted that it was better to have this bill pass now so that some people could be protected in employment, housing and public services, rather than having no one protected if gender language was added to the City's version of the law, that they wished to expand to the county level. The thought being that gender language would kill the legislation. A thought that was placed in everyone's minds by the committee fom very early on.

    President of EON, Inc., Angela Brightfeather Sheedy responded, saying that the legislation did not have the consensus of the GLBT community, that it would divide the community and create a hierarchy of protected individuals within the community and failed to protect at least 37% of the gay and lesbian population of the community who are also considered "gender diverse." It was noted by a number of speakers objecting about the law in it's excusionary state, that it should be sent to committee for further discussion and adjusted to reflect changes in the community over the last eight years since the city's version of the law was passed. The Stonewall Committe objected to sending the bill to committee due to the political expediency of the situation.

    In a vote of 13 to 11, the legislature decided to pass the exclusive law against the wishes of representatives from EON, PFLAG, TS Menace and the members of the Fair Practices Task Force who were present and gave testimony.

    Although very dissapointed with the outcome of the vote and the Stonewall Committee, the effect of this legislation has been to galvanize the local GLBT community into a group of activists who are willing to confront the "mainstreamers and assimilationists" in the future and seek equal rights for the GLBT Bisexual and Transgender community. Efforts are already underway to "educate" members of the Stonewall Committee and to hold public forums and meetings to inform interested members of the GLBT about Bi and Trans rights.

    Noted members of the Task Force, EON and TS Menace have vowed to continue the fight and bring new legislation to the county amending the Fair Practices Law in the future to make it inclusive. It was understood by all that "we are fighting for our lives and self respect and we won't let the Stonewall Committee or the county legislature impose on our rights as members of the communities of diversity, or our rights as citizens. Stonewall and the legislature have made it apparent that they don't care about Transgendered GLBT people and are willing to accept partial legislation that tends to divide us and is an insult to all the work that has been done by others to create unity in our communities. They have created a group of second class citizens in our community and disciminated against GLBT Trans people in the same ways that they have been discriminated against before this law was passed."

    In Syracuse, NY and Onondaga County, if you are gay, lesbian, bisexual, asexual or heterosexual you will not lose your job or housing rights because of your sexual preference, but every GLBT person who expresses their gender differently will wake up tomorrow, facing the reality that they must still fear for their jobs and homes because they do not conform to the "cookie cutter" mentality of the Stonewall Committee and the county legislature.


     
     




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    Massachusetts Transwoman is Fired
    For Transitioning On The Job

    This item is from InYourFace on-line news. For prior press releases, check the GenderPAC website at: http://www.gpac.org

    [Cambridge, MA: 11 Aug 98] Transgender woman Allie Lye was fired from her job at Sky Publishing Company in Cambridge because of her gender expression. She has filed suit against her employer for violating a city ordinance that protects transgender employees and a state law that forbids sexual discrimination.

    She began transitioning on the job in May, with her supervisor's support and the good-will of her co-workers. A month into her transition, her supervisor left the company. Two days later, her new supervisor called her into the personnel office and told her to stop dressing in women's clothes or she would be fired.

    She was told that her appearance was offensive to employees and customers, a claim she found disingenuous because her duties never put her in contact with customers and she got on well with co-workers. (Some even commended her courage, some her appearance). She filed a complaint with the Cambridge Human Rights Commission (HRC). The HRC contacted Sky Publishing who adamantly refused to negotiate, saying the ordinance is unconstitutional.

    Ms. Lye was told to work as a man until she had Sexual Reassignment Surgery (SRS). She could then dress as a woman. She declined, saying that she had no intention of having SRS; and, if she did intend SRS, she would have to live as a woman for 1-2 years before she could have the operation.

    On 24 July 98 she was fired, for insubordination. Her chances for judicial redress are not immediately promising. For defying the city ordinance, Sky is liable for only a $300 fine. And it could take nine months for her case to reach the Mass. Commission Against Discrimination.

    Commented transactivist Nancy Nangeroni of Cambridge, "This is a clear-cut case of both transphobia and blatant disregard for local jurisdiction and basic human rights. The company is presenting a mean-spirited face in terminating a productive and well- liked employee simply for her gender expression... This kind of conduct is egregious behavior for any business and should not be tolerated."


     
     




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    US Congress Members Advocate
    Equal Rights for Transgendered

    This item is from InYourFace on-line news.

    [Washington, D.C.: 6 Aug 98] Two members of the U.S. House of Representatives, Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) and Tom Lantos (D-CA), spoke out last week for human rights and employment non-discrimination for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people. This could be the first mention in the Congressional Record of trans-gender people being citizens worthy of basic human rights.

    On the House floor, Jerrold Nadler spoke in opposition to the Hefley Amendment, a Republican sponsored effort last week to override President Clinton's recent Executive Order barring discrimination in the workplace based on sexual orientation.

    He said, "It is imperative that we begin the process of expanding the promise of the Declaration of Independence to include the last unincluded group--gays and lesbians and transgender people."

    Tom Lantos, co-chair of the Congressional Human Rights Caucus, addressed the caucus regarding international human rights violations. "This briefing represents the first time that the US Congress will address violations grounded in sexual identity...

    "If a government denies human rights to one group, then it is possible for that government to deny rights to any other group... Gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered people in communities all around the world have been brutally punished both physically and mentally for exercising their fundamental human rights to freedom of speech, freedom of association, and freedom of belief."

    Transactivists were heartened by these statements. Said one GenderPAC veteran, "We're actively lobbying Congress, building rapport with Congressional staffers. These trans-positive statements are the result of efforts by hundreds of local activists who attend our National Lobby Day in Washington every year, as well as the tireless work of early pioneers like Phyllis Frye and Jessica Xavier."


     
     
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