5/9/12

BREAKING ABC VIDEO: OBAMA SUPPORTING SAME SEX MARRIAGE


"I think same sex couples should be able to get married" Obama April 9 2012

In an interview with ABC News’ Robin Roberts, the president described his thought process as an “evolution” that led him to this place, based on conversations with his own staff members, openly gay and lesbian service members, and conversations with his wife and own daughters.

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"I have to tell you that over the course of several years as I have talked to friends and family and neighbors when I think about members of my own staff who are in incredibly committed monogamous relationships, same-sex relationships, who are raising kids together, when I think about those soldiers or airmen or marines or sailors who are out there fighting on my behalf and yet feel constrained, even now that Don't Ask Don't Tell is gone, because they are not able to commit themselves in a marriage, at a certain point I’ve just concluded that for me personally it is important for me to go ahead and affirm that I think same sex couples should be able to get married,” Obama told Roberts, in an interview to appear on ABC’s “Good Morning America” Thursday. Excerpts of the interview will air tonight on ABC’s “World News with Diane Sawyer.”

ABC Blog President Obama Affirms His Support for Same Sex Marriage


Now what about transgender people Mr President? Can you say T-r-a-n-s-g-e-n-d-e-r? What about ENDA?

5/4/12

Fired Ohio Transgender Student Teacher Broke No Laws Or Code Of Ethics

This transgender student teacher was bullied out of his job by school district and made to believe the actions by the the district was appropriate. This is simply not true. The Student teacher broke no laws or code of conduct.

He was simply trying too educate his students about his gender expressions to address rumors and vocal misgendering occurring in his class room. There is no more wrong with that than if a Muslim or Jewish orthodox teacher educated there students about the difference in their attire.

A commenter identifying as a student at the school defended the teacher:


There is nothing more wrong with that than if a person of color was to instruct there students on the science of different skin pigmentation and why there is no reason to fear them because of there appearance.

And the Federal Government Agrees recently ruling that gender expression and identity are protected under tittle VII of the civil rights act.

The Hillsboro Ohio school district superintendent didn't agree and fired the teacher for alleged unspecified violation of the Licensure Code of Professional Conduct for Ohio Educators but has refused to identify what code was violated despite repeated requests by the Willimington News Journal.

Despite my best efforts I can not identify what code was broken ether so I posted it so you can decide.

Licensure COPC for Ohio Educators Color[1]

Given there was no actual violations of codes, moral standards or laws by the transgender teachers response to bigotry the only reason left would be that voiced by another commenter Willimington News Journal:



5/3/12

Transgender Homesteading in Navajo County Dream Catching

Building this dream is Joshua DaddyBear Jordan, my brother, a transman living in Brisbee AZ. This vision Jousha is endevouring to share is about building lives and resurrecting souls all in the desert of Navajo County Arizona.

From Green T Homestead: (This) is a long-running endeavor to create a community of people who wish to live off the land and use as much of mother natures provisions as possible. It is geared towards the Transgendered and Gender Variant Community as well as their families. We give priority to homeless or endangered people and then will be branching out to those that simply wish for a better way of life off the ...grid.

Green T Homestead is welcoming to most anyone looking to work together to survive in this failing economy and declining world. Everyone on the human and not-so-human spectrum and all the social misfits of this world are most welcome as well. Again starting with those mentioned above and branching out as availability is there.

How can we change this?

Well right now what is happening is that my co-founder/companion and I are scouting land in Navajo County, AZ, and on that land, we are planning a self-sustained homestead or, what I call, The Ranch. We will be gardening both hydroponically and indoors to produce fruits, veggies, and herbs for both self-use, and to feed the community, as well as using it as an income source. Also we plan to have ranch animals such as cows, goats, pigs, and chickens to be used, again, for self-sufficiency as well as income generation.

This will be done in phases, starting with the main house and a small hydroponic system to grow fruit and vegetables. All the houses will be built with a grey water hydroponic/ aquaculture system, allowing each tenant to grow the foods they would like.

How will we the residents sustain themselves and where?

We want to build individual domains for the families so that everyone has their own living space. These would be environmentally-sound residences that run off the land and use solar energy and possibly windmills - both to be found in abundance in the area in which we are planning to build. Each of these residences would be operated financially with the income generated by the individuals living in them as well as the combined income that is the "community bank", which would be run by an outside resource so as to prevent misuse of appropriated funds. Each family would be required to work the land in some way and help provide for the community as well as become self-sufficient themselves. There, of course, is more, but most things will be discovered through practical application.

How are we gonna make money?

As previously mentioned we will be generating some income from The Ranch itself via the produce and meat farming. We are also working on several smaller enterprises, such as the Art Auction and other fundraising projects we have coming up. Also we are going to have Green T Homestead merchandise for sale, which will be sold for the land purchase and other expenses - as small as How-To books and as large as building materials and etc.

There will be, in the future, a small camp for kids two to three weeks in the summer which will give them experience with farm life and animal care and maintenance. We will also have weekend artist sales and we hope to encourage residents and others to have their arts and crafts be part of the community funding and individual income sources as. Again, there are many plans and many dreams, all of which will be tried and tested for what will work best.

What are the chances this will succeed?

I, for one, am quite optimistic that this can work well. It will depend, largely at first, on the outside support we can generate from the people at large, whether they desire to be living at Green T Homestead or just be a supporter. As things fall together and life starts to happen, I think the odds will grow increasingly; the more hands at work, the more monies generated; the more money generated, the more people can survive, and that also goes for the farm itself.

Other Goals:

We hope to be able to house some folks that are not looking to stay forever but just get a foot up, so to speak. My dad used to say, "Pull yourself up by the bootstraps," and we wanna give ya some bootstraps.

This housing would not require you to pay out enormous rents and expenses since this is how we all get in spots where we can't get ahead or get our OWN footing, but instead, your rent would consist of helping on the farm and contributing through labor or items to place in the weekend arts and crafts sales. Whatever your niche is, we can find a way to use it; This will be a no-one-rides-for-free project, so that is how we can work it.

What can YOU do?

What you can do is donate money, time, energy, experience, stories, helpful suggestions, materials, such as books and other information and insights, that we might need, post our links everywhere that is appropriate; word of mouth right now is everything. MONEY is not the only way to help us so please don't think that :)

Bottom lining all this, in order to make it, we will take and
appreciate all the help we can get in any form we receive it.

Here's to the future home of Green T Homestead.

JBear-Co-Founder/Vice President
Co-founder and companion Daniel Benham/Treasurer
Joshua-President
Belle Jordan -Secretary
Tristan-Media Manager/Secretarial Assistant
Tory-Volunteer Coordinator

Green t homestead.org

Transgender Woman Ticketed For Using Parkland Ladies Room "I Did Nothing Wrong"

Paula Witherspoon, a transgender woman from Dallas Texas was ticketed for using the ladies room after another woman told hospital police she was made 'very afraid' by Paula. A day ago the Dallas Voice broke this story. I called friends in Dallas, not knowing Paula personally, before committing my reputation in her defense and what I was told made me hesitate in posting. I needed to wait, given how much had not been brought to light and the importance of this story.
What my friends told me turned out to be true. Paula is a convicted sex offender on parole and does wear a ankle braclet. Paula's legal name has not been changed to reflect her feminine expression, a fact some news outlets taut, while misgendering her with male pronouns like a additional damning piece of evidence of misdeeds.

That's enough to motivate me to post. I have been forced to endure a very similar transphobic bathroom attack just miles from Parkland hospital. Parkland says the ticket she received is 'under review' casting doubt on the validity of the charge and the Parkland police actions.
Is Paula a victim having been identified as a easy target by a hateful woman or did she actually commit a crime in that restroom? If justice prevails we will learn the truth, or what the is perceived by the the majority as truth in the form of a verdict.
KHOU 11 Houston's impartial and unbiased report

5/2/12

CeCe McDonald to be Sentenced For Not Being Murdered: INjustice Done

Cece a black transgender woman defended herself surviving the attack by three racist transphobic bigots. Her reward, 41 months in jail. A white man in Florida shoots dead an unarmed black teenager and isn't even arrested until after social media, like this blog, forces mainstream media to bring national attention to the crime.

From my perspective as a transgender advocate who mourns the murder of trans people ever DAY AND A HALF, I'm relieved. At least it wasn't our sisters dead body in that ambulance.

But a major injustice has been done non the less.

From the CeCe McDonald Support Committee:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 2, 2012

Chrishaun "CeCe" McDonald Accepts Plea Agreement to Reduced Manslaughter Charge

Racism, Transphobia in Legal System Continued Assault McDonald Survived, Supporters Charge

Contact: Katie Burgess, Executive Director, Trans Youth Support Network, transyouthsupportnetwork@gmail.com, (612) 363-757 and Billy Navarro Jr, MN Transgender Health Coalition, mntranspr@gmail.com, (612) 823-1152

Minneapolis, MN - Earlier today, Ms. Chrishaun "CeCe" McDonald accepted a plea agreement to a reduced charge of manslaughter in the second degree in the criminal case resulting from the racist, transphobic assault she survived last June that left one of her attackers dead. The prosecution had originally charged her with felony murder in the second degree. However, after entering into plea negotiations this morning, the defense and the prosecution settled on the reduced charge. McDonald will be sentenced on June 4th at 1:30pm under Hennepin County Judge Daniel Moreno to 41 months in prison. The executed sentence will be reduced by one third, for "good time" and credit for the time McDonald has served pending this resolution.

The plea agreement comes nearly a year after McDonald was arrested, interrogated, denied adequate medical care for a laceration she suffered during the attack and held in solitary confinement for a month for being a transgender person. During the pre-trial proceedings, supporters raised world-wide support for the charges against McDonald to be dropped. Last month, supporters delivered to Hennepin County Attorney Michael Freeman a petition for dropping the charges with over 15,000 signatures and dozens of letters of support for McDonald from organizations and prominent individuals from around the globe.

Freeman consistently failed to exercise his professional discretion and take a stand against racism and transphobia by dropping the charges.

"Freeman's aggressive prosecution of CeCe was a continuation of the racist, transphobic assault that led to her being charged and resulted in the tragic death of one of the assailants," said Kris Gebhard of the CeCe McDonald Support Committee. "We've been proud to stand with CeCe as she fought this unjust prosecution and will continue to stand with her as she fights for justice as a trans woman of color within the prison system."

In a press conference after the plea agreement was accepted in court, Katie Burgess of the Trans Youth Support Network addressed the crowd of supporters filling the steps outside the Hennepin County Courthouse. Burgess said:

"Over the past 10 months I have witnessed the legal system isolating and attacking another young trans woman of color in our community, CeCe McDonald. And over the past 10 months, I have also witnessed our community say very clearly, 'You are not alone, CeCe! And we have had enough!'

"With the whole world watching, Freeman's office consistently chose not to take the opportunity to stand up against racism and transphobia. Freeman himself said, and I quote, 'The criminal justice system is not built for, nor is it necessarily good at, solving a lot of society's problems.'

"We know that this system is not designed to deliver justice to young trans women of color. We are going to continue to support CeCe as she goes through this process and continue to stand for justice for all trans people and people of color so that this is the last time a young trans woman of color has to go through this."

Supporters will pack the courtroom for the sentencing on June 4th and continue to rally support for McDonald and to demand justice for all trans people and people of color.

For further updates, visit supportcece.wordpress.com and follow @Free_CeCe on Twitter






Morris Home: First Ever US In Patient Facility For Trans By Trans



I learned of a project called "Morris Home" and approached it with more than a little skeptisim after so many times hearing how impotant we are as a community to empower ourselves. After all who could argue with the stark realities? There was a reason so many of our people find themselves enslaved by dependency on prostitution and drugs. Obviously we were helpless to make take concrete steps as a community to remidey this, untill now.




I stumbled upon this facebook status by Susan Collins that was so passionate that I became intoxicated with the prospect. Could it be true we are now taking care of our own, albiet for now, just in one city?


This opening is special becuse it is the only inpatient facility of its kind in the USA to operated by the transgender people to specifically focus on transgender people.

The Morris Home looks at the whole person taking into account all of the variables and needs associated with transition. Morris Home's substance addiction program will focus on the most common factor associated with transgender murders.

We have the privliage of hearing from Susan Collins a transgender woman and employee at the Morris Home.
Kelli (Q): Susan, how did your road less traveled come to intersect with Morris Home?

Susan (A): "First off, I want to thank you Kelli for this opportunity to explain what Morris Home is, and why it has such great meaning to me and the entire trans community. And I want to give you great honor for the invaluable work you have done as an activist and advocate for trans rights for so many years. Thank you for the difference you have made in the world."

"My first contact with the trans community was at the Philadelphia Trans Health Conference in 2004 when I formally began my own transition. The conference was very radical and street based then, and I learned from the organizers and attendees the needs of the trans community at the street level, the homeless and those who lived on the margins of society, forced there due to transphobia. I became involved with the conference and sat on their executive committee till 2007. I still have a great fondness for that conference, for it helped me restore my dignity, supported me in finding direction, helped me find family."

At that time I also became involved in two committees, the Mayor’s Committee on Gender Minority and Homeless Shelters and The Mayor’s Advisory Committee on Sexual Assault and Abuse. I learned from these experiences the great discrimination experiences by those who are trans and gender variant , even in a city that has inclusive civil rights laws, when trying to access services in the city, and the hesitancy of the trans community to access services, turning rather to each other and street services for their needs."

"From 2005 to 2008 I coordinated the Trans Health Program at Mazzoni Center in Philadelphia. The thousands of stories I heard during my time there of the rejection and exclusion faced by the trans community from health and social service providers was appalling, and the struggle to develop affirming providers in the area was slow and arduous."

"From 2008 till 2011 I did extended lecturing at conferences and colleges and medical schools on cultural competency and trans specific issues. I found doing these lectures an extreme lack of awareness and education in trans issues to be found in the college and professional levels."

"It was at this point that I first heard of Morris Home, then not even having a name, but an idea that was growing of providing affirming formal professional care for the trans and gender variant community. I was invited and attended several of the focus groups during the time period this idea, this dream, was growing into the concept of what is now Morris Home."

"During this period I also produced for 2 ½ years The Transcommunity News Show for TransFM, an Internet Broadcasting Network created and produced by Ethan St. Pierre. In this weekly show I shared events happening in the trans community world wide, and learned about the struggles everywhere to find dignified care for those who are trans and gender variant. It impressed on me, once again, the desperate need for affirming healthcare services for our community."

"I was living in Oregon last Spring when I was contacted by Resources for Human Development – RHD – and asked to interview for a position at Morris Home, as it was now named. I had my first interview on a conference call from Portland Oregon. They contacted me and said that if I came back to Philadelphia they would be interested in meeting with me again about Morris Home. So, after long hours of discussion with a close friend there, I decided that this was a dream that was coming to fruition that I wanted to be a part of. So I moved back to Philadelphia, and eventually was hired as Therapist at Morris Home in December of 2012."

"After months of training a staff – a most qualified staff, I might add. Comprised of trans and gender variant and “true” family, we have created a team that I am confident will provide the best care for those who come here for recovery - and setting up an entirely brand new program … as of last week we are officially open and the home is filling up!"

Q: How did the Home come to be named "Morris" and can you give a overview of the services?

A: "Morris Home, the dream child of Sade Ali, Deputy Commissioner for The Behavioral Health Services in Philadelphia, was named in honor of Nizah Morris
, a trans woman of African- American heritage who was murdered in Philadelphia in 2002, and whose death has never been investigated. Morris Home is a long term residential recovery treatment program designed specifically for those who self- identify as transgender or gender variant. We are operating under the Transformational Guidelines developed by the Department of Behavioral Health Services providing a holistic, humanistic approach to treatment to instill hope, empowerment, motivation, and to support those who come to Morris Home in developing the skills and supports essential for a positive recovery journey."

"I want to emphasize that Morris Home is a “home”, not a house, a center. We encourage a culture where all persons can find a “temporary home”, a safe and supportive environment where their transgender/gender variant status is honored and affirmed, and they can finally focus on their individual recovery and healing."


"When we assess a person for the intensive long term services that Morris Home provides the areas we assess are a serious history and pattern of substance abuse, any co-occurring challenges that may be present in a person’s life, severity of environmental distress, and those who identify transgender or gender variant. Those who are not in need of the intensity of services we offer our director and staff and Resource Coordinator work as a team to access appropriate care for the person."

"The Persons who come to Morris Home for recovery are funded for up to 1-2 year stay, giving us the time to support the persons here to work through short term and long term recovery plans, to achieve long term objectives of abstinence of substances, emotional and mental balance, a positive support system in the community, a stable source of income and permanent housing that is affirming of their transgender/gender variant status. We support and advocate for the persons at Morris Home in their work to maintain recovery, and not just “stay clean”. Right from the day a person enters Morris Home the person begins to identifying “after here” plans and visions. Morris Home makes sure all pieces of a person’s sustained recovery are in place when the person leaves here."


Q: Many Trans people have had difficulty finding therapists and medical doctors willing and trained to address transitional needs and once they do, it become apparent with time the care givers main concern is the continuance of treatment and revenue and not prescribing HRT and a successful transition. This is a pervasive problem enabled by the APA's Gate keepers methodology. How will Morris Home address these issues?


A: "Morris Home has joined in partnership with The Health Annex, a full service clinic operated by RHD. We will be offering primary care, HRT, mental health and other specialized care through this center. All staff, from front desk to M.A. to N.P to Psychiatrist have been extensively trained in affirming and informed care of those who are transgender. We have a clinical care professional at the Health Annex who will assist us in coordinating all their health care needs. The approach we advocate for, and that will be practiced at The Health Annex, is one of Informed Consent, Harm Reduction and Person Centered care."


"There are persons who are here at Morris Home who are currently enrolled at The Mazzoni Center and are happy with their care there. We encourage and support their efforts to continue their care there. Mazzoni Center is an excellent center and we assist those here get the care they feel most comfortable with. All treatment we provide at Morris Home is individualized, dignified, and affirming."

"We have also developed, and continue to expand, a resource guide to assist those at Morris Home seek transitional related services they may need."

"Concerning legal and preferred names, we use preferred and legal names on all documents. We in the milieu of Morris Home, and when we advocate for the persons here for services, emphasize preferred name and identity. We also support and advocate the goal of legal name change and have resources they can access to gain legal name change and to reflect that in all documents. We assist them in reaching this goal and walk them through the process."


Kelli: Morris Home will have to have a outpatient program for people in transition in all of these parts of there lives. It almost boggles the mind, but evidently Morris House has a plan!

Q: Tell us about what help a person may expect in finding shelter, hormones and work after inpatient treatment.

A:" One of the guidelines that our program is built around is engagement and access to services after a person has left Morris
Home. When a person leaves Morris Home they will carry all services that they are linked into with them. A main goal of maintaining recovery is a stable environment, so we make sure that they have a stable source of income and permanent housing that is affirming of their trans and gender variant identify when they leave. And our Resource Coordinator follows them for a few months to retain that connection of our support with them."

"All persons who come to Morris Home for recovery will always have access to our resources after they have left through our Resource Coordinator. We are coordinating a consistent support group/drop-in evening, facilitated by those who live at Morris Home, open to the entire local trans community at a local health center, as a way for those living at Morris Home to make positive community relationships and for those who were at Morris Home to stay connected."

"We are also coordinating to present workshops on trans issues, involving the persons in recovery at Morris Home, and to volunteer at events for local trans organizations, such as Philly Trans Pride March and Gender Reel. This will support the persons at Morris Home in developing a sense of community among themselves and within the larger community that they will retain after the person’s stay at Morris Home."

"We believe that the ability for a person to live at Morris home from 1-2 years will enable them to work for housing, develop and act on educational or training goals, maintain recovery, and build a strong, positive, social supports while in a safe, supportive environment."

***********************

As an activist and blogger I have seen time and again how the revolving door of homelessness and addiction desecrates our people. For most people myself included, it takes decades to advance past that ingrained self destructive behaviour. Morris Home has the potential of dramatically shortening that time while enhancing all of our lives.


Once again, I would like to thank you Susan for your work. You are making the crucial difference between life and death for our people.

Please visit Morris Home web site.

Morris Home on Facebook