Iowa House Rejects Anti Equality Amendment

One Iowa: Iowa House rejects attempt to advance amendment

2/9/2010 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FEBRUARY 9, 2010

CONTACT JUSTIN UEBELHOR
515-288-4019 x 205 515-333-2525 (cell) justin@oneiowa.org

IOWA HOUSE REJECTS ATTEMPT TO ADVANCE AMENDMENT

(Des Moines, IA) The Iowa House today rejected procedural attempts by opponents of equality to advance an amendment to the Iowa Constitution seeking to overturn last April’s unanimous Iowa Supreme Court ruling and to deny the protections of civil marriage to gay and lesbian couples. “We applaud those legislators who voted to protect the freedoms of all Iowans and continue the job of balancing the budget and putting Iowans back to work. It’s time to move on from the destructive politics of division and focus on what matters to a great majority of Iowans,” said One Iowa Executive Director Carolyn Jenison.

One Iowa’s annual Lobby Day at the Capitol takes place tomorrow. Supporters will gather at the Capitol to share their stories with Iowa legislators, demonstrating the importance of civil marriage equality to Iowa families. Please contact Justin Uebelhor at 515-333-2525 to arrange press availability.

One Iowa is the state’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) advocacy organization, committed to full equality for LGBT individuals, including the freedom to marry. More information at http://www.oneiowa.org.

TELL IOWA LEGISLATURE: HANDS OFF LGBT SCHOOL CHILDREN

Tell the Iowa legislature that using school children as weapons to further a political agenda is unconscionable and will not be tolerated. The bill which would remove protections for LGBT children from bullying, 2291 is in the House Education subcommittee and being considered by:

Rep. Dennis M. Cohoon(D)
E-mail: dennis.cohoon@legis.state.ia.us
Home Address: 816 Randall Lane, P.O. Box 157, Burlington, IA, 52601
Home Telephone: 319-752-5057

Rep. Annette Sweeney(R)
E-mail: annette.sweeney@legis.state.ia.us
Home Address: 21547 Hwy S27, Alden, IA, 50006
Capitol Telephone: 515-281-3221

Rep. Phyllis Thede(D)
E-mail: phyllis.thede@legis.state.ia.us
Capitol Telephone: 515-281-3221

Sample email

Dear Representative

I am writing to express my objection to Bill 2291 which would remove protections currently in place for LGBT school children from bullying and harassment. This proposed bill is doubly odious because it would in essence use innocent children as weapons in pursuit of a political agenda.

Please do not pass this bill for consideration.

Thank you,


Bill Text after Back ground

Source: Iowa Independent A pair of Republican state legislators has introduced a bill that would remove protections for gay, lesbian and transgender students from an anti-bullying law passed in 2007.

State Reps. Jason Schultz, R-Schleswig, and Matt Windschitl, R-Missouri Valley, sponsored the legislation to remove sexual orientation and gender identity as definitions used for purposes of protecting students in public and nonpublic schools from harassment and bullying.

Schultz told NBC affiliate WHO-TV that the rationale behind the move is to force a vote on a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage, since the Iowa Supreme Court pointed to laws like Iowa’s Safe Schools Law in making its April decision to legalize same-sex marriage. Ryan Roemerman, executive director of Iowa Pride Network, said the bill would open up LGBT students to bullying and harassment.

“When our state is facing record budget deficits and unemployment, House Republicans feel their time is best spent picking on Iowa’s LGBT youth,” Roemerman said in a statement. “There is no better example as to why we have this law, so youth in Iowa don’t grow up to be like these bigots.”

******************
House File 2291 - Introduced

HOUSE FILE
BY SCHULTZ and WINDSCHITL

A BILL FOR

1 An Act relating to protected traits or characteristics of
2 students under public and nonpublic school harassment and
3 bullying prohibitions and policies.
4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
TLSB 6059YH (4) 83
kh/rj

PAG LIN

1 1 Section 1. Section 280.28, subsection 2, paragraph c, Code
1 2 2009, is amended to read as follows:
1 3 c. "Trait or characteristic of the student" includes but
1 4 is not limited to age, color, creed, national origin, race,
1 5 religion, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender
1 6 identity, physical attributes, physical or mental ability or
1 7 disability, ancestry, political party preference, political
1 8 belief, socioeconomic status, or familial status.
1 9 EXPLANATION
1 10 This bill strikes sexual orientation and gender identity
1 11 from the definition of the term "trait or characteristic of the
1 12 student" used for purposes of protecting students in public and
1 13 nonpublic schools from harassment and bullying.
LSB 6059YH (4) 83
kh/rj

CBS Superbowl ad Focuses on exclusion

CBS Superbowl ad Focuses on the exclusion of pro choice and LGBT people and in doing so CBS has become a mouthpiece for the ultra right wing conservative movement in America.

Prove me wrong.

CBS blog promotional post Superbowl piece makes it clear

CBS had rejected this ad in 2004 from the United Church of Christ which advocates for the inclusion of all people in faith because of "provocative, potentially controversial themes" while promoting the ultra right wing extremist group "focus on the family" as a representative view of wholesome and middle of the road, midstream all American life. It was not Tim Tebow's message that I objected to. The problem is that CBS allowed and facilitated 'focus on the family' efforts to place it's name in front of millions of viewers while Disallowing any other add from anyone who is different.

Focus on the Family - Tim Tebow Ad @ Yahoo! Video

Support House (H.R. 1064) and Senate (S.R. 409) bills condemning the Ugandan Anti-Homosexuality Bill

U.S. Citizens: Contact your representatives in Congress »

Non U.S. Citizens: Contact key Congresspeople »

Background
In Uganda, the Anti-Homosexuality Bill of 2009 was introduced in Parliament last October. The bill targets lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) Ugandans, their advocates, and those that know someone LGBT. It would reaffirm existing penalties for homosexuality and introduce sweeping new criminal provisions. Some of these troubling provisions include: imprisonment for life for anyone convicted of the "offence of homosexuality;" punishment for the "promotion of homosexuality" with prison terms; imprisonment for up to three years for anyone who fails to report to the authorities LGBT people or LGBT human rights defenders they know; and most egregiously, the application of the death penalty to anyone in Uganda who has consensual same-sex relations repeatedly or who has consensual same-sex relations and is HIV positive. If this bill were to pass, it would be a devastating blow to the human rights of all Ugandans and would significantly impede effective HIV prevention and care.

This week in the U.S., a bipartisan group of members of Congress proposed resolutions condemning the Anti-Homosexuality Bill. The House resolution, H.R. 1064, sponsored by Howard Berman (D-CA) and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), received thirty-nine cosponsors. The Senate resolution, S.R. 409, sponsored by Russ Feingold (D-WI) and Tom Coburn (R-OK), currently has four co-sponsors. The House resolution extends beyond Uganda to call on all nations to reject laws that criminalize homosexuality.

Public pressure is needed to ensure that both resolutions come up for a vote. Condemnation by the U.S. government is one of many factors that could persuade Ugandan President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni to prevent the bill from becoming law. If the resolutions pass, the U.S. Congress will join President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in sending the government of Uganda a unified message that passing the Anti-Homosexuality Bill will have serious consequences to its relationships internationally.

U.S. Citizens: Contact your representatives in Congress »

Non U.S. Citizens: Contact key Congresspeople »

YouTube President Obama addresses National Prayer Breakfast

President Obama speaks out about the proposed Ugandan anti gay legislation: source: Truths wins out-TWO:

“We may disagree about gay marriage, but surely we can agree that it is unconscionable to target gays and lesbians for who they are — whether it’s here in the United States or, as Hillary mentioned, more extremely in odious laws that are being proposed most recently in Uganda.”

Two Truth Wins Out press release

The Ugandan Frankenstein We Have Helped To Create

Cross posted from Walking with Integrity

By The Rev. Canon Albert Ogle, Vice President for National and International Affairs, Integrity USA.

Last week's meeting between the Episcopal Church’s Presiding Bishop, Archbishop of Canterbury and United Nations Secretary General talked about everything important to people of faith, except one glaring omission, Uganda. Even though the Church of Canada’s House of Bishops, faith leaders in Europe and the international human rights community have all come out condemning the proposed anti-homosexuality bill being discussed by the Ugandan parliament, we have yet to have a definitive statement on this important issue from either Archbishop Rowan Williams or the Anglican Observer at the United Nations, Helen Grace Wangusa, (who is originally from Uganda). Why the silence?

The first priority of the Anglican Communion’s Observer’s work is to ensure the commitment of the faith community within Anglicanism for the implementation of the Declaration of Human Rights. “A cross thematic area to ensure all policies adhere to the Declaration of Human Rights for the protection of the dignity of the rights of every individual in the world” as the website reports. Yesterday was a missed opportunity!

When Archbishop Livingstone Nkoyoyo, former Anglican Archbishop of Uganda returned home following the 1998 Lambeth Conference, he made sure to tell a press conference at Entebbe Airport that the Anglican Communion was behind him and President Musevene to extend hasher laws on homosexuality. In concert with his bishops (who influence one third of the population of Uganda and a higher proportion of government ministers and Uganda’s elite) the Archbishop began a crusade against Ugandan homosexuals blaming western and particularly Episcopal Church influence. This was clearly unfounded a lie. With a Bush White House and greater financial influence from American fundamentalists, the movement to misrepresent the Anglican Church’s position on homosexuality created a Frankenstein. Nkoyoyo said nothing about either the listening process, the need to condemn homophobia and violence against LGBT people and extending pastoral care, all recommendations to the world wide Anglican family contained in Resolution 1:10. He also never mentioned Resolution I: I, committing to uphold the Declaration of Human Rights. The Church of Uganda was never publicly reprimanded by the Anglican Communion Office or the Archbishop of Canterbury, or indeed any significant body of peer bishops for their misuse. Silence equals endorsement.

When the history of this sad chapter in the life of the church is written, we may discover that Anglicans are the architects of this monster, now manifested in Uganda and about to spread to other parts of the African church. Later, leaders like Rick Warren and Exodus international would bring their own distinctive body parts to this new creation.

On 17th February, Pastor Martin Ssempa is threatening to bring one million angry Ugandans on to the streets of Kampala to show Musevene’s government that “God fearing Christians” want no leniency for their gay and lesbian brothers and sisters. Musevene is now caught between the unanimous outcry of the international community and even the Vatican against this further violation of human rights, and the Frankenstein we have helped to create. We can trace some of the growing hostility to the gay community last year when Exodus International and other American fundamentalist leaders held conferences and meetings to encourage Ssempa and his Christian fascism to continue their rein of terror and threats. Musevene, as an Anglican leader, whose government was courted and bribed by the fundamentalist Christian lobby, also shares in creating a monster that is about to turn on him. I once met a gay Ugandan in the middle 1990’s who told me Musevene had threatened to gun anyone down on the streets who even dared to celebrate gay pride. Fifteen years later, there will be a different demonstration and the threat of gunning them down will not work this time. When a young democracy like Uganda neglects the role and place of its minorities, as Musevene has done for 20 years with the support of the United States government, Ssempa and Bahati, (the author of the bill) become a manifestation of a deep illness that is within this society.

As with the Rwandan genocide, once the fear, hatred and dehumanization of any population has taken root, there is not much rational and inclusive citizens or the international community can do to change the course of a potential blood bath. When we looked back on the causes of the Rwandan genocide, one of the main forces that created the climate of destruction was the Christian Churches. There is clear evidence that without the years of preaching, using communications and media networks and the organization of the churches in particular, the genocide of 600,000 people could not have happened. The Catholic Church denied its role and the Pope commented that because a “few bad apples” were involved in some horrific events, the institutional church could not be blamed. Similarly the Anglican Communion was largely silent about our participation in the genocide and a few Rwandan bishops escaped To Uganda and Kenya who were accused of helping to mastermind local atrocities and informing the mobs about where terrified groups were hiding in sanctuary-often in there churches. The then Archbishop of Canterbury did not call for an ecclesiastical inquiry or demand bishops be tried by their peers or court. His office and the office of the Anglican Communion largely remained silent and the focus shifted to rebuilding the infrastructure and leadership of the Rwandan church without any significant reflection on our corporate role in creating this former Frankenstein. I have friends working in Rwanda and many of these issues are still to be resolved. Every 25 years, we can anticipate the build up of animosity, fear and intimidation that are largely religiously condoned. Rwanda is about to introduce it’s own form of the anti-gay bill and President Kagame, (a close friend of Rick Warren) is Musevene’s former Defense Minister. As the “Purpose Driven Country”, Rwanda and Uganda shares the same moral vision and a common hatred for gays. Rick Warren’s recent “Letter to the Pastor’s of Uganda” was a brave attempt to put the cork back in the bottle and to distance himself from something that his movement has helped to create. But the genii has escaped. Frankenstein will be marching on the streets of Kampala on 17th February, in all its frightening monstrosity and carrying a very large Bible.

If a million Ugandans take to the streets on February 17th, one third of them are probably Anglicans who will be calling for death to gays and fines and imprisonment for those who minister to them. Some of our Anglican bishops may also support the demonstration. For the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church not to make a statement on this potential crisis in the modern human rights movement, knowing we helped to create this madness, is still a mystery to me. Maybe they are doing a “Rick Warren” and making sure the Church truly distances itself from this ugly situation. It won’t work.

History can help us make sense of the present, if we allow it to. Rwanda is a reminder, that leadership, and religious leadership in particular, has a remarkable way of inciting the crowd and then when things get a little out of hand, to be silent, or in Rick Warren’s case, to make a video. Like Pilate, the sweet smell of Orange blossom soap ensures the blood of the innocent and the vulnerable will not soil our hands. Rwanda is also a reminder that our religious leadership can be struck silent at any moment when there is something important that could have said. Clinton apologized as a secular leader, we did not. Recent Christian history from this troubled region also teaches us that the silence is usually followed by an extended state of amnesia. We forget what we helped to create. Every Anglican bishop who voted on the 1998 Lambeth Resolution bears the corporate and institutional responsibility for what is happening in Uganda right now as human dignity and emerging democracy is diminished in the name of Christ. As the inheritors of the institutions who helped get us into this mess, both Primates need to break your very loud silence.

** From the Rev. Canon Albert Ogle: " Though Integrity supports and welcomes the Presiding Bishop's comments in December, it was a missed opportunity for her not to have publically raised the Episcopal Church's concerns at this high level UN meeting in January. This was the perfect opportunity for her to encourage the Archbishop of Canterbury and the UN Anglican Communion Observer to finally address the violation of human rights in Uganda and the misuse of Lambeth Resolutions by the Anglican Church in Uganda. Integrity feels this remains an important and critical issue for many respected leaders in the international and faith community that it ought to have been addressed specifically at this meeting."

--
Posted By Louise Brooks to Walking With Integrity at 2/03/2010 03:25:00 PM

Uganda Protest Thurs./5:30 PM/JFK Building, Gov't Center, Boston Mass.

Local Protest Targets Nat’l Prayer Breakfast Organizers’ Ties to Anti-Gay Bill in Uganda
Boston LGBT activists will gather in front of the John F. Kennedy Federal Building at 5:30 PM today to decry American fundamentalists’ export of their recycled homophobia to Africa. The secretive right-wing network so-called “The Family,” which sponsors this morning’s National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, is linked to the notorious Anti-Homosexuality Bill (“AHB”) pending in the Ugandan Parliament; a measure which would intensify existing persecution of LGBT people in the East African country. See http://www.facebook.com/l/a9dad;www.religiondispatches.org/archive/sexandgender/2250/religious_leaders_urge_obama_to_condemn_ugandan_anti-gay_bill_at_prayer_breakfast “The Family,” which attracted notoriety when two of its leaders—Sen. John Ensign of Nevada and Gov. Mark Sanford of South Carolina—confessed to adultery last year, was the subject of an exposé by author Jeff Sharlet.

Among the speakers at the protest will be the Rev. Kapya Kaoma, an African Anglican priest who authored a report documenting the campaign by leaders of the American Religious Right to mobilize anti-gay sentiment in Africa, Globalizing the Culture Wars, http://www.facebook.com/l/a9dad;www.publiceye.org/publications/globalizing-the-culture-wars/ . The event will also promote a letter-writing campaign, organized by students of the Gay/Straight Alliance of Brookline High School, to urge the Obama Administration and Senators Kerry and Brown to pressure the Ugandan government to abandon the genocidal AHB. This evening’s protest is organized by the Anti-Violence Project of Massachusetts (AVPM”) and Join the Impact MA (“JTIMA”), a grassroots LGBT direct action group which plays a prominent role in the youth-led movement the New York Times has dubbed “Stonewall 2.0.” See http://www.facebook.com/l/a9dad;www.nytimes.com/2009/10/12/us/politics/12protest.html .

AVPM Chair and JTIMA Board member Don Gorton, an Episcopalian, commented: “US fundamentalists claim to obey Christ’s command to ‘love thy neighbor’ even while opposing equality for LGBT Americans down-the-line. Their active promotion of state-sponsored homophobia in Africa puts the lie to specious claims of “Christian love,” and exposes the hatred which drives their opposition to gay rights in whatever form. We execrate their bigotry and hypocrisy, as French writer Emile Zola denounced the anti-Semitism motivating the Dreyfus Affair in the 1890’s in his celebrated J’Accuse.”

Task Force to co-host counter-protest to National Prayer Breakfast at Creating Change Conference

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Inga Sarda-Sorensen, isorensen@thetaskforce.org,
(Office) 646.358.1463, (Cell) 202.641.5592

Pedro Julio Serrano, pserrano@thetaskforce.org,
(Office) 646.358.1479, (Cell) 787.602.5954

The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force is co-hosting the American Prayer Hour to protest the National Prayer Breakfast on Feb. 4. It is among other American Prayer Hour events occurring nationwide in response to Uganda's "Anti-Homosexuality Bill" — which would make homosexuality punishable by life imprisonment or even death.The bill was proposed by Ugandan MP David Bahati. Bahati is connected to The National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, D.C., through the sponsor of the breakfast, The Family. The Family is a secretive Christian based organization that supports placement of leaders in government and economic position of power. Bahati is The Family’s primary organizer in Uganda. Leaders at the Task Force-hosted American Prayer Hour at National Conference on LGBT Equality: Creating Change will gather on Thursday, Feb. 4 at 8 a.m., to protest the National Prayer Breakfast and the Ugandan measure, and will call upon all people to affirm inclusive values and celebrate diversity.
When:
Thursday, Feb. 4, 8 a.m.
Where:
Dallas Ballroom A1, Sheraton Dallas Hotel, 400 North Olive Street in downtown Dallas, Texas

The Rev. Dr. Stephen Sprinkle of Brite Divinity School will moderate; and there will be several speakers, possibly including a Ugandan man seeking asylum in the U.S. who is expected to tell his personal story. The American Prayer Hour events are co-sponsored by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, Human Rights Campaign, Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, National Black Justice Coalition, Metropolitan Community Church, Faith in America, Bishop Gene Robinson and Truth Wins Out.
More about the conference: Creating Change reflects the breadth and scope of diversity of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community and supporters of LGBT rights. It is the largest organizing conference for LGBT rights supporters in the United States. Find additional details here: creatingchange.org/.

Tax Court: SRS Deductions now allowed! Glad hosting Conference call to explain ruling

Source NTCE: In a closely-watched case, the United States Tax Court overwhelmingly ruled on Tuesday in O'Donnabhain v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue that a transgender woman's medical expenses for hormone therapy and sex reassignment surgery were medically necessary and therefore tax-deductible under Federal law. After considering extensive medical evidence and testimony from leading medical experts, the court rejected an interpretation of the law that would consider transgender people's medical treatment different than all other medically necessary treatment recommended by major medical and psychological organizations.

"Finally, we have recognition from the courts of what transgender people and our medical providers have known all along-that transition related care is absolutely necessary health care for the wellbeing of many transgender people," said Mara Keisling, the Executive Director of the National Center for Transgender Equality. "Being able to deduct a portion of costly medical treatments will make it more affordable for transgender people to follow through with the care their doctors prescribe. For the IRS to treat transgender people and non-transgender people differently was discrimination, plain and simple, and now that has ended."

The court's decision does not mean that all medical treatments and procedures associated with gender transition will be tax-deductible. Like all other medical treatments, deductibility will be based on the medical necessity of the treatment as determined by qualified medical providers in accordance with recognized clinical standards of care. The court recognized, as have the American Medical Association, American Psychological Association and many others, based on overwhelming medical evidence, that transition-related health care is non-cosmetic, medically necessary healthcare.

The case stems from a decision by the IRS to reject Rhiannon O'Donnabhain's deduction of her expenses for sex reassignment surgery in 2001 from her federal income tax. The case went to trial in 2007. Ms. O'Donnabhain was represented by the Transgender Rights Project of Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (GLAD).

NCTE applauds GLAD's groundbreaking and powerful work and perseverance to win this important victory, and thanks Rhiannon O'Donnabhain for her willingness to stand up and challenge the inequity of the IRS's policies. Her courage and determination will have an impact on the health of transgender people around our country for many years to come.
CONFERENCE CALL TONIGHT
Hear more about the case NCTE is joining GLAD in a community conference call GLAD is hosting tonight (Wednesday) February 3 at 6PM EST / 3PM PST. Attorneys who worked on the case will be on the call explain the case and its ramifications for transgender people. Call in information:

Toll Free Dial-In Number: 1-800-704-9804
Participant Code(s): 61898641#

Wednesday February 3

6:00 PM Eastern Time Zone
5:00 PM Central Time Zone
4:00 PM Mountain Time Zone
3:00 PM Pacific Time Zone


For more information visit transequality.org

Julie Bindel: The transmisogynist that Kills

Julie Bindel, a British feminist is the most heinous of transmisogynistic, transphobic woman to ever darken the pages of LGBT European culture. Bindel now wants to play the victim card having been uninvited from many of her former platforms because the protests of the truly victimized have finally begun to reach he ears of compassionate allies in the British LGBT community.

I have extremly liberal Gay and straight friends in Britain who make me recoil with their paternalistic comments when I post a feminist view defending the right of transgender woman to a fair and just life.

British men, it seems, feel I need their approval to be a outspoken and being a feminist transgender woman? Not acceptable. It's as if!

The differences in our cultures expectations of the treatment of transgender people is a cavernous divide, the Americans having crossed that bridge with UNITED ENDA and the British languishing with internal hemorrhaging, thanks to Julie Bindel's knife.

Julie Bindel has done the worst damage that anyone could have possibly done to transgender people and feminism as a whole. She has polarized gays and lesbians into different camps, having been nominated for a award by stonewall, the British Gay and lesbian advocacy organization.

Julie Bindel is the transmisogynist that kills.

Protest her? YES! Silence her like she has done for decades to countless helpless transgender victims? YES! Do I care if she feels like a victim for it? NO.

Silence Bindel.

Gay Liberation Network to Picket Holy Name Cathedral on Freedom-to-Marry Day!

In opposition to the desires of millions of lay Catholics for simple justice for all, the hierarchy of the Catholic Church has long aligned itself with, and often led, the forces of hate and bigotry opposing equal rights for gays and women.

At 10:30 AM on Freedom-to-Marry Day 2010 – Sunday, February 14, Valentine’s Day – the Gay Liberation Network will host an informational picket of Chicago’s Holy Name Cathedral, 735 N. State Street, to highlight the role the Church’s leadership has played in promoting inequality.

For many years the Catholic leadership has attempted to fly under the radar screen with its opposition to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. A key secret to their success has been their stealthiness, ironically often assisted by gay rights “leaders.” These “leaders,” not trusting rank-and-file Catholics to be fair and too worried about hurting their fundraising base with well-connected and wealthy Catholics, are too cowardly to call out Catholic leaders for promoting hate and discrimination.

As a local example, Chicago's Catholic leader Cardinal Francis George has worked tirelessly -- albeit from behind the scenes -- to block our path to full legal equality. George attempted to kill LGBT inclusion as a protected class in the Illinois Human Rights Act, which now protects us from housing and employment discrimination. He and other Catholic bishops circulated petitions in a failed effort to force an advisory referendum on "gay marriage," and George is the head of the national Conference of Catholic Bishops which spent big bucks backing Prop 8 hate in California. Back in Illinois, George is working hard today to block same sex-marriage and/or civil unions.

On Sunday, February 14th, with our picket of Holy Name Cathedral, we will make a start in dragging Francis George's bigotry out of the closet.

But Cardinal George is no lone voice in the wilderness. He is joined by almost the entire hierarchy of the Catholic Church whose record of activism against gay equality is long and sordid:

** Speaking of the current pope, the Associated Press reported that “Benedict, the former Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, spearheaded a Vatican campaign against same-sex unions in 2003, issuing guidelines for Catholic politicians to oppose laws granting legal rights to gay couples when he was prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.” Associated Press, 6/6/05

** The Portland, Maine Archdiocese gathered more than a quarter of the funds recently used to defeat marriage equality in Maine. In addition, Marc Mutty, the chair of the principal statewide organization in Maine that fueled anti-gay discrimination there, was the Portland Archdiocese’s head spokesperson until taking a leave of absence from his job to spearhead the successful effort to rob gays and lesbians of their equal marriage rights.

** The Catholic fraternal organization Knights of Columbus bankrolled California’s anti-gay Proposition 8 to the tune of over $1 million.

** As California’s East Bay Express noted about newly-minted Oakland Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone, “What almost no one knows is that without Bishop Sal, gay men and lesbians would almost surely still be able to get married today. As an auxiliary bishop in San Diego, Cordileone played an indispensable role in conceiving, funding, organizing, and ultimately winning the campaign to pass Proposition 8. It was Bishop Sal and a small group of Catholic leaders who decided that they had to amend the state constitution. It was Bishop Sal who found the first major donor and flushed the fledgling campaign with cash. It was Bishop Sal who personally brought in the organization that took the lead on the petition drive. And it was Bishop Sal who coordinated the Catholic effort with evangelical churches around the state. Bishop Sal even helped craft the campaign's rhetorical strategy, sitting in on focus groups to hone the message of Proposition 8.“

While Catholic leaders decry any attempts to label them as haters and bigots, their own scapegoating statements tell a very different story about their true feelings:

** Former pope Karol Wotija, aka John Paul II, condemned gay foster parents for doing "violence" to children. He called us "disordered," and "against the natural law." He railed against civil marriage equality for all same-sex couples whether Catholic or not, condemning our civil marriage contract as an act "against God," and proclaimed defeating marriage equality his "primary task" for 2005.

** In a 2005 pastoral letter read in every church in the diocese of Calgary, Alberta, Bishop Frederick Henry called on his flock to stamp out same-sex marriage. “Since homosexuality, adultery, prostitution and pornography undermine the foundations of the family, the basis of society, then the State must use its coercive power to proscribe or curtail them in the interests of the common good." (365Gay.com)

** In an end-of year address in 2008, the current pope, George Ratzinger (aka Benedict XVI), said that the existence of gay people threatens humanity as much as the destruction of rainforests and that "blurring" genders through acceptance of transgender people would kill off the human race.

** Beginning in 1986, Ratzinger wrote a series of church documents that branded sexually active gays as "evil," told church officials to kick Dignity chapters off church property and even warned Catholic lawmakers that voting in favor of gay-rights legislation is "gravely immoral" because "the approval or legalization of evil is something far different from the toleration of evil." (Deb Price, Detroit News)

** Ratzinger has disparaged lesbian and gay couples as engaging in “pseudo-matrimonies by people of the same sex.”

** Bishop Cordileone has called same-sex marriage a Satanic plot: "The ultimate attack of the Evil One is the attack on marriage.”

** In 2007 Chicago’s Cardinal George wrote that same-sex behavior "brings people's salvation into jeopardy" in a column for the Archdiocese of Chicago newspaper.

When haters garb themselves in clerical robes, their statements and activities must be exposed.

The Gay Liberation Network encourages all people of good will, regardless of faith background, to join us at 10:30 AM, Sunday, February 14 for an informational picket of Holy Name Cathedral, 735 N. State Street, Chicago.
Gay Liberation Network Facebook page
gayliberation.net

Bruce Knotts, Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office to be in Dallas for a Informal Discussion

Bruce Knotts, Executive Director UU - UNO "An Informal Discussion"Wednesday, Feb. 3rd.

Free and Open to the Public

Unitarian Universalist Church of Oak Cliff
3839 W. Kiest Blvd.
Dallas, Texas 75233
(214) 337-2429

Bruce Knotts, Director of the Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office, was the person responsible for getting BLGT issues added to the UN's civil rights agenda. Come meet him and two of his associates for an informal discussion.

The UU United Nations Office seeks to strengthen efforts to promote peace and to eliminate war, discrimination, poverty and disease, thus affirming our belief in the essential unity of the human family. Inspired by UU principles, the Office is committed to peace, freedom and environmental responsibility, as well as social, civil and economic justice for all.

The UU UNO is an associate member of the UUA with United Nations ECOSOC consultative status and DPI/NGO status. With its own board, budget, and programs, the Office speaks, acts and bears witness on behalf of Unitarian Universalists at the United Nations and within the governments of Canada and the US to educate UUs about the structure, function, and actions of the UN.

Ugandan transgender fugitive Pepe Julian Onziema

Imagine being a law abiding citizen yet living in fear for your life, having been stoned by neighbors and falsely imprisoned by your government, and your only crime?

Being transgender!

KAMPALA, Jan 29, 2010 (IPS) - Every morning Pepe Julian Onziema wakes up not knowing if she will live to see another rising sun. Onziema is transgender and she lives in fear for her life because of a national campaign against gay people.

Although she has done nothing wrong, Onziema lives like a fugitive - always on the lookout to avoid trouble.

Her days are spent in fear and as darkness descends she securely locks the doors to her flat in Ntinda, a Kampala suburb where she lives with her partner.

Onziema is a well-known activist and the national programmes coordinator of Sexual Minorities Uganda, an advocacy network of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) organisations. She has appeared on television several times defending the rights of LGBTs. But it has not made her life any easier.

Just like other LGBTs in her country Onziema has been arrested; spat on; attacked; insulted and even stoned by neighbours.Read the rest at IPS RIGHTS-UGANDA: Fugitives in Their Own Country

Equality Utah amazing progress in five legislative days

I was along with many others, so profoundly effected by the Mormons contribution to the passage of prop 8 became intensely interested in Saltlake cities newly formed GLBT groups.

Like a flickering candle of hope in the mountains, Utah's equality birthright was a battlefield where every attempt to find common ground was met by the goverment and the LDS with stifling overpowering opposition, threatening to extinguish the very human spirit of those courageous early campaigners for equality.

Astonishingly, Utah may emerge as a bright star of fairness if progress is maintained. Many of us are now hopefull.

From Equality Utah:

Equality Utah has been working with Representative Christine Johnson and Senator Howard Stephenson on a Fair Workplace and Housing Bill.

Today at a press conference, Leadership of both the House and Senate along with Representative Johnson and Senator Stephenson agreed to engage in an anti-discrimination study related to Housing and Employment during the Interim Session.

It was also announced that there will be NO PREEMPTIVE BILLS.

Both of these announcements represent incredibly positive developments, especially in light of what was potentially underway during this Legislative Session.

This means that we truly have the opportunity to find Common Ground in the state of Utah. Stakeholders and interested parties have agreed to continue the dialogue to gather pertinent information through the study sponsored by Rep. Johnson and Sen. Stephenson.

Most importantly, just 5 days in to the 2010 Session, we managed to defeat 5 negative bills.

• Two were outright preemptions that would have stopped ANY non-discrimination Ordinances from being enacted, including those that were already passed.

• Two were focused on stripping housing protections from the Housing and Workplace bill.

• One would have gutted the Human Rights Ordinances by allowing religious "Adherents" to discriminate.

Equality Utah is committed to providing these critical protections in Housing and Employment, and will continue to work with all stakeholders until full equality is achieved.

Working for a fair and just Utah,

Brandie Balken
Executive Director

Salt Lake Tribune'Dramatic jump' with Utahns for gay rights "More want SLC's rules to go statewide; marriage, adoption don't gain traction."

Pay Your Respects to Myra Ical This Saturday

Pay Your Respects to Myra This Saturday

Friends and family of Myra Ical would like to invite the community to pay their last respects on Saturday, January 30, 2010 at the Santana Funeral Home located at 5352 Katy Freeway (corner of I-10 & T C Jester).

Myra Ical was a Houston transgender woman who was brutally murdered January 18th and whose memory was imediatly slandered by media. The community spoke out against the slander and organized the largest TG action in Houston's history.After the community spoke up, the media corrected their portrayal of Myra's life and death, the request for information leading to the arrest of Myra's killer was carried on practically all Houston media and we now know the name of a person of interest.

Myra's friends were moved beyond words by the response from the community. Many of them shared stories about Myra's life - especially her compassion - with me. Myra's family and friends asked me to extend this invitation to help them say goodbye to their loved one and our sister, Myra Ical between the hours of 1 and 9 PM this Saturday.

Thank you,
Cristan Williams

Tyra Banks Show Transgender Children with Cameos from Kim Pearson and Dr. Marci Bowers

Families of transgender children compassionately undertake the momentous task of educating Tyra Banks about transgender youth....like finger painting a Monet so that Tyra and more people might appreciate our children's wonderful rainbows.....





Just love your children unconditionally and know you are not alone.



This is something much deeper than just a physical thing.



At this point supposed "expert" makes a case for the disbarment of Kenneth Zucker.



Tyra Banks is obsessed throughout the show with the physical differences that the sexes have as if she believes that these differences alone predicate our genders. Then Tyra goes to show how just how shallow she is by embarrassing a post op transgender woman with a demonstration on how to pee with out sitting down. Tyra then tells her that "OK now that you are a real girl" you have to wipe the toilet seat clean. OMG!!

If thats what real woman do then why is the ladies room toilet seats covered with pee so often?

just asking

But the real tragedy is the wounding of transgender children everywhere as Banks again surprised her guests, but not with a unexpected act of goodwill. Banks blindsided the advocate who's good will brought the innocent children to the show, Kim Pearson of the TYFA, and world renowned SRS surgeon DR. Marci Bowers with a short unprovoked attack by a very obnoxious man who's religious views compelled him to shout over any objections that Marci or Kim presented.

I once asked Kim why she formed the TYFA and she responded, it's what a mother would do. The look in Kim's and Marcie's eyes as they leaped in defense of the children was like mother lions protecting their offspring, purely primordial and fearsome.

It was what a mother does.

To our transgender children. You are our blessing and we love you so very much.

Glaad Blog “The Tyra Show” Features Transgender Children and Their Families

Prop 8 testimony wraps UP proponents of gay marriage ecstatic "WE DEMOLISHED THEIR CASE"

Click on picture for raw video of statement.

The opponents of prop 8 said they were satisfied that the testimony of both sides validated their argument that gay marriage was not a threat to the present day traditional institution of heterosexual marriage.

The opponents of prop 8 said that the testimony of both sides established their contention that children of same sex couples suffer from not being allowed the security of being raised by married parents.

The testimony of the proponents of prop 8 established they did not do analytical research to validate their contention that same sex marriage would threaten "traditional" heterosexual marriage and their their own testimony established that prop 8 was conceived, organized and funded mainly by religions that have homophobic histories dating back thousands of years.

My opinion: I beleive the only tradition being threatened is the institutionalized right of religion to hold people of it's choice to positions of vulnerability and subservience.

The opponents of prop 8 appeared to be satisfied that their case for overturning prop 8 was won on all counts by testimony from both sides.

Source San Francisco Chronicle 01-27) 17:51 PST SAN FRANCISCO -- "Testimony in the federal court trial over California's Proposition 8 ended Wednesday in San Francisco with an advocate of male-female marriage maintaining that the rights of gays and lesbians must give way to society's interest in promoting traditional families.

Sponsors of the 2008 constitutional amendment called David Blankenhorn, founder of the Institute for American Values, to make the case that allowing gay and lesbian weddings would weaken marriage - a potentially decisive issue in the clash over the ballot measure's constitutionality.

In two days of testimony, Blankenhorn predicted fewer heterosexual marriages and more divorces and one-parent households if marital rights are extended to homosexuals.

But a lawyer for gay and lesbian couples challenging Prop. 8 confronted Blankenhorn with his declaration in a 2007 book, "The Future of Marriage," that "we would be more American" if same-sex marriage were legalized. Blankenhorn sought to reconcile his statements Wednesday, saying gay and lesbian couples and their children would benefit but marriage as a whole would suffer.

Although same-sex partners deserve "equal dignity," Blankenhorn said, their interests conflict with every child's right to have a mother and father.

As he wrote in his book, he said, "the rights of gays and lesbians should take second place to the needs of an existing social institution," traditional marriage."

H. R. 4530, the Student Non-Discrimination Act (SNDA)

Polis Seeks to Protect LGBT Students from Discrimination in Schools through Introduction of Student Non-Discrimination Act

Press Contact: Lara Cottingham (202) 225-5693

Washington, Jan 27- Congressman Jared Polis (D-CO), a leading proponent of equality in education, today introduced historic legislation—H. R. 4530, the Student Non-Discrimination Act (SNDA)—that would protect Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) students by establishing a comprehensive Federal prohibition of discrimination in public schools based on actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity and provide victims with meaningful and effective remedies. Thus far, SNDA has 60 original co-sponsors.

“Every day innocent students fall victim to relentless harassment and discrimination from teachers, staff, and fellow students based on their sexual orientation,” said Polis. “These actions not only hurt our students and our schools but, left unchecked, can also lead to life-threatening violence. Like Title VI for minorities in the 60s and Title IX for women in the 70s, my legislation puts LGBT students on an equal footing with their peers, so they can attend school and get a quality education, free from fear.”

While Federal civil rights statutes expressly address discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, disability or national origin, they do not explicitly include sexual orientation or gender identity and, as a result, LGBT students and parents have often had limited legal recourse for this kind of discrimination. By establishing a comprehensive Federal prohibition of discrimination in public schools based on actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity and empowering victims with meaningful and effective remedies (loss of federal funding and legal cause of action for victims) for discrimination, SNDA represents an enormous step toward safe public schools for all kids, regardless of their gender identity and sexual orientation.

“Hatred has no place in the classroom,” said Polis. “Every student has the right to an education free from harassment and violence. This bill will protect the individual freedoms of our students and enshrine the values of equality and opportunity in our classrooms.”

Polis, a member of the House Education and Labor Committee and Co-Chairman of the House LGBT Equality Caucus, is a former chairman of the Colorado State Board of Education and has founded and served as the superintendent of charter schools serving at-risk student populations.

Congress.org Bio Rep. Jared Polis (D-CO 2nd District)

Iranian Railroad for Queer Refugees (IRQR) Urgent Action needed Stop Asghar Hedayati's Deportation to Iran

Please support this URGENT call for support for Asghar Hedayati, a 40 years-old Iranian gay man from Norway — he may be sent back within a few days to a country where numerous gay men are currently on death row.
http://www.irqr.net/English/231.htm
This urgent CALL TO ACTION comes via Iranian Railroad for Queer Refugees (IRQR). They say that Hedayati has been seeking asylum in Norway since 2003. He is one of IRQR refugee cases who has not lucky so far, but he is still fighting for his rights.
“I was waiting for good news, everyday for the last seven years,” he says. “I was optimistic that I can start a normal life here in Norway. Unfortunately, it did not happen for me, I lost my hope, energy, happiness, and future when I got negative answers from Norwegian authority.
“There is no light for my future now but I never ever give up,” Asghar says in a letter to Iranian Railroad for Queer Refugees – IRQR.
Asghar was in love with his boyfriend, Mr. J [for security reason we can not publish his name] and they were so happy but their happiness until Asghar’s family forced him to get married.
It was really difficult time for Asghar and “J” as they could not ‘come out’ for their families and Asghar did not have any reason to convince his family that he did not want to get married. Finally, he was forced to get married.
“I did not love her, I did not like her, and she was not the right person at all,” he says. “We lived together but we were together just at kitchen table. I could not stop thinking about [Mr. J] for a moment.”
After all the difficulties, he left Iran for Denmark and sought refugee status on basis of his sexual orientation. Unfortunately, his asylum application was refused by the Danish government and he was scared to death because he did not want to be deported back to Iran.
So he fled Denmark, going to Norway where he applied for asylum. At that time, he did not imagine that one day he will be in the same situation again. He has now received a letter from the Norwegian government that he has to leave by January 25, 2010 and he does not know what will happen in next day.
He has been told by the Norwegian authorities he can go back to Iran and “nothing will happen for you if you do not come out”.
“How it can be possible? Can they recommend it to Norwegians as well to just shut up and do not ask your basic rights?” Asghar said.
His life is now in danger and the Norwegian government has to grant his asylum because there a lot of evidence that Iranian gays in Iran are threatened because of their sexual orientation and gender identity. There is no doubt his life will be in danger.
Asghar Hedayati is in an unjust situation and needs your urgent action. Please show your support by writing to the Norwegian government to urge them to grant refugee status to Asghar Hedayati. You may copy and paste the sample letters (below) into an email and send it to the provide emails below or you may write your own letter in support of Asghar Hedayati. Please CC IRQR: info@irqr.net for tracking purposes. Thank you for your support.
Further information:
* UK Gay News: “Now I Have Lost Hope” – Gay Iranian Who Faces Deportation from Norway in Hours* Twelve Men Face Execution for Sodomy in Iran: For first time, activist confirms queer organizing on university campuses (Doug Ireland, published in Gay City News)* From Teheran to Riyadh, this is how we are discriminated against* Human Rights Watch: Iran prepares to execute gay teens
Send your letters to:

Mr. Knut Storberget
Minister of Justice and the Police
E-mail: postmottak@jd.dep.no
Phone: Switchboard +47 22 24 90 90
Mailing address: Postboks 8005 Dep, 0030 Oslo, Norway
&
Immigration Appeals Board of Norway – Utlendingsnemnda
Email: postmottak@une.no
Telephone: +47 21 08 50 00
Mailing address: Utlendingsnemnda, Postboks 8165 dep. 0034 Oslo, Norway
In addition, if you or your organization is interested in hosting an event to support Asghar Hedayat or interview him, please contact us at info@irqr.net as soon as possible. Thank you for your support.
- – - – - – Sample Letter – - – - -
Date:
To: Minister of Justice and Police, Mr. Knut Storberget, postmottak@jd.dep.no
Immigration Appeals Board of Norway, postmottak@une.no
CC: IRQR, info@irqr.net
Subject: Norway threatens to deport Asghar Hedayati to Iran – Please stop him deportation
Dear Minister,
I am contacting you to request your assistance on a very urgent case involving Asghar Hedayati a gay Iranian, who is currently in Norway. I received some information about him through the IRanian Railroad for Queer Refugees, based in Toronto, Canada.
Asghar Hedayati is a citizen of Iran, with case number DUF 2003 046 114 08. He escaped Iran in 2003 because of his well-known fear of persecution on basis of his sexual orientation. He applied for asylum in August 2003, but the Norwegian Government unfortunately denied his asylum status for several times and he is now at risk for deportation.
His asylum judge said that he can live in Iran if does not ‘come out’, which is against fundamental human rights. I would like to express my deep concern about his situation, as he will experience imprisonment, torture, and even execution upon his forced return to Iran.
I am urging you to reconsider this case under the spirit of respect for human rights and I am requesting you to grant Iranian queer refugees the full state of asylum in Norway because there a lot of evidence that Iranian queers in Iran are threatened because of their sexual orientation and gender identity.
Sincerely
X

Myra Ical Another Unrecorded Transgender Murder

The Brutal beating death of Myra Chanel Ical illustrates the absolute necessity of a Texas Hate Crimes Bill making the recording transgender hate crime murders a mandate for local and state police.



Until then only the community will recognize Myra as one more murdered Transgender person.

Please note. The last speaker said Myra's choice to "live a lifestyle" put her in jeopardy.
I strongly object to that persons statement.
Transgender people do not choice to "Live a life style" as gay and lesbian people do not live a life style choice.

Secondly the speaker may have been making a assumption that Myra was murdered because she was involved in illegal activities such as prostitution of drugs. That is a ASSumption.

Thirdly, speaking from my own life experiences I will testify that the homelessness and discrimination are the LEADING cause of transgender murders because it is those conditions that force transgender people to the street.

Source YouTube:

HOUSTON, TX A public memorial and candlelight vigil will be held on Monday, January 25 at 6 pm to honor Myra Ical, whose body was found last Monday in the 4300 block of Garrott St near Richmond Avenue.

The memorial will include two moments of silence, one for Ms. Ical and another for the 6 transgender Houstonians who have been murdered since 1999 whose crimes remain unsolved, as well as a moment of noise-making to recognize that it is silence that allows the perpetrators of crime to go unpunished.

The time for silence has ended said Cristan Williams, executive director of the Transgender Foundation of America. Myras body was discovered at 2 in the afternoon at a busy intersection. Somebody saw something or knows something about this crime. We want to encourage people to make noise about the violence that is inflicted on our community.

The press release sent by the Houston Police Department identifying the victim used male pronouns to refer to Ms. Ical, whose legal name was Ruben Dario Ical, raising protests from transgender advocates.

The local media took their cue from HPD, consistently referring to Myra as he which is disrespectful of her memory said Ms. Williams. Every media style book in the country, including the Associated Press, is clear that transgender people should be referred to using pronouns that reflect their gender identity. I am thankful that HPD is working hard to solve this crime, but they have a duty to communicate with the public in a way that respects the victim.

Houston Police have no leads in the case. Anyone with information is encouraged to call the Transgender Foundation of America at 713-520-8586.

The Memorial will be held at the site where Ms. Icals body was found, at the vacant lot at 4300 Garrott. Attendees are encouraged to bring noisemakers. Candles will be provided.

Disgraced ANTI Gay NJ Firemen seek reinstatement Garden State Equality Protest!

Vicious anti-LGBT firefighters may be reinstated - join us in protest Tuesday night

THIS WILL MAKE YOU SICK: The town of Secaucus in Hudson County may reinstate three firefighters who made anti-LGBT death threats against, and threw condoms at, a same-sex couple who lived next door to the firehouse. In a $4.8 million verdict that came out of taxpayers' pockets, a court ruled against the town and the firefighters, who were forced to step down. But now, the brand new mayor, himself a firefighter, may reinstate his friends back onto the force. This anti-LGBT cronyism is revolting. You can read this weekend's Bergen Record story about their possible reinstatement at North Jersy.com Firemen seek reinstatement of 3 who left in gay bias flap

Garden State Equality is holding an urgent rally and speak-out at the Secaucus Mayor-Council meeting this Tuesday night, January 26 at the Secaucus Municipal Government Center, 1203 Paterson Plank Road. Please arrive at 6:00 pm if you can.
Please forward this email immediately to everyone you know in Northern New Jersey - to each of your friends, colleagues, organizational members and list servs.
Questions? Contact Garden State Equality's field manager at Troy Stevenson or cell (405) 802-8229.

New York City TLDEF Arranging Free Name Change

The Name Change Project

"For many transgender people, a legal name change is a first step towards conforming their legal identities to the way they identify and live their lives. But securing a legal name change can be an intimidating experience, involving interaction with the court system and judges that is foreign to many people. It can involve a significant expense as well as a serious commitment of time and effort. By ensuring that transgender people have adequate legal representation when seeking name changes, TLDEF's Name Change Project ensures that they can successfully negotiate the legal process and move forward with their lives."

"In only a short time, The Name Change Project has helped hundreds of people on the road to getting legal recognition for their names. The project is straightforward. Everyone who wants a lawyer deserves to have one to make the legal name change process as simple as possible. If you can pay the costs of your name change (not the legal fees; we never charge those!), we ask that you do so. If you can't, those fees will be covered. You must live in New York City to participate in the project."

Need Help?
If you are seeking a legal name change, please call our office at 646.862.9396 or
contact us by electronic mail.

Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund Name Change Project

NY Times For Transgender People, Name Is a Message

Virginia Supervisor Eugene A. Delgaudio(R) Should Resign for unrepentant Transphobic Slurs

Tell Eugene A. Delgaudio, pictured left, transgender people are not "Real Life Tootsies".

Anyone who has attended a council meeting where the expansion of LGBT liberties are debated have memories indelibly imprinted on there minds of seemingly normal neighbours suddenly and inexplicitly transformed into disillusioned venomous bigots. However most comments by citizens and council members are contained within civil discourse, and regardless if one disagreed, were not statements that would inspire violence.



Virgina Supervisor Eugene A. Delgaudio(R) has crossed the line of civility and has unrepentantly attacked transender people repeatedly with sentiment that in fact encourages violence towards transgender people.



This is not a attack on freedom or speech but a attempt to insure that our right to freedom of speech is not abused by government officials who espouse sentiment that gives credence to violence.

Virgina Supervisor Eugene A. Delgaudio(R) should Resign.

Equality Loudoun Believes that Delgaudo's remarks were another attack and ask you to email the council members and express your views.

Supervisor Delgaudo has made it clear he will not moderate his language and must be removed so that it becomes known that the public only accepts civil language while addressing minorities by our elected leaders.

Washington Post Loudoun Supervisor Delgaudio rebuked for anti-gay remarks


Loudouni Loudoun Not to Discriminate Based on Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity

HT Metro Weekly Loudoun Co., VA Supervisor Delgaudio blasted for public, anti-transgender remarks [video]

NBC 5 YouthFirst Dallas Texas: a place for Gay and Lesbian Youth

ABOUT YOUTH FIRST TEXAS

"Youth First Texas is the only non-profit organization in Dallas exclusively committed to providing social services, education opportunities, and recreational activities to Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgendered, and Questioning (GLBTQ) Youth through age 22.


Our mission is to provide group interaction and individual support for GLBTQ Youth by providing age appropriate activities, programs, and resources that facilitate empowerment and self-acceptance.

There are more than 50,000 Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender & Questioning (GBLTQ) youth estimated to be in the Dallas/Ft. Worth Metroplex. Some are fortunate to have an accepting home environment. Others live without hope in isolation and fear. Those feeling alone and lost make up a staggering 50% that contemplate suicide every day. Many services so desperately needed by youth today are not available due to homophobia or a lack of resources.

You are not alone and you should never feel that way."

YouthFirst Texas.org/

Map to YouthFirst Dallas

Memorial for Myra Ical Transgender Foundation of America Hosting

Host: Transgender Foundation of America
Type:Causes - Rally
Date:Monday, January 25, 2010
Time:6:00pm - 6:30pm
Location:Vacant Lot at Garrott St and Richmond Ave
Street:4300 Richmond St
City/Town:Houston, TX
View Map
Google

A public memorial and candlelight vigil will be held on Monday, January 25 at 6 pm to honor Myra Ical, whose body was found last Monday in the 4300 block of Garrott St near Richmond Avenue.

The memorial will include two moments of silence, one for Ms. Ical and another for other transgender Houstonians who have been murdered whose crimes remain unsolved, as well as a moment of noise-making to recognize that it is silence that allows the perpetrators of crime to go unpunished.

The time for silence has ended! Myra’s body was discovered at 2 in the afternoon at a busy intersection. Somebody saw something or knows something about this crime. We want to encourage people to make noise about the violence that is inflicted on our community.

The press release sent by the Houston Police Department identifying the victim used male pronouns to refer to Ms. Ical, whose legal name was Ruben Dario Ical.

The local media took their cue from HPD, consistently referring to Myra as ‘he’ which is disrespectful of her memory. Every media style book in the country, including the Associated Press, is clear that transgender people should be referred to using pronouns that reflect their gender identity.

We are thankful that HPD is working hard to solve this crime, but they have a duty to communicate with the public in a way that respects the victim.

Houston Police have no leads in the case. Anyone with information is encouraged to call the Transgender Foundation of America at 713-520-8586.

The Memorial will be held at the site where Ms. Ical’s body was found, at the vacant lot at 4300 Garrott. Attendees are encouraged to bring noisemakers. Candles will be provided.

kelli's note: I am crying for you Myra that you died alone and unloved in a empty lot. God knows you now and our sorrow will lift you to his loving arms. God bless you Mrya.

Amarillo Pseudo Church Repent Amarillo now to Boycott Houston

In the wake of Houston's electing mayor Annalise Parker members of the "special forces of Christ" Raven church not only want Amarillo to repent but are also demanding potential visitors to Boycott Houston.

Source:myfoxhouston "BoycottHouston.com recommends that people do not travel to Houston, support Houston sports teams or buy their merchandise or book conferences and conventions in the city. The website also asks that people who have relatives that live in Houston not visit those relatives and instead ask those family members to leave Houston for family gatherings."

"A short video about incidents going on in Amarillo, Texas. Amarillo citizens act now before hate wins. The darkness of the video is to hide my identity so as to protect myself from retribution of repent Amarillo."

According to the group formed to counter repent Amarillo, Citizens against Repent Amarillo the Raven Church who's weekly meetings are held at a local home and sparsely attended should not be taken lightly since the appearance of repent Amarillo's high gloss web page has coincided with harassment of local liberals and the recent closing of a long time entertainment establishment.

In a ironic twist of fate repentHouston may be doing locals a major favor by persuading potential attendees of the upcoming Sarah Palin and Rick Perry election rally to stay outside of city limits.

Become a fan of Amarillo Citizens Against Repent Amarillo facebook page, visit Houston and help to stop this hate group from spreading.

By Kelli Anne Busey

Myra Chanel Ical Transgender Woman Murdered Houston Texas

Transgender Foundation of America seeks information about murdered transgender woman

"TG Woman Murdered in the Montrose

Does anyone know a a transgender woman named Myra Ical… around 50 years old? If so, please call the Transgender Center number at 713-520-8586. Any information you have about Myra can be very helpful!

Myra was murdered just off of Richmond on the 4300 block of Garrot in the Montrose area. She went down fighting; she had a lot of bruising and defensive wounds when her body was found around 2 PM on Monday the 18th. Her legal name was Ruben Dario Ical.

She was last seen in a black blouse, black jeans and a black sweater. Her body was found partially clothed.

As of right now, HPD has ZERO leads. Any information could be useful at this point! Please forward this information far and wide. It is important that we break the chain of unsolved transgender murders in Houston.

Please call: 713-520-8586
Thank you,
Cristan Williams"

Anyone with information is also urged to contact the HPD Homicide Division at 713-308-3600 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-8477.