FORT COLLINS - Two Fort Collins High School students say they don't feel welcome on campus because they say they're not allowed to use the restrooms they want. Both identify themselves as transgender.
Sixteen-year-old Dionne Malikowski was born male, but she now identifies as transgender. Her friend Kurt Peters, also 16, was born female and says he is transgender as well." Source 9News.com 9 News.com
"This is who we are we're just like everyone else, normal teenagers."
School officials said there wasn't any official policy regarding transgender students using public faculties. So let me help you out on that. Source: transgenderlaw.org/ndlaws/ColoradoFAQ
11/10/11
11/8/11
Dallas County Community College District (DCCCD) Board Transphobia Cover up
As reported earlier by the Dallas Voice it was hoped that the largest institution of higher education in Texas, the Dallas County Community college District with about 80-thousand students and 9-thousand employees would add gender expression and identity without debate to its non discrimination policy, but it appears this will not be the case.
It has been common practice in the past that if the administration proposes something and backs it, the board almost always approves it. However this time it was different. The board in a closed door meeting decided not to add transgender protections.
In an effort to explain the boards refusal to consider adding gender identity and expression to their nondiscrimination policy their attorney sent this letter to our lead advocate Rafael McDonnell, Communications and Advocacy Manager, Resource Center Dallas:
McDonnell sent me this in response to the DCCCD letter:
However Hatch said the board of regents decision remains unchanged. The board feels that should a transgender person feel they are being discriminated against they should file a claim under sexual orientation because sexual orientation and gender identity are the same.
The premise that by association with lesbians and gays transgender people are protected in nondiscrimination polices is false. Just two months in ago September a Houston Community College teacher called transgender people “freaks” and “weirdos” and since the Houston School does not have implicit protections for transgender people that 'teacher' may get a talking to, if anything at all.
This is unacceptable, that Houston teacher should have been suspended immediately and would have been had Houston had transgender protections in place.
What would bethe outcome if a teacher at one of the DCCCD colleges were to say black people were 'lazy and smelled bad'?
The Dallas Transgender Advocates and Allies recognize the need to implicitly protect gender expression and identity and call on the DCCCD to implement those protections now.
This evening, the Resource Center Dallas asked DCCCCD Chancellor Wright Lassiter to schedule a Dec. 6 board vote to add transgender nondiscrimination protections for students and employees. Please call his office at 214-378-1601 or email wlassiter@dcccd.edu. and make a similar request.
Dallas County Community College District Facebook page
On Twitter @dcccd
It has been common practice in the past that if the administration proposes something and backs it, the board almost always approves it. However this time it was different. The board in a closed door meeting decided not to add transgender protections.
In an effort to explain the boards refusal to consider adding gender identity and expression to their nondiscrimination policy their attorney sent this letter to our lead advocate Rafael McDonnell, Communications and Advocacy Manager, Resource Center Dallas:
McDonnell sent me this in response to the DCCCD letter:
"The DCCCD's decision (claiming that they are covered by the City of Dallas" nondiscrimination policy) is based on two flawed tenets:"Phone calls to the School Chancellor Dr. Wright Lassiter have not been returned as of this time however Ann Hatch media contact for the DCCCD returned my call. After I explained my concerns she contacted the attorneys who had sent McDonnell this letter. She later left a voice mail explaining the lawyers will send McDonnell another letter and apologize for the first letter.
Number one being the City of Dallas’ nondiscrimination ordinance explicitly does not cover governmental institutions, which is interpreted to be any body that in part or whole gets money from taxes.DCCCD gets money from property taxes, so it is exempt (from the Dallas nondiscrimination policy). They would have to amend their policy to specifically include gender identity and gender expression."
"And number two, since DCCCD has several campuses outside of the city of Dallas, there is a question if those campuses would have any sort of coverage based on where they are located. The way the city of Dallas ordinance has been interpreted in the past is that the employees must physically work in the city limits, not just for an organization that is headquartered in the city limits."
However Hatch said the board of regents decision remains unchanged. The board feels that should a transgender person feel they are being discriminated against they should file a claim under sexual orientation because sexual orientation and gender identity are the same.
The premise that by association with lesbians and gays transgender people are protected in nondiscrimination polices is false. Just two months in ago September a Houston Community College teacher called transgender people “freaks” and “weirdos” and since the Houston School does not have implicit protections for transgender people that 'teacher' may get a talking to, if anything at all.
This is unacceptable, that Houston teacher should have been suspended immediately and would have been had Houston had transgender protections in place.
What would bethe outcome if a teacher at one of the DCCCD colleges were to say black people were 'lazy and smelled bad'?
The Dallas Transgender Advocates and Allies recognize the need to implicitly protect gender expression and identity and call on the DCCCD to implement those protections now.
This evening, the Resource Center Dallas asked DCCCCD Chancellor Wright Lassiter to schedule a Dec. 6 board vote to add transgender nondiscrimination protections for students and employees. Please call his office at 214-378-1601 or email wlassiter@dcccd.edu. and make a similar request.
Dallas County Community College District Facebook page
On Twitter @dcccd
11/6/11
Holland MI Right Wing Fighting for LGBT Equality
As anyone who has traveled to Holland Michigan will confirm its one conservative town. And to the casual observer of the human rights movement the fact that many of the residents are now fighting for LGBT rights seems a oxymoron.
The conservative minister pictured to the right? That's Bill Freeman. He's not espousing anti LGBT rhetoric. He's leading the fight for our rights!
However our conservative advocate allies in Holland are not unique, but they are Americans of the finest caliber. They are the embodiment of true American family values. They join the ground swell of unanticipated advocates who have stepped out of the crowd and declared, we are all equal.
NPR All Things Considered
The conservative minister pictured to the right? That's Bill Freeman. He's not espousing anti LGBT rhetoric. He's leading the fight for our rights!
However our conservative advocate allies in Holland are not unique, but they are Americans of the finest caliber. They are the embodiment of true American family values. They join the ground swell of unanticipated advocates who have stepped out of the crowd and declared, we are all equal.
NPR All Things Considered
11/2/11
Transgender and Health Activists to Demonstrate at the Texas Psychiatric Convention
In conjunction with the Global International Campaign to Stop Transgender Pathologization 2012 a group of health and transgender activists will be gathering at the Texas Psychiatric Convention November 12th. We will be drawing attention to transgender demands that we not be pathologized in the revised DSM-5 scheduled to be published in 2013, irregardless of the proposed softening of dichotomy.
10/30/11
Watch Domaine Javier on MTV True Life Transgender Cross Road
We all know by now that Domaine Javier was expelled from a Southern Baptist nursing school for revealing her transexuality on this MTV "True Life" episode. But this is an amazing show. What about you? Where do you feel you are in the honesty curve?
"I can snag a guy anytime I want, I go out on a lot of dates.
As long as I'm passing as a woman I never tell them I'm really a guy. As long as I'm
passing I can never allow myself to be in love. I can't allow myself to be that close to anyone. Inside my heart I am sad to be honest. People are admiring me for the fake me. It will be a huge weight off my shoulders when I can be honest."
This is a huge issue for all transgender people especially during early transition for gorgeous people like Domaine Javier. Her transition brought her to a crossroads we all are familiar with. Honesty verse deception. The emptiness of physicality. What would you do? What are you doing? How dangerous is your life?
"I can snag a guy anytime I want, I go out on a lot of dates.
As long as I'm passing as a woman I never tell them I'm really a guy. As long as I'm
passing I can never allow myself to be in love. I can't allow myself to be that close to anyone. Inside my heart I am sad to be honest. People are admiring me for the fake me. It will be a huge weight off my shoulders when I can be honest."
This is a huge issue for all transgender people especially during early transition for gorgeous people like Domaine Javier. Her transition brought her to a crossroads we all are familiar with. Honesty verse deception. The emptiness of physicality. What would you do? What are you doing? How dangerous is your life?
10/29/11
LONESTAR 92.5 BO AND JIM TRANSGENDER CHILDREN like BOBBY ARE PEOPLE TOO!
Open letter reminding two grown Texas men, Bo and Jim to respect the dignity of children.
This letter should never have been needed to be written and probably would not have been had Bo and Jim Morning DJs at 92.5 Lonestar taken me up on my offer a number of weeks ago. I offered to help them understand a little more about transgender people after inadvertently listening to there show one morning and becoming upset about there obvious ignorance about gender diversity.
But the Bo and Jim show is one of those that even a radical transgender activist like myself finds hard to get overly upset about. Normally that is. Usually one of the DJ's plays bad boy approaching the line of decency in a lovable good ole southern boy style and at some point stepping over it just to be dragged back by his counter part. Its a tired old schtick but no harm no foul, right?
But this time the brunt of there humor that morning was a 7 year old transgender girl. A girl who they were already aware was in tears because a local Girl Scout leader had refused her membership and Tammye Nash editor of the Dallas Voice heard you. Tammye's natural maternal instincts kicked in and she sent a you a email.
But unlike my effort weeks ago when you ignored my outreach you acknowledged her, even apologising to her.
Bo and Jim you acted despicably and your apology needs to be made on the air to Bobby the girl you 'jokingly' said would have to endure a life of broken noses and missing teeth because of her gender expression.
Bo and Jim I can tell you as a transgender woman who has been left unconscious a number of times after being beaten for my gender expression Its No Joke. I can also tell you its been four years since I legally changed my gender marker and up until three months ago I subsisted on under 9k a year. And my new full time job? I have had to endure incredible hatred during the first few weeks and that Bo and Jim IS NO JOKE.
Anyways, an apology isn't even whats really needed here. You would do well to become personally acquainted with us and when you do you will probably feel more paternal towards our community's children as well. Its only natural for two Texas men. I will let stand my offer to talk to you too on the air. I hope this time you will take me up on it.
Kelli Anne Busey
kellibusey@yahoo.com
Administrator/Founder
Dallas Transgender Advocates and Allies
As Tammye wrote you can be a positive force for change. "...if you want to make your opinions known, you can contact Lone Star 92.5 by phone at 214-866-8000. Lone Star’s program director is Don Davis. Email him at dondavis@clearchannel.com or call him directly at 214-866-8610. And you can email Jim at jim@lonestar925.com, and Bo at bo@lonestar925.com."
Cross posted from the Dallas Transgender Advocates and Allies
This letter should never have been needed to be written and probably would not have been had Bo and Jim Morning DJs at 92.5 Lonestar taken me up on my offer a number of weeks ago. I offered to help them understand a little more about transgender people after inadvertently listening to there show one morning and becoming upset about there obvious ignorance about gender diversity.
But the Bo and Jim show is one of those that even a radical transgender activist like myself finds hard to get overly upset about. Normally that is. Usually one of the DJ's plays bad boy approaching the line of decency in a lovable good ole southern boy style and at some point stepping over it just to be dragged back by his counter part. Its a tired old schtick but no harm no foul, right?
But this time the brunt of there humor that morning was a 7 year old transgender girl. A girl who they were already aware was in tears because a local Girl Scout leader had refused her membership and Tammye Nash editor of the Dallas Voice heard you. Tammye's natural maternal instincts kicked in and she sent a you a email.
But unlike my effort weeks ago when you ignored my outreach you acknowledged her, even apologising to her.
Bo and Jim you acted despicably and your apology needs to be made on the air to Bobby the girl you 'jokingly' said would have to endure a life of broken noses and missing teeth because of her gender expression.
Bo and Jim I can tell you as a transgender woman who has been left unconscious a number of times after being beaten for my gender expression Its No Joke. I can also tell you its been four years since I legally changed my gender marker and up until three months ago I subsisted on under 9k a year. And my new full time job? I have had to endure incredible hatred during the first few weeks and that Bo and Jim IS NO JOKE.
Anyways, an apology isn't even whats really needed here. You would do well to become personally acquainted with us and when you do you will probably feel more paternal towards our community's children as well. Its only natural for two Texas men. I will let stand my offer to talk to you too on the air. I hope this time you will take me up on it.
Kelli Anne Busey
kellibusey@yahoo.com
Administrator/Founder
Dallas Transgender Advocates and Allies
As Tammye wrote you can be a positive force for change. "...if you want to make your opinions known, you can contact Lone Star 92.5 by phone at 214-866-8000. Lone Star’s program director is Don Davis. Email him at dondavis@clearchannel.com or call him directly at 214-866-8610. And you can email Jim at jim@lonestar925.com, and Bo at bo@lonestar925.com."
Cross posted from the Dallas Transgender Advocates and Allies
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