10/30/08

Riders Arrested Attempting to Attend Chapel at Southwestern Assemblies of God Univ.


By Kelli Busey
Tuesday October 30, 2008
planetransgender

The Dallas Voice reports that Three more Soulforce riders were arrested after attempting to attend a chapel service this time at the Southwestern Assemblies of God University in Waxahachie, TX.





It is unclear to this writer why these Christian Universities find it incumbent upon themselves to keep young Christians separated. Is it a fear that homosexuality is contagious or maybe that freedom of thought may induce enlightenment?




******************************************
SOULFORCE PRESS
RELEASE:
October 29, 2008
For Immediate Release
Contact: Caitlin MacIntyre, Equality Ride Media Director
Cell: 612-715-6138
caitlin@equalityride.com
******************************************

(Waxahachie, TX) -- Today, Southwestern Assemblies of God University (SAGU) pressed trespassing charges against three young adults who entered the campus to begin a dialogue about faith and fairness for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) students. The young people were members of the Equality Ride, a national bus tour that promotes safety and inclusion for all students on faith-based campuses.

Upon arriving at SAGU, all 16 of the Equality Riders tried to attend chapel services on campus. However, they were stopped by security who told Riders that they would not be allowed to participate in worship. Riders were escorted by guards to a parking lot on the periphery of campus. As Riders got off the bus, they were promptly met by a campus spokesperson who provided an official warning not to come onto the campus property. Once more, Equality Riders expressed their desire to join students in chapel, and were told that was not possible. Three Equality Riders, all of whom identify as Christian, moved forward anyway and were summarily arrested. The three Riders arrested were Manny Lampon, 22, of New York, NY; Zak Rittenhouse, 21, of Frankfurt, OH; and Nicholas Rocco DeFinis, 22, of Philadelphia, PA.

Equality Riders remained at the edge of campus in silent vigil until the Dean of Students, Scott Camp, began to address them. He was soon joined by student leadership and some university staff. Camp led the group in prayer in which he expressed the hope that "the love of Christ would be felt in this circle." In actuality, Equality Riders were forced to remain standing along the boundary that administrators had created while members of the SAGU community gathered freely on the other side.

"It was important for us to acknowledge that there had been a clear line drawn, one that divided Riders from Southwestern representatives. Our hope was that for one day we could erase that line and come together for a genuine and transformational exchange," said Jarrett Lucas, Co-director of the Equality Ride.

Camp indicated that he could understand the feelings of exclusion experienced by Equality Riders, but insisted there was no alternative to the setup, repeatedly saying, "This is where we're at." Unfortunately, very soon after the conversation had begun Riders were told that it was time to wind down. Then, most of the people from SAGU walked away, leaving Riders outside.

Riders will stand vigil throughout the day on Sycamore Street in hopes of continuing dialogue with students. In addition, they are trying to organize an off-campus event where students can feel comfortable discussing issues that affect lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people.

"It's sad to see that Southwestern Assemblies of God University did not welcome us as other schools here in Texas have. In our experience we've seen the value of open discourse and hope that in the future SAGU will embrace the opportunity to allow an affirming voice on campus," shared Katie Higgins, Co-director of the Equality Ride. The Riders recently met with faculty and students at Dallas Baptist University and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.

The Equality Ride bus is on the road through November 13, 2008. Future stops include:

Nov. 5 Ouachita Baptist University Arkadelphia, AR
Nov. 7 Central Baptist College Conway, AR
Nov. 10-11 Union University Jackson, TN
Nov. 13 Simmons College of Kentucky Louisville, KY

Soulforce Q is the young adult division of Soulforce, a social justice organization that works to end political and religious oppression of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people through relentless nonviolent resistance. For more information, go to www.equalityride.org.

10/28/08

India's police response to LGBT activists cries for mercy “Stop us if you can.”

According to the Human Rights Watch there is a crisis in India's Girinagar neighborhood of Bangalore. GLBT activists are being detained without being allowed to rest, access to food, water or the use of bathrooms. GLBT activists are being verbally, physically and sexually assaulted by police.

On October 20, 2008, police arrested five hijras (working-class, male-to-female, transgender people), detained representatives of a nongovernmental organization trying to negotiate their release, and subsequently attacked a group of peaceful demonstrators protesting the arrests. A total of 42 people were detained. The negotiators later informed Human Rights Watch that police officials told them higher-level authorities had ordered a campaign to arrest hijras on serious charges.

The response by police is "Stop us if you can"

We will stop you.
Girinagar Police Station phone 6721016

bangalore police stations

Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations
235 East 43rd Street, New York, NY 10017
Telephone: (212) 490-9660/9661/9662/9663/9664/9665
Telefax: (212) 490-9656/9658
E-mail: india@un.int, indiaun@prodigy.net

10/27/08

Soulforce at Southwestern Baptist - a conversation


By Kelli Busey
planetransgender
Monday Oct. 27, 2008

Ft. Worth Texas, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary was the home to the latest in Soulforce's string of religious university stops in the deep south. It was a conversation that some locally doubted would ever happen and although the local media was not allowed inside Channel 11 TV filmed from the outdoors.



According to Anna Kirey, Soulforce stop coordinator, her religious activism was ignited by the changes she partook in with the collapse of the Soviet Union. While a student in her native Kyrgyzstan just speaking up was dangerous to her and her partner and this made her all the more dedicated to liberty and justice.



According the the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary press release "The one-hour dialogue was cordial and kind spirited as the two parties discussed their opposing viewpoints about faith and sexuality.."

10/26/08

Trans Activists Protest HRC Dinner

Edge Boston A group of thirty protestors marched outside the Human Rights Campaign’s annual New England Gala Dinner Saturday to show their disapproval of HRC’s position on transgender inclusion in ENDA (Employment Non-Discrimination Act).

Outside the Sheraton Hotel where the dinner was held, the protesters shouted slogans such as: "The HRC doesn’t represent me. We want trans equality." The protestors, some trans, some supporters, marched on the sidewalk while clutching their signs: "HRC = Betrayal," "I May Be Trans But I’m Human Too."

The national office of HRC has been the subject of criticism lately due to their unpopular stance in support of an ENDA bill protecting only sexual orientation and omitting gender identity. Frank was instrumental in splitting the original, trans-inclusive ENDA bill into two bills, the second omitting gender identity.

"They abandoned us," said one protestor. "When Barney Frank split the bill and the HRC came out in support of it, they just left us behind. The HRC doesn’t represent me."

Read on Edge Boston






Genetics linked to transsexuality: study


Just in from Austrarlia's Prince Henry's Institute where the nature versus nurture debate rages on but a new study of transsexuals has shown genetics plays a key role in determining our sense of gender.

In the largest genetic study of its kind, 112 male-to-female transsexuals took part in a study involving several Melbourne research bodies and the University of California, Los Angeles.

Researchers measured the variation in the androgen receptor gene, which is involved in the functioning of the sex hormone testosterone.

DNA samples from the transsexuals were compared with the samples from 250 typical men.

Researchers discovered the transsexuals were more likely than non-transsexuals to have a longer form of the gene.

Read on......

California folks now is the time to spread the word "No on 8!"



Be One of 10,000 voters on the ground spreading the word! Picture it: 10,000 people from Eureka to San Diego--standing together, waving signs and talking to voters!

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