7/19/09

Houston's Transgender Foundation of America Prepares for Hurricane Season


Following some disastrous hurricanes in the past years the Transgender Foundation of Houston is holding meetings to help it's members prepare for the coming season. As we well know in the transgender community, we are the first most adversely affected by natural disasters.


Host: Transgender Foundation of America
Type: Meetings - Informational Meeting
Network: Global
Date: Monday, July 27, 2009
Time: 6:30pm - 7:30pm
Location: TG Center
Street: 713 Fargo
City/Town: Houston, TX
View Map
Google
MapQuest
Microsoft
Yahoo
Phone:
7135208586
Email:
cristan@tgctr.org
Description
The last two hurricanes took the Houston TG community by surprise.Many of us had a hard time finding places to evacuate to and there were even a few of us who were arrested for staying in emergency shelters. We need to be prepared this year!On Monday, July 27th at 6:30 PM (before the HTGA meeting) we will have the first in a series of TG Community Hurricane Preparedness meetings. Please come out and help the community get ready for hurricane season!








7/17/09

Episcopalians officialy Support LGBT Rights

TransEpiscopal: Transgender Episcopalians/Anglicans and Allies

Press Release:

Anaheim, CA (July 17, 2009): For the first time in its history, the Episcopal
Church has taken official actions in support of transgender civil rights and inclusion at its 76th General Convention.

"It was a true privilege to participate in the legislative process of this Church, to bear witness to transgender lives and experiences, and to urge the Episcopal Church to fully include and to stand in solidarity with us," commented the Rev. Dr. Cameron Partridge, a member of TransEpiscopal and Integrity USA. "I am thrilled to be able to say that the General Convention voted overwhelmingly to put the Episcopal Church on record in support of such legislation as the Matthew Shepherd Hate Crimes Act and the Employment Nondiscrimination Act, and analogous efforts at municipal and state levels. But I am even more moved to say how many people spontaneously shared with us how their eyes have been opened, their hearts turned, by our presence and stories here. To have someone stop me in a coffee line to say, `I had never thought about this issue before, and I'm going to take what I have learned here and share it with my little congregation in the Ozarks' means more than I can say."

Today the Convention completed approval of resolutions supporting the enactment
of anti-discrimination and hate crimes legislation protecting transgender people at
local, state and federal levels. The House of Deputies passed these resolutions overwhelmingly on Wednesday, and the House of Bishops then approved these resolutions today in near-unanimous votes.

These actions took place as the United States Congress debates both the Matthew
Shepherd Hate Crimes Act and the Employment Nondiscrimination Act, which respectively address hate crimes and discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation as well as gender identity and expression.

Testifying in hearings at various levels of the Convention were representatives
of the organizations TransEpiscopal and Integrity USA, including the Episcopal Church's first openly transgender Deputy, Dee Tavolaro of Rhode Island.

In addition to today's actions, earlier this week the Convention approved two
other resolutions.

The first adds "gender identity and expression" to its nondiscrimination policy
for hiring lay employees, while the second calls for the revision of church paper and
electronic forms to allow a wider range of gender identifications.

"As we celebrate this moment and give thanks for the amazing allies walking with
us, particularly Integrity USA and the Consultation, we look forward to progressing
further toward full inclusion of transgender people —and, indeed, all people -- in all areas of ministry in The Episcopal Church."

Fort Worth TABC Supervisor steps down in wake of Rainbow Lounge Raid

Source Dallas Voice;

"FORT WORTH — The administrator of the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission said this week that two TABC agents involved in a raid of the Rainbow Lounge on June 28 committed multiple “clear violations” of agency policy."

"In an exclusive phone interview with Dallas Voice on Wednesday, July 15, TABC Administrator Alan Steen also said the supervisor directly responsible for the two agents — a sergeant in TABC’s Fort Worth district office — announced his retirement last week in the wake of the raid and amid an ongoing internal investigation. Steen didn’t identify the sergeant or the agents by name."

Click here for Dallas Voice Article Administrator Steen acknowledges his agents violated policies, says FW supervisor has stepped down

7/12/09

Canadian's Outraged and Protest Lu Pharmacy!

Source: Questioning Transphobia: Protest of Lu Pharmacy

THIS IS ALMOST TO MUCH TO BELEIVE! A Vancouver BC Pharmacy has taken it upon themselves to deny service to black men, white men, well ok any man. Transgender woman with or without vagina, cisgender woman with addiction issues of any kind also need not apply. Presumably all potential customers will face a rigorous physiological and physical examination and a backgroud check prior to being accepted.

by kelli Busey
planetransgender

7/11/09

Rainbow Lounge Raid Rally at Tarrant County Courthouse




UPDATE!!

Please be advised that part of I30 between Dallas and Fort Worth is closed. I20 and 183 are better alternatives. You can find a map here with info on the closure.


Rainbow Lounge Raid Rally
Tarrant County Courthouse
100 E Weatherford
Sunday, July 127:00 PM
Almost two weeks after the raid on the Rainbow Lounge we are still left with lots of questions and very little action by city, police and TABC officials. We are pleased that that TABC officers involved have been placed on desk duty and that calls for independent investigations have been made, but this is not nearly enough. On Sunday, July 12 the LGBT community of N Texas will stand together to call for answers from the Fort Worth Police Department, the TABC and an independent third party.
We demand swift action condemning homophobia and violence against LGBT people!
Dr Stephen V Sprinkle associate professor of practical theology at Brite Divinity School at Texas Christian University, Chuck Potter witness to the raid at the Rainbow Lounge raid and Rick Vanderslice local radio and television personality are some who are set to speak. This brief but powerful event will recount the raid at the Rainbow Lounge, illustrate the injustices behind this incident and call out for action.
For more information please visit our website at http://www.queerliberaction.org/

El Paso man Arrested in murder of Transvestite

Source: Renee Narvaiz/KFOX News Producer
Posted: 7:10 pm MDT July 10, 2009

Updated: 7:25 pm MDT July 10, 2009
"EL PASO, Texas -- El Paso police may be one step closer to solving the city’s latest killing.
Michael Herrera, 26, has been booked into the El Paso county jail and charged with murder in the death of Cesar Torres, 39. He was being held in lieu of $125,000 bond, police said."

"As we reported first Thursday - people who live in the neighborhood on West Missouri Street tell us Torres was a transvestite and would often go out in women's clothes."

http://www.kdbc.com/global/story.asp?s=10672333