2/28/10

Texas LGBT Advocacy Organizations Call on DART to Amend It's Nondiscrimination Policy

For immediate Release

Contact
Latisha McDaniel
Equality March Texas (EMT)
Info: equalitymarchtexas@yahoo.com
Web Site


Kelli Busey
Dallas Transgender Advocates and Allies (DTAA)
Web Site
972-693-1988
Info: kellibusey@yahoo.com

Co sponsors

Transgender Foundation Of America (TFA)
http://tgctr.org/tfa/

Transgender Education Network of Texas (TENT)
http://www.tentex.org/

LULAC 4871 - The Dallas Rainbow Council
http://www.lulac4871.org/
LULAC4871@aol.com

Legacy of Success Foundation (LOSF)
http://www.losf.org/
losfjai@yahoo.com

Equality Texas
http://www.equalitytexas.org/

Texas Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender advocacy organizations call on the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) Board members to amend DART's non-discrimination policy to include gender identity/expression.

Next DART Board Meeting: Tuesday, March 09, 2010
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Location: Board Room
DART Headquarters
1401 Pacific Ave. (Akard Station)
Dallas, TX 75202
Map

• DART Customer Response Center
214-749-3333
Customer Service Feedback Form.

These organizations, being fully committed to equality and fairness, are commencing a email campaign and attending DART board meetings in their respective cities to express their desire that DART amend its non-discrimination policy to become more thoroughly reflective of the people and culture in the region that it serves.

Since 2002 the city of Dallas and as of 2009 Fort Worth have instituted nondiscrimination policies that include Gender expression/identity. Dallas, because of it's longer history being gender inclusive has enjoyed increased commerce because of its reputation as a LGBT welcoming city.

DART is the transportation provider of the future in the DFW. But DART is much more than that, it is also the wind which on its currents carry our diverse culture. We ask DART to be true to it's mission statement that calls for it to improve the lives of it's patrons and employees.

2/27/10

Did San Antionio COP Rape a transgender MAN or Woman Confusion abounds

Mainstream media maybe confused in the gender expression of the alleged victim of sexual assault by San Antonio police officer Craig Nash, adding insult to injury.

Initially Feb. 26 news accounts indicated the victim identified as male
"woaitv San Antonio -- "A San Antonio Police officer was arrested and is accused of sexually assaulting a transgender man."

Is the victims correct gender being used by the media?

In this Feb. 27 article mysanantonio.com questions what sexual reproductive organs the victim possess.
"While police identified the alleged victim as transgendered, a spokeswoman could not confirm if the complainant had undergone male-to-female sex reassignment."

This article leads me to beleive the transgender victim is a transwoman and has been maligned by articles that incorrectly identified her as male.

2/26/10

San Antonio Police Officer Arrested For Sexual Assault of Transgender Man

Up Dated Feb.27 Confusion abounds in reports of the gender identity of the alleged victim Did cop rape a Trans Man or Trans Woman?

**********
Feb.26 woaitv San Antonio -- "A San Antonio Police officer was arrested and is accused of sexually assaulting a transgender man.

The man claims officer Craig Nash [pictured left] picked him just south of Downtown early Thursday morning, handcuffed him, and told him to lay down in the back seat of a patrol car. He told investigators Nash then drove to a nearby location, un-handcuffed him, and sexually assaulted him.

The alleged victim said after the assault, Nash dropped him off at a nearby school. He then took a bus to a police station to report the assault. According to an arrest warrant affidavit obtained by News 4 WOAI, the alleged victim told officers Nash "wasn't going to get away with this"

Police arrested Nash after the alleged victim identified him in a photo line-up, and police linked his patrol car to the alleged scene using a GPS tracking system.

Nash has been charged with sexual assault and official oppression. He has been with the San Antonio Police Department for 6 and a half years."

2/25/10

DART Questioned over unethical treatment of Transgender employee

DART embroiled in controversy over it's involvement in the Ms T DART discrimination issue. At the center of the conversation is a request by the LGBT community that DART amend it's discrimination policy to include gender expression.

Read the latest on the Dallas Voice article DART asked to add trans protections

Call CW Network: Object to the word Tranny used as a insult

High Society Trailer - Real Look. Series Premiere Wednesday, March 10 uses the N word and tranny because they are "princess" and they can do what ever they want.



Please call the CW network and ask to speak to "Dawn Ostroff" and tell her you're offended with them using the derogatory slur "tranny" as an insult in the trailer for the upcoming show "High Society"

Good news! According to Queerty The CW network has pulled the offending trailer after receiving feedback from the GLBT community condemning the racist innuendos and transphobic slurs.

2/24/10

HUD invites Transgender community for input on housing discrimination Study

TLEDF extends invite to help Shape HUD's Study on LGBT Housing Discrimination

Please join us and a host of other organizations and elected officials at a first-of-its-kind town hall meeting with officials from the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) to discuss HUD's ground-breaking national study of housing discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals and families in the rental and sales markets. The purpose of the meeting this Friday, February 26th will be to discuss the nature of HUD's study and to receive comments from interested groups and individuals. It is essential that members of the transgender community attend to provide input into this important process. We hope to see you on Friday.

Date: Friday, February 26th, 2010
Time: 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Location: The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center, 208 West 13th Street, Room 301, Manhattan (map)

Please RSVP to Jasmin Varjavand at Jasmin.Varjavand@hud.gov if you plan to attend.

This event is hosted by HUD Assistant Secretary Raphael W. Bostic with the offices of New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and New York City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn, along with Council Member Erik Martin-Dilan, Council Member Rosie Mendez, Council Member Danny Dromm, and Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer.Additional town hall meetings will be held in the near future in San Francisco and Chicago.

Weather-related information - Any weather-related contingencies or cancellations will be sent to you by email if you RSVP to the email address listed above. We will also post any updates on our web site and on our Twitter feed. In order to keep email traffic to a minimum, we will not be sending out any additional messages about the event. Thank you for your understanding.



Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund is committed to ending discrimination based upon gender identity and expression, and to achieving equality for transgender people through public education, test-case litigation, direct legal services, community organizing and public policy efforts. Help Shape HUD's Study on LGBT Housing Discrimination