2/5/13

Victory! Fernanda Milán Has been Granted Asylum In Denmark!

Trans woman Fernanda Milan has been granted asylum by the Danish goverment! Fernanda Milan, originally from Guatemala sought refuge in Denmark after her transgender advocacy endangered her life. At first it appeared she was going to be forced into returning to Guatemala which for Fernanda would have been a death warrant.

Enter the worlds transgender and allies advocates! Together we made our outrage be heard and the Danish Government listened to us!

Please read these articles by my amazing friend and advocate Natacha Kennedy who's grass roots activism was crucial to this success:

Press Release from T-Refugee Project, Denmark

Fernanda Milan: Activism Works!

Translation of article about Fernanda Milan in Danish newspaper Politiken

Będzie MP Anna Grodzka nominację do Parlamentu zastępca Pass głośnik?

Will trans woman Ms. Anna Grodzka Nomination For Deputy Speaker Pass The Conservative dominated Polish Parliament?

It seems is that Ms. Grodzka nomination may receive a up vote in this conservative Catholic country's Parliament. But how could that be?

Polityka, politics politics!

Recently there was a bill introduced in Parliament for civil unions between same sex couples which was dismissed out of hand. Didn't even get discussed.

Ms. Grodzka's nomination by the minority liberal party quickly followed on the heals of that defeat and is seen as a challenge to the dominate conservatives and fence sitting parties to show they are in fact progressive as they say they are.

Listen to the debate on Dateline Warsaw – transsexual MP to become deputy speaker? The debate and back story.



2/3/13

Video: Obama On Super Bowl Sunday "Gays and Lesbians Should Be Allowed In The Boy Scouts"

Obama on women in combat, gay Boy Scouts

In an interview with CBS Evening News anchor Scott Pelley, President Obama discussed the recent decision to allow women to fill combat roles in the military and the Boy Scouts' mulling ending the organization's ban on openly gay members, voicing support for both changes.

Michigan Dept. Of Civil Rights Report: LGBT Discrimination Is Hurting our States Economy

Some highlights of the executive summary:

Over the course of 2012, the MDCR conducted public forums, surveys, and archival research to examine whether the state’s current laws and policies have an economic impact on individuals, businesses, or communities and whether changes would brighten or dim our economic outlook.

While ELCRA prohibits employment, public accommodations, public services, education, and housing discrimination based on race, religion, color, national origin, sex, age, marital status, height, weight, and arrest record, it does not currently prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity/expression. This means that employers can fire or refuse to hire people, landlords can deny housing, and business owners can refuse restaurant service based on an individual’s actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity/expression and those individuals would have no means of legal redress.

The first section also examines the non-discrimination policies of Michigan’s largest employers, in both the private and public sector. It is particularly significant to note that institutions have adopted these inclusive internal policies because they saw doing so as ‘good for business,’ and did not experience any anti-business burden.

Section two provides an overview of the current state of LGBT discrimination. This section shows that there is convergent evidence of significant discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity/expression across a variety of sources and collection methodologies.

The third section outlines the effects that not prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity/expression is having on Michigan citizens, families, communities, and the economy. Many people who identified as heterosexual delivered testimony on behalf of their LGBT children, parents, siblings, and friends.

The Department’s research showed that out-migration is perhaps the most substantial effect of the state’s lack of LGBT inclusive policies. Approximately one-fifth of the testimony the Department heard alluded to people leaving the state for reasons related to discrimination. Professionals and college students, including students who identified as heterosexual, said that they planned to leave the state because they do not feel that Michigan values all of its citizens. Several people used the phrase “compelled to leave” and stated that they would not stay unless the state became a “community for all people.”

The fourth section is a response to some of what was offered in testimonials provided at the public forums. This section is not a comprehensive response to those who oppose LGBT inclusive laws. Neither is this report intended to support or refute anyone’s views about homosexuality. The purpose of this project, this report is to add analytical and anecdotal evidence to the public policy debate about whether Michigan should adopt more inclusive legislation by asking whether the decision has economic implications.

All available evidence shows that discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity/expression, (1) exists and is significant, (2) is protected in other states, but not in Michigan, which (3) has direct negative economic effects on Michigan.

Lastly, at the conclusion of this report, the reader will find recommendations for the future. Although much of what can be done necessarily falls to the legislature, there are a few steps that can be taken by the Commission and the Department that would improve the situation for LGBT persons in Michigan.

1. The Commission should publicly support the expansion of federal, state, and local laws that protect people from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity/expression in employment, housing and other real estate, and the full and equal utilization of public accommodations, public service, and educational facilities.

2. In addition to promoting expanded civil rights laws and policies, the Commission should oppose laws and policies that restrict LGBT civil rights.

3. The Commission should direct the MDCR to amend intake forms to reflect an individual’s sexual orientation and gender identity/expression.

4. The Department should continue to do outreach and partner with organizations that are already fielding complaints of discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity/expression.

5. Commissioners and Department staff should continue to further their internal understanding of LGBT issues and concerns.

6. The Department and Commission should continue to support and pursue policy changes in the area of non-discrimination.

7. The Department should seek to rectify the discrepancy between voter perception of nondiscrimination protections for LGBT persons and the reality of current local and state nondiscrimination laws.

8. The Commission should advocate that the legislature strike from state policy discriminatory state laws that are superseded by federal laws or have been ruled unconstitutional by the United States Supreme Court, such as the law against sodomy and cohabitation.

9. The Department should share with the governor’s policy staff the results of the survey that shows out-migration of professional students due to a lack of statewide LGBT inclusive policies.

10. The Department should make itself available to consult with communities with local non-discrimination ordinances or that are considering local non-discrimination ordinances.

11. The Department should make this report readily available to business owners so that they can better understand and make the business case for anti-discrimination employment protections.

Read in full the MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL RIGHTS REPORT ON LGBT INCLUSION UNDER MICHIGAN LAW



Video: Saturday Vigil For Deoni Jones Highlights The Need For Hate Crime Prosecution

Her family is upset hate crime enhancements have not been filled and are asking that the federal goverment steps in to prosecute the case. "In an interview, Bethea said the family believes that Jones’s transgender identity led to the stabbing. The family plans to call on federal officials to take over the prosecution, he said.

“We do believe the elements of a hate crime are present,” Bethea said.


It's clear her murder wasn't a random bizarre act of violence since Gary Niles Montgomery has been declared mentally competent to stand trial.

An initiative soliciting statements from the LGBT community leading to charges of hate crimes was announced Saturday by Mayor Vincent Gray at vigil.



"As part of the arrangement, the mayor's office of GLBT Affairs will solicit so-called impact statements from community members in criminal cases that were motivated by the victim's sexual orientation or gender identity. The statements are intended to factor into a judge's sentencing decision."



2/2/13

In one year, I got pregnant with my boyfriend and I gave birth with my trans girlfriend.

A receipt for what? Disaster? An amazing story? So what happened? Did Evan's partner freak? Did they stay together? Really? I won't spoil that for you. Read Erin Ryan Fitzgerald's article on XOJane and find out.

But what about Evan and her transition? Who is this person? Dig. Evan Greer is a radical genderqueer singer/songwriter, parent, and community organizer based in Boston. (S)he writes and performs high-energy acoustic songs that inspire hope, build community, and incite resistance! At 27 years old, Evan tours internationally as a musician and facilitates interactive workshops to support movements for justice and liberation.



"Wielding an arsenal of fiercely radical songs that vary in style from pop-punk poetry to foot-stompin’ bluegrass singalongs, Evan has been honored to collaborate, tour, and share stages with artists as musically diverse as Pete Seeger, Immortal Technique, Billy Bragg, Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine, Pamela Means, The Coup, Anne Feeney, Oi Polloi, State Radio, Leftover Crack, People Under the Stairs, Emma's Revolution, The Mammals, Gil Scott Heron's Midnight Band, Gaslight Anthem, Holly Near, Chumbawamba, and Vicci Martinez (featured on NBC's "The Voice".)"