tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67880661295075988262024-03-13T14:56:50.499-07:00Emelye's KitchenA trans woman's commentary (with recipes!) about her life and the issues she's engaged with.Emelye Waldherrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00075495654072343031noreply@blogger.comBlogger59125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6788066129507598826.post-53997903307527428652014-04-15T08:58:00.001-07:002014-04-15T08:58:35.459-07:00<form action="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr" method="post">
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<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "CommercialScript BT"; font-size: 28.0pt;">Hints for the
Cisgender</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "CommercialScript BT"; font-size: 28.0pt;">upon meeting a
Trans* person</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%; margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Vineta BT"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Vineta BT"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Vineta BT";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Do not run screaming from the
room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is rude.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%; margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Vineta BT"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Vineta BT"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Vineta BT";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you
must back away, do it slowly and with discretion.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%; margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Vineta BT"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Vineta BT"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Vineta BT";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do not
assume they are attracted to you or anyone of your sex.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%; margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Vineta BT"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Vineta BT"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Vineta BT";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do not
assume they are <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not</i></b> attracted to you or anyone of your sex.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%; margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Vineta BT"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Vineta BT"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Vineta BT";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do not
expect them to be as excited at meeting a cisgender person as you may be about
meeting a trans* person.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%; margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Vineta BT"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Vineta BT"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Vineta BT";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do not
immediately start talking about your genitals to prove you are cisgender or
asking about theirs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Keep your mind out
of their crotch.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%; margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Vineta BT"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Vineta BT"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Vineta BT";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">7)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do not ask
them how they got that way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead, ask
yourself how you got the way you are.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%; margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Vineta BT"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Vineta BT"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Vineta BT";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">8)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do not
assume they are dying to talk about being trans*</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%; margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Vineta BT"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Vineta BT"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Vineta BT";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">9)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do not
expect them to refrain from talking about being trans*</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%; margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Vineta BT"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Vineta BT"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Vineta BT";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">10)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Do not
trivialize their experience by assuming this is a lifestyle choice only.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are the sex/gender they say they are
24/7/365, not the one they were assigned at birth.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
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<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Cisgender: A person whose innate gender
identity matches the sex/gender they were assigned at birth.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Transgender: A person whose innate
gender identity does not match the one they were assigned at birth.</span></div>
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Emelye Waldherrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00075495654072343031noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6788066129507598826.post-80927681247722161862013-11-20T12:52:00.001-08:002013-11-20T12:52:20.407-08:00<form action="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr" method="post">
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<span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Transgender Day Of Remembrance</strong></span><br /><br />I wish I could avoid this day,<br />I wish I could avoid its meaning,<br />I wish I could avoid the reality,<br />I wish I could avoid the necessity,<br /><br />But I can't.<br /><br />Can't stop remembering why,<br />Can't stop remembering how,<br />Can't stop remembering who.<br /><br />
We choose life, optimism, that things will be better when we live
authentically, when we stop lying and truly reveal who we are.<br /> We just want the same dignity and respect that is denied us while being granted without question to others.<br /> We remember the dead today to remember our task to fight the ignorance, fear and hatred.<br /><br />We dedicate our work to those who were lost,<br /> We celebrate the living and those of us to come.<br />
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Emelye Waldherrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00075495654072343031noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6788066129507598826.post-11535927537771823482013-05-02T09:42:00.000-07:002013-05-02T09:44:27.488-07:00Gender Expression Non Discrimination Act passes yet again in the NY Assembly<form action="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr" method="post">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bill A0446, the Gender Expression Non Discrimination Act (GENDA) was passed by the New York State Assembly, for the 6th time, last Tuesday. My Assembly representative, Andrew Goodell, voted against it. This is what he voted against (lifted from Autumn Sandeen's post in <a href="http://www.transadvocate.com/" target="_blank">TransAdvocate</a>, "<a href="http://www.transadvocate.com/seven-goals-of-trans-activism.htm" target="_blank">7 Goals of Trans Activism</a>" because she says it better than I could):</span><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: teal; font-size: small;"><b>Employment antidiscrimination protections.</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">According to the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE)/Task Force report <a href="http://www.thetaskforce.org/reports_and_research/ntds" target="_blank">Injustice at Every Turn A Report of the National Transgender Discrimination Survey</a>,
trans and gender non-conforming respondents experienced double the rate
of unemployment: Survey respondents experienced unemployment at twice
the rate of the general population at the time of the survey, with rates
for people of color up to four times the national unemployment rate.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">And,
trans and gender non-conforming respondents experienced widespread
mistreatment at work: Ninety percent (90%) of those surveyed reported
experiencing harassment, mistreatment or discrimination on the job or
took actions like hiding who they are to avoid it. Forty-seven percent
(47%) said they had experienced an adverse job outcome, such as being
fired, not hired or denied a promotion because of being transgender or
gender non-conforming, and twenty-six percent (26%) had lost a job due
to being transgender or gender non-conforming.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: teal; font-size: small;"><b>Housing antidiscrimination protections.</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">According to the previously referenced NCTE/Task Force report, 19% of
surveyed trans and gender non-conforming respondents reported having
been refused a home or apartment and 11% reported being evicted because
of their gender identity/expression. And, one-fifth (19%) of trans
respondents reported experiencing homelessness at some point in their
lives because they were transgender or gender non-conforming.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: teal; font-size: small;"><b>Public accommodation antidiscrimination protections.</b></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Public accommodation for transgender people isn’t primarily about
bathrooms. It’s often instead about being able to buy a cup of coffee
and a cheeseburger at your local restaurant; it’s often instead about
being able to go to government agency and be treated as a full citizen. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">And again, according to the previously referenced NCTE/Task Force
report, fifty-three percent (53%) of trans and gender non-conforming
respondents reported being verbally harassed or disrespected in a place
of public accommodation, including hotels, restaurants, buses, airports
and government agencies.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Also, one fifth (22%) were denied equal treatment by a government
agency or official; twenty-nine percent (29%) reported police harassment
or disrespect; and twelve percent (12%) had been denied equal treatment
or harassed by judges or court officials.</span></span></blockquote>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">In addition, GENDA contains protection for trans people under the state's hate crime laws<span style="font-size: small;">. M<span style="font-size: small;">r Goodell voted against that too.</span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">When I spoke to him last year about GENDA he replied with the same, tired, old right wing talking points about bathrooms and locker rooms and how the <span style="font-size: small;">definition of <span style="font-size: small;">gender identity was too vague, etc, etc., as if these arguments had any kind of vali<span style="font-size: small;">d<span style="font-size: small;"> lo<span style="font-size: small;">gic behind them. I <span style="font-size: small;">got the message<span style="font-size: small;">, in no un<span style="font-size: small;">certain terms, that he does<span style="font-size: small;">n't care if I'm <span style="font-size: small;">victimized by irrational prejudice and harmful discrimination. He doesn't care<span style="font-size: small;"> that trans people living under his ju<span style="font-size: small;">risdiction are vulnerable to egregious harm for which they have little to no legal recourse. He doesn't care.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">When I spoke with </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">my s<span style="font-size: small;">tate senator<span style="font-size: small;">, </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Cathy Young, <span style="font-size: small;">last year, I got exactly the same <span style="font-size: small;">message.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">So, while it's ironic that I was unable to attend the 2013 Empire State Pride Agenda's Equality & Justice Day l<span style="font-size: small;">obbying effort in Albany this year because I can't afford the gas money to drive to Albany, or even to Buffalo to catch the ESPA bus<span style="font-size: small;">, I doubt it would have done any good in swaying <span style="font-size: small;">my legislative representatives. They need to be fired<span style="font-size: small;">.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> Vote them out!<br />
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Emelye Waldherrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00075495654072343031noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6788066129507598826.post-32211232382369800002013-04-28T16:07:00.001-07:002013-04-28T16:07:14.972-07:00"She’s Not There, A Life in Two Genders” by Jennifer Finney Boylan, a review.<form action="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr" method="post">
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>Well no one told me about her the way she lied<br />Well no one told me about her how many people cried<br />But it's too late to say you're sorry<br />How would I know why should I care<br />Please don't bother tryin' to find her<br />She's not there . . .</i></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />Facebook is one helluva thing, innit? A few weeks ago I saw a notice on my “news feed” from a Facebook friend, a woman I’ve never met except through her writing but really admire, Jennifer Finney Boylan. She was announcing the imminent publication of a tenth anniversary edition of a book she wrote, titled, “She’s Not There, a Life in Two Genders” with an invitation to trans bloggers to write a review in return for free, advance copies. “Free books?” I thought to myself, “Cool! Free is a good thing, especially when it’s about books!” So I sent a Facebook message to Ms Boylan telling her about my rarely updated blog and my willingness to give this reviewing thing a try. “Finally,” I thought, “my minor in Literature pays off!”<br /><br />I only half expected this to bear fruit. I figured my blog was too obscure, with too small a readership to interest a big publishing house like Broadway Paperbacks, a division of Random House no less, so I was pretty surprised when it showed up in my mailbox about a week ago. They also sent me a copy (hardcover!) of her latest, “Stuck In The Middle With You, A Memoir of Parenting in Three Genders.” Schweeet! I’ll write about that one when I finish reading it.<br /><br />So I started rereading “She’s Not There” from the new edition. I'd originally read this book back in 2006, the year I started therapy and, eventually, hormone therapy. I remember reading and identifying with the things she wrote even though the circumstances of my life were so different from hers. I puzzled about this a bit but didn’t pursue it. I certainly had a lot of other, more important things to deal with back then. I do remember thoroughly enjoying the read. I’ve always loved books and the escape they offered back when I was a kid but this wasn’t so much of an escape, because it rang so true to me. The cure to that, however, was that she is so damn hilarious. There's a lot in there that is really funny. In a good way, one that doesn't hurt people.<br /><br />I used a more critical eye this time. After all, that was the assignment! One of the first things that struck me was how rereading the stories and vignettes still deeply reminded me of my emotional state before and during my transition. This is one of the things Prof Boylan does very well in this book. Each chapter in Part 1 very effectively illustrated an aspect of the dysphoria that so many transgender people feel. Fear, of being relegated "into a life of lurid marginality.” Longing, playing “Girl Planet” in the woods. Self loathing and depression. Despair. “People can’t have everything they want, I thought. It is your fate to accept life being someone other than yourself.” Same stuff I went through. It’s uncanny. She wrote it well enough to trigger the same, to engage my emotional memory of the time before I made my choice to live rather than end it all, and after.<br /><br />One of the most common complaints from trans people is that cisgender people (cis being opposite of trans) “just don’t get it.” Pretty much all cis people find it impossible to imagine what it would feel like to have a mind that sees itself as a sex/gender that isn’t reflected in their physical selves. There’s no frame of reference available to them, a mismatch like that is incomprehensible. Richard Russo, in his afterword that was included in the original edition, describes one of a novelist’s gifts as being able to imagine and bemoans the fact that his imagination seemed to fail him, and Jenny, when she first came out to him. Imagination, however, still needs a basis, even if it’s a flimsy one, to build upon. “She’s Not There” truly succeeds in giving that basis, and provides an escape from the stereotypes that so demean and dehumanize trans people, by carefully and accurately illustrating the emotions that come with being trans. That’s why the book struck so close to home for me even though our lives were so different and I think this aspect of her stories will give cis people a foundation on which they can build their imagination and understanding, if they’re willing to do the work.<br /><br />The most endearing part of this book is, as Russo noted, that it’s a love story above all else. Like a true romantic, Jenny wishes and believes love will cure her. When she finds Grace she feels that she’s finally found the love that will save her, and it does save her, but not in the way she thinks it will. My wife was devastated when I came out to her, much the same way as Grace was, if not worse. It’s very true that when a person transitions, there’s nothing but loss for their spouse. It’s sad, the way Greek tragedy is sad, people flailing away trying to make reality work and losing almost everything anyway, with apparently no one at fault. Reading “She’s Not There” back in 2006 gave me the hope that my relationship will survive, that our love would prove stronger than the forces that would inevitably beat against it. Rereading it now, 7 years later and still married (we celebrated our 25th anniversary last September) I look back with gratitude at the hope and grace the book gave us.<br /><br />Richard Russo’s afterword was a brilliant addition to their story. His thoughtful analysis along with his narration of the dramatic events after Jenny’s genital surgery added a point of view that would have left “She’s Not There” incomplete were it not included. I love his writing anyway, and this is a definite bonus.<br /><br />Prof Boylan’s new epilogue updates the book to cover the ten years since she transitioned. Happy endings all around, it seems. Yet this is one of the things that I thought could have been done better. She writes with a comedic voice; the humor is ever present and makes for an easier reading of a complex and potentially oppressive subject. But, like in all comedic work, it seems she wants everyone to have a sense of “happily ever after,” even though many, many trans people, trans women and trans women of color especially, live far from “happily ever after” lives. Boylan mentions this in the original afterword, noting that she “blithely skips over unpleasantness.” In this she does a certain disservice because many in our community have to deal with unpleasantness, sometimes ugliness, even from those who should love them the most, on a daily basis. I think it would do people good if they could feel a little bit of that for themselves so they could more understand the costs of being trans. She makes little over the huge amounts of privilege she’s been granted. It isn’t until Russo’s afterword that we see a juxtaposition of her privilege against someone who has very little.<br /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>Well let me tell you 'bout the way she looked<br />The way she'd act and the colour of her hair<br />Her voice was soft and cool<br />Her eyes were clear and bright<br />But she's not there</i></span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />Revisiting a book I read long ago is not something that I avoid. I love going back, sometimes, visiting old friends, even if they’re fictional. I really enjoyed visiting with Jenny and her family once again, just as I enjoy reading the posts she writes about her family on Facebook. Her story is one of hope, and love and optimism. Indeed, I think a gender transition is one of the most potent manifestations of optimism there is. It’s an, “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/itgetsbetterproject" target="_blank">It Gets Better</a>” video in paperback and in that way gives a great deal of value to the trans community, but it's much more than that. Prof Boylan’s genius is how brightly she illuminates the emotional turmoil that transsexual and other transgender people have to deal with, giving a clear window into what is so hard to imagine and understand by so many outside the trans community. On that basis alone the book is very worth buying. In addition, she shows that love and commitment, and a healthy sense of humor, can indeed create a permanent thing out of an iffy chance, to make real the girl that wasn’t there.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: xx-small;">©2013<br /><br />“She’s Not There” written by Ron Argent, ©1964 by Marquis Music Co. Ltd., admin. In USA by Parker Music (BMI)</span><br />
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Emelye Waldherrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00075495654072343031noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6788066129507598826.post-86384691816505474232013-04-24T05:49:00.000-07:002013-04-24T05:49:42.237-07:00How Not To Sound Like A Transphobe<form action="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr" method="post">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Or, how to use language to not hurt trans people.</span><br /><br />Transgender people, in the widest definition of the word, are really very different kinds of people with a few unifying characteristics. It’s like birds. We know that eagles and ducks and parakeets and blue footed boobies are all birds even though they are quite different in many ways. With transgender people we might be talking with a Female to Male (FtM) transsexual man, a drag queen or a straight cross dresser. It could be someone who is between genders, and doesn’t identify as either male or female. With these kinds of variables it’s hard to know what to say, how to talk to these people without accidentally offending them.<br /><br />Of course, half the battle in any situation of this kind is knowing the jargon. The internet is full of good and bad sources for definitions used by the trans community. They aren’t all agreed to, some are still very fluid. Not much we can do about that now. We can, however, look at commonly accepted and used definitions. This little article is too small to include a glossary but you can go to a few websites to give you some Trans 101 instruction which clears up a lot of the specialized words trans people use to talk about themselves. Try <a href="http://wiki.susans.org/index.php/Main_Page" target="_blank">Susan's Place Transgender Resources</a>, and check the <a href="http://wiki.susans.org/index.php/Trans_101" target="_blank">Trans 101</a> section in their Wiki. There’s a “Terms & Definitions” section in the forums on that site as well. If you want some additional sources, doing a search on “Trans 101” will bring up some good sites as well.<br /><br />But what if you haven’t had a chance to do this research and you are suddenly introduced to a person whose gender expression seems confusing, or not quite right, or perhaps is even introduced to you openly as a trans person? How do you talk to them? How do you react?<br /><br />The first rule is to please not run screaming from the room. Many would consider this rude.<br /><br />Ha ha! All joking aside however, some people do have rather emotional responses when they first knowingly meet a trans person. If you are one of them, it’s OK! Trans people know that they are rather exotic creatures, rarely encountered by cis people (“cis” is short for “cisgender,” which is the opposite of transgender) in daily life. It’s also common for people to just be confused. The thing to do is to forget they are trans, if you can, and just relate to them as you would to any other person you’ve just met. <b>All trans people really want is the same respect and dignity you would grant anyone else.</b><br /><br />So if the person is obviously presenting themselves as a woman, use female pronouns, treat them like any lady you have just met. Vice versa for a person who is obviously presenting as a man. “But what if I can’t tell,” you may say? “What do I say or do?? Obviously standing there silently with a dumbfounded or confused look on your face isn’t going to work. The secret is this: Ask them! If you’re not sure if the person you just met is male, female or something in between, ask them what pronouns they prefer. This is not a faux pas. Most, if not all, trans people would be happy to get that question instead of being referred to with an inappropriate pronoun.<br /><br />Some trans people, those who don’t identify with either of our binary genders, do present a challenge. They may prefer non-gendered pronouns, little used neologisms like “hir” instead of him or her, or “zhe” instead of he or she. If you’re uncomfortable with these unfamiliar terms, or if you are really self conscious about asking, use what’s called the “singular they.” Use the word “they” instead of the gendered pronoun. It might be a little awkward at first but you’d not be causing anyone any pain. (Yes, being mis-gendered hurts trans people. They may not show it but believe me, it hurts.)<br /><br />If you make a mistake, and it’s easy to do – even trans people screw this up now and then – don’t make a big deal over it. Just say, “Oops,” correct yourself and move on. The last thing trans people want is for you to make a big fuss over it. Doing so just highlights a difference they’d rather not dwell on.<br /><br />Trans people identify as their target gender, In other words, a trans woman is someone who was assigned male at birth but identifies as a woman. A trans man is someone who was assigned female at birth but identifies as a man. NEVER the other way around.<br /><br />It’s rarely appropriate to ask about surgeries a person you just met might have had in the past. This is especially true when the surgeries may have involved portions of their body that aren’t commonly discussed in polite company. The polite thing, therefore, is to avoid asking a trans person about their surgical status. I know you may be burning with curiosity but still, please refrain. It’s unfortunate that so many trans people have been asked this question that there are a good number of snappy comebacks floating around. Things like, “Why, are you asking me for a date?” or, “Please get your mind out of my crotch!”<br /><br />The other thing to avoid asking is about how they, or trans people in general, have sex. I know it seems shocking to see this on paper but it happens far too often, sometimes in public places! (It happened to yours truly once while standing at the counter in the local cable TV office, with people waiting in line behind me.) This goes back to what I wrote earlier – trans people want the same respect and dignity you would grant a stranger on the street, or someone you just met. You wouldn’t as a cis person such personal and invasive questions, please don’t ask trans people either.<br /><br />Most people have learned how to be polite and act in appropriate ways in social situations as they were growing up. The education in manners most of us have received was geared only to cisgender people, however. Transgender (not “transgendered,” by the way – it’s an adjective, not a verb or a noun) people just weren’t part of the picture. It’s time they become visible. I hope these few tips will have informed you about some of the pitfalls to avoid when speaking with trans people but if all else fails, you won’t go wrong if you follow the simple rule: <b>All trans people really want is the same respect and dignity you would grant anyone else.</b> Talk to them with that in mind and you can’t go wrong.</span></span><br />
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Emelye Waldherrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00075495654072343031noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6788066129507598826.post-53861449015062627932013-04-15T08:17:00.000-07:002013-04-15T08:17:58.642-07:00<form action="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr" method="post">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hi again! I don't often do this, well, this is a first, but I so enjoyed a blog written by Matt Kaily in his blog <a href="http://tranifesto.com/" target="_blank">Tranifesto</a></span> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">about five attributes he considers important for trans allies, that I want to reblog it and maybe add a thought or two myself. Here it is:</span><br />
<div class="posttitle">
<h2>
Five Attributes of Trans Allies</h2>
<div class="post-info">
April 15, 2013 by <a href="http://tranifesto.com/author/mattkailey/" title="Posts by Matt Kailey">Matt Kailey</a> </div>
</div>
<a href="http://mattkailey.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/handshake.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="handshake" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-6121" height="130" src="http://mattkailey.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/handshake.jpg?w=628&h=418" width="200" /></a><span style="color: #683596;">Last
week in my Transgender Studies class, and also at a Diversity Day
presentation that I made on the Auraria Campus, we talked about allies. </span><br />
<span style="color: #683596;">In my opinion, allies are an important
component of any group. They add numbers, they add voices, and in some
cases, they bring a certain amount of power that is lacking because of
the way that a particular group is seen in the “mainstream,” where the
group is trying to gain at least equality, if not acceptance.</span><br />
<span style="color: #683596;">That last contribution is unfortunate,
but true. Without allies, many groups would not be able to move forward
as rapidly and as successfully as they do with outside support. Allies
are an important component of any movement. I have <strong><a href="http://tranifesto.com/2012/02/23/ask-matt-why-do-we-mistreat-our-allies/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #683596;">written about allies before</span></a></strong><span style="color: #683596;">,
but I think it’s always a good time to revisit the topic, so I would
like to outline what I consider to be five important attributes of trans
allies:</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #315d34;"><strong>1.</strong> <span style="color: #683596;">A
trans ally acknowledges his/her/hir own power and privilege and is
aware of it, but also acknowledges ours. In other words, a trans ally
understands that we are not victims and don’t need rescuing, but also
understands that the support of allies is beneficial to our community.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #683596;">Trans allies prefer to help us develop
and utilize our personal power in situations where they have it and we
don’t, rather than take over and wield their own power while we are
silenced. I have done many co-presentations with non-trans allies (who
are all fantastic, by the way), and a couple of time, I have felt almost
used as a poster child to make a point about the injustices to which
trans people are subjected.</span><br />
<span style="color: #683596;">While I appreciate the recognition of
those injustices, and while I appreciate that non-trans people just
learning about the topic might be more open to receiving this
information from another non-trans person, I also feel that this drains
my own personal power and removes my voice – and I do have one – from
the conversation.</span><br />
<span style="color: #683596;">Of course, not all trans people have the
same level of personal power, and for each of us, the amount of power
we have depends on the situation at hand. But when we do have it, we
need to be able to use it.<span id="more-11825"></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #315d34;"><strong>2.</strong><span style="color: #683596;"> A trans ally speaks <em>up</em> for us, but doesn’t speak <em>for</em>
us. No matter how many trans people an ally knows and no matter how
long he/she/ze has been involved in the community, an ally understands
that trans people need to speak for themselves and that we are the best
ones to describe our own experiences.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #683596;">At the very beginning of my transition, I
was on an LGBT Advisory Board to a particular organization. When we
were doing some “LGBT advising,” someone asked what “transgender”
actually was.</span><br />
<span style="color: #683596;">Being the only trans member of the
group, I should have been the one to field that question. Instead, the
group’s leader, a gay non-trans man, took it upon himself to do so – and
he got some of the information wrong. It’s hard to believe now, but I
didn’t speak up. I had not yet found my voice. But it did teach me a
lesson about who is truly an ally and who would rather just see
themselves as important.</span><br />
<span style="color: #683596;">Regardless, we definitely need other
voices, people who have our backs, and people who will speak up for us,
particularly when we aren’t present. A chorus of trans and allied voices
creates perfect harmony (I can’t believe I just wrote that corny
cliché).</span><br />
<span style="color: #315d34;"><strong>3.</strong><span style="color: #683596;">
A trans ally utilizes books, websites, films, conferences, and other
resources to learn about the trans community, in addition to asking
questions of trans people when it is appropriate. Learning about the
trans community should not be an effort for an ally. An ally is truly
interested in learning the information.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #683596;">I have had prospective allies say to me,
“I would like to be an ally, but I know nothing about this. What can
you tell me?” In an educational setting, where my purpose for being
there is to teach about trans issues, this is entirely appropriate. But
when I’m at a party or dinner or just hanging out, I would rather not
“start from the beginning.” I think most of us would prefer that a
would-be ally do some self-education and then ask us to fill in some
blanks or clear up some misunderstandings.</span><br />
<span style="color: #315d34;"><strong>4.</strong> <span style="color: #683596;">A
trans ally works for inclusion, not just diversity. In other words,
adding a “T” to your organization’s name or displaying photos of trans
people on your website might reflect diversity, but it does not reflect
inclusion.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #683596;">Diversity involves diverse populations
being visible and represented in your organization. Inclusion involves
all those diverse populations working on behalf of your organization,
including in positions of leadership, power, and influence. You can’t
have inclusion without diversity, but you can definitely have diversity
without inclusion. Both are necessary.</span><br />
<span style="color: #683596;">How many trans people have gone to an
“LGBT” organization, only to discover that there are really no services
for trans people, and the “LG” (rarely B) people there don’t know much,
if anything, about trans issues or resources? It happens every day.
Don’t stick a representative picture on a poster and assume that your
job is done. Diversity and inclusion are two different animals.</span><br />
<span style="color: #683596;">Look at it this way: Diversity is “I’m throwing a party and everyone’s invited.” Inclusion is “Let’s throw a party.”</span><br />
<span style="color: #315d34;"><strong>5.</strong><span style="color: #683596;">
A trans ally works to forward trans equality even when trans people
aren’t around. Trans rights and trans equality are part of an ally’s
life, and that concern exists even when no trans people are present and
even when no trans people are aware of what the ally is doing. Being an
ally is something that you live, not something that you turn on and off
depending on the situation.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #683596;">We should recognize and thank allies.
That’s extremely important, and when we take them for granted, they can
easily disappear. Allies don’t have to hang around. But a true ally
doesn’t do it for the recognition. The notion of trans rights and
equality is simply incorporated into their being. They live it and they
act on that value day to day. In other words, an ally’s work is never
done (another corny cliché).</span><br />
<span style="color: #683596;">There are certainly plenty more
characteristics of a trans ally. These are just a few of my favorites.
And I think that these apply just as much to trans people who want to be
an ally for a group of which they are not a member. We need to remember
what we want and need from others, and then take it upon ourselves to
bring those characteristics and actions to our own life and our own
roles as allies.</span><br />
<span style="color: #683596;">Readers, what else would you like to add?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have little to add, actually but I'd like to note what seems to me to be the common theme behind these five points. It's obvious that they all stem from the recognition that trans people should receive the same dignity and respect given to anyone else. An ally recognizes trans people's basic humanity, they recognize and acknowledge their power. An ally respects a trans person's right to speak for themselves and doesn't denigrate them into voiceless victims. Allies respect trans people's feelings and don't intrude at inappropriate times. If they have a question that might be difficult for a trans person to answer, they ask in private and don't assume that any subject is OK at any time. An ally will give more than just lip service because they know trans people deserve the dignity of inclusion and equality in all the ways cisgender people are. </span> <br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It all boils down to the things that trans people are too often denied: Respect and Dignity. That's all we really want. That's all anyone really wants.</span><br />
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Emelye Waldherrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00075495654072343031noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6788066129507598826.post-88115081412832754312013-04-13T13:03:00.000-07:002013-04-13T13:03:32.731-07:00<form action="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr" method="post">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">No, I'm still breathin'! :)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> I've been cooking and baking while in my free time I've been working with local TLBG organizations, as well as my own support group (which is what the DONATE button is for, just to remind people) and helping my spouse who has been dealing with increased cerebral palsy disability because of her age. I've also changed jobs at <a href="http://www.susans.org/forums/index.php" target="_blank">Susan's Place Transgender Resources</a>, moving from Wiki Administrator to the Chat Administrator position. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">One of the things I'm doing this coming May is being a panelist on an LGBTQ Panel forum, talking about how community members can take action and make interpersonal changes to support equality for LGBTQ individuals. I'm hoping this forum will be attended by many cisgender and straight people as well as members of the LTBG community. Education and exposure are two of the best ways to create change. Here's the poster for the event:</span><br />
<br />
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Emelye Waldherrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00075495654072343031noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6788066129507598826.post-75605890500811857632012-07-04T11:21:00.001-07:002012-07-04T11:21:04.396-07:00Declaration of Transgender Independence<form action="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr" method="post">
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<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Because we have not yet achieved the true American Ideal:</span><b><i><br /></i></b><br />
<br />
<b><i>Declaration of Transgender Independence</i></b><br />
<br />
When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people
to arise and demand the political and social rights other Citizens
enjoy, a decent respect to the opinions of humanity requires that they
should declare the causes that impel them such.<br />
<br />
We hold these truths to be self-evident. Regardless of gender identity,
expression and sexual orientation, all people are created Equal – that
they have been endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights,
that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That
to secure these Rights, governments are instituted among people,
deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That
whenever any form of government becomes destructive to that end, it is
the Right of the People to use the electoral process to change such
government and institute new representation that will secure these
rights and positively affect their safety and happiness.<br />
<br />
Prudence, indeed, would dictate that representatives long in office and
that have served the people well should not be changed for light and
transient causes. Indeed, experience has shown that people are willing
to tolerate and suffer positions of their representatives as long as
such evils are sufferable.<br />
<br />
However, when such abuses and usurpations of Civil Liberties arise
providing evidence to dehumanize any one group, it is the right and duty
of the People to cast aside such representation in favor of new
guardians that would secure the future and the liberties of all.<br />
<br />
Such has been patient suffering of the Transgender Community, and such
is now the necessity to replace those Oppressors with New
Representation. The history of the Transgender Community is a history
replete with injury and usurpation designed to dehumanize and eradicate a
people within a society. To prove this, let facts be submitted to a
candid world.<br />
<br />
* The Transgender Community has been trivialized and ridiculed before the General Populace.<br />
<br />
* The Transgender Community has been casually abused, both physically and emotionally, often without punishment to the abuser.<br />
<br />
* Psychological warfare against the Transgender Community has been
committed to affect a disassociation between the Community and the
General Populace.<br />
<br />
* Censure of the Transgender Community for expressing the desire to be treated with the same respect as other Citizens.<br />
<br />
* Allowing the Abuse of Freedom of Speech to inspire and incite violence and maltreatment against transgender people.<br />
<br />
* Deprivation of liberty against the Transgender Community for expressing their nature.<br />
<br />
* The committing of Murder against the Transgender Community with the
purpose of eradicating an entire Community within the General Populace.<br />
<br />
In every stage of these oppressions, we have petitioned for redress in
the most humble terms. Our petitions have been answered only by repeated
injury. Any representative whose vote and actions have given
concurrence with these oppressions is unfit to be a representative of a
Free People. And, thus, must be removed from office using the electoral
process to place New Representation in its stead.<br />
<br />
We, therefore, the Transgender Community, appealing to the Supreme Judge
of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, declare that we are a
Free People – Equal with all other citizens and subservient to none. We
state now and for all time that we have the right to Fair Treatment
under the Law; Retention of employment and housing; Medical Treatment as
deemed necessary and prudent; to Love and marry those Whom We Choose
and do all other Acts that a Free People may of right do.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
And for the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the
protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our
Lives, our Fortunes, our Time and our Sacred Honor.<br />
<br />
<br />
by Shauna Marie O'Toole<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
Happy 4th of July to ALL American citizens!</div>
<br />
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</form>Emelye Waldherrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00075495654072343031noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6788066129507598826.post-28460105557046801892012-04-13T15:02:00.001-07:002012-04-13T15:10:39.655-07:00Lebkuchen á lá Heléne<span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This is a recipe that I've developed over the past few years. I make it at Christmas time, usually. The spices and candied peel give the cookies an exotic flair while the rum in the glaze makes it a cookie more for adults than kids. You can leave it out if you wish. </span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 20pt;">Lebkuchen </span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 20pt;">á lá Heléne</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span></span></span><br />
<ul><li><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">150 g sugar (300g if not using SPLENDA)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">30 g Splenda</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">150 g unsalted Butter, softened</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">1 Tbn unsulphered Molasses</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">1 Tbn Vanilla extract</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">3 eggs, lightly beaten</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">2 Tbn Rum or equivalent amount of rum extract</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">½ tsn ground clove</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">½ tsn ground cinnamon</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">½ tsn ground ginger</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">1 tsn lemon extract or lemon zest</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Pinch to 1/4 tsn of Cardamom</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">60 g candied lemon peel (chopped small, abt 3mm chunks)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">60 g candied orange peel (chopped small, abt 3mm chunks)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">275 g finely ground almonds or almond flour</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">300 g flour</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">½ tsn Salt</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">1½ tsn double acting baking powder</span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .25in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; punctuation-wrap: simple; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Sift the flour, salt and baking powder together . Set aside.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Cream the butter and sugar, then add the eggs, molasses and vanilla until slightly frothy. Add the spices, lemon extract (or zest) and rum. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; punctuation-wrap: simple; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; punctuation-wrap: simple; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Stir in the candied peel and ground almonds. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; punctuation-wrap: simple; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; punctuation-wrap: simple; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Gradually sift in the baking powder and flour, mixing until the dough is thick and fairly stiff. Add more flour if the texture is too batter like. Allow the dough to chill at least 1 hour.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; punctuation-wrap: simple; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; punctuation-wrap: simple; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Form into balls about 1 inch (25mm) diameter. (A 60 disher, 2 tsn, works well)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; punctuation-wrap: simple; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; punctuation-wrap: simple; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Garnish with halved or slivered almonds and bake in a 350ºF (180ºC) oven for about 12 to 15 minutes or until brown at the edges. (Keep an eye on the first batch, all ovens are different!) </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; punctuation-wrap: simple; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; punctuation-wrap: simple; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Frost the cookies with a thin frosting made from powdered sugar and milk flavored with almond extract, lemon extract or rum. (Suggested: 1 Tbn Rum, 1 Tbn Milk, 1 tsn almond extract, ½ cup icing sugar)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">NOTES:</span></u></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; punctuation-wrap: simple; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Makes about 3 to 4 dozen depending on how big ya make ‘em.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; punctuation-wrap: simple; tab-stops: list .75in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">They don’t spread much in the oven.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; punctuation-wrap: simple; tab-stops: list .75in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">20 cookies per sheet works well</span></div><br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I hope you enjoy these as much as I and my family have!</span></div><br />
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" /> <input alt="PayPal - The safer, easier way to pay online!" border="0" name="submit" src="https://www.paypalobjects.com/en_US/i/btn/btn_donateCC_LG.gif" type="image" /> <img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://www.paypalobjects.com/en_US/i/scr/pixel.gif" width="1" /> </form>Emelye Waldherrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00075495654072343031noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6788066129507598826.post-88117715175120508292012-04-12T12:10:00.004-07:002012-04-12T12:45:49.143-07:00Yeah, still breathin'!Yes, I know, it's been awhile. Sorry.<br />
<br />
The past 6 months have been fraught with stress, loss and all the depression that comes with the process of falling out of the middle class into poverty. I still have no job and there are no real prospects for one. After three years of unemployment my confidence is weak and works against me. At this point, I assume I won't be hired because of my age/sex/gender. Of course, at least two of those three characteristics are not supposed to be used to determine employability. They're illegal but, of course, there's little one can do against discrimination like that. It's almost never overt enough to provide evidence that would stand up in court.<br />
<br />
This kind of economic disempowerment is one of the biggest issues that trans people face. We need to fight and demand our rights on political, as well as social and humanitarian, grounds. That fight takes resources but we are denied opportunities to earn them. Catch 22 at its finest.<br />
<br />
I've hesitated to ask people for support. Most of the people I know and love are in similar financial straights yet, if I don't ask, I can't do much to promote the civil rights protections the trans community need. The world won't change just because someone writes things in a blog on the internet.<br />
<br />
So I've decided to add a PayPal "Donate" button to this blog. I don't expect much, if anything. I realize people are hurting in the financial department as much or more than I but even a couple of dollars will help. Any donations I receive will go toward costs incurred in the pursuit of trans visibility, civil rights protections and community.<br />
<br />
The first event that I need funds for - for gasoline and travel expenses, primarily - is a meeting of western New York trans groups in Rochester NY on April 28th. I think it's vital that the southern part of western New York be represented there. I would go as the primary facilitator of the Southern Tier Trans Network, the support group I formed for the area's trans community. I would also act as a representative as the local PFLAG T-Net coordinator.<br />
<br />
The need is for travel expense money so I can attend the ESPA Equality & Justice Day in Albany on May 8th. I need gasoline to get to Buffalo and back so I can catch the bus to Albany.<br />
<br />
Thank you. Any support is gratefully appreciated.<br />
<br />
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<img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://www.paypalobjects.com/en_US/i/scr/pixel.gif" width="1" /></form>Emelye Waldherrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00075495654072343031noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6788066129507598826.post-75031649627753895682011-11-20T08:44:00.000-08:002011-11-20T08:44:00.771-08:00TGDOR 2011<h6 class="uiStreamMessage" data-ft="{"type":1}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">To all those who have died because of the ultimate expression of hate and transphobia: </span></span></span></h6><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirJx2FzNQhOtiebYrUJFCsFVEcMBoZNvdF8G0XCHjjYOIAT4bPinAj3XvxnLBq6I0ziCLOf58BM8K508Q-6cR6lFxSM0bw2bsuAtaJKzK07poCY0YvMCVaFQmphzNfM7yLgdyNyWKReXdB/s1600/P1010702.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirJx2FzNQhOtiebYrUJFCsFVEcMBoZNvdF8G0XCHjjYOIAT4bPinAj3XvxnLBq6I0ziCLOf58BM8K508Q-6cR6lFxSM0bw2bsuAtaJKzK07poCY0YvMCVaFQmphzNfM7yLgdyNyWKReXdB/s320/P1010702.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><h6 class="uiStreamMessage" data-ft="{"type":1}"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">We Will Remember! </span></span></span></span></h6><h6 class="uiStreamMessage" data-ft="{"type":1}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> and we will fight to defeat the ignorance and fear that were the basis of your tragic deaths. </span></span></span></h6><h6 class="uiStreamMessage" data-ft="{"type":1}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Transgender Day Of Remembrance, 11/20/11.</span></span></span></h6>Emelye Waldherrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00075495654072343031noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6788066129507598826.post-10806911305542709252011-05-27T11:10:00.000-07:002011-05-27T11:11:53.034-07:00Naan Bread<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">One of the things I've kept myself busy with during my long period of unemployment is by expanding my skills in the kitchen. I know, the stereotype does seem to fit here but hey, it's a real interest, not a reaction a stereotypical gender role. My main focus has been to make good food as inexpensively as possible, something necessitated by my very limited resources. Making delicious food using the most basic and inexpensive ingredients has been a challenge that I've found to be very enjoyable.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">One of the things I discovered about myself is how much I enjoy baking. I always liked baking cookies - Christmas time was always a joy for me - but I have discovered that I just love to bake bread. Indeed, on days when my discouragement and depression crush my motivation to do pretty much anything else, reading formulas (recipes) and bread lore in books and <a href="http://www.thefreshloaf.com/">bread blogs</a> along with combining flours, yeast, water and salt, kneading, forming, resting and baking a loaf or two are the only things that interest me.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
Peter Reinhart, one of the best known and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref=sr_tc_2_0?rh=i%3Astripbooks%2Ck%3APeter+Reinhart&keywords=Peter+Reinhart&ie=UTF8&qid=1306513932&sr=8-2-ent&field-contributor_id=B001H6W6I0">respected authors</a> and "gurus" of artisan bread <a href="http://www.ted.com/talks/peter_reinhart_on_bread.html">talks about</a> the transformative nature of the bread making process. I wonder sometimes if that's what attracts me to it, having gone through one or two rather significant transformations myself. He talks about the transformations the wheat and yeast go through to become bread and how these transformations work together to nourish us. The idea of transformations in the process of becoming better, toward a synergistic whole, appeals to me.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">One of the things I've learned about bread is that the transformations it goes through need time to develop. Just like I had to go through a pretty lengthy process in my transition, so too does the gestalt of ingredients in order to produce good tasting bread. Trans people are often very impatient once they reach the conclusion that they need to transition. We fail to realize that while we were dealing with the issue, often for years or even decades, the other people in our lives have had no inkling of what we were going through. Once we come out we want everything to be done yesterday. While this is understandable, the pain of living an inauthentic life can be acute, we need to remember to give others the time and space they need to come to grips with the new situation. This time is valuable for ourselves on a personal level as well. Shedding the old skin and acquiring a brand new life takes time getting used to, no matter how eager we are to finish. One of the best pieces of advice I ever got when I started my transition came from a wonderful lady, <a href="http://usnaout.org/robyn">Robyn Walters</a>, who told me to "Rush slowly," one of the best pieces of advice I ever got.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c5/Naan_shiva.jpg/609px-Naan_shiva.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="315" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c5/Naan_shiva.jpg/609px-Naan_shiva.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I've been able to learn enough now that I've started to modify and improve bread formulas that I find in books and the internet. I made a new one this morning and I thought I'd share that one with you, a recipe for an Indian flat bread called <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naan">naan</a>.</div><br />
<blockquote><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Naan Bread</b></span><br />
<br />
Poolish<br />
• 1/8 teaspoon instant yeast<br />
• 1 cup (4½ oz) white flour<br />
• 3/4 cup (6 oz) room temperature water<br />
<br />
Mix the four, water and yeast in a bowl and cover. Allow to ferment at room temperature for 6 to 8 hours or you can let it ferment for 4 to 5 hours and then place it into the refrigerator overnight (let it warm up for at least an hour before you use it if you go this route). I usually make this right around noon and let it ferment in the kitchen until 8:00 pm.<br />
<br />
Dough (I do this part at 8:00 or 9:00 in the evening)<br />
• ¾ teaspoon instant yeast<br />
• 1 cup (4½ oz) unbleached white bread flour<br />
• 1 cup (4½ oz) white whole wheat flour (King Arthur Flour sells this stuff. It's very good.)<br />
• 2 Tablespoons (1 oz) olive oil<br />
• 1/4 (2 oz) cup buttermilk or plain yogurt<br />
• 1½ teaspoon honey<br />
• 1 teaspoon salt (¾ tsn if your buttermilk already has some salt in it)<br />
<br />
- To the poolish, add the oil, buttermilk and honey and mix well. In a separate bowl, mix the white and whole wheat flour along with the instant yeast. Add the flours, etc, to the liquids and mix until you get a shaggy dough. Cover and allow to rest for 20 minutes.<br />
<br />
- Knead the dough for 3 to 5 minutes and then sprinkle the salt over it. Knead about 5 to 7 minutes more until the dough is smooth and supple. Try not to add too much extra flour to this dough, it needs to be pretty soft. It if gets too sticky, try rubbing some olive oil on your hands and the kneading surface. The dough temperature at the end of the kneading cycle should be about 78º to 81ºF.<br />
<br />
- Form the dough into a ball and place it into an oiled bowl. Coat the top surface with oil as well. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit at room temperature for about ½ hour, then place it into the refrigerator overnight.<br />
<br />
- The next morning, remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it warm up at room temperature for at least 1 hour. It should have just about doubled in size but if it hasn't, wait until it does.<br />
<br />
- Preheat the oven at its highest temperature (500º-550ºF for most home ovens) with a pizza stone on the center rack for at least 30 to 45 minutes so the stone is screamin' hot. Using a pizza stone will help to give naan close to same kind of heat as clay tandoor. If you don't have a pizza stone, a cast iron griddle or even a cast iron pan or dutch oven turned upside down would be a decent substitute.<br />
<br />
- Take the dough out of the bowl and gently flatten it with your fingertips somewhat to degas it a bit. Cut it into 6 or 8 equally sized pieces. Form those pieces into balls, cover them and let them rest for 15 to 20 minutes. After resting them, roll the balls flat to about 3/16 to 1/4 inche thick (5 to 6.5 mm). They will shrink back after you roll them so I roll them a little thinner than that and then let them shrink up. Make sure they remain covered after you roll them so they don't dry out before going into the oven.<br />
<br />
- Next turn the oven to high broil - 500ºF - and wait a few minutes for the element to come up to heat.<br />
<br />
- Before putting the Naan in oven, lightly wet your hands and take the rolled Naan, and flip them between your palms and place onto your baking/pizza stone into the oven. You should be able to place about 2-3 Naan on the baking/pizza stone at a time.<br />
<br />
- The Naan will take about 3 to 5 minutes to cook, depending upon your oven. Don't be surprised if it inflates like a pita, this is normal. The naan should be golden brown color on top. Some darker brown spots may also appear.<br />
<br />
- After the Naan is baked take it out of the oven and brush lightly with clarified butter or ghee.<br />
<br />
- wait 2 to 5 minutes before baking the next batch of naan. It gives oven the chance to get heated again to max.<br />
<br />
- let the bread cool on a wire rack before tearing in. I know, it'll be hard, but it will taste better if you do. Enjoy!</blockquote>Emelye Waldherrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00075495654072343031noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6788066129507598826.post-75968889865549851062011-05-04T09:14:00.000-07:002011-05-04T09:14:31.265-07:00I won't be going to Albany next week.<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I won't be going to Albany next week.</span><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Empire State Pride Agenda (ESPA) has decided to sponsor an "Equality and </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Justice Day" again this year (they didn't do one last year) on Monday, May </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">9th. I've been to two of these events before and I won't be going this year.</span><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I thought about going. I even made plans to do it and made a commitment that </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I will be breaking, something I do not do lightly. The unwillingness to go </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">was present before I figured out the motivations behind it. I was hemming and </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">hawing about right up into the deadline for registration.</span><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">What sealed my decision was yet another email from ESPA about the upcoming </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">event. I'd received a number of these emails before and they were all very </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">similar to what I've seen over the past few years:</span><br />
<blockquote><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">MarriageEquality MarriageEquality MarriageEquality MarriageEquality </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">MarriageEquality MarriageEquality MarriageEquality MarriageEquality </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">MarriageEquality MarriageEquality MarriageEquality MarriageEquality Gender </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">MarriageEquality MarriageEquality MarriageEquality MarriageEquality </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">MarriageEquality MarriageEquality MarriageEquality MarriageEquality </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">MarriageEquality MarriageEquality MarriageEquality MarriageEquality </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">MarriageEquality MarriageEquality MarriageEquality MarriageEquality </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">MarriageEquality GENDA MarriageEquality MarriageEquality MarriageEquality </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">MarriageEquality MarriageEquality MarriageEquality MarriageEquality </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">MarriageEquality MarriageEquality MarriageEquality GENDA MarriageEquality </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">MarriageEquality MarriageEquality MarriageEquality etc.</span></blockquote><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Then, the last missive from ESPA had the following (paraphrased), ". . . </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">marriage equality being a life and death issue for them."</span><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">That little piece of bullshit sealed my decision. After nine years of waiting </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">to get gender identity protections under the law that gave the same to cis GLB </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">people in 2002, after all the misery and pain and the Deity knows how many </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">deaths that NY trans people have suffered because they couldn't find a job, or </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">were humiliated by being thrown out of a bathroom, or were made homeless by </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">some intolerant landlord and complaining tenants, I heard the head of ESPA </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">write that the convenience of being married in the state you reside is a </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">matter of life and death??? Sorry, they can go do for themselves without my </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">help.</span><br />
<br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I've become convinced that, in New York State at least, trans LGB and straight </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">people will not get equal protections until in-state marriage </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">convenience/equality is achieved. Yeah, most of the cis people who are </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">working for marriage equality will then go home. Yes, most of the resources </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">of the cis GLB political community will go on to other things. But then, at </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">the very least, the issue of civil rights protections for gender vairiant New </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Yorkers will have the space to be seen and heard without the looming, oxygen </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">depleting issue of marriage rights muffling the voices and drowning out the </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">cries of the afflicted.</span><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I've always maintained that the best way to separate your true friends from </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">those who really don't care a whole lot is to change your sex. The passing of </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">the marriage equality issue in NY will do the same. The true friends and </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">allies of the trans community will keep working, no matter how few in number </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">they may be. Of course, winning on this issue will be difficult. It'll take </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">more time. More trans people, including myself, will suffer the consequences of being an </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">unprotected but vulnerable minority. The huge distraction, however, of </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">false friends who pay lip service while pushing you to the back of the room - </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">and all too often out the back door - will be gone. The selfish political </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">activists who work only for their own immediate gain in marriage equality, at </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">the expense of others, will have gone home. And then, only then, will the </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">trans community and its true allies be able to be heard.</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">In the meantime I'll visit my state representatives when they are in the local </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">area and will write them legible handwritten letters about the vital </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">importance of civil rights protections for gender identity. As an </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">afterthought, I might even mention how stupid it is to grant same sex couples </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">full marriage equality when they get married in another state or country where </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">it's legal but not allow the ceremony performed in-state to be legally </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">recognized. Hopefully then, when the marriage equality brass band has stopped </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">blaring in their ears, they may actually start to listen, having hear some faint echos about the issues before!</span>Emelye Waldherrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00075495654072343031noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6788066129507598826.post-8308455975696223472010-09-05T04:48:00.000-07:002010-09-05T04:48:42.720-07:00An anchor point has disappearedAn anchor point has disappeared, a constant no longer available.<br />
I'm an orphan now,<br />
my dear mother has passed on, has shed her mortal coil.<br />
The world is now a poorer and colder place.Emelye Waldherrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00075495654072343031noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6788066129507598826.post-17507598890849677472010-09-02T10:53:00.000-07:002010-09-02T10:54:56.260-07:00Questions and family<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7KDmEPwnlg7VRATS2fMc_MQGU8_bJA3LtvqT0v9ZghZ3PGh8RAYk1zPN-QFpDpeakyAi5_Cd1VCPw5S409_LpDbpQUicILJpDnqJx4rc_PHseqFHzERYw54NAxWSe1aeVr-0_9IQrEFpN/s1600/angel_of_grief-280x280.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7KDmEPwnlg7VRATS2fMc_MQGU8_bJA3LtvqT0v9ZghZ3PGh8RAYk1zPN-QFpDpeakyAi5_Cd1VCPw5S409_LpDbpQUicILJpDnqJx4rc_PHseqFHzERYw54NAxWSe1aeVr-0_9IQrEFpN/s320/angel_of_grief-280x280.jpg" /></a></div>I’m told my mother is dying.<br />
<br />
The reasons are a combination of her age, 83, and complications from injuries she suffered in an auto accident that happened last July 17th. She’s been in hospital since then, most of the time in the critical care unit.<br />
<br />
On top of the profound grief I am experiencing, even before her death actually happens, I have to deal with so much more because of my trans status. The pain of my continuing dysphoria over my inappropriately equipped body underlies all of my emotions. The feelings of discouragement, depression and deceasing sense of self worth due to my continuing unemployment – 20 months and counting – and my uncertain financial future. <br />
<br />
And then, on top of all that . . . what about the funeral?<br />
<br />
What pictures from her life will be displayed – Will some be displayed that show me as a boy, a past that I would rather not be reminded of and one that I’d really rather not have displayed to the public?<br />
<br />
What will the obituary say? Will I have to argue with my family to use my real name instead of the one assigned me when I was born? Even if I win that argument, how will they use it? “Surviving are a daughter and two sons, Louise, Emelye and Martin?” or will the obituary tell the truth? <br />
<br />
“Surviving are two daughters and a son, Louise, Emelye and Martin.”<br />
<br />
How will people address me at the funeral? How many times will I be misgendered and/or called by my old name? How should I deal with the people that do so? Will someone actually have the stupidity and gall to suggest my transition contributed to her passing? If they do, how should I deal with that? What if a family member actually says that?<br />
<br />
The questions keep coming and I don’t know the best way to answer most of them. I’ll find a solution to some of them, I’m sure, but how can I know that they will be the best ones? Can I prevail against the wishes of my sister and brother if they disagree with my needs regarding posting pictures and an accurate obituary? Can I rely on my sense and emotional discernment to be able to tell the difference between honest errors about my name/pronouns and spiteful attacks while I’m emotionally engaged with the loss and grief I have to bear? If I fail, do I remove myself from the entire proceedings? How can I deal with not being there, not being able to say good bye to her within the framework of the specific ceremony designed to help me do that?<br />
<br />
Fortunately I have time to think of these things although I don’t know how much. More immediate issues are pressing as well. How do I pay for the trip to Connecticut and where will I stay when I get there? Will I be able to sleep at my sister’s house or will her husband continue to find my presence so offensive that I’ll have to pay for a motel?<br />
<br />
We’ll see.Emelye Waldherrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00075495654072343031noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6788066129507598826.post-12276044773630047902010-07-12T09:55:00.000-07:002010-07-12T09:55:02.559-07:00I'm beginning to see double!<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I read an <a href="http://www.gaycitynews.com/articles/2010/07/09/gay_city_news/news/doc4c3650d06e4fc584773530.txt">article in the Gay City News</a> about the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) becoming involved in the fight against those New York State senators who voted against civil marriage equality last year. The first paragraph of the article tells us,</div><br />
<div style="background-color: #cccccc;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> Signaling clearly that it is “all-in” on the push for marriage equality in the Empire State, the Human Rights Campaign, the Washington-based LGBT lobby, has launched the Campaign for New York Marriage, promising to deliver what the group’s top spokesman, Fred Sainz, termed “an unparalleled commitment of resources.”</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://boyculture.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341c2ca253ef0128771fd8d5970c-400wi" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://boyculture.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341c2ca253ef0128771fd8d5970c-400wi" width="240" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">With the Empire State Pride Agenda (ESPA) so closely resembling the HRC and it's Gay Elite Inc. focus on the monetary benefits of marriage for well to do gay and lesbian people it's no wonder that I'm seeing double. HRC and "HRC-Lite" in the same state, working together on an issue that, while it's important, is geared primarily towards benefitting straight acting, well off gay and lesbian couples while simultaneously, and with unfortunate consistency, ignoring once again the gender variant gay, lesbian, bisexual and straight citizens of New York? It's enough to make you nauseously dizzy!</div><br />
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I suppose the push towards electing politicians who support same sex marriage rights might benefit the trans community somewhat. They <i>might</i> be a bit more likely to support nondiscrimination laws for gender nonconforming people. That's a long shot though, as we have seen for far too long in this state. It's much more likely that support for trans inclusion in the state's nondiscrimination law will be nowhere near the list of criteria they draw up for possible candidates to support. ESPA and HRC have traditionally been too lazy to reach alll the way to the furthermost reaches where gender variant people have been pushed, substantially by Gay Elite Inc.'s doing. The Sexual Orientation Non Discrimination Act (SONDA) of 2002 has been called a gay hate crime against the trans community. I may not go that far but, to tell you the truth, it sure feels like it sometimes.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Where was the HRC when ESPA was giving it's lip service to the trans community this past year and previous? Where was Senator Duane when the Senate's Judicial committee was voting the Gender Expression Non Discrimination Act (GENDA) into the trash bin? When will it be "all in on the push" for ESPA and the HRC instead of a feeble nudge when they get around to it for GENDA?</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I've written before in this blog that marriage equality affects the trans community as well as the GLB's. My marriage is legal but because it looks like a same sex coupling I have to be prepared to out myself as trans, and to take the obvious risks by doing so, to defend it . And do we need to be reminded of the egregious cases in <a href="http://www.intersexinitiative.org/law/in-re-gardiner-estate.html">Kansas</a> and <a href="http://christielee.net/main1.htm">Texas</a> where trans women were denied their existing marriage rights because of their past? The fact remains, however, that being legally married in a legally recognized union is poor consolation when you can't get a job or are fired for transitioning. The bigots that harass us in restaurants and who deny us a decent place to live because we are different would laugh in our faces if we waved our marriage certificates in front of their noses, no matter how legally valid they were.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I will, as I have done before, publicly support civil marriage equality in New York State and the rest of our country. It's only right that I do so, transgender couples have a dog in this hunt as well as the GLB's. I will continue, however, to remind Gay Elite Inc. of their promise made in 2002, to "come back" for the trans community all the while adding the less than welcome fact regarding their part of the responsibility for the broken lives, shattered families and economic failures within the New York trans community.</div>Emelye Waldherrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00075495654072343031noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6788066129507598826.post-32235086811857229192010-06-23T07:52:00.000-07:002010-06-23T08:12:03.569-07:00A much needed victory!<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The New York State Senate approved the <a href="http://public.leginfo.state.ny.us/menugetf.cgi">Dignity for All Students Act (DASA)</a> last night in a 58-3 vote. Governor Paterson has already indicated that he will sign this bill into law. it will take effect on July 1, 2012. It's notable that this bill is the first in state history to include protections for gender identity. The bill also includes “<i>actual or perceived race, color, weight, national origin, ethnic group, religion, religious practice, disability, sexual orientation, gender or sex.</i>”<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://assembly.state.ny.us/comm/PRHisp/20050605/5976NYSCapitol.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="155" src="http://assembly.state.ny.us/comm/PRHisp/20050605/5976NYSCapitol.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />
An amendment to add cyber bullying was defeated. Republicans pushed for the amendment claiming it was more inclusive and makes the bill better. “If we look at this honestly, we should support this amendment because it’s all-inclusive,” Sen. John DeFrancisco. The law covers actions that happen on school property only. Since there are a number of important related issues to cyber bullying that would not have been addressed by the bill as written, I think it's a good thing it wasn't added. The issue is complex enough to require a separate bill. <br />
<br />
The three no votes all came from Republican party members: John DeFrancisco (<a href="http://www.nysenate.gov/district/50">District 50</a>), George Maziarz (<a href="http://www.nysenate.gov/district/62">District 62</a>) and Dale Volker (<a href="http://www.nysenate.gov/district/59">District 59</a>). My senator, Sen. Cathy Young, voted yes which gives me hope that she will give GENDA a fair shake when it comes back to the Senate (someday). The amazing thing is that Ruben Diaz, the perennial Senate homo/transphobe, voted yes. I suspect he saw the bill would be passed anyway and didn't want to be on the losing side, especially in an election year. The bill was passed in the state Assembly 9 times already and this is the first year the Senate has acted on it, having been blocked from coming to the floor until now. “Shameful,” Assemblyman Danny O’Donnell, a Manhattan Democrat who shepherded the bill through his chamber, texted from the Senate balcony. “For nine years we passed this bill and the Republicans did nothing.”<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://assembly.state.ny.us/comm/PRHisp/20050605/5976NYSCapitol.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="155" src="http://assembly.state.ny.us/comm/PRHisp/20050605/5976NYSCapitol.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />
It <b>IS</b> shameful that it took this long to get such an important bill passed. It's equally shameful that the Gender Expression Non Discrimination Act (GENDA) is still in the Senate's dead zone, after being killed in the Judicial committee two weeks ago. Will we have to wait 6 more years for that to pass? I certainly hope not.</div>Emelye Waldherrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00075495654072343031noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6788066129507598826.post-82859919301487406972010-06-09T09:22:00.000-07:002010-06-09T09:42:38.067-07:00The view from the back burner<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLd15CNAutJgfYFRnlyBTdB800TNxQ9fuSulTZYIjA0A3LGdA-EL9l0zcHVRZCUZ2_qdSQFnI2JpzrBjRNYvHPtxKRQATFUvDe1ozKIxhvA2ZWlvNRj5GI25IhFYikQ2TYTeohknBWZREK/s1600/backburnerview.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLd15CNAutJgfYFRnlyBTdB800TNxQ9fuSulTZYIjA0A3LGdA-EL9l0zcHVRZCUZ2_qdSQFnI2JpzrBjRNYvHPtxKRQATFUvDe1ozKIxhvA2ZWlvNRj5GI25IhFYikQ2TYTeohknBWZREK/s320/backburnerview.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>I was looking through the <a href="http://www.prideagenda.org/">Empire State Pride Agenda</a> (ESPA) website this morning and was struck by the general dearth of coverage there of the Gender Expression Non Discrimination Act (GENDA) and the fight to make it law. I noted the paucity of coverage and was considering a blog post about it when I saw that Kat Rose, on the <a href="http://endablog.wordpress.com/2010/06/08/espa-organization-or-myth/">ENDAblog</a>, noticed the same thing and beat me to it.<br />
<br />
What she showed is more proof, as if it were really needed, that GENDA always was, and apparently always will be, so far on the back on the rearmost ESPA burner that the danger of its being pushed off the back of the stove is as real as the danger of my being unemployed for the next decade or so - until I hit retirement age, if I survive that long - since my civil rights protections still haven't been passed into law.<br />
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To give credit where it’s due, ESPA has done work for GENDA and the trans community in New York. They sponsored many trans people, including me, for their Equality and Justice lobbying days in Albany and have at least one trans person, a trans man, on their payroll to be the point person for organizing around this issue. The problem I have relates not to the work they’ve already done, work that I’m grateful for, but how their priorities stack up and, as the ENDAblog post shows, their priorities simply do not place much importance on the gender variant gay, lesbian, straight and bisexual trans people in New York.<br />
<br />
I figure ESPA to be in the same mold as the HRC, run primarily by and for the well to do white gay men of the state who will always make certain their priorities are given the greatest attention, “collateral damage” be damned. They haven’t figured out yet that pushing employment and housing protections for gender variant people would ultimately give them greater resources to fight for their issues, which so many trans people support but cannot contribute to because they are too wrapped up in scratching out their own survival in a state that still considers them third class citizens.<br />
<br />
I’m going to look at more trans centered organizations, probably NYAGRA (the New York Association for Gender Rights Advocacy), to push more aggressively in the face of ESPA failures in this regard. I’ve lost hope that ESPA can ever get the job done.Emelye Waldherrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00075495654072343031noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6788066129507598826.post-16827829744068389532010-06-08T12:44:00.000-07:002010-06-08T14:14:37.316-07:00I guess we still don't count around here<span style="font-family:arial;">From the </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://public.leginfo.state.ny.us/menugetf.cgi">New York State Legislature:</a><br /><br /><b></b><blockquote><b>STATUS:</b><br /><strong>S2406-A</strong> DUANE Same as Uni. <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://www.blogger.com/%27javascript:getselect%28">A 5710-A </a> Gottfried (MS)<br /> Executive Law<br />TITLE....Prohibits discrimination based on gender identity or expression and includes offenses regarding gender identity or expression under the hate crimes statute<br /><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="600"> <tbody><tr align="left" valign="top"> <th width="12%"><br /></th> <th width="88%"><br /></th><th><br /></th></tr> <tr valign="top"> <td>02/19/09</td> <td> REFERRED TO INVESTIGATIONS AND GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS</td></tr> <tr valign="top"> <td>01/06/10</td> <td> REFERRED TO INVESTIGATIONS AND GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS</td></tr> <tr valign="top"> <td>01/20/10</td> <td> AMEND AND RECOMMIT TO INVESTIGATIONS AND GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS</td></tr> <tr valign="top"> <td>01/20/10</td> <td> PRINT NUMBER 2406A</td></tr> <tr valign="top"> <td>05/21/10</td> <td> COMMITTEE DISCHARGED AND COMMITTED TO JUDICIARY</td></tr> <tr valign="top"> <td>06/08/10</td> <td> <span style="font-weight: bold;">CONSIDERED BY COMMITTEE - <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">DEFEATED</span></span></td></tr> </tbody></table> <hr /></blockquote><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">The supporters of prejudicial discrimination have won again. I'm not politically savvy enough to be able to dope out the ramifications but it sure seems the trans community has been left by the wayside once again, another year will go by without adequate civil rights protections, another year of gender variant people in New York State being legally fired, harassed and denied services in the public sphere.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">I don't have any of the details but I do know there was optimism as late as Sunday, at the Buffalo Pride Festival, coming from some local politically active trans people. The bill was supposed to have had enough votes to get through this committee and eventually into the full Senate. This committee was chosen because the Investigations and Government Operations committee that was holding up the bill didn't have the votes to pass it. From the Albany Times Union, </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://blog.timesunion.com/capitol/archives/27935/genda-fails-in-committee/">Capitol Confidential</a><span style="font-family:arial;"> blog:</span><br /><br /><blockquote>The GENDA bill, which would prohibit discrimination based on how people express their gender or sexual identity, failed by at 12-11 vote in the chamber’s judiciary committee.<br /><br />This means it will not advance to the floor, and it will be difficult to do so now. Sen. Tom Duane, the bill’s sponsor, called the chamber a “homophobic cesspool.” The vote came after pressure from the Conservative Party to vote against it.</blockquote><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">To say I'm disappointed is an understatement. I feel disappointed, sad and, most of all, angry that we still can't get these basic protections passed in New York State. They're passing gender identity inclusive laws in Utah, fer cryin' out loud! A support group I belong to, the Transgender Couples of Western New York, signed up over 100 people at the Pride festival on Sunday, all of whom were asked to sign to support GENDA. The grass roots say it's past due that this should be achieved. I'll have to agree with Senator Duane, the state senate IS a homophobic and transphobic cesspool. The state Assembly has passed GENDA for three years in a row. Not one of those Assembly persons who voted yes suffered any negative political fallout, that I know of.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Each and every Republican member of the committee voted against the bill and were joined by that infamous "religious" homo/transphobe, Rev. Ruben Diaz of the Bronx who is a Democrat but one has to wonder why. The committee voted as follows:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;font-size:130%;" ></span><blockquote><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;font-size:130%;" >NYS Senate Judiciary Committee</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Chair: Sen. John L. Sampson, D-District 19, YES</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"> Yes Eric Adams, (D, WF) 20th Senate District<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">No John J. Bonacic, (R, C, IP) 42nd Senate District</span><br />Yes Neil D. Breslin, (D, IP, WF) 46th Senate District<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">No John A. DeFrancisco, (R, C, IP) 50th Senate District</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"> No Ruben Diaz, (D) 32nd Senate District</span><br />Yes Martin Malavé Dilan, (D) 17th Senate District<br />Yes Pedro Espada, Jr., (D) 33rd Senate District<br />Yes Ruth Hassell-Thompson, (D, WF) 36th Senate District<br />Yes Jeffrey D. Klein, (D, WF) 34th Senate District<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">No Andrew J Lanza, (R) 24th Senate District</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"> No Kenneth P. LaValle, (R, C, IP) 1st Senate District</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"> No Vincent L. Leibell, (R) 40th Senate District</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"> No George D. Maziarz, (R) 62nd Senate District</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"> No Michael F. Nozzolio, (R, C, IP) 54th Senate District</span><br />Yes George Onorato, (D) 12th Senate District<br />Yes Bill Perkins, (D) 30th Senate District<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">No Michael H. Ranzenhofer, (R, C, IP) 61st Senate District</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"> No Stephen M. Saland, (R) 41st Senate District</span><br />Yes Diane J. Savino, (D, IP, WF) 23rd Senate District<br />Yes Eric T. Schneiderman, (D, WF) 31st Senate District<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">No Dale M. Volker, (R) 59th Senate District</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"> No George Winner, (R, C, Ind) 53rd Senate District</span></span></blockquote><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Dr Jillian Weiss described the committee's action at the</span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://www.bilerico.com/2010/06/ny_genda_b-team_goes_down_in_flames_at_senate_judi.php"> Bilerico Project</a><span style="font-family:arial;">. Her take was that the proponents of the bill were poorly prepared for the objections of its opponents, namely, the "bathroom" meme. Why is that? Why didn't they have the real and effective counters to the lie that this bill would endanger people in public restrooms, locker rooms and the like? Where was the lobbying effort this year? Oh yeah, there wasn't one - </span><span style="font-family:arial;">the Empire State Pride Agenda decided not to have one. I guess they thought it was a better idea to save those resources to fight against the senators that voted against marriage equality. It's up to our community to give our political representatives the tools to counter the lies of the opposition. Obviously we failed to do so. I guess when you already have your own rights protections in place</span><span style="font-family:arial;">, doing the hard work to protect other people's rights - promises notwithstanding - is just too damned difficult.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Those who voted against this bill MUST be made to pay a political price for their callous disregard for the survival of gender variant people in New York. Senator Lanza, from Staten Island, especially, for changing his vote. Will the Empire State Pride Agenda work to exact that price? Probably not, or not too hard, if the past is any indication. GENDA has always been their red headed stepchild. The same senators who voted no also voted against marriage equality however, so maybe they'll be targeted on that basis. And in the mean time? More fear, more stress, more poverty, more crime and more egregious harm for the gender variant gay, lesbian, straight and bisexual people in most of New York State.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.nysenate.gov/event/2010/jun/08/judiciary-meeting">Update: Video of todays meeting</a> is up.<br /></span>Emelye Waldherrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00075495654072343031noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6788066129507598826.post-41412129244318160062010-06-07T17:31:00.000-07:002010-06-07T17:56:31.337-07:00Time to push, and HARD!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://webpage.pace.edu/politech/ny/seal.gif"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 405px;" src="http://webpage.pace.edu/politech/ny/seal.gif" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">My friend, Patti J. from Buffalo, sent this to me and I'd like to pass it on as far and wide as I can. If you live in New York State, please take 5 minutes to call your state senator and tell them to support S2406, the Gender Expression Nondiscrimination Act.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><blockquote style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-family:arial;">GENDA is moving in the Senate – call your Senator NOW!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"> You are receiving this email because the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act (GENDA) is on the </span><span style="border-bottom: 2px dotted rgb(54, 99, 136); cursor: pointer; background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;font-family:arial;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1275956569_0" >Senate Judiciary Committee</span><span style="font-family:arial;">'s agenda for tomorrow morning (Tuesday, June 8, 2010). This vital </span><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1275956569_1" style="font-family:arial;">civil rights bill</span><span style="font-family:arial;"> will make it illegal to discriminate against transgender New Yorkers in areas like employment, housing and public accommodations, and expand hate crimes protections to explicitly include </span><span style="cursor: pointer; background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;font-family:arial;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1275956569_2" >gender identity</span><span style="font-family:arial;"> and expression. Your Senator is a member of the Judiciary Committee and has the power to pass GENDA out of the committee and onto the Senate floor for a full vote. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"> We need you to get on the phone and call your Senator at their Albany office RIGHT NOW and tell them that you want them to pass GENDA in the Judiciary Committee. It is vital that they hear from you TODAY. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"> Here's how to make your call:<br /><br />1. Enter your address to find your State Senator's Albany phone number <a href="http://www.nysenate.gov/?openform">here.</a><br />2. Tell your Senator: "I support the GENDA bill (S.2406). Please pass GENDA from the Judiciary Committee onto the floor for a full Senate vote."<br />Your voice is crucial! Make your call now!</span></blockquote><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">The gender variant gay, lesbian, straight and bi people of New York State have been waiting for this far too long already. We have never come this close with this bill until now. We need to get this one passed, please donate some of your time to make that call. Thank you!</span>Emelye Waldherrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00075495654072343031noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6788066129507598826.post-30037389304770032322010-05-31T06:04:00.000-07:002010-05-31T06:43:41.321-07:00A baby step, perhapsSenator Stachowski's office still couldn't confirm his commitment last Friday when I called. GENDA has moved from the Investigations and Government Operations <span style="font-size:100%;">committee to the Judiciary Committee so I guess that can be counted as progress, although I'd quantify it as a baby step. The following is the test of the letter I wrote to my state senator:</span><p></p><p class="MsoPlainText"><br /></p><p style="font-family: courier new;" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-size:85%;">May 28, 2010</span></p><p style="font-family: courier new;" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-size:85%;">Senator Catherine Young</span></p> <p style="font-family: courier new;" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-size:85%;">Room 513</span></p> <p style="font-family: courier new;" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-size:85%;">Legislative Office Building</span></p> <p style="font-family: courier new;" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-size:85%;">Albany, New York</span><span style=";font-size:85%;" > </span><span style="font-size:85%;">12247<br /></span></p><p style="font-family: courier new;" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p> <p style="font-family: courier new;" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-size:85%;">Dear Sen. Young,<o:p></o:p><br /></span></p><p style="font-family: courier new;" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-size:85%;">I’d like to thank you for sending me a letter last March 25 replying to my telephone call regarding the Gender Expression Non Discrimination Act (GENDA, S2406).</span><span style=";font-size:85%;" > </span><span style="font-size:85%;">Since action on this bill is becoming more imminent, I’d like to address the point you raised about this bill.</span></p><p style="font-family: courier new;" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-size:85%;"><o:p></o:p>Your letter stated, “Senate Bill 2406 would open all public accommodations, including restrooms, high school locker rooms, health clubs, dorm rooms and other single sex residential facilities like homeless and family violence shelters to both biological genders dependent upon how a person chooses to self identify.”</span><span style=";font-size:85%;" > </span><span style="font-size:85%;">I‘m troubled with how you singled out public accommodations, particularly those that are separated by sex.</span><span style=";font-size:85%;" > </span><span style="font-size:85%;">First of all, the bill is also about preventing unfair and harmful employment and housing discrimination.</span><span style=";font-size:85%;" > </span><span style="font-size:85%;">I guess I should be encouraged that you have no issue with two thirds of the bill’s scope, however, your point makes little sense when I consider that transgender people already use public restrooms and other facilities based on their gender identity and expression.</span><span style=";font-size:85%;" > </span><span style="font-size:85%;">Indeed, there’s nothing in the law now that prevents them from doing so.</span><span style=";font-size:85%;" > </span><span style="font-size:85%;">In addition, the bill’s language does not prevent the formulation of reasonable regulations and processes designed to minimize disruption and maximize the dignified and respectful treatment of all people in other areas where our culture separates us by sex.</span><span style=";font-size:85%;" > </span><span style="font-size:85%;">Finally, I’d like to remind you of the 13 states and over 100 counties, cities and towns (including Buffalo, Rochester, Albany and New York City) that have similar laws.</span><span style=";font-size:85%;" > </span><span style="font-size:85%;">The first one was passed in 1976, in Minneapolis, 34 years ago!</span><span style=";font-size:85%;" > </span><span style="font-size:85%;">The predicted negative consequences, such as the ridiculous assertion that predators will use such laws to get away with gaining entry to women only spaces and commit crimes, have never been shown to happen.</span><span style=";font-size:85%;" > </span><span style="font-size:85%;">The presence or absence of a nondiscrimination law does nothing to prevent or encourage criminal activity nor does the presence of such a law excuse it.</span></p><p style="font-family: courier new;" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-size:85%;">With the latest news showing that Senator Stachowski has pledged to vote yes on this bill I’d like you to publicly pledge a yes vote as well.</span><span style=";font-size:85%;" > </span><span style="font-size:85%;">I would like you to affirm the American ideal that discriminating against someone because of who they are and what they look like, rather than what they do and how they do it, violates their civil rights.</span><span style=";font-size:85%;" > </span><span style="font-size:85%;">I would like you to pledge a yes vote for all of the gender variant people who live in your district.</span><span style=";font-size:85%;" > </span><span style="font-size:85%;">You might be surprised how many of us there are, because we can still be legally discriminated against in New York we tend to hide in order to avoid the harm that discrimination can wreak on our lives.</span><span style=";font-size:85%;" > </span></p> <p style="font-family: courier new;" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-size:85%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family: courier new;" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-size:85%;">My personal experience has been impacted by the absence of this non discrimination law.</span><span style=";font-size:85%;" > </span><span style="font-size:85%;">I have been unemployed for almost a year and a half now, and have been refused a chance for a position with a former local employer that I was very qualified for because of my gender identity and the steps I have taken to accommodate it in the past.</span><span style=";font-size:85%;" > </span><span style="font-size:85%;">The absence of this law causes real harm to real people.</span><span style=";font-size:85%;" > </span><span style="font-size:85%;">Please do what you can to repair this problem.</span><span style=";font-size:85%;" > </span><span style="font-size:85%;">Publicly pledge and vote YES on S2406.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: courier new;" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-size:85%;"><o:p></o:p>Sincerely,</span></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">Unfortunately, I doubt this'll work but I can't not try</span></span>.<br /></p> <p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p> </o:p></p>Emelye Waldherrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00075495654072343031noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6788066129507598826.post-38207512175032505482010-05-27T08:52:00.001-07:002010-05-27T13:24:29.634-07:00Is it finally going to pass?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkTtCNX4syktgD3wmTp3JWzeK5ea82CBth2Oe7L9X1SZ5RDOMFFz-64Q7-Nk0r276k3gghnVL93juL0smBj_NyQg6Nx6W3jD_0w3SU5H5S7FPpDk4tqPY8YmuU2b33gOP8LxTnTSd1JjT_/s1600/sen_Young.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 165px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkTtCNX4syktgD3wmTp3JWzeK5ea82CBth2Oe7L9X1SZ5RDOMFFz-64Q7-Nk0r276k3gghnVL93juL0smBj_NyQg6Nx6W3jD_0w3SU5H5S7FPpDk4tqPY8YmuU2b33gOP8LxTnTSd1JjT_/s200/sen_Young.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475992401073160818" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">I read </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://www.housingworks.org/blogs/detail/genda-has-enough-votes-to-pass-nys-senate-join-june-1-lobby-day/">a very good piece of news</a><span style="font-family:arial;"> this morning which, if accurate, illustrates a very good chance that the Gender Expression Non Discrimination Act (GENDA) will pass and be signed into law this year! According to the </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://www.housingworks.org/about/">Housing Works</a><span style="font-family:arial;">, an organization, "committed to ending the twin crises of AIDS and homelessness,"Senator Bill Stachowski of the 58th NY Senate district (which includes the city of Buffalo) has committed to voting yes on GENDA. That brings the number of committed yes votes to 32, the minimum required to pass the bill.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">I am very grateful to Senator Stachowski for making this commitment, especially in light of his active opposition to same sex marriage rights, something I think he's wrong about. My senator, </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://www.nysenate.gov/senator/catharine-young">Catherine Young (57th district)</a><span style="font-family:arial;">, is sadly not part of the list of those who will vote yes. In a written reply to a phone call I made to her office regarding this bill (S2406) she took the opposition's tactic, one that has no evidence behind it, of making it all about bathroom and locker room access without acknowledging the complete absence of evidence that similar laws have caused problems in such spaces (well, maybe some problems for those who would like to hold on to their supposed special right to discriminate against people that make them feel icky). She also ignores the real issues GENDA is designed to correct: harmful and prejudicial discrimination on the basis of gender identity and expression in employment, housing and public accommodations. I'll write her office again with hopes to convince her of her error. We'll see if she supports prejudice and discrimination or not.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">The Housing Works blog mentions a June 1st lobby day but doesn't provide much specific information about that., only a contact name, email and phone number. The don't mention Buffalo or any other western New York locality so I wonder if I'll have a chance to go. I also note that nothing about this is on the Empire State Pride Agenda website nor have I heard any announcement from them yet. I've emailed them for confirmation/comment.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Stay tuned! This thing could be HUGE!!<br /><br /></span><strong style="font-family: arial;">UPDATE:</strong><span style="font-family:arial;"> I emailed ESPA and they don't seem to know anything about this. I also called Sen Stachowski’s office in Albany and was unable to get confirmation of his commitment to vote YES on S2406. His receptionist mentioned his previous opposition, and yeah, she talked about bathroom predators using the law to get away with crimes (sheesh!) but I reminded her that was just scare mongering and that such things have never happened in the places that already have similar laws. So, I guess we’ll just have to wait and see!</span>Emelye Waldherrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00075495654072343031noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6788066129507598826.post-12674886226986930052010-05-23T09:26:00.000-07:002010-05-23T09:34:09.382-07:00Let's get it moving!<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >With ENDA getting closer and closer to death's door, these statewide nondiscrimination laws b</span><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">ecome all that much more important. H1728 in Massachusetts, GENDA in New York, the trans inclusive bills in Wisconsin, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Nevada, Maryland and Delaware ALL need to be fought for. They need to be fought for BEFORE marriage equality (in the states where is isn't the law already) so that TBLG people can be assured of a fair chance at employment because they need it for survival's sake and because an employed person has more economic power to support the fight for equal protections and equal treatment for all of the other issues that affect their community.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">I've been unemployed now for 17 months. At least one job opportunity has been denied me because of who I am, never mind that I was extremely well qualified for the job. I'm sure other opportunities have been lost because of discrimination as well - I've sent out hundreds of applications - </span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" ><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">but this is one that I am certain was denied me because of trans/homophobia and misogyny. This harmful discrimination is legal in New York State, Massachusetts and in 36 other states in a country whose ideal is supposed to be equal protections for all people, not just the "right" people.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">The cowardly politicians will never move on these laws as long as they hear more from the radical (ie fascist) "religious" right wing than they hear from the GLTB and allied communities. We have to drown out the hateful propaganda from groups like the "Traditional Values Coalition," "Focus on the Family," "MassResistence" or the "New Yorkers for Constitutional Freedoms" and the only way to do that is to get off your inertia, pick up the phone or a pen and call/write/visit your legislative representatives to tell them how important these bills are and how egregiously wrong their opponents are. Most people support equality when the whole truth is given to them but they won't get it if we stay silent.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;" >Speak out for your community!<br /><br />Speak out for your GLBT friends and family!<br /><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;" >Speak out for yourself! </span>Emelye Waldherrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00075495654072343031noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6788066129507598826.post-34470286388769914982010-05-18T13:22:00.000-07:002010-05-18T13:29:10.573-07:00It's about LOVE<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9TiCo3RQttk4INYttRFlco2Y-1A_L0R9IC0u9MZybMb9_Sx2T2URzD2jZmGjUpwMlyNfy3fu5PhcV9Ofaqu5eQQTUdN7InDfLjgBSs4saMrUECHOwzdqx1BS0RmaVAdd0dKybtgfkzR1R/s1600/ITS+ABOUT+LOVE.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 265px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9TiCo3RQttk4INYttRFlco2Y-1A_L0R9IC0u9MZybMb9_Sx2T2URzD2jZmGjUpwMlyNfy3fu5PhcV9Ofaqu5eQQTUdN7InDfLjgBSs4saMrUECHOwzdqx1BS0RmaVAdd0dKybtgfkzR1R/s400/ITS+ABOUT+LOVE.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472708151955668562" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">A cartoon I did a couple of years ago, inspired by all the idiocy about bathrooms when gender identity inclusive laws are being discussed. I was going to use it in the Buffalo Pride parade that year, for the float built by one of my support groups, the Transgender Couples of Western New York, but the float never came to fruition. The group will again have a table at this year's Pride parade in Buffalo, June 6th, and barring any adverse act of G*d I'll be there. Stop by, say hello, and buy a bottle of water for a good cause!</span>Emelye Waldherrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00075495654072343031noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6788066129507598826.post-74859410368859452152010-05-12T17:00:00.001-07:002010-05-12T19:10:34.085-07:00Bathroom paranoia coming to New York<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFZ_wGWF85bDm0xc5vzUyN8nTc8FopRL7OIMygmeKpuk8Cg31ZWsuZeggVKjVz7qsoEA6lYttoTFT46sD8Htzsx7UJBmO4-oxOkRMTIcutHvM1axAcuoCvxijkpP6PpUWC6g3M3q6q3sYc/s1600/StoptheBathroomBill_Logo_Final_1.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 243px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFZ_wGWF85bDm0xc5vzUyN8nTc8FopRL7OIMygmeKpuk8Cg31ZWsuZeggVKjVz7qsoEA6lYttoTFT46sD8Htzsx7UJBmO4-oxOkRMTIcutHvM1axAcuoCvxijkpP6PpUWC6g3M3q6q3sYc/s320/StoptheBathroomBill_Logo_Final_1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470542775064564402" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;">A </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://www.onenewsnow.com/Legal/Default.aspx?id=1007484">recent article</a><span style="font-family:arial;"> by Charlie Butts, at the inadequately named "OneNewsNow" (it should be named "OneSidedNewsNow") tells us that the Gender Expression Non Discrimination Act (GENDA) which has been languishing in a New York State Senate committee, will "soon" be coming up for consideration. I wonder how he knows this, perhaps he has sources unavailable to me, but what I was told is that GENDA wouldn't be considered until after the budget mess was cleaned up. Since the state budget is now more than 40 days overdue, with no progress in evidence, I'd imagine he might be exaggerating just a bit. On the other hand, if one uses the logic that the more overdue something becomes, the more likely it will be settled soon, he may have something.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Of course, being a "religious" right wing pundit, Mr. Butts immediately launched into the favored tactic of fear mongering based on imagined horrors that "could" happen in public restrooms. Like his compatriots in Massachusetts, he called GENDA a "Bathroom Bill" and like his compatriots everywhere, he is making things up to scare people.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Mr Butts mentions Jason McGuire, executive director of New Yorkers for Constitutional Freedoms (whom we can thank for the lovely graphic about GENDA), who maintains that, "It (GENDA) would open all public accommodations, including restrooms and high school locker rooms, to both biological genders if an individual chooses to identify his or herself as the opposite sex. So, your [readers] should think of things like cross-dressers, transvestites or even potential child molesters who are just looking to get access to those facilities."</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">This would be funny if it weren't so harmfully idiotic. How are people kept out of inappropriate restrooms now? Of course neither Mr McGuire or Mr Butts address this question because it would illuminate the intellectual bankruptcy of their position. Never mind, they seem to ask us, that public restrooms are already open to anyone who wishes to walk into one, no matter which gender they are presenting as. Never mind, they insist, that inappropriate behavior anywhere, especially in public restrooms, is against the law and will remain so after GENDA is passed. Pay no attention, they apparently demand, that similar laws exist in 13 states, Washington DC and over 100 counties, cities and towns - including New York City, Albany, Rochester and Buffalo - with NONE of the doomsday scenarios they are broadly hinting at in evidence at all.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">In my previous blog post I noted that this tactic has failed more than once. Yet the supporters of harmful discrimination still use it. I guess the reason they keep resurrecting this failed strategy is that they have nothing else to replace it with, which is indicative of the vacuous nature of their argument.<br /><br />They got nuthin' and they knows it!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">GENDA has passed twice in the State Assembly already. Not one of the assembly members who voted yes on this bill has paid any political price that I know of. This kind of nondiscrimination law has scored majority support in more than one poll of New York's citizens. If the state's legislature can finally get their shit together and pass a budget and if the "HRC-Jr" Empire State Pride Agenda can shut up about marriage equality for a few weeks, this bill can and should be made law.</span>Emelye Waldherrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00075495654072343031noreply@blogger.com0