Transgender Woman Needs Your Support In Texas

[Melissa]

Originally Posted by firie

I just posted this in Stearns' activism thread, because I have never started a thread before, but imagine for it to be seen by more people, it deserves its own thread...

I urge anyone interested to please support Nikki Araguz, who is in the court battle of her life. Her recently deceased husband was killed in the line of duty (he was a firefighter) and his family is suing for Nikki to be cut out of his inheritance, pension, and settlement for loss of life due to her being a transgender woman. The media here has been awful, really, probing every detail of her surgery, legal history, and as one would expect, not being the slightest bit competent in their questions of her. She notes in many interviews that she has not even had the time to mourn the tragic loss of her husband.

I have been watching some of the news interviews and just want to warn people that it is really frustrating, sad, and heartbreaking.

Her assets have been frozen by a Texas judge (as of today), and she is living currently off of donations because she is not allowed access to her accounts (even her own money).

Further, this is a potentially, hugely precedent-setting case in Texas, and will overturn the likes of Littleton (an easy Google: Littleton texas transgender).

Sorry, I am hurried here, but it is heartbreaking, and transgender, GLBTQ activists groups here are urging support, if even just sending a letter or email is what one can do.

I have a news link and can connect anyone to other activists groups, if interested.

Link to some news footage: http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/video?id=7569979

Here is another facebook link for information on how to support: http://www.tgctr.org/2010/07/22/nikki/

Firie - thanks for posting this. We saw the article in our local paper today and will be watching this closely. It is very scary. Was there a will?

Melissa