Trans News/ Issues

[EnderD_503]

Despite the complete support of her colleagues and direct superiors within Southeastern Oklahoma State University's English, humanities and language department, Rachel Tudor, a professor of American and Native American literature, modernity and theory, humanities, composition and philosophy, has been denied tenure and informed that her employment will be terminated as of the end of this spring semester.

According to Claire Potter, a professor of American studies and history at Wesleyan University, Tudor has an amazing record as a scholar, teacher and colleague at the university and has been highly recommended by the tenure review committee. However, the dean and vice president of academic affairs deem Tudor's "lifestyle" inappropriate, so they have taken actions to make sure Tudor leaves.

Tudor is transgender.

After her complete transition, the human resources department told Tudor she could only use the single handicap bathroom located quite a distance from her office. As a result, she could only assume that Douglas McMillan, the vice president of academic affairs, made such an outrageous request.

In the past, for instance, he had openly asserted that Tudor's lifestyle "offends his Baptist beliefs." Discrimination in the workplace is illegal, but when officials hide their true intentions in rewritten policies and administrative bullshit, such cases are hard to prove. Unfortunately, this is where Tudor finds herself.

To my dismay, this situation is not surprising, especially considering Oklahoma does not have a transgender anti-discrimination law. The Human Rights Campaign states that Oklahoma's anti-discrimination law covers race, creed, gender, color or national origin, but not gender identity or sexual orientation.

Furthermore, Oklahoma does not have any hate crime laws that include crimes committed based on sexual orientation or gender identity. As asserted by Jim Burroway, editor of the blog Box Turtle Bulletin, even though Congress requires the FBI to track hate crimes, including those based on sexual orientation and gender identity, Oklahoma does not provide the necessary data to the FBI. Oklahoma law does not require local law enforcement to submit these details to the FBI or work with the FBI on crimes labeled as hates crimes based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

In the end, transgendered people have very little working in their favor in Oklahoma, as we can see with Tudor. However, Oklahoma is a place that needs people who care about other people. So instead of giving up and leaving Oklahoma to the haters, lets make our voices heard.

To support Tudor's cause, please write a letter to the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education requesting SEOSU renew Tudor's contract and give her a fair tenure hearing based on her qualifications as a scholar, teacher and colleague.

http://www.ocolly.com/opinion/transg...ated-1.2208077

[Soon]

Originally Posted by EnderD_503

http://www.ocolly.com/opinion/transg...ated-1.2208077

How horrible. Thanks for posting this story.

[Soon]

News release from U.S, Department of Labor:

US Department of Labor announces renewed commitment to fair treatment and equal opportunity for all of its employees
New policy statements prohibit discrimination based on gender identity and pregnancy


WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor today announced its full commitment to implementing equal employment opportunity policies for all department employees and applicants. The policies ensure equal protections for all employees and applicants regardless of race; color; religion; national origin; sex, including pregnancy and gender identity; age; disability, whether physical or mental; genetic information; status as a parent; sexual orientation; or other non-merit factor. New, robust statements signed by Secretary Solis include updated policies on prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sex, including gender identity and pregnancy.

Secretary Solis strongly supports fair equal employment opportunity policies, and creating diversity and fairness in the workplace.

“I am expressing my personal commitment to ensure that the U.S. Department of Labor is a model workplace, free from unlawful discrimination and harassment, which fosters a work environment that fully utilizes the capabilities of every employee,” said Secretary Solis. “It is my goal that we achieve and maintain a high-quality, diverse workforce at all organizational levels throughout the department.”

The Labor Department is required to issue annual written policy statements expressing the secretary’s commitment to equal employment opportunity and a workplace free of discriminatory harassment, pursuant to 29 Code of Federal Regulations Part 1614, Federal Sector Equal Employment Opportunity, and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s Management Directive 715. The EEOC’s directive identifies minimum requirements for the policy statements.

The statements issued by Secretary Solis articulate stronger protections and establish responsibilities to ensure meaningful adherence to equal employment opportunity throughout the department. They have been disseminated to all current employees and will be disseminated to new employees during orientation as well as to employees who are promoted into supervisory ranks.

The department’s policies on equal employment opportunity and harassing conduct in the workplace can be viewed at http://www.dol.gov/oasam/programs/cr...ternal/eeo.htm and http://www.dol.gov/oasam/programs/cr...-Workplace.htm.



Read more: http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gayso...#ixzz1KsCBTWpO

[Linus]

http://www.care2.com/causes/civil-ri...trans-meeting/

In a White House first, trans groups have been invited to a closed-door meeting in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building to exclusively discuss federal trans-related issues. The meeting will take place Friday, April 29, and will not be open to the public.

It is expected that a federal, trans-inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) will be a topic of discussion as well as health policy as it relates to trans people, but a formal agenda has not been announced.

From The Washington Blade:

Shin Inouye, a White House spokesperson, said the meeting, which is set to take place Friday at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, will include transgender leaders who work on federal policy.

"OPE routinely holds meetings with various stakeholders to discuss various policy issues," Inouye said. "Friday's meeting, like most OPE meetings, will be closed press and off the record."
Additionally, Inouye said the meeting will be the first ever for the Office of Public Engagement where transgender issues are the sole focus of discussion.

"While transgender issues have been covered in previous OPE meetings, and transgender leaders have been included in other OPE meetings, this would be the first time OPE has held a meeting solely focused on transgender issues," Inouye said.
Mara Keisling, executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality, said she plans to attend the meeting.
"This is the first president who has allowed trans people -- really allowed LGBT people -- to bring forward problems and then advocate for them," Keisling said. "In the Bush administration, we couldn't even do that. They wouldn't even listen to us. They didn't care what our problems were. In fact, they were making most of our problems."

[Read more from trans advocates over at Washington Blade.]

With the United States House of Representatives dominated by the GOP it would seem doubtful that there will be any significant moves on a federal ENDA.

As such, advocates have pressed for President Obama to issue an LGBT-inclusive executive order on workplace discrimination. This would only impact businesses contracting with the federal government and would not be as lasting as an Act of Congress but would be a good stop-gap measure until conditions are more favorable for ENDA.

Whether this possibility will be discussed during Friday's meeting is unknown, but you can read more the precedent for an executive order here.

For more on ENDA, please click here.

[Linus]

http://money.cnn.com/2009/04/27/smal....fsb/index.htm

I actually identify with the positive response that these individuals have experienced.

[Mister Bent]

Originally Posted by Linus

http://money.cnn.com/2009/04/27/smal....fsb/index.htm

I actually identify with the positive response that these individuals have experienced.

I try to see it this way, too, that so much is really just the result of the limitations of others.

"I think some people are just limited," says Ferraiolo. "Even if they knew how much it hurt my soul when they use the wrong pronoun, I'm not sure they would stop."

[EnderD_503]

[May 13] Cher’s son, Chaz Bono, formerly known as Chastity Sun Bono, underwent gender reassignment surgery to become a man. In a controversial decision, both personally with his mother, and in the LGBT community, Chaz courageously lived through the entire ordeal with his mother, singer Cher and girlfriend Jennifer Elia at his side. In an interview with talk show host Oprah Winfrey on her show, The Oprah Winfrey Show, he discusses his thoughts on arriving at the decision to transition from a woman to a man, the status of his ongoing dating relationship with girlfriend Jennifer Elia, and how he feels he would like to talk to Brangelina’s daughter Shiloh who has been nicknamed a tomboy by the media for her choice to wear boy’s fashions.

In terms of the relationship he now shares with longtime girlfriend Jennifer Elia, Chaz commented he feels they have gone through a rough transition, but they are now at a more comfortable place. His relationship with mother Cher has also improved. Initially Cher, while never outwardly negative in regards to Chaz’s process, was somewhat standoffish about the whole ordeal. Now, however, they seem to have come to an amicable moment in the ongoing development of their adult child – parent relationship.

...

Parents are often faced with difficultly decisions. In raising a child, concerns over sexuality and gender are tough issues to cope with alone. Chaz’s offer may open the door for Shiloh or other children to discuss their thoughts with parents. Identity development is a crucial part of childhood development, even more so as a teenager. Having access to social support and community sources can alleviate the burden of dealing with them alone, either as parents or the children living with the concerns.

...

What do you think of Chaz’s offer? How would you react if your child claimed they wanted to change their sex?

http://www.examiner.com/lgbt-relatio...elebrity-child

On the one hand, we don't know how Shiloh feels/thinks. On the other hand, the information and resources should be out there for parents, so having someone like Chaz voicing what those resources are is good, I think. If I had a third hand (), I would say that I feel sorry for the children of celebrities...Shiloh shouldn't have to live in the limelight like that with the whole world wondering what Shiloh "is." It's just stupid.