As we approach the ending of 2014, there is a lot for which to be grateful as LGBTQ Persons. Marriage Equality still has its fight on in some states, but the battle has been won in others, and truly – I see this as going the same way the ERA did years ago. Popular opinion of the vast majority of the population in America shows support for Gay Marriage, or at the very least…indifference as to the need to oppose it. We’re almost there.
Of course we know from humankind’s history that you can legislate prejudice away, but eliminating it as a practice is quite another issue. I still believe in Respect and Dignity for All. I don’t expect to change everyone. I just want to co-exist peacefully alongside my neighbors and have the same rights and protections for my family, as they wants for theirs.
I want to know that “community” is not just a campy word used to describe a sub-culture or fragment of the population, but a truly inclusive term that encompasses my neighbors, my fellow residents of state, country and planet.
I received an email from Rea Carey, Executive Director of the National LGBTQ Task Force with an invitation to let her know what my concerns were for the coming year. Of course, I’m pretty sure I wasn’t the only person who got that email, still it was a personable gesture and I took some time to put my thoughts together and share.
Here’s what I sent. I share these with you who have followed this blog, and those who may be checking in for the first time. They aren’t necessarily unique or profound, they are just mine…
Dear Rea,
Thank you for this opportunity to communicate with you directly. I have 2 major areas of concern that I would like to see as part of our focus for the coming year.
First, according to the StopBullying.gov site, there are still no Federal laws on the books that specifically address bullying. Although bullying can be covered under other anti-discrimination legislation, I believe that still permits for a degree of “interpretation” when it comes to schools and other institutions. We have made excellent advances in awareness on this issue, but I would also like the awareness and proactive work to extend to the workplace as well. Again, we have made great strides, and I believe we can go even further to ensure that Everyone is guaranteed their Rights and Freedoms as fellow human beings.
Secondly, I’m not even sure what work has been done in this area, so forgive me if I am asking for something already in progress, but I would also like to see more educational efforts and outreach within the LGBTQ community, as well as with law enforcement and other agencies, in the area of domestic violence within LGBTQ relationships and partnerships. I believe we must first remove the “stigma” and element of denial within our own community, and then help to educate the appropriate agencies so that there can be accurate assessment and help can be given to those in need.
I appreciate all your dedication and work on the Task Force, and this invitation to offer my feedback. May you, your family, your staff and friends and their families have meaningful and joyful holidays. After all, we deserve it! 🙂
Every year, children as young as 11 are trafficked involuntarily to Super Bowl cities. There, football fans – usually men, often inebriated – will pay traffickers to have sex with them.
The Texas Attorney General estimates these kids have a life expectancy of just seven years from the time they’re first trafficked.
This year, the Super Bowl Host Committee is charged “to engage in responsible planning . . . to ensure the readiness of North Texas to host the first Super Bowl in the Cowboys’ new stadium.”
Local anti-trafficking groups have repeatedly offered to help the Committee use its influence to educate fans and the public about the dangers of child trafficking — which could help to prevent thousands of rapes and abuses at America’s biggest sporting event.
But the Host Committee has refused to take meaningful action. And thousands of children will pay the price.
In Dallas, a terrific local organization called Traffick911 has created the “I’m Not Buying It” campaign. They’ve offered the Host Committee free PSAs, posters, banners and informational cards to educate the public and protect children from being abused and raped.
But the Host Committee refuses to display the information.
The Committee is working hard right now to generate good publicity for North Texas and the game, so public pressure at this moment will be especially powerful.
Tell the Super Bowl Host Committee that they have a responsibility to protect the children who’ll be trafficked to Texas for the Super Bowl:
Families of Gender Non-Conforming Children Ask For Your Help
Many newspapers have reported on the recent program on KRXQ in Sacremento which concerned transgender and gender-non-conforming children. An excerpt from the Huffington Post article by Michael Rowe summarizes the statements of the radio disk jockeys, Rob Williams and Arnie State.
Even by the flexible moral, ethical, and professional standards of American talk radio, the May 28th segment of KRXQ 98.5 FM Sacramento’s Rob, Arnie, & Dawn in the Morning radio talk show makes for a sickening half-hour of ugliness and cruelty. For once, the focus was not LGBT adults, but minors. The hosts, Rob Williams and Arnie States, devoted the segment in question to a vicious diatribe against transgender children, some as young as five, focusing in particular on the case of one Omaha family raising a gender dysphoric child, and their decision to support her transition from male to female.
Williams and States took turns referring to gender dysphoric children as “idiots” and “freaks,” who were just out “for attention” and had “a mental disorder that just needs to somehow be gotten out of them,” either by verbal abuse on the part of the parents, or even shock therapy.
“Allowing transgenders to exist, pretty soon it becomes normal to fall in love with the animals,” they said.
As parents with gender non-conforming and transgender kids, we have come a long way in our understanding of this issue. Supportive parents come from all walks of life, all parts of the country, all religious traditions, all social classes. Some of us identify as conservatives, some liberal; some are hetero / gender normative themselves, some are not. Our kids come from traditional families and non-traditional families. Our kids most often (but not always) have gender normative siblings (or are only children).
Only we really know who these kids are, and who they have to be. We brought them into the world. Now we’re trying to make the world a safer place for them. None of the choices we make in raising our kids are made lightly. We know the dangers our kids face. But we also know the world is changing. And we have to be a part of that change.
“I have every right to call you a freak and judge you on that.” One of these men said. We ask that before anyone’s judgement is final, they listen to us, to the families, to the children, to the experts. Autistic kids were once thought of as freaks. As were Disabled kids. Cleft lip kids. Mixed race kids. Hyperactive kids. These kids are understood and appreciated. Someday soon, so will our kids.
Read our stories before you share any opinion based on incomplete knowledge, or on your own parenting experiences with gender normative children. These kids are different. They’re not freaks or idiots. They can change hearts and minds. They are brave, and strong, but they cannot survive without support and understanding. They lead lives worth living, worth defending.
We love our kids. We will not let them be humiliated, denigrated, harassed or bullied without a fight.
If you’re with us, do something. Contact a sponsor on the naughty list or the nice list. Praise the nice; spank the naughty. Contact the FCC or KRXQ. Support TYFA. You can help save a kid’s life.
April 17th, 2009 is this year’s official “Day of Silence” – the 13th such annual commemoration.
THIS IS AN ACTION DAY. Supporters are asked to observe a 24-hour period of silence and carry cards with them explaining to others why they are choosing not to speak on this day. The template for this card,as well as Activist Handbook, web badges, buttons and other helpful information can be obtained in English and Spanish versions at www.dayofsilence.org.
Here is what the cards say:
“Please understand my reasons for not speaking today. I am participating in the Day of Silence (DOS), a national youth movement bringing attention to the silence faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and their allies. My deliberate silence echoes that silence, which is caused by anti-LGBT bullying, name-calling and harassment. I believe that ending the silence is the fi rst step toward building awareness and making a commitment to address these injustices. Think about the voices you are not hearing today.”
Another suggestion has been to wear red on that day, especially for those who may not be able to observe the silence at their jobs. Videos are also being requested to be posted on YouTube. Please see my response video below.
This is a critical issue facing this country. The statistics regarding LGBTQ youth facing bullying and physical harm at school are staggering. THIS IS NOT JUST AN LGBTQ ISSUE! We are talking about our public (and private) schools. We are talking about basic Human Rights.
Tell your friends, family and co-workers. More information can also be obtained at the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, www.glsen.org.
Talk to as many people as you can about this so that we can find solutions that will lead to SAFE SCHOOLS FOR ALL YOUTH.
On April 17th, STOP talking…and carry a card that educates people around you as to your choice.
NOTE: This video was produced by Deb Adler, author of MsQueer. I DO own the rights to this vid (woo-hoo!)
The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force has launched an “Anger Into Action” response to the passing of California’s Proposition 8, as well as other constitutional amendments and state legislation that retracted or denies LGBT rights to marry or to adobt children.
I so appreciated the intelligence of the naming of this campaign when I first saw the email. Finally we are realizing that we have to take the emotion of anger and transform it into position energy and action that will move change forward, otherwise the anger will only fester inside of us and take us down.
This is a significant step forward. We will succeed in creating change with this strategy!
Read the November 11 2008 letter introducing the Anger Into Action Campaign from the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force: anger-into-action
Four Steps Schools Can Take to Address Anti-LGBT Bullying and Harassment
Media Contact:
Daryl Presgraves
646-388-6577
dpresgraves@glsen.org
Feb 19, 2008
To Find a Vigil in Memory of Lawrence King: http://www.rememberinglawrence.org/
NEW YORK – As communities across the country hold vigils in memory of Lawrence King, a 15-year-old from California whom classmates say was killed because of his sexual orientation and gender expression, GLSEN is calling on schools to honor King’s memory by using this as an opportunity to address violence and harassment directed at lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) students.
“While we are all still numb to the reality of this horrible tragedy, it is important that we begin to look at ways we can make sure something like this never happens again,” said GLSEN Executive Director Kevin Jennings. “Schools can take steps to ensure that all their students are safer, regardless of sexual orientation or gender expression/ identity.”
GLSEN, the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, recommends four approaches that schools can begin implementing now to address anti-LGBT bullying and harassment.
Adopt a comprehensive anti-bullying policy that enumerates categories such as race, gender, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation and gender expression/identity. Enumeration is crucial to ensure that anti-bullying policies are effective for LGBT students. Policies without enumeration are no more effective than having no policy at all when it comes to anti-LGBT bullying and harassment, according to GLSEN’s 2005 National School Climate Survey.
Require staff trainings to enable school staff to identify and address anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying and harassment effectively and in a timely manner.
Support student efforts to address anti-LGBT bullying and harassment on campus, such as the formation of a Gay-Straight Alliance or participation in the National Day of Silence on April 25.
Institute age-appropriate, inclusive curricula to help students understand and respect difference within the school community and society as a whole.
While lethal violence like Lawrence’s murder is rare, anti-LGBT bullying and harassment are pervasive problems in our schools, and effective responses are crucial to prevent escalation.
In the 2005 National School Climate Survey, nearly a fifth (17.6%) of LGBT students reported being physically assaulted at school in the past school year because of their sexual orientation and over a tenth (11.8%) because of their gender expression.
Nearly two-thirds of LGBT students (64.3%) said they feel unsafe in school because of their sexual orientation and two-fifths (40.7%) because of their gender expression
“Only 10 states and the District of Columbia protect students from bullying and harassment based on sexual orientation, and only five and the District of Columbia protect students based on gender identity/expression,” Jennings said. “We can make our schools safer, and every child deserves to know that we care enough about them to try.”
About GLSEN
GLSEN, or the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, is the leading national education organization focused on ensuring safe schools for all students. Established nationally in 1995, GLSEN envisions a world in which every child learns to respect and accept all people, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression. For more information on GLSEN’s educational resources, public policy agenda, student organizing programs, research, public education or development initiatives, visit www.glsen.org.
The Buckeye-Region Anti-Violence Organization’s website offers some excellent links and resources for victims of hate crimes, discrimination, domestic violence and/or sexual assault. This is one of many helpful sites. It’s based in Columbus, Ohio in “the heart of it all.” -MsQueer
BRAVO is your link to survivor advocacy and assistance – regarding hate crimes, discrimination, domestic violence, and sexual assault. BRAVO is a founding member of the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs (NCAVP). Each year, we document incidences of hate crimes and domestic violence along with similar agencies across the United States. BRAVO is a proud CoSMO Member Agency! Community Shares of Mid-Ohio (CoSMO) is a collaboration of 45 community-based organizations, serving Central Ohio and beyond.
BRAVO Survivor Services: If you or someone you know has experienced violence, threats or intimidation BRAVO can work with you to help ensure your safety and provide the support you need.
Help in Crisis: Hate Crimes Reporting & Documentation Hospital Advocacy Domestic Violence Support Safety Planning Support for Sexual Assault Survivors Emergency Housing Assistance in working with your local police, including help filing reports Support Groups Accompaniment and Advocacy if you go to court.
Please do not hesitate to contact us if you need information regarding any of the services we provide or to report violence. Contact our toll-free number anywhere or at anytime:
1 866 86 BRAVO (1-866-862-7286)
“Serving the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Communities since 1996”
All the opinions expressed in any articles, blog posts and Internet content written by me are my own and do not reflect the opinions or beliefs of any individuals or organizations with whom I associate.
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