Indiana Transgender Rights Advocacy Alliance - Our Concerns

ACTION ALERT UPDATE: Houses passes non-trans-inclusive ENDA

Wed, 24 Oct 2007 20:41:12 -0400

The House has postponed the vote on ENDA that was scheduled to take place this week. This means that while we were initially working on a very tight deadline to make contacts and that we had a specific date in mind, now we have more time to make much needed contacts with our key Indiana targets. Of course, you should continue to contact your Representative (yes, even if you have already!), but making contact with
Joe Donnelly (202) 225-3915
Brad Ellsworth (202) 225-4636
and Baron Hill (202) 225-5315
is especially important. If you are at all inclined to pick up the phone, place a call to one of these Representatives first.

TransNews Weekly- 22nd July 2007

Mon, 23 Jul 2007 02:55:35 -0400

1.Voting on hate crimes bill in Senate sidelined
The voting on the Matthew Shepard Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2007, the bill that was filed by Sens. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) and Gordon Smith (R-Ore.) and if passed would protect gay and trans people across the nation, was postponed by the Senate in order to focus on other amendments relating the Iraq war.
Read more at the Washington Blade website

2.Metis (trans women) get assaulted by Nepalese police
The Nepalese police in Kathmandu assaulted three young metis (trans women) when they were found to be carrying condoms. This assault came not even a year after around thirty gays and metis were assaulted and mistreated by the police in Kathmandu.

TransNews Weekly- 14 July 2007

Sat, 14 Jul 2007 17:01:24 -0400

1. Cross-dresser mistaken for a stalker
A cross-dresser in Oxford, England, was physically assaulted when mistaken for a stalker by Lee Carney, who assumed was following his girlfriend. It was the first time the victim had ever been public in women’s clothing.
Read more at the This is Cheshire website

2. Cuba to update same-sex and trans-rights
Cuba’s government is planning an update on its Family Code to extend rights to gay and trans people. If approved, gay and lesbian couples would get the same rights as heterosexual couples, regardless of their sexual orientation and gender identity.
Read more at the Workers World website

TransNews Weekly- 8 July 2007

Sun, 08 Jul 2007 11:39:20 -0400

1. San Francisco to provide better service to the trans community
San Francisco’s Department of Public Health along with University of California will be offering new services to the city’s trans-community.
Read more at the Bay Area Reporter website

TransNews Weekly- 4 July 2007

Wed, 04 Jul 2007 13:35:41 -0400

1. Madrid’s EuroPride attracts millions

Madrid’s EuroPride, an event that concluded this past weekend after 10 days of celebration, attracted more than 1.5 million visitors from around the world. The event coincided with the Spanish capital city’s own Pride event and other pride events in Paris and in the UK.

Read more at the Monsters and Critics website

TransNews Weekly - 23 June 2007

Sat, 23 Jun 2007 20:54:25 -0400

1. Trans March kicks off San Francisco Bay Area Pride weekend
For the fourth year in a row, the annual Trans March, which is expected to attract nearly 10,000 people, is to kick off San Francisco Bay Area Pride weekend.
Read more at the Bay Area Reporter website

2. Four lesbians sentenced for self-defense
Four African-American lesbians in New York City were sentenced to time in prison ranging from three-and-a-half to 11 years for defending themselves from two sexual predators last August.
Read more at the Workers World website

Success: Indiana marriage discrimination amendment defeated!

Tue, 03 Apr 2007 21:31:34 -0400

Today, the Indiana House of Representatives killed the marriage discrimination amendment, SJR-7, meaning a great victory for the LGBT community in Indiana. With a tied in committee, the bill was not allowed to the floor for a vote.

UK equality regulations published, omit trans rights

Fri, 09 Mar 2007 10:04:26 -0500

The Equality Act, protecting LGB people from discrimination in regards to goods and services, well come into effect on April 30, 2007. Transgender discrimination has not been addressed.

National GLBT Rights Organizations Condemn Arrest of Nationally Recognized State Leader

Sat, 03 Mar 2007 19:49:26 -0500

Groups call upon State Attorney’s Office to immediately drop charges

WASHINGTON DC, March 1 — The two largest national lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights organizations — the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and the Human Rights Campaign — today condemned the Feb. 27 arrest and detention of Nadine Smith, executive director of Equality Florida. Smith was arrested during a heated hearing before the Largo City Commission in Florida, during which the commission voted 5–2 to begin the process of firing its 14-year city manager, Steve Stanton, because he announced his plans to transition from male to female.

Columbus Human Rights Commission To Mediate Complaints Based on Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation

Fri, 22 Dec 2006 13:17:29 -0500

As of December 20, 2006, the Human Rights Commission in Columbus, Indiana is now receiving complaints based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

"Commissioners unanimously voted in favor of the resolution amending the rules and regulations to change 'handicap' language to 'disability,' add voluntary mediation for age discrimination, and include voluntary mediation for sexual orientation and gender identity," stated Arlette Cooper Tinsley, the Director of the Columbus Human Rights Commission.

UPDATE: Governor Corzine Signs Legislation to Add Gender Identity, Expression as a Protected Class Against Discrimination

Wed, 20 Dec 2006 14:30:19 -0500

Governor Jon S. Corzine today signed legislation that amends the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (NJ-LAD) by adding “gender identity or expression” to the list of protected characteristics.

New Jersey Becomes 9th State to Pass Transgender-Inclusive Nondiscrimination Law

Thu, 14 Dec 2006 15:58:27 -0500

NJ Becomes Ninth State to Pass Trans-Inclusive Nondiscrimination Legislation; Bill Clears Legislature, Awaits Governor’s Signature

Today New Jersey made a historic stride forward in protecting the civil rights of transgender people. New Jersey’s Senate passed bill S362 on Monday, December 11, by a vote of 31-5. The Assembly version, A930, passed New Jersey’s lower house today by a vote of 69-5, and now goes to Governor Jon S. Corzine, who is expected to sign the bill into law.

Army Releases Soldier Convicted in Connection with Murder of PFC Barry Winchell

Fri, 10 Nov 2006 15:54:08 -0500

Source: Serviceman's Legal Defense Network (SLDN)
October 24, 2006

Former Army Specialist Justin Fisher, who was convicted of conspiracy in the murder of Private First Class Barry Winchell at Fort Campbell, Ky., has been released from prison after serving seven years of an original 12 1/2 year sentence. Winchell was attacked by Calvin Glover, a former soldier based at Fort Campbell, in July 1999, in what was later revealed as an anti-gay (sic) hate crime.

NCTE Releases Voter Guide for Transgender Persons

Tue, 24 Oct 2006 15:05:03 -0400

The National Center for Transgender Equality has published a Voter Guide for Transgender Persons. This guide includes important information on voters' rights and strategies for navigating polling places.

Meet the Candidates - Bloomington - 10/18

Wed, 11 Oct 2006 23:25:51 -0400

Start: 18 Oct 2006 - 7:00pm

End: 18 Oct 2006 - 9:00pm

Description:

INTRAA is co-sponsoring a "Meet the Candidates" reception which will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 18, 7 p.m., at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Bloomington, 2120 N. Fee Lane. Event co-organizers are the Bloomington chapter of PFLAG (Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) and Bloomington Beacon.

School board candidates will be given an opportunity to introduce themselves during the reception. A forum at 8 p.m., moderated by Herald-Times Managing Editor Andrea Murray, will feature candidates for Monroe County sheriff and circuit court judge.

Co-sponsors include bloomingOUT radio at WFHB, Civil Marriage is a Civil Right Task Force of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Bloomington, the Indiana Transgender Rights Advocacy Alliance, Hoosier Rights Campaign, IU GLBT Student Support Services, OUT, Social Justice Coordinating Committee of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Bloomington, and South Central Indiana Equality.