A rare bit of poiltics in Bee's livejournal

[beetiger]

NY State antidiscrimination bill passes after 31 years in the works.

Part of me wants to cheer about this. Most of me wants to cheer about this. But I'm disappointed that the measure still just barely squeaked by. I'm *really* disappointed that the amendment to protect transgendered folks in NY as well got soundly trounced.

"Sure, I guess we can protect gay and lesbian upstanding citizens and stuff. They're starting to become a major economic demographic, anyway. But those...crossdressers...man-women...freaks...um right, you said transgender was the PC term, right? They can't be very important..."

Anybody have any good contacts in the TG activist community, here in NY? I'm feeling a wave of activism coming over me...

Comments

[verse.livejournal.com]

I've got the connections in Boston, Bee. I'll be hanging out with them this friday; So I'll try to get names for you to contact in NY.

[postrodent.livejournal.com]

Hey, Verse. What's happening on Friday?

[queenofstripes.livejournal.com]

Yeah, what's happening on Friday? And I no longer quite feel like crud, so want to hang out this weekend? We have to do mad Xmas shopping, but other than that I think we're free.

[verse.livejournal.com]

If I told you, I'd have to kill you.. but not really. It's just a therapy get together for dark psychot.. err.. troubled little girls.

[supersocks.livejournal.com]

I'm happy that we have a gov'nr like Pataki (see, republicans aren't all bad!), and saddened that people like this exist:
"This is leading down the road to loss of free speech. Eventually, my convictions will become a hate crime," he said, before he and transgender advocates began arguing. "It will interfere with my ability to teach my grandchildren my values."

[freeko.livejournal.com]

You know on one hand, I am glad Gov. Pataki signed this bill into law, but still not enough, by not including us transgendered, he is saying we are invisible. Well I am not invisible, I exist and I live and so do many others are transgendered. I cant abide by being excluded.

[read-alicia.livejournal.com]

"Anybody have any good contacts in the TG activist community, here in NY?"

Yes, and his name is Dean Spade. He was arrested for using the men's lavatory at the bus station after a protest. You can have a look at the number of officers it took to hold back the crowd who was protesting his arrest while it happened here.

For some excellent reading, including his account of the arrest and the trial afterwards, check out his web page. Very cool!

I'm sure he's work on that bill and it quite ticked off as well.

my 3 cents,
alici