Social Justice

I remember when my library card was one of my most cherished possessions and it still is!  While the internet and Google Books opens up alot of reading to me, there’s nothing quite like the experience of going to the library and browsing, and then reading a book or magazine in a quiet place dedicated to books.   But that reading is more important than just for the enjoyment.  It’s about education, opening minds, and giving people a chance to grow and Room to Read is all about that.

Room to read, from their web site:

Over 300 million children around the world do not have access to education and most likely will never learn to read or write. Room to Read believes that all children, regardless of gender or background, have a right to education. By empowering children through this lifelong gift, we see a world in which people are able to realize their full potential.

Room to Read had its humble origins in Nepal in 2000, where we began bringing donated books to rural communities. Today, we are a global organization dedicated to promoting and enabling education through four core programs.

The importance of reading, according to the University of Michigan, for children is that:

• It improves their chances for success in school itself and in working
• It’s a fun and imaginative activity for children (so it exercises their brains)
• It’s an important way to use language and to communicate

Those are all great goals to help kids anywhere certainly; but helping them in some of the most impoverished places on the planet can be important to start seeing the changes that make for a better world.  Sadly, 2/3 of the 770 million illiterate people in the world are girls and women and Room to Read is an important part in changing that terrible statistic.  You can learn more about this terrific program at their web site Room to Read

Being unemployed can be a double whammy smack down to your self-esteem in this economy.  First, you lose your position then you find you are working months to get a new employment.  Between being rejected and the self-doubt that can sometimes arise and the difficulty of finding a new position, (which includes some new institutional rudeness and dehumanizing), your self-esteem can feel pretty down.

Sometimes the best way to get out of the dumps and pick up some energy to move forward is by expending some energy in volunteering.  It makes you feel good, helps you stay out and about, and who knows but a career door may open you hadn’t considered.  But where to volunteer?    That seems like an easy question to answer since today almost any non-profit organization might use any number of skills that  you have.  But, if the idea of picking up the phone and calling your local shelter, nursing home or school seems daunting  Volunteer Match can be of help.  Volunteer Match actually posts listings for volunteer opportunities in your area.  Just plug-in  your city and state and bingo you get a list.   A nice feature is that the volunteer listings tell you in many cases what they need so you don’t have to figure it out before you call.   Another nice bennie?  They have listings for on-line volunteer help too!  That’s right, keep those slipper socks and jammies on and you can volunteer from behind your keyboard as well.   This might be a great option if  your in a time crunch but still want to put some of your time out to a good cause.

I’m getting another cup of coffee from Beck’s Cafe and going to peruse Volunteer Match why don’t you come along for the fun

2009 marks the 40th Anniversary of the Stonewall Riots in New York.  I know; 2009 is almost over.

Ahh yes, indeed, Father Time is soon to close the books on 2009 however, the facts remain that this is still 2009 and our readers might like to know about our transgender heroes; many of whom are actually from the Boston area.

First, many of our coffee clutching readers might need to remind themselves of or learn for the first time, what Stonewall was.   Its not mainstream history so you might not actually know, so, jog on over to Wikipedia and read on The Stonewall Riots.

Now, onto Stonewall Trans-Heroes 40.  This list is sponsored by The Imperial Court System and by The Task Force.   Readers, when you go through this list you’ll likely know some of these men and women personally.   Next time you see them say, “congratulations” and “thanks” for all they are doing with each of us to make all our lives just a little bit better.

A new poll just released by Lake Research Partners shows that 76% of
likely voters in Massachusetts, including 81% of women, support H 1728
An Act Relative to Gender-Based Discrimination and Hate Crimes. These
results prove what we all knew all along; ending harmful discrimination
against the transgender community is a Massachusetts value and ought to
be made a priority of the state legislature.

Now we need your help please. Please tell your Representative to make
this a priority now! Transgender Civil Rights cannot wait any longer.

Right now, An Act Relative to Gender-Based Discrimination and Hate
Crimes is being held in the Judiciary Committee, with no set date to be
released for a full vote in the legislature. Please take a moment to
call or  email to your Representative asking them to call on House
Speaker DeLeo to make H 1728 An Act Relative to Gender Based
Discrimination and Hate Crimes a priority this year.

Representatives and their staffs tell us that calls and emails make all
the difference!

- To get your Representative’s phone number go to
http://www.mass.gov/legis/memmenuh.htm

- To find out who your Rep is and their email address go to
http://www.wheredoivotema.com/bal/myelectioninfo.php and whom
ever is listed for “Rep in General Court” is your rep.

**** some sample text and scripts you might use *****

Here is a sample script you might use when calling:

My name is _____ and I am a proud resident of (your city). I am calling
to ask you as my Representative to contact House Speaker DeLeo ask him
to make H 1728, the transgender rights bill, a priority this year. I can
be reached at _______ (give your phone number). Thank you.

Here is a sample script you might use when emailing:

Dear Rep _____

I am a constituent in your district and I am writing you to ask you
as my Representative to contact House Speaker DeLeo urge him to make
H 1728, An At Relative to Gender-Based Discrimination and Hate
Crimes, a priority this year. Transgender rights cannot wait any
longer. Thank you.

Sincerely (your name)

************

Call or write using your legal name if you wish; no one is asking any of
us to out ourselves; but, contacting our government officials is going
to help all of us here in Massachusetts.

Ashley, Paula, Joan C., Michelle, Sally, Dana, June, Gunner, Nancy,
Gordene, Ethan, myself and so many others have done little things here
and there to help move this important legislation along.  With a
little more work from our community we can all see our civil rights
returned to us!

To see Ashley and Sally interviewed by Fox News on this bill and it’s
importance, please click to Fox News here:
http://www.myfoxboston.com/dpp/news/local/071409_Transgender_equity_bill_fuels_fight

To learn about Michelle, Becki and Paula’s experience in the community lobbing our state reps, please click to this article here:
http://beckscafe.com/2009/06/21/trans-civil-rights-lobby-day-roundtable-with-michelle-paula-rebecca/

Thanks to everyone for their support!!

Back on September 5th we ran an announcement about the Employment Non-Discrimination Act update Conference Call hosted by NCTE. Beck’s Cafe was on that call and while you are hopefully enjoying a lazy Sunday cup of fair trade coffee we thought we’d share some of our notes and thoughts, bullet form, with our readers.

Opening statement by the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE)

• NCTE hosted the meeting and it was kicked off by their Executive Director, Mara Kiesling
• The key message of the entire call? Time to get moving. We might actually be able to get the Federal inclusive ENDA bill passed in 2009.
• A Vote may come in the house in the next few weeks and the GLBT community, and particular the transgender group have to show we have the votes to get a vote! Many members have never even talked to a trans-person and don’t know if ENDA is a real issue for THEIR votes [ed: see Beck's Cafe article from June 2009, "Trans Civil Rights Lobby Day: Roundtable with Michelle, Paula & Rebecca" to see a glimpse of just such an exchange.]

So what’s up with ENDA (HR 3017) in the U.S. House of Representatives?

• HR 3017 is the designation for ENDA in our House of Representatives
• The Education and Labor Committee will discuss the bill in September but there is no solid date. Where there is a date they will publicize it
• The hearing will have at least one transgender discrimination victim and one gay discrimination victim
• Various experts on both sides will testify
• After this hearing, the committee will poll the house to see if the votes are there to pass ENDA in the house; if there are, then there will be a vote in 30-45 days!!
• NCTE has hired a new part-time person to help get new sponsors on board for ENDA
• Lots of meetings are happening now but the U.S. Representatives need to hear from us, their constituents! They need to hear “Thank You” if they are supporters and “Pleaes Support Us” if they are not supporters. By communicating with them we let them know we are here [not unlike the Who's strategy in Horton Hear's A Who]

So how about the ENDA (S. 1584) in the U.S. Senate?

• S. 1584 is the designation for ENDA in our Senate
• Kennedy, Snow, Collins, Merkley are all in
• Not on a fast track as the House bill is. Currently it appears that late this year or early Spring 2010 a Senate vote will take place on ENDA
• Mara, “We have to do work here. We really have to step this up big time.”
• Our late Senator Kennedy was the LGBT community’s biggest supporter. He Felt transgender rights were VERY important. He knew that while he was ill and focusing on health care reform he needed to hand the lead on inclusive ENDA to someone he could trust, and so he found the right lead sponsor in Senator Merkley. Senator Merkley in Portland has two bills in his office that protect transgender people from discrimination. He iS GUNG HO supporting the an inclusinve ENDA. He needs the LGBT community to do our work to get ENDA voted in. It’s CRITICAL the entire LGBT community act
• NOW is the time! Our congressmen and women want to listen to us. They want to meet people. They want to meet transgender persons. Maybe your past transition but they want to meet you. Mara shared how Senator Sshumar called NCTE to tell them “Senator Schumar’s office is going to be doing advocacy for transgender people, can you please bring some by so we can meet them” so Mara did just that setting up a special meeting to do so.
• Congress WANTS to hear from us they want to know we are real

Mason Davis of the Transgender Law Center

• The truth is ENDA will not happen without the action and compassion from us to the political folks.
• THIS is the watershed moment for TG people. This will divide our need from what is now to what will be and Mason urged everyone to take ownership of this moment for TG equality
• Be creative, persistent and pro-active in contacting your representatives. Reach out to community leaders, local leaders and let policy makers hear about the importance of ENDA.

John Williams – National Center for Lesbian Rights(NCLR)

• John is the Transgender Equality Organizer for NCLR. He was an intern with Mara at NCTE. He works daily in congress on transgender rights and inclusive ENDA
• Nothing changes the minds of our Senators and Represenatives better than hearing directly from each of us and they want to hear from us
• How do you create connections with those reps?
  * Lobby visits are nice and encouraged when you can.
  * Meet with the representative or their staff; both count!
  * Getting to know the staff personally helps!
  * NCTE has created an ENDA specific lobby visit tool [ed: visit NCTE's Resource site and scroll down to the Political Advocacy section to see the links to prepare for a visit]
  * Postcards works
  * Education events help and inviting congressional staff to such events are helpful too.
  * The Task Force has a helpful ENDA Kit too. [ed. - see The Task Force's ENDA Kit by clicking here]
  * Writing letters and emails to congress person also is good. NCTE has a link to do that go. The more personal the letter, the bigger the impact…go to your senators web site and write to them right then and there…Tell them WHY ENDA is so important to you and your family.
  * Visit member’s web sites and get their DC phone number and call; they want to hear from us and that we’d love their support.
• John is available to help you, email him at jwilliams@nclrights.org

Diego Sanchez, Senior Legislative Adviser to Barney Frank

• We believe we have the votes to get this passed in house and senate; we have to be prepared though for those who don’t want this passed
• Jillian Todd Weiss, of the Trans Workplace Blog, has the legislator of the day on her twitter page…take action and call or write that person if they are in your district and not on board
• How do we talk to people who are against ENDA? We can say this is about rights, fairness, and equality. Third Wave language works too … talk about inclusion…this welcome LGBT people into what already exists (or what was lost)
• Expect this BILL to hit the floor and senate THIS YEAR.
• Everyone is back in session in D.C.! All the cafeteria’s are open. Staff and legislators are back. Our issues matter. We aren’t tabling ourselves for other matters. Our lives are important and matter. We are real.

The National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) is hosting a general conference call on September 8th, 8PM Eastern Time, to bring listeners up to date on the ENDA legislation and let listeners know how they can help get the U.S. Federal Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) passed.

What is ENDA? As NCTE notes:

• This legislation would address discrimination in the workplace by making it illegal to fire, refuse to hire, or refuse to promote an employee simply based on his or her sexual orientation or gender identity. It would reinforce the principle that employment decisions should be based upon a person’s qualifications and job performance.
• ENDA closely follows the model of existing federal civil rights laws, including Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Americans with Disabilities Act, ensuring that gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people are treated in the same way as other groups protected under law – no better, no worse.

To join the NCTE conference call update on ENDA please click to their site to register ahead of time: NCTE ENDA CON CALL LINK

To learn more about ENDA please link here: GovTrack on ENDA and at Wikipedia’s ENDA article here.

One would think our existing laws are enough. Just enforce what we have to protect all Americans in accordance with the spirit of our Declaration of Independence, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness”. However, existing laws, such as Title VII may not protect trans-persons from discrimination (see why here) and note the Diane Schroer case with the U.S. Library of Congress here.

It stinks that we can’t just take the Declaration of Independence and existing laws as is but, when we don’t, as well as the rest our laws, then we need to strengthen protections (which adds costs and burden to our economy but let’s not go there right now). An interesting historical parallel/aside on the topic of the necessity of new laws that on the surface don’t seem necessary is the issue of slavery in the U.S., as reported in Newsweek in July of 2008. “The 13th amendment passed in 1865 made slavery unconstitutional. There was no federal statute that made it a crime to hold a black person as a slave.” Slavery was unconstitutional and immoral but legal! You can read that full story at Newsweek’s site here.

We covered ENDA here at Beck’s Cafe extensively in 2007 and for some of the back stories please see:

• Enda Fallout Constricts Title VII Claims
• ENDA Baldwin Amendment, will you please call?
• Representative Tammy Baldwin – Keeping Our Eyes on the Prize (ENDA Statement)
• ENDA: Barney Frank backs down, HRC Commits, time bought
• ENDA, Time to make some phone calls
• Continues coverage on ENDA: Sean Hannity, ADA and James Byrd
• Continued Coverage on ENDA: Robyn’s Story
• Petition Drive to support complete ENDA
• Transgender Rights Hail Storm