LGBT Kenyan citizens gathered in Nairobi today to protest conditions in the nation for the their community. Courageously gathering despite a ban by the government, they were immediately limited by the police to the staging area in Freedom Corner of Uhuru Park. 'Out in Kenya" leader Julie Jules said, "Basically the police stopped the procession because we would be seen to be 'promoting homosexuality' ".
The Advocate has selected forty LGBT young people under forty who are making a difference in the world. They are "accomplished leaders in politics, sports, science, religion and the arts.". You can't help but look at this list and feel great hope for the future. Here are five of them..
Ryan Spahn
32 / New York
Actor and Student
Ryan Spahn happily acknowledges that his partner of four years, Michael Urie (of Ugly Betty fame), has the more recognizable face of the couple. In fact, he’s banking on it. Spahn’s first feature film, in theaters this May, is sardonically titled He’s Way More Famous Than You. He wrote the film with Halley Feiffer, with Urie in the director’s chair. Both Spahn and Urie star in the film, along with Tracee Chimo, Jesse Eisenberg, and But I’m a Cheerleader’s Natasha Lyonne.
While completing preproduction for Famous in 2011, Spahn penned a screenplay for another upcoming film, Grantham & Rose, a coming-of-age story featuring Feiffer as a filmmaker willing to lie, cheat, and steal to get her way, foiled by The Jeffersons’ Marla Gibbs as a feisty 81-year-old woman named Rose.
Spahn is also a third-year drama student at Juilliard. Urie, a Juilliard alum, encouraged his partner to attend, promising the education would change his life. Indeed, Spahn says he’s found funding for and self-produced all three of his feature film and a short film projects since enrolling.
“It was unexpected and thrilling,” says Spahn. “So it was more of a juggling act of scheduling the films to fall during my holiday breaks. I am a hard worker, so I managed to balance the workload of Juilliard against these filming schedules.” @ryan_spahn
Harper Jean Tobin
31 / Washington, D.C.
Director of Policy, National Center for Transgender Equality
As a young transgender woman coming of age in Louisville, Ky., Harper Jean Tobin was grateful for her supportive family and friends within her community. But while she describes Louisville as “the least conservative place in Kentucky,” she was still aware of the discrimination and transphobia that runs deep in many Southern states. That awareness led the lawyer — recently named among the best 40 LGBT attorneys under 40 by the National LGBT Bar Association — to actively fight to improve the lives, visibility, and equality of transgender people by creating inclusive federal policy. And that’s exactly what she’s done in her four years with the National Center for Transgender Equality.
“Gears sometimes turn slowly in this town,” says Tobin of the Washington infrastructure. “But we have seen tremendous progress over the past four years.”
Tobin cites 2010 revisions to federal policy that allowed transgender people to obtain passports that reflect their authentic gender without a requirement for surgical procedures. Tobin also highlights ongoing work to protect transgender prisoners and immigration detainees. Tobin says such efforts have been “quite successful” thus far, but notes that there is still much to do. She hopes NCTE’s efforts signal the beginning of “a larger and very critical conversation in our movement about the ways in which so many of our transgender youth are funneled into these harmful systems by poverty, unemployment, rejection, and discrimination.” @transequality
Alex Morse
24 / Holyoke, Mass.
Mayor
When your high school gay-straight alliance faces censorship by the school board, it helps to have the town’s mayor on your side. To be fair, Mayor Alex Morse of Holyoke, Mass., founded that group back in his high school days, which weren’t that long ago. He’s only 24.
The Holyoke High School GSA planned an assembly against bullying in February, and in response a board member wanted to move it after school or require an opt-out provision because of its supposed sexual nature. Morse spoke strongly against the idea, arguing that the kids most likely to opt out would also be most in need of training. When he won and the assembly happened, the mayor was a guest speaker.
Morse shows that even a mayor for a city of about 40,000 can make a difference for LGBT Americans. “Legal protections are one thing,” he says. “Changing the hearts and minds of people is another challenge.” @mayormorse
Amir Dixon
23 / Boston
Filmmaker
Amir Dixon recently made history when his film Friend of Essex screened at Atlanta’s Morehouse College, one of the nation’s preeminent historically African-American colleges. The documentary drama explores the lives of young black gay men today and “looks at how we are seen in the black community through the scope of religion, how we are seen in the [larger] LGBTQ community, and in turn how we see ourselves,” Dixon says. The film has prompted discussions on race, masculinity, identity, and sexuality. This is what he hopes to achieve wherever Friend of Essex screens. “[I hope to set a] national agenda for LGBTQ people of color that is inclusive of all of our experiences,” he says. “This isn’t about me but about us.” @amirnow
Danielle Moodie-Mills
33 / Washington, D.C.
Director of Education Advocacy, National Wildlife Federation
If you think you’re busy, you haven’t met Danielle Moodie-Mills. She’s the director of education advocacy for the National Wildlife Federation, a board member for the Sexual Minority Youth Assistance League, and an adviser for LGBT policy and racial justice with Fighting Injustice to Reach Equality, an initiative of the Center for American Progress. In her spare time, she maintains a blog (ThreeLOL.com) and hosts a radio show (Politini at BLIS.fm), both of which she manages with her wife. But she doesn’t mind her industrious life. “I’m really passionate about all those pieces because they really reflect to my core, which is social justice and working for equality across the board for all people,” she says.
Moodie-Mills’s latest work with NWF centers on encouraging kids to put down the Xbox and get active, and her latest project with FIRE involves helping LGBT youth in the juvenile justice system. “I’m really proud to do the work I do,” she says. @deetwocents
Mel Wymore is seeking to be the first Transgender person to sit on the New York City Council. He has been a community activist on the upper Westside for over twenty-five years including serving on the local Community Board. The more than qualified candidate would be making history in this years election not only in New York but across the country.
The New York Times in a profile reports:
Zoning. School overcrowding. The design of New York’s transportation system.
These are just a few of the subjects that Mel Wymore, a candidate for City Council on the Upper West Side, brought up in an interview before addressing the elephant in the room: that, if elected, he would be the first transgender member of the Council.
“I’m not running because I’m transgender,” said Mr. Wymore, 50, who was born female but now, after testosterone therapy and top surgery, identifies as transgender. But, he said, that “doesn’t mean that being transgender doesn’t bring a certain perspective.”
Although gay men and lesbians have broken many electoral barriers — serving as mayors, state legislators and members of Congress — the same is not true of the transgender community. Only a few, including a Democratic district leader in Westchester County and a former member of the Hawaii Board of Education, have been elected to office around the country.
“I think there is a feeling that there is too much difference there,” Mr. Wymore said. But he said he believed: “This is the seat. This is the community that’s ready to go forward.”
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Mr. Wymore’s story is, naturally, complicated. As a child, growing up in Arizona, he recalled, he was always a tomboy and extremely happy. But in puberty, he said, “that started to fade.”
He had difficulty adjusting to playing the role of a young woman, and over the years — through falling in love and marrying a man, moving to New York and having two children — he felt ill at ease. Fifteen years ago, he became attracted to a woman and decided that he was a lesbian, so he came out and divorced. But relationships with women foundered.
Then, five years ago, a group called the Yes Institute, which teaches students about gender identity and sexual orientation in an effort to prevent suicide, came to his children’s school, and he observed. He was fascinated; still searching for clues to his unhappiness, he flew to the institute, in Miami. There, watching a clip of Oprah Winfrey interviewing an 8-year-old who was born a girl but had decided to live as a boy, he had a revelation.
“My jaw dropped, because I could have been that child,” he said.
At first, he was daunted by the prospect of confronting his family with another drastic change. But within a few months, he said, he knew that he wanted to begin exploring a more masculine identity.
“This was an opportunity to take off the gorilla suit I felt I’d been wearing all my life and really be myself,” he said.
Shortly after he made his decision in 2009, he was elected chairman of Community Board 7. At his first meeting, he told the board about his transition and received support, he said.
Much harder were the conversations with his son and daughter, now 18 and 15, although he said that they, too, had been understanding.
“We have had very deep conversations and some negotiations around what makes them comfortable,” he said, adding that they could still always call him “Mom.”
Among the things Mr. Wymore said he was proudest of from his term as community board chairman, which ended in 2011, were the negotiations over the coming Riverside Center, a major mixed-use development on the Upper West Side. As a result of pressure from the board and Ms. Brewer, the developer, Extell, agreed to build a 100,000-square-foot school and contribute $17.5 million toward renovating an adjacent park.
While the world focuses on Africa and particularly Uganda for its policies on LGBT rights, the murder capitol of the world for the community is actually in Honduras. In fact, the nation has the highest murder rate of any nation on this planet. Unfortunately LGBT citizens in the Central American nation have been the target of brutal and deadly attacks.
In the last two years, over 100 LGBT citizens have been murdered. Often they have been mutilated and burned. Last year alone 8 LGBT activists were seized and brutally killed. They are targeted by the drug lords who feel they are ridding society of 'scum'. In one two month period in 2011, six transgender women were killed.
Early last year the killing of journalist and LBGT activist Erik Martinez (see photograph) received international attention.
From the Miami Herald in 2011 an article by Tim Johnson captured the atmosphere of fear in the nation with only eight million people:
"The killing of gays is part of broader lawlessness. Honduras registered more than 6,700 homicides last year and has the highest per capita murder rate in the hemisphere.
One recent victim was Carlos Porfirio Juarez, a 25-year-old deaf mute who was taking hormones as part of a switch in gender to become "Karlita."
On Dec. 4, Juarez vanished while seeking sex clients at the Obelisco Park near the army general staff headquarters in Comayaguela, a city adjacent to the capital, Tegucigalpa.
"She didn't have a purse, a cellular phone or anything of value," said Jose Zambrano of the Association for a Better Quality of Life for those Infected with HIV/AIDS in Honduras.
"Only her life," added Zambrano's sister, Sandra, a leader of the group.
The killer stabbed Juarez in the chest multiple times.
Experts point to conservative religious sentiment, machismo, rampant impunity, and social pressure on police to "cleanse" undesirables for the violence against people who defy sexual and gender norms.
"The connotation of being gay, lesbian or trans here is that we are worthless. We have no rights. We should be killed," said Ramon Antonio Valladares, leader of the nonprofit Sanpedrana Gay Community. "We've had people who were tortured, who were crushed and spattered against the wall."
Few businesses catering to the gay community find a way to keep doors open in this manufacturing metropolis. It has only two known gay bars.
"The police always come around with 'orders.' They allege some regulation or other, trying to shut the door. They say things like, 'There are minors here,'" said Valladares.
For gays, the battle can be both public and private. Some relatives shun them when they reveal their sexual orientation, forcing them onto the streets. Many, struggling to survive, turn to prostitution to earn a living.
Several dozen nonprofit groups that offer services, such as HIV testing, say they've been thwarted in efforts to register as corporations, a step that would grant them the legal status to open a bank account, appoint a board of directors or function as organizations.
"We've tried to incorporate twice and we've been rejected both times," said Josue Hernandez, a leader of the Center for Education in Health, Sexuality and AIDS Prevention, a group with some 500 volunteers that has been operating since 1996.
Despite public antipathy, dozens of gay activists gather in front of the federal prosecutor's office in Tegucigalpa on the 13th of every month, the anniversary of the 2009 slaying of Walter Trochez, a prominent activist killed in a drive-by shooting."
The Mathis family in Fountain, Colorado are a brave and loving family. They have united to ensure that their six year old transgender daughter Coy Mathis is treated equally in her school district. The powerful and effective Transgender Legal Defense Fund has taken the case to court and Change.org has started a petition drive on behalf of young Coy.
For all of us who struggle with being an LGBT American when we were young please take time and sign the petition. For all of our allies, this is the time to step to the plate and sign the petition.
Coy Mathias
This week the case of young six year old Transgender student has gained a lot of attention. Katie Couric featured it on her show. The highly respected Trangender Legal Defense Fund (TLDF) has taken the young child's case. A friend of mine expressed skepticism about the case and the young age of the plaintiff. The friend said the young child couldn't possibly know about being Transgender.
Here are the key points in the case of young six year old Coy Mathis in Colorado:
* The Transgender Legal Defense and Education fund (TLDEF) reported that Coy Mathis "was labeled male at birth, but has always known that she is a girl, and has expressed that since she was 18 months old."
* The child has worn girls clothing at school and has used the girls restrooms, the organization reported. However, in mid-December, the Fountain-Fort Carson School District informed Coy's parents that she would be prevented from continuing to use the girls' restroom after the winter break. Instead, the child needed to use the boys' bathroom, a staff bathroom or the nurse's bathroom.
* According to a letter sent by TLDEF to the district superintendent, the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act prevents the withholding of public accommodations at educational institutions based on sexual orientation. The term "sexual orientation" includes transgender status, the organization stated.
* In response , an attorney for the school district stated that the child has not been denied the full and equal enjoyment of the educational services, facilities, privileges, advantages or accommodations of the school.
Coy's mother Kathryn, who is home-schooling her now, stated,
"We want Coy to return to school to be with her teachers, her friends, and her siblings, but we are afraid to send her back until we know that the school is going to treat her fairly. She is still just 6 years old, and we do not want one of our daughter's earliest experiences to be our community telling her she's not good enough."
Upon reflection, there is no question that when I was six that I knew that I was different from everyone else and had fantasies about men. In fact, what shocks me today isn't that fact that I knew I was 'gay' or 'different', is that I knew innately that I couldn't share that information with anyone. Where does a six year old get such wisdom on such a complex issue?
Especially in the 1950's when there was Internet, no magazine stories and absolutely no discussion about it within families - at least with children. When I was in teens I remember my father saying at the dinner table that a family was better off with their child dead than being queer. Of course with that message I knew to keep my secret but that wasn't until years later.
There is no question in my mind that it is possible for Coy to know of her Transgender status and how fortunate she is to have such loving and understanding parents. Coy will face enormous number of challenges ahead but one won't be living a lie day in and day out.
Stella and Fanny
Can you even imagine coming to terms with gender issues in Victorian England? The courage it must have taken to embrace your true spirit. Frederick Park and Ernest Boulton were two Victorian gentleman who either were cross-dressers or Transgender individuals. They would dress in women clothes and go to public society events.
In April, 1870, they were arrested coming out of The Strand Theatre in London. Mail Online reports:
"When two glamorous women departed The Strand Theatre in London on 28 April 1870 after a show, passers-by were startled to see them being arrested by police officers.
The women, who had been flirting openly with male members of the audience all evening, had also, unbeknown to them, been the object of the officers' attention throughout the play.
Producing a warrant card and apprehending the ladies, the arresting officer said: 'I'm a police officer from Bow Street, and I have every reason to believe that you are men in female attire and you will have to come to Bow Street with me now.'
The officer was correct in his belief. The 'women' were Fanny and Stella, a pair ofmiddle-class gentlemen with a predilection for cross-dressing - and their subsequent court trial for being transvestites scandalised Victorian England.
And now their extraordinary tale has been chronicled in a new book by writer Neil McKenna, author of The Secret Life Of Oscar Wild, entitled Fanny & Stella and published by Faber on 7 February."
Fanny and Stella
Stella and Fanny with Croquet Sticks In Back At London Society Event
One only has to look toward Colorado to realize that election night was also a historic night for the LGBT community at the local and state level. Last year the Colorado legislature voted down civil unions. This year three members of the legislature who opposed civil unions lost their jobs. Now both houses of the legislature are in Democratic hands.
Even more importantly, the new Speaker of the Colorado House will be openly gay lawmaker Mark Ferrandino (above)! In Oregon, an open lesbian, Tina Kotek (below), is expected to be elected Speaker of the House in that state. Both California and Rhode Island currently have gay Speakers of the House.
Also in the Colorado Senator, another openly gay man, Pat Steadman, is in the running to be President of the State Senator. If he wins, Colorado will be the first State in history to have both Chambers led by openly LGBT Americans!
Colorado was not the exception on election night.
In New Hampshire, we are so proud of Stacie Laughton who by her win in New Hampshire became the first Transgender person ever elected to any state legislature.
Before the election there was 17 states that had no open members of the their legislatures. Now there are only 10 states left to elect an open LGBT member. The Victory Fund deserves enormous credit for helping train, finance and crete awareness about these candidates.
Where in the past electing just one of our own was considered historic, places like Colorado now has seven members, California has six members, Georgia has three and many seven states elected their first open LGBT members ever.
What a night.
Relax and take a week off as we savior our enormous and historical victories from last Tuesday. After all, we must continue to celebrate them to make them real to us. The election was filled with 'gifts' to us and we would be foolish to not embrace those victories before proceeding forward.
Then the LGBT community has more work to be done in our epic struggle for full equality. Let's review quickly some or our priority agenda.
ENDA:
Because the House of Representatives is still controlled by right-wingers we will have some difficulty passing positive LGBT legislation. However there might be some willingness now among traditional conservative Republicans to stand up to the Tea Party types and pass ENDA.
DOMA:
Our best shot in the Supreme Court is with the repeal of DOMA. If the Court strikes down the law then it frees the President's hands to make an enormous number of executive orders on behalf of LGBT married couples. In additions, more and more states are likely to recognize married couples from other states while not passing marriage itself.
MARRIAGE EQUALITY:
The forces for marriage equality are so much stronger than a week ago. No longer is it the legislatures or courts going against the people's will. The people spoke loud and clear on Tuesday in all four ballot measures.
From the legislative perspective we have real opportunities because of the political landscape and including some shifts in the make-up of legislatures, to pass marriage equality. States such as Delaware, Rhode Island, Illinois, New Jersey, Minnesota and Oregon should be at the top of our lists for embracing marriage equality!
Colorado marriage equality proponents have been going after civil unions. Now that both branches of their legislature is controlled by Democrats maybe they should go for full marriage equality.
The Supreme Court might decide just not to hear the Proposition 8 court case and marriage equality would become legal over night in California.
If those states do fall in place, within two years we could have marriage equality in sixteen states plus the District of Columbia.
COURT CASES:
There are two major court cases that could impact our lives. The first being the Supreme Court hearing the DOMA Cases and the second is the famous Proposition 8 Court Case.
Clearly if the Court does agree to hear the Proposition 8 case and rules in our favor then we could see marriage equality in all fifty states!
In addition, the community would be wise to start a powerful court case in those states that ban adoption by LGBT couples.
TRANSGENDER RIGHTS:
The passage of bills to protect and assist the Transgender community is essential. This includes especially the issue of employment protection and healthcare issues. It is essential that our national organizations work with the FBI and Justice Department to use the 'hate crimes' laws to track down those who have preyed especially heavy on this part of our coalition. A lot of work remains to be done here at every level.
ELECTING OUR OWN:
Wow, did the Victory Fun ever have a great night with the election of Senator Elect Tammy Baldwin and four new members of the House of Representatives. All over the country they assisted members of our community running for office with an astounding success rate. Nothing is more important than getting a member of our own community into positions of power.
APPOINTMENTS:
One thing that President Obama can easily do is to be the first President to appoint an openly LGBT person to his Cabinet. In addition, we are overdue for a seat on the Supreme Court. Don't forget, as the President is considering his appointments, LGBT Americans have talented and capable people at all levels of expertise.
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