Some notes on Living

If you look carefully while the credits are rolling you will see the corner of the purple banner of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force there ! Enjoy the video and there are more related ones at the youtube site. The short speech Donna Rose gives in this particular vid. really explains it all.

Those of you who may still think  the HRC is a friend of the “Queer” Community, and by queer i mean all gender transgressors who are lesbian/gay but the most vulnerable  the TG’d especially,  they are NOT. Those who have been there , worked their with their best intentions were thrown under the bus and LIED to the TG’d again and again. and continue TOO - end of story - send your hard earned dollars to the Task Force or the NCTE (see sidebar for NCTE) Above all love your selves and be Proud of who you are ! We have as much right to that tattered document known as the Bill of Rights as any other people living here in this country. And lets not forget the ONLY reason the Constitution was ratified was because the Bill of Rights was added. Remember if Gender ID and Expression is not protected - seriously no lesbians or gays are truly protected either. No matter how well you are assimilated. To society at large - we are all gay , all queer. The Ts are the canaries in our coal mine - don’t kid yourselves..And that is not to don’t work with the HRC , just know its a very insincere group when the rubber meets the road. And the name HUMAN RIGHTs Campaign is misnomer. They are a political pac and they place the game as such. Some of the so called compromises they have made are life threatening to those of us in the most need. So there you have it - the task force was there , the HRC was NOT. (that i could see) No money put into the march , that i am aware of - and this remember is not the first time. Insiders who have worked with them the Transfolks on their boards have been misled , treated ingeniously and on and on..AND MORE THEN ONCE - its a clear pattern that culminated in OCT with the ENDA debacle. Just the messenger here, i wish i could have nicer things to say about the HRC,   but that would be a betrayal to those of us who are the most vulnerable.  Washington insider politics suck - and they play that game to well and at what cost ? LIVES,  thats the cost. Again to each their own politics - give and do with your money as you see fit. After assessing the facts i have no doubts about my decisions.

Longtime activist, strategist and leader to head up one of nation’s
leading lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender organizations

Rea Carey, longtime leader and activist in the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) movement, has been appointed executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force.

The Task Force was the first national LGBT rights organization and remains the community’s uncompromising, progressive voice committed to building grassroots political power through advocacy, training, organizing and cutting-edge research and analysis.

“We were searching for someone who is both visionary and practical, has an understanding of our movement’s history and can take advantage of new opportunities that lie ahead,” said Alan Acosta, board co-chair. “There are very few people who have the right combination of voice, skills, passion, fearlessness and relationships in and outside the movement to take the Task Force to the next level. We’ve found that person in Rea Carey.”

Mark Sexton, board co-chair, said, “For 35 years, the Task Force has been the organization that says the hard things, does the hard work and pushes the envelope in strategic ways. We are confident that Rea is the right leader for the Task Force as we work toward our vision of a society that welcomes, respects and honors each and every lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender person.”

Carey said she was honored and energized by the opportunity to lead the Task Force at a crucial time in the struggle for LGBT equality.

“I believe our movement is on the cusp of taking the gains of the last 40 years and translating them into permanent and society-changing advances,” Carey said. “The last two years alone have shown astonishing progress in nondiscrimination laws and relationship recognition in the states. And yet, we have a long way to go in tackling other challenges such as economic and healthcare hardships faced by LGBT people, appropriate care for the growing number of LGBT seniors and helping progressive people of faith assert their belief in the humanity of LGBT people. And certainly, we as a movement will fail in the long run if we do not attend to the systemic barriers to our becoming a more racially diverse and dynamic force for change.”

The appointment was announced by the Task Force board following a four-month national search to replace Matt Foreman, who left the organization in April for a senior position at the Evelyn & Walter Haas, Jr. Fund.

Carey, who had served as deputy executive director to Foreman for four years, was appointed acting executive director following Foreman’s departure. Initially, she asked not to be considered for the permanent position, preferring to remain as deputy executive director. The board, however, asked her to reconsider in light of her exceptional performance as acting executive director.

“Rea proved to be an extremely strong and charismatic leader in the interim position,” said Paula Redd Zeman, board member and co-chair of the search committee. “We have been impressed by her steady hand, her strategic mindset and her ability to make and carry out the tough decisions required in leading a national organization. Ultimately, the search committee decided that there’s no place like home — Rea was the superstar that we had been seeking. The search committee approached Rea a second time and asked her to serve the organization and the LGBT community at this critical juncture. This time, she said yes.”

With Foreman and Carey at the helm, the Task Force became an organization with more than 50 staff and a $10 million budget. Under their leadership, the Task Force focused the work of the Policy Institute think tank to produce analysis that is even more useful to activists on the ground; served as the movement’s progressive voice on Capitol Hill; helped a record number of states pass LGBT-positive legislation; and established the Academy for Leadership and Action to provide more cohesive and strategic leadership and skills development to activists nationwide.

Carey has worked extensively in HIV/AIDS prevention and in the LGBT community and has a longstanding relationship with the Task Force. In addition to her four years as deputy executive director, she has also served as a senior strategist overseeing the strategic planning process. In the 1990s, she was active in community organizing through ACT UP and OUT direct action groups, Lesbian Services of Whitman-Walker Clinic and as a co-founder of Gay Men and Lesbians Opposing Violence. Carey was the founding executive director of the National Youth Advocacy Coalition, an LGBT youth leadership organization. She holds a master’s degree from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and her expertise includes management, fundraising, strategic planning, staff and board development, capacity building, coalition work, leadership training and program development. (A complete bio appears at the end of this update.) For the last five months, Carey has overseen the leadership transition as Matt Foreman moved on to the Evelyn & Walter Haas, Jr. Fund and she has served as the acting executive director since mid-April.

Carey’s appointment won immediate praise from a broad spectrum of leaders:

“Rea is an extraordinary leader, a brilliant thinker and passionately committed to complete equality for our people. Her appointment as the new executive director is not only wonderful for the Task Force and its future, but for the entire movement.” — Matt Foreman, Program Director, Evelyn & Walter Haas, Jr. Fund

“Rea’s appointment is a smart choice for the Task Force. I’ve worked with Rea over many years and she has the vision, the management and fundraising skills and the ability to play well with others necessary for such an important role in our movement.” — Lorri L. Jean, Chief Executive Officer, Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Center and Former Task Force Executive Director

“Rea’s values are solid and her commitment to ensuring that our whole community moves forward together — including people who are transgender, young, old, and people of color — is unwavering. Rea gets it.” — Mara Keisling, Executive Director, National Center for Transgender Equality

“The Task Force is spot-on with Rea’s appointment. Her career has shown her to be a committed collaborator and coalition builder. Her leadership in establishing the Academy for Leadership and Action is a critical step in ensuring our future success as we work together to build a more diverse, more dynamic movement.” — Clarence Patton, Pipeline Project, an initiative to increase diversity within LGBT organizations

“Rea Carey’s strong commitment to building an inclusive movement for LGBT equality in every state will make her a great leader of the Task Force, and we congratulate her on her new role as executive director. At Equality Federation, we look forward to our continued partnership with Rea and the Task Force as we work together to make equality a reality in every state in this country.” — Toni Broaddus, Executive Director, Equality Federation

“Rea Carey is an outstanding strategic leader in the movement for full equality and an unwavering voice for progress and change. Rea understands how all the parts fit together — the bully pulpit, public education, on-the-ground organizing, public policy, politics and cutting-edge analysis. I have no doubt she will make good choices for the Task Force and will contribute greatly to our movement’s quest for equality.” — Patrick Guerriero, Executive Director, Gill Action Fund

Rea Carey Biography

Rea Carey is the executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. Carey has had a longstanding relationship with the Task Force as a colleague, consultant and supporter. She was one of the lead trainers in the Task Force’s successful Youth Leadership Institutes in the late-1990s. From 2002 through 2003, she worked as a consultant to help the organization develop its strategic plan, which involved in-depth discussions with staff, board and stakeholders. From September 2003 through January 2004, she served as the Task Force’s senior strategist, charged with shaping its response to the nationwide marriage equality struggle. She joined the staff full time in February 2004 as the deputy executive director and served as its acting executive director from April 2008 through June 2008.

In her role as deputy executive director, she was the driving force behind the creation of the Public Policy & Government Affairs department and the Movement Building department. She also orchestrated the focusing of the organization’s resources behind a few key goals, including the creation of the Academy for Leadership and Action; re-envisioning of the annual National Conference on LGBT Equality: Creating Change; winning marriage in Massachusetts and California; fighting for a gender identity-inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act; and increasing the amount of government funds for the LGBT community.

She has 19 years of experience in nonprofit start-up, development, program oversight and management including through her own consulting firm. Her expertise includes major donor and foundation fundraising, strategic planning, staff and board development, capacity building, coalition work, leadership training and program development. She has worked extensively in HIV/AIDS prevention and in the LGBT community as one of the co-founders of Gay Men and Lesbians Opposing Violence and the founding executive director of the National Youth Advocacy Coalition. In 1999, the Advocate named Carey one of its “Best and Brightest” for individual contributions to the LGBT rights movement.

Carey served on the board of directors for Sapientis, which advances the social and economic development of Puerto Rico by developing leaders who improve public education. She has also served as an advisor to major donors and foundations and has served on the advisory boards for such wide-ranging publications as Teen People magazine and the Georgetown University Journal of Gender and the Law. She earned her master’s degree in public administration from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government.

Today the AMA voted that as a group , they support access to health care for transsexual care ! See the details at GLAD.org ( including the PDFs) - the resolution speaks to non discrimination and access to all services in regards to GID.

This means that Insurance Companies can no longer call GID care “cosmetic”. It means GID will be treated with the established care guidelines of WPATH (see sidebar for link to WPATH)

Its a great GREAT step forward. Also voted on was a resolution that involves medicare and the AMA standing up against cut backs to providers. Public health care should match private health care.

This is a great step forward insures we will not be left behind, in the impending health care revolution our country so sorely needs. It also means that both public and private patients will have a much higher chance of receiving proper medical care because discrimination is not acceptable. The AMA is applauded for this long overdue vote. Seems they’re starting to hear us, and our advocates in the field..the battle is far from over but this is wonderful progress - what a gift for pride month !

As per the BBC first they came for the foreign bloggers…then they came for….you know how this goes. People we must remain vigilant regarding the FCC and the whole Homeland Security Industrial Complex. Dissent is patriotic. We must change the ridiculous notion of enemy combatant status and the insipid HR 1955 of what constitutes a so called homegrown terrorist..enough Bullshit already. Big Brother go fuck yourself !!

and an aside Congratulations to Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon who finally get to tie the knot after 55 yrs of living together ! - Also congats to Jan Morris and her partner whom she had to devorce in order for Morris to have SRS according to the laws at the time. They remained together for over 60 yrs and now finally are able to have their relationship recognized ! Again the BBC does an excellent job of covering the full story and then some. Enjoy their in depth news coverage of this story.

Intransigence is how rights are won Big Hat tips to Autumn Sandeen at the View from (ab)normal heights blog for her work and links to the controversy. It seems the usual suspects  mostly  white gay middle class men , are trying to erase  Transgendered out of Stonewall.  Well we were there,  And we are still here
- too many articles are coming out this month mimimizing or ignoring completely the leadership and comradery of the TG’s as many led the charge for civil rights here is footage taken in 73 found at the blog Queers without Borders .

The attitudes haven’t changed much, Jean O Leary pushed Sylvia Rivera off the Pride Stage in 73 after Sylvia reacted to basically having the entire TG’d community slammed and slandered by the white gay middle class males and the lesbain feminists of the day, at that Pride Event. Sylvia is pleading for their help and concern back then as many Transgendered now are saying without Gender Expression Protections..ENDA is worthless,it helps only a certain few priviledged enough to pass - it does boil down to the same old american pecking order, classism , racism , sexism. It keeps the left down and the elite in power when we are divided vs. untied against those in power who continue to abuse WE the people.

How many times does it have to be said, being lgb is gender transgressing. Social progress is not made by assimilating its made by continous educational efforts and insistance on the fact that lgbtq people are part of Nature’s Rainbow and we are ALL HUMAN - hate is what is perverted, not us. The culture that hates “teh gay” makes no distinction, and the “good” gays who would try and distance themselves from the TG’d do the community no favors as a whole - We NEED UNITY. We need understanding, assimilation into the power elite only makes life more difficult for all minorities. Our own lgbtq community needs some remedial work in social change and our true history. The usual suspects in the video are queer as pink nichols and yet want to point out - oh we are not like those outrageous drag queens..this kind of circular firing squad continues to this day as we have seen with ENDA -

Have we learned nothing in the last fourty yrs. Now younger gay males are perhaps not well versed in lgbT history are basically doing the same thing with their publications which sickening essays on how far “they” have come how much easier it is to be gay…GIVE ME A BREAK ! If its easier to be gay/homosexual/lesbian and it is socially that is quite true but for the love of truth and honesty give credit where credit is due. It was the most outrageous among us, we owe our greatest debt of gratitude too. Its Pride Month and that means Trans- gendered Pride Month TOO.

Et tu Brute ?

newsflash you may not have any gender dysphoria but if you are in a homosexual relationship you dear people are just as vulnerable as those of us who are gender dysphoric - you dear gay and lesbian sisters and brothers are gender “transgressors” and as far as our culture is concerned - you can never assimilate..being a “good” gay is akin to well - its just not the way to go, the Liberation Movement is about all our rights to be who we are and love who we love, especially those who are different and cannot or choose not to go the way of convincing society we are just like you ! And lets not forget the heterosexual queer couples out there , they are part of this movement as well. There are many people in marriages with children who are gender queer. This RAINBOW has many colours and lots of stripes. Lots of folks out there are “straight but not narrow”

What a shame it is to see some within our own community trying to wash over the complexities in favour of revisionist history regarding the ongoing struggle to challenge the Gender Oppression in our culture. Sadest of all when it comes from within our own community. …sigh.

Without protections for Gender Expression , none of us are protected. NO ONE. Its all about the freedom to love who we choose and express our true selves its our birthright.

Its way past time for Hillary to just stop. I won’t re harsh the dozens of slanderous undermining , insulting things she has said and done along the way to undermine Obama. Graciousness, coalition building diplomacy are not her strong suits, that much is painfully clear. The Clinton‘S sense of entitlement is both delusional and revolting. ( clinically delusional) How they can possibly imagine after all the gutter sniping and LYING t done that there is a place for them in the white house shows a severe disconnect with reality.

Words mean something Hillary, your actions at the debates, and up to the present moment, have been so odious ! How the hell could you think that you and your power mad husband, have ANY place what so ever , even near Obama ??? And yet despite her behavior , Obama takes the high road every single time, being charitable in the face of what could only be called extreme provocation..he has yet to stoop to her level. Good on him. That is grace under pressure.

Obama is a diplomatic statesman. He speaks to the public as adults utilizing a firm grasp of the law and the Constitution and knows the people are aching for change. Things simply cannot continue as they have been for much longer. America is in the crapper right now. We need our Constitution back for starts. People are hurting out here big time. We need leadership with a heart and a mind from someone who genuinely cares about ALL of us.

Obama will win in November but no thanks to the Clintons thats for sure - what i find most disgusting and telling is that her leadership style she revealed is no better than the worst of the worst republicans. Me i want a leader who cares about PEOPLE - not a power monger…YAY Obama , he has earned this. Hillary drop out, NOW - let the convention be as orderly as possible - show you care more about the country than your personal ambitions. (oh wait i am talking about the Clintons , who care only ONLY about themselves,silly me what was i thinking) They think the rules do not apply to them. Sound familiar ? Since the coup of 2000 - we have had a government that hates We the People. It will take several congresses and many local, state elections to clean house. The Government is infested with those who hate government. Nice ! - not. Its time to get things back on track. Obama’s leadership will help us shift the current trends which have hurt so many people. Government can be only as good as the people we elect - I can’t wait to cast what will be the most historic vote of our lifetimes.

Gendering. We all do it. We meet someone, and automatically categorize them as being male or female. We add up both obvious and subtle cues to figure out which sex they are. Maybe we have good gaydar skills, and further identify them as gay or lesbian. This is a useful skill, especially if we’re single and looking for a potential partner, or perhaps a date for this weekend. Maybe we also have good transdar skills, and can even identify the person as having a transgender history, someone who has lived as a different gender in the past.

Sometimes, as a transperson, it’s easy to feel left out, what with all this talk of GLB only ENDA, DOMA, Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, etc. Today, thanks to the attentions of my friends at Focus on the Family Action and Colorado Family Action, I’m feeling truly loved and appreciated as “a man in a dress”. Isn’t it nice to finally be noticed!

Radio Ad Causes Anti-Discrimination Controversy
By Political Reporter Marshall Zelinger

COLORADO SPRINGS - An arm of Focus on the Family is fighting an anti-discrimination bill ready for Governor Bill Ritter’s signature. Senate Bill 200 will make discrimination based on sexual orientation illegal. It passed through both the House and the Senate earlier this year.
Focus on the Family Action and Colorado Family Action have produced a one-minute radio ad encouraging you to call the Governor and tell him to veto the bill.

This is a transcript of the radio ad:

“Mom…”

If the Colorado legislature has its way…

“A man in a dress came into the girl’s restroom at school today.”

We could all be dealing with a new type of predator.

“Honey, there was a man in the women’s showers at the gym today, and the management said it was, it was Colorado law.”

And instead of our kids worrying about class work, they’ll be worrying about who might be in the restroom with them.

“No way I’m going in there (school bell), I’d rather wait all day if a guy’s in there.”

Our children must be protected from predators, but if Governor Ritter won’t veto Senate Bill 200, all public restrooms, including those in our public schools, will be open to anyone of any sex.

Colorado’s Democrat-controlled legislature has already passed this bill, but Governor Ritter still has time to veto it. Call him now and ask him to protect our kids and veto SB 200. Call 303-866-2471. 303-866-2471.

Brought to by Focus on the Family Action and Colorado Family Action.”

Peabody female student gets OK for male prom date in drag