10/4/13

The Denver Wrangler threatens a drag queen with a lawsuit after denying him entrance

The Denver Wrangler has threatened Vito John Marzano with a lawsuit should he not remove all copies of the video of there staff harassing him on public property (the sidewalk) after they denied him entrance to the bar.  The video makes it very clear the Wrangler staff  bared him because of his gender expression telling him his feet were to big for him to be transgender.. It is unclear if the Denver Wrangler will likewise threaten  media sources but it would be safe to assume they will, given their history of intimidatory behaviour.

This is just the last of many attempts by the Denver Wrangler to coerce Marzano into removing all evidence of the occurrences on that August night.

The Denver Wrangler has also tried to intimidate myself and Cristan Williams who cross posted the original planetransgender article on the TransAdvocate. They have tried unsuccessfully to have blogger shut down planetransgender but they did succeed in getting facebook to censor the original article. Facebook sent me a message that the original article contained 'contaminated' links. I have published and posted most of the 2000 odd planetransgender articles on facebook, and that one, just that one post has a infected link? Not according to Norton safe site.

If the Denver Wrangler didn't discriminate against Vito John Marzano why are they so focused on removing the video evidence prior to the DORA hearing. If the Denver Wrangler is blameless as they claim, why are the so intent scouring the Internet clean of all evidence of that incident prior to the Civil rights hearing?

Wouldn't it be to there benefit if they were publicly exonerated by Colorado Civil Rights Division? Or is it that they know they are in the wrong and are attempting to get rid of the evidence?

The letter sent by a lawyer retained by the Denver Wrangler to Vito John Marzano:


"This is a clear intimidation tactic. The lawyer and I both know that I have not said anything which has not been backed up with screen shots or video. About the video, I encourage everyone to mute the sound (as to not get distracted) and look closely at the video. You will see that I am standing in front of the metal barricade, which ends right where the sidewalk begins. The video was filmed on a public sidewalk. Furthermore, my phone was up the entire time. It was quite obvious I was filming. Being as we were on a public sidewalk holding my phone up and saying things like "I cannot wait to post this on the internet" I can safely conclude there was no presumption of privacy. Moving on, if the Wrangler is so comfortable in their position, why are they trying to destroy the evidence?
There is a simple answer to all this- change your ID policy. Stop the discrimination. Treat all of your patrons equally and with dignity. Once that happens, I will gladly dismantle the website, video, and boycott. Until then, I have not done anything illegal and this will continue.


The video of the Wrangler staff denying Marzano access to public accommodations:





Source Denver post.com: Pete Meersman, president and CEO of the Colorado Restaurant Association, said he understands the liquor-license side of the law better than the discrimination laws but sees the conflict that businesses face.
"This was a new situation that I had not heard of before," Meersman said. "The ultimate dilemma is doing one thing to stay in compliance with the law that gets you out of compliance with another

Vito Marzano's driver's license ( | )
law."
Management at the Wrangler could not be reached for comment, but a video of the altercation posted by Marzano to YouTube — which has since been taken down — outlines the bar staff's reasoning: Gender identity must match a person's ID gender.
"The problem here is the application of a blanket rule that discriminates against a particular class of people based on their gender nonconformity," said Mari Newman, a Denver-based civil-rights attorney. "While I acknowledge the bar's legitimate interest in not running afoul of liquor licensing, this, by its term, is not a legal way to accomplish that goal."
Checking IDs is not required by law but is the only way bars and restaurants have to verify a customer's age. Subsequently, there is no standardized method for comparing a person's ID with their physical appearance — those policies are determined and set by the business owners.

The statement attached to Mr. Marzano's  DORA complaint



10/3/13

Capitol Resource Institute (CRI) loses tax exempt status, but doesn't bother to tell there benefactors



Screen snip from the CRI website
October 3, 2012
The group that made millions gathering signatures to fight marriage equality is now taking donations for their next battle, against California school children.

They just haven't bothered informing their supporters their donations aren't tax exempt.

The Transgender Law Center reports that transgender high school student Ashton Lee and his mother, Catherine Lee, filed a complaint this week with the California Attorney General’s Office asking for an investigation into an anti-LGBT group that has been operating illegally and claiming to be a tax-exempt organization to receive donations, when in fact its tax-exempt status was revoked by the Internal Revenue Service months ago.

The Capitol Resource Institute (CRI) had its tax-exempt status revoked in February by the IRS after failing to provide required financial information for three consecutive years. It is also listed on the California Attorney General site as delinquent in required filings. Despite this, the group has continued to say they are tax-exempt in order to solicit contributions to continue its work, including challenging California’s new School Success and Opportunity Act (Assembly Bill 1266), which ensures that transgender students have the same opportunities to be successful as their peers.



What motivates a paid signature gatherer? Hint, not fairness or equality.



All we care about is getting the signatures! Listen when I worked this deal in California I made five hundred dollars a day, I traveled ten states, OK, I got filthy stinking rich..its about making them say yes.


Transgender woman Jenna Jacobs and her Cisgender partner Eby Heller celebrate new life with us

I'd like to offer a preview of this amazing story presented by Natalie Stechyson at the Calgary Herald in hopes you will read it in full.

Cisgender woman Eby Heller and Jenna Jacobs her transgender partner tried nine times to get pregnant with the sperm Jenna had banked before transition. The fifth try almost ended their quest at the hands of a heartless transphobic doctor who hurt Eby.




Click here to watch opens in new window




Nathan Verhelst, Belgian transgender man ends his life with euthanasia

Nathan Verhels, a Belgian transgender man seeking 'a new birth' from transition ended his life because of "unbearable psychological suffering" this week.

 Mr. Verhels  begun HRT in 2009 and later had a mastectomy and penal construction surgery told IBI Times  "My new breasts did not match my expectations and my new penis had symptoms of rejection. I do not want to be ... a monster."

"When I looked into the mirror after the first operation I was filled with self-loathing."

 With the governments permission doctors ended his life with lethal injection earlier this week. According to the doctors present he passed peacefully.

Mr. Verhels tells of a tortured childhood and a heartless, cruel mother

"I was the girl that nobody wanted," he said. "While my brothers were celebrated, I got a storage room above the garage as a bedroom. 'If only you had been a boy', my mother complained. I was tolerated, nothing more."


After learning of his death via a letter his mother told the local newspaper:

"When I saw 'Nancy' for the first time, my dream was shattered. She was so ugly. I had a phantom birth. Her death does not bother me," the unnamed mother told Het Laatste Nieuws.




9/30/13

The Mayor of Thessaloniki Greece meets with Transgender community reports σωματείο υποστήριξης διεμφυλικών

After suffering for years the Thessaloniki transgender activists are  reporting improving conditions. They are saying there will be a transgender day of remembrance, possibly the first public vigil for our fallen in that city. The Mayor has said he wants to present the opening remarks.

This is such a huge improvement.  It was just this June when I reported on Greek Transsexuals being rounded up, arrested and threatened. Just a few months ago it was common practice for the police to break into the homes of trans people, drag them out and jail them without charges with other newly designated 'undesirables'. And only one year since the Mayor, albeit begrudgingly, allowed the first Pride celebration the the city. It was a dark and foreboding time but possibly things might be improving. Finding employment in Greece is especially hard for trans people so the Mayor said he plans to employ a trans person in his office as an example for others to follow.

Cross posted from the Greek Transgendered Support Association press release:

Representatives of the Transgender Support Association meet with Thessaloniki Mayor

The Transgender Support Association (S.Y.D.) with this press release informs the meeting representatives of SYD with the Mayor of Thessaloniki, Mr. Boutari on issues facing the trans community of Thessaloniki.

The meeting was held Tuesday, September 24, 2013, with the following agenda items: the pogrom against trans women took place in Thessaloniki in previous months, the disadvantage and discrimination experienced by trans people - especially in the workplace, and concession hall of the municipality to make the World Day of Remembrance transgender to be held for the first time this year in the second largest city on 30 November.

Thessaloniki Mayor accepted the arguments of the representatives of SYD and condemned the practice of massive afferent followed by the police in Thessaloniki, while told us he would come in contact with the police chief Thessaloniki on this topic.

Recognize multiple discrimination and wall exclusions faced by trans people, particularly in the workplace and stated his intention to help as Mayor for the isolations, particularly on the issue of exclusions from the workplace said they would do every effort to recruit trans to service through programs municipality of Thessaloniki.

Accepted our request for assignment to make room for the World Day of Remembrance Transgender in Thessaloniki on 30 November, which will even support it in practice with his inaugural speech.

The meeting was in excellent climate, the Mayor of Thessaloniki showed his support to the problems of trans community, and said he wants the constant contact and cooperation with our community.

The Transgender Support Association (SYD) wishes and seek to strengthen cooperation to overcome discrimination and disadvantage faced by the trans community is placed at the disposal of the Mayor to carry out his promises, and thanked him warmly for his support he needs the trans community of Thessaloniki.

THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Transgender Support Association (SYD)

Jean Moreas 17 Koukaki Athens.

www.transgender-association.gr

transgender.support.association@gmail.com

**********

Natacha posted this email she received via TGEU from a trans person living in Thessaloniki on her blog UnCommon Sense.


"As a follow up of the situation of last months in Thessaloniki (systematic pogrom against trans women from police), we would like to give you some info.

Until 21st of July that we managed to have a meeting with the head of police of Thessaloniki, the pogrom have stopped. We had only sporadic persecutions (at the beging of September) of 2 trans women, but it was not in the systematic way of massive detentions, and the attitude of the police has totally changed.

Also yesterday, two representatives of Greek Transgender Support Association had a meeting with Mayor of Thessaloniki, Mr Boutaris.

We had a totally agreement with Mr. Boutaris about the persecutions of trans women. He said that it is not acceptable, and that he will talk with head of police of Thessaloniki.
The other subject was the discriminations and exclusions that transgender people face - mainly in work and employment.
He promised that he will do his best in this directions, and also, he promised that he will do everything he can for the employment of trans people in Municipality (to be more specific he told us word for word: "I will employ a trans person in my office as an example of good practice to be followed").
At the end he told us that he wants to have the open speech of our TDoR event that we will do for first time this year in Thessaloniki, and that he is determined as long that he's a Mayor to be advocate to transgender issues, and to start a constant contact with us.

We hope that Mayor will keep all his promises."



Thessaloniki Pride[Wikipedia]

Thessaloniki staged its annual pride event for the first time in 22–23 June 2012, following Mayor Boutaris's promise to back a public LGBT event in the city. The firstThessaloniki Pride festival enjoyed massive popular support[14] from the city, its periphery and the region, which was a heavy blow for the city's metropolitan Anthimos, who had called believers to react.[15] One year later, in one of his announcements just a few days before the pride event of 2013, he stated that once more, the Holy Metropolis of Thessaloniki would have to tolerate the sad and unacceptable "festival" of the homosexuals who want to "celebrate their sickness in a carnival sort of way". He also asked parents to keep their children and themselves away from "such pointless and unnatural celebrations". However, many families were present and the two-day festival ended in a great atmosphere with many parties, galleries and celebrations all around the city.[16]




Six year old becomes the youngest (known) transgender person to amend Birth Certificate

Source GNN: A six-year-old- Argentinean girl has taken advantage of Argentina’s gender recognition laws to officially change her gender.

The little girl, known as Lulu, is believed to be the youngest person to take advantage of the new laws.

Lulu, who was assigned male at birth has identified as a girl from an early age. Her birth certificate and Argentinean ID (known as the DNL) will now reflect her identity as a female.

Lulu’s family had first attempted to get her documentation changed when the laws came into effect in December but the government initially refused to comply as they believed Lulu too young to be able to decide on her gender identity.

This decision was overturned however following a letter from Lulu’s mother, Gabriella, pleading her daughter’s case in which Gabriella said Lulu had identified as a girl since she could talk.

Argentina's Children, Youth and Family Secretary had also ruled in favour of allowing the documentation to be changed, stating that they believed not doing so could be in breach of a UN resolution supporting children's rights.