AEGIS Internet News, August 1996

Original Date: Wed, 31 Jul 1996 01:45:02 -0400 Originally From: Dallas Denny <aegis@atl.mindspring.com>

============================================= = INTERNATIONAL NEWS #116 – Jul 17, 1996 = = Rex Wockner = ============================================= Reprintted with Permission: (Remember– the word transvestite is used for all transpersons in many countries, including Turkey– Dallas) << ISTANBUL TRANSVESTITES TARGETED >>

Police harassment of transvestites and gays in Istanbul, Turkey, is becoming more aggressive, reports Britain’s The Guardian. Homes have been burned, dancers and street-walkers are being beaten, and court cases against police have been dropped due to threats, the newspaper said. The crackdown intensified during the recent United Nations Habitat II summit. Transvestites were told to disappear and several of their homes were allegedly torched. One source told the newspaper that police beat crossdressers with cables. “One of the policemen has a handful of different- colored cables and asks you to pick one,” he said. “If you choose a color he whips you with that one. If you don’t, you are hit with all of them.” Additional reports say transgendered people have been tied up and hung upside-down, kicked in the groin, and slammed into walls while being held by their hair, according to The Guardian.

Dallas Denny, M.A., Executive Director

American Educational Gender Information Service, Inc. A 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Corporation P.O. Box 33724, Decatur, GA 30033-0724 (770) 939-2128 Business (770) 939-0244 Information & Referrals (770) 939-1770 FAX aegis@mindspring.com E-Mail

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Original Date: Sat, 03 Aug 1996 00:39:29 -0400 Originally From: Dallas Denny <aegis@atl.mindspring.com>

From: riki@nyc.pipeline.com (Riki Anne Wilchins)

APA TARGET of 2nd DEMONSTRATION by TRANSACTIVISTS ====================================

[CHICAGO – July 20, 1996] Just 5 months after demonstrating outside the American Psychiatric Association’s annual meeting, transactivists have announced they are once again planning to confront APA members over Gender Identity Disorder (GID). [See May 5 release below.]

The peaceful demonstration, to be held outside the APA national meeting in Chicago on Saturday, October 19, has been called by members of the Chicago, Connecticut, NYC and Boston chapters of the direct action group, the Transexual Menace. [Interested parties should contact Riki Wilchins (Riki@Pipeline.Com 212-645-1753) or Nancy Nangeroni (NRN@world.std.com); free rooms will be found for those needing overnight accommodations.]

Not About Dysfunction, But Punishing Difference ————————

While GID is often used for transexuals seeking sex-reassignment surgery, it is also routinely applied in pathologizing gender variant children, queer teens, non-complaining crossdressers, and transgenders.

Said a Menace spokestrans, “Yes, it’s important that people get their surgery and insurance reimbursement. But it’s also crucial we do so without pathologizing millions of gendervariant and transgendered teens, adults, and kids. GID isn’t about dysfunction. It’s about punishing gender difference and enforcing gender norms in the guise of practicing medicine. Just like the earlier disease of `homosexuality,’ GID is inevitably used against the most vulnerable among us – our genderqueer kids.”

GenderPathoPhilia? ——————

“We think the APA has their *own* disorder — GenderPathoPhilia — which we define as `an abnormal need or desire to pathologize any gender behavior which makes you uncomfortable.’ They’ve had their turn `treating’ us – maybe it’s our turn to render a little treatment back. Pack your bags for Chicago!”

Millions in Tax Dollars for “Treating” Gender Variant Kids ——————————

According to Phyllis Burke’s new book GENDER SHOCK, for almost 3 decades the US government has been funneling millions in taxpayer dollars to locate, diagnose and “treat” scores of children for having the “disease” of GID.

States Burke, “Government records indicate that, since the early 1970’s, at least 1.5 million dollars was awarded from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), adding she believes “[this] is probably the tip of the iceberg.” [See July 21 release below.]

This “research” and “treatment” continues even today with children as young as 3 or 4 years of age. Often their only “disorder” is running afoul of the APA’s traditional fear of sexual or gender difference.

Most of my friends are dead —————————

Daphne Scholinski is one such child who was involuntarily committed by her parents from age 14 to 18, after being diagnosed with GID. An athletic teen, Scholinski she did not want to wear dresses or be submissive. After 3 months, she attempted suicide by drinking a facial astringent. “Most people die after they get out. The recovery from the system is what gets people in the end. Life expectancy of my friends is pretty low. Most of my friends are dead.” [END]

TRANSACTIVISTS PROTEST APA – CALL FOR END TO “GENDER IDENTITY DISORDER” =================================

[May 5, 1996 – New York City] On May 5, 1996 over a dozen gender activists from the queer community, Transexual Menace (CT), Transexual Menace (NY), Transexual Menace (Men), and TOPS, demonstrated outside the annual meeting of American Psychiatric Association and called for an end to diagnosing transpeople as mentally disordered. The diagnostic category of “Gender Identity Disorder” (GID, also known as “gender dysphoria”) is routinely applied to anyone seeking sex reassignment surgery (SRS).

Activists handed out over 1,000 leaflets [text follows]. Others held up signs saying “Keep Your Laws OFF My Body” and “Gender Euphoria NOT Gender Dysphoria.” The demonstration continued for several hours while attendees arrived, many of whom stopped to chat with demonstrators. Some seemed shocked at the sight of so many black “Transexual Menace” T-shirts outside the convention hall, while others were amused, intrigued or supportive.

NY State Police had initially sought to move demonstrators from their site in front of the Jacob Javits Center where the Convention was held. They relented only when several members of TOPS, the national organization for trans peace officers, including Deputy Sherrif Tonye Barreto-Neto and Lt. Janet Aiello, showed their badges and identified themselves as fellow officers. They patiently explained why they were there and negotiated for half an hour, after which Police allowed demontrators to stay. One trooper privately explained to demontrators that he wanted to be supportive, having done papers on transexuality in college.

Dissension Over GID Within TransCommunity —————————

In spite of the demonstration, removing GID as a psychiatric diagnosis has been a source of continuing dispute within the transcommunity. The diagnosis has enabled many transexuals to obtain insurance reimbursement for the $10-40,000 cost of SRS, without which they could never have afforded it. Notably, most of those at the demonstration who were transidentified were also post-operative.

Other activists point out this reimbursement has been accomplished at the expense of pathologizing an entire class of tens of thousands of people, including non-complaining crossdressers and transgendered people who have no desire for surgery. They further maintain the tide on reimbursement is clearly going out in the current political climate. Some have compared “GID” to “homosexuality” when it was a disorder: more a political than a medical category. Since they show no symptoms of mental impairment or disorder, they state they resent the diagnosis.

GID Used Against Other GenderQueers ———————————–

GID has also come under increasing fire from the larger queer community, which has noted its use in obtaining “corrective treatment” for non-complaining gender-variant children as young as 2-4, as well as against “butchy” teenage lesbians and “nelly” teenage gayboys whose parents simply fear the stigma of queer offspring.

This has led some to seek a compromise strategey which, while removing GID as a mental disorder, would retaining some medical basis for reimbursement. They point out intersexed “corrective” [sic] surgery is routinely reimbursed without question, although it is often exclusively and openly cosmetic. In addition, they note that childbirth is also reimbursed but is not a disease or a disorder.

Queer Shrinks To Consider GID —————————–

Dr. Wynelle Snow, MD, a psychiatrist and member of Transexual Menace (CT), and Riki Anne Wilchins of Transexual Menace (NYC) met with members of the Association of Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Psychiatrists during the convention, to air transgender concerns and seek the association’s support. The AGLBP will be taking up the issues in its upcoming meetings. In addition, Dr. Snow is formally requesting the group change its name to include “Transgender.” [END]

New Book Alleges US Spends Millions “Treating” Gender-Variant Children ===================================

[New York City – July 21, 1996]

According to Phyllis Burke’s new book <und>Gender Shock<und>, for almost three decade the US government has been funneling millions in taxpayer dollars to locate, diagnose and “treat” scores of children for being gender-variant.

Only The Tip of the Iceberg —————————

States Burke, “Government records indicate that, since the early 1970’s, at least 1.5 million dollars was awarded from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) alone.The institutions that received these funds include UCLA, the State University of New York at Stony Brook, the Roosevelt Institute in New York City, Fuller Theological Seminary, and the Logos Reassert Institute.”

Noting that many of the NIMH records on these grants have since been destroyed and that tens of thousands of additional funds have been awarded from other agencies to a variety of individual researchers, “[this] leads me to believe that 1.5 million dollars awarded to institutions is probably the tip of the iceberg.”

The diagnosis most often used against genderqueer children was “Gender Identity Disorder. GID, well-known for its application to transexuals seeking sex reassignment surgery, is still also routinely applied to diagnose and treat non-complaining crossdressers, transgendered people, and children suspected of homosexuality or homosexual behavior. The protest group Transexual Menace picketed the American Psychiatric Association at their national meeting in New York City in May, demanding an end to GID and pathologizing gender-variant behavior.

UCLA’s Feminine Boy Project —————————

Burke states that the largest documented governmental case involves UCLA researchers O. Ivar Lovaas, George Rekers (who claimed to have been funded himself for over a half a million dollars by NIMH), and Dr. Richard Green. Green, whose work on genderqueer boys was detailed in his 1987 study <und>The Sissy Boy Syndrome<und>, was the “principle analyst” at UCLA’s feminine boy project.

4 years Involuntary Commitment for One Genderqueer ——————————

“Treatment” across programs has run the gamut from basic psychotherapy, to round-the-clock reward/punishment regimes of behavioral modification, to forcible institutionalization in a psychiatric ward — sometimes complete with thorazine, haldol or other psycho-active drugs.

Daphne Scholinski is one such child who was involuntarily committed by her parents at 14, after being diagnosed by doctors with GID. “.She was athletic, she did not want to wear dresses and she refused to be submissive. After the first three months, Daphne attempted suicide by drinking Sea Breeze, a facial astringent.”

Daphne would not be released until 4 years later when she was 18. “Most people die after they get out. The recovery from the system is what gets people in the end. Life expectancy of my friends is pretty low. Most of my friends are dead.’ [END]

Dallas Denny, M.A., Executive Director

American Educational Gender Information Service, Inc. A 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Corporation P.O. Box 33724, Decatur, GA 30033-0724 (770) 939-2128 Business (770) 939-0244 Information & Referrals (770) 939-1770 FAX aegis@mindspring.com E-Mail

Visit the AEGIS FTP Site: ftp://ftp.mindspring.com/users/aegis/ User ID: anonymous Password: (your email address)

ASK US FOR INFO ON OUR ELECTRONIC MAILING LISTS!

Original Date: Sat, 03 Aug 1996 00:39:29 -0400 Originally From: Dallas Denny <aegis@atl.mindspring.com>

From: riki@nyc.pipeline.com (Riki Anne Wilchins)

APA TARGET of 2nd DEMONSTRATION by TRANSACTIVISTS ====================================

[CHICAGO – July 20, 1996] Just 5 months after demonstrating outside the American Psychiatric Association’s annual meeting, transactivists have announced they are once again planning to confront APA members over Gender Identity Disorder (GID). [See May 5 release below.]

The peaceful demonstration, to be held outside the APA national meeting in Chicago on Saturday, October 19, has been called by members of the Chicago, Connecticut, NYC and Boston chapters of the direct action group, the Transexual Menace. [Interested parties should contact Riki Wilchins (Riki@Pipeline.Com 212-645-1753) or Nancy Nangeroni (NRN@world.std.com); free rooms will be found for those needing overnight accommodations.]

Not About Dysfunction, But Punishing Difference ————————

While GID is often used for transexuals seeking sex-reassignment surgery, it is also routinely applied in pathologizing gender variant children, queer teens, non-complaining crossdressers, and transgenders.

Said a Menace spokestrans, “Yes, it’s important that people get their surgery and insurance reimbursement. But it’s also crucial we do so without pathologizing millions of gendervariant and transgendered teens, adults, and kids. GID isn’t about dysfunction. It’s about punishing gender difference and enforcing gender norms in the guise of practicing medicine. Just like the earlier disease of `homosexuality,’ GID is inevitably used against the most vulnerable among us – our genderqueer kids.”

GenderPathoPhilia? ——————

“We think the APA has their *own* disorder — GenderPathoPhilia — which we define as `an abnormal need or desire to pathologize any gender behavior which makes you uncomfortable.’ They’ve had their turn `treating’ us – maybe it’s our turn to render a little treatment back. Pack your bags for Chicago!”

Millions in Tax Dollars for “Treating” Gender Variant Kids ——————————

According to Phyllis Burke’s new book GENDER SHOCK, for almost 3 decades the US government has been funneling millions in taxpayer dollars to locate, diagnose and “treat” scores of children for having the “disease” of GID.

States Burke, “Government records indicate that, since the early 1970’s, at least 1.5 million dollars was awarded from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), adding she believes “[this] is probably the tip of the iceberg.” [See July 21 release below.]

This “research” and “treatment” continues even today with children as young as 3 or 4 years of age. Often their only “disorder” is running afoul of the APA’s traditional fear of sexual or gender difference.

Most of my friends are dead —————————

Daphne Scholinski is one such child who was involuntarily committed by her parents from age 14 to 18, after being diagnosed with GID. An athletic teen, Scholinski she did not want to wear dresses or be submissive. After 3 months, she attempted suicide by drinking a facial astringent. “Most people die after they get out. The recovery from the system is what gets people in the end. Life expectancy of my friends is pretty low. Most of my friends are dead.” [END]

TRANSACTIVISTS PROTEST APA – CALL FOR END TO “GENDER IDENTITY DISORDER” =================================

[May 5, 1996 – New York City] On May 5, 1996 over a dozen gender activists from the queer community, Transexual Menace (CT), Transexual Menace (NY), Transexual Menace (Men), and TOPS, demonstrated outside the annual meeting of American Psychiatric Association and called for an end to diagnosing transpeople as mentally disordered. The diagnostic category of “Gender Identity Disorder” (GID, also known as “gender dysphoria”) is routinely applied to anyone seeking sex reassignment surgery (SRS).

Activists handed out over 1,000 leaflets [text follows]. Others held up signs saying “Keep Your Laws OFF My Body” and “Gender Euphoria NOT Gender Dysphoria.” The demonstration continued for several hours while attendees arrived, many of whom stopped to chat with demonstrators. Some seemed shocked at the sight of so many black “Transexual Menace” T-shirts outside the convention hall, while others were amused, intrigued or supportive.

NY State Police had initially sought to move demonstrators from their site in front of the Jacob Javits Center where the Convention was held. They relented only when several members of TOPS, the national organization for trans peace officers, including Deputy Sherrif Tonye Barreto-Neto and Lt. Janet Aiello, showed their badges and identified themselves as fellow officers. They patiently explained why they were there and negotiated for half an hour, after which Police allowed demontrators to stay. One trooper privately explained to demontrators that he wanted to be supportive, having done papers on transexuality in college.

Dissension Over GID Within TransCommunity —————————

In spite of the demonstration, removing GID as a psychiatric diagnosis has been a source of continuing dispute within the transcommunity. The diagnosis has enabled many transexuals to obtain insurance reimbursement for the $10-40,000 cost of SRS, without which they could never have afforded it. Notably, most of those at the demonstration who were transidentified were also post-operative.

Other activists point out this reimbursement has been accomplished at the expense of pathologizing an entire class of tens of thousands of people, including non-complaining crossdressers and transgendered people who have no desire for surgery. They further maintain the tide on reimbursement is clearly going out in the current political climate. Some have compared “GID” to “homosexuality” when it was a disorder: more a political than a medical category. Since they show no symptoms of mental impairment or disorder, they state they resent the diagnosis.

GID Used Against Other GenderQueers ———————————–

GID has also come under increasing fire from the larger queer community, which has noted its use in obtaining “corrective treatment” for non-complaining gender-variant children as young as 2-4, as well as against “butchy” teenage lesbians and “nelly” teenage gayboys whose parents simply fear the stigma of queer offspring.

This has led some to seek a compromise strategey which, while removing GID as a mental disorder, would retaining some medical basis for reimbursement. They point out intersexed “corrective” [sic] surgery is routinely reimbursed without question, although it is often exclusively and openly cosmetic. In addition, they note that childbirth is also reimbursed but is not a disease or a disorder.

Queer Shrinks To Consider GID —————————–

Dr. Wynelle Snow, MD, a psychiatrist and member of Transexual Menace (CT), and Riki Anne Wilchins of Transexual Menace (NYC) met with members of the Association of Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Psychiatrists during the convention, to air transgender concerns and seek the association’s support. The AGLBP will be taking up the issues in its upcoming meetings. In addition, Dr. Snow is formally requesting the group change its name to include “Transgender.” [END]

New Book Alleges US Spends Millions “Treating” Gender-Variant Children ===================================

[New York City – July 21, 1996]

According to Phyllis Burke’s new book <und>Gender Shock<und>, for almost three decade the US government has been funneling millions in taxpayer dollars to locate, diagnose and “treat” scores of children for being gender-variant.

Only The Tip of the Iceberg —————————

States Burke, “Government records indicate that, since the early 1970’s, at least 1.5 million dollars was awarded from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) alone.The institutions that received these funds include UCLA, the State University of New York at Stony Brook, the Roosevelt Institute in New York City, Fuller Theological Seminary, and the Logos Reassert Institute.”

Noting that many of the NIMH records on these grants have since been destroyed and that tens of thousands of additional funds have been awarded from other agencies to a variety of individual researchers, “[this] leads me to believe that 1.5 million dollars awarded to institutions is probably the tip of the iceberg.”

The diagnosis most often used against genderqueer children was “Gender Identity Disorder. GID, well-known for its application to transexuals seeking sex reassignment surgery, is still also routinely applied to diagnose and treat non-complaining crossdressers, transgendered people, and children suspected of homosexuality or homosexual behavior. The protest group Transexual Menace picketed the American Psychiatric Association at their national meeting in New York City in May, demanding an end to GID and pathologizing gender-variant behavior.

UCLA’s Feminine Boy Project —————————

Burke states that the largest documented governmental case involves UCLA researchers O. Ivar Lovaas, George Rekers (who claimed to have been funded himself for over a half a million dollars by NIMH), and Dr. Richard Green. Green, whose work on genderqueer boys was detailed in his 1987 study <und>The Sissy Boy Syndrome<und>, was the “principle analyst” at UCLA’s feminine boy project.

4 years Involuntary Commitment for One Genderqueer ——————————

“Treatment” across programs has run the gamut from basic psychotherapy, to round-the-clock reward/punishment regimes of behavioral modification, to forcible institutionalization in a psychiatric ward — sometimes complete with thorazine, haldol or other psycho-active drugs.

Daphne Scholinski is one such child who was involuntarily committed by her parents at 14, after being diagnosed by doctors with GID. “.She was athletic, she did not want to wear dresses and she refused to be submissive. After the first three months, Daphne attempted suicide by drinking Sea Breeze, a facial astringent.”

Daphne would not be released until 4 years later when she was 18. “Most people die after they get out. The recovery from the system is what gets people in the end. Life expectancy of my friends is pretty low. Most of my friends are dead.’ [END]

Dallas Denny, M.A., Executive Director

American Educational Gender Information Service, Inc. A 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Corporation P.O. Box 33724, Decatur, GA 30033-0724 (770) 939-2128 Business (770) 939-0244 Information & Referrals (770) 939-1770 FAX aegis@mindspring.com E-Mail

Visit the AEGIS FTP Site: ftp://ftp.mindspring.com/users/aegis/ User ID: anonymous Password: (your email address)

ASK US FOR INFO ON OUR ELECTRONIC MAILING LISTS!

Original Date: Mon, 05 Aug 1996 12:12:23 -0400 Originally From: Dallas Denny <aegis@atl.mindspring.com> Date: Sat, 3 Aug 1996 11:11:03 +0000 Subject: The FTM Survey Project is online! ***PLEASE POST AND DISTRIBUTE TO ALL FTM/TG RESOURCES***

——————————————————–

The FTM Survey Project is on-line!

The FTM Survey Project is a pilot program that hopes to provide some of the much needed demographic information about the FTM community. If knowledge is power, then the more we know about ourselves, the more we can do to insure that our voices will be heard on issues regarding health care, civil rights, and legal protection.

The FTM Survey Project is being conducted by Alexander Goodrum, an FTM filmmaker and activist. All information gathered will be organized and shared with Transgendered support, information, and advocacy organizations. This project is a work in progress and is not meant to be a scientific survey. Changes and additions will be made as they become necessary.

The FTM Survey Project is available on the World Wide Web at: http://www.azstarnet.com/~goodrum/survey.html.

If you participate in an FTM support group, and would like to assist by distributing the survey at your meetings, please email me so that I can send you some copies.

For more information about the FTM Survey Project, I can be contacted at:

TFTM Survey Project PO Box 36012, Tucson, AZ 85740 goodrum@azstarnet.com http://www.azstarnet.com/~goodrum/survey.html. Thanks,

Alexander (Bear) Goodrum Dallas Denny, M.A., Executive Director

American Educational Gender Information Service, Inc. A 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Corporation P.O. Box 33724, Decatur, GA 30033-0724 (770) 939-2128 Business (770) 939-0244 Information & Referrals (770) 939-1770 FAX aegis@mindspring.com E-Mail

Visit the AEGIS FTP Site: ftp://ftp.mindspring.com/users/aegis/ User ID: anonymous Password: (your email address)

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Original Date: Mon, 05 Aug 1996 13:07:22 -0400 Originally From: Dallas Denny <aegis@atl.mindspring.com>

From: MelindaMW@aol.com Date: Sun, 4 Aug 1996 20:32:25 -0400 The following is an article by Marc Breedlove published in the June, 1996 Psychologue, the newsletter of the Psychology Department of the University of California at Berkeley entitled “The Chicken-and-Egg Argument as It Applies to the Brains of Transsexuals: Does It Matter”:

Most of us are perfectly comfortable with the fact that we are male or female. In fact we normally never give it a thought. But there are a very few people who feel they were born with the wrong body – men who feel they should have been born women and vice versa. In many cases these people, referred to as transsexuals, remember feeling this way even in childhood. When the feeling becomes strong enough, the person may seek surgery to remove their testes or ovaries, may have their external genitalia surgically altered and take homones to make them appear like the other sex. These extreme measures are accompanied by discomfort and risk, so no one would entertain them on a whim. Rather, transsexuals take such drastic measures because they feel so strongly and consistently that they should have been born the opposite sex. Because transsexuals are born with bodies that seem perfectly normal to other people, we may suspect that the souroe of these deep-seated feelings about their bodies arises from their brains. The recent report from Dick Swaab and his colleagues at the Netherlands Institute for Brain Research confirms this notion (Zhou, J. N., Hofman, M. A, Gooren, L. J. G., & Swaab, D. F. A sex difference in the human brain and its relation to transsexuality. Nature, 378, 68-70, 1995). Swaab and colleagues examined the brains of many individuals, including homosexual men, heterosexual men and women and six male-to-female transsexuals. They found that a tiny region with the unwieldy name of the central region of the bed nucleus of the stria terininalis (BSTc) was larger in men than in women. Sexual orientation seemed irrelevant to the size of the BSTc because it was as large in homosexual men as in heterosexual men. But the BSTc of the six trnssexuals was as small as that of women – about half the volume of the BSTc in other men. Thus the brains of the transsexuals seem to coincide with their conviction that they are women. Of course such a report seems fantastic for several reasons. We kww the brain is the center which controls all our behaviors, so of course differences in our behavior must reflect some differences in our brains. But the brain is a very complex system, and who would suspect that we might discern a difference related to such a rare and complicated condition as transsexuality? On the other hnnd, perhaps this is no more surprising than the discovery of sex differences in the structure of the human brain, and there have been several such reports over the last decade. If we can discern differences in brain structure between men and women, why not between transsexuls and other genetic males? Is there a simple way to dismiss these findings? Since all the raissexuals had received long-term treatment with estrogen and all but one had been castrated, one concern is whether the brain differences simply reflect the hormone treatments rather than the psychological condition of these people. But among the other men and women are several cases which seem to dispute this view. For example, several of the women were well past menopause and so had seen little estrogen in the years before they died, and two of the heterosexual men had been castrated to treat prostate cancer. Yet the women without estrogen still had a small BsTc and the men without their testes still had a large BSTc. So there does not seem to be any simple relationship between hormone exposure and BSTc size. You can think of other spurious reasons for the correlation, such as body size or brain weight or age, but the scientists have examples that seem to rule out each of those possibilities. So the only variable that seems to explain the small BSTc in the transeexuals is their transsexuality itself. But there is another aspect of these results that we must consider, and that is the origin of transsexuality and brain differences. When did this difference in the size of the BSTc arise in these individuals – in childheod, in adolescence or in adulthood? We will not know the answer to this soon, because the BsTc is so small that none of the non-invasive imaging techniques provides enough resolution to measure or even detect the BSTc. That means that at present we can measure the BsTc only by removing the brain, which in turn means it can be measured only oncein any one individual, after they have died. Thus there remain two alternative explanations for why the BSTc is smaller in traussexuals. Perhaps as babies these individuals were born with a small BsTc (or born with a BSTc that was programmed to grow only a little) and that small feminine BSTc caused them to regard themselves as fenitnine and to become transsexuals. But on the other hand, it is possible that other factors (such as filily structure, peer interactions, or random variation) caused these boys to regard themselves as feminine and grow up to be traussexuals. And those same “other factors’ may have caused their BSTc to develop a small size. For most laymen the idea that experience can alter the structure of the brain may seem unlikely, but for over 30 years neuroscientists have provided demonstrations that this idea is quite correct. At Berkeley, David Krech, Mark Rosensweig and colleagues found that when rats were raised in enriched environments (with toys and other rats) rather than caged alone, the animals showed many reliable changes in brain structure. Shortly after, David Hubel and Torsten Wiesel of Harvard demonstrated that depriving kittens of visual stimulation to an eye would alter connections between the eye and the brain. Such demonstrations of experience altering brain structure have been extended to monkeys and, in recent years, to humans. For example, a human who had lost his hand as an adult showed clear evidence that the side of the brain controlling that hand was reorganized less than a year after the accident (Yang, T.T., Gallen, 0., Schwartz, B., Bloom, F. E., Ramachandran, V.S., & Cobb, S. Sensory maps in the human brain. Nature, 386, 592-593, 1994 [letter]). As noninvasive imaging techniques are perfected we can expect to see further demonstrations that experience can alter the adult human brain. Why an I so confident that there will he more such demonstrations? I’m well aware of how much humans can learn, how much they can alter their behavior, and how frequently they do so. All of this behavioral plasticity requires that something in the brain remain plastic, too. But there is another important feature of the recent work with transsexuals that we can all ponder. Whether these men were born with a small BSTc which caused them to become transsexuals, or whether these men became transsexuals which then caused them to have a small BSTc, the fact remains that their brains are physically different. And that difference is not trivial, because any difference we can detect with our primitive understanding of neuroanatomy is, by definition, not trivial. Thus we might regard transsexuality as a deep, abiding conviction. Presumably these adults could no more set aside their feelings about which sex they are than you or I could. So perhaps the report of Zhou et al. will make it easier for our society to accept and tolerate transsexulity. Dallas Denny, M.A., Executive Director

American Educational Gender Information Service, Inc. A 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Corporation P.O. Box 33724, Decatur, GA 30033-0724 (770) 939-2128 Business (770) 939-0244 Information & Referrals (770) 939-1770 FAX aegis@mindspring.com E-Mail

Visit the AEGIS FTP Site: ftp://ftp.mindspring.com/users/aegis/ User ID: anonymous Password: (your email address)

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Original Date: Mon, 05 Aug 1996 22:33:04 -0400 Originally From: Dallas Denny <aegis@atl.mindspring.com>

Subject: DEBORAH FORTE MURDER TRIAL VIGIL SET DEBORAH FORTE MURDER TRIAL VIGIL SET ====================================

[NEW YORK CITY – August 4, 1996] A peaceful Memorial Vigil has been called by members of Transexual Menace, IFGE, GenderPAC, Renaissance, and AEGIS for the murder trial of Ms. Deborah Forte — Monday, September 16th. The trial will be held in either Lawrence, MA or nearby Newberry Port.

Ms. Forte, a Haverhill, MA woman, was brutally killed May 15th, 1995 after suffering deep stab wounds to her chest, a smashed nose, severe blows to her head, and partial strangulation.

Charged in the crime was Mr. Thompson, who confessed to a coworker that he had killed Ms. Forte after “messing around” with her and then discovering she had a penis. [See story below]. In a coincidence viewed by some as sadly ironic, and by others as simply monstrous, Ms. Forte’s murder occurred only hours after dozens gender activists had left the May 15th, 1995 Memorial Vigil for the murder of Brandon, Teena, held in Falls City, NE.

Community leaders say they have called for the Deborah Forte Memorial Vigil to continuing focusing awareness on the tragic level of violence against the transcommunity, as well as to make sure Ms. Forte’s death does not go unremembered.

Those interested in attending should contact Riki Anne Wilchins (Riki@Pipeline.Com, 212-645-1753), Nancy Nangeroni (NRN@world.std.com), or Alison Laing (a.l@lng.com). GenderPAC will be renting several rooms in nearby motels for attendees requiring overnight accommodations, Sunday, September 15th. [END]

MORE ON THE MURDER OF DEBORAH FORTE… ========================================

(New York City – September 12, 1995) Mr. Michael J. Thompson of Haverhill MA has pleaded non-guilty in Haverhill District Court to the charge of murder. He was ordered held without bail.

Mr. Thompson was charged with the stabbing death of Deborah Forte, who was discovered by her roommate at 9:20am on the morning of May 15. Ms. Forte suffered three stab wounds to the chest — each half a foot deep, and in addition a number of slash wounds across her chest, a smashed nose, multiple severe blows to her head and face, and signs on her throat of partial strangulation.

Mr. Thompson allegedly confessed to a coworker that he killed Ms. Forte, after they went to her residence, began “messing around,” and he discovered that she had a penis.

As they did with the brutal murder of Brandon Teena in Falls City NB, The Transexual Menace is planning a peaceful Memorial Vigil for the opening day of the trial — both to honor the memory of Ms. Forte, and to protest yet another bloody and violent gender-based murder.

As of yet, no trial date has been set. Persons interested in participating in the Vigil should contact The Transexual Menace, c/o Riki Anne Wilchins, Riki@Pipeline.Com or call (212)645-1753. [END] Dallas Denny, M.A., Executive Director

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Original Date: Tue, 06 Aug 1996 14:57:51 -0400 Originally From: Dallas Denny <aegis@atl.mindspring.com>

Date: Tue, 6 Aug 1996 10:34:54 -0400 From: Beyond The Closet <hba@empnet.com> Subject: Solidarity Sunday

Please repost widely & freely!

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

Dignity USA has selected Sunday, October 6th (the Sunday before National Coming Out Day) as the second observance of Solidarity Sunday.

Solidarity Sunday is an invitation for members of the Christian community to show support for their gay, lesbian, transgender, and bisexual brothers and sisters by wearing a sign of support. As last year this sign will be a swath of rainbow colored ribbon pinned to one’s clothing.

Secular, as well as religious organizations are encouraged to work with members of their local clergy to invite entire congregations to join in the observation of Solidarity Sunday. Ribbons are handed out on a piece of card containing the Solidarity Pledge, as well as the Solidarity Prayer. Perhaps this could be a tool to open discussions with churches we do not normally approach in our human dignity work.

One side of the card reads:

I wear this ribbon in Solidarity with my Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered Sisters and Brothers.

Solidarity Prayer:

God, You are the Creator and Lover of all, regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation or gender identity. We pray that verbal and physical violence against our lesbian gay, bisexual, and transgendered brothers and sisters cease. We pray in the name of Jesus, who welcomed all to his circle of friends. Amen.

We must end verbal and physical gay bashing! The flip side reads:

Pledge: I pledge

1. I will work for civil and human rights for all people, including gays, lesbians, bisexuals and the transgendered. *Civil rights are not special rights.* 2. I will seek to stop jokes and unkind language about anyone, including gays, lesbians, bisexuals and the transgendered when spoken in my presence *Words hurt and bigotry is not funny.* 3. I will speak out against slander, debasement, lies or dehumanization of anyone, including gays, lesbians, bisexuals and the transgendered, including when spoken by political or religious leaders *Violent speech leads to physical violence.* 4. I will work to stop physical violence against anyone, including gays, lesbians, bisexuals and the transgendered. *Violence against any person is violence against all people.

For more information about how you may work in your community to promote Solidarity Sunday contact:

Bruce Jarstfer, MD PO Bo 701592 San Antonio, TX 78270-1592 Voice: (210) 545-9097 email: BruceSJ@aol.com

 

Bruce Amsbary = + = + = + = + = + = + = + = + = + = + = + = + = + = + = + = + = + =

H. Bruce Amsbary Bend, OR hba@empnet.com

When Your’e Straight . . . When Your’e Lesbian or Gay . . .

You get a tax break for being You can’t *get* married married

You get looks of admiration when You get spat upon and jeered at you hold your partner’s hand when you hold your’e partner’s hand

You get to keep your kids no You get your kids taken away no matter how bad a parent you are. matter how good a parent you are.

You have a life You have a “lifestyle”

Standing up for your rights Standing up for your rights makes makes you a participatory citizen you a “militant homosexual.”

= + = + = + = + = + = + = + = + = + = + = + = + = + = + = + = + = + = Dallas Denny, M.A., Executive Director

American Educational Gender Information Service, Inc. A 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Corporation P.O. Box 33724, Decatur, GA 30033-0724 (770) 939-2128 Business (770) 939-0244 Information & Referrals (770) 939-1770 FAX aegis@mindspring.com E-Mail

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Original Date: Tue, 06 Aug 1996 15:03:21 -0400 Originally From: Dallas Denny <aegis@atl.mindspring.com>

Date: Tue, 6 Aug 1996 10:21:12 -0700

From: Rex Wockner <rwockner@NETCOM.COM> Subject: Newsclips #1330: GAY AND LESBIAN MEDIA CENTER OPENS IN SAN DIEGO

MEDIA RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Alan Klein (212) 807-1700 Pager: (800) 601-5483 (please include area code) VOICES ’96 Media Center (San Diego) 8/10-8/15/96: (619) 595-7949

GAY AND LESBIAN MEDIA CENTER OPENS IN SAN DIEGO FOR REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION GAY RIGHTS ACTIVIST ANN NORTHROP TO MONITOR HATE, LIES AND STEREOTYPES

NEW YORK CITY, AUG. 6, 1996-The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), in an unprecedented coalition with local San Diego and national lesbian and gay organizations, will conduct its Republican National Convention (RNC) media operations from the VOICES ’96 Media Center, which is open from August 8 through August 15 and is located at 327 4th Avenue (between J and Harbour Blvd). The VOICES ’96 Media Center telephone number is (619) 595-7949.

GLAAD will monitor the RNC and media coverage of the convention to ensure fair and accurate presentation of lesbian- and gay-oriented issues. The organization will offer rapid response with decisive commentary on the GOP’s words and deeds throughout the four-day event. GLAAD will also monitor the GOP’s treatment of Arizona Congressman Jim Kolbe, the nation’s second openly gay Republican representative, and the convention’s handling of the Log Cabin Republicans, the national organization of lesbian and gay Republicans.

“Both the Republicans and Democrats have targeted the lesbian and gay and AIDS communities as scapegoats with hateful and bigoted election-year distortions,” said Ann Northrop, a spokesperson for GLAAD. “We feel it is imperative at this point in history to be in San Diego to actively oppose these lies and insults which are part of a general tone of divisiveness.”

The reportage on lesbian and gay issues throughout the 1996 presidential campaign has also been disappointing, according to Northrop, “the so-called Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) is a perfect example of the appalling ignorance in the media. It’s become clear to us that we need to take a more proactive stance and give the American public the facts rather than our opponent’s distortions and lies.”

While in San Diego GLAAD will also operate “Media Express,” a project to assist community-based lesbian and gay organizations and activists in targeting and packaging their messages. According to GLAAD Community Affairs Director Donna Red Wing, “GLAAD will open up its media tool box to the community at this one-stop shop, offering not only the tools but also the skills to use them.”

Media Express will open on Sunday, August 11 and will remain open until Thursday, August 15. Hours of operation are from 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM. Media Express is located at the Hillcrest Lesbian and Gay Community Center, the hub for VOICES ’96 (Voters Organized in Coalition for the Elections) activities, at 3916 Normal Street.

VOICES ’96 is a San Diego-based grassroots coalition of organizations representing the gay, lesbian, bi and transgendered communities during the Republican National Convention. GLAAD is the nation’s lesbian and gay news bureau and the only national lesbian and gay media watchdog organization. GLAAD promotes fair, accurate, and inclusive representation as a means of challenging discrimination based on sexual orientation or identity. -30-

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) glaad@glaad.org VISIT THE GLAAD WEB SITE AT http://www.glaad.org!

GLAAD promotes fair, accurate and inclusive representation as a means of challenging discrimination based on sexual orientation or identity. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ “GLAAD” and “Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation” are trademarks of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, Inc. Dallas Denny, M.A., Executive Director

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Original Date: Tue, 06 Aug 1996 15:01:56 -0400 Originally From: Dallas Denny <aegis@atl.mindspring.com>

From: Mike Mills <mills@Colorado.EDU> Subject: NY TIMES: Conservative Congressman Discloses That He Is Gay THE NEW YORK TIMES 229 W. 43rd Street New York,NY,10036 FAX: 212-556-3622, E-MAIL: letters@nytimes.com

 

August 3, 1996 Conservative Congressman Discloses That He Is Gay Related Articles Political Points: A Guide to Web Resources Politics Index By DAVID W. DUNLAP

Three weeks ago, the House of Representatives voted to deny federal recognition to same-sex marriages and absolve states of the obligation to honor such marriages performed in other states.

Voting with the majority for the Defense of Marriage Act was Rep. Jim Kolbe, a 54-year-old Arizona Republican serving his sixth term.

In Washington, Kolbe is best known for having championed the North American Free Trade Agreement. But a number of gay-rights advocates said there was something else that should be known about him. Within days of the vote, they launched a blistering campaign on the Internet to compel Kolbe to disclose that he himself was gay, a practice known as “outing.”

The campaign reached its crescendo last week with a full-page ad in The Washington Blade, a newspaper that reaches a nationwide gay audience, calling on “all closeted gay and lesbian members of Congress” to “end your silence and defend your community.”

Thursday night, Kolbe spoke.

“That I am a gay person has never affected the way that I legislate,” he said in a statement. “The fact that I am gay has never, nor will it ever, change my commitment to represent all the people of Arizona’s 5th District,” which takes in part of Tucson and the southeastern corner of the state.

With his announcement, Kolbe became the fourth congressman to identify himself publicly as gay. The other three are Gerry Studds and Barney Frank, both Massachusetts Democrats, and Steve Gunderson, Republican of Wisconsin.

All three voted against the Defense of Marriage Act, which was prompted by expectations that a Hawaii court would ultimately rule that the state cannot discriminate in issuing marriage licenses on the basis of sex. President Clinton has already said he would sign the bill.

Explaining his vote, Kolbe said: “If the citizens of Hawaii believe it to be in their public interest to permit same-sex marriages, they should be permitted to do so. By the same token, other states — as Arizona has done — should be allowed to define marriage differently and not be required to accept the definition adopted by others.

“There are some who have decided that their disagreement with this particular vote warrants their making public information about my private life.”

Kolbe was elected to the Arizona state Senate in 1976 and to Congress in 1984. He won his most recent election with 68 percent and now serves on the Appropriations and Budget Committees. He is divorced and has no children.

The “outing” campaign took the form of e-mail dispatches from around the country. Some writers called on Kolbe to reconcile his vote with his sexual orientation; others said that his personal life was no one’s business but his own.

Kolbe was too busy talking with constituents Friday to grant interviews, said Ron Foreman, his press secretary. But he added that support from district residents had been “effusive” and that Kolbe had also received encouragement from House Speaker Newt Gingrich and others in Congress.

Gunderson was one of them. “I don’t believe in outing, yet I believe everybody ought to be out,” he said. “The fact that Jim and I are both out continues to break down stereotypes and the Republican Party is going to have to deal with that.”

From the other side of the aisle, Frank also welcomed Kolbe’s announcement. “It’s very helpful,” he said. “That he is a respected, able, mainstream conservative has to diminish the prejudice somewhat.”

Frank said Kolbe’s vote on the marriage bill should not by itself make him anathema to lesbians and gay men. “In general, Kolbe has voted against bigotry and discrimination,” he said, “so his overall record is intellectually honest on this issue.”

One of the architects of the campaign was Michael Petrelis, an advocate of gay rights who lives in San Francisco. “I think it’s a terrific development that we now have an equal number of openly gay GOP members of Congress,” he said.

State Rep. Ken Cheuvront of Phoenix, who was elected in 1994 as an openly gay candidate, said Friday that Arizona residents “could care less” that Kolbe was gay but that they were “mad at the gay press.”

“They think that outing is wrong,” Cheuvront said, “that what one does in the privacy of one’s own home shouldn’t be discussed in the newspapers. Dallas Denny, M.A., Executive Director

American Educational Gender Information Service, Inc. A 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Corporation P.O. Box 33724, Decatur, GA 30033-0724 (770) 939-2128 Business (770) 939-0244 Information & Referrals (770) 939-1770 FAX aegis@mindspring.com E-Mail

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Original Date: Fri, 09 Aug 1996 18:22:41 -0400 Originally From: Dallas Denny <aegis@atl.mindspring.com>

AEGIS is operating a list called Gender Help (GENDHELP). It’s a place to ask questions and have discussion of issues related to personal growth and/or transition. Subscribers to AEGISNWS are welcome to subscribe.

To subscribe, send e-mail to listserve@xconn.com. On the first line of the message, write:

subscribe gendhelp Thanks. Dallas Denny, M.A., Executive Director

American Educational Gender Information Service, Inc. A 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Corporation P.O. Box 33724, Decatur, GA 30033-0724 (770) 939-2128 Business (770) 939-0244 Information & Referrals (770) 939-1770 FAX aegis@mindspring.com E-Mail

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Original Date: Sun, 11 Aug 1996 16:32:44 -0400 Originally From: Dallas Denny <aegis@atl.mindspring.com>

From: GLCFWendy@aol.com From: Leslie Feinberg (SBBlues@aol.com) As posted in the Transgender Community Forum on AOL MINNIE BRUCE PRATT’S 50th BIRTHDAY BASH Y’all come!

Whether Minnie Bruce Pratt is your old friend, or you’ve known her through her writing or her political organizing, you are invited to come celebrate this very important day with Minnie Bruce and Leslie Feinberg.

Please bring or send cards, notes, letters or tapes about what it’s meant to you to know Minnie Bruce, and the impact of her writing and organizing on your life. Send or bring a memory, or a photo. And we’ll have an open mike from 8-9 for on-the-spot birthday wishes.

Then we’re gonna dance!

Thurs., Sept. 12 8-11 pm

Space provided by the International Action Center 39 West 14th St. (Bet. 5th & 6th Ave.), Room 206 New York, NY 10011

If you can’t make it that night, you can e-mail or snail mail your birthday greetings to Minnie Bruce via Leslie:

e-mail: SBBlues@aol.com mail: MBPratt c/o Leslie Feinberg, PO Box 8212, JC, NJ 07308 Dallas Denny, M.A., Executive Director

American Educational Gender Information Service, Inc. A 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Corporation P.O. Box 33724, Decatur, GA 30033-0724 (770) 939-2128 Business (770) 939-0244 Information & Referrals (770) 939-1770 FAX aegis@mindspring.com E-Mail

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Original Date: Sun, 11 Aug 1996 04:06:28 -0400 Originally From: Dallas Denny <aegis@atl.mindspring.com>

From: Jacob Hale <hcphi002@dewey.csun.edu> To: aegis@mindspring.com Subject: Husband failed to tell wife he was a woman (fwd) ———- Forwarded message ———- Date: Mon, 5 Aug 1996 15:49:20 -0400 From: FTMOLInfo@aol.com Subject: Husband failed to tell wife he was a woman

On Fri, Aug 2, 1996 8:55 PM PST, GLCF Wendy sends this from the Net:

Husband failed to tell wife he was a woman (UK)

BY RUSSELL JENKINS

A MARRIAGE was declared null and void after 17 years when a wife discovered her husband was really a woman, the Court of Appeal was told yesterday. Their relationship was based on a “profound deception”, her counsel said.

The couple had two children – a boy aged 9 and a girl of 4, – who were born after the woman underwent artificial insemination from a donor. The wife said her husband had told her he had had a vasectomy.

Eventually she began divorce proceedings after an argument in which she accused him of not being a real man. She hired a private detective to find out her husband’s true sexuality by producing his birth certificate.

The husband took his case to the appeal court after a High Court judge ruled that he had married by committing perjury and that, consequently, he was not entitled to a division of the marriage wealth or automatic access to the children.

After the hearing, Madeleine Rees, his solicitor, said that the case raised profound issues about the status of transsexuals in British society. She said that if her client won his case, it would be a step in the right direction for the “true identity of transexuals of both sexes.”

Neither of the couple can be named in order to protect their children. The husband, called “J” in court, lives in the Birmingham area and his former wife, now 49, lives with the children in West Sussex.

Ben Emerson, for the husband, said his client had “an unshakable conviction that at his core he is a man, although he is trapped in a woman’s body”. Mr Emerson said it was never discussed before or during the marriage “what the nature of this man’s birth position was”.

He said there had been ample chance during sexual intercourse for the woman to realise she was in “a relationship with someone who was not a full-blooded man”.

The man had an operation to remove his breasts and had undergone hormonal treatment before he met the woman. During intercourse he used an artificial sex aid. He had never told her his original gender and now accepted that he should have done so.

The three appeal court judges, Lord Justice Neill, Lord Justice Ward and Lord Justice Potter, were asked if the man could have been said to have committed a perjury when he declared himself a bachelor on the marriage certificate.

Lord Justice Ward, announcing that the judgment would be reserved, said: “We are aware of the growing body of medical and international opinion that this court will ignore at its peril.” Dallas Denny, M.A., Executive Director

American Educational Gender Information Service, Inc. A 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Corporation P.O. Box 33724, Decatur, GA 30033-0724 (770) 939-2128 Business (770) 939-0244 Information & Referrals (770) 939-1770 FAX aegis@mindspring.com E-Mail

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Original Date: Sun, 11 Aug 1996 22:38:49 -0400 Originally From: Dallas Denny <aegis@atl.mindspring.com>

Subject: NEW BILL WOULD PROTECT TRANSFOLK ON THE JOB From: riki@nyc.pipeline.com (Riki Anne Wilchins) NEW JOB DISCRIMINATION BILL WOULD PROTECT TRANSFOLK ============================

[Washington, D.C. — August 7, 1996] On July 11, 1996, House representative Brian P. Bilbray (R-CA) introduced a new a job discrimination bill that would protect transgendered persons.

The Workplace Fairness Act (H.R. 3784) bypasses the usual “laundry list” of protected classes: race, religion, sex, etc. Instead, it simply states that people would be protected from workplace discrimination for *any* reason not affecting job performance. The bill is co-sponsored by outed gay Reps. Gunderson and Kolbe among others, and is considered by some to be groundbreaking in its simplicity.

The Devil in the Details ————————-

One problem with the bill is that it still would let employers fire an employee for not getting along with coworkers. It’s often the *coworkers* who can’t getting along, not the transgendered worker. This problem could be fixed, but plenty of opposition to the bill is expected anyway — both from employers trying to protect their right to hire and fire who they want, as well as from activist groups favoring the unequivocal “laundry list” approach.

Express Your Support ——————–

Said Dana Priesing, GenderPAC’s Congressional Advocacy Coordinator: “The Workplace Fairness Act is an important first step towards outlawing *all* discrimination if a person is a competent and effective employee, and it’s the first bill we’ve seen which covers transpeople and genderqueers. Let your Congressional representative know you *support* the Workplace Fairness Act. Call 202-225-3121 and ask to speak to the representative for your district.” [END]

— InYourFace: a GenderPAC news service — Dallas Denny, M.A., Executive Director

American Educational Gender Information Service, Inc. A 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Corporation P.O. Box 33724, Decatur, GA 30033-0724 (770) 939-2128 Business (770) 939-0244 Information & Referrals (770) 939-1770 FAX aegis@mindspring.com E-Mail

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Original Date: Sun, 11 Aug 1996 04:06:21 -0400 Originally From: Dallas Denny <aegis@atl.mindspring.com>

From: transman@tantalus.clark.net Date: Tue, 6 Aug 1996 21:42:05 -0500 To: amboyz@netgsi.com

Transmen East conference

Various people from various transgender organizations have been discussing the need for an East Coast conference for butches/f2ms/transmen. Those people who have been able to attend the FTM International Conference on the West Coast have been very pleased with the information and networking possible and want to see that happen in the East, Midwest, South, and Canada as well as the West. Just as the m2fs have a network of conferences and special events, butches/f2ms/transmen need a network of conferences and special events held at various places around the North American continent.

Ben Singer of the Gender Transgressors, Jess Marlow, Deaf contact for the American Boyz, Jessica Xavier of It’s Time Maryland, & Jon Banks of the VA Boyz, have volunteered to help and have all pointed their fingers at me and told me I need to be the responsible party. Ben even went so far as to volunteer the efforts of Emily, who was one of the organizers of the Ms Leather conference (I hope I have that organizational affiliation right…)

Well, I had resisted, because as much as I’d like to see a conference on the East Coast, and as much as I think we need more butch/f2m/transmen conferences, it’s a lot of work to run one. But they twisted my arm so I’m doing it.

I am asking anyone from any transgender organization who wants to help work on an East Coast transmen conference to get in contact with me. We’ll establish a round robin mailing list to carry out some of the basic discussion like date, location, name for the conference, etc, then establish a regular meeting schedule and issue periodic progress reports.

Word is leaking and some people are referring to it as ‘The American Boyz conference’. It is not. I happen to be the Coordinator of the Amboyz and several Amboyz have volunteered to help, but several members of other organizations have also volunteered. Please let me stress that the conference is open to anyone of any organization and to all those who are not affiliated with organizations. It is everybody’s conference.

Anyone should feel to make suggestions about venues, topics, panels, keynote speakers, food, hotels, etc. We’ll take all the data we get, sort through it to figure out what’s feasible on our resources, and present as comprehensive a program as we can. FTM International has done very fine work, and has shown that it is doable. We hope other organizations will put on conferences in their regions also and that we can all network together to help our butch/ftm/transmen community grow strong throughout the entire country.

Some suggestions have already been made requesting panels on:

transgendered diversity, including people of color and differently abled people crossdressers and non-op transsexuals basic info on therapy, surgery, and hormones gay/bi f2ms significant others, friends, family, and allies dealer room with info tables and merchants

The suggested dates so far are:

Spring, so it doesn’t conflict with the FTM International conference August: host the FTM International conference on the East Coast February: because it’s a quiet time of year and easy to travel

The suggested name so far:

Transmen East conference

(Transman’s Ball was hooted down <g> )

Volunteers and suggestions should be made to me at: transman@tantalus.clark.net

This is everybody’s conference. We need it, we want it, we’re going to make it happen.

Gary Bowen Coordinator, The American Boyz At-Large Director, It’s Time America

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — The American Boyz is a mailing list for gender variant guys of any orientation and those who support them; including but not limited to tomboys, butches, f2ms,transmen, drag kings, intersexuals. For more info contact: <f2m-admin@tantalus.clark.net> and ask for the ‘Welcome & Info’ article; or write: P O Box 1118, Elkton, Md, 21922-1118

 

Dallas Denny, M.A., Executive Director

American Educational Gender Information Service, Inc. A 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Corporation P.O. Box 33724, Decatur, GA 30033-0724 (770) 939-2128 Business (770) 939-0244 Information & Referrals (770) 939-1770 FAX aegis@mindspring.com E-Mail

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Original Date: Sun, 11 Aug 1996 04:06:18 -0400 Originally From: Dallas Denny <aegis@atl.mindspring.com> From: cchase@isna.org (Cheryl Chase) Subject: Intersex activism in the media “The Unkindest Cut” in Utne Reader, Sept 96

An article on competing interpretations of genital surgery on intersex infants (is it comparable to African style female genital mutilation? Should it be infants’ genitals that are changed, or society’s attitudes?) is scheduled to appear in September Utne Reader. Morgan Holmes is quoted, and the web address of her Queer Frontiers paper (http://www.usc.edu/Library/QF/papers/holmes.short.html) is cited. ISNA’s address and web site are given in the resources section of the magazine.

 

(No title available) in Out Magazine, Sept 96 (on the stands Aug 15)

A long article by editor Anne d’Adesky, accompanied by a professional portrait of Morgan. d’Adesky interviewed Morgan, Martha, and Cheryl while we were in New York to speak at Mount Sinai. We have not yet seen the text of the article. ISNA’s address should be listed.

 

 

Dallas Denny, M.A., Executive Director

American Educational Gender Information Service, Inc. A 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Corporation P.O. Box 33724, Decatur, GA 30033-0724 (770) 939-2128 Business (770) 939-0244 Information & Referrals (770) 939-1770 FAX aegis@mindspring.com E-Mail

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Original Date: Sun, 11 Aug 1996 04:06:16 -0400 Originally From: Dallas Denny <aegis@atl.mindspring.com>

The following is in Sacramento, CA:

Hi All, the Court of the Great Northwest Imperial Empire, Inc. (COGNIE) will be holding its 10th annual Rainbow Festival and Street Fair, August 28th-Sept 1rst. Headline performances by Shan Carr, Aug 28 – Lonnie Gordon Aug 29th – Thelma Houston, Aug 30th – Street Fair September 1rst w/ wet T-shirt – wet Jockey contest, lots of fun, friends, good times to remember. Stop by Lambda Letters Project Booth and get a free hug.. with love, and in pursuit of happiness. write for more info.. Jennefer Grant

Dallas Denny, M.A., Executive Director

American Educational Gender Information Service, Inc. A 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Corporation P.O. Box 33724, Decatur, GA 30033-0724 (770) 939-2128 Business (770) 939-0244 Information & Referrals (770) 939-1770 FAX aegis@mindspring.com E-Mail

Visit the AEGIS FTP Site: ftp://ftp.mindspring.com/users/aegis/ User ID: anonymous Password: (your email address)

ASK US FOR INFO ON OUR ELECTRONIC MAILING LISTS!

———————————————————————— NOTE: The AEGISNWS list is a one-way newsfeed. You may not post to it. Your comments and news items should be sent to <aegis@mindspring.com>. For listserv assistance, send the message HELP to <listserv@xconn.com>.

Original Date: Sun, 11 Aug 1996 22:42:04 -0400 Originally From: Dallas Denny <aegis@atl.mindspring.com>

Gwen at AOL has informed me that AEGIS now has a keyword (AEGIS) on America On Line. AOL subscribers can now type in AEGIS at keywords and access files and other info about AEGIS.

I would like to convey our thanks to Gwen for her hard work in setting this up!

— Dallas Dallas Denny, M.A., Executive Director

American Educational Gender Information Service, Inc. A 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Corporation P.O. Box 33724, Decatur, GA 30033-0724 (770) 939-2128 Business (770) 939-0244 Information & Referrals (770) 939-1770 FAX aegis@mindspring.com E-Mail

Visit the AEGIS FTP Site: ftp://ftp.mindspring.com/users/aegis/ User ID: anonymous Password: (your email address)

ASK US FOR INFO ON OUR ELECTRONIC MAILING LISTS!

———————————————————————— NOTE: The AEGISNWS list is a one-way newsfeed. You may not post to it. Your comments and news items should be sent to <aegis@mindspring.com>. For listserv assistance, send the message HELP to <listserv@xconn.com>.

Original Date: Sun, 11 Aug 1996 04:06:24 -0400 Originally From: Dallas Denny <aegis@atl.mindspring.com> Calling all members of The Silicon Valley Gender Association and friends and members of other transgender groups to attend Domestic Partner Registry descision in San Jose…it’s an opportunity to work with other advocacy groups and organizations. ======== EQUALITY ========

THE SANTA CLARA COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS WILL HEAR TESTIMONY AND VOTE ON THE COUNTY’S PROPOSED DOMESTIC PARTNERSHIP REGISTRY ON TUESDAY, AUGUST 13th, 6:30pm, 1996. PLEASE ATTEND AND SHOW YOUR SUPPORT! *****When and Where?****

The hearing and vote wll be held in the Board of Supervisors chambers, on the ground floor of the County Administration Building at 70 W. Hedding (near First Street) in San Jose. The meeting begins at 6:30PM on Tuesday, August 13th. As seating will be limited, supporters are advised to arrive early, at about 5PM if possible. ****Getting There****

>From 880 exit onto First Street going South. Within two blocks, turn right onto Hedding St. The County Building will be on your left, just one building from the corner with First Street. The Civic Center Light Rail Station is about 100 yards South of Hedding on First Street. The last trains of the night leave the Civic Center Station sometime after 11:30 (check a Light Rail schedule for your return destination).

*****Parking*****

Your best bet is the large parking lot located at the corner of Hedding and First Street (entrance on First St.). This lot is open to the public AFTER 5PM (permit parking only before that time). Street parking is available on Hedding, metered until 6PM. No street parking is available on First Street. For a fee, you can use the parking structure at 171 W. Hedding, just opposite the court house. However, you cannot exit this structure after 11PM (observe signs stating closing time at the entrance to the parking structure). *****Showing Support*****

Paper signs identifying the wearer as a supporter of the Registry will be provided by organizers to all who want them. Just being visible wearing this sign will send a powerful message. As large numbers are expected to attend, it is also likely that there will be expressions of support outside the building as well as in the hearing room. Those who wish to participate outside (or who cannot get a seat inside) are invited to express their support through any peaceful means. Signs, banners, prayer vigils (with or without candles) are all acceptable. EQUALITY suggets that all messages on signs and banners be supportive of the Registry, rather than expressing anything negative about the opposition. Please do not bring signs or banners containing heavy wood or metal, or sharp edges, as these could cause accidental injury. *****Testifying*****

The board will hear testimony from both supporters and opponents of the registry. Any resident of Santa Clara County may testify. If you choose to testify, be prepared to keep your remarks brief and to the point. A two-minute time-limit is likely, depending on the number of residents wishing to testify. Testimony is especially encouraged from same-sex couples raising children together, senior citizens, persons with physical disabilities, and clergy. *****The Opposition*****

Some fundamentalist Christian churches in the county have organized campaigns against the Registry. In addition to circulating distorted information about the Registry, they have expressed an intent to show up in large numbers. We believe the Registry will pass in spite of the opposition, as long as the board sees and hears support. Please treat our opponents with the same human dignity and respect you would ask them to give you. Dallas Denny, M.A., Executive Director

American Educational Gender Information Service, Inc. A 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Corporation P.O. Box 33724, Decatur, GA 30033-0724 (770) 939-2128 Business (770) 939-0244 Information & Referrals (770) 939-1770 FAX aegis@mindspring.com E-Mail

Visit the AEGIS FTP Site: ftp://ftp.mindspring.com/users/aegis/ User ID: anonymous Password: (your email address)

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———————————————————————— NOTE: The AEGISNWS list is a one-way newsfeed. You may not post to it. Your comments and news items should be sent to <aegis@mindspring.com>. For listserv assistance, send the message HELP to <listserv@xconn.com>.

Original Date: Mon, 12 Aug 1996 23:39:26 -0400 Originally From: Dallas Denny <aegis@atl.mindspring.com>

Reprinted from Southern Voice, 1 August, 1996

In hopes of quelling criticism by local gay conservatives, the Palm Springs (CA) Suns minor league baseball team has changed the name of its Aug. 9 fan promotion from “Priscilla, Queen of the Desert Suns Night” to “Female Impersonator Night.” Outside Palm Springs, with its large, affluent gay community, response has beqen “very positive, just the opposite of what it’s been here,” said Suns’ public relations director Catherine masters. “We have radio stations having contests to send female impersonators overhere.” Hotelier Joe Riordan, a gay business leader, pronounced the drag promotion “an embarrassment. I don’t feel a baseball field is the place for a drag queen show. That’s why you have nightclubs. i think it would be terrible to have that paraded in front of kids. i have 13 nieces and nephews. They know I’m gay, but they know I’m not like that.” Dallas Denny, M.A., Executive Director

American Educational Gender Information Service, Inc. A 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Corporation P.O. Box 33724, Decatur, GA 30033-0724 (770) 939-2128 Business (770) 939-0244 Information & Referrals (770) 939-1770 FAX aegis@mindspring.com E-Mail

Visit the AEGIS FTP Site: ftp://ftp.mindspring.com/users/aegis/ User ID: anonymous Password: (your email address)

ASK US FOR INFO ON OUR ELECTRONIC MAILING LISTS!

———————————————————————— NOTE: The AEGISNWS list is a one-way newsfeed. You may not post to it. Your comments and news items should be sent to <aegis@mindspring.com>. For listserv assistance, send the message HELP to <listserv@xconn.com>.

Originally From: GLCFWendy@aol.com Original Date: Tue, 13 Aug 1996 23:48:59 -0400

New Transsexual Support Group (So. Cal.)

A new support group is starting on September 6th, 1996 at The Center Long Beach , 2017 East 4th Street, Long Beach, CA. 90814- http://millenia.com/~center.

The purpose of the group is to provide support and information to Transsexuals and their Family, Friends and Partners. The group format will be a mixture of open discussion with occasional guest speakers. The open discussions will range from the practical aspects of transition to the emotional struggles and joys that this process can bring into the lives of Transsexuals and their Loved Ones. The guest speakers will be Therapists in the Gender-Identity field, as well as fashion, make-up and electrolysis consultants.

For more information regarding the Group Meeting or Gender-Transition call the Center at (310) 434-4455 between the hours of 6:00 PM and 8:00 PM on the 1st and 3rd Friday of every month and ask for Stacy. For further information online, contact Jennifer Martin at NowImJenn@aol.com **Originally posted in the Transgender Community Forum **on America Online, Keyword: TCF **TCF Info: http://members.aol.com/glcfwendy/tcf ———————————————————————— NOTE: The AEGISNWS list is a one-way newsfeed. You may not post to it. Your comments and news items should be sent to <aegis@mindspring.com>. For listserv assistance, send the message HELP to <listserv@xconn.com>.

Original Date: Wed, 14 Aug 1996 02:27:07 -0400 Originally From: Dallas Denny <aegis@atl.mindspring.com> This is a repost, as I mis-posted it the first time.

— Dallas

Reprinted from Etc., 28 June, 1986

ABC continues to push the envelope! Earlier this season, the network’s “All My Children” brought us Michael Delaney (played by Chris Bruno), the first established character to come out in a daytime soap. This time around, ABC presents daytime’s first transgender character.

Known simply as Azure (played by Carlotta Chang), the character has been a major part of “The City’s” storyline. In her first weeks, Azure was devastated by transphobia. A supermodel and star of a top model agency, she lost everything when a competitor revealed that she was once a man. Even her fiance, Bernardo (played by Philip Anthony), cast her aside. The despondent Azure became suicidal, but then recovered, with Bernardo’s support.

Unfortunately, Azure may soon be departing the show. According to Soap Opera Digest, “Anthony and Change will be written offin July… The bombshell that Azure used to be a man will set off a chain of shocking events that will lead to the characters’ exists.”

Write Jean Burke, executive producer, “The City,” and Monica Neal, ABC Television Network Group at 77 West 66th St., New York, NY 10023, to urge them to continue to develop Azure as a realistic character. Dallas Denny, M.A., Executive Director

American Educational Gender Information Service, Inc. A 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Corporation P.O. Box 33724, Decatur, GA 30033-0724 (770) 939-2128 Business (770) 939-0244 Information & Referrals (770) 939-1770 FAX aegis@mindspring.com E-Mail

Visit the AEGIS FTP Site: ftp://ftp.mindspring.com/users/aegis/ User ID: anonymous Password: (your email address)

ASK US FOR INFO ON OUR ELECTRONIC MAILING LISTS! Dallas Denny, M.A., Executive Director

American Educational Gender Information Service, Inc. A 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Corporation P.O. Box 33724, Decatur, GA 30033-0724 (770) 939-2128 Business (770) 939-0244 Information & Referrals (770) 939-1770 FAX aegis@mindspring.com E-Mail

Visit the AEGIS FTP Site: ftp://ftp.mindspring.com/users/aegis/ User ID: anonymous Password: (your email address)

ASK US FOR INFO ON OUR ELECTRONIC MAILING LISTS!

———————————————————————— NOTE: The AEGISNWS list is a one-way newsfeed. You may not post to it. Your comments and news items should be sent to <aegis@mindspring.com>. For listserv assistance, send the message HELP to <listserv@xconn.com>.

Originally From: GLCFWendy@aol.com Original Date: Wed, 14 Aug 1996 21:51:10 -0400

Originally From: Kate Bornstein, (OutlawGal@AOL.com) Howdy…

Just wanted to alert you to an interesting segment coming up on MSNBC (the new Microsoft/NBC television network, available in some areas on cable). It’s a piece called “Alter Egos,” which deals with identity surfing in cyberspace. It includes some footage of a recent interview they did with me and Caitlin Sullivan talking about our new novel, “Nearly Roadkill: An Infobahn Erotic Adventure.” (www.nearlyroadkill.com)

We’re excited and a li’l nervous, as Caitlin and I focused our remarks on one of the main points of our novel: the empowerment that cyberspace and identity-surfing lend to folks who are traditionally “Other” in the offline world. (It’ll be interesting to see if they leave that in, as well as our less-than-enchanted remarks about mega-corporations like Microsoft. heh heh.)

“Alter Egos” will air on Monday, August 19 at 7pm pacific or 10 pm eastern on yer local MSNBC channel. I *think* the text transcript of the entire segment will be available on the MSNBC website (www.msnbc.com), but that’s not for certain yet.

If you could pass the word to interested cyberfolk, mailing lists, and websites that’d be way super and much appreciated.

Thanks!

xo

Kate

Kate Bornstein, OutlawGal@AOL.com

**As Posted in the Transgender Community Forum **on America Online (Keyword: TCF) **TCF Info: http://members.aol.com/glcfwendy/tcf ———————————————————————— NOTE: The AEGISNWS list is a one-way newsfeed. You may not post to it. Your comments and news items should be sent to <aegis@mindspring.com>. For listserv assistance, send the message HELP to <listserv@xconn.com>.

Originally From: GLCFWendy@aol.com Original Date: Thu, 15 Aug 1996 21:07:02 -0400

Originally from FTMCEP (Ftmconfer@aol.com)

ANNOUNCING THE FTMCEP

Thank you to all of you who attended the 2nd Annual FTM Conference in Seattle this past weekend. We hope you had as great a time attending as we had planning and presenting it.

During the planning of the conference, a number of the committee members started talking about the future. The future of conferences and of our community. We wanted to do what we could to ensure the continuation and growth of the conference and to help prevent each host city from having to reinvent the wheel. As a result of those discussions, the FTM Conference and Education Project (FTMCEP) has been formed. We are a non-profit corporation incorporated in the state of Washington.

Our desire is to provide technical support and information, resources, databases of facilitators and participants, financial backing, etc… to each new host city. We hope that from this point forward, the conference can be planned 1-2 years in advance so as to maximize the ease of planning (the 6 months we had was heinous).

We hope to work with the folks in Boston who have expressed an interest in hosting the conference next year.

The new board of directors reflects some of the diversity in our community in a variety of ways and consists of:

Spencer Bergstedt Jason Cromwell Kory Martin-Damon Billy Lane Mikhail McMillan Michael Hernandez Sky Renfro Michael Munson Kitt Kling Dan Duncan

We look forward to seeing you all in 1997!

Spencer Bergstedt FTMCEP

===================>8===================

FTMCEP CALL FOR FACILLITATORS

Have you ever wanted to be a facilitator? Do you have an area of interest to other FTM’s that you would like to share at the next conference? Do you know of someone who would make a good facilitator? If so, please contact us via e-mail at FTMCONFER@aol.com or via snail mail at FTMCEP, 1202 E. Pike #1070, Seattle WA 98122.

We are currently building a database of potential facillitators for upcoming conferences and would like to hear from you.

If you have questions, please contact us. FTMCEP

===================>8===================

FTMCEP ANNOUNCES AWARDS

The FTMCEP gave away its first awards at this years FTM conference in Seattle.

Receiving the Special Acheivement Award was Aaron Davis.

Receiving the first Lou Sullivan Memorial Award was Jude Patton.

Our special thanks and gratitude go out to these two fine men. We know that you join us in congratulating them.

 

FTMCEP **As posted in the Transgender Community Forum **On America Online (Keyword: TCF) **TCF Info: http://members.aol.com/glcfwendy/tcf ———————————————————————— NOTE: The AEGISNWS list is a one-way newsfeed. You may not post to it. Your comments and news items should be sent to <aegis@mindspring.com>. For listserv assistance, send the message HELP to <listserv@xconn.com>. Originally From: GLCFWendy@aol.com Original Date: Thu, 15 Aug 1996 20:51:02 -0400

Originally From: Kate Bornstein (OutlawGal@aol.com)

Dear All…

Got a *lot* of enthusiastic responses from folks about the last post… thanks!

So, I’m sorry to hafta do this, but ::small voice:: I *just* heard from the MSNBC producers, and the segment called Alter Egos, dealing with identity surfing on the Net, has been postponed til September. ::groan::

The *good* news is that the MSNBCer who wrote me said:

>the piece came out so good that the producers want to >save it for our re – launch the first week in September. >Sorry for any inconvienence. >I will let you know when the actual date will be

::sigh::

I’ll write again when I know the date; and Caitlin and i will post the air date on the Nearly Roadkill website (www.nearlyroadkill.com).

Sorry for any trouble!

fondly,

Kate

 

Kate Bornstein, OutlawGal@AOL.com

“There ain’t no answer. There ain’t going to be any answer. There never has been an answer. That’s the answer.” — Gertrude Stein

**As posted in the Transgender Community Forum **On America Online (Keyword: TCF) **TCF Info: http://members.aol.com/glcfwendy/tcf ———————————————————————— NOTE: The AEGISNWS list is a one-way newsfeed. You may not post to it. Your comments and news items should be sent to <aegis@mindspring.com>. For listserv assistance, send the message HELP to <listserv@xconn.com>.

Originally From: aegisnws-digest@xconn.com Original Date: Wed, 21 Aug 1996 15:47:14

=============================================================================

AEGIS-NEWS DIGEST

A service of the American Educational Gender Information Service, Inc.

=============================================================================

** QUICK APOLOGY FROM THE SYSTEM ADMINISTRATOR:

This digest was delayed leaving here because we were updating some of the listserv software (mostly to make sure last Saturday’s disaster doesn’t have a repeat performance). I forgot entirely that we missed the automated process this morning that sends the digest, and so I am manually processing it, 12 hours late. Saturday morning’s digest should be automated. Thanks for your patience!

Kymberleigh Richards, Cross Connection System Administrator <sysadmin@xconn.com>

————————————————————————–

>From listserv@xconn.com Sun 18 Aug 1996 14:21:03 Received: from xconn by xconn.com with uucp id E8463pb; Sun 18 Aug 1996 14:21:03 From: Dallas Denny <aegis@atl.mindspring.com> Reply-to: aegispst@xconn.com Subject: Argentina [Contact Info] Date: Sun, 18 Aug 1996 14:21:03 X-Sender: UUPlus Listserver 2.01 for DOS To: anechoxc Message-Id: <9608181421.E8463pb@xconn.com>

Original Date: Sun, 18 Aug 1996 09:28:08 -0400 Originally From: Dallas Denny <aegis@atl.mindspring.com>

Here is some contact info for Argentina.

— Dallas

To: aegis@mindspring.com Subject: contact addresses in argentina From: ales@wamani.apc.org (Alejandra Sarda) Message-ID: <e3PPsD5w165w@wamani.apc.org> Date: Thu, 15 Aug 96 13:21:25 ARG Organization: Red Wamani – APC Networks – Argentina X-UIDL: c6a3efaa978f789602f0cbeee81b9119 Status: U

I know this answer is unforgivably delayed, but our computar collapse and we were relying on friends’ plus moving the Archives and it all caused a huge mess we are only starting to clean up.

Transsexual organization TRANSDEVI is now called “Tratado del derecho a la identidad personal” (T.D.I. – A treaty on the right to personal identity). Its spokeperson is Karina Urbina, and you can write to them at: C.C. 151, General Rodriguez (1748), Buenos Aires, Argentina. TRAVESTIS UNIDAS has not been very active lately. All transvestite groups have no fixed address in Argentina, for safety reasons (to avoid being detected by the police). They can be contacted at any of the Libraries’ addresses:

Escrita en el Cuerpo (Lesbian Archives and Library) Piedras 1170 – 1ero. B (1070) Buenos Aires, Argentina

or

Biblioteca G/L/T/T (Gay, Lesbian, Transvestite and Transsexual Library) Parana 123 – F (1017) Buenos Aires, Argentina.

There are two very active transvestite groups right now in Buenos Aires: ATA (Argentinean Association of Transvestites) and OTTRA (Transvestites and Transsexuals’ Argentinean Republic Organization). Both can be contacted at the above mentioned addresses, as we work very closely together. Transsexuals are not organized in the same way; there are individual activists like Patricia Gauna who are doing superb work. You might also write to her at the Libraries’ addresses.

The situation of transvestites and transsexuals in our country is desperate: they are arbitrarily arrested several times a week, forbidden to do any type of work except prostitution and harassed for doing it, beaten and verbally abused when arrested. There have been several deaths in the last few years, too. Just to give an example: an ATA member reported few days ago that a new pavillion was opened in the largest women’s jail to accomodate transvestites who will be kept in jail 21 days for no crime other than being themselves, at police’s will and with no judicial intervention. Further research is being done around that measure.

Any help in the way of international protests or calling out will be much helpful. Please contact us for further information. And thanks for your interest.

Alejandra Sarda Escrita en el Cuerpo

Dallas Denny, M.A., Executive Director

American Educational Gender Information Service, Inc. A 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Corporation P.O. Box 33724, Decatur, GA 30033-0724 (770) 939-2128 Business (770) 939-0244 Information & Referrals (770) 939-1770 FAX aegis@mindspring.com E-Mail

Visit the AEGIS FTP Site: ftp://ftp.mindspring.com/users/aegis/ User ID: anonymous Password: (your email address)

ASK US FOR INFO ON OUR ELECTRONIC MAILING LISTS!

————————————————————————

>From listserv@xconn.com Sun 18 Aug 1996 14:21:05 Received: from xconn by xconn.com with uucp id E4256qJ; Sun 18 Aug 1996 14:21:05 From: Dallas Denny <aegis@atl.mindspring.com> Reply-to: aegispst@xconn.com Subject: Argentina [Contact Info] Date: Sun, 18 Aug 1996 14:21:04 X-Sender: UUPlus Listserver 2.01 for DOS To: anechoxc Message-Id: <9608181421.E4256qJ@xconn.com>

Original Date: Sun, 18 Aug 1996 09:28:05 -0400 Originally From: Dallas Denny <aegis@atl.mindspring.com>

Date: Sat, 17 Aug 1996 17:33:40 -0400 From: Song Weaver <julie@drycas.club.cc.cmu.edu> Subject: Husband failed to tell wife he was a woman [sic]

I don’t know where this originated –Julie

BY RUSSELL JENKINS

A MARRIAGE was declared null and void after 17 years when a wife discovered her husband was really a woman, the Court of Appeal was told yesterday. Their relationship was based on a “profound deception”, her counsel said.

The couple had two children – a boy aged 9 and a girl of 4, – who were born after the woman underwent artificial insemination from a donor. The wife said her husband had told her he had had a vasectomy.

Eventually she began divorce proceedings after an argument in which she accused him of not being a real man. She hired a private detective to find out her husband’s true sexuality by producing his birth certificate.

The husband took his case to the appeal court after a High Court judge ruled that he had married by committing perjury and that, consequently, he was not entitled to a division of the marriage wealth or automatic access to the children.

After the hearing, Madeleine Rees, his solicitor, said that the case raised profound issues about the status of transsexuals in British society. She said that if her client won his case, it would be a step in the right direction for the “true identity of transexuals of both sexes.”

Neither of the couple can be named in order to protect their children. The husband, called “J” in court, lives in the Birmingham area and his former wife, now 49, lives with the children in West Sussex.

Ben Emerson, for the husband, said his client had “an unshakable conviction that at his core he is a man, although he is trapped in a woman’s body”. Mr Emerson said it was never discussed before or during the marriage “what the nature of this man’s birth position was”.

He said there had been ample chance during sexual intercourse for the woman to realise she was in “a relationship with someone who was not a full-blooded man”.

The man had an operation to remove his breasts and had undergone hormonal treatment before he met the woman. During intercourse he used an artificial sex aid. He had never told her his original gender and now accepted that he should have done so.

The three appeal court judges, Lord Justice Neill, Lord Justice Ward and Lord Justice Potter, were asked if the man could have been said to have committed a perjury when he declared himself a bachelor on the marriage certificate.

Lord Justice Ward, announcing that the judgment would be reserved, said: “We are aware of the growing body of medical and international opinion that this court will ignore at its peril.”

Dallas Denny, M.A., Executive Director

American Educational Gender Information Service, Inc. A 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Corporation P.O. Box 33724, Decatur, GA 30033-0724 (770) 939-2128 Business (770) 939-0244 Information & Referrals (770) 939-1770 FAX aegis@mindspring.com E-Mail

Visit the AEGIS FTP Site: ftp://ftp.mindspring.com/users/aegis/ User ID: anonymous Password: (your email address)

ASK US FOR INFO ON OUR ELECTRONIC MAILING LISTS!

————————————————————————

>From listserv@xconn.com Mon 19 Aug 1996 21:55:18 Received: from xconn by xconn.com with uucp id E7540bn; Mon 19 Aug 1996 21:55:18 From: Dallas Denny <aegis@atl.mindspring.com> Reply-to: aegisnws@xconn.com Subject: First Trans-Violence Web Page Launched [OTHER RELEASE] Date: Mon, 19 Aug 1996 21:55:18 X-Sender: UUPlus Listserver 2.01 for DOS To: anechoxc Message-Id: <9608192155.E7540bn@xconn.com>

Original Date: Tue, 20 Aug 1996 00:22:55 -0400 Originally From: Dallas Denny <aegis@atl.mindspring.com>

From: riki@nyc.pipeline.com (Riki Anne Wilchins) X-PipeUser: riki X-PipeHub: nyc.pipeline.com X-PipeGCOS: (Riki Anne Wilchins) X-Mailer: The Pipeline v3.4.0 X-UIDL: 996bf733551dc0a9e48c8299fb3ea420 Status: U

First Trans-Violence WebPage Launched =====================================

[August 18 – New York City] Today Emilia Lombardi, National Research Coordinator for GenderPAC, announced the launch of a new World-Wide Web page devoted to studying trans-related violence. The page is located at http://www.cdspub.com/srvy.html, and contains the full text of the national Study on TransViolence currently distributed by GenderPAC through snailmail.

Said JoAnn Roberts, a GenderPAC board member, “We are confident that by using the Web, we can make this study available to many people who would otherwise never have had access to it. The Web and the Net, already important places for transpeople to meet and organize, are now becoming a place for us to do research critical to our community.”

Echoing these sentiments, Lombardi added, “Not only have most studies totally ignored violence against the gender-variant, but the few studies of any kind on transpeople are generally have only a couple dozen respondents. By leveraging the global reach of the Web, we think we can collect an unprecedented sample size of over 1,000 people. This community *needs* a definitive benchmark of transviolence, and we’re committed to using every available tool to make that a reality.”

Among other uses, final results of the survery are planned for use at the upcoming 2nd National Gender Lobbing Day in May 1997, when gender activists will lobby their congressional representatives for inclusion in future versions of the Hate Crimes Statistics Act (HCSA).

GenderPAC’s survery was developed in coordination with the Gay & Lesbian Anti-Violence Project, or AVP, a national group which pioneered research and advocacy services for gender and queer people. The survery is directed to anyone who is trans- identified, gender-variant, or genderqueer.

People unable to access the Web can get a survery via e-mail by contacting Ms. Lombardi at CherRed@En.Com, or via snail-mail by sending a SASE addressed to: Ms. Emilia Lombardi, GenderPAC Research, 291 Grove St. #1, Akron, OH 44302.

All surveys are anonymous and completely confidential. [END]

Dallas Denny, M.A., Executive Director

American Educational Gender Information Service, Inc. A 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Corporation P.O. Box 33724, Decatur, GA 30033-0724 (770) 939-2128 Business (770) 939-0244 Information & Referrals (770) 939-1770 FAX aegis@mindspring.com E-Mail

Visit the AEGIS FTP Site: ftp://ftp.mindspring.com/users/aegis/ User ID: anonymous Password: (your email address)

ASK US FOR INFO ON OUR ELECTRONIC MAILING LISTS!

————————————————————————

———————————————————————— NOTE: The AEGISNWS list is a one-way newsfeed. You may not post to it. Your comments and news items should be sent to <aegis@mindspring.com>. For listserv assistance, send the message HELP to <listserv@xconn.com>. Original Date: Fri, 23 Aug 1996 22:38:45 -0400 Originally From: Dallas Denny <aegis@mindspring.com>

On Thurday, some joker subscribed one of our other lists, AEGIS-LIST, to something called Joke of the Day. This resulted in all sorts of messages flying about, landing in the list subscribers’ in box. Many of the members of this list were subscribed to AEGIS-LIST, which has been reconfigured as a Southern regional list and which has had a very low (until now) volume of posts. If you have received any JOTD messages, it’s because you were subscribed to AEGIS-LIST as well as AEGISNWS.

I mailed the JOTD administrator immediately (Thursday evening), and asked for AEGIS-LIST to be removed from distribution. I’ve not received any feedback from the JOTD list owner, and messages have continued to appear on AEGIS-LIST.

I believe this was done as a practical joke. It wasn’t the fault of XCONN, nor mine, nor, I believe, of JOTD. Apparently, someone familiar with the internet knew that subscribing the list to JOTD would generate a lot of useless messages in hundreds of mailboxes and thought that would be very funny. Well, ha, ha, ha.

This morning, I unsubscribed all aegis-list subscribers except those I recognized as being from Atlanta or surrounding areas from aegis-list. You should receive no more JOTD posts, unless you’re from Atalnta. AEGISNWS will continue as before.

If you’re from Atlanta, please be patient. I’m doing what I can to stop the JOTD stuff.

I’m sorry for the inconvenience, but it’s clear we’ve all been hoaxed. Dallas Denny, M.A., Executive Director

American Educational Gender Information Service, Inc. A 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Corporation P.O. Box 33724, Decatur, GA 30033-0724 (770) 939-2128 Business (770) 939-0244 Information & Referrals (770) 939-1770 FAX aegis@mindspring.com E-Mail

Visit the AEGIS FTP Site: ftp://ftp.mindspring.com/users/aegis/ User ID: anonymous Password: (your email address)

We have several electronic mailing lists: AEGIS NEWS: Trans-related news, press releases, and items of interest GENDER HELP: Discussion of issues related to transition and personal growth (Send e-mail to listserv@xconn.com; on separate lines in the message, include the following: subscribe aegisnws subscribe gendhelp

———————————————————————— NOTE: The AEGISNWS list is a one-way newsfeed. You may not post to it. Your comments and news items should be sent to <aegis@mindspring.com>. For listserv assistance, send the message HELP to <listserv@xconn.com>.

Original Date: Fri, 23 Aug 1996 22:38:45 -0400 Originally From: Dallas Denny <aegis@mindspring.com>

On Thurday, some joker subscribed one of our other lists, AEGIS-LIST, to something called Joke of the Day. This resulted in all sorts of messages flying about, landing in the list subscribers’ in box. Many of the members of this list were subscribed to AEGIS-LIST, which has been reconfigured as a Southern regional list and which has had a very low (until now) volume of posts. If you have received any JOTD messages, it’s because you were subscribed to AEGIS-LIST as well as AEGISNWS.

I mailed the JOTD administrator immediately (Thursday evening), and asked for AEGIS-LIST to be removed from distribution. I’ve not received any feedback from the JOTD list owner, and messages have continued to appear on AEGIS-LIST.

I believe this was done as a practical joke. It wasn’t the fault of XCONN, nor mine, nor, I believe, of JOTD. Apparently, someone familiar with the internet knew that subscribing the list to JOTD would generate a lot of useless messages in hundreds of mailboxes and thought that would be very funny. Well, ha, ha, ha.

This morning, I unsubscribed all aegis-list subscribers except those I recognized as being from Atlanta or surrounding areas from aegis-list. You should receive no more JOTD posts, unless you’re from Atalnta. AEGISNWS will continue as before.

If you’re from Atlanta, please be patient. I’m doing what I can to stop the JOTD stuff.

I’m sorry for the inconvenience, but it’s clear we’ve all been hoaxed. Dallas Denny, M.A., Executive Director

American Educational Gender Information Service, Inc. A 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Corporation P.O. Box 33724, Decatur, GA 30033-0724 (770) 939-2128 Business (770) 939-0244 Information & Referrals (770) 939-1770 FAX aegis@mindspring.com E-Mail

Visit the AEGIS FTP Site: ftp://ftp.mindspring.com/users/aegis/ User ID: anonymous Password: (your email address)

We have several electronic mailing lists: AEGIS NEWS: Trans-related news, press releases, and items of interest GENDER HELP: Discussion of issues related to transition and personal growth (Send e-mail to listserv@xconn.com; on separate lines in the message, include the following: subscribe aegisnws subscribe gendhelp

———————————————————————— NOTE: The AEGISNWS list is a one-way newsfeed. You may not post to it. Your comments and news items should be sent to <aegis@mindspring.com>. For listserv assistance, send the message HELP to <listserv@xconn.com>.

Originally From: aegisnws-digest@xconn.com Original Date: Sat, 24 Aug 1996 04:03:39

=============================================================================

AEGIS-NEWS DIGEST

A service of the American Educational Gender Information Service, Inc.

=============================================================================

>From listserv@xconn.com Thu 22 Aug 1996 23:19:23 Received: from xconn by xconn.com with uucp id E91gl; Thu 22 Aug 1996 23:19:23 From: Dallas Denny <aegis@mindspring.com> Reply-to: aegisnws@xconn.com Subject: Leaders Call for National Movement [PRESS RELEASE] Date: Thu, 22 Aug 1996 23:19:22 X-Sender: UUPlus Listserver 2.01 for DOS To: anechoxc Message-Id: <9608222319.E91gl@xconn.com>

Original Date: Fri, 23 Aug 1996 01:00:41 -0400 Originally From: Dallas Denny <aegis@mindspring.com>

LEADERS CALL for NATIONAL MOVEMENT ==================================

GenderPAC Mobilization Announced

[August 21, 1996] Today leaders of the major US gender organizations together announced a Mobilization Meeting to formally launch a nationwide movement against gender-based oppression under the name of “GenderPAC.” The Meeting ill be held just outside Philadelphia on Saturday, November 2nd, 1996. Joining in the call were IFGE, Renaissance, Tri-S, AEGIS, FTM International, the CTO, Intersexed Society of N. Am. (ISNA), and the Transexual Menace (NY).

Said Alison Laing, JoAnn Roberts, Angela Gardner, Dallas Denny, Jamison Green, Lynn Walker, Jane Ellen Fairfax, Cheryl Chase and Riki Wilchins in a joint statement, “We are calling *all* gender activists to join us in Philadelphia to plan and map a strategy to end gender-based oppression in our time — not just for ourselves, but for our loved ones and for the youngsters coming up behind us. The moment has come to join hands and bend our communal will to launching this movement. The time for unity is now.”

The mobilization meeting will kick off at 9:00 am sharp Saturday morning, and end at 12:00 noon the following Sunday. It will feature few breaks or presentations, devoting the time exclusively to planning policy, implementing tactics, and staffing all activities necessary to launch a nationwide movement.

A Broad Agenda ==============

The Meeting’s aggressive agenda illustrates leaders focus on making GenderPAC a broad-based combination of the gay community’s Human Rights Campaign, Nat’l Gay & Lesbian Task Force, Gay & Lesbian Anti-Defamation League (GLAAD), and Lambda Legal Defense & Education Fund. Activites scheduled for discussion, staffing and implementation include:

. Congressional lobbying . Transgender & Intersexed Children . Trans-related Violence . Employment Discrimination . Gender Legal Defense Fund . Child Custody Laws . National Gender Lobbying Day . Minority Outreach . Media Response & Anti-Defamation . Public Relations . Membership . Corporate EEO Policies . Fundraising . Minority Outreach . Research . Marriage Laws . Military Policies . TransPrisoner Project

Rooms will be provided by those in the Philadelphia area for those needing some financial assistance to attend. In addition, GenderPAC will be renting a number of rooms in nearby motels, for those willing to share accommodations, and private rooms are available at moderate cost. Every effort is being made to make the Mobilization Meeting as affordable as possible.

Attendance Is Limited =====================

Due to space considerations, attendance is limited to 50 people on a first-come-first-serve basis, so please make your reservations early. To make *your* reservation now, please contact Angela Gardner at cgv1@voicenet.com (610)975-9119 or Alison Laing at a.l@lng.com (617)894-8340. For more information on the Mobilization Meeting itself, you can also contact Riki Anne Wilchins at Riki@Pipeline.Com (212)645-1753. [END]

Dallas Denny, M.A., Executive Director

American Educational Gender Information Service, Inc. A 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Corporation P.O. Box 33724, Decatur, GA 30033-0724 (770) 939-2128 Business (770) 939-0244 Information & Referrals (770) 939-1770 FAX aegis@mindspring.com E-Mail

Visit the AEGIS FTP Site: ftp://ftp.mindspring.com/users/aegis/ User ID: anonymous Password: (your email address)

ASK US FOR INFO ON OUR ELECTRONIC MAILING LISTS!

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>From listserv@xconn.com Fri 23 Aug 1996 10:20:56 Received: from xconn by xconn.com with uucp id E14On; Fri 23 Aug 1996 10:20:56 From: Dallas Denny <aegis@mindspring.com> Reply-to: aegisnws@xconn.com Subject: SO Manifesto Date: Fri, 23 Aug 1996 10:20:56 X-Sender: UUPlus Listserver 2.01 for DOS To: anechoxc Message-Id: <9608231020.E14On@xconn.com>

Original Date: Fri, 23 Aug 1996 12:29:07 -0400 Originally From: Dallas Denny <aegis@mindspring.com>

Loree Cook-Daniels wrote the following after the recent FTm conference in Seattle. Not surprisingly, it has stirred up a great deal of controversy.

— Dallas

I have just returned from the second FTM Conference of the Americas, and boy, am I pissed.

The Significant Others were treated as second class citizens at this event. Consider:

— No S.O. spoke Friday evening, and S.O.s were seldom referenced in any of the welcomes. In fact, I do not believe _any_ S.O. ever addressed the full group all weekend.

— The first S.O. get-together on Saturday was unhosted for the first 20 minutes. At one point, an S.O. had to interrupt an FTM’s long argument with another S.O. about the merits and funding of various kinds of phalloplasty, in order to reclaim the time for S.O.s and our issues.

— The first S.O. workshop was “moderated” by an “expert” who had never partnered an FTM and who proceeded to monopolize much of our time (which she once called “my time” when she didn’t like what an S.O. was saying) and lecture us about — among many other topics — her views of “humyns loving humyns” and the partners of MTFs. Our expertise about our own lives was completely negated by this experience. Imagine Dr. Laub lecturing a roomful of FTMs about what it’s like to live as an FTM, and you may begin to understand how condescending this was.

— All of the S.O. workshops were held in a room with unmovable lecture hall seating, ensuring that we could not face each other and bond as a community. None of the FTM-only workshops was held in such unfriendly space.

— At least one impromptu after-hours workshop was held for FTMs only, leaving all the S.O.s to simply cool our heels in the hall. At least one S.O. wasn’t even given the courtesy of being told what was happening.

— All events for the S.O.s on Sunday were cancelled.

— An S.O. had to petition to get S.O.’s “permitted” into a second impromptu FTM-only show and tell. No S.O. was asked to discuss the S.O. experience of surgery and post-op. An S.O. who approached the “stage” with her partner to address this topic was ignored.

— Childcare was not provided. If a couple with children couldn’t get a weekend babysitter, who was more likely to stay home, the FTM or the S.O.? In fact, one FTM was explicit about his assumption: he knew we had a problem with childcare, and was therefore surprised to see _me_ at the conference. He expressed no such surprise at seeing my partner there.

For a while, I thought perhaps this FTM conference was just a series of oversights and mishaps. But when I reflected on this further, I realized that this is NOT the case. In fact:

— A committee/Board of Directors has been formed to help guide all future FTM conferences. All members of this committee/Board of Directors are FTM. When a “special call” was made for additional members of the board to represent certain key areas, S.O.s were conspicuously absent from the recruitment list. The second-class treatment of S.O.s is not a Seattle phenomenon; although there are FTMs from all over the country on this board, apparently it occurred to none of them to think even one S.O. was an absolute necessity.

— The TransMale Task Force, which is a “national grassroots organization…committed to serving the FTM community,” whose first goal is “to provide information, peer support, and other services to the FTM community,” and which “especially welcome{s} those who may already be serving our community as individuals,” offers full membership only to FTMs. S.O.s can join, but only as “associate” members with no decision-making or office-holding rights. We can donate our skills and money to the group, but we will not be allowed to have a voice in leading the group.

— Many local groups hold FTM-only meetings. If S.O.s are interested in attending, they are often asked to form their own separate meetings.

These may seem to be fairly innocuous and understandable arrangements. After all, FTMs DO face special problems and DO deserve special support.

However:

Judging from the S.O.s who have attended both FTM conferences, it appears that at least half of all partners of FTMs are or were lesbian-identified. That means we had a community. We had a community where we were equal, valued partners/members.

Of course, as is well known to many FTMs, being either FTM _or_ being involved with one often gets one booted out of large chunks (if not all) of the lesbian community. Those of us who are lesbian-identified and who stay with our FTM partners therefore often lose our community, the community that has always sustained and nurtured us.

What do we get in its place? A boys’ club with a ladies’ auxiliary. Yes, many of the “ladies” are men, but the analogy is still way too apt. We are excluded from meetings, given short shrift at joint events, not allowed to be full members of groups working on behalf of the “FTM community.” In short, we lose the community we feel most close to and “gain” a community that admits us only when it feels like it, and only on its terms.

My FTM partner wants me to fight for the place of S.O.s in the FTM community. I refuse. I have fought the larger society for the rights of all people for far too long to fight for my place in the FTM community. It is FTMs — and particularly the FTMs who would like to keep partners who originally belonged to the lesbian community — who should be ensuring S.O.s are full members of your community.

If you FTMs do not want to ensure that your partners have a fully equal place in your community, then I call on you to cease asking lesbian partners to stay with FTMs and thereby leave their own community. You are asking for too big a sacrifice. You are asking for the sacrifice patriarchal men have always demanded of women: ignore your needs, and meet mine instead.

We S.O.s should know better than to accept this, and you FTMs should know better than to ask it.

— Loree Cook-Daniels

Dallas Denny, M.A., Executive Director

American Educational Gender Information Service, Inc. A 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Corporation P.O. Box 33724, Decatur, GA 30033-0724 (770) 939-2128 Business (770) 939-0244 Information & Referrals (770) 939-1770 FAX aegis@mindspring.com E-Mail

Visit the AEGIS FTP Site: ftp://ftp.mindspring.com/users/aegis/ User ID: anonymous Password: (your email address)

We have several electronic mailing lists: AEGIS NEWS: Trans-related news, press releases, and items of interest GENDER HELP: Discussion of issues related to transition and personal growth (Send e-mail to listserv@xconn.com; on separate lines in the message, include the following: subscribe aegisnws subscribe gendhelp

————————————————————————

———————————————————————— NOTE: The AEGISNWS list is a one-way newsfeed. You may not post to it. Your comments and news items should be sent to <aegis@mindspring.com>. For listserv assistance, send the message HELP to <listserv@xconn.com>.

Originally From: aegisnws-digest@xconn.com Original Date: Wed, 28 Aug 1996 03:41:29

=============================================================================

AEGIS-NEWS DIGEST

A service of the American Educational Gender Information Service, Inc.

=============================================================================

>From listserv@xconn.com Sun 25 Aug 1996 15:17:13 Received: from xconn by xconn.com with uucp id E48Hv; Sun 25 Aug 1996 15:17:13 From: GLCFWendy@aol.com Reply-to: aegisnws@xconn.com Subject: Transvestite Teacher Tells All Date: Sun, 25 Aug 1996 15:17:13 X-Sender: UUPlus Listserver 2.01 for DOS To: anechoxc Message-Id: <9608251517.E48Hv@xconn.com>

Originally From: GLCFWendy@aol.com Original Date: Sun, 25 Aug 1996 17:29:07 -0400

.c The Associated Press

SANTA ROSA, Calif. (Aug. 25) – Mathematics instructor Dick Giles finally decided to stop pretending to his students, so he came to class this week as Diane.

Giles, a father of 10 who teaches at Santa Rosa Junior College, revealed this week that he is a transvestite.

“I accept what I am,” Giles told The Press Democrat of Santa Rosa. “I just decided I needed to quit living a lie.”

Giles, 58, who admitted that few people knew his secret, said he has identified with the opposite gender for as long as he can remember.

This summer, with the support of his wife, Giles decided to come out – and began dressing full-time in women’s clothes. He even visited his family in Quincy, Ill., and attended his 40th high school reunion in a dress.

“I’ve known about it all the time we have been together,” said wife Anne Giles. “I’m glad the hiding, the worrying and the concern for the mental health of Diane is over. This is the person she is.”

Administrators at the school 50 miles northeast of San Francisco said Giles can continue to teach as long as his lifestyle does not interfere with his duties.

The biggest challenge has been which bathroom Diane Giles should use, said Ed Buckley, vice president of academic affairs.

The problem was solved by putting an interior sliding bolt on the faculty men’s bathroom, he said.

– – – – – – – – – –

Copyright 1996 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.

**As posted in the Transgender Community Forum **On America Online (Keyword: TCF) **TCF Info: http://members.aol.com/glcfwendy/tcf

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>From listserv@xconn.com Tue 27 Aug 1996 08:05:32 Received: from xconn by xconn.com with uucp id E17Dr; Tue 27 Aug 1996 08:05:32 From: GLCFWendy@aol.com Reply-to: aegisnws@xconn.com Subject: British transsexual seeks fatherhood in Eurocourt Date: Tue, 27 Aug 1996 08:05:32 X-Sender: UUPlus Listserver 2.01 for DOS To: anechoxc Message-Id: <9608270805.E17Dr@xconn.com>

Originally From: GLCFWendy@aol.com Original Date: Tue, 27 Aug 1996 10:37:19 -0400

British transsexual seeks fatherhood in Eurocourt

STRASBOURG, France, Aug 27 (Reuter) – A woman who became a man took Britain to the European Court of Human Rights on Tuesday to be recognised as father to the child of his long-time female companion. The child was born in 1992 through artificial insemination by sperm from a third person. The British transsexual told the court that the Registrar General gave his name to the child but refused to recognise his role as father to the child and to register him as the father. The transsexual, named only as X, argued that the Registrar’s refusal breached the European Convention on Human Rights which guarantees respect of family life. The European Commission of Human Rights, which screens cases for the Strasbourg-based court, had declared the case admissible. The court will deliver its verdict at a later date. ^REUTER@

(c) 1996, Reuters Limited. This material is for personal use only. Republication and redissemination, including posting to news groups, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters.

**As posted in the Transgender Community Forum **On America Online (Keyword: TCF) **TCF Info: http://members.aol.com/glcfwendy/tcf

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>From listserv@xconn.com Tue 27 Aug 1996 21:21:07 Received: from xconn by xconn.com with uucp id E81wz; Tue 27 Aug 1996 21:21:07 From: Dallas Denny <aegis@mindspring.com> Reply-to: aegisnws@xconn.com Subject: CA Governor Wilson Continues Assault on Lesbian & Gay Families Date: Tue, 27 Aug 1996 21:21:06 X-Sender: UUPlus Listserver 2.01 for DOS To: anechoxc Message-Id: <9608272121.E81wz@xconn.com>

Original Date: Tue, 27 Aug 1996 23:52:40 -0400 Originally From: Dallas Denny <aegis@mindspring.com>

Date: Tue, 27 Aug 1996 16:51:03 -0700 (PDT) From: Jacob Hale <hcphi002@email.csun.edu>

Hi all–

While this press release is concerned specifically with gay & lesbian adoption, it looks like regulation Wilson proposes could also affect transfolk. Ideas for responses?

Best, Jake

************************************** News from the: L.A. GAY & LESBIAN CENTER 1625 N. Schrader Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90028 ************************************** Contact: Jim Key or Mike Ausiello (213) 860-7357

GOVERNOR WILSON CONTINUES ASSAULT ON LESBIAN & GAY FAMILIES

L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center Hosts Meeting to Discuss Response to New Regulations

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 27, 1996 — In another attack on the families of lesbians and gay men, Governor Pete Wilson is calling on the Department of Social Services to enact regulations that would make it more difficult for anyone — other than married couples — to adopt children in California. Justifying the proposed new regulations, the state Department of Social Services issued a nine page statement, claiming among other things that “… a child’s best interests are served by adoption by a married couple, i.e., when there is a deep commitment between the members of the couple demonstrated by marriage.” “This is one more cowardly attempt by Governor Wilson to curry favor with wealthy, religious political extremists, and this time at the expense of needy children,” said Kay Ostberg, deputy executive director of the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center. “Being a good parent involves first and foremost a commitment to the children. Few are more committed than lesbians and gay men who must already endure a more difficult and costly adoption process than other prospective parents.” The real victims of these proposed regulations are the hundreds of California children who need a caring, loving home, said Dean Larkin, co-facilitator of Maybe Baby, a support group for potential and current lesbian and gay parents which meets at the Gay & Lesbian Center. “As the number of children in desperate need of a caring and safe environment grows, Governor Wilson is playing politics,” said Mr. Larkin. “This thinly veiled attack on gay and lesbian families, and other non-traditional families, is ultimately most harmful to the children who will remain wards of the state rather than being placed permanently in secure and stable homes.” A statement issued by the Department of Social Services, proposing the discriminatory regulations, says “a child’s interests are best served by a family that has both two parents and male and female role models.” It also says that “married couples provide this family environment and the stability associated with the commitment of marriage.” The department, however, refuses to admit that the new regulations target prospective lesbian and gay parents. Larry Bolton, chief counsel for the DSS, told the San Jose Mercury News that “The preference is for married couples. The department does not make recommendations based on sexual orientation.” While proposing DSS regulations that make it more difficult for anyone to adopt children, other than married couples, Governor Wilson is vowing to prevent recognition of same-gender marriages in California and to block domestic partnership legislation. “Come out from behind the cloak of Lou Sheldon, Governor Wilson, and admit that you’ve become nothing more than the puppet of religious political extremists,” said Ms. Ostberg. “We will not permit you to do their bidding by denying gay men and lesbians our civil rights.” Three hearings are scheduled on the proposed regulations, the last of which is scheduled on Thursday, Sept. 5th at 10 a.m. in Santa Ana at 2501 Pullman St., Building B, Room B100 in Santa Ana. The first hearing is in San Jose on Sept. 3 and the second is in West Sacramento on Sept. 4th. Written statements may be faxed by 5 p.m. on September 5th to Frank Vitulli, CDSS, Office of Regulations Development at FAX: 916-654-3286. The L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center’s Public Policy Department will host a meeting on Tuesday, September 3rd at 6 p.m. to discuss the proposed new regulations and a response to them. For more information and to RSVP, call Heather Carrigan, Public Policy Advocate, at 213-860-7352. The L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center is the world’s largest gay and lesbian organization and a leading HIV/AIDS care provider, welcoming more than 14,000 visits from ethnically diverse youth and adults each month. It is a powerful non-profit force for gay and lesbian civil rights and home to the largest array of free or low cost health, legal, employment, educational, cultural and social programs designed especially for gay men and lesbians. It’s served by a staff of more than 240 employees and 3,000 volunteers. – 30 –

Dallas Denny, M.A., Executive Director

American Educational Gender Information Service, Inc. A 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Corporation P.O. Box 33724, Decatur, GA 30033-0724 (770) 939-2128 Business (770) 939-0244 Information & Referrals (770) 939-1770 FAX aegis@mindspring.com E-Mail

Visit the AEGIS FTP Site: ftp://ftp.mindspring.com/users/aegis/ User ID: anonymous Password: (your email address)

We have several electronic mailing lists: AEGIS NEWS: Trans-related news, press releases, and items of interest GENDER HELP: Discussion of issues related to transition and personal growth (Send e-mail to listserv@xconn.com; on separate lines in the message, include the following: subscribe aegisnws subscribe gendhelp

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>From listserv@xconn.com Tue 27 Aug 1996 21:21:09 Received: from xconn by xconn.com with uucp id E41FU; Tue 27 Aug 1996 21:21:09 From: Dallas Denny <aegis@mindspring.com> Reply-to: aegisnws@xconn.com Subject: Wilson Attacks Our Right to Adopt Date: Tue, 27 Aug 1996 21:21:08 X-Sender: UUPlus Listserver 2.01 for DOS To: anechoxc Message-Id: <9608272121.E41FU@xconn.com>

Original Date: Tue, 27 Aug 1996 23:55:37 -0400 Originally From: Dallas Denny <aegis@mindspring.com>

From: Michelle Steiner <steiner@best.com> Subject: Fwd: Wilson attacks our right to adopt To: GLB-NEWS@LISTSERV.AOL.COM

I received a letter from Baylands Family Circle warning members that Gov. Pete Wilson has ordered the Deparment of Social Services (DSS) to revert to its old policy against adoptions by unmarried couples or single people. These changes would make it illegal for any unmarried couple to adopt, thus halting “second parent” adoptions which are routinely approved in many counties for gay and lesbian couples.

This would be a change in regulations rather than policy, and would not allow judges the leeway to rule in the “best interests of the child”, as they currently do. It will effectively terminate all adoptions by people who are not married hets. The official proposal goes so far as to claim that a child’s interests are best served by a family that has both two parents and male and female role models.

This is being done very quietly; so quietly, in fact, that even the county directors of DSS are unaware of it. We need to get the word out, and show up in force at the hearings, lest Pete steal a march on us on this one.

For a copy of the proposed regulations, contact Frank R. Vitulli, CDSS Office of Regulations Development 744 “P” Street, MS 7-192 Sacramento, CA, 95814 Telephone (916)657-2586 Fax (916)654-3286

Public hearings will be held at the following locations:

TUES. Sept 3 San Jose State Bldg. 100 Paseo de San Antonio Auditorium San Jose

WED Sept 4 World Trade Center 2102 Stone Blvd. Room 214 West Sacramento

THURS Sept 5 Building B 2501 Pullman St Room B100 Santa Ana

Hearings convene at 10AM and will remain open only as long as attendees are presenting testimony. Statements or arguments relating to the proposals may also be submitted in writing to the Office of Regulations Development (address above) or by telefax to (916) 654-3286. Comments must be received by 5PM, Sept 5, 1996.

—– End Included Message —–

Dallas Denny, M.A., Executive Director

American Educational Gender Information Service, Inc. A 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Corporation P.O. Box 33724, Decatur, GA 30033-0724 (770) 939-2128 Business (770) 939-0244 Information & Referrals (770) 939-1770 FAX aegis@mindspring.com E-Mail

Visit the AEGIS FTP Site: ftp://ftp.mindspring.com/users/aegis/ User ID: anonymous Password: (your email address)

We have several electronic mailing lists: AEGIS NEWS: Trans-related news, press releases, and items of interest GENDER HELP: Discussion of issues related to transition and personal growth (Send e-mail to listserv@xconn.com; on separate lines in the message, include the following: subscribe aegisnws subscribe gendhelp

————————————————————————

>From listserv@xconn.com Tue 27 Aug 1996 21:21:11 Received: from xconn by xconn.com with uucp id E05tg; Tue 27 Aug 1996 21:21:11 From: Dallas Denny <aegis@mindspring.com> Reply-to: aegisnws@xconn.com Subject: FTM in Deb Price Column Date: Tue, 27 Aug 1996 21:21:10 X-Sender: UUPlus Listserver 2.01 for DOS To: anechoxc Message-Id: <9608272121.E05tg@xconn.com>

Original Date: Wed, 28 Aug 1996 00:09:39 -0400 Originally From: Dallas Denny <aegis@mindspring.com>

The following is from Nancy Sharp (StressGone@aol.com)

Hi Folks,

Deb Price’s column today is entitled “Name is symbol of union for many.” It is amazing that Deb Price refuses in her column to acknowledge that Mr. Charles Winlow Hall was, in all probability, a FTM or intersexed individual. Generally, I like Deb’s column and ,even this column has a message, but it is unfortunate that she feels like she has to” feign ignorance” about FTM or intersexed individuals in order to make the story fit into a lesbian theme. If any one know’s how to contact Deb via e-mail, please let me know. Jamison, possibly FTMs wish to respond to Deb. In that case, you don’t need me to speak in your behalf. I will not pretend to know how FTMs or intersexed individuals feel about this article, but I know how I feel about it.

The column reads:

The names on the passenger list were Mr and Mrs Charles Winslow Hall. Sailing on an Italian ocean liner bound for New York City, the Halls initially were treated like any other married couple.

Mr. Hall, a 39 year old Bostonian returning from a decade abroad, struck acquantances as just another cigar- smoking, brandy- drinking American man. A crackerjack shot, Mr Hall had won European shooting contests. In Milan, Mr. Hall had also won the affection of the Italian woman who became Mrs. Hall– ” my wife,” as Mr. Hall liked to call her.

Aboard ship, the couple seemed unremarkable until Mr. Hall became gravely ill. Summoned to the couple’s cabin, the ship’s doctors shocked themselves by disrobing a secret: “Charles” Hall was actually Caroline Hall, just as much a woman as her traveling companion. ( Give me a break, Deb! Just possibly, he was not a woman but a man. Review Gender 101.–my comment)

Caroline Hall died on board. And the Halls story became front- ppage news in the New York Times on Oct. 1 , 1901. ” ‘Mrs. Hall ‘ attended her companion until the end,” the paper reported.

The exact nature of the woman’s relationship is lost to history. Lost, too, are their reasons for posing as a heterosexual couple. What’s clear though is that using the same last name helped the same- sex pair secure privileges reserved for married couples.

Now, nearly a century later, a growing number of same- sex couples are opting to become same-name couples. For an openly gay couple , sharing a last name isn’t an attempt to deceive or to pass as a heterosexual. Rather, it’s an effective way for the couple to present themselves as exactly what they are –a family.”

( OK, Deb I admit the history is lost and I can not prove Mr. Hall was really Mr. Hall with “non- conforming genitals… but Mr. Hall none- the- less. Also, maybe he was not intending to deceive and pass as heterosexual, maybe he was heterosexual. It is a shame you had to appropriate the experience of an FTM or intersexed individual in order to make a point. Possibly one day you will help those members of the gay and lesbian community and the world at large that FTMs and intersexed individuals exist in their own right and that they do not require quotation marks around the title of Mr.) I have never seen Deb mention the word transgender or transsexual in her columns. Certainly, intersexed is not in her vocabulary.

Best Regards, Nancy

Dallas Denny, M.A., Executive Director

American Educational Gender Information Service, Inc. A 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Corporation P.O. Box 33724, Decatur, GA 30033-0724 (770) 939-2128 Business (770) 939-0244 Information & Referrals (770) 939-1770 FAX aegis@mindspring.com E-Mail

Visit the AEGIS FTP Site: ftp://ftp.mindspring.com/users/aegis/ User ID: anonymous Password: (your email address)

We have several electronic mailing lists: AEGIS NEWS: Trans-related news, press releases, and items of interest GENDER HELP: Discussion of issues related to transition and personal growth (Send e-mail to listserv@xconn.com; on separate lines in the message, include the following: subscribe aegisnws subscribe gendhelp

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>From listserv@xconn.com Tue 27 Aug 1996 21:21:13 Received: from xconn by xconn.com with uucp id E63rS; Tue 27 Aug 1996 21:21:13 From: Dallas Denny <aegis@mindspring.com> Reply-to: aegisnws@xconn.com Subject: Burnout: Message From a PFLAG Mom Date: Tue, 27 Aug 1996 21:21:12 X-Sender: UUPlus Listserver 2.01 for DOS To: anechoxc Message-Id: <9608272121.E63rS@xconn.com>

Original Date: Wed, 28 Aug 1996 00:21:20 -0400 Originally From: Dallas Denny <aegis@mindspring.com>

The following resonated with me, as I have been going full-speed for more than six years, and had some health problems this summer. Staying at home for six weeks to recuperate from a broken foot and getting treatment for sleep apnea has rejuvenated me, at least temporarily. so don’t worry, I’m in no immediate danger of burning out. However, I think most community “leaders, myself included, are at considerable risk. There’s a neverending demand for our time and attention and it’s very difficult to back off.

— Dallas

From: Maggie Heineman <maggie@critpath.org> Subject: Tragedy in the Heartland

written by Rhea Murray <rmurray@hsonline.net> forwarded by Maggie Heineman <maggie@critpathl.org> –with apologies to those who are one more than one of my aliases and have received duplicates– ===================================================

To all those who have been in the trenches and feel the stress of burnout:

Burn-out is a problem that afflicts many dedicated people. I think the risk of burn-out is less likely when you are closer to the battle line. I have been asked to speak at many different large metropolitan areas in this last year. One thing I continuously encounter is shock at the horror stories that is daily life for GLBT people and their families in the Heartland of our country. I know that homophobia, hatred and fear abound in all comunities. But for many small communities across the nation this is still 1950’s . . .with the 1950’s mindset.

I have done 15 speaking engagements this last year. I still have not conquer my fear of public speaking. Each engagement is a gut-wrenching war with my number one phobia. Sometimes I whoop the dragon; sometimes it whoops me. Rumors has it that my ex-minister is threatening to file a libel civil suit against me for telling my story. My home has been broken into twice within the last six weeks. Nothing is ever taken. It is as though someone wants us to know that their menacing presence has been here. The police asked if we had any enemies. Now we are beginning to receive harrassing phone calls with a mechanized voice. I am having personal crisis issues going on in my life. My response to all this . . .well, I plan to take a huge step in being more out in my community by approaching all the local newspapers about our chapter’s presence in their community and to promote the hotline number for the national Family-to-Family hotline.

Why? This last year I have personally dealt with the following: homeless, abandoned by family, teenaged lesbians living in a storage shed in the dead of winter – one was pregnant; Jimmy being denied access to his dying, beloved Jamie, a desperate search for a teenage boy who was attempting suicide – luckily we reached him at the very moment he was taking an exacto knife to his wrists; a teenage boy who was forcefully committed to a mental hospital, when his parents discovered he was gay; another boy who was made to crawl on his hands and knees and beg forgiveness, so his parents would allow him to continue to live with them – his parents have forced a life of total isolation on this fine, young man who was just beginning to bloom into his affirming self; a seventeen year old sitting in my living room who just had the hospital bind his wounds from a recent gaybashing to have me help bind the more permanent wounds on his dignity; a fifteen year old lesbian whose parents changed the locks on their home to deny their daughter even her personal belongings; dealing with the realization that my Eddie who is dying of AIDS has to be driven over an hour to find a hospital who won’t mistreat him; and lastly, this weekend a gay youth in my son’s support group decided life had become too unbearable and flung himself out of a speeding car.

Their faces, their eyes, their stories haunt me. They build a fire in my belly . . . a fire so intense that it threatens to consume me, if I do not take action. These are our children, our brothers, our sisters. They are bleeding. They are dying. And they are bleeding and dying in a world that does not give a damn about them. They need us. Oh, god, how they need us.

Please take the much deserved respite to ease the burden of burnout. But please do not forget their plight and those of us on the frontlines who have no one to step in, if we have a need to step down. Our respites come in small victories that are few and far between. Rest, relax and then come back back with renewed vigor to fight. For this indeed is a war . . . a war in which the only bodies that lie at our feet are those of our GLBT loved ones.

Forgive me. It is not I who speaks but the fire that burns within.

Love and peace, Rhea Murray <rmurray@hsonline.net>

==================================================

This message is from Rhea Murray, a PFLAG mom and a close friend of mine. Rhea has given permission to her message disseminated across the Internet. There is more about Rhea on the World Wide Web at http://www.critpath.org/pflag-talk/support/reason/

Maggie Heineman <maggie@critpath.org>

webmaster, PFLAG-Talk/TGS-PFLAG] http://www.critpath.org/pflag-talk/

=============Permission to Repost ===================

Dallas Denny, M.A., Executive Director

American Educational Gender Information Service, Inc. A 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Corporation P.O. Box 33724, Decatur, GA 30033-0724 (770) 939-2128 Business (770) 939-0244 Information & Referrals (770) 939-1770 FAX aegis@mindspring.com E-Mail

Visit the AEGIS FTP Site: ftp://ftp.mindspring.com/users/aegis/ User ID: anonymous Password: (your email address)

We have several electronic mailing lists: AEGIS NEWS: Trans-related news, press releases, and items of interest GENDER HELP: Discussion of issues related to transition and personal growth (Send e-mail to listserv@xconn.com; on separate lines in the message, include the following: subscribe aegisnws subscribe gendhelp

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>From listserv@xconn.com Tue 27 Aug 1996 22:55:47 Received: from xconn by xconn.com with uucp id E13NO; Tue 27 Aug 1996 22:55:47 From: Dallas Denny <aegis@mindspring.com> Reply-to: aegisnws@xconn.com Subject: DOMA Date: Tue, 27 Aug 1996 22:55:46 X-Sender: UUPlus Listserver 2.01 for DOS To: anechoxc Message-Id: <9608272255.E13NO@xconn.com>

Original Date: Wed, 28 Aug 1996 00:28:09 -0400 Originally From: Dallas Denny <aegis@mindspring.com>

From: caitlin flowers <caitlin.flowers@gtri.gatech.edu>

Caitlin writes:

could you publish the following message through the AEGIS news service? i have already written clinton and received his reply on this subject in which he said his stand against same sex marriages was on record in 1992, and he stands by this position. then he switches to discuss his support of ENDA, although he doesn’t use the acronym, ENDA. we all know that this is one of the republican’s wedge issues. it isn’t putting a wedge between me and support of clinton in any case. but i don’t think we have *anything* to loose by reminding him that he needs us, and this is a really dirty bill. the letter below says it so well.

regards,

caitlin

>Date: Mon, 26 Aug 1996 22:03:03 -0500 >To: mark.gravitt@success.gatech.edu, harry.rezzemini@ibid.library.gatech.edu, > outtech@danshiki.oit.gatech.edu >From: maxford@ibid.library.gatech.edu (Mary A. Axford) >Subject: Fwd: DOMA > >>——————— >>Forwarded message: >>Subj: DOMA >>Date: 96-08-25 07:50:18 EDT >>From: RIKSHA28 >>To: Alice Eve >> >>Hi folks, >>This came to us and I thought I would pass it on. Usually I do not pass on >>these types of messages but this one is really important to us and alot of >>people we know. >>Thanks >> >> >>President Bill Clinton has been taking way too much advice from his >>right-wing advisors like Dick Morris on the subject of DOMA. He needs to >>know that we will not sit back and allow him to score election year points by >>denying basic rights to lesbian or gay Americans. It is the most important >>battle of our political lives and no matter what we think about the timing or >>the politics behind this issue, we cannot afford to sit this one out! This >>is an experiment in using the net for grass roots politics. Your voice will >>make a difference!!! >> >>To participate: >>1. E-mail this message, exactly as is, complete with the above introduction >>to at least five of your friends. Add it to any mailing list you are on. >> Please, distribute as widely as you can. >> >>2. Copy the message below the line, without the above introduction, to a new >>email message. >> >>3. Address that new message to: president@whitehouse.gov >> >>4. Fill in your name, street address and the date in the appropriate places >>top and bottom. The White House tosses e-messages with no street address. >> >>5. In the subject line, write VETO DOMA. >> >>6. Hit the send button and your copy of the message will be on its way to >>The White House. >> >>If you follow all of these directions the President could receive a few >>hundred thousand messages titled VETO DOMA. It would be too much to ignore >> >>WE CAN AND WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN 1996!!! >>_____________________________________________________________________ >> >>Jeff Harris >>Seattle, WA >>Jeff@aa.net >>_____________________________________________________________________ >> >>>date >> >>President Bill Clinton >>The White House >>1600 Pennslyvania Avenue >>Washington, DC >> >>Dear Mr. President: >> >>Republicans in Congress, with the help of many Democrats will probably pass >>the so called Defense Of Marriage Act, or DOMA. They created the bill from >>ignorance, from hatred for gay Americans and out of the desire to embarrass >>you in an election year. You helped its progress when, to make yourself look >>good in an election year, you announced early that you would sign it. Now, >>you must change your mind and do the right thing. Veto DOMA! We will not >>allow you to make political gains by creating pain for gay Americans. >> >>DOMA is a dangerous threat to the civil liberities of gay Americans and to >>the Constitution itself. As Jim Crow laws once did to African Americans in >>the South, DOMA would use the mighty power of the federal government to deny >>to one class of citizens, gay Americans: income tax benefits, pensions, >>social security benefits, access to partners in federal hospitals, >>immigration rights, and so much more that we have not yet considered. DOMA >>would create for the first time under federal law two classes of citizenship >>with different rights for gay and straight Americans. This divisive law >>threatens one of our most important Constitutional principles, equal >>protection under the law. >> >>You must do the right thing Mr. President, speak out against the hatred, >>eschew the politics of division and rise above the political expedience. Do >>the right thing for your country and its citizens. Veto DOMA! Raise your >>voice against this monstrous injustice. Use the power of your veto pen to >>bring us together, instead of your signature to divide our nation by creating >>a new federally ordered apartheid system of injustice. >> >>Sincerely, >> >>>your name >>>your street address >>>your city, state and zip code >> > >Mary A. Axford | Internet: mary.axford@library.gatech.edu | (404) 894-1392 >Georgia Institute of Technology Library, Atlanta, GA 30332-0900 > “Information is the currency of democracy”. > —- Thomas Jefferson

Dallas Denny, M.A., Executive Director

American Educational Gender Information Service, Inc. A 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Corporation P.O. Box 33724, Decatur, GA 30033-0724 (770) 939-2128 Business (770) 939-0244 Information & Referrals (770) 939-1770 FAX aegis@mindspring.com E-Mail

Visit the AEGIS FTP Site: ftp://ftp.mindspring.com/users/aegis/ User ID: anonymous Password: (your email address)

We have several electronic mailing lists: AEGIS NEWS: Trans-related news, press releases, and items of interest GENDER HELP: Discussion of issues related to transition and personal growth (Send e-mail to listserv@xconn.com; on separate lines in the message, include the following: subscribe aegisnws subscribe gendhelp

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>From listserv@xconn.com Tue 27 Aug 1996 22:55:49 Received: from xconn by xconn.com with uucp id E84dz; Tue 27 Aug 1996 22:55:49 From: Dallas Denny <aegis@mindspring.com> Reply-to: aegisnws@xconn.com Subject: Disabled Trans Person Terrorized in Lithia Springs, GA Date: Tue, 27 Aug 1996 22:55:48 X-Sender: UUPlus Listserver 2.01 for DOS To: anechoxc Message-Id: <9608272255.E84dz@xconn.com>

Original Date: Wed, 28 Aug 1996 00:32:00 -0400 Originally From: Dallas Denny <aegis@mindspring.com>

The following Appeared in Etc., 16 August, 1996. Phillida is a friend of mine, and I was at her house the morning after the first attack and saw the gaping hole in her window.

— Dallas

Disabled Trans-Person Terrorized in Lithia Springs, GA

“It takes a cowardly bastard to do this to someone who can’t even get out of the way,” says Phillida Hutcheson, a transgendered person who has been confined to a wheelchair for many years. Over the past few weeks, Hutcheson, who lives alone in Lithia Springs just outside of Atlanta, has been terrorized by a series of attacks on her home. They began Aug. 2 with phone calls– one calling her a “fag” and another with just a rude noise. On Aug. 3 a brick was thrown through her upper-level bedroom window, landing just a few feet from where she slept. In the weeks that followed, the calls continued, more bricks and rocks were thrown, and a bottle rocket was launched, landing on her roof. Douglas County Sheriff’s Department investigators have been on the case, although apparently with little action and much reluctance to classify the attacks as hate crimes. “[Investigator Tracy Stanley] told me I could report this as a hate crime to federal authorities, but they wouldn’t do anything about a ‘minor’ incident like this,” Hutcheson says. Hutcheson has never experienced problems in the ten years she’s lived in the town and speculates it may be connected to her firing a neighborhood man who had done some yard work for her. According to Hutcheson, investigators have questioned the man, but at press time, Douglas County authorities had not returned calls for comment.

Dallas Denny, M.A., Executive Director

American Educational Gender Information Service, Inc. A 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Corporation P.O. Box 33724, Decatur, GA 30033-0724 (770) 939-2128 Business (770) 939-0244 Information & Referrals (770) 939-1770 FAX aegis@mindspring.com E-Mail

Visit the AEGIS FTP Site: ftp://ftp.mindspring.com/users/aegis/ User ID: anonymous Password: (your email address)

We have several electronic mailing lists: AEGIS NEWS: Trans-related news, press releases, and items of interest GENDER HELP: Discussion of issues related to transition and personal growth (Send e-mail to listserv@xconn.com; on separate lines in the message, include the following: subscribe aegisnws subscribe gendhelp

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>From listserv@xconn.com Tue 27 Aug 1996 22:55:51 Received: from xconn by xconn.com with uucp id E33ue; Tue 27 Aug 1996 22:55:51 From: Dallas Denny <aegis@mindspring.com> Reply-to: aegisnws@xconn.com Subject: Toronto Institute Reports Gender, Orientation Studies Date: Tue, 27 Aug 1996 22:55:50 X-Sender: UUPlus Listserver 2.01 for DOS To: anechoxc Message-Id: <9608272255.E33ue@xconn.com>

Original Date: Wed, 28 Aug 1996 00:36:37 -0400 Originally From: Dallas Denny <aegis@mindspring.com>

The following appeared in Etc., 16 August, 1996

Toronto Institute Reports Gender, Orientation Studies

Ray Blanchard, head of clinical sexology at Toronto’s Clarke Institute of Psychiatry, reported August 13, that researchers have identified a distinct psychological group of men who are sexually interested in transvestites and transsexuals. Blanchard said these men, called gynandromorphophiles, are “heterosexuals of some stripe” and more common than believed. Blanchard andhis research team reached their conclusions by analyzing a transsexual voice mail service. While admitting the research is “primitive,” Blanchard concluded gynandromorphophiles are masculine and heterosexual men seeking to play a dominant role with men who dress and actlike women but retain their male genitalia. Blanchard also figured into other reszearch reports presented the same day at a meeting of the American Psychological Association. A long-term study of 4500 sets of Australian twiins concluded that if one identical twin is gay, the other will be, too. For owmen, the survey did not find enough identical sisters who shared a lesbian identity to make the same conclusion. Blanchard suggested the influence on being gay may go beyond genetics to such factors as growing up the youngest brother in a family.

Dallas Denny, M.A., Executive Director

American Educational Gender Information Service, Inc. A 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Corporation P.O. Box 33724, Decatur, GA 30033-0724 (770) 939-2128 Business (770) 939-0244 Information & Referrals (770) 939-1770 FAX aegis@mindspring.com E-Mail

Visit the AEGIS FTP Site: ftp://ftp.mindspring.com/users/aegis/ User ID: anonymous Password: (your email address)

We have several electronic mailing lists: AEGIS NEWS: Trans-related news, press releases, and items of interest GENDER HELP: Discussion of issues related to transition and personal growth (Send e-mail to listserv@xconn.com; on separate lines in the message, include the following: subscribe aegisnws subscribe gendhelp

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———————————————————————— NOTE: The AEGISNWS list is a one-way newsfeed. You may not post to it. Your comments and news items should be sent to <aegis@mindspring.com>. For listserv assistance, send the message HELP to <listserv@xconn.com>

Originally From: aegisnws-digest@xconn.com Original Date: Sat, 31 Aug 1996 03:43:19

=============================================================================

AEGIS-NEWS DIGEST

A service of the American Educational Gender Information Service, Inc.

=============================================================================

>From listserv@xconn.com Wed 28 Aug 1996 08:19:51 Received: from xconn by xconn.com with uucp id E17pv; Wed 28 Aug 1996 08:19:51 From: GLCFWendy@aol.com Reply-to: aegisnws@xconn.com Subject: Alter Egos on MSNBC- One Mo’ Time! Date: Wed, 28 Aug 1996 08:19:50 X-Sender: UUPlus Listserver 2.01 for DOS To: anechoxc Message-Id: <9608280819.E17pv@xconn.com>

Originally From: GLCFWendy@aol.com Original Date: Wed, 28 Aug 1996 10:40:19 -0400

(Originally from Kate Bornstein (outlawgal@aol.com)).

Dear All…

MSNBC, the NBC/Microsoft venture, has re-set the air date for their program “Alter Egos,” an exploration of how people surf in different identities in cyberspace, and the implications of that for offline life.

Caitlin Sullivan and I are interviewed, along with Sherry Turkle (sociologist, author of “Life on the Screen: Identity in the Age of the Internet”) . Should be more than yer average sensationalist stuff.

If you don’t get MSNBC on your local cable station, Caitlin and I hope to have the transcipt up on our book’s website (www.nearlyroadkill.com) within a few weeks of the airdate.

This is what I got from the MSNBCer:

>Hey there… we have a new date. >Monday, September 2 at 7pm Pacific and 10 pm Eastern on >MSNBC “Alter Egos” will air. >I think it’s safe to say that this date is set in stone.

Caitlin and I tried to keep our focus on how identity-surfing and the anonymity of surfing has strengthened the position of Other on the Net. We also ::grin:: take some fun swipes at Mircrosoft and other corporate Net invaders. It’ll be interesting to see if they keep that stuff in there.

Enjoy, and please pass the word to folks you think might be interested.

warmly,

Kate

Kate Bornstein, OutlawGal@AOL.com www.nearlyroadkill.com

**As posted in the Transgender Community Forum **On America Online (Keyword: TCF) **TCF Info: http://members.aol.com/glcfwendy/tcf

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Original Date: Thu, 05 Sep 1996 22:10:09 -0400 Originally From: Dallas Denny <aegis@mindspring.com>

Posted by Rex Wockner; reposted with Permission

NEWS from the Human Rights Campaign

1101 14th Street NW Washington, DC 20005 email: communications@hrcusa.org WWW: http://www.hrcusa.org ________________________________________________________

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Thursday, Sept. 5, 1996

SENATE REPUBLICAN LEADERS TORPEDO DEBATE AGREEMENT ON DEFENSE OF MARRIAGE ACT Motivation: Fear that ENDA Would Pass

WASHINGTON — The so-called Defense of Marriage Act will not come to a vote in the Senate today because Republican leaders proposed a series of amendments intended to undermine the terms of debate, the Human Rights Campaign asserted.

“We believe these amendments were offered when it became clear that our side was on the verge of passing the Employment Non-Discrimination Act as an amendment to the Defense of Marriage Act,” said Winnie Stachelberg, HRC’s deputy director for legislation. “However, the odds remain very favorable that ENDA will still come up for a vote in the this Senate.”

Late Wednesday, Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss., and Minority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., announced that the anti-gay marriage bill was mired in controversy. They said they would continue negotiating over possible amendments, and indicated that the bill would probably come up for a vote in the Senate next week.

The terms of debate on the anti-gay marriage bill were defined by a unanimous consent agreement reached before Congress recessed last month. Each side had agreed to offer up to four amendments to the overall bill.

Almost immediately, HRC proposed offering the Employment Non-Discrimination Act as an amendment to the anti-gay marriage bill as a means to call the bluff of those extremist senators who claimed the Defense of Marriage Act was not motivated by bigotry. ENDA would outlaw employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

Sens. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., James Jeffords, R-Vt., and Joseph Lieberman, D-Conn., agreed to offer the ENDA amendment. However, the other amendments to the overall bill were not revealed publicly until Wednesday.

The GOP’s amendments were proposals to reimburse the legal fees of White House travel office employees; to revoke the District of Columbia’s authority to reform its welfare program; and to block unions from using dues for political purposes.

The Democrats offered three other amendments that would have expanded federal jurisdiction in hate crimes against gays; guaranteed new mothers up to 48 hours in the hospital after delivery; and deny guns to anyone convicted of domestic violence.

The Human Rights Campaign is the largest national lesbian and gay political organization, with members throughout the country. It effectively lobbies Congress, provides campaign support and educates the public to ensure that lesbian and gay Americans can be open, honest and safe at home, at work and in the community.

– 30 –

Dallas Denny, M.A., Executive Director

American Educational Gender Information Service, Inc. A 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Corporation P.O. Box 33724, Decatur, GA 30033-0724 (770) 939-2128 Business (770) 939-0244 Information & Referrals (770) 939-1770 FAX aegis@mindspring.com E-Mail

Visit the AEGIS FTP Site: ftp://ftp.mindspring.com/users/aegis/ User ID: anonymous Password: (your email address)

We have several electronic mailing lists: AEGIS NEWS: Trans-related news, press releases, and items of interest GENDER HELP: Discussion of issues related to transition and personal growth (Send e-mail to listserv@xconn.com; on separate lines in the message, include the following: subscribe aegisnws subscribe gendhelp

If you’re on AOL, try the keyword AEGIS

———————————————————————— NOTE: The AEGISNWS list is a one-way newsfeed. You may not post to it. Your comments and news items should be sent to <aegis@mindspring.com>. For listserv assistance, send the message HELP to <listserv@xconn.com>. Original Date: Thu, 05 Sep 1996 22:10:15 -0400 Originally From: Dallas Denny <aegis@mindspring.com>

Reposted with Permission

From: Rex Wockner <rwockner@NETCOM.COM> Subject: NC1531: EXTREMELY URGENT: READ THIS AND ACT NOW!!! OUR “FRIENDS” HAVE APPARENTLY CAVED IN ON DOMA! CALL YOUR SENATOR RIGHT NOW!!! To: GLB-NEWS@LISTSERV.AOL.COM

FORWARDED BY GAY ACTIVIST DOUG CASE Doug.Case@sdsu.edu

———- Forwarded message ———- Date: Wed, 4 Sep 1996 23:02:58 -0800 From: Doug Case <Doug.Case@sdsu.edu> Subject: EXTREMELY URGENT: READ THIS AND ACT NOW!!! OUR “FRIENDS” HAVE APPARENTLY CAVED IN ON DOMA! CALL YOUR SENATOR RIGHT NOW!!!

THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE FROM BEHIND ENEMY LINES (THE AMERICAN FAMILY ASSOCIATION) WAS RECEIVED WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON (SEPTEMBER 4):

Urgent! Urgent! Urgent!

SUBJECT: THE FEDERAL DEFENSE OF MARRIAGE ACT (DOMA)

We have just received word that Senator Kennedy has broken the unanimous consent agreement and withdrawn his cronies’ amendments to DOMA. This means that it is very likely that the GOP will ask for a cloture vote to stop any more stalling. If this gets 60 votes, then DOMA gets voted on in clean fashion.

We need to urge the Senate to act immediately (today or tomorrow at the latest). Word from the Hill is that the liberals are folding because of relentless grass-roots pressure. There will likely be a vote on Friday (September 6) for cloture on a motion to precede, then vote on Tuesday on a second cloture to get to DOMA itself, and then a vote for the bill itself.

ACTION ITEM: Keep calling senators. We can’t afford to let this drift. We want a clean, swift vote on cloture for DOMA. Callers need to get specific about these votes, just request that the senator vote for DOMA. Here is a list of question-mark senators on DOMA:

(The area code for Washington, D.C. is 202)

AL Howell Heflin (D) 224-4124 fax 224-3149 AK Ted Stevens (R) 224-3004 fax 224-2354 AR David Pryor (D) 224-2353 fax 228-3973 Dale Bumpers (D) 224-4843 fax 224-6435 DE Joe Biden (D) 224-5042 fax 224-0139 FL Bob Graham (D) 224-3041 fax 224-2237 GA Sam Nunn (D) 224-3521 fax 224-0072 IA Tom Harkin (D) 224-3254 fax 224-9369 KS Shelia Frahm (R) 224-6521 fax 228-1245 Nancy Kassebaum (R) 224-4774 fax 224-3514 LA John Breaux (D) 224-4623 fax 224-4628 Bennet Johnston (D) 224-5824 fax 224-2952 ME Bill Cohen (R) 224-2523 fax 224-2693 Olympia Snowe (R) 224-5344 fax 224-1946 MO Christopher Bond (R) 224-5721 fax 224-8149 MT Max Baucus (D) 224-2651 fax 224-1974 NE James Exon (D) 224-4224 fax 224-5213 NV Richard Byron (D) 224-6244 fax 224-1867 Harry Reid (D) 224-3542 fax 224-7327 NY Alfonse D’Amato (R) 224-6542 fax 224-5871 ND Kent Conrad (D) 224-2043 fax 224-7776 Byron Dorgan (D) 224-2551 fax 224-1193 OR Mark Hatfield (R) 224-3753 fax 224-0276 PA Arlen Specter (R) 224-4254 fax 224-1893 SC Ernest Hollings (D) 224-6121 fax 224-4293 WA Slade Gorton (R) 224-3441 fax 224-9393 WV John Rockefeller (D) 224-6472 fax 224-7665 WY Alan Simpson (R) 224-3424 fax 224-1315 Craig Thomas (R) 224-6441 fax 224-1724

*You may also call 1-800-962-3524 and ask to speak with your senator.

===================================================================== Please tell a friend about the AFA ACTION ALERT Register on the world wide web at: http://www.gocin.com/afa/home.html

Dallas Denny, M.A., Executive Director

American Educational Gender Information Service, Inc. A 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Corporation P.O. Box 33724, Decatur, GA 30033-0724 (770) 939-2128 Business (770) 939-0244 Information & Referrals (770) 939-1770 FAX aegis@mindspring.com E-Mail

Visit the AEGIS FTP Site: ftp://ftp.mindspring.com/users/aegis/ User ID: anonymous Password: (your email address)

We have several electronic mailing lists: AEGIS NEWS: Trans-related news, press releases, and items of interest GENDER HELP: Discussion of issues related to transition and personal growth (Send e-mail to listserv@xconn.com; on separate lines in the message, include the following: subscribe aegisnws subscribe gendhelp

If you’re on AOL, try the keyword AEGIS

———————————————————————— NOTE: The AEGISNWS list is a one-way newsfeed. You may not post to it. Your comments and news items should be sent to <aegis@mindspring.com>. For listserv assistance, send the message HELP to <listserv@xconn.com>. Original Date: Sat, 07 Sep 1996 02:52:48 -0400 Originally From: Dallas Denny <aegis@mindspring.com>

Erin Swenson, a list subscriber, pointed out that I should point out that it is the right-wing that wants DOMA passed now, while ENDA is not included as a rider. Please DON’T contact your congressperson and ask that DOMA be passed immediately.

DOMA (the Defense of Marriage Act) will prevent gay and lesbian (and most likely, transgender) marriages. ENDA (Employment Nondiscrimination Act) will prohibit discrimination in the workplace against Gay and Lesbian (and transgender, depending upon which version is passed) persons. Dallas Denny, M.A., Executive Director

American Educational Gender Information Service, Inc. A 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Corporation P.O. Box 33724, Decatur, GA 30033-0724 (770) 939-2128 Business (770) 939-0244 Information & Referrals (770) 939-1770 FAX aegis@mindspring.com E-Mail

Visit the AEGIS FTP Site: ftp://ftp.mindspring.com/users/aegis/ User ID: anonymous Password: (your email address)

We have several electronic mailing lists: AEGIS NEWS: Trans-related news, press releases, and items of interest GENDER HELP: Discussion of issues related to transition and personal growth (Send e-mail to listserv@xconn.com; on separate lines in the message, include the following: subscribe aegisnws subscribe gendhelp

If you’re on AOL, try the keyword AEGIS

———————————————————————— NOTE: The AEGISNWS list is a one-way newsfeed. You may not post to it. Your comments and news items should be sent to <aegis@mindspring.com>. For listserv assistance, send the message HELP to <listserv@xconn.com>. Original Date: Sat, 07 Sep 1996 03:00:41 -0400 Originally From: Dallas Denny <aegis@mindspring.com>

NEWS from the Human Rights Campaign

1101 14th Street NW Washington, DC 20005 email: communications@hrcusa.org WWW: http://www.hrcusa.org ________________________________________________________

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Friday, Sept. 6, 1996 IN A STUNNING TURN OF EVENTS, ANTI-GAY JOB BIAS BILL SCHEDULED FOR FREE-STANDING VOTE NEXT WEEK

Senate Set for Historic Vote on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act Tuesday, Sept. 10 WASHINGTON — In a late-night announcement on the Senate floor, and a stunning turn of events, Majority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss., announced yesterday that the Employment Non- Discrimination Act (ENDA) will come up for a vote as a free- standing bill next Tuesday, Sept. 10. ENDA, a bill first introduced in 1994, would ban job discrimination against lesbian, gay and bisexual people.

“We are within striking distance of passing the Employment Non-Discrimination Act in the Senate,” said Elizabeth Birch, executive director of the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the largest national gay political organization. “While still an uphill battle, a momentous civil rights victory for our community, our families, our friends, and indeed all fair-minded Americans is within reach.”

Lott announced that ENDA would be voted on the same day as the so-called Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), a bill originally sponsored by Republican presidential nominee Bob Dole that would deny federal recognition of same-sex marriages in the event that a state should ever legalize such marriages in the future. ENDA was to be offered as an amendment to the anti-gay bill as part of an agreement made before Congress recessed in August. “When it became apparent to the anti-gay bill’s sponsors that ENDA could pass, they balked and the agreement collapsed,” said Daniel Zingale, HRC’s political director. DOMA’s sponsors feared that ENDA would kill their bill if it was successfully attached, and worked frantically behind the scenes to unravel the agreement.

“We were a victim of our own success,” said Zingale. “While killing the Defense of Marriage Act would have been an outstanding result in our view, the introduction of ENDA as an amendment was simply an attempt to gain something positive out of an utterly dismal political situation.”

Zingale said that HRC has counted 43 senators voting for ENDA and has targeted 14 others whose support is possible. In a New York Times interview published today, Senator Alfonse D’Amato, R-N.Y., announced his support for the measure. “My position is clear: People should be judged on the basis on their ability,” D’Amato told the Times, predicting the Senate would ultimately approve ENDA.

At the same time the Human Rights Campaign is hailing the prospects of passing landmark civil rights legislation in the Senate, it vowed to continue fighting the Defense of Marriage Act in Congress and beyond. “While DOMA proponents continue to inaccurately soft peddle their aim as reasonable — denying gay people equal marriage rights will not stand,” Birch said. “In the end America has always come down on the side of fairness, and there is no question in our minds that denying legal recognition of our relationships is discriminatory and unconstitutional. We will do everything in our power to work to defeat DOMA legislatively, and in our country’s courts of law and public opinion.”

Earlier this month the Human Rights Campaign aired televsion commercials in San Diego at the Republican National Convention asserting that “Bob Dole and Congress have better things to do than attack gay relationships.”

The organization ran a different commercial this week in the Washington area, entitled “Fairness,” showcasing four very different public figures — New Jersey Gov. Christine Todd Whitman, Coretta Scott King, former U.S. Sen. Barry Goldwater and Kathleen Gingrich, mother of House Speaker Newt Gingrich — all of whom agree that gay people deserve basic job protection and support the bill.

“A gay person can legally be fired simply for being gay in 41 states,” David M.Smith, HRC communications director, said at a news conference Tuesday to release the ad. “The four national figures featured in our ad are among the 85 percent of Americans who agree that job discrimination against gay men and lesbians is wrong.”

ENDA prohibits quotas, and does not apply to religious organizations, small businesses, and the military. Next week’s Senate vote on the measure will mark the first time in the history of the United States that Congress has voted on a civil rights bill that would include lesbian and gay Americans.

The Human Rights Campaign is the largest national lesbian and gay political organization, with members throughout the country. It effectively lobbies Congress, provides campaign support and educates the public to ensure that lesbian and gay Americans can be open, honest and safe at home, at work and in the community.

– 30 –

Dallas Denny, M.A., Executive Director

American Educational Gender Information Service, Inc. A 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Corporation P.O. Box 33724, Decatur, GA 30033-0724 (770) 939-2128 Business (770) 939-0244 Information & Referrals (770) 939-1770 FAX aegis@mindspring.com E-Mail

Visit the AEGIS FTP Site: ftp://ftp.mindspring.com/users/aegis/ User ID: anonymous Password: (your email address)

We have several electronic mailing lists: AEGIS NEWS: Trans-related news, press releases, and items of interest GENDER HELP: Discussion of issues related to transition and personal growth (Send e-mail to listserv@xconn.com; on separate lines in the message, include the following: subscribe aegisnws subscribe gendhelp

If you’re on AOL, try the keyword AEGIS

———————————————————————— NOTE: The AEGISNWS list is a one-way newsfeed. You may not post to it. Your comments and news items should be sent to <aegis@mindspring.com>. For listserv assistance, send the message HELP to <listserv@xconn.com>. List Server wrote: > > Original Date: Sat, 07 Sep 1996 02:52:48 -0400 > Originally From: Dallas Denny <aegis@mindspring.com> > > Erin Swenson, a list subscriber, pointed out that I should point out that it > is the right-wing that wants DOMA passed now, while ENDA is not included as > a rider. Please DON’T contact your congressperson and ask that DOMA be > passed immediately.

Neither left nor right wants to pass DOMA. Why else would both sides put lethal amendments on the Bill. No one wants a vote on this in an election year.

Sincerely, Christy Kay