Transgender Day of Remembrance (November 20th)

KENTUCKY EQUALITY FEDERATION
UNITED NATIONS

WORLDWIDE OPERATIONS

Marlene Bennedeck Dumont
Office of the Secretary-General
ILGA Trans Secretariat

Jordan Palmer
Office of the President
President

Transgender Day of Remembrance (November 20th)

"Even today, a high price is still paid for transgressing the gender that society imposes according to the person’s biological sex and for breaking the rules imposed by the majority," said ILGA Trans Secretariat Marlene Bennedect Dumont.  For a few years now, the Transgender Day of Remembrance has been commemorated on November 20th. In this date, we remember the comrades of all genders who have passed away due to the irrational hatred of those who believe that disruption of gender boundaries must be punished with death.

We have adopted officially this day in order to remember the death of Rita Hester, which led the following year to the creation of the website "Remembering our dead”, a project that also included a candlelight vigil in 1999 in San Francisco, USA. Since then, this event is held in many cities worldwide."

This date is important to give visibility to the consequences that exclusion and discrimination imposed by the social majority can have on a trans person (transgender, transvestites, transsexuals, cross-dressers and other gender dissidents), marking her or him with stigma. The organizations representing these people and asking for respect for their human rights should continue denouncing this situation, benefiting from this Day to express demands to their States, and to increase the visibility of problems affecting trans people. In most cases, these persons are forced to become sex workers, an activity which renders them vulnerable to Hiv/Aids and which exposes them to becoming victims of violence – often resulting in loss of lives as a result of hate crimes.

"When we speak out for full equality and protections under law, we send a message to everybody, including the bullies and our lawmakers, that we are all human," said Kentucky Equality Federation President Jordan Palmer. "Violence against LGBTI people has increased by nearly 15%; minorities and transgender women were more likely to be targeted. Of those killed, 70% were minorities and an alarming 44% were transgender women."

These hate crimes on the basis of the gender identity assumed by trans people (transgender, transvestites, transsexuals, cross-dressers and other gender dissidents) are happening everywhere in the world. Today, Trans organizations committed to the defense of the rights of their collective, denounce these deaths through alerts and reports. These are collected in the Handbook of Intolerance kept by the ILGA Trans Secretariat and in the "Trans Murder Monitoring Project” of the European Union Trans Conference (TGEU). In such a way we can inform the world about global social practices that must be eradicated everywhere, since they undermine all values and dignity of the person, says Belissa Andía, of Instituto Runa de Desarrollo y Estudios sobre Genero in Peru.

The situation experienced by these persons worldwide is indeed alarming. They are excluded from education, employment, justice, health services, etc. These spaces and services, to which they are entitled as human beings and citizens, are denied to them due to transphobia. Even when they can access them in some cases, they are subject to discrimination, because they are different from the majority, because they allegedly violate the rules established by the rest of the society. This discrimination is often imposed by religious beliefs that condemn diversity.

Nowadays several international groups are advocating for the removal of the term "transsexual" from the next version of the World Health Organization (WHO) catalogue of mental illnesses. They request that this condition be recognized as part of the complex sexual identity of human beings. Any trans person –so as many non-trans persons– can attest that being trans is not something that needs psychiatric treatment: it is the process whereby a person self defines his or her gender.

According to feminist activist Silvia Buendía "Homosexuality is a sexual orientation, a person who is sexually attracted to someone of the same sex. The transsexual or transgender condition is totally different: it concerns a person born with a certain biological sex, but who starts a process of identification to another gender when growing up.

The price that is paid for breaking the barriers of sex and gender is way too high. We must all do something to stop this.

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-> Posted by a volunteer Community Blogger of Kentucky Equality Federation. This is the official blog of Kentucky Equality Federation. Posts contained in this blog may not be the official position of Kentucky Equality Federation, its volunteer officers, directors, management, supported organizations, allies or coalitions, but rather the personal opinions or views of the volunteer Community Bloggers. The opinions or views expressed in the blog are protected by Section 1 of the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Kentucky as non-slanderous free speech; blogs are personal views or opinions and not journalistic news sites.

Presbyterian Church rules AGAINST biblical authority in gay marriage case

The highest judicial commission of the Presbyterian Church (USA) published a final decision this week in an internal disciplinary case holding that the Rev. Laurie McNeill did not commit any offense by "marrying" her same-sex partner.

The Presbyterian court, headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, chose not to use definitions of marriage in Scripture, the Confessions, or the Presbyterian Directory of Worship when affirming her continued leadership position as Teaching Elder or Minister. Despite stipulated evidence that Rev. McNeill had "married" her same sex partner and was living with her in New York, the PCUSA court officials determined that because there was no direct evidence of sexual activity (pictures or a witness), there was no proof of a sexual relationship.

"The fact of a woman marrying another woman isn't enough to offend Biblical values -- now we need pictures or videos of sex?" said Attorney Whit Brisky. "This is not the first time I have found judicial commissions shying away from deciding cases on the basis of Scripture." Brisky represented the Newark Presbytery's prosecuting committee in this case and has assisted in defending Biblical doctrine in the Presbyterian Church for over a decade.

In 2009, the Rev. Laurie McNeill "married" her same-sex partner while on vacation in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. She returned to announce her union to the church in which she held leadership and the Presbytery of which she was a part. At her ordination, Rev. McNeill vowed to fulfill her office in obedience to the Scriptures and to be instructed by the Presbyterian Confessions. In 2009, she gave statements to the press that she was aware that the PCUSA did not recognize her marriage, and that "marrying" her partner in Massachusetts would likely result in disciplinary charges being brought against her. As she anticipated, charges were brought against her in the Presbytery of Newark for participating in a same-sex ceremony, which violated the denomination's constitution.

Rev. McNeill moved to dismiss the charges in the Presbytery PJC claiming that the Directory of Worship only governed what happened in Presbyterian worship services. In response, the prosecution argued that Presbyterian worship, service, and witness are inextricably connected and, citing Scripture and the Confessions, that the Directory of Worship therefore governs the worship of Presbyterians in any context.

"Another implication of this decision is that since the Commission has limited the Directory of Worship, including its definition of marriage, to Presbyterian worship services only, Presbyterian Teaching Elders can now freely conduct same-sex 'weddings' in UCC or Episcopal worship services, can bless weddings in the name of Allah rather than that of the Triune God, and can depart from the baptismal formula of 'Father, Son, and Holy Spirit' as long as it is not in a Presbyterian worship service," said Brisky.

To the PCUSA, Brisky said, "It was an honor to represent the faithful Presbyterians who brought this charge. As a Christian attorney, I look to Scripture to find God's truth. Unfortunately, many orthodox Presbyterians have left the denomination, giving the Progressives who are left more influence. I see my responsibility as first, standing up for the truth of Scripture, and second, supporting those orthodox who still remain."

Brisky published a report on the progression of the case and arguments presented to the presiding PCUSA court officials. These can be viewed at Mauck & Baker Presbyterian Church Biblical Values. He is a Member of the Mauck & Baker law firm, which is nationally known for representing religious institutions, businesses, and individuals in zoning, religious freedom, real estate, and litigation matters. Because of their Biblical orientation as a law firm, these values are acted out in the cases they take on.

The Family Foundation of Kentucky and the American Family Association of Kentucky are probably very disappointed!

-> Posted by a volunteer Community Blogger of Kentucky Equality Federation. This is the official blog of Kentucky Equality Federation. Posts contained in this blog may not be the official position of Kentucky Equality Federation, its volunteer officers, directors, management, supported organizations, allies or coalitions, but rather the personal opinions or views of the volunteer Community Bloggers. The opinions or views expressed in the blog are protected by Section 1 of the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Kentucky as non-slanderous free speech; blogs are personal views or opinions and not journalistic news sites.