Task Force will also pursue DP benefits for city employees
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| Joel Burns and Lisa Thomas. |
FORT WORTH — The Fort Worth Human Relations Commission this week voted unanimously in favor of a resolution calling for the city to amend its anti-discrimination policy to include protections for transgenders.
The resolution now goes to the new City Manager’s Diversity Task Force, and then on to the City Council for final approval.
The city amended its nondiscrimination ordinance in 2000 to include protections based on sexual orientation, becoming one of the first cities in Texas to do so. The vote to add gender identity and expression in the list of protected classes came during the commission’s regular meeting on Tuesday night, July 28.
Human Rights Commission member Lisa Thomas said Wednesday, July 29, that this week’s vote was the culmination of more than a year’s work.
"The commission has been working on this issue since before I joined more than a year ago," said Thomas, who was appointed to the commission by openly gay City Councilman Joel Burns.
"At our March meeting, some of the transgender community spoke to the commission, telling the commissioners about their lives and the issues and discrimination they encounter trying to live their lives," Thomas said. "Those citizen presentations were informative and very moving."
Thomas said the resolution will be presented to the Diversity Task Force, of which Thomas is also a member.
After that, she said, "I believe it will be formally presented to the City Council. This is a big step in ensuring that all people who live and work in Fort Worth are treated equally."
Increasing awareness around the city’s nondiscrimination ordinance is, in fact, one of the three main tenets of the task force’s mission, according to a statement released Wednesday by City Manager Dale Fisseler’s office.
The task force was created earlier this month in the wake of the uproar over a June 28 raid by Fort Worth police officers and agents of the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission at the Rainbow Lounge, a gay nightclub. Five people were arrested and charged with public intoxication in the raid, which occurred on the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall Rebellion. One of the five, Chad Gibson, incurred a brain injury that left him hospitalized for a week, and the raid sparked outrage not only in North Texas, but around the country.
Since the raid, the TABC has begun an internal investigation into why the raid happened and how Gibson was injured, while the Fort Worth Police Department has two investigations under way — one by the Internal Affairs Division and one by the Major Case Squad. The Fort Worth City Council first asked the U.S. Attorney’s Office to review the findings of the Fort Worth PD investigations, and then voted at its July 21 meeting to ask the U.S. Attorney’s Office to conduct its own investigation.
The council also voted at the July 21 meeting to establish the Diversity Task Force.
Police Chief Jeffrey Halstead provided a "high-level update" on the Rainbow Lounge investigations during the task force’s first meeting on Thursday, July 23, according to Thomas.
"He stated that his goal is to provide something like an executive summary in mid-August to the City Council," Thomas said.
Burns said Tuesday that the task force is only intended to be in place for a few months, but that it’s mission is to set in motion changes that will have positive long-term effects on the relationship between city officials and the LGBT community.
The task force members were initially charged with providing input on "appropriate training on customer service for LGBT citizens," increasing community awareness of the city’s nondiscrimination ordinance and inclusiveness policies, and facilitating better communication between the city and its LGBT community.
But Burns said that at its first meeting on Thursday, July 23, members discussed expanding the task force’s scope, including the possibility of providing partner benefits to city employees.
The statement from the city manager’s office said task force members created three subcommittees during that first meeting: human resources, community relations and economic development.
Thomas said the task force members also suggested including representatives from the Chamber of Commerce and other organizations around Tarrant County to participate in the discussions. She said the Human Resources Subcommittee would focus on diversity training and "other potential HR issues."
The Community Relations Committee will "work on how to best communicate to the LGBT community what protections already exist for them and that there is a Human Relations Commission that can work with them to address problems like discrimination in employment and housing."
The Economic Development will "look at marketing our city to the LGBT community, encouraging LGBT families and businesses to move here," Thomas said.
Thomas said the first meeting "ended on a high note, with everyone expressing hope as to all that the Diversity Task Force can accomplish with the city and its citizens working together."
Burns said he sees the task force’s work so far as "very encouraging," and that what started with the Rainbow Lounge raid as a big problem for the city could turn into huge opportunities for progress: "I have had a lot of emotions over this. I started out angry, and then it made me very sad. Now, I am hopeful.
"This was a bad situation, but I believe the city of Fort Worth has responded in a way that is very heartening and encouraging," he continued. "We are having conversations now that we might never have had if this hadn’t happened. I think what comes out of this will be some things that are very positive for our city."
TASK FORCE MEMBERS
The Fort Worth City Manager’s Diversity Task Force will meet on the fourth Thursday of each month through October.
Task Force members from the city staff are: Assistant City Manager Fernando Costa, Assistant City Manager Charles Daniels; Assistant City Manager Tom Higgins, Assistant City Manager Karen Montgomery, city manager’s Chief of Staff Shirley Little, Community Relations Director Vanessa Boling, Public Education Specialist Veronica Villegas, Human Resources Director Karen Marshall, Police Chief Jeffrey Halstead, LGBT Liaison Officer Sara Straten, Diversity Advisory Committee Chair Karen Edwards-Fisher and District 8 Council Aide Will Trevino.
Community members on the task force are: Human Relations Commission Chair Estrus Tucker, Human Relations Commission member Lisa Thomas, Fairness Fort Worth founder Jon Nelson, CPA Robert Fernandez, Samaritan House Executive Director Steve Dutton, Fort Worth ISD trustee Carlos Vasquez, Scott Bellen of Tarrant County Stonewall Democrats, Cheryl Kimberling with the Multicultural Alliance, Joan Kline, Imperial Court de Fort Worth and Arlington Treasurer Brendan Peoples, Reba Henry, Q Cinema founder Todd Camp, Fort Worth Partnership for Community Development President and CEO Charlotte Sobel and J.D. Angle.
This article
appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition July 31, 2009.
“At our March meeting, some of the transgender community spoke to the commission, telling the commissioners about their lives and the issues and discrimination they encounter trying to live their lives,†Thomas said. “Those citizen presentations were informative and very moving.â€
Why did only “some” members of the transgender community get to tell their stories to the commissioners ??? I know many folks in the transgender community who would have loved to attend who have equally compelling stories to tell.
Was this meeting publicly announced or was it a a closed door session reserved for only a select few who spoke for everyone ???
As I understand it, some of the brainstorming for the meeting was done at Equality Texas’ Lobby Day 3/2/2009.
A member of Tri-Ess’ Lambda Nu Tau was asked to make a presentation to the City of Fort Worth’s Human Relations Commission relating to transgender issues at a meeting for 3/24/2009.
Notice of the meeting and requests for interested people to attend and speak went out to some groups supporting transgender persons a few days later.
There were concerns among many people that the invited speaker was a crossdresser and that the concerns of other members of the transgender “spectrum” would not be heard, so an active push was made to get transsexuals, the intersexed, and others to speak at the meeting. This push apparently was largely confined to these groups and not promoted and publicized to the FW/D metroplex at large. By intent or by oversight, I do not know.
I was ill and did not attend. As I understand it, about ten people showed up, and five of them spoke. One city employee wanted to speak, but was not given permission in time by their supervisor to do so.
Over the years, I have seen a number of Tarrant County transgender activists try to get our so-called “community” out and active. Almost every one has eventually quit in disgust at the near total nonresponse they receive from the “community”. The arts, politics, socializing or whatever, even when Tarrant County transgenders were specifically invited and made known to be welcome, few – if any – would attend. Hopefully, in the future, the people you know who would have loved to attend the meeting, will get advance notice and actually attend. We need all of the positive representation we can get.
Thank you Cathy for the inside as to what happened with this.
I’d like to touch a bit on the statement that you had made:
“….. so an active push was made to get transsexuals, the intersexed, and others to speak at the meeting. This push apparently was largely confined to these groups and not promoted and publicized to the FW/D metroplex at large……”
So I guess the million dollar question here is why was this effort limited to only “select” groups and not publicized so that not everyone in the DFW transgender community could be free to attend and contribute ?? That doesn’t seem right does it ??
I really don’t blame some of the trans folks for becoming discouraged and giving up. After all, if people are going to be excluded from their very own community because they are not part of the political activist “in” crowd or having their stories invalidated because some “activist” or “consultant” trans leaders want to run the whole show and speak for everybody, then that tells you something about the current state of the community (or lack thereof, which I agree with you by the way)……..
Again, it sounds like a classic example of one group or a few select individuals speaking for everyone while overshadowing those who have an equal voice and story to share…….
Dallas GLBT Peon,
One group under the diverse transgender “umbrella” expressed their desire for a separate meeting with the commission to emphasize that they were not like the others and that their concerns were different. This, and some other things, led some of us to fear that the meeting might turn into a circus of inappropriate behavior and conflicting messages and repel commission members willing to hear us.
This should not have been a reason for not promoting the meeting more, and I do not think that it was the main reason. More likely, no one thought to go outside their spheres of acquaintances to tell the public. I do not know.
If you live in Dallas, you may want to keep in touch with the Resource Center of Dallas to learn about these things. Yeah, I know that the RCD supports the Human Rights Campaign and the Black Tie Dinner – do not get me started on them – but at least one of their activists usually stays current on transgender activities in Tarrant County and is a good person to know.
Cathy,
I have no desire whatsoever to seek out the transgender “activists” at RCD, especially after what had happened to one transgender person who tried to get involved with the GEAR group there some time ago………..and that person’s story has yet to be told !! I was sickened at how that person was treated there and how RCD covered it up..
“One group under the diverse transgender “umbrella” expressed their desire for a separate meeting with the commission to emphasize that they were not like the others and that their concerns were different.”
And that is a prime example of other “factions” or “cliques” if you will trying to be seperate and different when all of us should be working together regardless of our differences.
You are right, the current system sounds like an out of control circus with unbridled power struggles and certainly EXCLUSION of your very own community members. How insulting
Again, thanks for the inside on this.
Well this is a good news article and sounds like some great progress is being made. I’m happy to see that 10 trans people were able to attend the public commissioner’s meeting – that seems like a large turnout for the trans community.
As to trans folks stepping forward, very few do step forward in name to promote equality. There is too much fear of backlash. To our children and to our families and to our loved ones.
(Many that post comments here on DV do not provide their names for fear of backlash as well.)
It is not fair to say that trans people don’t care though, it is just they are still trying to come out of the closet into a scary world. There is healing to be done.
We need the GLB community to really help us, because we are such a minority. We are very oppressed because our presence makes many feel uncomfortable.
When we trans folks come out, we lose our jobs, our families, our church life and so on.
It was only THIS year under Obama that we were afforded the dignity of being considered men and women and protected under the 1964 Civil Rights Act. Before, the Supreme Court ruled we were not men and women. Thank you to Diane Schroer, we have our dignity back.
Only THIS year can we come out and speak without fear of getting fired and having no repercussion.
Speaking out is of course a Catch-22. If we don’t come out, our voices are not heard and change is not made. So many as myself, do speak out. But there is a vast, vast majority that cannot. They don’t want to live the “political activist” life and we have to respect that.
Either way, progress is being made and I’m glad to see that.
Remember to accept the trans community for what it is today and put positive energy into it. It will grow too.
Renee Baker
With all of the heated hoopla going on in other articles here at the DV concerning the issue of a select ONE or FEW speaking for the ENTIRE community, I feel the need to reiterate the same sentiment here.
Ms. Baker, regardless of media clout or corporate “consultant” recognition, I fail to see why you continue to persist in speaking on behalf of EVERY trans person in the Dallas community……
As we are all aware, every community (the trans community included) is just as diverse in opinions and beliefs as any other community and therefore it is that diversity which makes it thrive.
Sadly, however, in the transgender community, only SELECT opinions are “allowed” and “accepted” if you will by trans leaders and all other opinions and views (which may be dissenting or not) are shoved aside, censored and deemed non-credible…..
So I must disagree in part concerning your assertion that ALL transgender people don’t get involved or speak up because of coming out issues or the fear of retaliation of coming out….. I have spoken to many trans folks in the community and many say that the greatest fear they have is of being bulldozed and retaliated against by “leaders” in their very own trans community just because they have a differing point of view or may offend the trans leadership…………
Additionally, how can transgender folks ever speak up if only SELECT “journalists” are asked by the GLBT media to write their perspectives, as for instance I notice that YOU appear to be the sole trans contributor here at the DV………….What about other talented trans writers who might have a perspective to share or a story to tell ??? Well, they tend to be overshadowed by the popularity of ONE and many times censored by the powers that be if they may upset the crony apple cart.
So Ms. Baker, I say that if you want the rest of the GLBT community to help the trans community and support you, then perhaps your community needs to start showing everyone that you all can help and support each other as a diverse community and not continue this selective hierarchy which seems to be so very pronounced to the world and which so many in the transgender community are so disenfranchised by…….
From what I am seeing, there is a great divide within the current transgender community. Those who hang a “consultant” or political “activist” shingle, their opinions and views are welcomed with open arms, but the rest of the trans community are uninvited, kicked out of blogs, discriminated against and ultimately overshadowed by those who wish to continually be on top and stay on top………
I feel that once we get a firm understanding of how this transgender “consultant” phenomenon is causing other diverse opinions to be invalidated then perhaps you can then say the trans community speaks together………Otherwise it just becomes the same old story of trans inclusion, based on how much corporate, political and media clout one has…..
Thank you for your time.