- Phyllis Randolph Frye
Phyllis Randolph Frye, the well-known transgender attorney from Houston whose clients include trans widow Nikki Araguz, sent out an e-mail Sunday slamming national gay-rights groups for ignoring the issue of “‘tranny’ same-sex marriage” in Texas.
Referencing an op-ed that appeared in Sunday’s Houston Chronicle about the Araguz case, Frye notes that in the six weeks since the story broke, few people have gotten behind her client’s legal fight. Nikki Araguz is seeking to receive death benefits for her husband, Thomas Araguz III, a Wharton firefighter who was killed in the line of duty early last month. But Thomas Araguz’s family has sued to deny Nikki Araguz those benefits, arguing that their marriage was void because she was born a man, since Texas’ prohibits same-sex marriage.
“Why is it that the Prop 8, same-sex marriage fight in CA and the DOMA same-sex marriage fight in the Northeast are BOTH so well funded by lesbian and gay groups and lesbian and gay individuals, but the same-sex marriage fight in Texas has been thus far supported ONLY by a small number of mostly transgenders plus three LGBT-allied churches, mostly in Houston, all in Texas?” Frye wrote.
“Where is the same national support given for the L and G same-sex marriage struggles?” she added. “Has it remained nonexistent for over six weeks now because this Texas fight is insignificantly and merely a ‘tranny’ same-sex marriage fight, so who nationally gives a shit? Then are we a National LGBT-inclusive community, but NOT when it comes to financing the ‘tranny’ same-sex marriage fights? From here, it seems to me — still — that the national L and G groups and the big bucks L and G attitudes haven’t really changed very much. FOLKS, IT IS TIME YOU FIGURED IT OUT THAT THE SAME-SEX MARRIAGE FIGHT IS JUST AS MUCH A TRANSGENDER FIGHT AS IT IS A LESBIAN, GAY AND BISEXUAL FIGHT.”
I agree that national groups have not been paying attention to this case but they also didn’t really pay attention to the divorce here in Dallas or the marriage fight in El Paso. Let’s be honest national LGBT groups don’t pay attention to Texas PERIOD. They consider us a lost cause and any time or money invested in any cases in TX is a waste of time and money.
Surely HRC has made a statement of support … oh wait, never mind.
@ Becky…sure called that one right. HRC has never nor will they ever be inclusive of trans persons, as evidenced by the 2007 ENDA debacle! When they do purport to represent us, it is only for the purpose of soliciting donations.
I’ve been saying the SAME thing for close to a decade. ONLY gay marriage protects TS folks & ALL LGBT people NEED to DEMAND their equality NOW.
As for the HRC… They’ve ALWAYS thrown TG & TS folks under the bus in exchange for table scraps. I don’t expect them to EVER change either.
Maybe people are not supporting Araguz because they don’t think she is a good “poster child” for this movement? It might not have anything to do with GLBT issues and MORE to do with her character. She says she perjured herself, but it was for a good reason. She hasn’t really taken responsibility for her criminal history – IMO. Those are some serious credibility issues – on top of an already difficult issue. It is hard enough to get “the public” behind this issue without the added problems Ms. Araguz brings to the table.
I’ll start by saying the history (2007) is correct re HRC yet the perception of HRC since then is wrong. Much work has been done, along with continuous board affirmation re transgender legislative inclusion along with the work that has been done with the HRC CEI for trans people. The 2011 CEI included employer notification that future rankings for the CEI will include employer removal of trans healthcare inclusion, coverage of medically necessary surgeries (per WPATH) and full coverage that includes dependents.
I have been in touch with TFA in Houston since the beginning of Nikki’s case, who because of the sensitivity asked that much of the national media spot light (read RIGHT wing pickup and Religious messaging as a result) not take place.
Remember, we have case law (1999- Littleton vs Prange) and legislative (2009 marriage amendment to include proof of a sex-change) at risk here. Nikki’s is a personal case to her, but just as importantly a potential historic series of court rulings here in TX. We need the judge to focus on the issues of marriage ( that Nikki was a woman, married to a man ).
If TFA want more national attention, they just need to ask
What most LG people don’t accept and refuse to believe is the T is the tie that binds. Effeminite gays, masculine lesbians are identified as gay or lesbian and discriminated against because they crossed the gender lines. Which is exactly what transgender means – crossing gender lines.
A well known support group defines insanity as repeatedly performing the same action and expecting different results.
What did anyone expect from Gay, Inc. in this situation that would be any different than what we’ve experienced in the past?
Stop the insanity. Time to seize ownership of our “T.”
Sometimes you have to dance with the case and the person that’s at the table now.
Would we transpeople prefer someone with a squeaky clean record and all documentation in place to take down Littleton v Prange? Yep
But life ain’t like that.
Back in the 50’s, Claudette Colvin had been arrested for failure to give up her seat to a white woman several months before Rosa Parks December 1, 1955 arrest. The NAACP considered using her as a test case, but because she was 15, and later got pregnant they decided to wait.
Colvin was later asked to testify in a federal lawsuit that became the Browder v. Gayle case, That case went to the Supreme Court and declared bus desegregation unconstitutional.
Meghan – you sound like you are on the HRC’s payroll… oh wait…
Once again (like in 2007) you are blaming the trans community of HRC’s total and complete disregard for our issues. Citing the *new and improved* CEI is complete crap. How long has the CEI been released? How long have trans folks been mentioning that corporations who TERMINATE employment for trans people can get a glowing pass from the HRC? Forgive me while I don’t join you in your dinner of table scraps.
It should be noted that most employers (and many of HRCs darling doners) don’t offer “coverage of medically necessary surgeries (per WPATH) ” – I’ll be interested in seeing how HRC (doesn’t) handle this.
The only good thing about HRC’s and the other national gay(only) rights groups silence about this case is that a heterosexual woman isn’t being gayed up to promote gay marriage. Because we all know if it isn’t about the boys, it gets made to be about the boys.
Meghan the HRC Shill writes: “I’ll start by saying the history (2007) is correct re HRC yet the perception of HRC since then is wrong. Much work has been done, along with continuous board affirmation re transgender legislative inclusion along with the work that has been done with the HRC CEI for trans people.”
All of which is worth about as much as the genuineness of John Boehner’s tan and Eric Cantor’s masculinity – combined.
Right!
I often wondered what the T really ment in LGBT.
My best guess is “Tag-along”
And the LGB doesn’t want to do ANYTHING with the T
I love how the National Gay and Lesbian (Only) Task Force and the National Center for Transgender Equality are getting a free pass in this discussion. Also how so many trans people seem to decry the movement’s focus on marriage equality, until it’s one of our own. HRC has not yet cornered the market on hypocrisy.
Perhaps they want her to lose? Ms Araguz I mean.
Because her marriage was not same-sex, whereas Ms Hill’s is. Ms Araguz is not GLB: Ms Hill is. She used a legal technicality – her male birth certificate to enter into a lesbian marriage in Texas. Therefore, GLB(no t) organisations would naturally support Ms Hill, and let “Nature take its course” with Ms Araguz.
Transsexual people may be ruled neither male nor female. Fox Houston recently ran a poll asking whether trans people should be allowed to marry at all. This may be indicative of someone testing the political winds. The majority of GLBT orgs are just that – GLBT. But it doesn’t take much transphobia to cause apathy.
Its because of Nikki, duhh…that girl has a nast shadey past….and nobody is buying that grieving widow act…and she was still f’n with her 1st hubby while with Thomas..and we know how she made money before and how she likes drugs…she’s got no credibility and ppl will not stand behind this. We need rights for marriage but going through Nikki’s tangled web of deceit isnt the route to take….shes FOS, bottom line and most T’s gays les and bi’s can spot a bullshitter!
Transgender issues should NOT be under the purview of gay rights groups. It has long been my contention that someone who wishes to change their gender wishes to become a straight person who will, as likely as not, stand in the way of gay rights. Transgender people need fight their own fight and go be straight with the rest of ’em.