AUSTIN Transgender Advocates of Central Texas will be holding an independent educational initiative during the Jan. 26 Human Rights Campaign event at the Austin Hilton.
TACT officials said in a statement released this week that the educational event is “motivated by the desire to educate the members of HRC about gender identity and expression and the need to provide protections in legislation.”
It was prompted, they said, by HRC’s continued support of a version of the federal Employment Non Discrimination Act that did not include protections for gender identity and expression, despite the fact that a coalition of more than 300 national, state and local groups signed a pledge to not support a non-inclusive bill. Activists nationwide criticized HRC leaders for the action.
Lisa Scheps, a TACT board member, said, “We feel the leadership of HRC not only hurt the transgender community, but also any person that doesn’t conform to gender norms. This includes feminine men and masculine women many of whom are HRC members.”
This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition January 18, 2008