Date: Mon, 27 Apr 1998 19:37:53 +0000 From: Clare Howell Subject: IYF8 MEDIA ADVISORY - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Editor: Clare Howell, clare@gpac.org . NATIONAL GENDER LOBBY DAY ON CAPITOL HILL . APA PICKETED OVER GENDER IDENTITY DISORDER . HWA PROTESTS INTERSEX GENITAL MUTILATION . NATIONAL ROUNDTABLE ON GENDER AND THE LAW . TRANS-AWARENESS WEEK AT OBERLIN NATIONAL GENDER LOBBY DAY ON CAPITOL HILL ========================================= [Washington, DC: 20 Apr 98] APPROXIMATELY ONE hundred gender activists from dozens of states came to Capitol Hill today for GenderPAC's 3rd National Lobby Day. The advocates' primary concern was educating Congressmembers about hate crimes and employment discrimination faced by gender- variant people. Gender-based violence was an especially sensitive issue this year as two transgender people were murdered in the new year: Vianna Faye Williams of Jersey City, NJ was stabbed multiple times in the back and neck; and, Tasha Dunn of Tampa, FL was found beaten to death in a parking lot. "Every year we have another 2 or 3 more murders to talk about," said GenderPAC's Ex. Dir. Riki Wilchins. "This kind of gendered violence must be included in the federal hate crimes legislation so it can be tracked and enhanced penalties made available to prosecutors." ENDA and HRC ------------ Many activists also discussed the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA). The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) drafted the ENDA legislation as protection for sexual orientation but not gender expression. Activists focused on the fact that ENDA not only doesn't protect transgender people on the job, but it also leaves at risk gender non- conforming gay, lesbian, and bisexual people. GenderPAC, NGLTF, and the National Center for Lesbian Rights have recently launched the first National Survey of Sexual Orientation & Gender Discrimination in the Workplace. Preliminary results show that 38% of gays, lesbians, and bisexuals report that they are discriminated against at least in part because of their expression of gender. Said GenderPAC's Chief Congressional Advocate, Dana Priesing, "There is a growing conviction on the part of queer groups that sexual orientation will not offer effective protection even for gays, lesbians, and bisexuals. Gender discrimination goes beyond a 'trans' issue. Like HIV, it crosses boundaries and groups." ### APA PICKETED OVER GENDER IDENTITY DISORDER ========================================== [Washington, DC: 21 Apr 98] FIFTEEN MEMBERS OF THE Transexual Menace and Hermaphrodites With Attitude (HWA) today demonstrated outside the Washington headquarters of the American Psychiatric Association over the diagnosis of Gender Identity Disorder (GID). They called for the ending of GID as a psychiatric disorder. GID is used to diagnose and 'treat' gender- variant children as young as 3 to insure that their play is gender-appropriate and their behavior and performance of gender conform to heterosexual norms. It is also used to stigmatize transgender adults who request hormones and sex reassignment surgery. The demo marks the 4th time in the last 3 years that APA has been picketed over GID by gender activists. To date, APA has not addressed the issue. ### HWA PROTESTS INTERSEX GENITAL MUTILATION ======================================== [Washington, DC: 21 Apr 98] A DOZEN MEMBERS OF Hermaphrodites With Attitude and Transexual Menace picketed outside the George Washington University Hospital, protesting GWU's cutting of intersexed infants' genitals to make them resemble 'normal' male and female genitals. Hermactivists call this medical intervention Intersex Genital Mutilation (IGM). "Not only are American doctors cutting into 7 intersexed infants every working day, but people like GWU's Dr. Barry Belman are telling parents they have to do it for the good of the infant," said Cheryl Chase, founder of HWA. "Mutilating my genitals wasn't for my good; it was to make the doctors and my parents more comfortable with my body." After the demo, several protestors visited GWU Hospital departments that take part in IGM--OB/GYN, Endocrinology, Pediatrics and Plastic Surgery--to discuss their concerns with caregivers and, as one hermactivist put it, to speak for the infants who cannot speak for themselves. ### NATIONAL ROUNDTABLE ON GENDER AND THE LAW ========================================= [Washington, DC: 27 Apr 98] GENDERPAC, THE NATIONAL Center for Lesbian Rights, and the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) have convened "a National Round- table on Gender and the Law" to be held on 4 May 98 in Washington, DC. "With the Supreme Court's Oncale decision on same-sex harassment, it's become apparent that gender law has emerged as one of the 'bleeding edges' of federal jurisprudence, not only expanding rapidly but equally affecting the gay, women's, and gender communities," said Riki Wilchins of GenderPAC. "At the same time, it's also become apparent that the level of coordination and formulation among those litigating federal gender law have lagged behind. With Oncale, the stakes for all of us have increased substantially." Originally envisioned as an open conference, many invitees felt that the 1st gathering should be a small, tightly focused group where litigators could exchange views frankly and in detail and plan strategy. ### Contact: This item by Dawn Leach Gay People's Chronicle chronicle@chronohio.com TRANS-AWARENESS WEEK AT OBERLIN =============================== [Oberlin, OH: 17 Apr 98] OBERLIN HAS BECOME THE first U.S. college to host a Transgender Awareness Week. The school's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Union put together a week of events culminating in their annual Drag Ball. This year, the 6th annual event brought 1,700 attendees, most of them in drag. "I was blown away when I heard about it," said IFGE's Director, Nancy Nangeroni. "I"ve never heard about anything like this." The earlier part of the week consisted of smaller, more intimate events, each drawing 15-20 students. Transactivist Holly Boswell, a 1972 Oberlin grad, led a workshop in gender spirituality and transgender liberation. Members of TransFamily Cleveland led a film showing of You Don't Know Dick, about female- to-male transexuals, and a workshop on passing. Participants were encouraged to spend a day trying to pass in a different gender. Ms. Boswell said that, in her generation, people couldn't imagine questioning their gender roles. "That's shifting and it's great," she said. "It takes the pressure off, and kids don't have to react so strongly to fight the gender oppression." ### Subscriptions. Please send: subscribe iyf-online or: unsubscribe iyf-online to: MajorDomo@apocalypse.org For prior press releases, check the GenderPAC website at: http://www.gpac.org (c) 1996 InYourFace Our online news-only service for gender activism.