Date: Thu, 14 Aug 1997 15:16:35 -1000 From: lambda@aloha.net (Martin Rice) Subject: SA 153: LDS/TRANSSEXUAL ABUSE Aloha auwinala kakou. Following please find an introduction and letter from "new" contact Denise Fritch. The website to which she alludes is http://pw2.netcom.com/~denisef1/index.html A friend just sent me a copy of an email communication between you two, dealing with the above subject. Just thought perhaps you might be interested in the letter I sent to Salt Lake City (Office of the First Presidency of the Mormon Church) just over a month ago. At least gays "exists" for the Mormon officials. Transsexuals apparently don't even "rate" that much attention. Since sending this note (I've included it as part of my web site ), I've had no response. My analysis is the Mormon officials were attempting to "force" me into leaving through continuous restrictive actions. Once I left, it was the old "out of sight, out of mind" attitude. Following publication of the Time magazine article about the Mormon Church, I sent that publication a copy of this letter. Also no response. However, I am attempting to spread this information as fully as possible. Best, Denise L. Fritch **************************************************************************** ******************************************* Dear First Presidency: One hundred fifty years ago this month, Mormon settlers entered the Salt Lake valley. Thus ended their track west, fleeing persecution for simply being who and what they were. Sunday (June 29th) I experienced similar persecutions, actions that were the denial of basic human dignity, at the hands of the Mormon Church for simply being who and what I am. Nearly two years ago, in late September 1995, I fled my home in south San Jose with the blessing of our family doctor. That doctor was worried that the intense emotional abuse I was experiencing from my now ex-spouse, her family, and Mormon Church members would cause a heart attack, what with my blood pressure more than 35 points above normal. Two years before, I had been diagnosed as "gender dysphoric". I spent the two years between the diagnosis and fleeing, attempting to hold together my family amid verbal and emotional abuse. That abuse included being referring to as "it" or "that thing" from my now ex-spouse, her family (all Mormon Church members), and her visiting teachers; being screamed at; and, other forms of emotional abuse. Apparently my ex-spouse's visiting teachers were advising her to "take everything". My ex-spouse did end up "taking all" the marital assets, despite California's divorce laws, leaving me with more than thirty thousand in family debts for which she refused to acknowledge any responsibility. My in-laws (fifth generation Mormon descendants) barred me from their home and all family activities, even refusing to physically look at me, with the screen door closed, while "thanking" me for bringing over several card tables they wished to use for a wedding reception. This was a wedding to which I was excluded, despite my ex-spouse being invited, of a family member. I experienced all this persecution and lack of basic human dignity simply because of who and what I am - gender dysphoric. Then, nearly three months ago that same south San Jose ward from which I had been persecuted sent my records on to the Lawrence Station Ward, Los Altos California Stake within who's boundaries I now live. However, the loosing ward neglected to inform the gaining ward of their earlier actions toward me. Nor did they inform the Lawrence Station Ward that I had been diagnosed as gender dysphoric, that I was following the "Standards of Care" for treatment of gender dysphoria, and was progressing through a gender change. At this new ward, I was told they wished me to "feel comfortable" and attend. I foolishly believed I had found a ward, and church authorities, who were compassionate, understanding, and concerned for the welfare of another being. A group that wished to offer the social interaction so desperately needed, yet invariably withheld by society, of people diagnosed as gender dysphoric. I quickly learned I was wrong. Instead of compassion, I was persecuted. I received the following dictates: * Denial of attendance at women's activities. * Denial of attendance at men's activities. * Denial of admittance to an LDS temple. * Denial of a home teacher. * Denial of a visiting teacher. * Denial by the church of my new, legal, court ordered name. You refused to honor a civil court order, changing my legal name. * Denial of affection (meaning "hold hands") between a woman (a sixth generation Mormon descendent, Allison Moss) and me, despite our planned, legal marriage this fall. * Denial of the "Standards of Care" and my health in that I was directed that I could not attend church services unless dressed in "male attire". These dictates denied me both self respect and the standard expectations of membership within the Mormon Church. The only reason for these restrictions is my being diagnosed as gender dysphoric and attempting to correct that situation through the only known treatment, by following the directives of the "Standards of Care". The implications of your sixth directive greatly concern me. I am appalled by your decision to ignore the actions of a civil authority (specifically a Santa Clara County court) in your refusal to accept my legal name change. I am certain that you would have recognize such a court action for any reason, changing the member's records. The only reason you have elected to ignore my legal name change is my being gender dysphoric. Yet another example of your persecution toward me. However, since you have decided to ignore that court's action changing my legal name, permit me to remind you that my membership in the Mormon Church ended with your failure to recognize that name change order and change my records. Since you refused to recognize my new name, you insist upon maintaining the existence of a name without legal ties to an individual. There can be no membership without a tie to a legal name. How can I be a member when the name you insist upon recognizing no longer represents a legal entity? Therefore, since you refuse to acknowledge my legal name change, I am not a member of the Mormon Church. Apparently that also means an end to the sealing to my ex-spouse on August 27, 1976 at the Oakland Temple. The last directive is a clear example of persecution. Attempting to "dress male" is something I could not accomplish emotionally, besides being directly contrary to the "Standards of Care". In addition, my body has changed and developed as female to such an extent that it would be impossible for me to hide that physical development by dressing in "male attire". Finally, although you directed that I dress in "male attire", you did not remove the second directive that denied me attendance at men's activities. The only reason for the directive to dress in "male attire" is to persecute me having been diagnosed gender dysphoric and following the "Standards of Care". I find it difficult to comprehend that you apparently believe your actions toward me, and others diagnosed as gender dysphoric, would be acceptable to God, the father, and his son, Jesus Christ. Instead of offering the hand of friendship, of showing concern for another human being, you are reacting, at best, through prejudice and fear. Are you then not then expressing the doctrines and commandments of man, not those of God? I suggest you read and ponder Joseph Smith – History 1:19 I was answered that I must join none of them, for they were all wrong: and the Personage who addressed me said that all their creeds were an abomination in his sight; that those professors were all corrupt; that: "they draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, they teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "My son was not . . . a high-class male prostitute. He had a Catholic upbringing; he was an altar boy." --Modesto Cunanan ~~~~~~ Fred and Martin, strangers before all but 16.7% of the law, and fading fast. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~