Date: Wed, 19 Jun 1996 21:48:22 -0800 (PST) 
From: Gwendolyn A Spencer <tymestl@juno.com>
Subject: Transgender rights speech at 1996 Providence (RI) Pride Rally 

	It's time Rhode Island! Time to support an amendment to the state
civil rights law which provides equal civil rights protection to
transgendered citizens.
	Many of you are unaware that the current law does not include
you.  despite all the rhetoric, many of us are still not guaranteed
equal civil rights in this state.  It doesn't matter if you are lesbian,
gay, bisexual, omnisexual, asexual or heterosexual, if you fall under the
umbrella term transgendered in any way, shape or form you have no equal
civil rights protection in this state or this country.
	Many people believe that the wording "perceived to be homosexual"
provides protection for everyone.  It does not!  The federal courts have
consistently ruled that since transgender is not included in the
definition of sexual orientation, then the law does not apply to these
people.  Not even Title Seven of the federal Civil Rights law protects
transsexual people like myself since this law only applies to illegal
discrimination based on sex or gender and not legal discrimination based
on change of sex or gender.
	It's time Rhode Island!  Time for all transgendered people, from
part-time drag queens and drag kings to post-operative transsexuals and
everyone interested in fulfilling this state's and this country's
commitment to equal civil rights for all citizens to ban together and
demand equal civil rights under the law.
	Many transgendered people are afraid of coming out.  They are so
far in the closet an army of spelunkers couldn't dig them out.  Afraid
of the discrimination and bigotry which they will suffer.  And not just
at the hands of the more dominant heterosexual society, but from the
lesbian and gay community as well.  If you think it doesn't happen,
think again.  It's happening right here, right hnow in this city and
this state as well as across the nation.
	It's time Rhode Island!  It's time America!  Time to live up to
those words in the Pledge of Alliegence that we all memorized in
elementary school, "with liberty and justice for all"!
	Thank you.