LGBT Equality and Justice Day, a guest essay by Anne Tischer
I had wanted to be a part of this trip, but new responsibilities as a full-time employee have put a crimp in my activism. Thanks to Anne and Bess for this great synopsis, complete with pictures:
LGBT Equality and Justice Day April 29, 2008
On Tuesday, April 29, at the ungodly hour of 5am, 4 busloads of Rochesterians headed for the state capitol in Albany. There we joined 2000 citizens from around the state to lobby our elected officials for LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) civil rights.
My spouse Bess Watts and & I are veterans of LGBT Equality & Justice Day, an annual event organized by Empire State Pride Agenda (ESPA) since 2004. We get lassoed into being “bus captains†and “meeting facilitators†by Todd Plank, the unofficial “gay mayor of Rochester†whose formal title is Western New York Field Organizer for ESPA. We gladly help because these trips have been life-changing for us as individuals and each year touch others similarly.
It is a long day of rallies, caucuses and legislative visits with state assembly members and senators discussing issues of significance to LGBT people and families. The focus this year was 3 pieces of pending legislation described by ESPA as:
- Marriage and family equality. All loving, committed couples and their children need equal access to the literally 1,324 state rights and responsibilities that come with MARRIAGE (A.8590 / S.5884), including being able to make health care decisions for each other, inherit property, be eligible for public benefits including Workers Compensation death benefits, access Family Court for protection from domestic violence and jointly adopt children.
- Safe Schools for LGBT youth The DIGNITY FOR ALL STUDENTS ACT (A.3496 / S.1571) will prohibit New York’s public schools bias harassment and bullying based on traits including race, religion, national origin, sexual orientation and gender identity and expression. Ten other states and scores of local New York school districts have already passed similar policies.
- Protection from transgender discrimination. The GENDER EXPRESSION NON-DISCRIMINATION ACT (GENDA) (A.6584a / S.3753a) will prohibit discrimination based on gender identity and expression in employment, housing, credit, education and public accommodations. New York needs to do what thirteen other states, 150 Fortune 500 companies and New York localities representing half the state’s population have already done and pass the basic civil rights measure to protect transgender New Yorkers from unfair discrimination.
On our bus (the church bus), were many first time lobbyists never before active in the political process. One was Lance Neve, the young man who was beaten unconscious in a hate crime in Spencerport recently. His passionate concern about bullying and harassment towards gay kids in schools has real credibility.
Our friend Sue, from Open Arms Metropolitan Community Church, came to lobby for marriage equality for same sex couples. She and her partner Judy will soon be forced to move to England, as Judy’s student visa is expiring. Unlike heterosexual couples who can marry and get preferred immigration status for their partners, same-sex couples have no safeguards for their relationships.
Steve, a married straight ally was also on the bus, motivated by the inclusive social justice ministry espoused by Lake Avenue Baptist Church. Obviously their congregants actively touch the world with their faith and convictions.
Ally, an eloquent transgender woman, generously shared personal stories of her life and coming out experiences to expand our understanding of gender identity and expression. It turns out that we are all just people…
Half our bus riders were first time lobbyists and on the return trip their empowerment was palpable. They had stories to tell and were strategizing plans for next actions. They had just made the jump from thinking about social justice to creating it. It made me smile.
Anne Tischer
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Great post. Thanks, Anne!
Anything for the cause. You and Bess are the best, I only hope in the coming years that I will be a capable, honorable advocate as you too are.
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