The International Foundation for Gender Education

Originally appeared in Transgender Tapestry #104, Winter 2004.



by Miqqi Alicia Gilbert

Part 1 of 2





Clothing is a political issue. It serves a great number of purposes, all of which are social, but many of which are also political. First, I want you to think about what we know, or, more correctly, what we assume about someone from their clothes.



Of course, the first thing that comes to your mind is gender, and you may well be right. But clothes are not always safe gender signals in every context. I work on a university campus, and as often as not, the young women and men there are wearing the same thing?jeans, a T-shirt, and runners. When a young woman dresses like that, she can be stating many things, including, to cite just one, that she is not in a romantic space and is focusing on her classes.

The Internal Revenue Service has allowed a transgender woman to deduct the cost of her SRS as a medically necessary treatment. Rhiannon O'Donnabhain appealed after her deduction for her medical treatments was denied by the initial tax examiner, who viewed it as cosmetic. The appeals officer later determined the expenses were for "an integral part of a professionally prescribed course of treatment for her diagnosed condition."

The 24th Dignity Cruise, "A Transgender Convention at Sea," is November 25-December 3, 2005 sailing on the Legend out of Fort Lauderdale to Barbados, Martinique and St. Maarten. Rates are $460 to $760 per person. Contact melpeg@mindspring.com - www.pmpub.com/cruise24.htm.

According to FordGlobe.org on July 30, 2004, Ford Motor Company added "Gender Identity" to their Corporate Policy Letters 2 and 6, as a category that is protected against discrimination. Ford is the first of the Big 3 automotive companies to take this step. The three major automakers tend to keep their policies uniform, so it is hoped that GM and Chrysler will follow suit.

Friday the 13th of August was a Black Friday for Civil Liberties in Oz.

With an Election looming, the Prime Minister finally got his wish and forced the Parliament, with the support of a supine Opposition, to pass the US Free Trade Agreement, an anti-terrorism bill that further increased the grounds on which citizens could be held without trial, and his pet desire; the same-sex marriage bill.

In a historic first, the Democratic National Convention will see transgender participation like never before. For the first time ever, there will be more than a solitary transgendered delegate in national political process. No less than five delegates, and two committee members will be attending the Convention on July 26-29, 2004 in Boston - four of whom are current or former board members of the National Transgender Advocacy Coalition (NTAC).

Austin became the 3rd city in Texas and the 71st municipality in the country to add gender identity as a protected class to its human rights ordinance. On Thursday, June 10, 2004 by a unanimous vote, Austin?s City council voted to amend the Austin City Human Rights Ordinance to include gender identity as a protected class in employment, housing, and public accommodation. Austin joins Dallas and El Paso as the only cities in Texas to extend equal rights to its Transgendered citizens. Houston added gender identity to its nondiscrimination policy in public employment in July of 2001.

On June 24th 2004 the law society of upper Canada, the 207 year old association of lawyers in Ontario held a public forum/ workshop on gender identity issues in Toronto. The forum had two trans identified persons speaking and two human rights lawyers and covered issues that trans identified people deal with. After the panel discussion (of which I was one of the presenters) the mayor of Toronto gave an address to the law society with regards to Pride Week a model policy paper on, Sexual Identity and Gender Orientation: Creating an Inclusive Work environment.

Info can be found along with a press release at: http://www.lsuc.on.ca/pics/subtopic.jpg

Lindsay Smith

The Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition (MTPC) initiated a post card campaign this past PRIDE Week in Boston protesting the Human Rights Campaign (HRC). MTPC is opposed to HRC?s support of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), because it fails to include transgender people. 1,000 pink post cards were filled out at The Dyke March Friday night, and at the Pride Parade Saturday, which will be mailed directly to HRC?s Executive Director Cheryl Jacques.

Originally appeared in Transgender Tapestry #105, Spring 2004.



In June 2003, Andrea James published on her website, www.tsroadmap.com, a disturbing article about Anne Lawrence?s behavior. Although James? article is in part an ad hominem (i.e., personal) attack, her allegations about Lawrence?s conduct are nonetheless of concern; in fact, they mirror our own long-held apprehensions and provide corroborating evidence to previous allegations we have received about Lawrence?s behavior.



The Swedish Hospital Incident



In her on-line article, James describes and links to images of supportive documentation for an incident that occurred in 1997, in which Lawrence, who was employed as an anesthesiologist at Seattle?s Swedish Hospital, allegedly
performed an inappropriate and unauthorized vaginal inspection of an unconscious patient. This action resulted in an investigation by Washington officials
and was followed by Lawrence?s resignation from the hospital staff. Lawrence no longer practices as an anesthesiologist.
Lawrence told Transgender Tapestry, ?The circumstances of my departure from Swedish Hospital were investigated in detail by the Washington State Medical Quality Assurance Commission. The commission found no evidence of unprofessional conduct. I was not reprimanded or disciplined in any way and there was no action taken against my license. I maintain and have always maintained an unrestricted Washington state medical license.?