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Some exciting things
happened in congress
this year in making
additional federal
protections and
resources available
to the transgender.
community.


IN THE NEWS:

2011 Transgender Religious Leaders Summit
November 3, 4 and 5, 2011

Pacific School of Religion, 1798 Scenic Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94709

This year's Summit will take place in Berkeley at the, Pacific School of Religion" and is hosted by Welcoming Resources, Center for Lesbian and Gay Studies, and Light in the Closet Ministry.

The 2011 Transgender Religious Leaders Summit is a faith-based meeting. All involved in faith-based work, transgender and their allies are invited to participate. It is an opportunity to recognize and identify transgender leaders of all faith communities while openly sharing, and respecting the differences of each. If you are involved at all in helping to facilitate the work of acceptance and inclusion consider yourself a leader!

This years Summit will be focused on making connections. We have invited some very interesting and informative speakers, but also time is set aside for private and group meetings. This should be a time of rejuvenation, community and education.

Although their is often resistance to transgender inclusion within faith communities, many of the issues and obstacles we face are culturally driven rather than issues of faith. It is critical to identify the differences. Our faiths differ, but our common objectives include:

1. Acceptance and inclusion of transgender people in our faith communities.
2. Identifying and using current resources and developing new educational resources.
3. Identifying and addressing cultural and theological obstacles and objections.
4. Strengthening existing support systems for those doing the work on the front lines.

 Our wonderful Keynote Speakers are Louis Mitchell and Chris Paige.

Louis is a long-time activist and advocate for fairness, equity, respect and self-determination. A much sought-after preacher, speaker and trainer, he focuses on the intersectionality of ethnicity, class, gender, affectional preference and spirituality.

Chris founded TransFaith Online, coordinates the Interfaith Working Group, is Chair of the 2011 Philadelphia Trans-Health Conference, and previously served as publisher of The Other Side magazine. Chris is an OtherWise-identified organizer, educator and writer, who is particularly concerned with race, gender, and sexuality within the context of faith communities.

For information and registration log on to www.clgs.org

If you have questions, you can call me at 925-586-4651. Or send an email to RKlein@lightinthecloset.org

Hope to see you there! - Randall Klein

____________________________________________________
ALL NEW!!! Light in the Closet Discussion Forum

You are cordially invited to become a member of the "Light in the Closet" discussion forum!

We have just launched a new discusion group. Our moderator, Pat Dotson has initiated a really wonderful discussion forum that we hope will be an encouragment for those wishing to connect. On the forum we discuss all aspects of life as a transgendered follower of Christ. We also welcome with open arms the loved ones of transgendered Christians. Our goal is to maintain a Christian fellowship environment. We believe it is neither natural nor healthy for anyone to live life "within a closet". God designed us to be part of a community. We hope you'll join us

Please check us out at the link below, or view more inforamtion on out Levels of Contact page.
You can find the forum at: http://litcforum.org/forum


Transgender Religious Leaders Summit, November 2010

THANK YOU!!!! On behalf of CLGS and Light in the Closet, I want to thank all who attended the Transgender Religious Leaders Summit 2010. I was very pleased with the participation and the great group of attendees! I especially want to thank again Danile Borysewicz for his tireless efforts helping with so many background items and logistics. Also, Cedric Harmon for stepping up and doing a wonderful job representing CLGS. Also to Sandra Stewart and David and Jeni who helped with the binder assembly, logistics and filming. And the many, many, many who who sliced, diced and carried our way towards a successful conference. Thank you to Dakotta Alex for being in the right place at the right time - more than once! Again, a special thank you to HRC (Sharon Groves) for providing resources, and PSR for their contribution and the gorgeous PSR campus. Thank you also to all those who spoke and spoke up on behalf of Transgender inclusion, our speakers, presenters and panelists, including:

Barbara Satin, IWR and Faith Works Associate
Cedric A Harmon, Many Voices
Justin Tanis, National Center for Transgender Equality
Mark McKenzie, Pacific School of Religion
Megan More, MCC in the Valley, North Hollywood
Melanie Wynonna Rose & Donna Summer
Rabbi Elliot Kukla, Bay Area Jewish Healing Center
Rabbi Levi Alter, Female to Male International, San Francisco, CA
Rabbi Reuben Zellman, Congregation Beth El, Berkeley, CA
Rev. Bonnie Dlott, Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of North Bay
Rev. Roland Stringfellow, CLGS & Coalition of Welcoming Congregations (CWC)
Rev. Sky Anderson, MCC San Jose
Rev. Victoria Gray, Trans Episcopal
Rev. Will McGarvey, Community Presbyterian Church More Light Presbyterians
Sandra Stewart, Gender Tree
Rev. Sean Dennison, Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of North Bay
Rev. Megan Rohrer, Welcome Ministry
Melanie Wynonna Rose and Donna
The Transcendence Choir, City of Refuge, Oakland CA
It was a fantastic group of speakers! Nothing but good comments and feedback.
I hope to see you all again next year.

God bless! Randall Klein

Hosted by CLGS (Center for Lesbian and Gay Studies in Religion and Ministry)
at Pacific School of Religion, Berkeley, California
Go to www.clgs.org to view a complete Summit Binder
____________________________________________________
Hate Crimes Bill Signed into Law
H.R. 1592 [110th]: Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009

OCTOBER 28, 2009 / WASHINGTON, DC – On April 29th of this year, the US House of Representatives voted in favor of legislation containing the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act (then HR 1913). This was quickly introduced in the Senate by the now late Senator Ted Kennedy. The Senate attached its version of the Hate Crimes Bill to the Defense Authorization Act of 2010 (H.R. 2467). It passed both the House and Senate, mostly along party lines.

Although the language of the bill can change through process, no changes were made by either the Senate, nor in committee. As a result, after it left committee, the bill, now HR 1592, Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009 had little difficulty passing the House again on October 8, 2009 and the Senate on October 22, 2009. Then on October 28, 2009, President Obama signed the bill into Law.

The debate was heated in the both the House and Senate. During the discourse, Congressman Frank stated:

“It is clear that there is an animus against those of us who are gay or lesbian, against people who are transgender, on the part of many in the House, and they are reflecting a strong political sentiment in the country. They are entitled to it. I do not lament the loss of their friendship and affection; I can live without it. But it should not lead them to deny protection to vulnerable people, and we are talking here about crimes, not just murder, but about assault and destruction of property which are too often ignored.”

So what is the Hate Crimes Bill?

It is relatively short. Mostly it is designed to provide federal funds to local authorities to help with costs to prosecute hate crimes. It also provides for federal assistance or intervention if a local authority is unwilling or unable to pursue a crime, especially when that same authority perpetuates the crime.

The main bulk of the legislation reads as follows:

Assistance Other Than Financial Assistance-

(1) IN GENERAL- At the request of State, local, or Tribal law enforcement agency,
     the Attorney General may provide technical, forensic, prosecutorial, or any other
     form of assistance in the criminal investigation or prosecution of any crime that--

    (A) constitutes a crime of violence;

    (B) constitutes a felony under the State, local, or Tribal laws; and

    (C) is motivated by prejudice based on the actual or perceived race,
          color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity,
          or disability of the victim, or is a violation of the State, local, or
          Tribal hate crime laws.

(2) PRIORITY- In providing assistance under paragraph (1), the Attorney General shall
     give priority to crimes committed by offenders who have committed crimes in more
     than one State and to rural jurisdictions that have difficulty covering the extraordinary
     expenses relating to the investigation or prosecution of the crime.

Grants-

(1) IN GENERAL- The Attorney General may award grants to State, local, and Indian law
     enforcement agencies for extraordinary expenses associated with the investigation
     and prosecution of hate crimes.

(2) OFFICE OF JUSTICE PROGRAMS- In implementing the grant program under this
     subsection, the Office of Justice Programs shall work closely with grantees to ensure
     that the concerns and needs of all affected parties, including community groups and
     schools, colleges, and universities, are addressed through the local infrastructure
     developed under the grants.

The Hate Crimes provision in the legislation will allow the federal government to assist local and state law enforcement authorities in Hate Crime cases. It allows the federal government to share resources and enforcement tools. It also authorizes the U.S. Attorney General to provide funds to local law enforcement authorities which have incurred especially high expenses due to the investigation and prosecution of these crimes. It contains limits and restrictions in regards to monies spent and requirements of submissions.

So why would anyone in their right mind be opposed to such a bill? It simply extends federal protections and resources to agencies prosecuting Hate Crimes because of "actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability."

Some critics claim that it infringes on their First Amendment right to freedom of speech, and will even allow people to be prosecuted for their thoughts. Some think that even speaking out against homosexuality could land you in jail. These assertions are ridiculous and completely false. The legislation pertains only to violent crimes, and in fact offers the same protections to some of the groups who oppose the legislation (ie: the religious right). It became obvious, through this debate, that hatred of the LGBT community is so profound that some are willing to give up their own protections if it means denying protections to those who identify outside of what they consider normal.

Many states already have Hate Crime Legislation on their books anyway. But this bill is mostly about providing the funds and resources, so they will be able to prosecute those crimes more effectively.

To have "gender identity" included in federal legislation is huge. This legislation has been introduced a few times before in various forms over the past decade. The last time was in 2007. At that time, gender identity was stricken from the legislation, but that version was eventually voted down. It is telling that gender identity was the only category removed.

Nationally, there have been over 80,000 hate crime incidents reported over the past 11 years. Unfortunately it is hard to determine how many hate crimes are committed each year against transgender since most rates of comparison leave them off their charts. The William Institute out of LA for example, compares, various religions along with gays, lesbians and bisexuals, but fails to include transgender.

Matthew Shepard was killed 11 years ago, but so was Rita Hester a transgender person. Both crimes were very violent, but the transgender person did not make the same headlines. Since then, the transgender community has begun to raise awareness, make some headlines, and gain some limited community support. Many crimes against the transgender community apparently go unreported. Even so, according to AHN (All Headlines News) internationally, approximately 200 transgender persons were victims of murder from January 08 through June 2009, which of course is only the most violent of the hate crimes. This number only includes reported or identified crimes of murder. The majority of these were here in North and South America. That is about one person every three days.

Despite underreporting from law enforcement agencies, hate crimes against transgender people is a significant problem. The National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs (NCAVP) includes transgender people in their hate crime data. Data has been kept by the NCAVP since 1997 that includes 14 major cities across 5 states, and one multi-state region. The NCAVP reports an average of 213 hate crimes per year against transgender in those regions reporting. The most reported were in 2004 when the NCAVP reported 321 hate crimes against transgender people.

Currently, 32 states include sexual orientation in their hate crime legislation, but only 11 offer protection based on gender identity. So yes, this is an historic moment for the transgender community.







Light in the Closet, Atten: Randall Klein, 1485 Enea Ct., Suite 1330, Concord, CA 94520

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