Pitt Trans Bathroom Issue: Meeting with the Pitt Administration
In this case, the Pitt Administration wants to see a comprehensive policy in place that treats all students, staff, and faculty, fairly, respectfully and trans-positive.
Articles by: Thomas Waters
Meeting with Pitt about Trans Policy
it is true that today, Pitt doesn’t have a good comnmprehensive policy regarding a wide assortmnent of trans issues. They have added “gender identity” to their non-discrimination policy, and they are working through the usual channels to write and then adopt a real and good policy . Life will be better for everyone, once that process is completed, and then, Pitt will have a policy consistent with it’s stated intentions as expressed in their non-discrimination policy. So the progress contihnues.
Trans-Health Conference in Philadelphia
Received an email today about the upcoming Philadelphia Trans-Health Conference, May 31st- June 2nd. The 11th Annual Philadelphia Trans Health Conference is nearly here! May 31st through June 2nd at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Center City Philadelphia we will be offering over 200 workshops and many other activities and events over the 3 days. Visit our website www.trans-health.org to see our new look and get all the information. http://hosted.vresp.com/621626/30005d033c/316969457/0cc6541050/
Trans Voices for a Trans Solution.
Trans community leaders are pulling together a comprehensive policy that can be presented to Pitt for consideration. This is, if I understand it, a policy that has been used at a number of other Universities. I don’t have all the details, but I want to express that Trans voices are out there and ready to participate in the solution. This is essential for a real solution.
Follow-up: Pitt’s SAC and the Diversity and Inclusion Committee.
But the point that I want to make is that more can happen when people are willing to talk to one another. There are times when this doesn’t happen: one party refuses to talk, or the other party is all about making demands rather than talk. There are real times for loud demands too. but underneath all of it, is a need for people to talk and change what needs to be changed, once it is understood what that may be.
University of Pittsburgh and Transgender Discrimination
I may at some point write commentary about the policy, but my real interest is illustrating what I am doing, as both an employee as well as an activist/advocate towards this issue of discrimination towards Trans persons at the University of Pittsburgh.
Corporate sponsors quit ALEC; Keystone Progress urges PA legislators to do the same
In the past few days, major corporate sponsors of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) have indicated they will not renew their memberships to the controversial conservative organization. Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Intuit and Kraft Foods announced their departure amid mounting criticism over ALEC’s backing of “Stand Your Ground” gun laws, which have been implicated in the shooting death of Florida teen Trayvon Martin.
Hate Crime? Does it Matter?
A Hate Crime is a crime committed against a person or persons with the intent to create fear and intimidation within a group of people, such that the crime is one against persons as a group, for example, against Jews, or Blacks, or Queers. It isn’t clear if this crime meets that criteria or not, and in many ways it doesn’t matter (at least in my book) That a young man was beaten to a point that his friends feared for his very life is the same, no matter if this was a hate crime or not.
Scott Brown doesn’t understand progressives.
Scott Brown translation: I might vote for your equality sometimes and I might not vote for your equality at other times. Is that good enough for you? Not good enough for me.
School Vouchers, Charter Schools, and Discrimination.
The linked story is at Pam’s House Blend and deals specifically with a Louisiana bill, but it has ramifications for Pennsylvania, as we debate school vouchers and the rise in charter schools. So check out the whole post. It isn’t that vouchers are theoretically bad. The basic premise sounds as if it is a good thing, and the same holds true for charter schools. There is nothing about them in general which should be al[Read More…]