1998 Transgender Lobby Days Report
By Dana Priesing
Washington, DC
April 21, 1998
Hi folks. Lobby Days 1998 have come and gone here in Washington D.C. We had approximately 100 citizen advocates on Capitol Hill Monday and Tuesday April 20 and 21, visiting their state delegations to discuss hate crimes, job discrimination, freedom to marry, and whatever else moved them. In appearance, participants covered a range of races/ethnicities, and ranged from very young to very old, from passable to improbable. All were cricitally important in showing the diversity of gender expression that actually exists in the U.S.
I continue to marvel at how, in the third to fifth year of this event (depending upon how one counts), the group no longer attracts much astonishment in the huge Rayburn Cafeteria. Non-gender different folk on the Hill are learning, I think, perhaps in spite of themselves, that we don't explode or throw off our clothes and dance on the tables, but are -- who would have imagined it? -- just like everybody else.
This is a minor milestone, and the next thing that will happen, if we keep it up, is that they will begin to ask themselves, "What is it that motivates them to keep coming back here every year?" Then, it is my hope, the progress will begin.
My favorite loopy moment (don't hate me for this -- I couldn't resist). Jessica Xavier and I were being interviewed on a local radio station Monday night, and the earnest gay host asked: "What causes transsexuality?"
He was expecting some sort of medical justification. I leaned
slowly toward the mike, taking my time. "Broccoli." I said.
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