At this year's Gay and Lesbian Inaugural Ball, sponsored by the Human Rights Campaign, The Victory Fund and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force in the nation's capital on Jan. 20th, there was more than just talk about which lesbian sported the smarted tux or which gay man boasted the most sequins.
Hot on everyone's lips was the controversy ignited over inclusion of bisexual and transgender in the Gay and Lesbian Inaugural Ball. Bisexual and transgender activists had pushed the host organizations to include "Bisexual" and "Transgender" in the print ads and other promotions for the Ball as well as at the actual Ball. Following pressure from the activists the host organizations did include bisexual and transgender in a Washington Blade Ball ad.- "The national host campaigns have been very slow to recognize bisexual and transgender activism on behalf of the entire G/L/B/T community," says long time bisexual activist Lani Ka'ahumanu.
Bisexual and transgender inclusion in the gay and lesbian movement has taken center spotlight in recent months. Out, Advocate Magazine and Newsweek have reported on the debate and activists have urged leaders in gay and lesbian organizations to be more inclusive. Most recently bisexual and transgender people have established a presence on Capital Hill, and in the larger gay and lesbian movement. For example, bisexual and transgender activists recently initiated an historic first meeting with a White House official to articulate the needs of bisexual and transgender people in federal policy; staged a mass visibility action at NGLTF's 1996 "Creating Change Conference", and GenderPAC and BiNet USA, two national activist organizations, recently conducted one of three planned lobbying days in the US Congress.
"Bisexual and transgender people share many of the same issues as Gay and Lesbian people," says Yosenio V. Lewis, Vice President of FTM International. For example, says Lewis, the Radical Right targets all G/L/B/T people in its hate campaigns and initiatives. Bisexual and transgender people are denied jobs, housing, health care, visitation rights to their partners in case of hospitalization and lose custody of their children. The right's to get married and to serve in the military are based on sexual orientation, gender and gender identity. "
G/L/B/T people are discriminated against and are the targets of hate crimes due to the perceptions of gender or behavior based on gender roles imposed by society", says Stephanie Berger, a National Coordinator of BiNet USA. "All G/L/B/T people," continues Berger, "can be victims of homophobia, biphobia and transphobia regardless of their actual gender or sexual orientation."
In a call for unity and for the visible inclusion of bisexual and transgender people, an Ad-hoc National Coalition of Bisexual and Transgender activists have created a Statement of Inclusion. This statement, signed by prominent leaders in the G/L/B/T movement, calls for inclusion of bisexual and transgender issues in all aspects of local, state and national agendas that address the civil and human rights of gay and lesbian people.
The Statement reads:
"We the undersigned local, regional and national leaders advocate the visible inclusion of Bisexual and Transgender people. In doing this, we recognize their valuable participation in the political process. Transgender and Bisexual people vote, donate money, run for office, get elected and serve the public. The 1996 election victory is a credit to all of our hard work and participation.
"Furthermore, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender people have common issues and common enemies.
"The Right is not exclusive in their hateful campaigns. Transgender and Bisexual people are called out by name and targeted for attack. Bisexual and Transgender people are also not protected under federal law. We support the inclusion of Transgender and Bisexual issues in all aspects of local, state and national agendas that address the civil rights of Gay and Lesbian people.
"We take this opportunity to affirm our commitment to champion the rights of all people and to defeat those who would deny basic civil rights and human dignity to anyone on the basis of sexual and gender orientation and identity."
To sign on to the Inclusion Statement or for a complete list of signatories please contact Stephanie Berger at virago@slip.net or 510-601-1806.
* Transgender includes transsexuals, cross-dressers, and intersexed people
Attachment: ( Partial list of signatures effective 1/22/97)
Julie Dorf, Executive Director, Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) Sally Miller Gearheart, Activist, Writer, Scholar David Scondras, former Boston City Councilor The Rev. Dr. Mel White, Minister of Justice and Reconciliation Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches Martha Knutzen, Commissioner SF Human Rights Commission & Chair, LGBTAC Martin Ornelos-Quintero, Executive Director, National LLEGO Steve Lew, President's Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS Shannon Minter, National Center for Lesbian Rights Jon Huggett, President & CEO of PlanetOut Scott W. Walton, Executive Director, Digital Queers Karen Wickre, Co-Founder and Board Member, Digital Queers Miriam Ben-Shalom, US Army Veteran Cliff Arneson, President, New England Gay Lesbian Bisexual Veterans Dyanthe McDougal, Co-Chair TRIKONE, South Asian Lesbian and Gays Robert Bray,former NGLTF and HRC Communications Director Ann Northrop, Lesbian Activist/ Journalist Marj Plumb, Lesbian Health Activist Phyllis Martin and Del Martin, founders, Daughters of Bilitis Gay Men of African Descent Children of Lesbians and Gays Everywhere (COLAGE) Bob Basker, Alexander Hamilton Post 448, American Legion Warren J. Blumenfeld, Editor Journal Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Identity Lesbians and Gays of African Descent for Democratic Action (LGADDA) Rev.Margot Campbell-Gross, Unitarian Universalist Church Don Romesberg, GLAAD Media Resource Mgr, San Francisco Lester Olmstead Rose, Executive Director, Community United Against Violence Terry Person, Associate Director, Community United Against Violence FTM International Bisexual Nework of the USA (BiNet USA) Cole Roland, Franklin Delano Roosevelt Democratic Club for Persons with Disabilities and Seniors Elias Farajaje-Jones, Bisexual Queer Theologian UMOJA Strategy Group, Black Queer Activists Maggi Rubenstein, Harvey Milk Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Democratic Club National LLEGO Hank Tavera, Co-Chair, LLEGO California Lavendar Youth Freedom and Empowerment (LYFE) Gary Dotterman, VietNam Vet, Human Rights Activist Margot Okazawa Rey, Professor San Francisco State Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) Stephanie Berger, National Coordinator, BiNet USA Alexei Guren, National Coordinator, BiNet USA Shadow Morton, Secretary, FTM International Marcus De Maria Arana, Editor, FTM International Newsletter Yoseno V. Lewis, Transgender Activist & Nat'l Consultant on Gender Issues LGBT Advisory Committee to SF Human Rights Commission - Lani Ka'ahumanu, William Bland, Rachel Timoner, Eddie Kaufman, Ted Guggeheim, Rachel Bernstein,Virginia Benavidez Cynthia G. Goldstein, Discrimination Representative SFHRC Dominque Leslie, SF G/L/B/T Pride Celebration Committee, Inc. Riki Anne Wilchens, GenderPAC Laura Perez, Board, LLEGO California Rick Hauptman, California Democratic Party Computer Caucus Tonye Barreto-Neto, T.O.P.S. Jessica Xavier, It's Time, America! Gerard Palmieri, BiPOL SF Alison Laing, Exec. Dir. of IFGE Community United Against Violence GenderPAC Transgender Community Task Force San Francisco Phyllis Randolph Frye, Executive Director, International Conference on Transgender Law and Employment Policy, Inc, (ICTLEP) Gary Bowen, Coordinator-in-chief, The American Boyz Spencer Bergstedt, Treasurer, National Leather Association:International Mark Silver, Editor, Anything That Moves and Lavendar Caucus SEIU member Matt LeGrant, Bay Area Bisexual Network (BABN) Jennifer Haejin Kim, API-QXX Atlanta Loraine Hutchins, author, organizer Cheryl Chase, Hermaphrodites with Attitude Mary Boene, GLBT Activist Brian Cheu, Discrimination Representative San Francisco Human Rights Commission Larry Brinkin, San Francisco Human Rights Commission Interweave San Francisco, Unitarian Univeralist Church Luigi Ferrer, South Florida Bisexual Network Michael LeClerc, Dignity Boston Felicia Park-Rogers, Board, San Francisco LGBT Community Center Shelly Peronni, University of Vermont LGB Student Association Deborah Block-Schwenck, Boston Bisexual Women's Network Wayne Bryant, founder Biversity Boston Linda Blair, President, Boston Bisexual Resource Center Joseph Fischer, Boston Pride Committee Laura Sachs, President of Board, Boston Pride Committee Judith Goldberger, Boston, GLB Speakers Bureau, Chr Religous Outreach Kate Griffin, Boston, GLB Speakers Bureau Warren Barnert, TV Host, "One in Ten" Buzz Harris, Board, Boston GLB Speakers Bureau All Our Families Coalition Deb Kolodny, National Coordinator and Lobbyist, BiNet USA Tenderloin AIDS Resource Center BiPOL San Francisco & Seattle Departure Point Magazine Bay Area Transgender Law Association (BATLAW) Silicon Valley Gender Association (SVGA) BiNet Washington
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