"If you're gay, lesbian, or bisexual, would you sacrifice for your trans neighbors and siblings? If you're trans, would you sacrifice for your gay, lesbian, or bisexual neighbors and siblings? It's something worth knowing about yourself and those around you." --Autumn Sandeen, 4/19/2010, the night before GetEQUAL's DADT repeal protest at the White House
Public Calendar
Press/media, organizations, and individuals send your time-based event info to: calendar@phblend.net
The Christian Civic League of Maine's Mike Hein calls Pam's House Blend: "a leading source of radical homosexual propaganda, anti-Christian bigotry, and radical transgender advocacy."
He is "praying that Pam Spaulding will "turn away from her wicked and sinful promotion of homosexual behavior."
(CCLM's web site, 10/15/07)
Ex-gay "Christian" activist James Hartline on Pam:
"I have been mocked over and over again by ungodly and unprincipled anti-christian lesbians."
(from "Six Years In Sodom: From The Journal Of James Hartline," 9/4/2006, written from the "homosexual stronghold" of Hillcrest in San Diego).
"Pam is a 'twisted lesbian sister' and an 'embittered lesbian' of the 'self-imposed gutteral experiences of the gay ghetto.'" -- 9/5/2008
Peter LaBarbera of Americans for Truth Against Homosexuality heartily endorses the Blend, calling Pam:
A "vicious anti-Christian lesbian activist." (Concerned Women for America's radio show [9:15], 1/25/07)
"A nutty lesbian blogger." (MassResistance radio show [16:25], 2/3/07)
Pam's House Blend always seems to find these sick f*cks. The area of the country she is in? The home state of her wife? I know, they are everywhere. Pam just does such a great job of bringing them out into the light.
--Impeach Bush
who monitors yours Bevis ?? Just thought I would drop you a line,so the rest of your life is not wasted.
I sh*t you not. And Arthur Abba Goldberg told the teeming crowd of 20-30 people at Peter LaBarbera's Truth Academy that consensual same-sex relations leads to bestiality, and unintentionally confirms the fact that ex-gay "therapists" are nothing more than pervs, scam artists, and people of need of mental health services themselves. Wayne Besen:
Convicted felon Arthur Abba Goldberg spoke at Peter LaBarbera's poorly attended Truth Academy on Thursday. His speech is exactly what one would expect from an individual of low moral character and a penchant for extreme dishonest behavior.
He began his talk answering whether "gays can change", in which he flippantly replied "the simple answer is yes", to the delight of the small crowd of under 30 people. Then he rhetorically asked, "is gay parenting good for kids?" Abba Goldberg bluntly replied "no".
In one of the more outrageous parts of his speech, Abba Goldberg made the bizarre claim that allowing consensual sex for LGBT people will lead to a "slippery slope" that will descend into bestiality.
"What do you do when you want to french kiss a dog?" asks Abba Goldberg. "Bark once if 'yes', and bark twice if 'no'? Hello...where do we get this idea of consent from?"
The fact that Abba Goldberg even had these wacky ideas as part of his presentation shows that he has more issues than a New York magazine stand. What kind of psychologically healthy person even dreams up these scenarios? Perhaps, this speech explains why Abba Goldberg sees nothing perverse about referring clients to therapists who get clients naked and have them touch their genitals in front of a mirror.
Wayne, I have no idea how anyone takes a wackjob like Goldberg seriously. Blenders, this is the tip of the iceberg; surf over for more unhinged blather. Here's audio of Goldberg's wisdom.
Fear-monger some more about teh evil transgender people, trying to drive a wedge between subcommunities of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people again. Y'know, just like the wedge Democratic congressmembers did within the LGBT community with the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) legislation circa 2007/2008.
Bang-bang-bang-bang! goes the religious right drums!
Well, the American Family Association's (AFA's) "news" division -- OneNewsNow -- is beating the anti-LGB-and-especially-T drum again with their piece Anti-Employer ENDA Still Alive And Kicking:
A Washington, DC-based pro-family group is voicing its concern about a continued push by liberals in Congress to give homosexuals a special status in employment discrimination laws.
Oh. That group would be the Family Research Council (FRC)! What does their senior fellow for policy studies, Peter Sprigg, have to say?
"[ENDA] interferes with the freedom of an employer to make their own decisions about what the standards for employment should be," Sprigg explains. "It could mandate the employment of homosexuals and transgendered people in occupations that many people would consider inappropriate, such as working with small children or as teachers."
Why is ENDA so bad, OneNewsNow/American Family association "reporter" Russ Jones?
Under ENDA, the federal government theoretically could punish a business or church with litigation for opting not to hire a homosexual applicant or someone choosing to deny their God-given gender.
Egads! Those evil teh homosexuals and evil transgendereds!
Trans folk are especially evil, don' cha know! Tell us about that Peter!
"The gender-identity part in particular really eliminates the right of employers to set dress and grooming standards for their employees," says the FRC fellow, "because the most fundamental dress and grooming standard is that you dress in the way that's culturally appropriate for your biological sex."
And too, gawd forbid we have separation of church and state.
And by the way, what does the religious right know about the imminent passage of ENDA that we in the LGBT community don't know? If they all have information on when we're going to see votes on ENDA in the House and Senate, I'd appreciate them filling us LGBT community members in.
After the Proposition 8 historic decision came down on Wednesday, my email box was flooded with people from every walk of life issuing press releases praising the victory. The Republican Governor of California Arnold Schwarzenegger couldn't be more excited for the LGBT community in our victory. Justice and equality was having a good day and everyone was basking in it.
Well, not quite everyone. Our President, our fierce advocate, continued with a game of giving us begrudgingly congratulations in a tepid unemotional and uninspired statement while sending his minions out to make sure the entire country knew that he was against marriage equality. If there was anyone that should sit down and read this opinion it would be this son of an interracial couple who had to go to Supreme Court to obtain marriage equality.
Unfortunately, he didn't even mention the court case in his two line statement. However, David Axelrod found plenty of time to go on national television to make sure the country knew that Obama was against marriage equality. Then there was the cowardly "nameless source" who said the President would only deal with those actions at the federal level such as benefits and things.
This game has to stop. The President is either with us or against us. If he is neutral, so be it but then stop hurting us by saying over and over how marriage equality is between a man and a women. He should pay close attention to the line in Judge Walker's decision that says,
"Indeed, the evidence shows Proposition 8 does nothing more than enshrine in the California Constitution the notion that opposite sex couples are superior to same-sex couples. "
With this case he could no longer hide behind the fact that the Attorney General would have to intervene against us. The case does not involve the federal government. The issue is here to stay. As much as they wish, they can't manage it politically for their convenience. Mr. President, that is no longer possible. The surge toward marriage equality is even going to be stronger in this coming Presidential election. In fact, the Supreme Court could even rule one way or another before the election.
For the President, an enormous amount is at stake surrounding this issue and it goes far beyond marriage equality. Is the President going to seize this moment in history and become a great leader or will others have to lead him? Is he going to be remembered as Harry Truman or more like those Senators in the 1960's who walked a fine line attempting to appease all sides in that great epic struggle for civil rights?.
Now is the time, Mr. President for you to lead, not tomorrow but today. We want you by our sides. If not, you will be the one that will always be remembered for standing on the sidelines without courage. With or without your leadership, nothing is going to stop our inevitable march to freedom.
And in his earlier post about the Prop 8 decision, he shared this important point to underscore, given the historic decision brought to bear by allies from opposite ends of the political spectrum. That fact alone - that this marriage equality battle is not a conservative or liberal matter at all -- it inoculates this decision from usual right-wing arguments.
My love, respect and honor always will be given to David Boies and Ted Olson. They have earned a place on the walls of our homes. These two straight men from different political histories have united in the cause of justice. They are true heroes. The American Foundation for Equal Rights will need our money and support to fight the appeals. Special thanks has to go to Chad Griffin who has been with this since day one.
You just click here right now and send them some money to make sure we have everything we need to win this case before the Supreme Court.
***
An aside -- today I met up with David and former Clinton White House insider Richard Socarides for what I Tweeted snarkily as "At BlogHer, but leaving in a bit to meet w/Richard Socarides and David Mixner about next steps in The Homosexual Agenda and "There were evil laughs and Dr. Evil pinkies in full expression."
I won't disclose our secret plans, but David Mixner made a bold prediction for the record on the outcome of this Prop 8 case -- he thinks it will be a SCOTUS win for us 6-3 (with the dissenters Scalia, Alito, and Thomas). Why? The key is Chief Justice John Roberts -- in the end he will vote with us because he doesn't want "his court" to be on the wrong side of history. Bookmark this post so we can check back...in late 2011/early 2012. We all figure SCOTUS will get this case fairly quickly in the scheme of legal timetables.
That will be a boatload of trouble for President Obama's current ridiculous position that this is a matter up to the states and that civil unions are an adequate separate-but-equal solution.
In an extraordinary court filing, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger asked Friday that gay marriages be allowed to resume immediately in California after a federal ruling that the state's voter-approved ban on gay marriage is unconstitutional. The Republican governor filed his brief with U.S. District Court Judge Vaughn R. Walker before a Friday deadline to submit arguments on whether to continue a stay of Walker's decision against Proposition 8.
"The Administration believes the public interest is best served by permitting the Court's judgment to go into effect, thereby restoring the right of same-sex couples to marry in California," wrote Kenneth C. Mennemeier, an attorney representing Schwarzenegger, in the brief.
Schwarzenegger applauded Walker's decision earlier this week.
"For the hundreds of thousands of Californians in gay and lesbian households who are managing their day-to-day lives, this decision affirms the full legal protections and safeguards I believe everyone deserves," the governor said in a statement Wednesday.
Indiana resident Erin Vaught's advocacy and strength are paving the way for a new future for competent and accessible health care for Transgender Hoosiers. After a harrowing experience in the Emergency Department of Muncie's Ball Memorial Hospital on July 18th, Ms. Vaught reached out to the Indiana Transgender Rights Advocacy Alliance (INTRAA) and Indiana Equality (IE) for help in making sure that she, her family, and her community would never face barriers to health care at Ball Memorial again. In response, Ball Memorial's management team has identified an aggressive plan to improve services to all patients, including LGBT patients and their families.
"My family and I are overwhelmed by the positive support we've received online and in person from individuals, blogs, and advocacy groups," said Erin Vaught. "I never expected that so many people cared so deeply about my wellbeing and about adequate health care for the transgender community. I am excited to be working with INTRAA, IE, and Ball Memorial management to address what happened to me and to improve health care services for everyone in the Muncie area. My fondest wish is that this tragedy leads to better health care and deeper understanding."
Working in collaboration with Erin, INTRAA and IE are engaged in ongoing discussions with key leaders at Ball Memorial, a Clarian Health facility, to respond both to the specific barriers Erin and her family faced and to traditional barriers to care faced by LGBT patients.
"Erin and her family are role models for turning a horrific experience of discrimination into lasting, positive improvements in the delivery of health care," said INTRAA President Vivian Benge. "Her advocacy and the support she has received from around the country are poised to result in significant improvements in Ball Memorial's delivery of care. Having spoken with Ball Memorial's President and CEO, Michael Haley, I am optimistic that we will have a strong partner moving forward in improving health care access for Hoosiers in East Central Indiana."
Mr. Haley and his team have already discussed making immediate changes in non-discrimination policies and practices, instituting trainings for all staff on best practices in serving lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) patients, ensuring inclusion of LGBT issues in the hospital's long-term diversity plans, exploring changes to internal systems and policies that create unintentional barriers to care for LGBT patients, and identifying training for Ball Memorial physicians on medical issues specific to transition related care.
"I am impressed by Mr. Haley's proactive response to this crisis. His team's willingness to focus on action and to learn and incorporate new information into their policies and training efforts is a great first step," stated Jon Keep, Indiana Equality's President. "Particularly important is Mr. Haley's insistence that any solutions be based on best practices from around the country and that Erin, INTRAA, and IE have a place at the table in planning and monitoring implementation of these solutions. IE and INTRAA are committed to using Erin's tragic experience to foster real change for LGBT patients in Muncie and around the state."
INTRAA and IE will keep the community updated on advancements in these efforts. Both groups will make periodic updates available via their websites and IE's blog (http://indianaequality.typepad.com/) and FaceBook page. In respect for her family's privacy and wellbeing, Erin has asked INTRAA and IE to respond to media inquiries about this work going forward.
The Indiana Transgender Rights Advocacy Alliance (INTRAA) is a statewide advocacy organization working to create a society that values and protects freedom of gender expression and the right to gender self-determination for all. For more information about INTRAA, visit the organization's website at www.intraa.org.
Organized in 2003, Indiana Equality's mission is to end sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination in Indiana. For more information about Indiana Equality, visit the organization's website at www.indianaequality.org or call (888) 567-0750.
This is what trans activism often looks like. It's telling one's story of discrimination openly, then soliciting (or just accepting offers of assistance) from community and community allies to create positive change. My deepest respect and thanks goes to Erin Vaught, INTRAA, and IE for moving justice for trans people another step forward.
Don't take this as gloating, gay blogger Alvin McEwen writes, but it's pretty clear that Prop 8 was overturned because the claims of supporters, though effective in scaring paranoid voters, simply don't withstand the scrutiny of the judicial system.
Alvin McEwen:
"In the courts, you must defend your position ... Your leaders spun false images of avenging hordes for their reluctance to be questioned in the courts about the unprovoked lies they said in pulpits, in speeches, and on commercials. This time, it didn't work. The court saw through the phony claims and realized something, which I hope that many of you now do-you have no logical reason to either deny us the right to love or to deny us the ability to protect the ones whom we love."
Alvin's quote was immediately followed by a Maggie Gallagher -- of the National Organization For Marriage (NOM) -- quote:
Furious
Maggie Gallagher:
Not only was Judge Walker needlessly inflammatory for imputing bigotry to opponents of gay marriage, his opinion was wrong and will be overturned, says Maggie Gallagher, head of the activist group the National Organization for Marriage. She rehashes the arguments NOM has made all along and vows to continue the fight.
Being cited in an Newsweek article ahead of Maggie...just priceless!
So, so seriously, congrats to Alvin on being a PHB pundit of Newsweek notability!
But more importantly than that, congrats to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community; congrats for the values of human rights, freedom, equality, and justice!
There has been a color change at Essence. After forty years of having sisters from the African Diaspora as its fashion director, the new one is white. And the news is sending seismic shock waves to many of its subscribers here in the U.S. and across the globe.
Placas, however, is no novice to dressing black women or to the cultural demands of black women's fashion taste. Prior to her six months at Essence as a freelancer, Placas worked at two popular zines - O: The Oprah Magazine and US Weekly, both of which are crossover successes.
Placas will make her official debut with Essence this September, commemorating the magazine's 40th anniversary.
But in this post-racial era where the rigid reigns of race are supposed to be loosing up should there be outrage in the selection Ellana Placas as the magazines new fashion director?
Essence, like many fashion magazines, has a niche audience. And it's a magazine with an impressive circulation of roughly over 1 million sister- readers monthly between the ages of 18 and 49. Some of the ire towards the hiring of Placas is the concern of will she "whiten" Essence up; thus destroying the inimitable girlfriend-to-girlfriend style, complexion and tone of the magazine.
But if truth were told, the elephant in the fashion department of Essence is that the magazine "...already takes its cues from non-African-Americans. Most of the stores, designers, TV fashion experts and stylists that set trends that end up being attributed to African-American celebrities are not African-American," BlackAmericaWeb.com wrote. "Case in point: Rihanna, considered by many to be black music's preeminent fashion trendsetter, is styled by someone who is not black. Rihanna shares her stylist with the Smiths; Will, Jaden, Willow and Jada use her as well."
Unable to extinguish a firestorm of protest among some of its customers and gay rights supporters, Target Corp. on Thursday took the unusual step of apologizing for making a political donation.
CEO Gregg Steinhafel sent a message to company leaders saying he was "genuinely sorry" that the donation had disappointed some. The message was posted on the company's Intranet, making it available to all employees.
Minneapolis-based Target had tried for days to emphasize that the $150,000 donation to MN Forward, a pro-business group backing Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer, was based solely on a tax and jobs platform. But because of Emmer's stance against gay marriage, many perceived the donation as flying in the face of Target's longstanding commitment to workplace equality.
..."While I firmly believe that a business climate conducive to growth is critical to our future, I realize our decision affected many of you in a way I did not anticipate, and for that I am genuinely sorry," Steinhafel wrote.
The HRC had condemned the donation; a Facebook page supporting a boycott had reached nearly 50,000 members; MoveOn.org had began a campaign to gather 150,000 petition signatures calling for an apology. Target Corp. had do something dramatic to quell the gathering storm, and publicly apologizing for the Emmer donation appears have been that necessary something.
So for me, I feel comfortable buying hangers, vacuum cleaner bags, and other goods and services from Target again.
Talk about a menace to society. These pray-and-touch-away-the-gay frauds are not only a waste of money, some are flat out dangerous. (Truth Wins Out):
Far from repudiating senior counselor Alan Downing after Truth Wins Out exposed his sexual misconduct with two young adult male clients, JONAH's web site continues to affirm inappropriate physical contact and sexuality between ex-gay client and same-sex ex-gay counselor.
According to JONAH's website, "Many who struggle with SSA experience touch deprivation, an issue often overlooked in therapy." That's why point number 10 of their FAQ endorses the practice that other ex-gay organizations have long shunned. At the Exodus and NARTH websites, damning references will disappear within hours of exposure on a gay-supportive blog. In the case of disgraced "sexual reorientation life coach" Richard Cohen, statements may even appear opposing the use of "touch therapy." But JONAH is obviously not on the ball, and they clearly lack the self-awareness to recoup their image, even superficially.
JONAH can't even prove "change is possible" in their own website content.
Contact your representative today and urge him to start impeachment proceedings
August 5, 2010
Dear Friend,
Yesterday (August 4), U.S. District Chief Judge Vaughn Walker single-handedly overturned California's Prop. 8, which elevated protection for one-man, one-woman marriage to its state constitution.
In doing so, he frustrated the expressed will of seven million Californians who went to the polls to shape their state's public policy on marriage.
Since marriage policy is not established anywhere in the federal Constitution, defining marriage, according to the 10th Amendment, is an issue reserved for the states. Judge Walker never should have accepted this case in the first place.
Under Judge Walker, it's no longer "We the People," it's "I the Judge."
In addition, Judge Walker is an open homosexual, and should have recused himself from this case due to his obvious conflict of interest.
What can be done?
Fortunately, the Founders provided checks and balances for every branch of government, including the judicial branch. Federal judges hold office only "during good Behaviour," and if they violate that standard can be removed from the bench.
Judge Walker's ruling is not "good Behaviour." He has exceeded his constitutional authority and engaged in judicial tyranny.
Judges are not, in fact, unaccountable. They are accountable to Congress, which can remove them from office.
Impeachment proceedings, according to the Constitution, begin in the House of Representatives. It's time for you to put your congressman on record regarding the possible impeachment of Judge Walker.
Take Action Email your representative today and urge him to launch impeachment proceedings against Judge Vaughn Walker for his outrageous ruling against natural marriage.
Email your representative today and urge him to launch impeachment proceedings against Judge Vaughn Walker.
It is very important that you forward this alert to your friends and family members.
Sincerely,
Tim Wildmon, President American Family Association
UPDATE: Wouldn't you know it but now is the time that Twitter goes into the dumpster! So you'll see Tweets when and if it ever comes back online. Here's a pic to prove we are here:
I'm in NYC to attend the latest Out for Kirsten Gillibrand blograiser. U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D) is up for election, and as a strong ally of the LGBT community, Gillibrand organizer Todd Beeton invited me, along with Assemblyman Danny O'Donnell and NY-based bloggers Jeremy Hooper and Joe Jervis
It will be from 6:00 pm-9:00 pm @ Therapy (upstairs bar)
348 West 52nd Street, New York, NY
Admission: $20, so it's a small dollar boost for the campaign.
As you can see by the widget, we're live Tweeting tonight, and photos will be uploaded with links within the stream.
Key Tweeters:
Todd Beeton: @toddbeeton
Pam = @pam_spaulding
Joe = @joemygod
Jeremy = @goodasyou
Kirsten was one of the first US Senators to proclaim her full support for marriage equality. Schumer followed shortly after.
She sees marriage equality as a single battle in the larger fight for overall equality. She fully supports repeal of DADT, repeal DOMA, the passage of an inclusive ENDA, and for inclusion of UAFA in immigration reform. She would support amending the Civil Rights Act to include federal LGBT protections.
For instance on DADT, she was outspoken early and often about the issue.
She led the fight in the Senate against the Stupak amendment, tweeting, blogging, organizing and speaking out against it on the floor. That she's an avid fan of messaging through social media to stay in contact with constituents and supporters of equality is a big plus for those of us working in new media.
At the top of the left sidebar, you can donate directly through ActBlue to Kirsten's campaign, or click here.
Gillibrand's primary opponent is trial attorney Gail Goode. The Democratic primary is on September 14.
Your 21st birthday is supposed to be a happy moment; it's one of those "big" birthdays. Today would have been Angie Zapata's 21st, but just over two years ago, Angie was murdered. On behalf of GLAAD, I sat through the trial where Angie's murderer was convicted and sentenced to life in prison. As I thought of how to honor Angie on the occasion of her 21st birthday, I decided to take a look at how her life and her story lives on today. The way the media told Angie's story, set the bar for media coverage of stories involving transgender people.
It is important to take into account the huge role that the media plays in shaping public perspective, and the fact that media coverage often biases criminal and legal investigations-such as when media coverage implies that an openly transgender victim shares responsibility for being attacked, simply because he or she is transgender. In 2008, many first responders to the story of Angie Zapata's murder, including police and media, referred to her with male pronouns and by her male birth name as well as suggesting a "trans panic" defense. GLAAD immediately began working with the media to change this, and subsequent media accounts showed drastic improvement in coverage of Angie's story.
Unfortunately, crime stories involving transgender people are all too often sensationalized, with inappropriate focus on a person's gender identity, and include material that is disrespectful and dehumanizing. The bodies of transgender people are rarely granted the same privacy that is given to others in the media. Covering crime stories about transgender people can be challenging, but it is extremely important that it is done well. The first step for a reporter must be to determine if the person's gender identity is relevant to the story-as it would be in the case of a hate crime victim. If so, the next step is to discuss the person's gender identity without disrespecting him or her in any way. We made sure this was done with Angie's story, and on the occasion of her 21st birthday, it makes sense to bring attention to how the media covers such stories.
In January of this year, Myra Ical of Houston, Texas, a transgender woman, was brutally murdered and found dead in a Houston field. Every initial news report characterized Ical as a cross-dressing man who was in an area known for drugs and prostitution. Even after authorities knew that Ms. Ical preferred to go by Myra, they used her male birth name and used male pronouns to refer to her.
In April of this year, transgender woman Toni Alston of Charlotte, North Carolina, was murdered in the front door of her home. First responders to the story of Allston's murder identified her as a 'cross dresser' with an 'alternative lifestyle' and used male pronouns and her birth name instead of her chosen name, Toni. Examples of such problematic reporting abound, however there are also many recent examples of very good reporting in crime stories involving a transgender person.
In April of this year, Colle Carpenter, a transgender man and CSULB student, was violently physically assaulted in a campus restroom, targeted for his transgender status, and had "IT" carved into his chest. It took nearly 8 days for the university to release any news about the incident, but media coverage of the incident was quite fair and accurate, as Colle was regularly referred to as a trans-man and with male pronouns. His preferred name was also used without exception.
Myra, Toni, and Angie were all deceased, and unable to identify themselves. Colle survived his attack and was able to self-identify. However, with Myra, Toni, and Angie, as is the case with many transgender murder victims, the evidence of how the person lived his or her life is overwhelming-and simply cannot be ignored by a reporter. Too often reporters replace one medical examiner's report for a mountain of evidence on how that person actually lived his or her life.
The main issues of concern for media coverage of crime stories involving transgender people are the use of correct names and pronouns, and elimination of gender-identity bias. First, it is very important that transgender people are shown respect by being addressed by their preferred name and the pronouns appropriate for the gender that they identify with. This is always regardless of whether or not a person has taken hormones, had any form of surgery, or had a legal name change. It is never appropriate to put quotation marks around either a transgender person's chosen name or the pronoun that reflects that person's gender identity. Also, when describing transgender people, a reporter should always use the correct terms to describe their gender identity. An example of incorrect use of gender identity terms is the USA Today story on the murder of Gwen Araujo, in which she is referred to as a "transgender boy", called by her male birth name, and referred to with male pronouns throughout the article.
Additionally, it is very important to cover transgender people respectfully not only in cases in which a victim is transgender, but also those in which an accused person or suspect is transgender. A bad example of a story with a transgender person as perpetrator is KTLA's coverage of the trial and arrest of Crystal Dawn, who was charged with aggravated menacing and criminal trespassing. Throughout this article, Ms. Dawn is referred to with male pronouns and her birth name. On the other hand, coverage of the trial and arrest of Maria Benita Santamaria, a transgender woman charged with possession of methamphetamine, was largely well-done. Ms. Santamaria was always referred to by her chosen name and by female pronouns.
As we remember Angie Zapata on her birthday, we thank all those who regularly follow these guidelines in their reporting and encourage all reporters to follow suit. GLAAD was committed to being involved in media coverage of Angie's murder as much as possible so that she would not be victimized yet again by problematic news stories. We worked to ensure that in death Angie's identity would be respected and honored. It is our hope that with this information, all who work on crime stories involving a transgender person will be able to do the same an ensure that all transgender people are discussed appropriately and respectfully.
Angie, her family, and her friends are in my thoughts today. I'm honored to have been part of the effort to ensure Angie's story was told fairly and accurately after her murder. I'm pleased that media professionals like those at The Tribune in Greeley, Colorado, were willing to take feedback and tell Angie's story respectfully (for which The Tribune was honored with a GLAAD Media Award nomination for Overall Newspaper Coverage in 2009). Hopefully, there will be no more stories like Angie's, Myra's, Colle's, or Toni's. However, if and when they happen, the media has a huge responsibility to tell those stories well.
Adam Bass was the GLAAD point of contact at the Angie Zapata Hate Crime Murder Trial.
Solicitor General Elena Kagan was easily confirmed Thursday as the next associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, completing the 50-year-old native New Yorker's climb to the peak of the American legal profession.
The 63-37 vote was more than enough to blunt any possibility of a last-minute Republican delay or filibuster. Opposition during three days of Senate floor debate was relatively subdued.
Kagan is set to begin a lifetime position as the nation's 112th justice. Administration officials anticipate she will sworn into office Saturday, when she takes the traditional constitutional and judicial oaths. She will then assume her court duties immediately.
Senate Republicans made a last stand against the Supreme Court nomination of Elena Kagan on Wednesday while Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg said she was pumped at welcoming another woman to the high bench.
"To me, it's one of the most exhilarating developments," Ginsburg told The Associated Press about the prospect of Kagan making it three women on the court for the first time, along with herself and Justice Sonia Sotomayor.
Mr. President, Enough Of The Politics, Step Up To The Plate
Essence Magazine's true color
Share on Facebook 
Share on Twitter 
Online Version
Your 21st birthday is supposed to be a happy moment; it's one of those "big" birthdays. Today would have been Angie Zapata's 21st, but just over two years ago, Angie was murdered. On behalf of GLAAD, I sat through the 
In January of this year, 
In April of this year, transgender woman 
Myra, Toni, and Angie were all deceased, and unable to identify themselves. Colle survived his attack and was able to self-identify. However, with Myra, Toni, and Angie, as is the case with many transgender murder victims, the evidence of how the person lived his or her life is overwhelming-and simply cannot be ignored by a reporter. Too often reporters replace one medical examiner's report for a mountain of evidence on how that person actually lived his or her life.
As we remember Angie Zapata on her birthday, we thank all those who regularly follow these guidelines in their reporting and encourage all reporters to follow suit. GLAAD was committed to being involved in media coverage of Angie's murder as much as possible so that she would not be victimized yet again by problematic news stories. We worked to ensure that in death 
