Transgender Rights Forums in Queens and Brooklyn

There are two forums in the NYC area that will be discussing the violent hate-crimes that have recently happened, especially towards transgender people in our community.  ESPA Pride in the Pulpit has asked us to share this information.



Transgender Hate Crimes: Victims, Their Families and Advocates Speak Out!
Wednesday October 7th, 7:00 PM
Brooklyn Law School’s Forchelli Conference Center
205 State Street
Brooklyn, NY 11201


Queens Transgender Rights Forum:
Tuesday October 13th 7:00 - 9:00 PM
Queens Pride House
76-11 37th Avenue. Suite 206
Jackson Heights, New York

TransEpiscopal: Today, in Your Hearing

From TransEpiscopal:

As Congress gears up to begin hearings on the Employment Nondiscrimination Act (ENDA) tomorrow (September 23, 2009), I am grateful to recall how decisively The Episcopal Church declared its support for transgender civil rights in general, and a fully inclusive ENDA in particular, this summer at its 76th triennial General Convention.

Continue Reading HERE.

In the News - Congregation Embraces Transgender Minister as His Secret is Revealed

The Portland Tribune, Regal Courier
By: Christine McFadden
Date: 30 Aug 2009

PORTLAND - The Rev. David Weekley grows uncomfortable in his chair.

As soon as he raises the topic of gay rights to his conservative clergyman friend one day at lunch, he knows it’s a mistake.

He knows that the United Methodist Church long ago retained the right to turn away openly gay clergy members.

So Weekley listens to his friend espouse the opinion of the church, and buries his secret deeper. No one can ever find out that Weekley, a married father of five in Southeast Portland and a Methodist clergyman of 27 years, was born female.

Until now, there has been just one openly transgender Methodist clergyman in the U.S. to retain his ordination (That man, Drew Phoenix, 50, had his ordination challenged by members of the church after coming out publicly in 2007 to his congregation in St. John’s of Baltimore United Methodist Church in Maryland.)

Today, Sunday, Aug. 30, Weekley – who leads the congregation at the Epworth United Methodist Church in the Sunnyside neighborhood in inner Southeast Portland – became the second.

Read the full article at theRegal Courier

"We Will Not Be Silent" Community Rally in Jackson Heights

iNYC was a co-sponsor of the We Will Not Be Silent Community Rally in Jackson Heights. Our very own Michael Mallon attended the event. There were many other community organizations and organizers. There were about 200 people including politicians showing support and showing solidarity denouncing the acts of violence faced by the trans community in New York City.

Want to read more about the Transgendered Episcopal movement? Why not check out TransEpiscopal!

Here are a few pictures from the Rally. If you click on the images, they will enlarge.

Michael Mallon, Father Louis Braxton, Jr (Carmen's Place) Brendan Fay (Civil Marriage Trail Project), Melissa Sklarz (SDNYC), Jeremiah Frei-Pearson (WQfME, LICA), Jennifer Gamper (Carmen's Place), Marisa Ragonesa (Generation Q)and other organizers

Mark Elyaqim Mosheh Adam (OUT Astoria), Gary Paul Gilbert (LGDCQ), Sebastain Maguire (QLGPC), Robert Pinter (Stop the False Arrests Campaign), & Michael Mallon (QLGPC, SDNYC, iNYC, & OUT Astoria)

Deirde Feerick (City Council Candidate) and Brendan Fay (founder of Civil Marriage Trail Project)

Michael Mallon and Erik Bottcher from the New York City Council

"We Will Not Be Silent" Community Rally

Details:
Sunday, July 26, 2009 (2:00pm - 4:00pm)
Jackson Heights Post Office
37th Avenue and 78th Street
Jackson Heights, NY

Two transwomen were brutally attacked on the streets of Queens.

Leslie Mora was attacked on June 19th in Jackson Heights and beaten with belt buckles- suffering wounds in her scalp and legs.

Carmella Etienne is attacked on July 8th in St Albans with rocks and bottles & suffers a major gash in her leg. Attackers threatened to slash her throat.

We speak out against discrimination & violent attacks towards our transgender sisters and brothers.

We unite in building communities of tolerance & inclusion.

We work for the passage of GENDA in NY State.

We extend solidarity, care & compassion for victims of transphobic hate crimes.


For information or to co- sponsor:
Melissa Sklarz : (347) 886-7961
melis0213@aol.com

Brendan Fay: (718) 721-2780
brendan@stpatsforall.com


Getting to the Rally
By Subway :Take the 7,E,F, G & R to 74th St

By Bus: The Q32 bus runs between Penn Station in Manhattan and Roosevelt Avenue. Buses Q19, Q19B, Q33, Q47, and Q66 also serve Jackson Heights


Co-Sponsored By:
New York Trans Rights Organization (NYTRO)
Anti-Violence Project (AVP)
Campaign to Stop the False Arrests
Civil Marriage Trail Project
Civil Rights Front
Dignity NY
Integrity NYC (iNYC)
International Socialist Organization (ISO)
Lesbian & Gay Democratic Club of Queens (LGDCQ)
Make the Road NY
Metropolitan Community Church NY (MCCNY)
Out Astoria
Proud Righteous Youth Demanding Equality (PRYDE)
Queens Lesbian and Gay Pride Committee (QLGPC)
Queens Pride House
Queens County Young Democrats
St Pats For All
Stonewall Democratic Club of NYC (SDNYC)

RSVP Here