A Review of the National Center for Transgender Equality's Decade of Accomplishment
Dana Beyer, The Huffington Post, 08/07/2013 5:21 pm
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dana-beyer/a-review-of-the-national-center-for-transgender-equalitys-decade-of-accomplishment_b_3716650.htmlAs I take my leave from the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE), rolling off after six and half years of board service, I'd like to highlight the progress that the transgender community has made over the past decade, progress in which NCTE played a role. Founded a decade ago by Mara Keisling with a board that included trans leaders such as Diego Sanchez and gay leaders such as Stephen Glassman, NCTE filled a niche in the federal policy world. No trans organization had ever attempted to set up shop to help craft legislation and federal policy. At the time, in 2003, having the opportunity to do so, let alone the access needed to be successful, seemed like a dream.
While significant progress on trans rights was picking up momentum on the state and local levels, thanks in part to the efforts of local activists... it seemed a pipe dream that a federal policy boutique to advance trans rights could succeed.
But it did. After laying the foundation by working with supportive allies in the D.C. area for years... NCTE found that 2009 provided the opportunity to create a secure place for trans persons in federal policy...
