There is this dude running for State Attorney General who wants to make being transgender illegal in Michigan. He would ban changing your gender on any documents and require state residents who transition ( even post-op) to live and dress as their birth gender. Being CD would be against the law. He said post-ops are men who had an amputation. He also targets f/m's. Anybody in Michigan know more about this? Bathroom issues seem his big concern.

In the Detroit area one out of every two people is out of work, you'd think he'd have more important things to worry about.

I just opened a thread about this guy. https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,71293.0.html

Is this guy planning to ban women from wearing trousers?

What sort of compulsary skirts will women be compelled to wear?

Does this guy stand any chance of winning?

This guy is an idiot in my opinion.  I do not know how he can get away with it?  The other two candidates would get my vote before he gets mine.  I am a Michigander born and bred.  (Traverse City area.)  Granted there are no support groups up here however, with such a wonderful wife....Anyway all we can do is pray.

As I commented in the other thread, as a European, this takes my breath away. This sort of blatant discrimination would land him in prison for merely voicing the opinion in much of europe these days. I can't honestly see that it would sit too well with your federal constitution either.

Even in places like Iran Transwomen are afforded basic rights. So this guy obviously sees Michigan's future as a third world barbarian backwater!

it seems so odd that this guy would single out trans people and make revealing statements like,

"That's who you are. You can have cosmetic surgery or reassignment surgery but you are still that gender,"

that one almost has to think this is someone who can't come to terms with his own gender identity issues and feels it necessary to find his validation by making a public spectacle of himself to prove his manhood or whatever. Methinks he doth protest too much.

In Ontario, he'd be served with a human rights complaint. Chances are here, people would:

a) seek to destroy him
b) seek defamation charges against him
c) somehow try and indict him for inciting hate crimes
d) denounce him

In Toronto, for our upcoming mayoral election, we're set to:

a) elect a MtF city councilor (she came in 3rd for mayor in a recent election, I just can't recall if it was the most recent one or not)
b) elect an openly gay mayor (our former provincial minister of health, who was openly gay at the time of his election)

In fact, I don't think any media outlet whatsoever has mentioned their identities/orientations in any way, except maybe to proclaim that social progress is continually being made. The candidates pick at each other for policies, and never venture into questionable territory such as LGBT issues. Most Ontarians see this as a no-go, and we see that as a very good reason NOT to elect someone.

Point is, we like to elect people for their policies and ability to manage fiscal and social policies, not for their identity. Generally, those who voice strong religious beliefs (which disparage others) are promptly voted out. Hell, even our federal conservative government has stated it would not try and retract gay marriage legislation, even if they were to attain a majority government (even they realize that members of all walks of life like to vote for fiscal conservatism, but not social conservatism).

What's my political experience with Michigan, you ask? I can almost see Michigan from my window!
I'm in London now, so that's somewhat truthful-ish...

Quote from: xsocialworker on January 22, 2010, 09:47:31 AM
There is this dude running for State Attorney General who wants to make being transgender illegal in Michigan. He would ban changing your gender on any documents and require state residents who transition ( even post-op) to live and dress as their birth gender. Being CD would be against the law. He said post-ops are men who had an amputation. He also targets f/m's. Anybody in Michigan know more about this? Bathroom issues seem his big concern.

Attorney General? Can you link or post where you saw this? As far as I know it was a junior congressman who is running for Secretary of State. Who as far as I knew only wanted to prevent trans individuals from changing their gender marker on state documents. i.e. Drivers license. Story here.

So any info on this AG candidate would be helpful. As I do live in Michigan myself currently.

Yeah, well facts don't seem to get in anyone's way when they are doin' the two minute hate, you don't expect them to RTFA do 'ya?

Quote from: Austen on January 22, 2010, 02:27:58 PMWhat's my political experience with Michigan, you ask? I can almost see Michigan from my window!
I'm in London now, so that's somewhat truthful-ish...

Pffft, I can literally see Michigan because I live on the lake and I'm in a border town.

Quote from: tekla on January 22, 2010, 05:21:10 PM
Yeah, well facts don't seem to get in anyone's way when they are doin' the two minute hate, you don't expect them to RTFA do 'ya?

At least I provided it so people can choose to educate themselves. If they choose not to then that is their own problem.

And it isn't like I don't have an issue with this fool, but at least I can do the leg work to form an educated opinion.

Closet ->-bleeped-<-, imo.  :\

Look, over and over again I see people underestimate these folks.  They dismiss them as closet cases, as self-loathing people, as all sorts of things, and of course underestimating your opponent is the first step on the road to defeat.  Anyone check this guy out?  Honors grad, Harvard master in Public Policy, about to get a JD from U of M.  He knows exactly what he is doing, and what it is is turning the US into a religious state.  His previous success was in banning all public smoking.  Don't underestimate him, rather, work and organize against him. Sitting there and calling names is only going to help him win.

We get a similar thing from our own home grown self appointed guardians of nation. In our case they are called Torys.

Whenever they are in opposition, they set traps for the government then rant when they spring.

I get the feeling that this guy is deliberately targeting TGs because he knows Obama will spring to their defense. Then, he can claim he has a mandate which Obama is ignoring.

These people are not the Torys, they are much closer to the Taliban.

Who is underestimating him? I actually know people with their fingers on the pulse of politics in the state. One he is trying to make a name for himself. It might not be this time around but eventually maybe he succeeds down the road. Two he is still rather green and needs to beat out two others with far more practical experience just to get on the ballot in the fall.

It still is political fear mongering and I loathe it. So for that I will still call him a fool since if that is the best you can do to make a name for yourself it is fairly sad. Why not talk about issues that matter in this state?

My major issue was with the original post either being grossly off base with facts or there was some information I had missed somewhere.

One a final note I had nothing against the smoking ban. But at this point I am done arguing politics. I am watching this with a very close eye and have already sent information along to powers that be with local GLBT groups, but they are already aware of it.

He would be run out of the state on a rail, tarred and feathered, if he tried that in Oregon.

Along with Tekla's point-

If you don't think inroads can be made with such preposterous ideas, think back about 7 or 8 years.  Did you think then you would ever find yourself in a serious argument with somebody about whether it is ethical for our government to use torture as an officially sanctioned interrogation tactic?  How about whether it's okay for our government to invade other countries on vague suspicions, or hold American citizens in prison indefinitely without due process, or whether the Vice President is part of the Executive Branch?  Reasonable people fell asleep at the wheel for a couple years and as a result our country lost it's morale high-ground.

Smart enough people with an understanding of how to manipulate the masses can make outlandish ideas suddenly the status quo.  I agree that it would be wise to be prepared to aggressively combat this sort of nonsense.  In fact, situations like these could provide a forum for bringing our issues to the public consciousness.  Until we emerge from the darkness and shadows, we will never make much progress with gaining the rights, protections, or the respect that other marginalized groups have secured for themselves.  We'll just continue being those shadowy, scary figures that go bump in the night for most peeps.

With all of that said, I also think calling him a closet case is extremely fun .

If he wins, you'll see 50 other candidates doing it next election, bet on it.