This video is from the Connecticut Judiciary Committee hearings regarding the passage of a transgender anti-discrimination bill.  Listen to what William O'Brien, President of the Right to Life Corporation, has to say about why the bill should not be passed.

That they are a corporation tells me all I need to know.

I once heard that if someone compliments you, or says that they are compassionate towards your situation, then go on to use the word "BUT"-look out!
You're about to get a left hook to the nose.

I love how this man tries to initially soft pedal it, before going on to call us mentally sick and bathroom stalking molesters.

Did Mr. O'Brien say anything about the Catholic priests that he surely befriends? Maybe that's where he should first start looking for the molesters.

This guy is voting NO on a bill when he ADMITS to knowing nothing about the subject matter, and also admits to just "skimming" the information. Yet he can make an informed decision on a bill that will affect hundreds if not thousands of people? If he knew anything he was talking about he wouldn't be calling trans women "men who want to use the ladies room"... smh

what kills me is it just seems like all he's doing is bitching and being hypocritical, so WE should just conform and suck it up basically and deal with embarrassment and harassment based on us just trying to live a happy life as we know is meant to be lived but them just bending the "rules" for us to have equal rights is out of the question and intolerable....what a capital PRICK.... I'm sorry please excuse my language maybe it was how i was raised but i can't stand jugmental bigits like that, who try and justify something by talking out their ass when they have absolutely NO IDEA or understanding of what their "against"...

I was also shocked at him talking about how the government decided that there are two genders.... I think Mother Nature decides that, not the US Government... then he also talks about us as "crossdressers", and the danger of people being able to "choose their gender" and we'll live in a "gender fluid" society which would be damaging to children, as well as having to "teach children about transgender" .... just what IS he trying to say anyhow?!?! Sounded like a bunch of rambling, about nothing that makes much sense, because he flat out didn't look at the information he was given and went with his immediate gut reaction.

And to think people like him are making important decisions.

He's from the Right to Life Corporation... such delicious irony.

After watching that, the only thing I feel with regard to Mr O'Brien is embarrassment for him, and that he must have been going through a "some days, you wish you'd just stayed in bed" moment. Because, in the conversation that follows his statement, he's made to look like someone who read an article from a magazine they picked up in a dental surgery somewhere, and suddenly became an 'expert'. It's laughable, and a perfect example of someone trotting out a company line with no actual comprehension of the words coming out of their mouth.

I hope I figure out his email somehow, or even a letter...I'd have...uhm...colorful informed words for him. ^.^;

Quote from: Sabriel Facrin on June 05, 2011, 05:08:50 AM
I hope I figure out his email somehow, or even a letter...I'd have...uhm...colorful informed words for him. ^.^;

Here's someplace to start:

http://connecticut.networkofcare.org/mh/resource/agencydetail.cfm?pid=ConnecticutRightToLifeCorporation_556_2_0

Connecticut Right To Life Corporation
PO Box 2343
Waterbury, CT 06722-2343
(203) 757-5213
robertemuckle@aol.com

http://www.ct4women.com/

I like this little bit of illogic from their web page. "Did you know? 1.25 million babies are killed every year. 1.5 million couples are waiting to adopt." They're saying, "Apples equal oranges." So 1.5 million are waiting to adopt now. How many are added to the list in a year? How many are rejected as unfit? How many drop out of the queue because they get pregnant? How long have they been waiting to adopt? There's no relationship between the two numbers.

Rep. Gary Holder-Winfield is the guy grilling the extremophobes.  He championed the bill and is obviously an educated, reasonable person.  I wish I could say that for the likes of Mr. O'Brien.  Maybe we might want to send Mr. Holder-Winfield a thank you or two.


By the way, the extremophobes lost this one.  The bill just passed CT Senate 20-16 and has already passed the CT House by a narrow margin.  Amazing it was close, for a state that has legalized same sex marriage.

Conn. passes transgender rights bill
Associated Press / June 5, 2011

HARTFORD — Connecticut has moved closer to adding transgendered people to the list of classes of citizens protected from discrimination.

Early yesterday morning, the Senate passed a gender identity protection bill on a 20-16 vote. The bill has already passed the House of Representatives, and Democratic Governor Dannel P. Malloy said he would sign it into law
...
GOP efforts to amend the bill, such as exempting restrooms, locker rooms, and boarding houses from the law, each failed.

Quote from: Rabbit on June 05, 2011, 05:52:18 AM
Haha I think the guy asking him questions about it did a good job to point out the guy didn't have a clue what he was talking about

That + the amazing activists who educated the general assembly are the reasons we have this statement released by our governor's office:

Quote
This bill is another step forward in the fight for equal rights for all of Connecticut's citizens, and it's the right thing to do. It's difficult enough for people who are grappling with the issue of their gender identity, and discrimination against them has no place in our society. Connecticut has lead the way in other civil rights issues and I'm proud to be able to support and sign this bill.

http://www.governor.ct.gov/malloy/cwp/view.asp?Q=480522&A=4010

13 states behind isn't exactly leading, but I'll take what I can get.  Both my local rep and senator voted against the bill, after evasively telling me they just weren't sure how they would vote...I already didn't support them, now I just have more reason to actively work against them.


FWIW, I think there are plenty of good reasons to remove trans-anything from the DSM, but I don't think it will help change bigoted minds.  I can already imagine a "psychologists don't even accept this as something real" argument.

Yes, this guy is a piece of work and he deserves all the flack you've given him. He simply doesn't know what he's talking about.

But...

The Post was titled, " This is why TG must be removed from the DSM." This statement was made by a moderator??? Really?

  "TG" is NOT on the DSM.

  Gender Identity Disorder is on the DSM; it's a medical condition and it needs to stay there so people who need treatment can get it. Not all people who identify as "TG" suffer from GID or need medical treatment.

   There's a big difference between someone diagnosed and in transition using a gender appropriate restroom and a weekend crossdresser who wants "the right" to use the ladies room. That's why these bills never pass.!

UGH!!


   

 

There are also links posted in the, "Community Alerts" thread about the DSM-5 revisions, there is one to sign a petition to remove this type of thought about gender and crossdressing.  Please hurry if you want to sign the deadline is June 15th.

JessicaR;
The bill did pass though.....

Quote from: JessicaR on June 05, 2011, 09:19:23 AM
The Post was titled, " This is why TG must be removed from the DSM." This statement was made by a moderator??? Really?

  "TG" is NOT on the DSM.

  Gender Identity Disorder is on the DSM; it's a medical condition and it needs to stay there so people who need treatment can get it. Not all people who identify as "TG" suffer from GID or need medical treatment.

   There's a big difference between someone diagnosed and in transition using a gender appropriate restroom and a weekend crossdresser who wants "the right" to use the ladies room. That's why these bills never pass.!

First, the title was intended to catch the eye and keep an already long title a bit shorter as almost everyone here knows what TG stands for, not so much with GID.  So rather than write "Gender Identity Disorder" I chose "TG" thinking anyone reading the posts here would understand.

As for keeping GID in the DSM, what this guy and so many other like him say is one of the best reasons for getting GID out of the DSM.  If you listened to him, you heard him talk about laws supporting a mental disorder as normal and acceptable.  He actually had it right when he said the APA defines it as a mental disorder.  And on that, I agree with him.  If someone TRULY has a mental disorder, then yes, we should not be doing anything to act like the mental disorder is perfectly okay.  We should promote treatment, not pretend like they are fine.  And Mr. O'Brien said pretty much that.

As far as the dysphoria we may suffer because of the prejudice, bigotry, hatred and discrimination we face, there are already diagnoses in the DSM that address those problems.  We don't need "gender identity" attached to a disorder or used in defining one.  If we accept or promote that, we only give people like Mr. O'Brien more fuel for their bigoted propaganda.  Education is what is needed.  It takes time, but it works. 

As long as the words "gender identity" remain in the DSM, any progress through education will suffer.  And if you need proof of that, look at what happened with the public perception of gays after "homosexual" was removed from the DSM.

What the Champion of this bill has to say about GID being in the DSM

And if you need proof of that, look at what happened with the public perception of gays after "homosexual" was removed from the DSM.

The greater change in public perception however came when the gays came out and people found out that they knew someone who was gay, and at that moment all the stereotypes, the hate and the misperceptions melted away.

Quote from: tekla on June 05, 2011, 11:02:15 AM
And if you need proof of that, look at what happened with the public perception of gays after "homosexual" was removed from the DSM.

The greater change in public perception however came when the gays came out and people found out that they knew someone who was gay, and at that moment all the stereotypes, the hate and the misperceptions melted away.

THIS!!!

Only by having enough of us out and proud can we change societies perceptions of us. Hiding makes us invisible. We need to be seen to be understood.

now only if this can be passed in georgia and the rest of the states lol thats good to hear though, its a start ^_^ that other dude can kick rocks

Seems his issue is people willy nilly changing their gender markers for whatever purpose - something that is understandable but a bit overinflated.  Truly, a lot of the issues he brings up would be fixed if we had standard diagnostic methods and identified those with the disorder.  They could then identify themselves as different than their birth sex legally and you don't have his "change gender willy nilly" fear-mongering.

Well we have a standard diagnostic method, the DSM, but it seems, if this guy is to be believed, that a person can make use of the rights with this bill if not diagnosed.  I haven't read the bill, so I hope this is not the case, but if no diagnosis is required I do think it could be problematic for those with legitimate gender issues.