I attended the National Real ID Town Hall today.

I got there early and located Freeborn Hall on the UC Davis campus.  I walked in at 8 AM and was mistaken for a volunteer worker.   I stood around and talked to some of the workers, explaining I came to participate.  At about 9:15 am, they started making moves to 'let people in', so I went outside the crowd-control barrier and started the line.  At 9:35, they finally started letting us participants in, and I signed up to speak on the topic of privacy.

There were about 250 people in the audience when it started.  After the preliminaries, they called 5 names to speak.  Mine was not one of them, but then I saw a T-girl I know who is a major activist (Johanna,) make her way to the seats for the called speakers.

Johanna got up finally, and told what not being able to adjust the gender marker would do to the trans community.  After she finished, one of the people from Department of Homeland Security admitted they had not considered transgenders and the effects of fixing the gender marker to the birth certificate, and he thanked Johanna for bringing it to their attention.

At the next go-round, my name was called.  I noticed they had some sort of speech-to-text transcription software running, and it identified different speakers with <MALE SPEAKER> or <FEMALE SPEAKER>, when it detected a new voice speaking. 

My name was called to go to the podium.  I got to the mike and said in my best female voice, "Hi, I'm Karen Savage..." and then I paused to look at the screen.  Continuing, I said, "the transcription software says, 'male voice.'  I've just been outed by technology," (which, of course, went over most people's heads.)

I built on Johanna's speech, quoting Lynn Conway's numbers for the prevalence of transsexuals, and telling Lynn Conway's story, how she developed out-of-sequence processing for computer CPUs in the 60's then told her employer (IBM) she was transtitioning, and was promptly fired.  After completing her transition, and in deep stealth, she was hired by IBM and, as a 'new' employee, developed Very Large Scale Integration, which is the cornerstone of all our current computer technology, emphasizing that she would not be able to do this under Real ID.

I also emphasized the devastation having the birth sex on the ID would cause each time a trans person opened a bank account, applied for a job, boarded a plane, etc.

When I was finished, I was approached by a reporter from the Sacramento Bee, and I clarified the hardship having the gender marker tied to birth sex would cause.

The impression I got is that the DHS is rushing to get Real ID implemented, and they know the clock is running out.  Many other people had their own angles on why this is no good, but at least DHS has now heard of TRANSGENDER.

Afterword -- the moderator of the Town Hall meeting came up to me after the meeting was over and said he was a personal friend of Lynn Conway ( I don't remember his name,) and that I'd made a good point about the contributions Prof. Conway had made to the field of integrated circuit design.

The transcript and archived video is supposed to be available soon at www.realidtownhall.com any-day-real-soon-now...

Karen

Karen, I admire you. Can I be your friend?  Wow. Talk about a gutsy woman!  I truly hope that they don't ignore your sacrifice.

Cindi

The truth is if they have any requirement it should be to SS (something that is federal and can be changed) rather than to the birth certificate (which varies state by state if it can be changed) if they even make it a requirement of real ID.   I am surprised nobody brought this to their attention before because there is a major push in DC to get the act repealed based largely on protecting people who are transgender.  Some of us will be lucky enough not be effected by real ID because we were born in states that allow birth certificate changes. 

I have a bit more access to the halls of power and the democratic leadership, I live in DC.  They know about the issues with Real ID there and the transgender community.  HRC knows about it, The DNC knows about it, the democratic house and senate leadership knows about it.  The problem is the political system is mucked up by a war of choice that we desperately need to get out of and that the congress is doing its best to end. 

The truth is this may not change until there is a democratic president.  Having a republican president and republican congress hurt us incredibly with everything from social security identification to the Real ID act.  But they did so much damage in other places that it will literally take years to repair it all.  This may be why the effective date of the regulations is December 31, 2009, it is literally passing the buck to the next President to change if necessary. 

I am hopeful that once this president is out, that the act will fall and die.  More than my personal freedoms, this thing costs a lot of money and will affect everyone through taxes.

Cindi

Hi Karen,

   I think that you did great by appearing at the meeting.  I want to thank you for speaking out on behalf of us all.



Love,

Rebecca

Karen,

Thanks for the report and for helping to make sure the issue is on the government radar. I also loved the story about Lynn Conway...people and companies can be so asinine. Brilliance comes from the inside and is not a reflection of the outside. Thanks again for fighting the good fight.

Hugs,

Rhonda

Karen, thank you for taking the time and effort to make these issues well known.  Good job.

Thank you all!

Could you please do one little thing, though--

Could you please take the time to e-mail support@vodium.com (or telephone them at 202.223.1800) and ask them when the archives of the Real ID town hall meeting will be available?  "Shortly" is not defined in my book as greater than three days (or four or five or...)

I sense they (DHS, not the contractor Vodium,) wish to just let the issue sink beneath the waves, and it will take pressure from concerned citizens to make the record truly public, not the current administrations' idea of 'public'.

Thank you!

Karen

Quote from: Karen on May 04, 2007, 07:53:34 AM
Could you please take the time to e-mail support@vodium.com (or telephone them at 202.223.1800) and ask them when the archives of the Real ID town hall meeting will be available?  "Shortly" is not defined in my book as greater than three days (or four or five or...)

Done. Thank you again.

Rhonda

Quote from: Amy T. on May 02, 2007, 02:54:24 AM
I am surprised nobody brought this to their attention before because there is a major push in DC to get the act repealed based largely on protecting people who are transgender. 

My dear, I have had plenty of experience with official-type people who claim this is the first time they heard of our issues when I knew bloody well that they had been personally told before.

Quote from: rhondabythebay on May 03, 2007, 08:15:36 PM
Thanks for the report and for helping to make sure the issue is on the government radar.

Just bringing it up is not enough to get it on their radar.  They have to be told again and again and again and....

Quote from: Karen on May 04, 2007, 07:53:34 AM
I sense they (DHS, not the contractor Vodium,) wish to just let the issue sink beneath the waves, and it will take pressure from concerned citizens to make the record truly public, not the current administrations' idea of 'public'.

My point exactly.

Well taking the Bush adminstration is about to veto the hate crimes legislation, it is pretty obvious where they stand.

Honestly I cannot see why any trans person at this point would ever vote republican, they have done everything in thier power not only to prevent legislation from passing that protects us, but have also gone out of thier way to put forth policies and legislation that are meant to perpetuate discrimination and hate. 

We are the largest victim of hate crimes in the country (1 out of 16 Transgender person will die as a result of a hate crime, more TS die and are victims of hate crimes compared to blacks, jewish people, gays, and all other minority groups COMBINED).  If we do not fall under the need for a protected class, I don't know who does.  We also face the largest rate of employment discrimination and medical discrimination against us is legal.  We are practically third class citizens in this country, and the Republican party (and right-wing fundimentalist "christians" (I put christian in qoutes because there is NOTHING christian about them)) does everything in thier power to make it worse for us.  A vote for any Republican at this point is a vote for the continued subjugation of transgender citizens. 

Sorry to get so bothered, but if you heard the words coming from the house floor over the hate crimes legislation, you would be too.  You would realize exactly where the facist party of America (otherwise known as the GOP or Republicans) stands with regards to our rights as citizens.  As far as they are concerned we do not even deserve the most basic protections. 

Quote from: Amy T. on May 04, 2007, 01:03:15 PM

We are the largest victim of hate crimes in the country (1 out of 16 Transgender person will die as a result of a hate crime, more TS die and are victims of hate crimes compared to blacks, jewish people, gays, and all other minority groups COMBINED).   

I'd be interested in seeing those statistics.

Assuming that the transgender population is a stable number, balanced in new arrivals and departures, and looking at the statistics Gwen Smith has collected over the years at http://rememberingourdead.org, about 12 reported murders of transpeople every year, then according to the 1 of 16 will die, the transpopulation of the US is only 12 * 16, or 192 people.

Now, maybe the hate murders are under reported by a factor of 10.  That means a population of 1,920 out of 302,000,000 people.

If you look at the US Department of Justice Murder Statistics, at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/homicide/ageracesex.htm , black males from 18-24 are the most at risk, with approximately 100 murders per 100,000 population.  That's 1 out of 1000 dying.

Either transpeople are an incredibly small part of the population, or we are not being murdered at genocidal rates.

http://callan.wordpress.com/2006/06/15/no-jihad/

If we want power in the world, it cannot start from portraying ourselves as ultimate victims.

http://callan.transpractice.com/text/power.html

If you have the statistics to back up the 1 in 16 claim, I'd love to see them. 

Generally speaking I CANNOT agree with your statement, because whether you like to admit it or not WE ARE VICTIMS.  The rates of violence against trans people, including murders is considered underreported. 

Also I got the information from HRC.  The statistic was 1 in 12.  I was off but the real statistic is even scarier.  Its an estimate, but I believe the estimate is accurate. 

http://www.hrc.org/Content/NavigationMenu/HRC/Get_Informed/Issues/Transgender_Issues1/Transgender_Basics/Transgender_Basics.htm#2
Violence against us is 16 times higher than the national average. 
http://www.intraa.org/story/NCTEHateCrimesManual

We represent a  minority in this country that is the largest victim of hate crime despite the fact as a percentage of the population we are by far the smallest minority, and our problem is NOT SPEAKING OUT ENOUGH on these issues.  We are to afraid to outspoken because we are treated with such indignity by a large portion of the population. 

"If we want power in the world, it cannot start from portraying ourselves as ultimate victims."

I completely disagree with this statement.  I could go into a long detailed essay why this attitude is ultimately destructive.  It is this attitude that prevents hate crimes legislation that we desperately need.  We (trans people) are all victims on some level of this society, either one a small or large level, and we are victims that need to fight back against this system instead of hiding.  Power comes from acknowledging the problems and addressing them directly. Like it or not the type of changes we need is going to be by calling attention to the types of discrimination we face and the violence we face from hate crimes. Our problems come from the fact we are so frequently victimized.   

Quote from: Amy T. on May 05, 2007, 03:37:47 AM
Generally speaking I CANNOT agree with your statement, because whether you like to admit it or not WE ARE VICTIMS.  The rates of violence against trans people, including murders is considered underreported. 

Also I got the information from HRC.  The statistic was 1 in 12.  I was off but the real statistic is even scarier.  Its an estimate, but I believe the estimate is accurate. 

http://www.hrc.org/Content/NavigationMenu/HRC/Get_Informed/Issues/Transgender_Issues1/Transgender_Basics/Transgender_Basics.htm#2
Violence against us is 16 times higher than the national average. 
http://www.intraa.org/story/NCTEHateCrimesManual

"One expert estimates," without naming the expert, and with a reference that is gone does not make a fact.  When you extend the number, it seems unsupportable.

I can't disagree that we need to stand up for civil rights.  I can't disagree that there is an attitude that transpeople "ask for it" by making deviant choices, and that attitude has to change.

We stop being victims when we fight back, true.  But isn't the key to fighting back to become valued in our communities, not to demand legal protection with unsupportable statistics?

Amy and Callan,

   I think you are both right. If you put aside the disagreement over stats, this is what you are saying (in my opinion):

   We need to make our presence known in order to educate the people (those who can be educated) as to who we really are as a group and as individuals. At this time, we are too 'mysterious' to be understood by some people.
    One advantage to coming out is that good people in government and positions of authority will stand by us.


   We need to let it be known that we are not going to be society's punching bags. Those who commit crimes directed at us must be punished and they must know that they will be punished. It must be made clear that our basic individual human rights are to be respected.


This is meant with respect and a whole lot of love,

Rebecca

Quote from: RebeccaFog on May 05, 2007, 08:12:05 AM

   We need to let it be known that we are not going to be society's punching bags. Those who commit crimes directed at us must be punished and they must know that they will be punished. It must be made clear that our basic individual human rights are to be respected.

Can you think of anyone who crimes directed at them should not be punished?   Shouldn't the basic individual  rights of all be respected?

It's not my sense that some members of society feel we are ready targets because we are mysterious.  It's my sense that they feel we are ready targets because we are deviant, perverted, sick and/or sinful, and that pounding us will help cleanse society of a bad element, an infection that is best eliminated.  What is the most routine argument against trans rights?  That if we are allowed open expression and social respect we will poison children, and so those who stand against our expression have the right to defend the kids.

I don't think these people will be stopped by enhanced punishment to crimes.  I have never seen a study that says that these attackers care if there is punishment or punishment +1 associated with their actions.

I do think that when people know transpeople, when they have a context, then respect naturally flows.  The  process of getting hate crimes legislation may allow that opportunity to speak up, but only if we come from a position of strength, grace, self-respect and openness in doing that.

The argument about statistics isn't an argument about statistics.  It is an argument about fear-mongering and victim veneration.

The original NTAC press release

"Transgender Groups Call For Expansion of Texas Hate Crimes Act"

from February 2002 is archived here:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TNUKdigest/message/4114

I don't see an expert quote of the 1 of 12, thought I do see that Houston is losing latina ->-bleeped-<-s at the rate of  more than one per year

Of course, being undocumented immigrants and having other risk factors such as available work and drug use, means this isn't a good general sample of all transpeople. 

I haven't been able to find any justification of the offered 1 in 12 will be murdered statistic at all.

Yes, like all individuals, transpeople deserve basic human rights, and respect in the amount that they are respectful to others, especially other marginalized people.

Coming out is the only way to gain healthy visibility, but until and unless we support each other in claiming success beyond victimization, we will not be a community that supports growth, empowerment, and moving beyond fear.