Miss California will continue to be the gift that keeps on giving; a regular pageant-paid-for-silicone-enhanced version of Joe the Plumber. The scuttlebutt is that she is being courted to substitute for Elisabeth Hasselbeck on The View. (PopCrunch):Flies on the wall at ABC claim View producers are eagerly pursuing Miss California Carrie Prejean - who made international headlines with her anti-gay marriage statement during the 2009 Miss USA pageant earlier this month - to fill-in for the equally conservative Hasselbeck when she goes on maternity leave later this year.Huh? Barbara Walters must have missed that press conference last week where Miss California only confirmed that putting together two sentences is challenging....The National Enquirer's Mike Walker writes: "It could turn into a permanent gig for the controversial beauty queen....Barbara's seriously fed up with Elisabeth's coo-coo-conserva-babble - and her looney-toon responses..."
If this all turns out to be true, expect a mother lode of assistance from Miss Prejean to our cause as she will surely continue destroying the already ridiculed, tattered, incompetent, amateurish, fringe-laden image of the "opposite marriage protection" racket led by NOM's Maggie Gallagher.
Oh by the way, did you see tha t NOM is backing away from her already after that bomb of an appearance at the National Press Club? (Christian Newswire):
Maggie Gallagher, president of the National Organization for Marriage (NOM) released this statement today clarifying the role of Carrie Prejean at a press conference held Thursday in Washington, DC:Apparently she's just a hired gun now, rather than their golden girl -- and NOM doesn't want to have to comment on what even they know will be more gaffe-laden remarks like: "Unlt;Unless we bring men and women together, children will not have mothers and fathers.""A number of media sources have described Carrie Prejean as a spokesperson for the National Organization for Marriage.
"As we made clear at our press conference yesterday: Carrie appeared with NOM as a private citizen; she does not work for the National Organization for Marriage. She is a spokesperson for her own views, as anyone watching her can tell.
Related:
* Miss California at presser: if we don't save marriage kids won't have moms and dads
* Miss California debuts as headliner of new NOM ad
* Miss California jumps the shark
Hat tip, Ester Goldberg of Views from a Broad
To answer the question -- the president is hiding in the closet. It's a familiar diseased closet inhabited by many self-proclaimed allies, particularly non-LGBT progressives, who talk the talk, but don't walk the walk. It's always "wait, we need more time" and "we have this or that priority" or "we need to get re-elected" as an excuse for inaction.
Richard Socarides calls the president out in his WaPo op-ed today, Where's our "Fierce Advocate?"
In December, while trying to quiet the furor over his invitation of Rick Warren to take part in his inauguration, Barack Obama reminded us that he had been a "consistent" and "fierce advocate of equality for gay and lesbian Americans." But at the end of its first 100 days, his administration has been neither.When Socarides wrote me this morning linking to the piece, I replied:What makes this especially disappointing is that it comes during a crisis-driven "change moment" in our country's history that not only cries out for leadership but presents a particularly good climate for making substantial progress on gay equality.
As an adviser on gay rights to President Bill Clinton during his second term, I know how hard it is to achieve real progress. We learned that lesson acutely during Clinton's abortive first-term attempt to allow gays to serve in the military, an outcome for which he is still paying a steep legacy price.
We all know the man [Obama] can multitask, and the cultural and legal wind is at his back. There's no excuse to be so tentative, given the Republican opposition is in shambles, it couldn't be weaker. The anti-gay forces are so shrill that they are doing a better job for our cause than we could ever imagine. Based on his weak support, you'd think he's catering to the fear tactics of the professional Christian set (e.g. Tony Perkins and Lou Sheldon). It's time to take out the trash, and use the bully pulpit to seize the moment.
He continues:
It is the memory ofry of 1993's gays-in-the-military debacle (and a desire never to repeat it) that has both the president's advisers and policy advocates holding back, waiting for some magical "right time" to move boldly.I think a good question to ask about the situation is where are the gays in the Obama White House? Is their presence merely tokenism -- that their existence is supposed to represent a salve to the wounds inflicted by the Bush administration? Another question -- do any of the gay White House aides and appointees have any influence on Obama? Clearly not much, based on the silence about LGBT issues.This is a bad strategy. President Obama will never have more political capital than he has now, and there will never be a better political environment to capitalize on. People are distracted by the economy and war, and they are unlikely to get stirred up by the right-wing rhetoric that has doomed efforts in the past.
And people are willing to try new approaches. The court ruling legalizing gay marriage in Iowa represents a real opening, an opportunity to get "undecideds" to take another look not only at gay marriage but at gay rights in general. As Iowa Sen. Tom Harkin remarked, many Americans may be asking themselves, "If the [Iowa] Supreme Court said this, maybe I have to think anew."
The Obama White House could barely squeak out a tepid reaction to the Iowa ruling (and they blew it on first pass and the statement never made it to the MSM press release machine) and on marriage equality in Vermont, all it could do was issue a "no comment" to an LGBT reporter. Iowa, Vermont, and all of the recent marriage equality gains represent a time to strike while the iron is hot, and aside from a perfunctory statement supporting passage of the already-popular-with-voters hate crimes legislation, crickets are chirping.
Socarides offers some suggestions for this White House to capitalize on the current wave of successes. Read them below the fold.
First, he should start talking about gay rights again, the way he did during the campaign. What made Clinton such a transformational figure of inclusion was his constant willingness to talk to and about gay people. When he said, "I have a vision and you are a part of it," you could feel his sincerity.All of these are great ways to add to the equality momentum. As I said, the opposition party is in disarray -- what gives with the timidity?...Second, he should move swiftly, as he promised during the campaign, to help secure passage of the bill now moving through Congress imposing new federal penalties for anti-gay hate crimes, as well as legislation allowing gays to serve in the military. Ten years have passed since Matthew Shepard was killed. We have endured 15 years of "don't ask, don't tell" di scrimination. We have waited long enough.
Third, he should appoint a high-ranking, respected, openly gay policy advocate to oversee government efforts toward lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. Give this person access to policymakers, similar to what has been done on urban policy and for people with disabilities. This is especially important because, unlike Clinton, who had gay friends such as David Mixner, Roberta Achtenberg and Bob Hattoy around to nudge him, Obama has no high-profile gay senior aides with a history in the gay rights movement.
Finally, Obama should champion comprehensive, omnibus federal gay civil rights legislation, similar to the Civil Rights Act of 1964, outlawing discrimination based on sexual orientation and granting a basic umbrella of protections in employment, education, housing and the like (rather than the existing piecemeal approach to legislation). Such a bill should also provide vide for federal recognition of both civil unions and marriages as they are authorized by specific states.
***
Aside from Obama's weak support, we need to shame every single Blue Dog who voted against hate crimes legislation -- the party needs to call out anti-equality bigots like Heath Shuler (R-NC), whose district includes Asheville; he spit in the faces of LGBTs he represents with his no vote. Where is the Democratic Party, which put out a stellar, LGBT-positive platform in 2008, in making it clear that there's no excuse to side with the likes of Virginia Foxx an closet cases Patrick McHenry (R-NC), David Dreier (R-CA), for crying out loud, on a vote on basic equality under the law.
I recently read a story in the Inky (Philadelphia Inquirer) about a two day community workshop to begin the process of developing an “Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia, a print and online resource that is expected to be completed by 2014.” The event included many academics and representatives of 150 community organizations. After checking with some lgbt community leaders and historians it seemed that the lgbt community hadn’t been included in the process. I suggested on the project site that our history was an important part of the fabric of our region and that it might enrich the project to hold a session at the William Way Community Center and incand include our contributions to the many communities which lgbt Philadelphians are part of and our own history.
The Project Coordinator, Dr. Charlene Mires of Villanova University acknowledged the oversight and was enthused at the opportunity to include lgbt persons and history in the project – an event focused on our community will hopefully be scheduled in the near future. It promises to be an exciting project and I hope many from our community will share in preserving our heritage.
It reminded me of that this week is the 44th anniversary of the Dewey’s demonstration, the first known organized demonstration for lgbt rights; and one that was initiated over a denial of service to transgender people – who then refused to leave.
These unknown persons (they were apparently minors and their names were not noted in any source I can find, and are reported to be African American) were supported by members of the Janus Society – whose President Clark Polack was arrested along with the minors after offering to provide assistance in finding legal counsel. Janus organized the protest that extended over about two weeks, was covered on a local TV station and where they distributed 1500 pieces of literature. The coordinator of the action was Robert Sitko. Dewey’s changed it’s policy of refusing to serve lgbt persons at that location (Dewey’s had several locations, they would serve us only in their 13th Street location. Both of these locations still operate as diner type restaurants to this day, the 13th Street location in the gayborhood – just a few steps from many clubs. Mark Stein (now at York University in Toronto) has documented much of this in his excellent City Of Sisterly And Brotherly Loves: Lesbian And Gay Philadelphia, 1945-1972. If you click the thumbnail below, you’ll open a copy of the leaflet Janus members handed out that day.
Dewey’s is far from the beginning of transgender history in the region. There are many events, organizations and people who’ve been under reported or forgotten. In 1882 Y.C. Victor of Hanover, PA wrote a letter to the editor advocating support for the Dress Reform Movement (which had several national conventions in Philadelphia advocating for increased freedom for woman from restrictive dress codes). Mr. Victor had what we would recognize as a support group of transpeople who would meet at his home and he used what we might consider the blogs of his day advocating to change laws unfairly targeting gender variant people.
“Mr. Y. C. Victor, of Hanover, Pennsylvania, writes to this same Eastern paper to say that he believes in "Equal Rights for Both Sexes." There are plenty of women who wear men's clothes and are allowed to be on the public streets without being arrested; and I say it is perfectly right. But let the men wear what is most comfortable to them; and I can tell by my own experience, l am a man retired from business; I live alone—except my housekeeper. Well, I have been wearing women's clothes for the last few years, most of my time…… But I dare not go out in my dress for fear of being looked upon as a lunatic and arrested: and I dare not receive any company when I dressed in petticoats, except a few intimate male friends who wear the same dress, aress, and my housekeeper." (reprinted in the Fort Wayne Daily Gazette, April 9, 1882)
This may be the earliest yet known instance in the US of an lgbt group that engaged in political advocacy. I haven’t seen it reported elsewhere. I think it’s important that this group is from a small town of about 3,000 in rural Pennsylvania. Most of the research into our history focuses not just on larger cities, but on a very few Cities. How much are we overlooking? I find it interesting that this type of group, running out of someone’s home, was seen often in the transgender community.
I’ve run across many instances of transgender people from the time of Victor’s group who were arrested, sentenced to lengthy terms, or placed in the workhouse or mental institution until they agreed to live as their sex assigned at birth. But – there were also instances where people were accepted. Most of these are wealthy individuals, entertainers or members of groups where gender variant behavior was supported by society – like the Mummers or Molly Maguires.
Mrs. Henry Lewis (Bertha Harvey) was famous for playing male parts. She played Richard III at the Walnut Street Theater in Philadelphia in 1837. Her other notable roles included Othello and Virginius.
Charlotte Cushman was a world renowned actress noted for playing male leads. The Charlotte Cushman Club in Philadelphia was a boarding house that served traveling stage actresses. The Charlotte Cushman Foundation in Philadelphia honors her legacy. The engraving below shows Ms. Cushman playing Romeo to her sisters Juliet.
Harry Lehr (the husband of Elizabeth Wharton Drexel) was well known for “playing the soubrette” during entertainment among the elite of the gilded age, “the 400”. This was reported in the society pages of the major newspapers from DC, to NY to Newport. The Drexel’s are one of the most prominent families in Philadelphia history, of Drexel University and Saint Katherine Drexel fame.
Reed Erickson, one of the most important figures in transgender history lived in Philadelphia at 1726 Roselyn Street, 421 South 8th St. and 2039 Walnut St. He was quite wealthy and funded much of the important trans research in his time through his Erickson Educational Foundation. He was one of the major funders of the One Center in California, the course in miricales and the Kripner dream research. (addresses courtesy of Prof. Aaron Devore who has written extensively on Mr. Erickson).
Reed Erickson and the Erickson Educational Foundation
"Reed Erickson (1912-1992): How One Transsexed Man Supported ONE."
Thom Nickles, in his book Gay and Lesbian Philadelphia notes how in the 50’s & 60’s the Mummers had large drag contingents and these (and other) “crews” were organized by gender variant entertainers. It was often said that Philadelphia was the only city that awarded a prize to the prettiest drag queen as was the tradition for the Mummers for many years, but I’ve seen newspaper stories from several other PA towns doing the same. The Mumming tradition goes back to 1642 in Philadelphia – though the modern City sponsored event dates to 1901. Below I’ve included some pictures from 1925. Transgender and gender variant people found ways in these organizations to express their identities in a socially acceptable manner and were often leaders of these groups. Even though a gender variant identity wasn’t seen as the focus of the organizations, trans people found ways to be included, to shape them and to express their identities within the confines of their times. The connections to community organizations and providers of goods and services where people had to know of the gender variants persons activities is another area I think should be studied. Even as far back as 1878, the Scribners Magazine article “He Playing She” (about performers) noted the need for supportive clothing, make up and wig stores for the entertainers. Invisibility was a collaborative affair. (The person they note as the best performer of that time – Robert Craig – was seen often on the Philadelphia Stage at the Arch Street Theater).
Many had lived quiet lives in their affirmed genders – we only know of some when they were outed and were punished for their identities.
1905 Masquerades as Woman.
Pittsburgh. Pa., Jan. 4.—For years William Henry Mackintosh. Carson Street, a stenographer, has been masquerading as a woman. When he was attending a dance his identity was discovered and he was arrested. He was sentenced to thirty days in the workhouse.
March 12, 1890 - Indiana, PA
A FELLOW has been arrested in the eastern part of the State for masquerading as a woman selling corsets and female underclothing. He is effeminate in appearance and of very slender build. He says he has in the business, in female costume, for several years and has visited nearly every town in the State. This is undoubtedly the
chap who visited this place some weeks ago and supplied numerous of our ladies with corsets and underclothing. His identity was suspected by one of the ladies, but he denied it and the same day left town, with several orders unfilled.
HIGH COURT WON'T NIX BANISHING OF MAN
Philadelphia Daily News (PA) - November 17, 1998 (Lebanon, PA)
The Supreme Court turned down an appeal by a transsexual who says a Pennsylvania judge banished him for life from his hometown after he tested positive for the AIDS virus. Raul Valentin argued yesterday that he should be allowed to pursue a federal civil rights lawsuit against the judge who he says ``unlawfully sentenced him to life o life away from his home and family.''
Some were accepted, though they were considered marginal; as this 1905 obituary indicates.
“For years Felbuff (first name Valentine) has been one of the best-known characters along the river. With his wife, who is just as eccentric as he was, he lived in an odd little house of his own making. On the (Schuylkill) river bank, just above the Roseglen tunnel on the Reading Railway. In the summer he fished and ferried passengers across the river in his crazy old rowboat, and in the winter he did odd jobs along the railroad and for the neighboring- farmers. He eked out a precarious living, but neither he nor his wife was ever known to complain of hardship. Felbuff's oddest habit, which, earned him the name of "Rosy Glen" was the wearing of women's clothes. These were his wife's usually.” The ferry would have connected the then working class Manyunck section of the City to Rosglen – a section of the rather tony town of Gladwyne just outside of Philadelphia.
If one follows the river just slightly further down along Kelly Drive from where Rosy Glen would have docked in Manyunck one comes to the statue of Jack Kelly, Sr. in his scull, commemorating his three Olympic Gold Medal wins. His son, Jack “Kell” Kelly was a member of City Council, brother of Princess Grace and leading candidate for Mayor of Philadelphia. He was also the partner of one of the most famous and successful transwomen of her day, Rachel Harlow. Who opened the first discothèque in the City, had one of the most famous restaurants in the City and owned other clubs. She appeared often on television.
"His mother warned the local democratic chairman that she would stop contributing to the party," Lewis said, "she would also support the opposition candidate, and threaten to erect a huge billboard with the sign: 'Do you want Harlow to be Philadelphia's First Lady?' Junior was not nominated."
Publicity Photo for the 1968 movie “The Queen” featuring Harlow prior to transition below. The film was a documentary of a pagent organized by drag legend Flawless Sabrina (Jack Doroshow). Also appearingwere Terry Southern, George Plimpton, Edie Sedgwick and Andy Warhol.
And moving into the early 1970’s, the political groupl group the Radical Queens was co-founded by Cei Bell and Tommi Avicolli Mecca. Ms. Bell has a chapter on the Radical Queens in Mr. Avicolli Mecca's book "Smash the Church, Smash the State" which will be released on June 1st.
This article is running a bit long for a blog post. So let me end with some fun. For those of you wondering about the picture heading this article, it’s from a cartoon from the 50’s & 60’s – Peabody's Improbable History starring Mr. Peabody and his boy, Sherman. Here’s the first episode, enjoy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YunO4Wc8E28
-Kathy Padilla
The bill now goes to the House of Representatives, which has adjourned until Tuesday, and so will make no vote until at least next week. [Bangor Daily News]
If approved, the bill will move on to Governor John Baldacci. Governor Baldacci hasn’t publicly stated whether he intends to sign or veto the bill, but has hinted that he may support it.
Best of luck to Equality Maine as they work with the House and the Governor!
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