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 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 anes 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" discrimination. 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 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 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.
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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, 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 gquo;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 datent 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 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&he 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 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
I immediately congratulated her, of course. I'm a big fan of marriage, having been down the altar three times myself. I think I mentioned I was surprised or hadn't known she was getting married (or something along those lines) but that I was very happy for her. She replied that she been keeping her engagement quiet, that she and her new spouse had just come back from Connecticut where the ceremony had been performed. Since we don't live all that close to Connecticut I said something about that being a long trip to make. Knowing she had family in town, I asked why'd she gone so far away?
That was when she did a very brave thing. She told me she'd had to go to Connecticut because the love of her life, the person she married, was another woman.
First let me back up a little. Carlie (not her real name) and I are friends because she works at one of those well known establishments which specifically cater to coffee addicts like myself. She works at the one I go to nearly every day to get my "caffeine fix." Like all good elite, effete liberals I like my lattes, especially if they have lots of caramel in them. Our relationship developed because I'm a customer and Carlie is one of the many good folks who serve me these sugary, milky concoctions laced with espresso shots I've come to rely upon to jump start my morningmorning or afternoon. In other words, I'm one of those sometimes annoying and sometimes charming (or so I tell myself) people referred to in the beverage service industry as a "regular."
As someone managing a chronic illness which forced me into an early retirement over ten years ago, I don't get out much, to put it mildly. I live at home and the person I see and interact with the most is my teenage daughter, a beautiful, intelligent and wonderful young woman to be sure (As her father you can trust me on that) but still a teenager, nonetheless. Because my wife suffers from cognitive deficits and an anxiety disorder (an aftereffect of her chemotherapy) my opportunities for adult conversation are at a minimum these days.
My trip to our local coffee bar is often the big social event of my day. In short, I'm one of those old farts (2 years into my AARP eligibility) who will chat up perfect strangers at times simply because I don't have a job anymore where I fulfill my need for social interaction by haranguing fellow co-workers. Luckily, the baristas (yes, I do love using foreign words that make me appear to be a snob) who make my Caramel Macchiato have done a bang up job at meeting my need to talk about myself. They greet me by name when I walk into their establishment, laugh at my jokes (even the bad ones), ask me about my day and even listen to my answers (or give a great impression of doing so).
In turn many of them tell me things about their own lives. Their kids if they have them, the courses they're taking at college, car troubles, the weather, etc. All the mundane topics which constitute the art of "small talk." Sure, the conversation doesn't last all that long, and yes, I know it's their job to provide a friendly atmosphere so I keep coming in to buy the high priced drinks that I don't really need. I know that repeat customers like me are a direct result of their efforts to establish a certain atmosphere, that feeling of community, of a place where "everybody knows your name," that most local service businesses work to achieve, but since I've been sharing bits and pieces of my life with them over the years, and learning about each of them, I flatter myself that it's not just that. We may not be each others closest friends but we are more than just mere acquaintances. Certainly that's the case with Carlie and I.
Ever since I first met her, Carlie struck me as a generous, engaging, attractive person. A small woman with short hair that gives her a pixie-ish quality, she appears much younger than her true age. Like me, until my hair turned gray, she has one of those faces that makes bartenders ask to see your license many years after you pass the legal drinking age of 21. And unlike me, she has a naturally gregarious personality. Always talking, always in motion, always with a smile on her face which can't help but elicit a smile back even on one of my worst days. One of those people that brighten up and fill a room when they enter it without even seeming to make a conscious effort to do so. I hope she will excuse me for this, but if I had only one word to describe her that word would be adorable.
Despite my need for social interaction, I'm not a natural talker. I have to force myself to make conversation. With Carlie it never feels forced. She has that sincerity and warmth about her that makes you feel you're an old friend even if you just met. Sometimes its easy to distrust people who are so "bubbly." We all know of individuals who put on a good act of appearing generous and empathic, only later to discover it was all just a facade. But Carlie is the real deal. What you see is who she truly is. A bsp; A good soul. No, make that a great soul.
Like all of us, her life hasn't always been an easy one. She has a degree she can't use because she can't find a job in her field. She was even forced to move back home to live with her parents for a while, a difficult thing for anyone, much less someone who just turned 30. She had friends and family with their own life problems which she worried about and tried to help them with. One day she hopes to work with individuals suffering from chemical and alcohol dependency, but for now, she stands behind an espresso machine, steams milk, pours shots and is happy she has a job with health benefits.
Let me put it this way. Carlie is one of us. No different. The same dreams and aspirations, the same struggles with seeking independence and establishing an identity, the same desire to make a life for herself filled with meaning and love that we all share. She's unique, but she also utterly, completely normal. Except in one thing. One tiny thing which certain people use to deny her her dignity and her humanity. One small thing which makes her cautious about who she trusts. One thing that forced her to wait to marry the person she loved until a few states finally accepted that this one thing should not stand in the way of granting her the same right I had to marry the woman I loved. One thing that too many people still believe entitles them to demean and demonize her, to treat her as less than a full citizen of this country, as less than human.
I was very honored that Carlie felt she could trust me and share her greatest happiness with me. I only wish I could have attended her wedding. When I asked about it, she told me it had been a small ceremony, just a few friends and family. She said both her and her wife's mothers had attended. No mention was made about her father and I didn't ask. I hope it was just an oversight, but who can know? Sometimes even those we love find little things about us make a big difference in how they view us, views of who we are that can be very wounding. And even though I consider her a friend, that wasn't a question I wanted to ask.
She did show me a picture of her beloved and her, standing side by side in a woodland setting. A taller woman, but also with a lovely smile. The two of them looked very happy together. I told her that and she smiled her usual big grin. And I smiled mine.
Lately there has been a lot of noise being made by a certain beauty pageant contestant from California, Carrie Prejean, a self proclaimed Christian who openly opposes marriage for everyone, and has filmed an ad for an organization which is campaigning against extending the right to marry to every couple. On the outside many might consider her a very attractive person, a great beauty. But to me she can't hold a candle to Carlie. Its a cliche to say that true beauty is more than skin deep, but sometimes cliches reveal essential truths. Carlie is a beautiful person. Carrie Prejean can't see that for some reason.
Carrie Prejean's ugly, hateful prejudice, and the ugly, hateful bigotry of millions like her have damaged my friend's life. That hate has made Carlie cautious about who she trusts with information regarding the most important aspect of her life: who she loves. Most people never have to think about announcing to the world that they are in love or that they are going to marry the person they love. I never had to worry that people might hate me because of who I chose to marry. And Carlie and the woman she loves shouldn't have to either. But they do, of course. They would be foolish not to in our society. Not with t with people like Carrie Prejean and the "good people" of the National Organization for Marriage out there who want to shove Carlie and her wife and all the other people with that one tiny difference back into the closet of fear and loathing, denying to them the respect and equality which we all deserve.
Well, I wasn't able to attend Carlie's wedding, but there was one thing I could do for her. So the next day I called to see if she was working, and then I drove myself to her workplace, not to buy a coffee drink from her, but to give her what all newlyweds deserve: a wedding present from a friend. And I got a present back. My first hug from Carlie. Trust me, I got the better end of the deal.
Also posted at the Frog PondThe 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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