Welcome to TLC's
Monthly E-Blast Newsletter

A Word from our Board: As we all know, the country is in the midst of an economic crisis, and TLC is feeling this as well. TLC has become the largest transgender law and policy organization in the country, but we cannot continue to provide services at the same level without the funds to do so. Therefore, we are appealing to you, our clients, supporters and donors, to become monthly donors to TLC today (or, if you are already a monthly donor, to increase your monthly donation by 5%). Monthly donations provide

Program Review

Breaking News! TLC Legal Victory!

On March 27-29 th , nearly 250 transgender activists and allies flocked to UC San Diego for the 4 th Annual Transgender Leadership Summit. TLC and the Transgender Equality Alliance organized the three-day skills-building conference which was presented by Equality California Institute. Emerging and established leaders of the transgender community from all across California and the United States attended seminars on a wide variety of topics, including media relations, lobbying, healthcare advocacy, legal issues, and building strong faith-based communities. Plenary sessions featured historian Susan Stryker; artist Dylan Scholinski; Gwen Sylvia Guerrero, mother of slain teen Gwen Araujo; Shannon Minter from the National Center for Lesbian Rights; Mara Keisling from the National Center for Transgender Equality; Miss Major from the TGI Justice Project; and our own Masen Davis who unveiled findings from The State of Transgender California , TLC's statewide survey documenting the economic health of California's transgender communities (look for more information about The State of Transgender California in the May Translations e-newsletter).

The Summit would not have been possible without the support of the amazing San Diego Host Committee (special kudos to Vicki Estrada and Shaun Travers); the hardworking Planning Committee members; and our premier sponsors – Equality California Institute, UC San Diego, Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice, the LA Gay & Lesbian Center, Red Ace Technology Solutions, San Francisco LGBT Community Center, NCLR, and FTMI.

Change your address books everyone,
TLC Is Moving!

On April 20 th , TLC will be moving our San Francisco headquarters to a suite that allows all of the staff to be in one office, rather than split into two as we are currently. The new office will still be in the Flood Building, 870 Market Street, but the new suite will be 822 – just across the hall from our current location. Please update your address books and stop by to see our new space when you have the chance!

Transgender Law Center
870 Market Street Suite 822
San Francisco CA 94102

415-865-0176

Whats New at TLC?

TLC to Participate in National Lobby Day

Masen Daviswill be in Washington, DC from April 26-28 th for the National Center for Transgender Equality's Lobby Day 2009. On Monday, he will join the faculty training community members to educate their members of Congress about the need for an Employment Non-Discrimination Act, a hate crimes bill and more. On Tuesday, Masen will lead the California delegation – one of the largest ever! – as we present local policymakers with a real world view of the transgender community. For more information – or to join the delegation – check out http://nctequality.org/lobby_day/lobbyday09.html . We'll have more on the results of the congressional education efforts in next month's newsletter.

Legislative Update

A number of bills have been introduced in the California Legislature this term that could have a direct impact on the transgender community. The LGBT Prisoner Safety Act (AB 382), introduced by Assemblymember Tom Ammiano and sponsored by Equality California, would add gender identity and sexual orientation to the current list of factors that should be considered in order to safely classify and house prisoners – a recommendation made by TLC and the Dignity and Justice for All coalition at the Senate Public Safety Committee meeting on the rights of LGBT people in California prisons we held on December 11, 2008.

The Equal ID Bill (AB 1185), introduced by Assemblymember Ted Lieu and sponsored by Equality California, would clarify that transgender people born in California can return to the county of their birth to obtain a court order reflecting the correct gender, as well as any accompanying name change. This bill was developed after TLC brought a petition for a change of gender on behalf of a plaintiff born in California who now resides in a state that does not grant court ordered gender changes transgender individuals born in other states.

SB 54 (Senator Mark Leno) and AB 119 ( Assemblymember Dave Jones) would prohibit gender discrimination in health insurance rates. California law currently permits insurance companies to discriminate on the basis of gender with respect to the amount of premiums charged for health insurance on the individual market. SB 54 and AB 199 would amend California law to prohibit this practice of "gender rating."

The Minor Mental Health Consent Bill (SB 543) , introduced by Mark Leno and sponsored by Equality California, would permit youth ages 12-17 to consent to mental health treatment without parental permission if the attending professional believes the youth is mature enough to make the decision or if the youth would present a danger of serious physical or mental harm to self and others without the services. Current parental consent requirements for mental health services create a barrier to treatment that is especially harmful to LGBT youth who may be put at risk of emotional or physical abuse by coming out to their parents prematurely or without support.

On the federal level, the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009 (H.R. 1913) was introduced on 4/2/09 by Representative John Conyers of Michigan. If passed, this bill would create history by becoming the first federal law explicitly protecting transgender people. To learn more about this bill, check out http://nctequality.org/news.html .

Staff Profile: Alexis Rivera,

TLC's Community Advocate, is a stellar member of the TLC team and is this month's featured staff member.  As our Community Advocate, Alexis implements projects and programs that develop leadership, organizing and advocacy skills among local transgender community members, including activities to increase transgender health care access and coverage in California and projects related to leadership development, safe bathrooms, and student safety. Already in 2009 Alexis has provided trainings to community members, health care providers, employers, youth and other advocates.   For example, she worked closely with the LA Gay & Lesbian Center to help them become more culturally competent and add gender neutral bathrooms to their facility.

Alexis spearheaded the Transgender Leadership Summit's fellowship program.  With her leadership, the fellows were given a key role in the Summit's planning and gained vital skills for future activism. Building community is Alexis' passion and she consistently shows the energy and drive to go above and beyond for the community at large.  We are proud to have her as a part of TLC!

Making Things Happen : Take Action NOW!

The murder trial of Angie Zapata began on April 13 th . An 18 year old transwoman, Angie was brutally killed in her home in Greeley, Colorado on July 17, 2008. Allen Andrade is on trial for first degree murder and a bias-related crime for allegedly beating her to death with a fire extinguisher after discovering that Angie was transgender.