GAY PEOPLE'S
Chronicle
Ohio's Newspaper for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community www.GayPeoplesChronicle.com Volume 25, Issue 12 December 4, 2009
It's unanimous
In a 21-0 vote, Cleveland passes protections for transgender people
by Eric Resnick
Cleveland-By a unanimous vote, City Council passed an ordinance protecting transgender citizens from employment and housing discrimination by gender identity or expression on November 30.
The measure updated the city's existing equal rights code, which already includes sexual orientation.
The same evening, councils in Akron and Summit County passed human rights ordinances that include both sexual orientation and gender identity (see stories).
With the new measures, all of Ohio's six largest cities now have such ordinances. Eleven more in smaller towns mean that a fifth of the state's population is covered by an LGBT anti-bias measure. (No state or federal equality law provides any protection, although a measure passed by the Ohio House now awaits Senate action.)
Cleveland's ordinance was introduced in August, 2008 by gay Ward 14 councilor Joe Santiago.
The ordinance became contentious and lingered in the city's
tection than originally intended, especially in the realm of public accommodations, but proponents believe it can be improved in the spring as part of a package of LGBT-affirming ordinances in advance of the 2014 Gay Games.
Santiago credited Jake Nash and Michael Spivak, two transgender friends, for helping him better understand transgender issues.
"There would have been no ordinance without them." Santiago said.
"I'm very excited that we passed it." Santiago said. "I hope the new council will better educate itself on transgender issues and discrimination issues in general."
Amendments weakened ordinance
Santiago expressed disappointment that some protections were amended out of the final ordinance over what he called "political stuff."
The "stuff" came close to the surface during the Finance Committee meeting earlier that day when the
ordinance was vetted a final time before the floor vote, with councilors describing the ordinance as "imper-
BRIAN DEWITT
Council President Martin Sweeney listens to an explanation of amendments to the measure during a Finance Committee hearing. With him are councilors Joe Cimperman, left, and Brian Cummins.
Law Department for a year. Santiago lost a September primary in his re-drawn ward, so the meeting where the measure passed is one of his last ones.
The final version offers less pro-
fect" and "inadequate."
Earlier that day, council president and Finance Committee chair Martin Sweeney proposed a set of amendments in addition to ones already recommended by the Law
Continued on page 10
Inside This Issue
The glow of life remembered
BRIAN DEWITT
Candlelight illuminates the faces of Howard Moore and Lee Fisher as they relight candles buffeted by the wind during Cleveland's observation of the Transgender Day of Remembrance.
The vigil was held on November 20 at the Free Stamp sculpture next to city hall. While the Day of Remembrance was officially on November 19 this year, organizers in Cleveland and Cincinnati opted to hold events the next night, a Friday, to allow more people to attend.
Sue Doerfer and Jacob Nash handed out cards with information about the 120 people killed by transphobic violence worldwide in the past year, including, where available, their name, photograph and how they were killed. The level of violence and disregard for human life was shocking, as attendees would look at their card and see such tragic statements as, "She was stabbed seven times and then thrown into a dumpster."
A procession then marched the hundred yards into City Hall's stately central space, where each person ascended a platform and read their card, ranging from "name not reported" and "found dead" to "strangled, genitals mutilated" or "Christine was 36. She was stabbed seven times."
Nash, of Trans Family, read a proclamation honoring the day from Gov. Ted Strickland. Doerfer, of the Cleveland LGBT Center, noted statistics affecting transgender people, including a high incidence of onthe-job harassment and startling unemployment.
Robyn Hearts spoke of meeting someone at a 2007 conference. When she returned for the 2008 event, that person wasn't there. She looked her up on the internet and called her number, only to be told that she had been stabbed to death during the year.
"These people lived their lives the same way as all of us do," said Adam Tokar. "If you are transgender, remember that you are not alone."
He stressed the need for allies to make themselves known, to let their transgender friends know that they are there for them.
"No one should be alone," he said.
Cleveland LGBT Center director Sue Doerfer will leave in January to take the helm of Equality Ohio
Community Groups....
Charlie's Calendar Resource Directory
Task force honors six for Voices Against the Silence'
Classifieds
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-Brian DeWitt and Anthony Glassman
Akron enacts LGBT equality ordinance
by Eric Resnick
Akron---After 11 years of false starts, Akron has passed an ordinance banning discrimination by sexual orientation or gender identity.
The updated version, enacted November 30 after two weeks of delay, caps off a string of attempts dating back to 1998 when Council President Marco Sommerville and Stonewall Akron first tried to pass the measure.
Earlier tries got off to bad starts and did not have wide backing. As support broadened, other events
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distracted city officials and delayed action. These included an attempted recall of Mayor Don Plusquellic and an incident where Sommerville was caught with a firearm at the Akron Canton Airport.
The present ordinance was sponsored by Sommerville and Plusquellic, with councilors Raymond Cox of Ward 8, Terry Albanese of Ward 6, and at-large members Jim Shealey and Kelli Crawford.
It
was Plusquellic and Sommerville's plan to pass the Continued on page 2