GAY PEOPLE'S

Chronicle

Ohio's Newspaper for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community www.GayPeoplesChronicle.com Volume 27, Issue 12 December 2, 2011

BRIAN DEWITT

Daniel Parsons, violin, and Jay Very, cello, perform during the Cleveland ceremonies for the Transgender Day of Remembrance.

Vigil and City Hall ceremony mark Transgender Day of Remembrance

by Anthony Glassman

Cleveland-The city's LGBT community commemorated the Transgender Day of Remembrance on November 18 with a vigil at the Free Stamp, a march into City Hall and a program remembering the dead, and honoring those who work to end violence against transgender people.

In an act of irony, however, the next day a transgender woman was attacked at the West 65th Street RTA Rapid station.

Alexis-Alison Lancaster was leaving the station when four teens attacked her, beating and kicking her until she lost consciousness. She says that they were shouting anti-gay slurs.

She tried to use one of the emergency phones at the station, but it did not work. An ambulance took her to MetroHealth, and a police officer took a basic report on the incident. The police report lists "not applicable" under the head-

ing of whether or not it was a hate crime.

Ohio's hate crime law does not include crimes based on sexual orientation or gender identity. The police could request federal help under the Matthew Shepard-James Byrd Hate Crime Act, or the FBI could step in of its own volition, but they are not required to.

Lancaster is a nursing student and has been the vice president of GLASA, Cleveland State University's gay-straight alliance.

The attackers likely did not know that the day before marked Cleveland's honoring of the Transgender Day of Remembrance, which officially took place on November 20. However, different cities hold their commemorations on different days, and there were several across Ohio along the course of the week preceding it.

In Cleveland, it began with "Remembering Our Dead,” a read-

ing of the names of transgender people who were killed in the last year, along with speakers, music and poetry.

As part of "Acknowledging Our Present," the Illumination Awards were given our, honoring those who work for the full inclusion of transgender people. The Diversity Center of Northeast Ohio was given the award for best supporting organization, while Cecilia Kasten received the outstanding student award. Sue Doerfer, former executive director of the Cleveland LGBT Center and Equality Ohio and a respected counselor, was given the Cisgender Ally Award, given to someone whose identification matches their biology who works through advocacy, activism and education to create a more inclusive community.

Adam Apple Tokar was given

continued on page 10

Cuyahoga DP benefits advance to full council

by Anthony Glassman

Cleveland-Two committees of the Cuyahoga County Council advanced domestic partner benefits for county workers to the full body on November 18, after hearing another morning of testimony on it.

Both the Human Resources, Appointments and Equity Committee and the Justice Affairs Committee voted to send the ordiInance to the full council, which will consider it at its next meeting, 6 pm on December 6.

The committees heard testimony on the measure October 25, but surprised onlookers by putting off a vote that day and setting it for another committee meeting. This was done at the behest of Human Resources chair Yvonne Conwell and Justice Affairs chair Sunny Simon, who is the measure's sponsor and also council vice president.

At the earlier hearing, four people spoke against extending benefits to domestic partners, the only ones to speak on the proposal.

At the November 18 meeting, however, 13 people signed up to speak about the benefits. Of those, only two were opposed, and the other 11 were in favor of the benefits.

The two speaking in opposition were Doris Durica, who also

spoke at the last meeting and has opposed the city of Cleveland's benefits, and Suzanne Redhed, who with her husband James led the opposition to a domestic partner registry passed by Cleveland Heights voters in 2003.

Speakers in favor of the benefits, on the other hand, included two clergy members and a candidate for county executive in last year's election.

David Ream, one of the founders of the Plexus LGBT chamber of commerce and a prominent businessman, shot down opponents' fiscal arguments.

"If the county hired more married workers, this would not be an issue," he told committee members, noting that the benefits for married couples would cost the same amount, but would not be protested. He also pointed to the trend among major corporations toward offering partner benefits.

Rev. Craig Hoffman of the United Church of Christ pointed out that his denomination offers domestic partner benefits.

Robin Richmond, who teaches at Cuyahoga Community College, shot down Durica's argument about the county paying $10,000 for HIV treatment by pointing out that his wife's cancer treatment cost their insurer hundreds of thoucontinued on page 10

BRIAN DEWITT

Rev. Bob Strommen of the United Church of Christ and his wife Joyce testified for the domestic partner benefits.

Inside This Issue

Church billboards fan anti-gay sentiment

News Briefs....

Page 2

Dreaming of a

ginger Jesus

Page 6

Charlie's Calendar ... Resource Directory.... Classifieds

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