LOS ANGELES — The "T" in LGBTQ is having a moment. The trans movement is in full swing and part of the public's consciousness, thanks in part to actress Laverne Cox ( "Orange is the New Black" ) as well as Olympian and reality star Caitlyn Jenner, appearing on the covers of Time and Vanity Fair magazines, respectively. But trans people like activist Kylar W. Broadus have been in the trenches for awhile now, and he's featured as one of five trans people in the November issue of Esquire magazine.
A professor, attorney and activist, Broadus is set to deliver the keynote speech at the third annual National Trans Health Symposium on Friday, November 13, 2015 from 12:45 to 1:30 p.m. at the Loudermilk Conference Center in Atlanta, Ga. His topic: "I Am Transgender and Have Power to Create Opportunity."
The two-day symposium is being held November 12-13, 2015, and hosted by Someone Cares Inc. in collaboration with its sponsors — that is, AIDS Healthcare Foundation, Janssen Scientific Affairs and Fulton County Department of Health and Wellness High Impact HIV Prevention Program Division. This year's theme is "Opening the Doors of Opportunity — the Transgender Perspective." Someone Cares Inc. is the largest Transgender servicing organization in the Southeastern United States, assisting the trans community and providing a safe space to empower them to seek higher education, job placement, housing, skill building, physical and mental health. For more information, visit www.someonecaresatl.org or call its headquarters in Atlanta at 678.921.2706 or 470.355.0256.
A native of Fayette, Missouri, Broadus, 52, transitioned in 1994. He is the founder of Trans People of Color Coalition ( TPOCC ), which is the only national civil rights organization dedicated to trans people of color. Broadus is also the first openly transgender person to testify before the Senate during a hearing on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act ( EDNA ), which is legislation, prohibiting discrimination in hiring and employment on the bases of sexual orientation and gender identity. He was one of several people invited on stage with President Barack Obama when he signed an Executive Order, protecting LGBT workers.
"This is the time for transgender rights to be at the forefront because transgender people are some of the most marginalized people in this country due to the lack of understanding," said Broadus. "Too many transgender people loose their lives due to homicide or suicide because of other people's lack of knowledge or refusal to educate themselves. Most transgender people cannot get employed, obtain housing or get a ride on the bus when others discover someone is transgender."
He adds, "Transgender people have been around since the beginning of time. This isn't a new trend. It's the 'T' in LGBT. It's time for the discrimination to end."
STATEMENT BY KYLAR W. BROADUS ON THE DEFEAT OF THE HOUSTON EQUAL RIGHTS ORDINANCE ( HERO ):
"It's really disheartening that Houston — one of the largest cities in Texas — doesn't have anti-discrimination protection for all of its citizens. Transgender people work and pay taxes like everyone else, and deserve not to be discriminated against in any way, shape or form. By not passing the HERO ordinance, it shows a lack of respect for transgender people as well as the LGBT community."
ABOUT KYLAR W. BROADUS, Esq.
After facing discrimination for his right to gender identity and expression, Kylar W. Broadus, a transgender man, has dedicated his life's work to advancing the policy, legal, and legislative concerns of LGBTQ Americans. In 2010, he founded the Trans People of Color Coalition ( TPOCC ), which is the only national civil rights organization dedicated to trans people of color. He's currently a board member of the National Black Justice Coalition, and served as board chair from 2007 through 2010.
For more than 20 years, Broadus taught law at the Lincoln University of Missouri, ranked 48th among the nation's top Historically Black Colleges and Universities ( HBCUs ) by U. S. News & World Report. From 1997 to 2013, Broadus also maintained a law practice in Columbia, Missouri, including the groundbreaking representation of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender clients in family law, criminal law, and other areas.
Additionally, Broadus formerly served as senior public policy counsel at the National LGBTQ Task Force as well as the director of the organization's Transgender Civil Rights Project. He also held the position of state legislative manager and counsel for the Human Rights Campaign ( HRC ), where he worked with state stakeholders to pass LGBT-inclusive legislation. In 2012, Broadus was one of thirteen openly transgender delegates to the 2012 Democratic National Convention.
He's published numerous scholarly articles, including the groundbreaking essay, "The Evolution of Employment Discrimination Protection for Transgender People," published in Transgender Rights. Plus, he's been recognized for his activism, including Sue J. Hyde Award for Longevity in the Movement by the National LGBTQ Task Force and the Pioneer Award at the TransFaith in Color Conference, presented by the Freedom Center of Social Justice. In 2013, he was recognized as one of Out magazine's OUT100, an annual list of the year's most compelling LGBT people.
Broadus is featured in the award-winning documentary, "Still Black: A Portrait of Transmen," directed by Kortney Ryan Ziegler.
- For more information about Kylar W. Broadus and his activism, visit kylarbroadus.com .
- For more about the Trans People of Color Coalition ( TPOCC ), visit www.transpoc.org .
- To view the Senate testimony of Kylar W. Broadus on Youtube, visit youtu.be ./conAzL2wCKE
- For a look at Kylar W. Broadus interview in the doc, "Still Black: A Portrait of Transmen," visit Vimeo at vimeo.com/44143275 or Broadus's blog at KylarBroadus.com/blog/ .
