Years ago, early on in my transition, when I was exploring just who I was, what I wanted to do with my life, and just how I was going to find the courage to go on, my therapist offered me these words of advice. She said that if I was to be who I am, I had to be prepared to give up everything that I held near and dear, everything that I had built up during my lifetime. Everything. I had to be prepared to give up my job, family, friends, and more. She said this from experience, because many of the transgenders that she had counseled lost just about everything in their transition.
I sat there flabbergasted. I could not imagine any other human condition in which one had to choose between a life of shame, masquerading as someone else, and a life of poverty without the support of loved ones. But that's what she said to me, in effect ... give up your job or stay in the closet.
Needless to say, I sought counseling elsewhere. But it did get me to thinking ... why does it have to be that way? And I started working to change the system.
Last year I worked with Aldermen Billy Ocasio and Bernie Hansen on transgender rights in Chicago. It has been almost one year since they introduced an ordinance that would have amended the Chicago City Code to provide protection to all of those who express their gender outside of the narrowly defined lines set down by a repressive social structure. Looking back over the past year, I would like to have said that it was an exciting productive year. But my momma always told me to tell the truth.
The sad fact of the matter is that very little was done with that ordinance since it was introduced in City Council last September. Although it was assigned to the Human Rights Committee, it was sent on to the Mayor's office for approval before any further action would be allowed. It's been languishing there ever since, mainly because of "da bathroom issue." I've often wondered why Chicago is called the "City that Works" if something as simple as plumbing can screw up the works. Bathrooms must be just an excuse ... that can't be the real reason for stalling on our civil rights!
What are some of the real issues we're facing? According to a transgender needs assessment conducted and presented earlier this year by Dr. Gretchen Kenagy, professor of sociology at UIC, one half to two thirds of the gender variant people surveyed felt unsafe and feared violence. This fear was not unjustified as about two thirds had survived physical abuse and/or violence of some sort. One quarter of those surveyed had attempted suicide.
Another odd fact that was uncovered was that the median annual income for the group was $17,000 ... less than half that of the general population! Most were employed, most were in their mid-30s, most had a high school degree or higher, and a substantial number had college degrees. So why are gender variant people so impoverished? Why are gender variant people so afraid? Why are gender variant people so victimized?
I don't know why it is so difficult to see the basic fact that Gov. George Ryan so eloquently stated in the letter accompanying his amendatory veto of the Motorcyclists Public Accommodation Act. " ... When it comes to providing equal access to places of public accommodation to all our citizens and ensuring each individual's right to live, work and enjoy life without fear of discrimination, I am ashamed to say that Illinois falls far short of providing for this basic level of civility that so many of us can, and often do, take for granted."
Gov. Ryan also points out that since Chicago and Cook County, as well as Champaign, DeKalb, Evanston, LaGrange, Oak Park, and Urbana, have ordinances that prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation, "in fact three quarters of Illinoisans are already protected by such non-discrimination legislation."
Well, here's a news flash, Gov/ Ryan. Only Evanston and DeKalb prohibit discrimination based on gender identity or expression. That's less than 1% of the population of Illinois. In places where the other 99% live, people who color outside the gender lines can be fired or evicted or whatever with impunity.
And here's a news flash, Mayor Daley. Chicago may be the City that Works, but it isn't working when it comes to protecting your citizens. Without a law in place to protect gender variant people, it is difficult to ever know the extent of the problem. But that odd assortment of some little known facts uncovered by the transgender needs assessment, taken together with documented cases of discrimination and violence, point out that there is indeed trouble in our little city.
I tell you, my friends, we got trouble. Right here in River City. With a capital "T" and that rhymes with "P" and that stands for "Prejudice."
Miranda Stevens-Miller can be reached at MirandaSt1@aol.com
