It's time... once more!!!

Earlier this week, I was so excited having a brief meeting at a town hall with my representative John Larson.  I said my bit - but now it's your turn.

I can't tell you adequately how much this will mean to you.  All I can say to you is to give it a try.  If you are prevented by work or distance, send an e-mail.   Even if your representative is initially opposed to what you have to say, one more person - one more voter - may make him or her think twice.

As for me, I'm for freedom.  Freedom to meet.  Freedom to marry.  Freedom to walk the streets unaccosted. Freedom to share a dinner without being kicked out.  Freedom to make love without the police ramming down your door. Freedom to visit your sick partner.  Freedom to say a final farewell.

This is what gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender deserve.

This is what we should demand.

Mountain View, California - Anna Eshoo (D) - CA18
College Station, Texas - Bill Flores (R) - TX17
Jersey City, New Jersey - Albio Sires (D) - NJ8
Albuquerque, New Mexico - Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) - NM1
Stony Brook, New York - Tim Bishop (D) - NY1
Concord, North Carolina - Richard Hudson (R) - NC8
San Luis Obispo, California - Lois Capps (D) - CA24
Two Rivers, Wisconsin - Thomas Petri (R) - WI6
(NO SITE AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME - USE SNAILMAIL)
Carroll, Iowa - Steve King (R) - IA4
Dorval, Quebec(CAN) - Isabelle Morin (NDP) - Notre Dame de Grace - Lachine

This is an Internet sampling of places in the US and Canada.  US residents, please go to www.house.gov and enter your ZIP code.  Canadian residents, please go to www.parl.gc.ca and enter your directions.

Anderson Cooper to be honored by LGBT community - Cindy Clark - http://www.azcentral.com

*more here*

Fund helps LGBT DREAMers get work permits, deportation relief - http://www.windycitymediagroup.com

*more here*

Milestones: a blog marking important moments in our lives - http://sdgln.com

*more here*

ezs note:  Holy moly!  When "Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C." went off the air, many people thought Jim Nabors had disappeared.  (at least I did)  But he didn't. He married longtime lover Stan just recently.  Congratulations, Jim and Stan!  May you have a long, happy life together!

Gender neutral bathrooms are a step for transgender acceptance - Kathleen Martin - http://www.thesunflower.com

*more here*

I did it last night... SO CAN YOU!!!

Yesterday afternoon I was busy typing away at my computer when my friend Dave walked into the restaurant I was in.  I had called him the previous night asking if he was interested in going to see our representative John Larson.  When he said he was willing to go, I immediately went home, got dressed to the nines, and got back into his car and drove off.

Once we got to the community college, it was... um... bigger than we we expected.  It was still a single building,  but it was in kind of a strange, curvy shape.  We had to go about a bit,  but ultimately we found where representative Larson was talking.

Now to the point:  When I sat down, I wasted no time in getting to my theme.  I was wondering how the sequester would affect me and my house.

After the main session was over, I went up to him and said that I was a transgender individual, and that I was still very concerned about LGBT  people, particularly in the south and west.

So, what is the point?  I got off my rump.  I got into my friend's car.  Despite a crazy situation, I got to where my representative was speaking.  And I spoke to him, not once but twice, despite my having a stroke.

YOU CAN TOO.

Everywhere across the country, representatives hold town meetings. When they get there, all manner of people show up.  From the very richest to the very poorest.  From the most conservative to the most liberal, and every shade in between.  There's only one person who might not show up.

You.

C'mon.  Be proud.  When your representative has a town or city meeting, show up and speak up. 

Massachusetts Education Department Accommodates Transgender Students - Glennisha Morgan - http://www.huffingtonpost.com

*more here*

Arica Love prepares to tell the world her story in a new documentary - Steve Blanchard - http://www.watermarkonline.com

*more here*

LGBT Percentage Highest In Hawaii, Lowest In N. Dakota - http://hawaii.news.blogs.civilbeat.com

*more here*

US: Massachusetts issues rules respecting identity of transgender students - Corinne Pinfold - http://www.pinknews.co.uk

*more here*

Hello!

Finally... out of the piles of snow! Here's what's happening... Mountain View, California... Baton Rouge, Louisiana... Guildford, Surrey, England, UK...  Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania... Cambridge,
Massachusetts... Riyadh, Ar Riyad, Saudi Arabia... New York, New York...Albuquerque, New Mexico... Dabrowa Gornicza, Slaskie, Poland... Saint-ybard, Limousin, France... Wolcott, Connecticut...
Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh , India... Brunswick, Maryland... Stony Brook, New York... Fort Lauderdale, Florida... Zimmerman, Minnesota... Wesley Chapel, Florida...Burlington, Ontario, Canada...
Guilford, Connecticut... Newport Beach, California... Trenton, New Jersey... Glasgow, Glasgow City, Scotland... Rhinelander, Wisconsin... Naperville, Illinois... Reading, Pennsylvania...  Rome,
Lazio, Italy... Sunnyvale, California...   Quezon, Nueva Ecija, Philippines... Broken Arrow, Oklahoma... Poughkeepsie, New York... Saint Petersburg, Saint Petersburg City, Russia... Gilroy,
California... Palm Bay, Florida... Woking, Surrey, England, UK...

No matter how high the mounds of snow... you can reach your mailbox! Donate to the American Red Cross!

www.redcross.org

Milwaukee Police end landfill search for Evon Young - Jaclyn Brandt - http://www.todaystmj4.com

*more here*

ezs note:  Please, if you live in Milwaukee, or travel through there, and you can provide any information regarding the murder of Ebony (Evon) Smith, please bring it forward now!!!

On Transgender Healthcare, NYT Reports Tree, Ignores Forest - Julie Hollar -http://www.fair.org

*more here*

Study Into LGBT Parenting In Ireland Welcomed - http://www.build.ie

*more here*

PFLAG National To Honor NFL's Ayanbadejo and Kluwe, Author John Irving with Straight for Equality Awards at Fifth Annual Gala - http://books.broadwayworld.com

*more here*

Women build home for Indonesia’s aging transgender community - Rebecca Henschke - http://fsrn.org

*more here*

Trans health officer offers sensitivity classes - WBadmin - http://www.washingtonblade.com

*more here*

CBS’ Mike & Molly Under Fire for Anti-Transgender Joke - Jillian Page - http://blogs.montrealgazette.com

*more here*

More Elite Colleges Are Covering Sex-Change Surgery and Other Transgender Student Needs - Katie J.M. Baker - http://jezebel.com

*more here*

Transgender Patients in Rural Areas Struggle To Access Health Services - www.californiahealthline.org

*more here*

ezs note:  a great place to get information is through Lyon-Martin Health Services. To find out more, read Anand Kaira's comments.

Former Saddleback student returns as transgender, is told not to go into female restroom - Angie L. Pineda - http://www.lariatnews.com

*more here*

SF Weekly dumps on transgender people, all of Tenderloin - Marke B. - http://www.sfbg.com

*more here*

Laverne Cox, Transgender Actress And Producer, Talks Reality TV, Race And Visibility - Glennisha Morgan - http://www.huffingtonpost.com/

*more here*

Ivy League university ready to include transgender surgeries in health plans offered to students - http://english.ruvr.ru

*more here*

President Obama Endorses Orlando for Gay Games - Watermark - http://www.southfloridagaynews.com

*more here*

Gay and transgender group to honor two with awards - Charles J. Dean - http://blog.al.com

*more here*

Polish Transgender Lawmaker Loses Shot at Top Post - Vanessa Gera - http://www.edgeonthenet.com

*more here*

Transforming (Trans) Stereotypes - Victoria Michaels -http://www.southfloridagaynews.com

*more here*

Amid Daily Struggles, Gay Rights Movement Embraces Watershed Moments - http://fm.kuac.org

*more here*

Lurie Children's Hospital Opens Gender Identity Clinic - Atelier Teee - http://chicagoist.com

*more here*

Transgender man bursts out of courtroom in tears of joy after being cleared of raping and sexually assaulting a woman - ALEX WARD - http://www.dailymail.co.uk

*more here*

Murfreesboro, Tennesee

Credit: www.flickriver.com 

Hello!

Still buried in snow! Yikes! Here's what's happening... Murfreesboro, Tennessee... Mountain View, California... Umeå, Vasterbottens Lan, Sweden... Los Angeles, California... Norfolk, Virginia... Lausanne,
Vaud, Switzerland... Phoenix, Arizona... Oklahoma City, Oklahoma... New Orleans, Louisiana... Desert Hot Springs, California... West Hartford, Connecticut... Bismarck, North
Dakota... Exeter, California... Lansing, Michigan... Stony Brook, New York... Swindon, England,UK... Tel Aviv, Israel... Morgan Hill, California... Arlington, Massachusetts... Reading, Pennsylvania...
Torrance, California... Woodridge, Illinois... Arlington, Massachusetts... Manitowoc, Wisconsin... Helsinki, Southern Finland, Finland... Naperville, Illinois... Raleigh, North Carolina...
Seagoville, Texas...  Austin, Texas... Dublin, Ireland... Stuart, Florida...

Woof! Woof!  Help my dear friend!  Woof!  Woof!

www.redcross.org

You can be another blizzard!

As I sit here tapping away on my computer, it is snowing.  Really snowing. As I look out the window, the road, which is normally fairly busy, is barren, with the exception of the occasional plow truck.

Then there are the snowflakes.

When you first see a snowflake, you are normally a bit nonplussed.  Sure they're pretty, but... they're so tiny.  Can't amount to much, can they?

Take a look out my window and you'll sing a different song.

At first glance, you may feel like the tiny snowflake.  Sure, you can write to your Congressperson about issues you feel strongly about

Researcher Rebekah Stone Receives Grant from TranscendSupport.com to Study Transgender Children - http://www.sbwire.com

*more here*

Fox (and Friends) Have Fun at Expense of Brown's Transgender Student Healthcare - J. K. Trotter - http://www.theatlanticwire.com

*more here*

More Than Healthcare: Transgender Prisoner Rights - Molly Savard - http://campusprogress.org

*more here*

Comprehensive transgender healthcare for Dallas employees is ‘off the table’ - http://www.dallasvoice.com

*more here*

Brendon Ayanbadejo expands his gay advocacy to transgender rights - http://chicago.gopride.com

*more here*

Tet Parade: Gay group gets support from school district, ACLU - ROXANA KOPETMAN -http://www.ocregister.com

*more here*

Transgender rape accused denied rape in police interview, jury told - http://www.thisissouthwales.co.uk

*more here*

Does Classical Music Have A Transgender Problem? -

*more here*

Transgender Lingerie Brand, Chrysalis, Fills An Important Void - Ellie Krupnick - http://www.huffingtonpost.com

*more here*

D.C. Seeks Tougher Punishment for Hate Crimes - http://washington.cbslocal.com

*more here*

JaParker Jones murder: Vigil held for slain transgender woman - Richard Reeve - http://www.wjla.com

*more here*

ezs note:  rest in peace, JaParker...

Benetton’s Spring 2013 Campaign Features Transgender Model Lea T For The UnHate Foundation - Danica Daniel - http://live.drjays.com

*more here*

Out in the open, they long for acceptance - http://www.thehindu.com

*more here*

Hello!

Hey... it's Groundhog Day!  Here's what's happening... Mexico, Distrito Federal, Mexico... West Hartford, Connecticut... Mountain View, California... Stony Brook, New York... Oklahoma City,
Oklahoma... Koca, Bartin, Turkey... Pleasantville, New Jersey... Durham, England, UK... Mount Vernon, New York... Boise, Idaho... Bolton, England, UK... Concord, North Carolina...  Lake Saint
Louis, Missouri... Willimantic, Connecticut... Elkton, Virginia... Plattsburgh, New York... Seattle, Washington... Renton, Washington... Kansas City, Missouri... Buffalo Grove, Illinois...
Ithaca, New York... New Baltimore, Michigan... Groningen, Netherlands... Atlanta, Georgia... Berlin, Germany... Watford, Hertford, England, UK... Isesaki, Gumma, Japan... Fairfax,
Virginia...Markham, Ontario, Canada... Las Vegas, Nevada... Pontecagnano, Campania, Italy... Wilmington, California... Paso Robles, California... Greensboro, North Carolina... Dover, New
Hampshire... Exeter, Rhode Island... Burlington, Ontario, Canada...

I don't know how to get groundhogs to see their shadow, but I do know to get them to smile... give to the American Red Cross!

www.redcross.org

Happy Groundhog Day!

Credit: www.someecards.com

I'm putting MY name down... are you?

This week, I saw two petitions which I gladly put my name onto. The first was one regarding the beautiful Vicki Marlane, who passed away last year.  Petitioners there were letting the mayor and city council know that one of the streets should be renamed "Vicki MarLane".  The other was far more repugnant - Atlanta legislators are allowing "No gays allowed " signs in front of their businesses... in fact, if you can't afford one, (!) the state of Georgia will pitch in and buy one for you!!! (out of your tax money, of course)

No... this not a misprint.

Many people here in the United States believe mistakenly that they have the right to vote, but not much else.  But what does the Constitution say?

(First Amendment)  Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
(boldface italic mine, source Wikipedia)

See that? That's your right, from the day you can scrawl your name until the day you die.

I am urging that you go to Congress and urge them to grant the full right of marriage to gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgender people; to have equal taxation regardless of heterosexual or homosexual status, to visit one another in hospitals or nursing homes, and to say a final farewell in a funeral home and the spot where they will be interred.

You can do this by e-mailing your Congressperson.  To make this even easier, simply copy the preceding paragraph, and print this in the body section of your Congressperson's e-mail.

It's that simple - and that profound.

Pleasantville, New Jersey - Frank LoBiondo (R) - NJ2
Mount Vernon, New York - Eliot Engel (D) - NY16
Boise, Idaho - Mike Simpson (R) - ID2
Concord, North Carolina - Richard Hudson (R) - NC8
Lake St. Louis, Missouri - Blaine Luetkemeyer (R) - MO3
Willimantic, Connecticut - Joe Courtney (D) - CT2
Elkton, Virginia - Bob Goodlatte (R) - VA6
Plattsburgh, New York - Bill Owens (D) - NY21
Seattle, Washington - Jim McDermott (D) - WA7
Renton, Washington - Adam Smith (D) - WA9

The preceding are samples from the Internet.  To find out who your legislator is, go to www.house.gov and enter your ZIP code in the box indicated.

To my Canadian friends go to www.parl.gc.ca and search from there.