Queer Youth Updates: November 20
Today is the 11th Annaul Transgender Day of Remembrance (info below)
- Queer Youth Thanksgiving Potluck, Sunday, Nov 22, 5:30 pm
- Article: Home for the Holidays: Queer Youth in Santa Cruz
- Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR)
- TDOR Watsonville Canceled
- LGBT History, Art, & Resource Display - Aptos Library, Ends Nov 30
- Youth Award Opportunity for Women ages 14-17 - Applications Due Dec 1
- 2009 Youth Empowerment Summit Y.E.S -- Dec. 5th!
- Outlet’s Holiday Queer-A-oke Party! Dec 9, 6-9 pm, Mountain View
- PFLAG Holiday Potluck & Meeting, Dec 10, 7 pm, Salinas
- Proud Voices - Support Group for GLBT Youth & Families, Monterey
- Help Choose Pride Santa Cruz 2010 Theme!
- Western Regional LGBTQIA College Conference, SLO, Feb 2010
- News Video: 10-Year-Old Works to Fight Discriminates Against Gays
- Resources: General Information on Transgender Issues
- News: Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Act Signed Into Law
- News: Update on ENDA
- Resource: Trevor GLBT 24-Hour Crisis Line: (800) 850-8078
- A Special Message from The National Center for Transgender Equality
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1. Queer Youth Thanksgiving Potluck, Sunday, Nov 22, 5:30 pm
Thanksgiving can be a challenging time to be young and queer. Come celebrate with STRANGE and the Queer Youth Scene. Bring a dish to share or ingredients to make one if you can. @ Inner Light Ministries, 5630 Soquel Dr, Soquel, 95073, 5:30 to 7:30. Contact Vanessa at 428-5426 for rides.
2. Article: Home for the Holidays: Queer Youth in Santa Cruz
The November issue of Growing Up in Santa Cruz features an article about queer youth titled, "Home for the Holidays: The changing experiences of queer youth in Santa Cruz," written by Suki Wessling. The free magazine is available in newsstands throughout the County -- Share with family & friends. To read the article online, visit: http://guisc.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=118&Itemid=0
3. Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR)
Friday, November 20th is Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR). In the coming weeks, all GSAs can participate in vigils and ceremonies to honor and celebrate those who have lost their lives to transphobia. For more ideas on how your GSA can participate in TDOR, look at the GSA Network resource at: http://gsanetwork.org/resources/dayofremembrance.html
4. TDOR Watsonville Canceled
Due to weather, the Santa Cruz County Transgender Day of Remembrance scheduled at the Watsonville Main Plaza has been canceled. "We as organizers really need help to insure that we can re-schedule the event, something that we very much want to do. We are very sorry to change your plans so suddenly, and we hope that you will take time out of your day to remember the more than 200 transgendered people murdered this past year." If you are interested in rescheduling the event, please contact Tara Sawyer, (831) 295-0034 or
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.
5. LGBT History, Art, & Resource Display - Aptos Library, Ends Nov 30
The Queer Youth Task Force & the 7th Grade Temple Beth El class have created a "Pink Triangle Art Display" at the Aptos Public Library for the month of November. To learn more about the display and to view photo's, please visit: http://www.tbeaptos.org/PDFs/Our%20in%20Our%20Faith.pdf Aptos Library, 7695 Soquel Dr
Aptos, 95003. Call for open hours at (831) 420-5309.
6. Youth Award Opportunity for Women ages 14-17 - Applications Due Dec 1
Soroptimist International of Capitola By-The-Sea is offering an award to young women ages 14-17 engaged in volunteer action within their communities or schools. The Violet Richardson Award recognizes young women who make a difference to their community through volunteer work. For more information, contact Rayanna Cross at
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or visit: www.best4women.org. Application attached.
7. 2009 Youth Empowerment Summit Y.E.S -- Dec. 5th!
Y.E.S. is 2 weeks away!
Register NOW: http://www.gsanetwork.org/yes/yes-reg-form.html!
This year, we'll have a huge range of workshops including legal rights, safer sex, gender and sexuality, how to have a kick-ass GSA, HIV/AIDS education, and much more! Find out more at http://gsanetwork.org/yes/!!!!
Santa Cruz County RIDES Coordinator: T.J. McCormick (Harbor High GSA Co-President)
Contact Info:
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or send text message to (831) 212-1246.
Deadline: Thursday, Dec 3, 6 PM ** If you need a ride to Y.E.S., contact us now!
Permission Slip: Attached
8. Outlet’s Holiday Queer-A-oke Party! Dec 9, 6-9 pm, Mountain View
Save the date for our Queer Karaoke Night. They'll have two microphones and yes, the Magic Mic ED-8000 scores you! Let's have some end-of-the-year FUN! This event is open to LGBTQQ Youth and their friends, and all Outlet Volunteers. Location TBA. RSVP to Jun-Fung :
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Facebook Event: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Outlet/30462172941?ref=s#/event.php?eid=172877658681&ref=mf
9. PFLAG Holiday Potluck & Meeting, Dec 10, 7 pm, Salinas
Please bring your parents/guardians and join the Carmel & Salinas PFLAG group for their annual holiday potluck. Bring a favorite yummy dish to share. They'll provide beverages and green salad. They welcome main dishes, appetizers, bread, desserts and variety salads. All are welcome, so bring your friends and family. 7:00 pm, First United Methodist Church, 404 Lincoln Ave, Salinas (entrance is on San Luis St. across from the Steinbeck Library), Salinas. For more information, call (831) 655-3524; www.pflagmontereycounty.org
10. Proud Voices - Support Group for GLBT Youth & Families, Monterey
Safe Place, Community Human Services program for runaway and homeless youth, now is providing a support group for GLBT youth ages 11 - 17. Allies are welcome as well - supporters, friends, younger, older, straight, not runaway or homeless, etc. The support group is called Proud Voices and is held every Wednesday, from 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm at Safe Place, 590 Pearl St., Monterey. Facilitators are Jorge Bru, MFTT and Regina Eramaa, MFTT. For more information phone 831-373-4421, e-mail:
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.
11. Help Choose Pride Santa Cruz 2010 Theme!
Every year, the Pride Committee chooses a theme for Pride Santa Cruz. This year they’d like your help. They have a couple ideas. This is your Pride! Take the very short survey below to select one of our ideas or suggest one of your own: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=uV_2bhWJTHoEJ3SA4CRS5DHw_3d_3d
12. Western Regional LGBTQIA College Conference, SLO, Feb 2010
Registration is now open for the 20th Annual Western Regional LGBTQIA College Conference -- open to high school students. The conference is February 19-21, 2010 at Cal Poly State University, San Luis Obispo. Visit http://www.comeoutwest.org for more info.
13. News Video: 10-Year-Old Works to Fight Discriminates Against Gays
Will Phillips, 10-Year-Old, Won't Pledge Allegiance To A Country That Discriminates Against Gays. Will Phillips, an elementary school student, refused to say the pledge of allegiance in school because of discrimination against gay people. "After asking his parents whether it was against the law not to stand for the pledge, Will decided to do something. On Monday, Oct. 5, when the other kids in his class stood up to recite the pledge of allegiance, he remained sitting down." To watch the CNN interview of Will and his father, visit: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/11/12/10-year-old-wont-pledge-a_n_355709.html
14. Resources: General Information on Transgender Issues
* International Transgender Day of Remembrance
www.transgenderdor.org
* Beyond the Binary: A Tool Kit for Gender Identity Activism in Schools
GSA Network
http://www.gsanetwork.org/BeyondtheBinary/btbonline.pdf
* National Center for Transgender Equality
http://transequality.org/
* Transgender Law Center
www.transgenderlawcenter.org
15. News: Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Act Signed Into Law
President Obama has signed into law the very first protections for transgender people in US history: the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act. Physical attacks on people based on their sexual orientation and gender-identity will join the list of federal hate crimes in a major expansion of the civil rights-era law. This act will help ensure that sexual orientation & transgender-related hate crimes are sufficiently punished, as well as educating law enforcement officers and the public. Info: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/22/hate-crimes-bill-approved_n_330702.html
16. News: Update on ENDA
The Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) was scheduled for a vote on Wednesday by the Education & Labor Committee - but the vote was postponed. ENDA (H.R. 3017), introduced by Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA), would prohibit employment discrimination, preferential treatment, and retaliation on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity by employers with 15 or more employees. Currently, it is legal to discriminate in the workplace based on sexual orientation in 29 states and in 38 states based on gender identity.
There were reports earlier this week that "gender identity" would be taken out of the bill to ensure its passage with the hope of adding "gender identity" to another piece of legislation at a later time. The issue of gender identity was expected to cause a major debate between Democrats and Republicans. Democrats are not united on the inclusion of gender identity.
There was no reason given for postponing a vote on the bill to move it out of committee. Frank said he hopes the bill will reach the House floor by the end of this year while others say it likely won't be up for another vote until February. -- http://www.onbayarea.com/
17. Resource: Trevor GLBT 24-Hour Crisis Line: (800) 850-8078
This is a hotline for gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgendered youth, for youth who are questioning their sexual identity, and for youth in crisis. Trevor 24-Hour Crisis Line: (800) 850-8078.
18. A Special Message from The National Center for Transgender Equality
We Remember: the 2009 Day of Remembrance
Dear Friends:
On this, the eleventh annual Day of Remembrance, we are part of a global movement to honor those who have died. We mourn our fallen sisters and brothers who have become the victims of hatred and prejudice and we commit ourselves to doing what it takes to prevent others from joining their ranks. We pause to acknowledge the loss we all suffer because these people are no longer sharing their gifts, their laughter, their struggles, their work and their lives with our world. We decry the many forms of discrimination-racism, sexism, economic injustice, ageism, and so many more-that compound the transphobia and homophobia we face and make some among us even more vulnerable to violence.
We must continue to state loudly and clearly that transgender people will never willingly be relegated to the status of victim. Transgender people and our families, friends and allies are standing up effectively, working for public policies that emphasize both the need to prevent these horrific crimes as well as holding accountable those who commit them. We are speaking out daily, educating law enforcement, co-workers, family members, policy makers and our neighbors about the realities of our lives and helping transform their prejudice into understanding. We are advocating boldly for anti-discrimination laws that will allow transgender people to get and keep jobs, improving the quality of our lives and keeping us safe.
Today we also particularly want to thank everyone who has worked for so many years to organize and host the Transgender Day of Remembrance events around the country, providing a space for our grief and our resolution to end this violence. We also recognize those who engage in anti-violence work, seeking real solutions to the conflicts in our world and providing comfort to those harmed by violence. We honor everyone who worked to make it clear that violence is never an acceptable answer to differences and will not be tolerated in the places we live and work.
There is still so much to do. Tonight, let our pain at these terrible losses fuel our determination to continue our work building a world that is safe for transgender people to live, to thrive, and just to be.
About NCTE
The National Center for Transgender Equality is a national social justice organization devoted to ending discrimination and violence against transgender people through education and advocacy on national issues of importance to transgender people. By empowering transgender people and our allies to educate and influence policymakers and others, NCTE facilitates a strong and clear voice for transgender equality in our nation's capital and around the country.
Info: http://transequality.org/
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