Transgender Day Of Remembrance 11-20-10

Today is National Transgender Day of Remembrance. We remember lives lost due to hatred and violence and honor them by stopping hate where it starts and by creating a more welcoming state for transgender people.  Check out GLAAD's blog, honoring the transgender people who have lost their lives due to violence. See their faces and hear their stories here.

IPN Attends National Safe Schools Roundtable

Recently, Iowa Pride Network traveled to Minneapolis, MN to attend the 2010 National Safe Schools Roundtable (NSSR).  



The packed 2.5 days delved into the current state of the LGBTQ safe schools movement.  

Amidst the work we did at NSSR, we had the opportunity to meet with Sen. Al Franken, sponsor of the Student Non-Discrimination Act.  We also met with with Joe Wardenski from the U.S. Department of Justice about ensuring legal protections for transgender youth, and Stacey Horn, Program Director, M.Ed. in Youth Development in the UIC Department of Education, about cutting edge safe schools research. 

We also benefited from the wealth of expertise of the other participants such as the Southern Poverty Law Center, aMaze, Anti-Defamation League, National Black Justice Coalition, Alabama Safe Schools Coalition, Idaho Safe Schools Coalition, GLSEN, Family Equality Council, National Youth Advocacy Coalition, ACLU LGBT Rights Project, Mississippi Safe Schools Coalition and many others!

Bishop Gene Robinson Steps Down

On Tuesday, V. Gene Robinson, the first openly gay Episcopal bishop, announced his resignation from leading his diocese.    Robinson still plans to be a bishop, but feeling the stress of both leading a parish and serving as a gay rights icon, this decision was made for his health as much as anything.

Robinson has been a trailblazer for the LGBT community for years now, adding an open voice to the religious community and creating a much-needed conversation within the Anglican Communion (not to mention other Christian denominations).  Ever since starting as a bishop, Robinson has received countless death threats and hateful messages.

Robinson assures the community that he’s not “being run off” by those who have always opposed him.  Instead, he’s retiring to focus on his ministry in New Hampshire, though he still plans to be engaged in “trying to achieve full and equal rights for gay, lesbian, transgendered, and bisexual people.”

We only wish the best for Robinson in his decisions, and thank him for all of the hard work he’s done for the nation!

The full article can be found HERE.

IPN to Hold 10/20/10 Vigil to Make it Better

In memory of those who have died because of anti-gay bullying and harassment, Iowa Pride Network will be holding a vigil on October 20th at 7:30 pm at the West Capitol Terrace (the park/steps just west of the Iowa State Capitol in Des Moines). The vigil also serves as a call to action to make our schools and communities safe for all students.

MAKE A SIGN: If you plan to attend we encourage you to make a sign briefly describing what you will do to help stop bullying (example: I will stand up for friends that are harassed, I am an ally of LGBT people, I will start a Gay-Straight Alliance, etc.). And, if you are comfortable, please also include your name, and a noun that describes you (example: student, teacher, parent, etc.). At the end, you may donate your sign for a future display designed to show there are many things that friends, family and allies can do to stop bullying.

PLEASE WEAR PURPLE. On this date, thousands of people across America will be wearing purple in memory of those who have been bullied and those who committed suicide in recent weeks/months due to homophobic abuse.

Please come to show your support for ending bullying and anti-gay violence and remembering the lives that were lost in the past few weeks: Billy Lucas, Seth Walsh, Tyler Clementi, Asher Brown, Raymond Chase, and others.

As Ellen Degeneres stated, "One life lost is a tragedy. [Five] is a crisis". Join us to show that the state of Iowa cannot and will not stand for ANY disrespect and bigotry in our schools or in our communities.

Please spread the word.

Click HERE for map. 

IPN to Disucss Bullying/Suicide on IPR Tomorrow

Iowa Pride Network Executive Director Ryan Roemerman will be on Iowa Public Radio's "Talk of Iowa" program tomorrow morning (October 5th) to discuss bullying and suicide prevention.

A string of recent news stories surrounding anti-gay bullying and teen suicide has increased awareness of this growing problem.  Roemerman will spotlight data from the 2009 Iowa School Climate Survey and what Iowa's students, teachers, families and communities can do to help.

The program will also discuss the "It Gets Better" Project, created in response to the suicide of 15-year-old Indiana teenager Billy Lucas, who hanged himself in his family's barn after enduring bullying from his classmates. Writer Dan Savage is reaching out to LGBT teenagers to let them know life may be difficult now, but "it gets better."

IPR's Charity Nebbe will speak with Savage; Roemerman; and Jeremy Youde of the University of Minnesota at Duluth from 10 to 11am on WOI 640 AM Radio in Ames/Des Moines and WSUI 910 AM Radio in Iowa City/Cedar Rapids.

Please visit IPR's website to find out what station to tune to in your area.

Asher Brown (pictured above) an eighth-grader, killed himself last week. He shot himself in the head after enduring what his mother and stepfather say was constant harassment from four other students at Hamilton Middle School in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District. Brown, his family said, was "bullied to death" — picked on for his small size, his religion and because he did not wear designer clothes and shoes. Kids also accused him of being gay, some of them performing mock gay acts on him in his physical education class, his mother and stepfather said.

Maquoketa Student Creates "Gay is Okay Day"

MAQUOKETA, Iowa - A T-shirt is causing confusion at Maquoketa High School. It has the word “gay” on it- and administrators say they couldn’t tell if the shirt was making fun of or supporting gay rights.

Early last week Ali Lai wore a shirt to school that read “I Heart Lady Gay Gay.” Lai said, “I mean “gay” that’s not inappropriate. At least I don’t think it’s inappropriate. But it could catch the eye of some people and make them mumble a few words.”

He says the shirt is in reference to Pop Star Lady Gaga, who’s also an activist for gay rights.

The school’s Assistant Principal told Lai to change his shirt or turn it inside out. The Superintendent stands by that decision. But admits, administrators didn’t know what the expression meant. Superintendent Kim Huckstadt said, “Not knowing if it was an item that was either in support of or if it was actually derogatory.”

Another student thinks this is an example of Maquoketa High School violating a student’s rights. So, she organized what she’s calling “gay is okay day”.

Read the full article from KCRG Here.

Michigan Asst. AG Targets Gay College Student

By: Ross Jones

ANN ARBOR (WXYZ) - Andrew Shirvell has fought battles in courtrooms throughout the state, but it’s a fight he’s picked with an openly gay college student that has some wondering if this attorney is out of order.

In classroom’s across the state, Attorney General Mike Cox uses videos to teach students the dangers of internet predators and cyber bullies.

“We want you to be safe on the Internet, and in particular, we want to protect you from Internet predators,” said Cox in the video.

But is one of his top lieutenants engaging in cyber bullying, the very behavior Cox says is so dangerous. Andrew Shirvell is an assistant attorney general who helped run Cox’s last re-election campaign. But on his own time, he’s the author of a blog he started last spring targeting Chris Armstrong, the openly gay president of the University of Michigan’s student assembly.

Read the rest of the article HERE.