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Show TheSalt Lake Tribune NATION Friday. April 9, 1999 Minnesota Parents Throw Fit Over Transgender Educators Fearinginfluences that kids maygetin classroom, critics want t6 change Minnesota human-rights law LOS ANGELES TIMES MINNEAPOLIS man Rights Act will put that tradition tothi t — It is illegal in Minnesota to fite a worker because of race. Sandy Crosby has no problem with) that. Nor can someone be axed because he or Gov. Jesse Venturaalre Promised to supportthe law she is gay. Crosbyjis OK with that spokesman .John Wodele said Still, transgender activists fear they're vulnerable “Heis unabashedlyin support of human rights for everyone, to 0. But Minnesota js also the only Thetransgender communityin- state in the nafion to protect transgender residents againstdis- cludes everyone who crimination. Employers cannot feels as fire people for! presenting an not match their biological sex. It though their true identity does embraces cross-dressers and those who blend male and female traits for an androgynous image, as well as people wholive full- time as the opposite sex. Some, but not all, have surgery or take hormonesto aid the transition. A handful of cities — including San Francisco, Santa Cruz,Calif., Seattle and Iowa City, Iowa, — have enacted laws protecting transgender people from discrimination. Only Minnesota, however,offers statewide protec- tion. The Human Rights Act holds that no one be denied employment, housing or public accom- modation (suchas servicein a res: before the Huma Right: Act — as well as his own growing self becauseof gender identity confidence — helped him find the courage to announcehe was living taurant or tickets to a ballg: gious associations and private youth groups fect,” said Walter Bockting. who directs the program in human sexuality at the University of Minnesota, “it has really given trans- genderpeople more confidenceto comeout ofthe Closet and express their trueidentities.” It certainly gave a boosttolibrarian David Nielsen Nielsen had worked in Minne apolis public schools for 28 years cator in the cov rectly with secor dents, ac Exhibit A for those pushir re. vise the Human Right t By at it’s lifestyle Maybe a lie. Although biologically aman hehadlong felt his true identity Minnesota Family ¢ many people, that jectionable was female. For years, he had been transforming himself into DebraDavis after work. Now, he Davis scoffs wantedto be Debraonthe job as well. The school staff, It's not like it’s said. “I don't recruit well briefed on the law, supported him. So Debra Davis debuted at Southwest High School last May with television cameras whirring. Davis, , may well be the only cepting of diversity, publicly “out” transgender edu- she for grandchildren. ‘identity not traditionally associated with [their] biological maleJem with that catching,” She does allow, however, that a $s on acrusade of her own, “I orld. I want io make it a saf lovin place, ac. abig, big prob: When her suburban school dis- ‘ict hired a transgender music *Yeacherfor her daughters’ middle ‘school. Crosby was outraged. She did not want her girls to consider , man in pantyhosea role model, Shedid not want them sharing a restroom with a man whobelieves he’s a woman. Aboveall, she did not want the state protecting a teacher whose lifestyle she considers morally wrong We don’t think school is the place to shove this in our kids’ ices,” Crosbysaid. “We'll fightit, she vowed. “I mean it. We will.” In a showdownthat promisesto spark much debate, Crosby and several like-minded parents have teamed up with conservative ad- acy groupsto tryto excise the transgender clause from Minnesota’s 1993 Human Rights Act They've already won one victory. The transgender music teacher, Alyssa Williams, resigned in late February, com- plaining that her foes had workedtirelessly to get rid of me Manyparents did support Williams, championing her as a reallife example of the need to re- spect diversity. After she disclosed she was biologically male, although she had legally changed her “identity to female, uly 25 of the more than 400 stuhe taught withdrew from s. Another transgender tor, a Minneapolis librari- also won thebacking of many Unruly Pupil? Maybe Child is Hungry, Study Says The Salt Lake Tribune January 3, 1999 Road Projects Turning Detours into Deathtraps Deseret News November16, 1998 ‘Walk for OpenSpacein Salt Lake's Eastern Foothills Sunday Deseret News January 20, 1999 ‘Aid or Bribe? SLOC Caught in a Squall Make a difference. Become a Master of Public Administration. Whenyou're onthe outside, you only see the problems + HealthServices Administration Whenyoure ontheinside, you see solutions and can + Local Government Administration work to make themhappen, Make a career out of making a difference. 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