>>> Source: Register-Guard (Eugene, OR)
>>> Author: Garret Jarrod
>>> TinyURL: http://tinyurl.com/4wg9
>>> URL:
http://www.registerguard.com/news/2003/01/24/1d.cr.transgender.0124.ht
ml
>>> Date: Jan. 24, 2003
>>> Location: OR,US
>>> Item: News
>>> Title: Forum pushes for reform of rights code


Rebuffed last year in a push to gain rights in Eugene, transgendered
people and others took part in a forum Thursday night to discuss the
issues facing the transgendered community here and map out their next
steps.

The event at the University of Oregon, hosted by "It's Time,
Oregon!", addressed the flap over transgendered rights in Eugene that
came to a head last October when Mayor Jim Torrey threatened to veto
a package of revisions to the city's human rights code if it included
a guarantee of "reasonable accommodations" for transgendered people
in buildings open to the public.

The mayor cited concerns about privacy and cost the accommodations
would require. And he received a flood of mail from concerned
residents about men dressed as women using women's bathrooms. The
City Council, hoping to get at least some revisions passed, dropped
the push for transgendered rights, and the rest of the package,
including a domestic registry, passed.

But Councilman David Kelly, who serves on the city's Human Rights
Commission, vowed to keep the issue alive and bring it back to the
council next November.

"What I said at that time is where I still am," Kelly said. "It's
very important to me that this issue find its way back to the
council. The Human Rights Commission is starting a discussion now
about what the next best steps are. Frankly, there are a lot of
public misperceptions and we want to clear that up. This is a good
start."

The forum, which drew 70 people, included a panel of four
transgendered people, and a transgendered host and moderator.

Panelist Sheila Coats of Eugene, who is in transition from male to
female, said she was very disappointed when the council dropped
transgendered rights from the revisions. She and her group "Emerge"
had worked all year at pushing the rights forward.

"This has been too long in coming," Coats said. "We should have had
this 10 years ago. We should have our rights, have our freedom to
come and go as we want as we see ourselves. We are people just like
you."

Coats questioned the mayor's decision, saying the mayor told him in
private that he supported transgendered rights, "but he didn't say it
to the camera or the public."

Kelly said the mayor received a lot of pressure from the public.

"The mayor is a political creature and he received hundreds of
scared, confused letters freaking out about this," Kelly said. He
challenged the panelists and the "supportive crowd" to find broader
support.

"Maybe we can start with people in this room and then visit the
community and neighborhood organizations and let them taste a little
frock," panelist Salli Goode of Eugene said to laughter.

"We need the Whiteaker Neighborhood Community Association to formally
draft a letter to the mayor in support, and (the Eugene School
District), and we need the University of Oregon to write one of those
letters," Goode said.

Lori Buckwalter of Portland, executive director of "It's Time,
Oregon!" which promotes gender identity, hosted the event.

"The City Council didn't have any substantive reason for why
(transgendered rights) didn't pass," she said.

"I hope the city and folks involved will reconsider, give it more
time, and make it something the city can be proud of."

Copyright 2003 The Register-Guard