LGBTQ Alphabet

How your bar association can be more open and inclusive for LGBTQ members, potential members and employees! Dr. Davina Kotulski Psychologist, LGBT Advocate, and Author of Why You Should Give A Damn About Gay Marriage(2004) and Love Warriors: The Rise of the Marriage Equality Movement and Why it Will Prevail(2009). You’ll learn:

 The appropriate LGBTQ lexicon and language.

 The issues facing LGBTQ people and communities around the country.

 How to be an advocate in addressing the social and legal issues LGBTQ people face.

 How to lead important discussions on LGBTQ topics. LGBTQ Lexicon

 Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Questioning  Sexual orientation is an individual’s attraction to the same, both, or other sex. (e.g. Heterosexual, Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian. Homosexual is a term best avoided.  Other terms coming in to use are “pansexual” and “omnisexual.” The latter terms are used to describe someone who is attracted to a person without regard for that person’s biological sex or gender presentation. Sexual Orientation

 Lesbian

 Gay

 Bisexual

 Transgender

 Queer Gender Identity

 Gender Identity refers to a person’s innate, deeply felt psychological identification as male, female or both, which may or may not correspond to the person’s body or designated sex at birth. Cisgender

 Cisgender - a person who by nature or by preference conforms to societal gender and/or sex role expectations. Also known as gender normative or gender straight.

 Examples a feminine female who wears dresses and make up.

 A masculine male who wears masculine clothing, grows his facial hair and plays sports. Gender Variant

 A non-cisgendered person.  Transgender, MTF, FTM, Two Spirit  Gender Queer, Gender Non-Conforming.  A masculine female who wears masculine clothing unfortunately referred to as “men’s clothing”.  A feminine male who wears feminine clothing, unfortunately referred to as “women’s clothing”.  A person who expresses both masculine and feminine parts of themselves.  A person who does not identify as male or female. Transgender

 An umbrella term for people whose gender identity and/or gender expression differs from the sex they were assigned at birth.

 Transgender people may or may not choose to alter their bodies hormonally and/or surgically.

 The term may include but is not limited to: transsexuals, cross-dressers, genderqueers, two spirits and other gender-variant or gender non-conforming people Transitioning

 An individual whose gender identity or gender expression does not align with the sex they were assigned at birth and is now going through the process of gender reassignment surgery.  This could include: name changes, changes on birth certificates, changes in dress and appearance, changing pronouns, hormone therapy, hair removal, shaving of the Adam’s apple, chest reconstruction, penectomy, vaginoplasty, phalloplasty, etc. Transsexual

 A person who has undergone some measure of a “sex change” also known as.

 Sex Reassignment Surgery (SRS)

 Gender Reassignment Surgery (GRS)

 Sex Realignment Surgery

 Genital Reconstruction Surgery

 Sex Reconstruction Surgery Intersex

 Refers to ambiguous or both male and female sexual characteristics (including hormonal or chromosomal characteristics.

 Hermaphrodite is not a P.C. term. Cross-Dressers

 A person who likes to dress like a person of the other sex.

 The term “transvestite” which has been replaced by the term “cross-dresser” was coined by Magnus Hirschfield in 1915 in Berlin to describe a group of people who wore clothes of the opposite sex.

 Drag Queens and Gender Illusionists are performers and may or may not also be LGBTQ or Transvestite. These are separate categories.

 Most transvestites are straight men and don’t wish to have sex changes or perform, this is simply part of their self-expression. The LGBTQ Community and the Law  Medicalization and Criminalization of Same-Sex Love  Family and Marriage Law (Relationship Recognition and Adoption)  Military Service  Hate Crimes  Housing  Employment  Bathroom Laws  Other Issues The Law and Medicine

 Prior to the American Psychiatric Association’s 1973 removal of homosexuality from it’s list of mental disorders anyone engaging in or reporting same-sex attraction could be hospitalized against their will.  Hospitalized individuals were given shock treatment, chemical castration, lobotomies, hormonal therapy, and other forms of aversive therapy. Conversion Therapy

 To date conversion therapy, also known as reparative therapy, is still practiced on LGBT minors.  Conversion Therapy with minors is banned in 8 regions.  California, New Jersey, Oregon, Illinois, New York, Vermont, Washington, D.C., and Cincinatti. The LGBTQ Community and the Law  In 1986 SCOTUS voted against decriminalizing homosexuality in Bowers V. Hardwick,1986. LGBT people would continue to be arrested and jailed for consensual same-sex relations in public and in private.

 It was a crime to be gay in the United States until the Lawrence V. Texas U.S. Supreme Court Decision in June 2003 struck down all remaining bans on same-sex relations. Relationship Recognition and Marriage Equality

 In June 2015 the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the ban against same-sex marriage. Obergefell v. Hodges

 Prior to that decision same-sex couples were denied the 1,138 federal rights that came with marriage and the hundreds of state rights that came with marriage including the right to marry in all 50 states and the right to have their marriage recognized in all 50 states. What were some of those rights denied?

 Social security and pension benefits, health insurance, property inheritance, land rights

 Sponsoring a spouse for immigration.

 Health and burial decisions, power of attorney

 Veteran’s Spousal Benefits

 Taxes, Home Ownership

 Adoption LGBT FAMILY ISSUES Discrimination, prejudice, and lack of inclusion and visibility, Adoption & Foster Care  Until recently same-sex couples and LGBT individuals have been denied the right to adopt.

 In 2016 the last remaining ban against LGBT people and same-sex couples adopting in the U.S. was struck down in the Campaign For Southern Equality V. Mississippi Department of Human Defendants (2016).

 There are still laws banning same-sex couples from fostering children. Military Service Military Service

 Don’t Ask Don’t Tell was signed into law in 1994 denying LGBT servicemembers the right to serve openly.

 In June 2011, the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell Policy was repealed and gay, lesbian, and bisexual individuals were finally able to serve openly in the military.

 Transgender people are still denied the right to serve. Hate Crimes

 The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, also known as the Matthew Shepard Act, is an American Act of Congress, passed on October 22, 2009, and signed into law by President Barack Obama on October 28, 2009, as a rider to the National Defense Authorization Act for 2010 (H.R. 2647).

 This law allows crimes of bias against LGBT people to be categorized, studied and for perpetrators to be tried as committing a hate crime.

 June 14 Biggest Mass Shooting in U.S. History Orlando’s LGBT Nightclub Pulse 49 died 50 wounded. It was a hate crime, also known as a bias crime. FBI Statistics 2014

According to the FBI, in 2014. There were 1,178 hate crime offenses based on sexual orientation bias.

 58.0 percent were classified as anti-gay (male) bias.

 23.6 percent were prompted by an anti-LGBGT bias.

 14.3 percent were classified as anti-lesbian bias.

 2.6 percent were classified as anti-bisexual bias.

 1.5 percent were anti-heterosexual

 109 Gender-identity bias offenses

 69 were anti-transgender. 40 were anti-gender nonconforming. Employment Discrimination

 20 states, Washington D.C. Guam, and Puerto Rico protect LGBT workers against discrimination based on gender-identity and sexual orientation.

 Religious freedom allows religious organizations to discriminate and fire or not hire LGBT people based on their sexual orientation or gender identity, even in states with protections. (e.g. churches, non-profits, retirement homes, schools, hospitals).

 ENDA the Employment Non-Discrimination Act would prohibit discrimination in hiring and employment on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity by employers with at least 15 employees. Housing Discrimination  In January 2011 HUD ruled landlords could not deny housing to tenants or applicants because of sexual orientation or gender identity in states with non-discrimination laws.

 According to HUD “If a housing provider refuses to rent to an LGBT person because he believes the person acts in a manner that does not conform to his notion of how a person of a particular sex should act, the person may pursue the matter as a violation of the Fair Housing Act’s prohibition of sex.”

 There are no federal laws protecting LGBT people from housing discrimination. Gender Neutral Bathrooms Gender Neutral Bathrooms

 Safety

 Respect that not everyone fits the gender- binary

 Doesn’t cause people to “out” themselves

 What other reasons do you think?

 New York City- All single stall bathrooms are going gender-neutral January 1, 2017. Transgender Inclusivity Transgender Advocacy and Inclusivity Tips

 Don't make assumptions about a transgender person's sexual orientation. Transgender people can be lesbian, gay, bisexual or heterosexual.

 Ask everyone what gender pronoun they identify with. If unable to do that, and you’re not sure, ask that person discreetly.

 Have gender-neutral bathrooms and support the creation of gender-neutral bathrooms.

 Know the terminology and ask each individual which terms he/her/zhe prefers.

 Don’t ask someone what their “real name” is or about surgeries or hormones or their genitals. (You’d be surprised.)

 Use inclusive language LGBT. Have forms that include transgender, two spirit, MTF, FTM, etc. Other Issues

 Religion

 Media

 Youth

 Seniors

 Healthcare

 Immigrants

 Refugees Religious Discrimination

 Many religions continue to see LGBT people as sinners and have the religious freedom to deny them access to employment, housing, education, use of facilities, etc.

 Many LGBT people continue to be persecuted by religious leaders and organizations. LGBT children are especially at risk.

 Anti-LGBT rhetoric in religious institutions can lead to depression and suicide in LGBT individuals and can lead to anti-LGBT violence and anti-LGBT laws and initiatives. Inclusion in Media and Society  LGBT people and their lives are not equally or fairly portrayed in the mainstream media.  Images of LGBT as serial killers, perverts, lonely, depressed individuals who commit suicide are historically prevalent. (e.g. Silence of the Lambs)  Many movies/TV shows about LGBT people have them turn straight. The lesbian always gets her man or boy gets lesbian is a popular theme. (The Kids Are Alright, Chasing Amy, Queer as Folk) Youth Issues

 Homelessness and Discrimination in Foster Care  Substance Abuse  Suicide  Bullying  Dropping Out  Denied Equal Access to Social Events and Cultural Rites of Passage  Transitioning in School LGBT Seniors

 Housing Discrimination

 Retirement homes are often religious and don’t have culturally sensitive workers or activities that are relevant to LGBT seniors.

 Only wealthy LGBT people can afford LGBT retirement communities.

 Healthcare issues

 Going back into the closet in their senior years. How to be more inclusive

 Know the LGBTQ Lexicon.

 Understand the current issues and why they matter.

 Use inclusive language and imagery.

 Host educational forums on diversity. Be a Leader!

 How do you lead discussion on LGBT inclusive topics:  1. Know the issues.  2. Use the correct terminology.  3. Think outside of the binary and use language outside of the gender binary.  4. Always speak about LGBT people, don’t practice heteronormativity in your every day life. Be a Leader! cont.

 5. Get involved. Make LGBT causes and issues your issues.  6. Volunteer/Pro Bono services. Get your firm or other partners involved in relevant LGBT rights cases.  7. Attend LGBT legal organization dinners. Lambda Legal, National Center for Lesbian Rights, Transgender Legal Center, Gay Legal Advocates and Defenders (GLAD) and your local LGBT BAR Association. 8. Host Legal and Educational Forums. Get Involved Contact Info

Davina Kotulski, Ph.D.

Website: www.davinakotulski.com

Voicemail only: (626) 200-4375

E-mail: [email protected]

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