Vp 2, issue 2

News & Views

Volume 2, Issue 2 March 2017

Insights Anecdotes and Opinions

By Robert Meier PFLAG Beaumont Secretary

TRANS---It’s Only a T-Shirt…Or is it?

Friday evening, May 20, my wife Dr. Pam and I had a great meal at our local New York Pizza, a favorite restaurant of ours. The salmon was excellent. The servers were quick, helpful and cheery.

Pam went back to the hospital to work on her charts. I moved to the mens’ bathroom so I could drive to Betty Greenburg’s fine theater and home of the Beaumont Community Players and see the musical RENT. Just 6 feet away from the entrance to the men’s room was a table with two large sized men and a 10-year old male child. I smiled all the way in and out, but received looks of fear, anxiety and terror in return. I entered the one-seat bathroom, locked the bathroom door, and in less than 10 seconds a loud knocking on the door began. I unlocked the door and one of the men quickly stuck his head in and looked around in all directions. He did not see what he was looking for, so he backed away.

At first, I thought that this was a just well-meaning fellow with a sudden and massive onslaught of serious diarrhea.

Then I started thinking, “Oh, no. He had seen my t-shirt that said “Someone I love is Transgender.”

The man was reacting to the T shirt.

Then I thought, “Oh, my goodness. He must be worried that I must somehow have a child in the single stall bathroom at New York Pizza.”

And then I thought,“He is likely an informationdeficit type of person.” After that, my thoughts formed, “Who is more paranoid in this restaurant, him or me?” I think each of us was a bit concerned about the other.

I believe I will design my next t-shirt to say, “Ask me about my tansgender child” or I love my transgender child.”

Maybe these words could spark better feelings

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By Payshunz Nagashima, PFLAG Education Chair

Bob’s Blurb’s

Tejas the Friendly State or the Paranoid State

Dr. Bob says: Many years ago, when I was 7 years old and in elementary school in Lufkin, Texas, there were drinking fountains for white people and drinking fountains for black people. I had only “white children” in my school, as I was told about the black people: “They have their own schools.”

Last week I saw both my son Colt and his spouse Becca providing testimony against the Texas Bathroom Bill (SB6). Overall, 400 people testified for two minutes each with a few experts getting a bit more time. Even the governor of North Carolina showed up to speak.

It made my heart happy to see these two young professionals, whom I care for dearly, tell their stories to the Texas Bathroom Bill Committee.

I am a bit biased as a father, but I felt like Colt and Becca’s testimonies were quite clear and even outstanding. See for yourself at: YouTube Dr. Colt Keo-Meier – SB6 Opposition Testimony

YouTube Becca Keo-Meier – SB6 Opposition Testimony Colt described his expertise as a Licensed Psychologist in the State of Texas and went on to describe the plight of 125,000 transgender people in Texas and more than a million in the US as a whole. He spoke of the horrible trans suicide attempt rate (41%) related to the distain trans individuals feel from other people. Colt then fielded questions, many very reasonable, with a few demonstrating how many formally educated people are sometimes clueless about transgender issues, despite having computers in their homes and the availability of Google searches.

After a particularly rude question, it seem that Colt took a minute to reflect on the question and changed his demeanor from that of a calm, “facts machine” psychologist (like his father) to a protective, Cajun mother bear physician (like his mother) trying to protect her cubs.

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More Insights Cont.

and more informational conversations, instead of sparking worry, anxiety, fear, and possibly terror for either of us.

I am thankful that I can take off the T shirt that boats about me loving my transgender child. Unfortunately, my trans child cannot take off the shirt.

Trans men and trans women have to survive in a world of people who are often information deprived. The world not a good place when a large proportion of parents turn their own trans children into outcasts at early ages.

This is a large part of the reason for trans selfloathing and self-hatred at times. Suicide attempt rate 20 times higher than is the rate for the general population in the US. Please help me protect my trans child and the hundreds of thousands of trans men and trans women like him from ignorance, fear, and hatred across the world!

---67 year old, father of a trans son, psychologist Bob Meier, Ph.D. in Beaumont Texas

Blurbs Cont.

My favorite statements from his testimony were: “I am a devout Christian — I consider the protection of transgender people to be my sacred duty to God.” and “These are my people.”

Colt also openly discussed how being trans would prohibit him from using the public restrooms at UTMB Galveston and set up financial penalties for the institution every time he used a male restroom to relieve himself, despite having a full beard.

Colt’s spouse Becca, a PhD student who holds a degree in social work, was explicitly clear about needs of gender variant people and how she is now harassed on a weekly basis by people in the public restrooms of Texas, for not dressing the part of either macho male or dazzling female. Becca described how even as a PhD. student at the University of Houston Graduate School, she is made to feel like she does not belong to the Texas community, a com-

mon feeling among trans people, regardless of state, but especially those in Texas. Momma bear Pam (my wife) was there to comfort her.

Lets hope that Texas returns to its reputation of “Tejas the friendly state” instead of acquiring a reputation the Texas Bathroom Committee is unintentionally shaping for all US citizens to observe, as well as Texas citizens, and business communities around the world.

You, me, Facebook, scripture

By Calvin Jorden, PFLAG Secreatary and Jack Hays, PFLAG President.

Bumper stickers, memes and just plain bigoted statements seem to be all the rage as the world pushes forth into 2017.

Any number of anti-LGBTQ statements can be heard and seen as one flips through the newspaper or local TV channels.

Americans and PFLAGers have been witnessing and participating in a growth of visibility and advocacy for LGBT rights over the course of the last decade. Many rejoiced with the legalization of same sex marriage and businesses publically adopting anti-hate policies.

Schools have been shouting anti-bullying campaigns and inclusive spaces for LGBTQIA folks. Being an ally became al-

most trendy as Facebook and Instagram filters were utilized as communies celebrated or suffered.

As the world, including America and her LGBTQIA adults, children, families, allies and trendy allies, move past the New Year, the message of bigotry and the push back against human rights has been increasing in visibility. The trend of inclusiveness has evolved into a trend of exclusiveness. Politicians, administrators and citizens are “coming out” with hate speech, often times waving a religious text and quoting scripture to justify hate and segregation, which can lead to violence.

When presented with evidence, regardless of legitimacy, or scripture, regardless of the perverse interpreatation, advo-

cates must remember there is always counter evidence, a better sporule — often science, and more scripture and interpretation supporting the LGBTQIA community, friends and families.

When christian antiLGBTQIA folks begin to use their holy text as a weapon of hate, please note that the bible is multiple books and love speak can be found more than hate speak. Biblical people faced times of persecution, but they also faced times of change and progress. What was once the practice and mindset of ancient civilizations is not what continued to be.

The unraveling and evolution of inclusiveness and affirmation has its place in the King James Bible and is documented as such. The scholars presented hateful behavior by

holy people, but the text also reveals the change to new understandings and inclusiveness to the “others” In Deuteronomy, bible scholars easily find that Moabites are bad. Decedent from Lot, the Moabites were not to be allowed to dwell with God's people. Later in the text, the story of Ruth the Miobote is revealed, which challenges this perception of Moabites.

Jeremiah 25 can fuel bigoted ideas because it describes the people from Uz as evil. But Job, a man from Uz, is referred to as the “most blameless man on Earth.”

There are many more stories which present a people as bad or ungodly and then there is the exception. The text reveals stories of forgiveness and inclusiveness as long as one is willing to search.

Monthly Call To Action

Stop SB6. Call ,write or email. Go to your Rep’s office and speak to a staffer. Stop SB6.

To find your U.S. Rep’s contact info, visit www.house.gov/representatives/find To find your Texas Rep’s contact info, visit www.house.state.tx.us/members/find-yourrepresentative/