Thank you Earl! I would just like to add that Mpls was the first jurisdiction to protect trans people from discrimination 26(nearly 27) years ago. It was many years before another jurisdiction did the same. Minnesota became the first state to protect trans people from discrimination in 1993 and has since been seconded by the state of Rhode Island.
In the last several weeks and months, many cities have started catching up to Mpls and MN on this issue including New York City and Philadelphia. This has more than doubled the number of people who live in jurisdictions that provide such protection in the U.S.. Some journalists, who ignore the middle of the country, had thought San Francisco was the first city to protect transpeople when it passed protections in the 90's(after MN's statewide law already protected transpeople) and claimed so in national publications. It really makes you wonder about those who say "will it play in middle America?" if they have any idea what they are talking about. Other cities that are just now passing protections from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation are beginning to include trans people at the same time more often than not. Most notably, the Dallas, TX city council just passed nondiscrimination protections for glb AND t people for the first time. Thanks to all who were on the city council at the time and participated in making this historic event come to pass. This year is the 30th anniversary of the GLBT pride celebration in the Twin Cities later this month. visit the following site for more info. http://www.tcpride.com/ I'd also like to say that the NGLTF records Ann Arbor, MI as being the first jurisdiction to protect gay, lesbian, and bisexual people from discrimination. I believe Berkeley actually finalized passage of their ordinance after Minneapolis though they may have had an affirmative vote that required further action prior to the one in Mpls. Berekley does get credit according to my sources for being the first municipality to offer domestic partnership benefits to employees(broadly defined and in no way limited to intimate partners or same sex partners-much like the recently affirmed DC dp ordinance which includes adult siblings, parents, adult children and long term cohabitating friends). My sources say Berkley did this in 1983. This is an area Minneapolis has fallen behind MOST other major cities. MOST major cities offer dp benefits to their employees. Obviously the state has interferred in this and hopefully this can be changed to allow Mpls to offer dp benefits. With gratitude to those who've shown historic leadership, David Strand Loring Park --- Earl Netwal <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > In a speech I almost gave at the 62b DFL endorsing > convention, I intended to > make a passing reference to a not famous enough > activist, Steven Endean, now > dead. If someone is building a list of famous and > not so famous > Minneapolitans for statuary or a hall of fame, he > should be on it. In my > opinion, he was the individual most responsible for > coordinating the passage > of Minneapolis' gay rights amendment. While he was > well recognized by the > community at his funeral some years back, I'm not > aware of any permanent > tribute to him. > > Minneapolis was ahead of the times, and has > benefited from its leadership by > becoming a more diverse and dynamic community than > may have otherwise been > the case. > > During the period there were other leaders in the > gay community who were > more notorious. None were more effective. And that > is why Steve deserves > recognition. The early 70's were years of dynamic > change. But as dynamic as > the times were, gay rights was pretty far done the > list, and almost > certainly a political "third rail." While many > activists went the "Act Out" > approach, Steve worked with the city council over an > extended period of > months (not years) to provide consistent respectful > lobbying. The net > result was an eventual vote to approve the ordinance > by a 12-0 vote. The > vote was scheduled to occur on a day when Russ > Green, 12th Ward Alderman was > out of town. This provided unanimity for a few, who > while convinced, feared > public reaction. The final ordinance lists all > twelve voting aldermen as > authors, but I have always taken pride in being the > original chief author. > > At the time Minneapolis was only the second > municipality in the United > States to pass such an ordinance.(after Berkeley, > CA) This early leadership > set the stage for the significant and dynamic gay > community that now > enriches the city in a multitude of ways, > culturally, economically and > politically. > > You know, some of us old farts did some good. In the > coming election it > wouldn't hurt to remember a few of the other leaders > who played key roles to > make our city and state a bit above average. There > is a lot of knowledge and > understanding in this city's cadre of political has > beens. Fresh faces must > always be welcome and given every support to > succeed, but I predict the > coming decades will become an "age of wisdom." As > baby boomers proclaim our > experience as valuable. I sense a change in > perceptions. I fear the counter > wave of "know nothingness", but that has been > rampant for years. Sorry for > the digressions. I merely wanted to suggest Steve's > name to any keepers of > lists. > > > Earl Netwal > Nestled in the urban forested community of > Minnehaha, in the twin cities > economic city state. A vibrant multi-racial, > multi-cultural community soon > to be linked by light rail to the world. > > > > _______________________________________ > Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic > Discussion - Mn E-Democracy > Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: > http://e-democracy.org/mpls __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? 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