Executive director of national transgender advocacy group to speak at Syracuse University April 9

Executive director of national transgender advocacy group to speak at Syracuse University April 9April 03, 2008Adrea Jaehniglgbt@syr.edu

Mara Keisling, executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE), will speak Wednesday, April 9, at 7 p.m. in the Watson Theater in the Robert B. Menschel Media Center on the Syracuse University campus. Titled “The State of the Transgender Movement in the United States,” Keisling’s talk will address the political and legal needs of transgender individuals, the status of the bill for the federal Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) and information about NCTE.

Transgender people continue to face high levels of discrimination in society in employment, housing, public accommodation, credit and other areas. While the initial ENDA bill included gender identity and was inclusive of transgender individuals, the bill’s sponsor, U.S. Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.), removed gender identity from the legislation as a protected category in a last-minute attempt to pass the legislation. The legislation never came up for a vote in the fall. In response, more than 360 organizations, including many LGBT organizations across the country, united to oppose an ENDA that left out gender identity, affirming the community as one linked by united support for civil rights protections for all lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.NCTE) is a 501(c)3 social justice organization dedicated to advancing the equality of transgender people through advocacy, collaboration and empowerment. Keisling is a graduate of Pennsylvania State University and completed her graduate work in American government at Harvard University.

Following the talk, the community is invited to a fundraiser for NCTE at the Sugar Pearl Espresso Bar and Lounge, 600 Burnet Ave. Admission to the fundraiser is $20, but those who can afford to donate more are encouraged to do so. Space is limited. R.S.V.P. by contacting the LGBT Resource Center at lgbt@syr.edu.

This event is sponsored by the LGBT Resource Center at Syracuse University and is free and open to SU students, faculty, staff and community members. Parking will be available at the SU event rate of $3.50 in the Booth Garage at the corner of Comstock and Waverly avenues. Directions and maps to parking lots are available on the Syracuse University Parking and Transit Services Office website (http://bfasweb.syr.edu/parking/). Requests for handicapped accessible parking should be made in advance by contacting the Parking and Transit Services Office at 443-4652.