Faith campaign for Transgender Equal Rights Bill - UPDATE

Happy Spring, ICTE supporters!

Transgender Faith Action Week starts a week from this Sunday – Sunday, April 3rd through Sunday, April 10th! We and our partners – Keshet, MTPC and MassEquality – are looking forward to a successful Week and a powerful faith campaign for the Transgender Equal Rights Bill (An Act Relative to Transgender Equal Rights, House Bill 502 / Senate Bill 764).

We published a press release today – it’s here:

http://interfaithcoalition.blogspot.com/2011/03/transgender-faith-action-week-press.html.

If your faith community is participating in the Week -- thank you so much! Participating communities as of press time will be recognized in an ad in next week's issue of Bay Windows newspaper (next Thursday, March 31st ). All participating communities will be recognized in our other materials.

If you know a faith community that might like to participate -- there’s still time to do so and be publically recognized.

Here is what we are asking of communities:

1) RSVP, invite others, and promote the Week’s Facebook event:

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=188135257891766

2) Choose one or more of the following:

a) Have a postcard party (we provide pre-printed postcards and deliver them to your legislators)

b) Have a gathering that raises up the issue of transgender equal rights (you can adjust an existing service, coffee hour, oneg etc.; or request a live or video presentation or training)

c) Phone bank with MassEquality

d) Attend Transgender Equal Rights Lobby Day at the Statehouse – Lobby Day is being rescheduled from Thursday April 14th – stay tuned for the new date

http://interfaithcoalition.blogspot.com/2011/03/phone-banking-and-lobby-day.html

e) Support MTPC’s event Lawyers For Transgender Rights on Thursday, April 7th

http://www.masstpc.org/events/ltr/

f) Ask your members to do all of the above as individuals and groups

(through your community’s announcements, bulletin, newsletter, etc.)

g) Have another idea? Let us know!

3) Decide whether your community can be publicly listed as a participant. If not, you are still welcome to participate.

4) Email InterfaithCoalition@gmail.com to talk about what you can do and how we can help.

Thank you again for your support! Whatever your role in the Week and the rest of the campaign, we are deeply grateful to you for helping us send this powerful message to the legislature – the Massachusetts faith community wants to see this vital legislation passed this

session.

Best wishes for your April observances, and Shabbat shalom,

Interfaith Coalition for Transgender Equality (ICTE)

http://www.interfaithcoalition.blogspot.com

Transgender Faith Action Week - PRESS RELEASE

We published the first press release about Transgender Faith Action Week and the rest of the campaign today:

Contact: Mycroft Holmes

InterfaithCoalition@gmail.com

617-778-0519

THE INTERFAITH COALITION FOR TRANSGENDER EQUALITY TO HOLD TRANSGENDER FAITH ACTION WEEK

APRIL 3rd – 10th

[Massachusetts - 3/25/11] The Interfaith Coalition for Transgender Equality (ICTE) is announcing the upcoming Transgender Faith Action Week, to begin on Sunday, April 3rd and end on Sunday, April 10th.

Founded in 2007, the Interfaith Coalition for Transgender Equality is a gathering of clergy and lay leaders that organizes the Massachusetts faith community in support of transgender social justice. As the interfaith partner of the Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition (MTPC), ICTE focuses on faith-based work in support of the Transgender Equal Rights Bill.

The Interfaith Coalition for Transgender Equality is organizing Transgender Faith Action Week to demonstrate that the Massachusetts faith community largely supports transgender equal rights, and that many transgender people and allies are people of faith and members of faith communities.

Transgender Faith Action Week comes as a continuation of the campaign “An Act of Faith: Massachusetts Communities of Faith Speak Out for Transgender Equality”, which has included participation in lobby days, public hearings and press conferences in the Statehouse, and faith

voices in MTPC’s I AM: Trans People Speak multi-media public education campaign.

Events planned for Transgender Faith Action Week include postcard and letter writing parties, phone banking, educational presentations, and a press conference at the State House on Monday, April 4th, featuring key faith leaders. Over twenty congregations have already signed on to

participate in Transgender Faith Action Week, including the Cathedral Church of Saint Paul, the seat of the Episcopal diocese of Massachusetts, Temple Israel, the largest Reform congregation in New England; and Dignity Boston, the Roman Catholic community.

Mycroft Masada Holmes, Chair of the Interfaith Coalition for Transgender Equality, said, “The Interfaith Coalition for Transgender Equality and its partners are very proud to announce this historic week of action. We’re grateful to the many faith communities across the state who are voicing their support for the Transgender Equal Rights Bill. This sends a powerful message to the legislature—the faith community wants to see this vital legislation passed this session.”

Gunner Scott, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition, said, “Faith and spirituality are integral parts in the lives of many transgender individuals. I’m pleased to see faith communities standing up for transgender youth, adults, and families in

Massachusetts and supporting our community and this legislation.”

For more information on Transgender Faith Action Week and how to get involved please visit http://interfaithcoalition.blogspot.com/.

Phone banking and Lobby Day for the bill

MassEquality is hosting phone banking for the bill, and MTPC is scheduling a Transgender Equal Rights Lobby Day for the bill -- LOBBY DAY HAS BEEN RESCHEDULED from Thursday April 14th TO TUESDAY MAY 3RD!

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Volunteers are Needed for Phone Banking for Trans Equality

In order to provide our priority legislators with positive constituent contacts for the Transgender Equal Rights Bill, MassEquality will be hosting three phone banks every week

-- and we need volunteers that can commit to shifts. We are looking to generate 100 patch-throughs to all the Senate and House Judiciary members by April 15th and in order to do this we will need a groundswell of volunteers. Phone banking is easy, fun, and a great way to educate people on transgender rights. Groups can do shifts together.

Tuesdays & Thursdays ~ 5:00 – 9:00 p.m.

Saturdays ~ 11:00 a.m. -- 4:00 p.m.

Sundays ~ 1:00 – 5:00 p.m.

MassEquality

262 Washington Street -- 7th Floor

Boston, MA

(Downtown Crossing - Red and Orange Lines)

Pizza & other refreshments will be provided to those that attend.

You can also phone bank from home. On Sundays, MassEquality provides training for folks who want to phone bank from home. Come in for a one-time training on how to use the system -- then you can do your phone banking from the comfort of your home.

If you have any questions or want to volunteer, please contact volunteer coordinator Clare at 617-878-2325 or clareciervo@massequality.org, or sign up online at http://www.massequality.org/events/volunteer.

Here's MassEquality's update from today:

http://us1.campaign-archive2.com/?u=157f0f90a64d82b8eb5032a4a&id=7cf24f703e&e=a8df3b4d08

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Lobby Day for Transgender Equal Rights

TUESDAY, MAY 3RD, 2011

(RESCHEDULED from Thursday, April 14th)

1:00 - 3:00 p.m.

Massachusetts State House

Grand Staircase

(Park Street - Red and Green Lines)

Please RSVP to Rachel@masstpc.org or 617.778.0519.

What Should I Do to Prepare for Lobby Day?

Please make appointments with your legislators for that day; it can be anytime during that day. To find out who your legislators are visit http://www.malegislature.gov/People/FindMyLegislator

What Will Happen at Lobby Day?

We will gather at the Grand Stair Case at 1 pm for a short program where we will hear from legislative supporters, policy makers, and community members. Throughout the day supporters will meet with their legislators to talk about the bill and why it so important to pass this Transgender Equal Rights Bill this year!