"We do not see things as they are; we see things as we are."
- Anais Nin
(from Jessica M. Xavier)
How Can I Help to Build A Gender-Inclusive Community?
Adapted from The Tactics of It's Time, Maryland!, by Jessica M. Xavier
Working to protect gender diversity is not as risk-filled as it might seem.
The approaches below offer a range of possibilities for personal action in
increasing levels of commitment. We encourage you to find where your comfort
level is and do something. If we all work together as one community
and contribute whatever we can, we increase our chances for success greatly.
As the poet Audre Lorde said,
"Your silence will not protect you."
Help Get the Word Out - Contact
us about how you might contribute, and give us feedback on how we're doing.
You don't have to be extraverted or public to lend a hand. Let people know we
exist, contribute ideas, write essays, etcetera!
[Definitely let your non-internet friends know about us,
send us an email if they would like to receive regular mail announcements]
Talk About It - Don't be afraid
to get political! Discuss what ITO is doing at any community meeting.
This is not about being stuffy or preachy. This is raising consciousness about
gender diversity - part of our civil rights!
[ITO does have visibility with many organizations in Oregon,
as you meet people looking for information, be sure to tell them about us, we may be able
to help or make a referral. See our Expressions pages for ideas and
what others have shared.]
Help Document Any Oppression - ITO
would like to know about acts of discrimination, harassment and violence committed
against gender-variant citizens of Oregon. If you know a gender-variant victim personally,
ask them to contribute their story to us in a thoroughly anonymous version, with no names
of victims or employers. ITO will never out anyone in our community.
[If you are a victim and would like help in either reporting or
finding the next step, ITO is active within the Portland Police Bureau-Sexual Minorities
Roundtable and we may be able to help. Only through documenting are we able to begin to
get funding and personnel to address issues of bias crimes.
See our bias crimes
information page.]
Sign an ITO Petition - ITO
occasionally brings petitions to meetings requesting signatures. If you agree with
what a petition says, sign it using either your chosen name or your legal, given name.
You must be a resident of Oregon to sign an ITO petition.
Participate with Local Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Organizations
- Show up at their meetings, join their groups and work with them on common goals. This
raises our visibility and our credibility as members of the larger sexual minority community,
and it builds support for inclusivity (that means us) in broader civil rights agendas.
Write A Letter - Use an ITO letter
[To be added to this site] as a place to start, or write your
own letter to your representatives. You should use your residence address and legal
name here, because the representative's staff may check the address to verify you are a
constituent. And you can always fax the letter if time is a concern.
Telephone Your Representatives - Call
their offices to voice your support or opposition to legislation. If you call after
business hours, you can leave a message. Give your legal name under which you are
registered to vote, and identify yourself as a constituent. You may be asked for
your address to verify that you are a constituent.
[Note: While email is convenient and many representatives
do have email, a paper letter has greater impact. Also, many of the email addresses
are set to send a standard reply.]
Visit Your Representatives - It's best
to call your representative's office first for an appointment, but you also can
do "drop-bys". Try to be flexible with appointments, because legislators are very busy
people and often juggle their appointments. Familiarize yourself with the relevant ITO
Position Statement, which lays out in brief the argument for a particular bill or issue,
or contact us for more information. When you get face time, be brief, be prepared,
be logical and be polite. Do not hesitate to ask for their support on needed legislation,
and if you feel comfortable, share your own experiences or the experiences of some
gender-variant friends of yours. Remember that you are a citizen and like everyone
else you have the right to your pursuit of liberty in safety... And always remember
that you pay their salaries and they work for you!
Communicate with the Media - Write
letters to the editos of local newspapers and magazines, or call a radio station or paper
and speak with a reporter. It likely will be necessary to use your legal name, residence
and telephone number. (However, note that the President of a local Transgender
organization was able to use her chosen name in a letter to the edito of an Oregon
newspaper.)
Direct Action - ITO does not
disavow direct action by its members, but it is unlikely we will ever be forced to publicly
demonstrate. If you really want to participate in direct demonstrations, do it in such a
way that educates and works for positive change. Remember, you may be the only person from
a gender-variant community that some people have ever met and discussed these issues with.
Your actions, and your life, are a living testament to the possibilities of gender freedom!
Keep in mind that although things may be fine for you (or others) now, they may change
in the future. As a member of a sexual minority group, you cannot take your rights for
granted. Political change is longitudinal in nature and progress incremental.
Consequently, we must work today for a better future tomorrow. Again, remember the words
of Audre Lorde - "your silence will not protect you."
