Iowa fires 3 civil rights investigators for discriminatory emails

It is important to understand that civil rights agencies, nor, for that matter, judges, do not always understand or respect civil rights and civil rights law. Here is another story that it is wise to keep in mind.

APNewsBreak: Iowa fires 3 investigators for emails - Houston Chronicle: Three Iowa civil rights investigators have been fired after sending hundreds of gossipy emails calling co-workers derogatory nicknames like "Psycho," ''Monster," and "Roid Rage," and forwarding pictures that made fun of fat people, Wal-Mart customers and others, according to public records and interviews.

Iowa Administrative Judge James Timberland upheld their termination from the agency, noting that they traded and received emails "that made fun of and/or ridiculed obese people, gay, transgendered and/or transvestite people, elderly people, Walmart customers, African-American men, white high school students, white men, and white people generally."

Interpretation of Gender -- Maryland Morning with Sheilah Kast

8-22-11: Our Interpretation of Gender � Maryland Morning with Sheilah Kast: In light of the Governor's vow to work on transgender non-discrimination legislation, and to help us understand our notions of gender, Sheilah speaks with Paz Galupo, Professor of Psychology and Director of LGBT Studies at Towson University.

You can also listen to a conversation we had this past spring with transgender advocate Sandy Rawls, about the frequency with which violence occurs in the transgender community. Sandy is the president and founder of Trans-United, an organization devoted to providing help and support to the transgender community.

And for an in-depth look at the obstacles members of the transgender community face in daily life, this 2007 piece called “In Between Days” from Baltimore’s City Paper is definitely worth a read.

'Trans'-cending stereotypes: Tackling transgender bias in the workplace - Business Management Daily

Here is an article in Business Management Daily from an employer's perspective about addressing transgender issues in the workplace. It's generally favorable, but I must disagree with the statement that federal courts are reluctant to extend protection to transgender employees. In fact, more than a dozen federal district courts have ruled in favor of transgender employees, and the 6th Circuit federal Court of Appeals, which includes the states of Kenutcky, Michigan, Ohio and Tennessee, has also ruled that transgender people are entitled to protection.

'Trans'-cending stereotypes: Tackling transgender bias in the workplace - Business Management Daily: You can’t ignore transgender issues. And in New Jersey, you can’t ignore discriminatory behavior and harassment against transgender employees. That would be illegal under the NJLAD, and could result in costly litigation.

To minimize the possibility of discrimination against transgender employees in your workplace, follow these tips:

Train managers and employees to be sensitive and understanding toward transgender employees.
Allow transgender employees to express their preferred gender identity in the workplace.
Treat leaves of absence for sexual reassignment procedures the same as other scheduled medical procedures.

Transgender challenges

An interesting, though short article today in the Windsor Star out of Ontario.

Transgender challenges: IT specialist Brad Sensabaugh can't help but wonder how some of his colleagues at the TD Bank Group in London, Ont., will react when the story of his private life hits the media spotlight.

That he is anything more than the bright, tech-savvy 33-year-old man they've come to know and respect since he joined the bank has likely never crossed their minds.

The article is generally favorable for trans people, but also broaches the limits of tolerance as it discusses the case of a transsexual man who is transitioning while working at a womens' domestic violence shelter, which is reminiscent of the Nixon case that occurred in Canada a while back.