Apr. 27, 2010: Transgender rights rally

TONIGHT ON "GREATER BOSTON,"

PROTECTING THE RIGHTS OF THE

TRANSGENDERED AND HOW IT'S

BECOME A POLITICAL ISSUE.

HOW PATRIOTS DRAFT CHOICE HAS A

HISTORY OF MARIJUANA USE.

SHOULD PLAYERS WHO USE POT BE

TREATED THE SAME AS THOSE USING

STEROIDS?

AND HALL OF FAME JIM COURIER AND

THE CHAMPIONS CUP.

Closed Captioning

brought to you by AFLAC:

Ask about it at work.

>> GOOD EVENING.

ASK A MASSACHUSETTS VOTER WHAT

THEY'RE THINKING ABOUT THESE

DAYS AND THEY'LL PROBABLY ANSWER

"JOBS" OR TAXES BUT NOW AN

UNEXPECTED SUBJECT.

THE RIGHTS OF TRANSGENDER

CITIZENS HAS BECOME A SHARP

SOURCE OF POLITICAL DEBATE.

PRO-- PROPONENTS OF THE BILL SAY

IT EXTENDS RIGHTS, OPPONENTS SAY

IT WOULD ALLOW ANYONE DRESSED AS

THE OPPOSITE SEX TO USE THE

PUBLIC FACILITY OF THEIR CHOICE.

>> Emily: BACKERS SAY IT WOULD

MAKE IT ILLEGAL TO DISCRIMINATE.

ACCORDING TO RETIRED FIREFIGHTER

KEN GARBER WHOSE TRANSGENDERED

SON DIED OF AN OVERDOSE AT AGE

20, THAT MEASURE IS LONG

OVERDUE.

>> HE HAD TO GO TO SCHOOL EVERY

DAY TO BE BULLIED AND MADE FUN

OF.

AND I AND MY WIFE, AS PARENTS,

EVERY MORNING WHEN HE DIDN'T

EVEN WANT TO GET UP AND GO TO

SCHOOL, HAD TO KICK HIM OUT OF

THE HOUSE AND SEND HIM INTO

THAT.

AND NOBODY SHOULD HAVE TO DO

THAT.

>> Emily: THE BILL HAS MORE THAN

100 LEGISLATIVE SUPPORTERS AND A

POWERFUL SPONSOR IN STATE

SENATOR RICHARD TISEI, THE

REPUBLICAN NOMINEE FOR

LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, BUT TISEI'S

RUNNING MATE, G.O.P.

GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE CHARLIE

BAKER HAS VOWED TO VETO IT.

ASKED IF HE WOULD TRY TO CHANGE

BAKER'S MIND, TISEI SAID MAYBE.

>> I THINK HE APPRECIATED THE

FACT THAT I DO HAVE OPINIONS ON

THINGS AND I'LL SHARE MY

OPINIONS WITH HIM AS WE GO ALONG

AND ISSUES COME UP.

>> Emily: STATE TREASURER TIM

CAHILL RUNNING FOR GOVERNOR AS

AN INDEPENDENT HAS PROMISED TO

VETO THE BILL BUT DEMOCRATIC

GOVERNOR DEVAL PATRICK IS A

VOCAL ALLY.

GOOD NEWS FOR MARION FRIEDMAN

GERSPAN WHO WANTS HER

TRANSGENDERED DAUGHTER TO HAVE

THE SAME OPPORTUNITIES AS

ANYBODY ELSE.

>> WHAT MY HUSBAND AND I WANT

FOR RAIF I ARE THE SAME THINGS

THAT OTHER PARENTS WANT THEIR

CHILDREN AND YOUNG ADULTS WANT

FOR THEMSELVES.

A JOB, A PLACE TO LIVE, AN

OPPORTUNITY TO GO OUT TO

RESTAURANTS OR CLUBS OF THEIR

CHOICE.

>> Emily: THE TRANSGENDERED BILL

BECOMES LAW COULD DEPEND ON HOW

EFFECTIVELY ADVOCATES COULD GET

THE MESSAGE OUT.

WITH ME ARE MARCIA AND KEN

GARBER WHOSE SON STRUGGLED

THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL TRYING TO

GET SUPPORT AS A TRANSGENDER.

HE DIED LAST YEAR OF AN OVERDOSE

AT THE AGE OF 20.

DEDE HENDERSON, POLITICAL

DIRECTOR OF MASS EQUALITY.

WELCOME.

WE LISTENED TO YOUR TESTIMONY

AND, OF COURSE, I READ THE OPEN

LETTER THAT YOUR SON WROTE IN

THE FINAL YEARS OF HIS LIFE.

HE WAS BORN A GIRL.

WHAT HAPPENED?

AT WHAT POINT DID HE COME TO

YOU?

BECAUSE YOU SAID YOU WERE

SUPPORTIVE OF HIM ALL ALONG.

WHEN DID THE TRANSPORTATION TAKE

PLACE?

OR DID YOU RECOGNIZE IT RIGHT

AWAY?

>> HE DIDN'T ACTUALLY TRANSITION

TO MALE UNTIL AS A JUNIOR IN

HIGH SCHOOL, BUT WE KNEW FROM

SECOND OR THIRD GRADE ON THAT HE

WAS DIFFERENT.

HE ALWAYS CUT HIS HAIR LIKE A

BOY.

ALWAYS WORE BOYS' CLOTHES.

HE NEVER WORE A DRESS.

HE WAS A GOOD ATHLETE.

SO WE KNEW EARLY ON THAT HE WAS

DIFFERENT.

DURING MIDDLE SCHOOL IT WAS --

THEY STARTED CALLING HIM A

LESBIAN.

>> Emily: HE ADDRESSED THAT,

HE'S NOT A LESBIAN, HE'S

ATTRACTED TO GIRLS BECAUSE HE'S

A MALE.

>> THAT'S WHAT HE DID.

HE SPOKE LIKE THAT.

IT WAS FINALLY AFTER WE HAD

GOTTEN HIM SOME PROFESSIONAL

HELP, WE HAD GONE THROUGH THREE

OR FOUR DIFFERENT THERAPISTS

UNTIL WE FOUND SOMEBODY THAT

ACTUALLY UNDERSTOOD, AND HE WAS

IN THERAPY FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS

BEFORE THE THERAPIST ACTUALLY

SAID, "YOU KNOW, THAT HE WAS

TRANSGENDERED" AND HE WAS READY

TO ZGDZ.

>> Emily: LISTENING TO YOUR --

AND HE WAS READY TO TRANSITION.

>> Emily: I CAN'T HELP BUT

WONDER WHAT YOU THINK THE BILL

COULD POSSIBLY DO.

KIDS ARE GOING TO BE MEAN, AND

HORRIBLE, AND BULLY.

WOULD A BILL PROTECT -- HAVE

PROTECTED YOUR SON FROM THAT

KIND OF BEHAVIOR IN A SCHOOL?

>> I THINK THAT THE BILL GIVES

CREDENCE TO THE ISSUES THAT GO

ON FOR FOLKS IN THE

TRANSGENDERED COMMUNITY AND

ANYBODY WHO IS GENDER VARIANT

BECAUSE THERE ARE -- TRANSGENDER

IS JUST AN UMBRELLA TERM, AND

THERE ARE GENDER-VARIANT

CHILDREN, AND PEOPLE, WHO DON'T

NECESSARILY TOTALLY TRANSITION

INTO ONE GENDER OR ANOTHER.

IT'S MORE ON A SPECTRUM, GENDER

IDENTITY, SO I THINK THAT THE

BILL -- AS FAR AS MY SON, I

THINK THAT, YES, IF THERE WAS

LEGISLATION THAT ADDRESSED

DISCRIMINATION, THAT IT ALMOST

GIVES MORE CREDENCE -- I DON'T

KNOW IF I SAID THAT ALREADY, BUT

HE DEFINITELY EXPERIENCED

DISCRIMINATION WHEN HE WENT TO

GET A JOB.

>> Emily: IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A

RECOGNIZED --

>> YES.

>> Emily: THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO

ASK DEE DEE ABOUT, I THINK

EVERYBODY CAN IDENTIFY WITH THE

IDEA OF DISCRIMINATION AGAINST

SOMEBODY BECAUSE OF SEXUAL

ORIENTATION, IDENTITY AND WHEN

VIOLENCE IS INVOLVED, OF COURSE,

BUT BEING A SEPARATE CLASS IN

THE WORKPLACE IS -- I THINK

PEOPLE WONDER DO WE NEED A

SECOND PLACE?

DO WE NEED A SECOND CLASS FOR

ANY KIND OF DISORDER?

OBESITY?

AHSBERGER'S?

DO WE NEED A SEPARATE --

OBESITY?

ASBERGER'S?

>> IF YOU DECIDED TO TRANSGENDER

ON YOUR SHOW -- TO TRANSITION ON

YOUR HOME YOU COULD BE FIRED.

IF YOU DO NOT OWN YOUR HOME, YOU

COULD GO HOME AND YOUR LANDLORD

COULD SAY "I DON'T LIKE THAT.

YOU'RE OUT."

THESE ARE THINGS THAT NEED TO BE

PROTECTED.

>> Emily: EVEN RIGHT NOW, YOU

CAN'T DISCRIMINATE AGAINST

SOMEBODY ON THE BASIS OF SEX.

>> CORRECT, THEIR GENDER AS FAR

AS MALE AND FEMALE, YES, BUT

THAT IS NOT A PROTECTED CATEGORY

UNDER OUR CURRENT LAW FOR GENDER

IDENTITY, SO IT'S A DIFFERENT

TYPE OF PROTECTION FOR PEOPLE

THAT IS NEEDED -- IT IS ACTUALLY

ALREADY LAW IN 13 STATES, 100

DIFFERENT MUNICIPALITIES AS WELL

AS -- CURRENTLY BOSTON,

CAMBRIDGE, NORTHA..ON AND

AMHERST AS WELL.

-- NORTHAMPTON AND AMHERST AS

WELL.

>> Emily: HOW DO YOU RESPOND TO

THE HIGHLY CHARGED POLITICAL

LANGUAGE THAT'S BEING USED TO

DESCRIBE THIS BILL AS THE

BATHROOM BILL, REDUCING IT TO A

SINGLE ISSUE?

HOW DO YOU RESPOND TO THAT?

>> I HATE TO BRING THAT UP

BECAUSE I THINK OPPONENTS --

THAT'S THEIR ONLY ARGUMENT, IS

THE BATHROOM BILL, AND

PEDOPHILES -- THEY MAKE IT SOUND

LIKE THERE IS A LINE OF PEOPLE

AT JORDAN MARSH BASEMENT WAITING

TO BUY FEMALE CLOTHES SO THEY

CAN GO INTO THE BATHROOM AND

MOLEST LITTLE KIDS, AND THAT'S

NOT TRUE.

I GREW UP IN A FAMILY OF EIGHT

AND WE HAD ONE BATHROOM, OK --

THAT'S UNISEX.

I DON'T SEE -- YOU KNOW, I DON'T

REALLY SEE THE BIG ISSUE.

>> Emily: YOU WOULD HAVE TO

CHANGE THE FACILITIES -- FOR

INSTANCE, WOMEN GOING INTO MEN'S

BATHROOMS.

THE URINALS --

>> NO NEW FACILITIES NEED TO BE

CREATED.

>> GO AHEAD, MARCIA.

>> TRANSGENDERED PEOPLE -- OUR

SON WAS USING THE MEN'S ROOM FOR

QUITE SOME TIME BEFORE HE

ACTUALLY BEGAN TO MEDICALLY

TRANSITION.

>> Emily: I THOUGHT YOU WERE

TALKING ABOUT A UNISEX BATHROOM.

>> NO, BUT I MEAN -- PEOPLE THAT

ARE TRANSGENDERED THAT PRESENT

AS FEMALE, HAVE BEEN FOR QUITE

SOME TIME AND LIKEWISE FOR

PEOPLE THAT PRESENT AS MEN, THEY

USE THE MEN'S ROOM, SO THAT'S

BEEN GOING ON, SO IT'S VERY

DEMEANING --

>> Emily: I UNDERSTAND HOW YOU

FEEL, BUT THAT'S -- THE GOVERNOR

IS BRINGING THAT UP.

THE REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE FOR

GOVERNOR HAS BROUGHT THAT UP.

I'M CURIOUS WHY THIS HAS BEEN SO

JAMMED UP IN THE JUDICIARY

COMMITTEE.

>> WITH EVERY BILL IN THE

LEGISLATIVE PROCESS, IT TAKES

TIME.

WE'VE HAD TWO HEARINGS ON THIS

BILL.

THIS IS THE SECOND LEGISLATIVE

SESSION, THREE YEARS, TWO

HEARINGS OVER TWO LEGISLATIVE

CYCLES.

THE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE

HISTORICALLY HAS HAD THE MOST

BILLS OF ANY COMMITTEE IN THE

STATE HOUSE AND A NUMBER OF

BILLS WERE STUDIED.

OURS WAS NOT.

WE WERE PUT IN AN EXTENSION

ORDER TO MAY 9 AND WE WERE

HOPEFUL THAT --

>> Emily: YOU'RE GOING TO TIE IT

TO THE BUDGET?

>> THAT'S ONE OF OUR STRATEGIES,

IS THE BUDGET, BUT AS ALL GOOD

LOBBYING STRATEGIES HAVE, YOU

HAVE MULTILAYERS OF STRATEGIES.

YOU CAN MOVE -- AND MULTIPLE

AVENUES FOR LEGISLATIVE --

GETTING LEGISLATION THROUGH, SO

YOU HAVE THE JUDICIARY

COMMITTEE.

WE HAVE AN EXTENSION ORDER TO

MAY 9.

WE ARE WORKING WITH THE CHAIRS.

WE HAVE PUT FORTH A BUDGET

AMENDMENT -- JUST LAST NIGHT IN

THE HOUSE THERE WAS A PIECE OF

LEGISLATION THAT HAD BEEN FILED

LAST JANUARY WITH JUST PASSING

THE HOUSE BUDGET.

A NUMBER OF REPUBLICAN AND

DEMOCRATIC LEGISLATORS HAVE

FILED LEGISLATION SO THIS IS NOT

A NEW OR UNIQUE STRATEGY --

>> Emily: IN SOME WAYS, YOU MUST

BE HAPPY THIS IS A POLITICAL HOT

POTATO.

IT'S GOTTEN PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT

IT, IT'S GOTTEN MORE ATTENTION,

IT'S BECOME ONE OF THE BIG BIG

SIGNATURE PLATFORM ISSUES OF THE

GUBERNATORIAL RACE SO FAR.

ARE YOU HAPPY ABOUT IT?

EVEN THOUGH THERE IS SOME UGLY

LANGUAGE INVOLVED?

>> I'M HAPPY WITH THE FACT

PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT IT.

I SPENT 30 YEARS AS A

FIREFIGHTER AND YOU KNOW, I

NEVER HAD ANYBODY THAT I WORKED

WITH COME UP AND ASK ME --

ALTHOUGH PEOPLE KNEW, BUT THEY

NEVER ASKED ME ANY QUESTIONS.

>> Emily: ABOUT YOUR SON?

>> ABOUT MY SON.

TO ME, IT WAS -- I HAD TO LISTEN

TO ALL THE STORIES OF THE SONS

OF THE GUYS PLAYING SPORTS AND

FINALLY TO ONE -- TO ONE PERSON,

I FINALLY HAD ENOUGH AND SAID,

"BUT MY SON WAS THE BRAVEST

PERSON THAT I EVER -- THAT I

KNEW" BECAUSE HE DID -- YOU

KNOW, HE DIDN'T -- HEAR WHAT

OTHER PEOPLE THOUGHT.

HE WANTED TO BE WHO HE WAS, AND

I WOULD PAT HIM ON THE BACK.

>> Emily: KEN AND MARCIA GARBER,

THANKS SO MUCH FOR COMING

TONIGHT, DEE DEE EDMONDSON.

WHEN WE CONTINUE, POT SMOKING

AND PROFESSIONAL SPORTS.