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Current Officers |
Index to June 2000 Issue |
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Current Officers |
Index to June 2000 Issue |
In case you have missed it, there have recently been a couple of issued raised regarding the Club’s Constitution and By Laws. After the initial debates have settled down, it was decided that it would be best to first review the constitution as it currently stands, and then propose the suggested changes.
The constitution outlined below is believed to have some errors. As a member, please review it, and take note of any thoughts you may have. Corrections and other proposed changes will be handled as faily as possible, and according to the current procedures. The proposed changes will be briefly outlined afterwards.
Jannie
CRYSTAL CLUB CONSTITUTION
The Crystal Club is a non-profit social organization established for people in the central Ohio area, who are gender dysphoric. Individuals who are gender dysphoric are commonly referred to as transvestites, cross dressers, and transsexuals. Membership in the Crystal Club is open to all people who are gender dysphoric and to their spouses or partners, without regard to their race, religion, sexual preference, political ideology, and any other means of discrimination. The mission of the Crystal Club is to provide a secure environment for people who are gender dysphoric to interact with other individuals who are similarly affected; to provide a setting where they can explore their other gender; and to furnish educational outreach information about gender dysphoria to the general public.
A set of by-laws will be established for governing membership in and activities of the Crystal Club. The by laws are to be formulated by the executive board and then presented to the general membership for discussion and subsequent voting on for acceptance or rejection..
An executive board will be created by the Crystal Club membership and given the authority by said membership, to effectively operate and manage the club's activities, towards its stated mission.
By-Laws
Executive Board
Members of the Executive Board will be elected to the positions by a simple majority vote of the general membership. A general election will be held once a year at the February meeting to elect the officers who will make up the executive board. An addendum at the end of the by-laws provides a listing of the elected offices, the requirements to qualify for the position, and a description of duties. The executive board will meet on a regular basis, no less than four times per year. "Robert's Rules of Order" will generally be followed at board meetings. Any member may attend a board meeting, and vote on any issue brought up at that meeting. The president will only vote on issues at a board meeting to break a tie.
Membership is open to any gender dysphoric individual and their spouse or partner, regardless of their sexual orientation.
Membership may be voluntarily terminated at anytime by notifying the club in writing or by verbally informing two members of the executive board. Membership will also be terminated by non-payment of dues. When membership termination occurs, the individual's name and address will be removed from the club records.
Involuntary Termination: Any member can inform, in writing, the executive board of conduct which violates provisions of the Crystal Club constitution and its by-laws or of behavior which negatively effects the image of the Crystal Club; the board will then investigate and review any accusations and determine whether a hearing regarding termination of membership is warranted. A simple majority vote of the board is necessary for a hearing. The accused individual will be notified of the charges and of the date and place of the hearing. At the hearing, at least 3/4 of the executive board must be present, and the accused may appear in person with any witnesses or testimony they wish to present. Any board members not present will be informed of the proceedings, and the entire board will vote within two weeks of the hearing, as to whether or not membership should be terminated; a 3/4 vote to terminate membership is necessary for the removal of the accused member. The terminated member's name shall be removed from the membership list, with no refund of dues. A record of the proceedings will be kept for three years, in case the individual would attempt to rejoin.
No member shall reveal the legal name, residence, phone number, place of employment, nor any other personal information about another member without specific consent of that member.
The membership list shall only be available to the president, treasurer, screening officer, and the newsletter editor. The membership list will not be divulged to any other person or organization.
General membership meetings will normally be held on the fourth Saturday of each month, at locations determined by the executive board, subject to consent by the general membership.
All individuals attending meetings must present themselves entirely as one gender; all attendees are expected to conduct themselves as ladies and gentlemen - no lewd or sexual behavior will be tolerated.
The Crystal Club will publish a monthly newsletter, which will be mailed on or about the 10th of each month. The newsletter editor will be responsible for its contents, printing and mailing.
If the transgendered member of a couple drops out of the Crystal Club, the wife/partner/husband may continue as a member on their own. Membership can also be granted by a vote of the executive board, to someone who is closely associated with a transgendered person (mother, father, close friend) even if that person is not themselves a member.
Membership dues are established at $40 per year; a "newsletter only" membership is $18 per year. Dues for a couple are also $40 per year. Monthly meeting fees: $10 for a member or a member of another CD organization; $20 for a non-member; $15 for a member and their spouse or partner. The monthly fees may be adjusted for some meetings.
Yearly dues can only be changed by vote of the executive board after presenting the proposed change to the general membership.
Executive Board Addendum
Eligibility for the positions of president, screening officer, and treasurer are limited to persons who have been a member for at least an entire calendar year, have attended at least eight General meetings, and who's dues are currently paid; for all other positions a person must have been a member for at least six months and who's dues are currently paid.
Board Positions
President - Responsible for the overall operation of the Crystal Club. Handles most of the contacts with other groups and outside organizations.
Vice-President - Assumes president's duties when she/he is unavailable, and duties of other positions when they are unavailable.
Screening Officer - Interviews potential members; responds to correspondence and answers the club telephone line.
Treasurer - Handles the club finances and keeps records of who are currently paid as members and their renewal date.
Secretary - Records minutes of board meetings and any information deemed important at general meetings.
Event Coordinator - Plans the individual meetings, such as: speakers, party, dinner, etc.
Meeting Coordinator - Assists the Event Coordinator, and ensures the meeting site is open, food and beverages are present, decorations, if needed, any other "nuts & bolts" necessary for the meeting to take place.
Wives/Partners Rep - This individual is a spouse or partner of a transgendered person and will add input from that perspective.
Librarian - Keeps newsletters, magazines, books, tapes, etc., that the club has and establishes a policy on lending out these items.
Notes about the constitution:
The list of officers defined in the bylaws is different from how we've been operating. We need to resolve, for example, whether newsletter editors and webmistresses are officers (or "board positions" of the "executive board," according to the bylaws.)
The stated annual dues are $40. We have been collecting $42 a year, and prorating new memberships to January. (At $42 per year, it comes to $3.50 per month, instead of $3.33 and one-third cents per month at $40). This policy was changed by a former newsletter editor, and sounds reasonable, at least from a mathematics perspective.
One proposed change is lowering the annual dues. The club started out meeting in a hotel room. More recently, however, we have been meeting at churches, who charge considerably less for a meeting space. We could pass these savings on to the members.
Another proposed change is to refund, or not collect, the dues from active club officers. It was reasoned that this would be a small compensation for the time and effort they put into the operations of the club, and an incentive for others to volunteer.
While were talking about it, I would like to see a couple of other ideas discussed:
First, how about a treasure’s report. It doesn’t have to be anything that is long and detailed, but an official report of where we stand financially would be welcome. This could be done about twice a year, and of course, would not need to be reported to non-members.
Second, I’d like us, as a membership, to get into the habit of opening our meetings in a more formal, or organized way. At every meeting, we need to state why the club is meeting (the greater purpose, not simply "this meeting,") and give everybody an opportunity to introduce themselves (or more importantly, an opportunity for everyone to welcome them). These things need to happen before the scheduled activity begins. A change in the constitution may not be appropriate for this, but I’ve been nagging a few presidents about it, so maybe such a codification would help us to be consistent.
Again, if you have any thoughts, please take note of them, and present them to the membership for consideration.
Received from TransGender MichiGan
The fourth annual Lady's Night Prom takes place this year on Saturday, June 17th. This IS the prom you never had!! Selection of a Prom Queen and her Court is always a lot of fun as all contestants model their fabulous gowns. Styles range from pure retro to punk with a sea of taffeta and organza to be seen. If you are from out of town we can refer local motels. This event takes place in a private party space and is very safe, secure, and fun!!
This year we are having our Prom in June instead of May because we want all you girls to be able to take advantage of all the fabulous gowns on sale at the department stores. We especially recommend JC Penny for a great selection of formals in larger sizes!
Price of admission to the Prom is $25 for singles, $40 for couples. There will be an open bar (Beer, Wine, Pop only. Liquor is BYOB) and a delicious buffet.
The Prom is always the biggest event in our party season and this year will be no exception. This will also be the last party of the season as after the Prom, Lady's Night will go on hiatus until the fall. So you don't want to miss this!!
As always our changing rooms are available for you to use at the party. Hair and makeup appointment for the day of the Prom should be made as soon as possible because our salon will be fully booked that day. For more info on our salon, on the web go to:
http://www.mslisasdressingroom.com
For further information, such as availability of area hotels please contact Lisa at The Dressing Room (810) 286-0412, 1-8 PM M-F and 12-5 Saturday, or just send an email to SalonGirl@aol.com.
The Prom takes place in our private party loft in the Eastern Market District of Detroit. The area is very safe and secure.
NYC to consider banning anti-transgender bias
By Beth Gardiner, Associated Press, June 5, 2000
NEW YORK The City Council took up a proposal Monday to ban discrimination based on gender identity, a move advocates say would make New York City the 27th jurisdiction in the nation to offer legal protection to transgender people.
Supporters say the transgendered, who are not covered by an anti-bias law that protects gays and lesbians, suffer vicious abuse, harassment and discrimination that can keep them from getting jobs, housing and public services.
''They're perceived as freaks, and they're perceived as people making decisions about their lives that are off-the-wall,'' said Councilman Bill Perkins, a chief sponsor. ''There's a lot of prejudice. If these people were black, it would be called racism.''
Transgendered refers to transsexuals those who have had a sex-change operation or are planning to as well as cross-dressers and others who do not live fully in the sex in which they were born. The measure would also cover those known as gender variant, people whose identity is not clearly male or female.
Transgender people and other advocates spoke on the City Hall steps about the bias suffered by those who cross gender boundaries.
''I have been denied jobs, I have been denied services, I have been harassed, ... I have been attacked,'' said Carrie Davis, a counselor at the Lesbian and Gay Center.
When Davis, formerly a man, decided five years ago to live as a woman, her business partner at an architecture firm said he would no longer work with her and she was denied permission to see her two children, she said.
She became a gender identity counselor because she was unable to find other work as an architect. She said she is frequently jeered and harassed on the street and was once surrounded by a crowd that taunted her on a subway car.
''When somebody violently attacks me, there is protection against that, but when they stop short of that there is no protection,'' she said.
Perkins said he expected no trouble garnering support for the proposal from at least half of the City Council's 51 members. He offered it to the legislative body Monday afternoon, and it was sent to the Committee on General Welfare, which will hold hearings and then decide whether to send the bill to the full Council.
If the Council approves the proposal, it will go to Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, whose office said he has not yet taken a position.
The bill would amend the city's Human Rights Law to add gender identity and expression to the list of categories upon which discrimination may not legally be based.
Bias because of race, creed, age, national origin, gender, disability and sexual orientation, among other categories, is already outlawed. The law was last amended in 1987, when sexual orientation was added.
''Those laws need to be upgraded to make sure they protect every class, every New Yorker,'' said Councilman Guillermo Linares.
Michael Clendenin, a spokesman for the City Council, said he was not aware of any legislators who had announced their opposition to the bill. Many, however, were preoccupied Monday with an agreement on the city's new budget.
If the bill is passed, New York City would be the 27th jurisdiction to ban discrimination based on gender identity, said the New York Association for Gender Rights Advocacy.
Others include the state of Minnesota, San Francisco, New Orleans, Pittsburgh and Boulder, Colo.
Pauline Park of the New York Association for Gender Rights Advocacy said there was no reliable estimate of the number of transgender and gender variant people in New York City, but she guessed the number was as high as 50,000 to 100,000.
Eddie Izzard's new show promises more heels, frocks and sharp humor; Edward Guthmann, Chronicle Staff Writer; San Francisco Chronicle
When Eddie Izzard was growing up, he wanted to look like Raquel Welch -- the blouse-popping, architecturally perfect Raquel Welch from "Fantastic Voyage" and "One Million Years B.C." And if he couldn't have that, then he'd settle for Emma Peel, the lithe spy played by Diana Rigg in "The Avengers."
Izzard, 38, never got his wish, but in his one-man comedy shows -- the latest, "Circle," opens this week at the Curran -- he gets to disport himself in swell frocks, full war paint and festive shoes. It's a dream come true for Izzard, who says he's wanted to dress this way since he was 4.
"I didn't come out till I was 23," says Izzard, who's often called Britain's most successful stand-up comic, "and I still don't feel I've had my teenage years. So I've got a lot of catching up to do with skirts and makeup."
Izzard is a ground-breaker, and hysterically funny onstage. But he's not what he initially appears to be. Unlike a lot of men who wear female clothes onstage, he isn't gay, but a straight man who says he's perfectly comfortable with his sexuality. "I am actually attracted to women," Izzard said by telephone from Vancouver, British Columbia, where his concert tour made a recent stop. "And only to women. So that gets kind of confusing."
According to Izzard, who pronounces his name "Iz-ARD," the majority of transvestites are heterosexual. Ed Wood, the Hollywood director played by Johnny Depp in the 1994 Tim Burton film "Ed Wood," was one, but Izzard says it's common -- even among cops, truck drivers and military personnel.
"I don't call it drag," Izzard says, "because I'm not doing the drag-queen thing. It's my sexuality, not just the clothes I'm wearing."
Confused? Onstage, Izzard sometimes calls himself a "tomboy" or "a male lesbian." He dresses to feel like a woman, he says, even though he loves women and has no interest in changing his sex.
Six of Izzard's shows have been made into TV specials. The last, "Dress to Kill," was taped for HBO at the Stage Door Theatre in San Francisco in 1998 after a four-week run at the Cable Car Theatre.
The show covered a lot more ground than Izzard's sartorial habits. San Francisco, with its bizarre smoking laws, its lack of taxis, its frigid summer days and its pretentious way of calling itself "The City," came in for a volley of barbs. So did the British, the French, the Germans and all manner of grotesquerie, sham and poppycock.
KEEN COMIC IN A SKIRT
He's a terrific physical comedian, an astute social observer and so confident and dynamic onstage that one rapidly forgets that he's wearing thick makeup and women's clothes.
Inevitably, because there's no one else doing what he's doing, at least not on so large a scale, Izzard is identified by his visual style and sometimes accused of using it as a gimmick. "Someone wrote that my career wasn't doing great until I was a transvestite," he says, "which is a lie. It pisses me off greatly."
GOING PUBLIC AS A TRANSVESTITE
London has a huge number of comedy clubs. Before he ever wore a dress onstage, Izzard says, "I was shooting off the top of the circuit. I gradually announced to the press that I was TV. And it did cause a distinct amount of focus to come in.
"But it wasn't designed to do that. I mean, if it's such a good idea, then why isn't everyone doing it? Why isn't everyone in Hollywood coming out and saying they're gay and lesbian? It's my sexuality and I'm being honest about it.
"If it's a gimmick, I'm taking it enormously seriously."
Izzard, who's also acted in the films "Mystery Men" and "Velvet Goldmine," says he hopes to remove some of the stigma and mystique from transvestitism. "Comedy is a perfect place to do this, and I'm a perfect person to be a transvestite or to come out of that because I can be flip about it.
"I talk about being an 'action transvestite' or 'executive transvestite,' about total clothing rights and coming out, with these little sound bites and stupid ways of looking at it that spin it around. And, hopefully, if I present it that way, a lot of straight people who would find it confusing will go, 'Oh, he seems kind of relaxed' or 'I kind of like that.' "
On the street, where he's not always recognized, it can turn the opposite direction. Two years ago, Izzard took someone to court who called him names and assaulted him in front of a theater in Cambridge, England, where he'd just finished a sold-out three-night run.
"I told him to chill out, and then I got ticked off and told him where he could go, and how he could go there, and what he could do to get there. Some of my best invective strung together. And then he took a swing at me. He had four friends who jumped in. There were two women there, friends of mine, trying to pull them off."
The assailant was tried, found guilty of grievous bodily harm and fined 200 British pounds.
Izzard has a girlfriend, with whom he's shared an "on and off" relationship for several years. He doesn't like to talk about her but says that he often dresses in female clothing when he's with her at home or on the town.
Women are among his biggest fans: There's something in his bravery and outrageousness, he says, that takes them off guard, makes him less threatening. "Absolutely, they seem to be widely, wildly open to me." He even has his share of Stage Door Johnettes and love letters from women -- "the whole kit and caboodle."
Izzard lost his mother when he was much younger but says his dad, a former accountant with British Petroleum, couldn't be more supportive of his offbeat son.
"I took six years after coming out until I told him. Having heard some of the horror stories from gay men and women about family reaction, I was afraid. But he was just the coolest dad. He wrote me a letter saying he thought it was OK, and he said my mother, if she were still alive, would have felt the same way.
"He's my personal Nelson Mandela," Izzard says. "I say a lot of things to sort of put myself down before anyone else says it, self-deprecating remarks like 'Oh, I'm a weirdo.' And my dad's caught me doing that and said, `Don't say that.' "
Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund Press Release, May 23, 2000 School Safety Bill Passes in New Hampshire
Gay and Lesbian Legislative Caucus Was Key, Victory Fund Notes
WASHINGTON The New Hampshire Legislature has passed a sweeping school safety bill designed to protect all students from harassment and violence, according to the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund. The Victory Fund credits openly gay and lesbian lawmakers and their fair-minded non-gay allies for leading the successful effort; all five members of the Legislature's gay and lesbian caucus testified for the bill and worked for its passage. New Hampshire Gov. Jeanne Shaheen is expected to sign the bill.
"Thanks largely to the leadership of openly gay and lesbian elected officials and their courageous colleagues, New Hampshire's young people will be able to focus on their education rather than facing intimidation," said Victory Fund Executive Director Brian K. Bond. "Of any state in America, New Hampshire has the largest contingent of openly gay and lesbian state lawmakers and has made some of the clearest legislative progress toward equality. That's no coincidence."
The measure requires local school boards to take action to prevent and remedy incidents of violence, harassment and discrimination on any basis. Any school employee or outside contractor who witnesses harassment will be required to report it and the school will be obliged to take action. Students targeted for unfair treatment because of their religion, race, gender, actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity, or any other reason will now have recourse a marked contrast with the current situation. Under the new law, school employees will also receive professional training for dealing with minority populations, specifically including gay and lesbian students.
The measure's prime sponsor was New Hampshire's only openly gay or lesbian state senator, Rick Trombly (D-Boscawen), whom the Victory Fund is supporting in his current re-election bid. Trombly's race is expected to be closely fought.
According to Trombly, the measure is crucial because without it, schools are not held responsible for harassment and particularly in cases in which such misconduct is based on sexual orientation or gender identity school administrators are often hesitant to take appropriate action to ensure student safety.
"This is a simple issue of fairness for New Hampshire students and their families," said Trombly. "No one should have to face harassment in school for any reason, whether it is because of who they are, what they believe or anything else for that matter."
The bill originally passed the Senate on March 30 by a unanimous voice vote of 24 to zero. It then went to the House where it was amended and passed by a vote of 233 to 113 on May 4. It then was sent back to the Senate where final passage occurred on May 11, again by a unanimous voice vote.
Speaker/Program schedule subject to change
June 2000
24 - Crystal Club regular meeting
July 2000
14 - Crystal Club business meeting
22 - Crystal Club regular meeting
August 2000
11 - Crystal Club business meeting
26 - Crystal Club regular meeting
September 2000
8 - Crystal Club business meeting
23 - Crystal Club regular meeting
October 2000
13 - Crystal Club business meeting
28 - Crystal Club regular meeting
The Crystal Chronicle is the official newsletter of the Crystal Club. The Chronicle is published and mailed a week prior to the regularly scheduled meeting. Complementary copies of the Chronicle may be obtained by contacting a club officer or any club member. News items for the Chronicle should be mailed to Kelly Davidson before the end of each month. Her e-mail address is: Kelly@tgender.net Please specify in the subject field that this is an article for the newsletter.
Copyright (C) 2000 by the Crystal Club, Kelly Davidson, Editor. All rights reserved. Articles and information contained in The Crystal Chronicle may be reprinted by other non-profit organizations without advanced permission, provided the author and source is cited and a copy of the issue containing the reprinted material is sent to the Crystal Club within two months of publication. The opinions or statements contained in the Crystal Chronicle are those of the authors’ and do not necessarily reflect the views of the editor or the Crystal Club. Furthermore, neither the Crystal Club nor the Crystal Chronicle editor assume responsibility for any consequences resulting either directly or indirectly either from advice or from any of the material contained in this newsletter. Contributions of articles are encouraged but may be altered with the author’s intent retained or may be rejected, whether solicited or not. Absolutely no sexually explicit material will be accepted or printed. Contributions may be electronically mailed directly to the editor at ccnl@stargate.com, or sent to the postal address above.