New York City | THE GUERRILLA ANGEL REPORT by Lexie Cannes

January 7, 2013 • 10:44 PM 3

Transitioning trans teacher told she was “worse than gay” and banned from public events

Transitioning teacher told “worse than gay” (Photo: Business Insider)

THE GUERRILLA ANGEL REPORT — An instructor for 32 years at St. Francis Prep in New York City, Mark Krolikowski, was also later fired from the school. The Catholic school’s attorney stated that “[h]is employment was terminated for appropriate non-discriminatory reasons.” The attorney reportedly stated the reason was not due to gender identity.

The news report I looked at was rather vague — likely the school wasn’t talking, nor was I able to find additional information elsewhere, however Krolikowski is planning to sue the school and the attorney for Krolikowski, Andrew Kimler, says his client is protected under city and state discrimination laws.

A parental complaint lead to a meeting between Krolikowski and his boss, during which Krolikowski revealed the beginning of her transition to a woman. She was then told by the principal, Brother Leonard Conway, that it was “worse than [being] gay” and ordered to stay away from public events as a woman.

I hope more information becomes available on this soon.

Since she is currently presenting in both female and male attire and accessories, I’m using female pronouns.

Transitioning teacher told “worse than gay” (Photo: Business Insider)

http://abcnews.go.com/US/transgender-teacher-sues-catholic-school-firing/story?id=18153937#.UOu2VlI_eJ8

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Filed under: Discrimination, Equality, Civil Rights, Policy, Administrative, Transgender, Transsexual, Trans, Andrew Kimler, Brother Leonard Conway, Catholic, Mark Krolikowski, New York City, school, St. Francis Prep, worse than gay

April 28, 2012 • 12:39 AM 2

U.S. Justice Department honors trans activist Victoria Cruz

Victoria Cruz (Photo – NY Daily News)

THE GUERRILLA ANGEL REPORT — Last week Attorney General Eric Holder honored trans activist Victoria Cruz and 11 others at National Crime Victims’ Service Awards ceremony in Washington D.C.

Cruz began as an activist in 1997 when she reported the nursing home coworkers harassing her. This ultimately ended in two successful convictions. Shortly thereafter, she started working as a counselor with New York City’s Anti-Violence Project helping other victims in the LGBT community, making it her life’s work.

Cruz: “For me it’s very humbling and I’m honored, but to me all of this is also very healing. . . . This award is very positive. It makes the invisible, very visible. It allows our community to know the services that are there for them, to show our community that when they are in darkness they can always come to light.”

More about Cruz’s background from The Huffington Post: Victoria Cruz, Latina Transgender, Given Award From Justice Department For Her Work With Abuse Victims.

Victoria Cruz (Photo – NY Daily News)

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You’re welcome to share this entire article!
Follow this topic and others on Lexie Cannes’ Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/lexiecannes
Get the transgender-themed feature film “Lexie Cannes“ here:
http://www.LexieCannes.com

Filed under: Discrimination, Equality, Civil Rights, Transgender, Transsexual, Trans, Anti-Violence Project, Attorney General Eric Holder, National Crime Victims’ Service Awards, New York City, trans activist, trans community, Victoria Cruz

April 9, 2012 • 2:11 AM 3

Judge tells NYC health dept. to loosen up on transgender birth certificate case

Manhattan state Supreme Court Justice Paul G. Feinman

THE GUERRILLA ANGEL REPORT — A 70-year-old trans man had sex reassignment surgery (SRS) but the New York City Health Department was giving him the runaround when it came to changing his birth certificate. So Louis Birney took them to court. In a ruling, state Supreme Court Justice Paul G. Feinman agreed with Birney and gave the city a scolding:

From the Associated Press: [Feinman's] ruling faulted the Health Department for not providing “a clear, straightforward list” of requirements for changing a birth certificate. And he suggested that calling for psychological records amounted to overreaching for information and underappreciating what it takes to change genders.”It does not seem very likely that an individual would go through all the years of required preparation for surgical transition, including psychotherapy, undergo major surgery, assume life under his or her new gender, and then decide it was all a mistake and change back,” Feinman wrote. “This apparent assumption tends to suggest a certain ignorance by the department of the lengthy transition process and the lives and experience of transgender people.”

Erica Kagan, Birney’s lawyer: “I hope that the Department of Health will really take this to heart and really see that the court is, in this decision, recognizing the importance of respecting the identities of transgender individuals.”

While it is not quite clear what the city is going to do in reaction to the ruling, but changes are expected. Trans advocates in NYC are also hoping the city eventually drops the surgery requirement as well.

The Associated Press: NYC rapped in transgender birth certificate case.

NYC Health Dept scolded by judge over birth certificate delays.

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Filed under: Discrimination, Equality, Civil Rights, Transgender, Transsexual, Trans, birth certificate, Erica Kagan, health dept., judge, Louis Birney, New York City, Paul G. Feinman, sex reassignment surgery, srs, transsexual

March 20, 2012 • 1:34 AM 0

A look into the prevalence of Asian transgender sex workers in America

(Photo credit - Tiana Markova-Gold)

THE GUERRILLA ANGEL REPORT — Trans sex workers who are American citizens usually engage in the practice only when there are no other options — very few actually choose to become one. However, in the case of Asian trans women in America, there are other reasons for doing so — most common: no papers. It is the easiest way to make a lot of money without having legal status, especially if one is supporting family in the home country. Others find prostitution an escape from having to deal with heterosexual people, bypassing the need to bring up their trans status.

Filipino sex workers in particular like the anti-discrimination laws here that protects even them, rather than being back at home and facing public ridicule and oppression from the dominating Catholic Church just for being transgender. New York City is considered a safe place by many sex workers — just the meeting of many others like themselves affords a sense of protection and a community for expression.

Clients easily found on Craigslist brings in up to $300 an hour they say. But the upkeep is expensive too – clothing, surgery, and other expensive upgrades to one’s look to attract clients.

But then, there’s the downside — violence, drugs, arrests, deportation – all unavoidable mental health stress fostering the decline of physical health. There isn’t a trans-specific Filipino American organization to help those that come to America even though trans advocates say there is a need for one. But just the same, Filipino trans women would avoid a Filipino organization because of the negative cultural stigma of being exposed as prostitute and/or transgender in the Filipino community.

I do wonder what happens when health or age bring about the end of their days as a sex worker? Is there a community waiting for them here, or do they mostly go home?

More on the lack of Filipino American organizations for trans sex workers: http://thefilam.net/2012/03/18/theres-no-filam-organization-advocating-for-transgender-women/