Connections between Transgender Equality and Immigrant Rights

1. Crossing Borders
CONNECTIONS BETWEEN TRANSGENDER
EQUALITY AND IMMIGRANT RIGHTS
MACEO PERSSON
KRISTINA WERTZ
TRANSGENDER LAW CENTER
BASIC RIGHTS OREGON

2. GOALS
 Draw connections between movements for trans
equality and immigrant rights
 Explore tactics used to divide our communities
 Take action!

3. Crossing the Border
Nationality Sex and Gender
 Everyone has a legal  Everyone has a legal
nationality. documented sex.
 They are usually  Sex is usually determined
determined by your place by your physical body at
of birth. birth.
 Many people take long  Many people take a long
journeys to cross the process to transition, and
US/Mexico Border. for many there is no
definitive end point.

4. Crossing the Border
Nation Sex and Gender
 Many People are  Many People are
murdered for crossing murdered for
the border. transitioning.

5. Becoming Legal
Getting Legal Getting Legal
Recognition of Recognition of Gender
Citizenship Identity
 Decades of living in the  Prove gender identity to
US while undocumented. doctors and therapists.
Often have to get their
 Spend thousands of
permission to start
dollars on legal fees and medical and legal
extra taxes. transition.
 Spending thousands of
 Take a naturalization test.
dollars on medical and
legal work.

6. Transitioning as an Immigrant
Barriers
 California has a process  Pervasive discrimination
to get a legal name and means many immigrants
gender change regardless can’t afford name &
of immigration status. gender change fees.
 Many immigrants can’t
 Immigrants are expected afford the medical costs
to begin this process at associated with
the start of their legal transitioning.
immigration process.
 Many immigrants don’t
have access to their old
ID’s.

7. Common Issues
We both…
 Face discrimination when searching for employment,
often under or unemployed.
 Often have to work underground, dangerous and
unprotected work environment.
 Are harmed by efforts to increase identification
requirements
 Difficulty accessing anything when an ID is
required.

8. Common Opponents
Capitol Resource
Institute

9. WEDGE ISSUES
Not just a controversial
issue. Rather, an issue
that is carefully framed
to play on people‟s
fears and exploit
racism, sexism,
homophobia,
transphobia, etc.

10. CONSOLIDATION OF POWER
BY THE FAR RIGHT
The Right moved a MULTI ISSUE AGENDA that
does violence to many…
IMMIGRANTS
PEOPLE OF COLOR
LOW INCOME FOLKS
LGBT PEOPLE
WOMEN And divided these
communities against
each other…

11. “Protecting Families”
Trans equality
 Anti Discrimination
 Public accommodations
Criminal Justice
 3 Strikes Laws
 Tough on Crime
Immigration
 Sanctuary Cities
 Immigration Reform
Affirmative Action
 Protecting “our” jobs

12. Scapegoating
Trans Community
-Deconstruction of „family values‟
Immigrant -Bathroom panic
Community
-Taking away our
right to provide for
our families
-„Homeland
security‟
-Threatening our
neighborhoods

13. “THEM”
“US”

14. WE ALL KNOW WHAT IT
FEELS LIKE TO…
 Live under laws that say we are less human
 Be a scapegoat for society‟s problems
 Be afraid for the security of our families
 Feel vulnerable and unsafe because of
policies, institutions and attitudes that keep us
on the margins