peggygee
05-31-2007, 02:10 AM
Activist Cheryl Courtney-Evans says many transgender people, especially
people of color, face job discrimination and often resort to prostitution to
pay for basic necessities such as food and shelter. (Photo by Zack
Hudson)
http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l2/magi43/courtney-evanscheryl.jpg
New initiatives seek jobs for trans people
Sparked by crackdown on trans prostitutes,
activists seek ways to find
legal employment
By DYANA BAGBY
MAY. 25, 2007
MORE INFO:
Officer Darlene Harris
Atlanta Police Department gay liaison
404-817-6710
queer progressive agenda
qpa@mindspring.com
http://www.southernvoice.com/2007/5-25/news/localnews/6970.cfm
Transgender prostitutes working the streets of Midtown have drawn the ire of numerous residents tired of seeing them in their neighborhoods.
Two proposed initiatives — one by queer and trans activists and another by the Atlanta Police Department — hope to quell that resentment by helping the sex workers find legitimate jobs.
The Queer Progressive Agenda and transgender activists and allies are starting a Transgender People of Color Workers Project. The project seeks to join forces with gay business organizations to find employers willing to hire transgender employees as well as offer job training, tips on writing a resume and help with interview strategies. The project is also compiling a database of available jobs.
And the Atlanta Police Department is slated to hold a job fair later this year specifically for transgender people and bring in employers who won’t discriminate against a person based on gender identity.
Both initiatives were sparked by a crackdown by the APD approximately a year ago. Working with the Midtown Neighborhood Association, officers worked to reduce sex workers in the area, including many trans women.
APD Officer Darlene Harris, the gay liaison for the department, said she became frustrated seeing members of the community — including gay people — stigmatize transgender sex workers, but she also understood residents wanting to keep their neighborhoods safe.
The sex workers “weren’t going anywhere because of discrimination they faced trying to find jobs, so we thought it would be great to get employers together and help them so they don’t feel the need to be on the street,” Harris said.
As far as any recent police stings on transgender sex workers, Harris said this week she has not heard of any reports for some time.
“It’s been pretty quiet on that front,” she said.
RIPPLE EFFECT
Numerous national studies from groups such as the National Center for Transgender Equality, the National Center for Lesbian Rights and the Transgender Law Center all reach the same conclusion: transgender people, especially those of color, have a difficult time finding legitimate jobs.
The stigma and discrimination transgender people face in the workforce is undeniable, said Atlanta transgender activist Cheryl Courtney-Evans. Transgender people either have to lie about their sex on a job application or, when honest with a prospective employer about their gender identity, risk not being called back for an interview, she said.
So when it comes to paying for food, shelter and other necessities, many trans women of color will hit the streets and sell their bodies to make the money needed to survive, she acknowledged.
“We have played a great role in our movement, i.e. Stonewall, so why are we on the backburner now?” she asked. “It’s easy to point the finger at the girls [on the streets], but the same people who are fighting for ENDA — you think it’s rough on you? What do you think about us?”
Often, the studies cite, trans people become disgusted and exhausted trying to find legal employment and feel their only option is to become a sex worker. This path frequently leads to drug abuse, higher risks for HIV and other STDs, and the potential to become a victim of violence, Courtney-Evans said.
“For trans individuals in Atlanta, what everything boiled down to is joblessness,” she said.
“And this has a ripple effect — the girls are needing to provide for basic human necessities and find themselves doing street work. If we can help them find a job, it will knock down other dominoes,” she added.
Finding trans prostitutes a job is a win-win situation for everyone, she said.
“There will be fewer girls on the streets for Midtown to beef on and there will be more tax-paying citizens. And with less sex work there is less spread of AIDS,” Courtney-Evans said. “And the employers will have loyal employees because these girls will be given a chance they don’t usually get.”
The Transgender People of Color Workers Project is designed to help end the cycle of homelessness, poverty and imprisonment that transgender workers of color face because of the systemic biases against their race, class, gender transgression and perceived sexuality, said Deepali Gokhale, a QPA founding member.
“We did a focus group of six or seven transgender people of color at the LaGender office and the thing that came up most often was the need to get employment,” she said.
“Racism, homophobia, sexism — these all converge on trans people of color. They end up in a cycle that is self-perpetuating. We’re hoping the LGBT community responds and those with the resources and privilege can help pull them out.”
‘NOT LOOKING FOR HANDOUTS’
An informal survey of approximately 20 transgender sex workers in Midtown found most say job discrimination is their number one problem in getting a life off the street, according to Courtney-Evans.
During a recent night of passing out condoms to the sex workers, Courtney-Evans said she asked the trans sex workers three questions: would you be willing to part of a job program, do you have a high school diploma or GED, and what job experience do you have.
“Of the 20, 18 answered, ‘Hell yeah,’ to the first question. Seventeen had at least a GED. One of the girls used to work in nursing, another at Macy’s, others worked as telemarketers,” Courtney-Evans said.
But when they moved to Atlanta to live their lives as transgender women, it was as though the employment welcome mat was pulled out from under their feet, Coutney-Evans said.
“We’re not looking for handouts,” she stressed. “We’re just wanting to help our trans sisters come out, get gainful employment so they can hold their head up and have a little more self-esteem.”
Shirley Adams, a board member of the lesbian networking group Fourth Tuesday, said her organization wants to help with TPOC any way it can, including posting jobs on its website. She also noted Fourth Tuesday has had a trans woman, Shelly Emerson, as its president.
“[TPOC] is a loving and forward thinking response to some of Midtown’s concerns,” Adams said. “This initiative helps us focus on doing our job better. While we’re uncertain what specifically we can do, our goal is to always be more inclusive. This is a significant issue.”
The gay business group the Atlanta Executive Network as well as the Atlanta Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce also hope to work on TPOC.
“We obviously think this group has challenges some of us don’t have,” said Rick Kern, vice president of the AGLCC. “But it is important for us to support this
people of color, face job discrimination and often resort to prostitution to
pay for basic necessities such as food and shelter. (Photo by Zack
Hudson)
http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l2/magi43/courtney-evanscheryl.jpg
New initiatives seek jobs for trans people
Sparked by crackdown on trans prostitutes,
activists seek ways to find
legal employment
By DYANA BAGBY
MAY. 25, 2007
MORE INFO:
Officer Darlene Harris
Atlanta Police Department gay liaison
404-817-6710
queer progressive agenda
qpa@mindspring.com
http://www.southernvoice.com/2007/5-25/news/localnews/6970.cfm
Transgender prostitutes working the streets of Midtown have drawn the ire of numerous residents tired of seeing them in their neighborhoods.
Two proposed initiatives — one by queer and trans activists and another by the Atlanta Police Department — hope to quell that resentment by helping the sex workers find legitimate jobs.
The Queer Progressive Agenda and transgender activists and allies are starting a Transgender People of Color Workers Project. The project seeks to join forces with gay business organizations to find employers willing to hire transgender employees as well as offer job training, tips on writing a resume and help with interview strategies. The project is also compiling a database of available jobs.
And the Atlanta Police Department is slated to hold a job fair later this year specifically for transgender people and bring in employers who won’t discriminate against a person based on gender identity.
Both initiatives were sparked by a crackdown by the APD approximately a year ago. Working with the Midtown Neighborhood Association, officers worked to reduce sex workers in the area, including many trans women.
APD Officer Darlene Harris, the gay liaison for the department, said she became frustrated seeing members of the community — including gay people — stigmatize transgender sex workers, but she also understood residents wanting to keep their neighborhoods safe.
The sex workers “weren’t going anywhere because of discrimination they faced trying to find jobs, so we thought it would be great to get employers together and help them so they don’t feel the need to be on the street,” Harris said.
As far as any recent police stings on transgender sex workers, Harris said this week she has not heard of any reports for some time.
“It’s been pretty quiet on that front,” she said.
RIPPLE EFFECT
Numerous national studies from groups such as the National Center for Transgender Equality, the National Center for Lesbian Rights and the Transgender Law Center all reach the same conclusion: transgender people, especially those of color, have a difficult time finding legitimate jobs.
The stigma and discrimination transgender people face in the workforce is undeniable, said Atlanta transgender activist Cheryl Courtney-Evans. Transgender people either have to lie about their sex on a job application or, when honest with a prospective employer about their gender identity, risk not being called back for an interview, she said.
So when it comes to paying for food, shelter and other necessities, many trans women of color will hit the streets and sell their bodies to make the money needed to survive, she acknowledged.
“We have played a great role in our movement, i.e. Stonewall, so why are we on the backburner now?” she asked. “It’s easy to point the finger at the girls [on the streets], but the same people who are fighting for ENDA — you think it’s rough on you? What do you think about us?”
Often, the studies cite, trans people become disgusted and exhausted trying to find legal employment and feel their only option is to become a sex worker. This path frequently leads to drug abuse, higher risks for HIV and other STDs, and the potential to become a victim of violence, Courtney-Evans said.
“For trans individuals in Atlanta, what everything boiled down to is joblessness,” she said.
“And this has a ripple effect — the girls are needing to provide for basic human necessities and find themselves doing street work. If we can help them find a job, it will knock down other dominoes,” she added.
Finding trans prostitutes a job is a win-win situation for everyone, she said.
“There will be fewer girls on the streets for Midtown to beef on and there will be more tax-paying citizens. And with less sex work there is less spread of AIDS,” Courtney-Evans said. “And the employers will have loyal employees because these girls will be given a chance they don’t usually get.”
The Transgender People of Color Workers Project is designed to help end the cycle of homelessness, poverty and imprisonment that transgender workers of color face because of the systemic biases against their race, class, gender transgression and perceived sexuality, said Deepali Gokhale, a QPA founding member.
“We did a focus group of six or seven transgender people of color at the LaGender office and the thing that came up most often was the need to get employment,” she said.
“Racism, homophobia, sexism — these all converge on trans people of color. They end up in a cycle that is self-perpetuating. We’re hoping the LGBT community responds and those with the resources and privilege can help pull them out.”
‘NOT LOOKING FOR HANDOUTS’
An informal survey of approximately 20 transgender sex workers in Midtown found most say job discrimination is their number one problem in getting a life off the street, according to Courtney-Evans.
During a recent night of passing out condoms to the sex workers, Courtney-Evans said she asked the trans sex workers three questions: would you be willing to part of a job program, do you have a high school diploma or GED, and what job experience do you have.
“Of the 20, 18 answered, ‘Hell yeah,’ to the first question. Seventeen had at least a GED. One of the girls used to work in nursing, another at Macy’s, others worked as telemarketers,” Courtney-Evans said.
But when they moved to Atlanta to live their lives as transgender women, it was as though the employment welcome mat was pulled out from under their feet, Coutney-Evans said.
“We’re not looking for handouts,” she stressed. “We’re just wanting to help our trans sisters come out, get gainful employment so they can hold their head up and have a little more self-esteem.”
Shirley Adams, a board member of the lesbian networking group Fourth Tuesday, said her organization wants to help with TPOC any way it can, including posting jobs on its website. She also noted Fourth Tuesday has had a trans woman, Shelly Emerson, as its president.
“[TPOC] is a loving and forward thinking response to some of Midtown’s concerns,” Adams said. “This initiative helps us focus on doing our job better. While we’re uncertain what specifically we can do, our goal is to always be more inclusive. This is a significant issue.”
The gay business group the Atlanta Executive Network as well as the Atlanta Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce also hope to work on TPOC.
“We obviously think this group has challenges some of us don’t have,” said Rick Kern, vice president of the AGLCC. “But it is important for us to support this