by Christopher Kaufman

      MONTPELIER — Come OUT! Be Visible! Tuesday, March 14 is our Annual Queer Visibility Day at the State House in Montpelier. This year, our day is the first day back in session after the Legislators take their annual winter break for Town Meeting Day. For the third year running, R.U.1.2? is co-sponsoring and organizing the day with Equality Vermont.
       At press time, the Center and numerous ad hoc activists working under the name "Vermont TransAction" are anxiously awaiting word on whether our top legislative priority for 2006 will emerge from the House Judiciary Committee and proceed to the full House of Representatives for a vote. It is our hope that by the time you receive this, An Act Relating to Nondiscrimination H.865 (formerly H.478) will have passed the House and moved on to the Senate. If so, Visibility Day will focus our attention on the 30 Senators who have the power to help protect transgender and gender-variant Vermonters from discrimination in education, housing, employment, credit and other venues.
       Last year, over 100 Vermonters attended Visibility Day, including a large group of high school students from all the way down in Bennington. Leaving home before the sun came up, the group drove more than three hours each way to be at the statehouse in time for the morning session at 8:00 am. This year, as in past years, attendees at Visibility Day will have the opportunity to learn about LGBTQ organizations in Vermont, be recognized and introduced from the floor of the House of Representatives, attend skill building workshops on Vermont's legislative process, and most importantly, have the opportunity to speak directly to your elected officials.
      H.865 is an important piece of legislation and Vermont's transgender community has been waiting too many years to see its passage into law.
      Originally proposed in the mid-nineties, the protections in this legislation were initially delayed to make way for the legislative battle over same-sex marriage. Now, in 2006, we are closer than we've ever been to providing this protection for our transgender friends and neighbors. Join us at the Statehouse this year and help us to make the final push!

We want to know that you are coming! RSVP to Christopher@ru12.org or call 802.860.7812 to tell us that you are coming. We'll help you identify your legislators and set up lunch meetings with them.