On June 7^th, the Connecticut P.R.I.D.E executive committee received an letter from Senator Lieberman regarding Hate Crimes and New Haven P.R.I.D.E. [Senator Lieberman’s letter can be found in the body of this email and a scanned copy of his letter is attached]. Those of us on the Executive P.R.I.D.E. Committee agreed not to read his letter at New Haven P.R.I.D.E. for it stated “sexual orientation” and omitted any reference to “gender identity and _expression”. This is especially disconcerting since he was previously informed that the New Haven PRIDE was sponsoring a vigil for Jessica Mercado, the brutally murdered New Haven TransWoman and a sub theme was Stop the Hate – Educate and Legislate!

The Connecticut TransAdvocacy Coalition has agreed to respond to Senator Lieberman. After you read Senator Lieberman’s letter and our response, we hope you will agree that his comments cannot go unanswered. We urge you and your organization to sign onto this open letter. If you agree please respond no later than Wednesday June 25 by return email to advocacy@transadvocacy.com. Thank you for your consideration of this very important request.

Regards,

Jerimarie Liesegang, PhD

The Connecticut TransAdvocacy Coalition, Director

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Open letter to Senator Lieberman…..

Dear Senator Lieberman,

We the undersigned thank you for your letter and statement that Hate Crime legislation is an important and critical issue in the fight against bigotry and hate. As you noted: “While laws alone cannot turn bigotry and hatred into love and understanding, they can make clear to all Americans, and especially our children, that we respect people in all their diversity and will not stand by while people are targeted because of who they are.”

However, we are very concerned that in your list of protected classes you include sexual orientation, though omit “gender identity and _expression”. As you know, a TransWoman, Jessica Mercado, was brutally murdered on May 9, 2003 in New Haven Connecticut. In fact, another transwoman Tanesha Thomas was also brutally murdered on May 22, 2003 in Birmingham, Alabama. The National Transgender Remembering Our Dead Project has recently begun coordinating the monitoring of probable Hate Crime Murders against Trans-Identified individuals. As a community, they had realized that these murders very rarely received media attention, police reporting/investigation or comprehensive vigilance in the investigation and prosecution of the perpetrators. Nationally, the Transgender community experiences over 1.5 anti-transgender hate crime murders per month; and appears to be approaching the epidemic level of 2 per month. We must also note that a large number of these are, and increasingly against, our youth [17, 18, 19 …]

As you noted, legislation alone is not the answer, though it makes a critical and mandatory step in the overall message to “STOP THE HATE – EDUCATE AND LEGISLATE!” The LGBT community is diverse, and tragically an increasing number in the community are victimized solely for transgressing the gender boundaries! Consequently, anti-bias LGBT Hate Crime legislation must be inclusive of “ Gender Identity and Expression as well as Sexual Orientation.”

In conclusion, we the undersigned, request that your letter be revised to include “gender identity and expression” as part of those who are victims of such hate crimes. We hope that as a Connecticut State Senator and Presidential Candidate you understand this need and be an advocate and supporter of such inclusiveness. Additionally we hope that you will agree to meet with some of us to further discuss this critically important issue and assuring its inclusion in any Federal Hate Crimes Legislation.

Thank you.

Jerimarie Liesegang, PhD

The Connecticut TransAdvocacy Coalition, Director

Supporting Organizations and Allies

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Dear Friends:

While my schedule does not allow me to participate in Connecticut P.R.I.D.E.'s New Haven Block Party, I would like to take this opportunity to welcome all of those who have gathered for this important day of education and sharing.

As a United States Senator, it is my job to help craft the legislation that reflects our shared values and helps steer this nation. While laws alone cannot turn bigotry and hatred into love and understanding, they can make clear to all Americans, and especially our children, that we respect people in all their diversity and will not stand by while people are targeted because of who they are.

When any one of us is victimized simply on the basis of our sexual orientation, race, gender, disability, or national origin, it is an assault on us all and an attack on our common ideals. It’s no mistake that America is at once the most diverse and the strongest nation in the world. Diversity leads to tolerance. Tolerance, to respect. And respect, to cooperation and community. Events like today’s block party help to show clearly that we are all part of the same strong community.

Again, best wishes to all who have gathered for this special day.

Sincerely,

Joseph I. Lieberman
United States Senator