I would like to
thank the Chairs Senator Andrew McDonald and Representative Michael Lawlor,
Ranking members Senator John Kissel and Representative Robert Farr and other
members of the Judiciary Committee for allowing me to speak in support of Raised
Bill No. 6390.
My name is Jerimarie
Liesegang and I am speaking on behalf of the Connecticut TransAdvocacy Coalition
and myself. I have long been
involved within the community, on the leadership committee’s of a number of
prominent Connecticut and National organizations, spoken on many panels and
events, as well as written extensively on the issues facing the Trans-Identified
community.
I am here to tell you that
Transphobia is Alive and Well! This
is a horribly sad statement, though I hope my testimony will provide some
insight into the fear and hatred our community routinely encounters.
From a personal
perspective, I encounter Transphobia routinely.
Be it simple snickers and mumbling comments to abusive, derogatory and
threatening actions. Not atypical,
I have been physically threatened and assaulted.
Two such examples are:
From
a national perspective, transphobic hate crimes occur daily ranging from Class 3
to Class 1 Hate Crimes resulting in severe injury or death; with many of these
hate crimes experienced by our youth. Our
community suffers an average of 1.5 deaths a month due to anti-transgender hate,
bigotry and bias.
And
so, you may: Show me the reports
and statistics. In response, I
would like to quote Roger Coggan, LA’s Director of Legal Services and Public
Policy:
“Crimes
against transgender people continue to be underreported.
We’ve done targeted outreach to the transgender community, which has
resulted in a doubling of the number of reported hate crimes, but we know that's
just the tip of the iceberg. Many transgender people are still afraid they are
going to be re-victimized by law enforcement and service providers. We need to
send the message that the transgender community is part of our community."
Examples
of such revictimization by law enforcement and service providers are:
When
my partner and I were severely beaten in Miami I was directly asked: “Do I
want Medical treatment or to file a complaint”, I said No!
Images of Tyra Hunter or the police officers who have snickered at my
being a transwoman passed through my mind.
Also I thought: would two transwomen be believed over two middle class
white men from Ohio? I was safer
going back to my hotel to heal rather than trust a society or a medical and
legal system that marginalizes the trans-identified person.
I will always regret not reporting this crime, though I will always
remember my fear that still exists today!
And
for these reasons, and many more, my community and I implore you to pass this
imperative and progressive legislation. And
if you say, this doesn’t occur in Connecticut – You are wrong! it just
nearly universally never gets reported, for reasons I hope you understand. And
if you say sexual orientation statutes protect us, I can only say that such
statements and thinking are what marginalizes my community and its people, in
the eyes of society, the law and the medical systems.
This is why passage of this bill
is imperative!
Thank you,
Connecticut TransAdvocacy
Coalition