Dallas CAPE News ISSUE 02 May 2015 This Issue Dallas CAPE Charter Meeting and Lunch Dallas CAPE Charter Meeting? P.1 “This Is My Story” P.2 Coming Out As Bi P.2 News, Tips & Opportunities P.3 Coming Out To Your Doctor P.4 Quotable Quotes Join us Friday, May 15, 2015, for an important membership meeting and lunch. We will formally adopt the organizational by-laws for CAPE, enroll charter members, and elect officers for the organization. Get to know your fellow CAPE members and be a part of this exciting step for our group! Charter Meeting Friday, May 15, 2015, 12:00 PM “At some point in our lifetime, gay marriage won't be an issue, and everyone who stood against this civil right will look as outdated as George Wallace standing on the school steps keeping James Hood from entering the University of Alabama because he was black..” -George Clooney Latino Cultural Center 2600 Live Oak Street To RSVP for lunch, go to http://cape20150515.rsvpify.com The Steering Committee would like your input on our proposed by-laws. To see this document, go to http://dallascape.org/wp-content/ uploads/2015/05/CAPE-Bylaws-Draft-2015-05-04.pdf Please provide any comments or suggestions you may have by Friday, May 8, at 5:00 PM by emailing [email protected]. The steering committee will review feedback from the group prior to the Charter Meeting and make any necessary amendments. Spread the word! Encourage interested colleagues to join us on May 15! “It takes no compromise to give people their rights...it takes no money to respect the individual. It takes no political deal to give people freedom. It takes no survey to remove repression. ” -Harvey Milk “If you believe in equality, if you believe in standing up for the rights of all, especially for people most affected by bigotry and discrimination, then you have no choice but to be present and accounted for when it comes to standing up for gays and lesbians in our society.” -Michael Moore This Is My Story... Coming Out As Bi Cecilia V. Mendoza, White Rock Hills Library Page Is 16 years old really too young to tell who they are? What they want to be? Or what they desire in life? During her freshman year at Bryan Adams High School, Cecilia V. Mendoza thought she “went through a phase”. “I thought it was a phase that happens to few people in their life, but that feeling and interest came back,” said Cecilia. She knew who she was and defined her purpose in life when she was a junior. She recognized herself as a bisexual woman with big dreams in mind. The official and completely private. And some health care facilities and LGBT community cen- logo of National ters can provide you with names of professionals who include a focus on LGBT Coming Out people as one of their specialties. You can always call and ask!) Day— celebrated every October 11th in the Sometimes we must even come out more United States—is a cute drawing by Keith Haring of a person exiting a closet. If only than once to the same person, to clarify what we have said, or to overcome their coming out were that simple: something done easily and only once, and once denial. done, complete. We may also need to come out more than once if we experience a shift in our On the contrary, coming out is a complex process. We come out to ourselves. We own identity. Someone formerly identified as gay may decide that the word come out to our parents, our friends, our neighbors, our parents’ friends, and the bisexual is a better fit. Or vice versa. Or you might have fallen in love with one friends of our neighbors. We come out to our immediate and extended family. We particular man when you had previously only fallen in love with women. Or vice come out to our classmates, our coworkers and our health providers. versa. Cecilia, now 21, is a full time student at Eastfield College and has formed a club called Eastfield College Gay Straight Alliance, EFCGSA- currently in its third year of existence. On top of that, she is a part time worker for the Dallas Public Library and volunteers on her off day to join the Reading Partners at her old elementary school, J. W. Ray. And coming out is not simply a one-time Finally, not only bisexual people must come out. Once we are out to friends and event. It is something done repeatedly throughout our lives. We must weigh the family, they too must deal with questions of whether, how and to whom they will benefits and risks of coming out to every new friend, family member, employer, share information about us. coworker and so on. The stakes can be high. Unlike people with gay or straight Why come out? Some of us come out because they feel the alternative is mis- identities, we must decide when and whether to come out to potential roman- understanding. This is particularly true for bisexuals, as we are so rarely seen by Cecilia’s intention is to transfer to the University of North Texas in Denton to earn a bachelors in Social Work. “I always wanted to help out people. Not only that, I also want to help out animals and the Earth.” tic partners and risk a negative or biphobic response. others as bisexual. Bisexuals cannot come out as bi simply by mentioning a partner, One important issue is health: Like lesbi- or by being seen at a “community” event, and many feel it’s important to validate As a bisexual woman, Cecilia has a big heart with a passion to help others. She hopes that her orientation will not stop her from her dreams and passion. She remains an openminded person willing to learn more about the world, people, and animals. “ Cecilia sets out her goal: to receive her bachelors in Social Work at UNT, work in the social work force, earn her masters in the near future, and to start her own business where she plans to not only help her fellow man, but animals also. ans, gay men and transgender people, bisexuals must weigh whether to come their identity. out to health care professionals. On one hand, we may fear a negative response At a more intimate level, the cost of silence can be great. Failure to communicate, to share important information about ourselves, often creates a barrier between us and our loved ones. Ideally, we want those close to us to know us not as their illusion of who we are, but as we truly are. and poor treatment; on the other, our silence leaves providers with incomplete information and may put our health at risk. (Keep in mind that health care professionals are trained to assist people of any orientation. They are also required to keep what you say to them confidential Continued on page 3: What’s Your Story? Each month we will highlight one of our CAPE members. We hope our life lessons will encourage you. If you would like to tell your story, let us know. You can email Johnny Head at [email protected] The Texas Wins Campaign Is A Winner Michael Cade Hughes, Speaker-Writer-Mentor-Activist/Huffpost There's a new campaign on the horizon in the Lone Star State, that promises protection from discrimination for LGBT Texans. The 'Texas Wins' campaign is a collaborative effort of numerous equality groups across the state, such as Equality Texas, the ACLU of Texas, Faith in Public Life, Athlete Ally, the Texas Freedom Network, the Texas Research Institute, and the Resource Center of Dallas. anti-equality movements, and has the support of some major Texas employers and business leaders across the state, including former George W. Bush media advisor, Mark McKinnon, who will serve as chair. AT&T, Texas Instruments, American Airlines, Dell, BP, and Chevron are all on record for supporting workplace equality. In addition, polling continues to show that strong majorities of Texans believe that LGBT individuals experience discrimination, and agree that protections should be in place. This campaign was launched to counter the numerous efforts by politicians to legislate LGBT discrimination across the state. There are over 20 bills on the books in Texas that would promote and legalize discriminatory action against LGBT citizens, five of which would obliterate existing nondiscrimination protections that have been passed by municipal and other local governments. Texas is a state that has always prided itself in it's protection of individual liberties, and it's disdain for big government. The majority of Texans still hold firm to those beliefs and realize that for any of it's citizens to Three of the proposed bills would criminalize transgender people for using a public restroom that does not align with the gender they were assigned at birth. These "bathroom bills" also criminalize employers and building managers who "knowingly" allow transgender individuals to use the "wrong" bathroom. Like the RFRA situation in Indiana, these bills in Texas would allow LGBT people to be discriminated against by anyone claiming a religious objection. And let's face it, this has little to do with religion. Many religious leaders across the nation have voiced their objection to these types of laws, citing a stark contrast to the most basic of their beliefs -- that we should not judge others, and that all people should be treated with dignity and respect. These dangerous, divisive laws do nothing to protect religious freedoms. Those protections are already provided for under the Constitution, and the idea that anti LGBT legislation in any way protects religious freedoms, is a smoke screen for intolerance at best. The current religious protections ensure that people can openly and freely practice their faith of choice, without the need to sacrifice other laws meant for the common good, such as civil rights protections. Texas Wins is working hard to counter these Upcoming Events May 15, 2015—12:00-1:00 P.M. Dallas CAPE Charter Meeting and Lunch— We will meet at the Latino Cultural Center located at 2600 Live Oak Street. We will eat lunch and then meet to adopt our formal by-laws and elect officers. Don’t miss this very important moment in Dallas CAPE. To RSVP for lunch, go to: http://cape20150515.rsvpify.com Hope to see you there! have the freedom to pursue their individual liberties -- all must. I encourage you to visit Texas Wins to voice your support by signing the pledge to keep discrimination out of Texas. Because "with opportunity for all, Texas wins." Coming Out As Bi… Continued from page 2 But unfortunately, it’s not so simple. While there are many good reasons to come out, you may also have reasons to choose not to. Think things through. Take advantages of resources that are available. Jus a coupld of resources to help in the coming out process: GLSEN: Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network PFLAG (Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) has a number of brochures in PDF format, including Be Yourself: Questions and Answers for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Youth (available also in Spanish as Se Tu Mismo) While many people choose to come out and feel most fulfilled that way, others choose different paths at different times of their lives. Many also choose to come out to some people in some contexts and not to others. Some are only out to the people they are intimate with, regardless of their gender; others include close friends or selected family members. In general, it is easier to bring this up at early stages of dating or relationships, but sometimes we are less aware or we feel unsafe at the time the relationship starts and it’s not the way it happens. Many people feel guilty about already being in a relationship (same or other sex) where the loved partner does not know about their attractions and experiences. These aren’t always easy situations, and people work it out in different ways. It is important to ask for help when feeling trapped or unhappy: most places have great community counseling services who are very used to these situations. There are also national and regional phone lines. You do not need to come out to everyone at all times to be happy. You do not need to be out to reach out to people. You definitely do not need to be out to ask for help or advice. Different people choose different paths, and they should be respected. Coming Out to Your Doctor From The Mautner Project—www.SheCircle.org Tips for Coming Out to Your Doctor Try to bring up the subject early on. It is much more difficult to come out to a doctor that has thought of you as straight for 10 years. Come out when you are less vulnerable. When you are naked wearing a paper dress may not be the best time to come out. You will feel more powerful and in control by coming out while you are fully clothed. Check them out first. Utilize available resources that list LGBT friendly healthcare providers, or ask your LGBT friends for referrals. Ask questions before you get there. If you are selecting a new provider you may be able to ask questions on the phone prior to making an appointment. Below are three questions that may be helpful in selecting a LGBT-friendly provider: “Do you have a nondiscrimination policy that includes sex, sexual orientation and gender?" "Do you serve LGBT patients?" "Have you or your staff ever been trained on lesbian health issues?" Slip it in. Sometimes its best not to make a production number out of it. A savvy provider will pick up on your cue. Mention your partner in general conversation. Be prepared to address it head on if the provider asks you directly. Also, be prepared for your provider to think you suddenly became a lawyer. Lastly, be patient with yourself and your provider. Only you can judge whether it will be safe to come out to your provider. Be aware that you may be the first "out" person they have encountered. Their first reaction may not be the best reaction — or their last reaction. Be clear however, that no one has the right to make you feel uncomfortable by asking voyeuristic or mocking questions. Keep in mind that your provider may not remember at your annual physical that you came out to him/her last time — particularly if that information is not part of your permanent medical record. Some Cautions: IT MAY NOT BE SAFE for you to come out to your health care provider. Think about these questions before making a decision: Are you able to choose your health care provider? Can you switch health care providers if you are not happy? Do you have reasons to believe your health care provider might treat you poorly if you came out? How might you deal with curious, ignorant or negative responses? Do you have friends, family or a partner who can help you make this decision and support you through it? Could one of them come with you to your visit? Laws about confidentiality vary. Do you know the health care provider's confidentiality and information sharing policies? Who might see your records? Many U.S. insurance companies exclude health care coverage to people who are undergoing medical sex reassignment. Disclosure about your transgender status may be risky if it becomes part of your medical record. IF IT IS SAFE for you to come out to your health care provider, it can benefit you, your provider and your family/partner: It increases your health care provider's understanding of you and your life. If the provider knows about your sexual behavior, you are more likely to get accurate medical information. It is often stressful to be lesbian or bisexual because of society's fear and ignorance. Your health care provider needs to know about the stresses in your life in order to help diagnose any problems you might have. Coming out lets your health care provider know who is important to you, who to contact in an emergency and (if you have a "durable power of attorney for health care") who makes health care decisions for you in an emergency. Your partner can be respected as more than "just a friend." Your partner/family can be included in discussions and treatment plans. It takes a lot of energy to be in the closet. When you're open about your life, you can focus on your health, not on hiding. Dallas CAPE Have an idea for our newsletter? Email Johnny Head at [email protected] P.O. Box 132272 Dallas, TX 75313 www.DallasCAPE.org
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