From Stanton's statement:

"As a city manager, I am sensitive to the impact that gender expression can have in the workplace. Many people in the transgender community felt my own termination was pure discrimination and have used my experience to justify the need for the passage of ENDA. However, I believe even in my own case, the reasons for my termination were far more complex then simply an unlawful act of discrimination. As a city manager, I had a responsibility to ensure my own personal life was not disruptive to city operations or inconsistent with the values of the community. Based upon the current level of understanding regarding the fundamental nature of gender identity among the general public, the Largo City Commission concluded that my conduct, following the medical standard of care for transsexuals, compromised my integrity and ability to provide leadership to my employees and was in conflict with both family and moral values of the community."

Is it just me - or does this paragraph actually make things worse? "As a city manager, I had a responsibility to ensure my own personal life was not disruptive to city operations or inconsistent with the values of the community." What does this say about her view of the rights and potential rights of trans people who either (a) happen to have attained positions of authority prior to transition; (b) live in bigoted communities; or (c) both?

I think we've now seen a transgender macaca moment.

Kat,

It's also worth remembering that Largo has a law (ordinance?) prohibiting discrimination against LGBT city employees, and that it was in force at the time of her firing. What I'm wondering is how the Largo City Council could just ignore that in her case, and, of course, why she's defending it.

Sue,

I certainly experienced those estrogen-induced swings as well when I first went on hormones, but what I'm wondering is if she's been in the transition process and on hormones long enough to be just a few months away from surgery, shouldn't she have gotten over that by now? Sure, it probably takes longer for some than for others, and hormones likely affect different people differently in some ways, but I dunno...it just seems like an awfully long time into the process to be able to blame her reaction solely on that.

Don't hold your breath. The word that's coming back to me consistently is that Stanton is refusing any and all media requests, not just mine, saying that her posted statement will be all she has to say to the community, apparently both now and in the future.

Based on the evidence I've seen, I can't say I'm surprised.

In fairness to Stanton, the community MADE her a spokesperson. She was a victim of discrimination and the latest subject of media interest. In addition, she was early in transition and had just lost her job. That is a frightening place to be. She had lost her credibility as a white straight male professional simultaneously. Socially and psychologically, she is likely adrift and scared. She is grasping at some kind of respectability and credibility by seeing herself as different from others in the trans community just as some gays and lesbians distance themselves from us for similiar reasons for public acceptance.

Many transsexuals do see themselves, their lives, and the process of change as being drastically different and apart from the other components of the trans community. This is not to excuse the remarks, this is only to put them into perspective.

Marti and Becky no doubt remember that I lost my own job three weeks before surgery, meaning no sick leave, no forseeable income and the loss of professional prestige. I reacted differently, going to court, as I told my counsel, "to make history and to make sure that this cannot happen to anyone else." I had supports, though, I had people, people from the trans-community, who supported me, cared about me and who were activists, bless you Laura deGrey, Marina Brown, Chelsea Goodwin, Rusty Moore and so many others.

Let's waste no time attacking Susan. None of us are living in her head. We have far too many more pressing issues facing the community to be mired in recrimiations like this.

Sue;
Fair enough. Time to move on, though. We do need people out there in public, as you, Marti and Becky are. I don't so much trans-identify as acknowledge that I transitioned. I identify as a woman as far as gender (I was born a chromosomal mosaic) and lesbian as far as orientation (getting married in May, btw--in Canada as I cannot in the States). Prior to ENDA I had stayed stealth as far as transition since my court case, though our as a Lesbian. ENDA made me re-think that. Though legally female, I've been feeling an obligation to "come back out" on behalf of those with no protections

I may not agree with Susan statements if she truly said them but I do understand that the media will twist most Transgender articles. With our issue in Arizona, most of the media put misinformation or a belittling twist on the majority of the articles and at times created situations to stir the pot of discrimination and inflame the situation further just to creat news.