August 20, 2006

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

 

CONTACT: Sharon S. Gaughan
Transsexual Symposium, Inc. (TS-Si)
703-644-2545

 

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http://www.ts-si.org 

 

TS-Si Joins Commonwealth Coalition

 

Springfield, Virginia, USA. August 20, 2006. The Transsexual Symposium, Inc. (TS-Si) announced it has joined with The Commonwealth Coalition to oppose passage of a proposed amendment to Virgiia's state constitution that would ban same-sex marriage and outlaw contracts between Virginia residents, regardless of their sexual orientation.

 

While announcing TS-Si's opposition to the amendment, Lisa Jain Thompson, TS-Si President and co-founder, said "This is a non-partisan issue. The proposal threatens constiutional rights and prerogastivs of all Virginians. It is a prime example of bad governance and inneffective public policy". Thompson went on to say that "TS-Si will work with other membrs of the Commonwealth Coalition to let the voting public know that this proposed amendment is bad policy and a step backward in securing the rights of all Virginians."

 

The Marshall/Newman amendment would dmininish the the Virginia Bill of Rights by prohibiting civil unions, domestic partnerships and other legal agreements between any unmarried couple in Virginia. Virginia's existing statute that prohibits marriage between individuals of the same sex. The new proposal would make no distinctions among gay or straight, young or old, to prevent any legal agreements that could be viewed as "stepping stones to marriage".

 

Sharon Gaughan pointedly asked: "How can bigots and poorly informed legislators sleep at night knowing they have taken a step toward destroying Virginia's reputation as the best-managed state in the the United States?"  Gaughan is a TS-Si co-founder, serving as Vice President and Executive Director.

 

Transsexuals already face serious obstacles to public acceptance, medical treatment, and legal protection as they transition into society.

 

Upon its formation, the Transsexual Symposium released two new major websites. The parent site at http://www.ts-si.org is the focal point for policy announcements, organizational activities, and fundraising.

 

The TS Policy Review (TSPR), located at http://www.ts-policyreview.org, provides breaking news & fact-based commentary, with analysis of legislation & policies that affect transsexuals.

 

The TSPR site also provides an innovative wire service called the TSPR News Service that syndicates news, features, and other content to the press and media outlets around the world.

 

The Transsexual Symposium has publicly stated the need for a clear focus on transsexuals that eliminates political partisanship and unrelated social wants from the discussion. TS-Si also questions the current reliance of transsexuals on "transgender" initiatives to guarantee their care and rights under the law. Transgenderism, a socio-political designation, is an umbrella term used by activists to generalize about people who exhibit alternative modes of gender expression in dress and manners.

 

In the face of what some might consider a daunting challenge, Thompson summed up the TS-Si commitment by stating that "We cannot stand by while people suffer for no good reason." Gaughan added that "We have the experience, support from key members of the community, and sophisticated technology at our disposal to support our outreach efforts." Both agreed that TS-Si is here to stay. "We are in it for the long haul."

 

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The Transsexual Symposium, Inc. (TS-Si) is a tax-exempt, 501(c)3, nonprofit corporation headquartered in Springfield, Virginia USA. TS-Si is governed by a Board of Directors and advised by a group of caring professionals, people born transsexual, and other interested parties.

 

The Transsexual Symposium (TS-Si) is dedicated to the acceptance, medical treatment, & legal protection of transsexuals as they transition into society.

 

TS-S is a resource for transsexuals, their families and friends, caregivers, legal authorities, & the scientific community, as well as other interested parties.

 

Transsexual Symposium, Inc.
Sharon S. Gaughan, Vice President & Executive Director
P.O. Box 96
Springfield, VA 22150-3625

 

Website: http://www.ts-si.org
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Phone: 703-644-2545.

 

General Information

 

Send an email to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Symposium, Inc. (TS-Si): General Information for a brief description. TS-Si maintains a strict privacy policy and is spam-free. Correspondents will not be added to a mailing list without their express permission.

 

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