Panel covers transgender identity issues
Transgender activists spoke
about their experiences and
difficulties with daily living
Roman Gokhman
Campus/City Culture Reporter
What does it mean to be a man or a
woman?
That was the subject of Thursday
night’s “Trans Rights: National, Local
and Personal Perspectives” forum.
The forum was moderated by
Lori Buckwalter, executive director
of It’s Time, Oregon!, a Portland
based state organization that works
to accomplish gender identity rights
for all Oregonians.
The panel included transgender ac
tivists Sheila Goats, Octavian Starr,
Reid Vanderburgh and Salli B. Goode.
“I never found out who I really was
until I was 45 years old,” Goats said.
Goats has been transitioning from
biological male to biological female
for the past two years, which she said
has been a tough period.
Goode, who has not had any
physical medical procedures, said it
is not fair to be classified into any
one category.
“Some of us do not fit into any rigid
role,” she said. “We are really com
fortable being both things. ”
Members of the panel discussed the
risks faced by transgender people, in
cluding hate crimes and discrimina
tion in all aspects of the society.
“It’s unacceptable to me — it
should be unacceptable to you,”
Coatssaid.
All of the panelists said they have
been harassed and treated unfairly.
Starr, who grew up in Colorado and
is transitioning from a biological fe
male to a biological male, said he felt
like an outsider in his home state.
“I thought I was an alien until I
moved to Portland,” he said.
Members of the panel agreed that
transgender people face the same prob
lems as the rest of society—problems
with health care, employment and pub
lic safety—only more of them.
“We’re just people like you,”
Goats said.
Vanderburgh, who transitioned
from biological female to biological
male, said he is concerned for trans
gender people who are having prob
lems receiving health care because
physicians refuse to see them.
About 70 people attended the fo
rum, including Ward 3 City Coun
cilor David Kelly, who represents the
University area.
Kelly said the council dismissed a
possible resolution protecting gender
identity because Eugene Mayor Jim
Torrey told them he would veto it.
“We need to use the (Eugene) Hu
man Rights Commission as a means to
break the myths, misconceptions and
fears ... (and to) convince the mayor
to change his mind,” Kelly said.
Buckwalter said a few other U.S.
cities, such as New York, have gender
identity resolutions.
“It’s not like Eugene is on the
verge (of the movement),” she said.
Contact the reporter
atromangokhman@dailyemerald.com.
Cell tower
continued from page 1
not adequate grounds to deny cell
tower construction.
“There are a lot of feelings and
emotions about cell towers,” Kull
by said.
Doctoral student Phillip Ojo oppos
es any new cell tower on campus.
“This is supposed to be an educa
tional center, not a business center,”
Ojo said. “This company should find
somewhere else to build.”
Barta said the University isn’t en
thusiastic about placing cell towers
on campus, but by establishing
guidelines and accommodating in
dustry, the University has increased
its ability to decide where cell tow
ers should go.
“We haven’t cut any corners,”
Barta said. “We’re trying our best to
be the good guys on this.”
Under a long-term lease, Barta
said Sprint would pay the university
about $950 per month for the site,
plus a percentage of what Sprint
charges other cell phone carriers
that decide to use the tower.
Contact the reporter
at andrewblack@dailyemerald.com.
Measure 28
continued from page 1
and the tuition surcharge, we think
we can manage through the remain
der of this year,” Vice President of Ad
ministration Dan Williams said. “Of
course, there will be further issues
next year, but we feel we could man
age through this year.” The proposed
cuts to the administration would af
fect the ability of the University to fill
open positions in administrative of
fices; the ability to hire for new posi
tions would also be hampered. How
ever, according to Moseley, no firings
would occur on campus.
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“We have made it a top priority to
protect classes and education,”
Moseley said. “For this year, there
are not going to be any classes cut.”
Moseley said he is confident if Mea
sure 28 passes, it would prevent fur
ther cuts to University programs and
the need for the tuition surcharge.
“If 28 passes, you can also bet
there will be smaller tuition increas
es next year,” he added.
The University has already made
more than $7 million dollars in cuts
to its operating budget this year. The
cuts were made during the first four
special sessions of the Oregon Leg
islative Assembly. Measure 28 was
created during the fifth special ses
I
sion as a means to prevent a further
$313 million in statewide cuts.
University administrators have at
tempted to focus proposed cuts
away from student programs and ac
ademic services.
“Our driving objective is to not re
duce student access to the academic
curriculum and to the faculty,” Vice
President for Student Affairs Anne
Leavitt said.
Measure 28 would create a tempo
rary tax increase, effective for the next
three years. The average taxpayer
would pay an additional $114 in yearly
income taxes if the measure passes.
Contact the reporter
at aimeerudin@dailyemerald.com.
Adam Amato Emerald
Salli B. Goode spoke about gender indentity at the "Trans Rights: National, Local
and Personal Perspectives"forum in the Ben Linder Room Thursday night
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