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CONDOS
V a catio n H o m es
H o te l P r o per ties
A p a r tm e n t B ld g s .
C rec
C ray
must look into all variables
associated with Vega’s murder
and act accordingly with Wis
consin state law. Legal
authorities should also ensure
Vega’s family right to a fair
and expeditious process.”
Vega, 36, was an entrepre
neur, the former owner of a
bike messenger service and a
self-em ployed p ainter and
chef. She was also an active
m em ber o f Las A m ericas
W ith o u t Borders, a social
organization for Latino sexual
m inorities in Milwaukee.
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he M innesota Supreme
Court denied the right of
trans citizens to appropriate
restrcxim access Nov. 29.
T he case, which has at
tracted national attention, was
the first to interpret the trans-
related language of the states
Human Rights Act, which the
Legislature approved in 1993.
Since then it has served as the
basis for similar protections
throughout the country.
says Juana
“To some, the issue of
restroom access may seem triv
ial, hut those restrooms symbolize the tradition
al male-female categories which, as the Legisla
ture realized many years ago, not all people neat
ly fit into anymore,” said A nn DeGroot, Out-
Front Minnesota executive director. “Further,
the issue implicitly raises the question of who is
entitled to define a person’s gender identity:
individuals themselves or their employers."
T he case involved a growing workplace
controversy: W hich restroom does a trans per
son use? Julienne G oins had transitioned from
male to female even before beginning work at
W est G roup yet had been denied access to the
w om en’s restroom upon transfer to its M in
nesota facility.
She argued that restrixim
access should he based on one’s
consistently projected gender
identity, not on an employer’s
speculation as to its employee s
anatomy. “Com m on sense says
we interpret oth er people’s
gender based on their clothing,
grooming, name and so on,
w ithout ever knowing what
their genitals look like,” DeG
root observed.
Phil Duran, OutFront Minnesota legal program
coordinator, wrote a friend-of-the-court brief argu
ing that the legislative history of the Human
Rights Act’s “sexual orientation” provisions sup
ported this interpretation. He predicted trans Min
nesotans now might face demands to describe their
genitals in order to access restrooms in public
accommodations, such as restaurants.
“W e’re very disappointed the court held that
the law permits employers to ignore a person’s
everyday appearance and focuses instead on
areas of the body employers have no business
demanding to see,” Duran said. “This decision
makes a mockery of the Human Rights Act by
effectively mandating that transgender employ
ees describe their genitals in order simply to go
to the bathroom. This is the same sexual harass
ment this very act prohibits.”
Seth Kilboum of the H um an Rights Campaign
Vega’s m urder clearly was motivated by hate
W IS C O N S IN
ilwaukee activist Juana Vega died
Nov. 11 after being physically assaulted
and shot in the face and chest five times at
point-blank range, according to law enforce
m ent officials. Charges have been filed against
Pablo Parrilla, the brother of her girlfriend,
Melodía “Ria.”
He reportedly objected to their lesbian
relationship and often used derogatory epi
thets about the couple. Witnesses say he also
threatened to kill Vega on numerous occasions
for “turning his sister gay.”
Local law enforcem ent officials have not
yet classified the murder as a
hate crime. In Wisconsin, this
would not alter the mandatory
life sentence already required
by a first-degree intentional
homicide conviction.
T he National Gay and Les
bian Task Force pressed M il
waukee law enforcem ent offi
cials Nov. 29 to investigate the
murder fully. They were urged
to “give full consideration to
en h an cin g
th e
hom icide
charge with a charge that the alleged killer
com m itted a hate crime.”
The Human Rights Campaign and the
National Latina/o Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and
Transgender Organization sent similar letters
Nov. 30 to the city’s mayor, county executive and
the district attorney. The case would he the first
in Milwaukee’s history to apply Wisconsin’s hate
crimes law as it relates to sexual orientation.
“It seems clear that this brutal murder was
motivated by anti-gay bias and hatred,” said
Seth Kilboum, H RC national field director.
“We are com m itted to working closely with
LLEGÓ and Ms. Vega’s friends and family to
see that her murder is investigated and prose
cuted appropriately.
“We urge the district attorney to prosecute
this human tragedy as a hate crime to guaran
tee fairness and equality under the law. N ot
only will this ensure fairness for this particular
case, it will send the message that hate vio
lence is not tolerated in W isconsin.”
M artín O rnelas-Q uintero. LLEGÓ execu
tive director, added: “DA and police officials
M
M ARYLAND
G
% ay men and lesbians in Maryland now have
■ equal protection in housing, employment
and public accommodations.
The Anti-Discrimination Act of 2001 was sup-