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NATIONAL
NGLTF Leader Steps Down
Matt Foreman, executive director
of the National Gay and Lesbian Task
Force, will step down in April to lead
the Gay & Lesbian Program at the
Evelyn & Walter Haas Jr. Fund.
Foreman has led NGLTF for five years.
The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force has begun the
The Haas Jr. Fund, located in San
search for a new executive director since Matt Foreman
Francisco, provides more grant support
announced his resignation Jan. 23.
to sexual minority organizations than
court clerk of the 12th Judicial Circuit in Will
any nongay-identified foundation in the nation.
County to assist in allowing Daunn Turner, a low-
“During his tenure, our staff grew to 54 full-time
income, disabled transgender woman, to continue
positions and our budget more than doubled to
the process to legally change her name.
nearly $10 million,” said Mark Sexton, NGLTF
Under Illinois law, all low-income people who
board co-chairman. “Our programming expanded
strategically, our public profile increased dramati­ cannot afford court fees are entitled to a waiver of fees
cally, we’ve granted nearly $5 million to state and
associated with legal proceedings. Turner’s request for
local partners. And most importantly, the task force
a waiver was rejected, however, because Will County
court
officials determined that changing her legal
has played an essential role in building our commu­
name was unnecessary and unimportant.
nity’s grassroots strength.”
“All poor people—including poor transgender
Foreman called working for NGLTF “the great­
people—are entitled to equal access to the courts,”
est honor of my life.”
A spokesman said a national search would begin
said Christopher Clark, senior staff attorney in
Lambda Legal’s Midwest Regional Office in Chicago.
to find Foreman’s successor.
“By refusing to give appropriate consideration to
NGLTF’s programmatic priorities for next year
include building congressional support to pass an
Ms. Turner’s financial circumstances, the Will
County
court has shut her out of the judicial process.”
inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act in
Turner is a 52-year-old transgender woman. She
2009, defeating an expected anti-marriage consti­
tutional amendment in*Califomia and launching
is disabled and receives benefits from the Social
the organization’s Academy for Leadership and
Security Disability Insurance Program. Turner
wants to legally change her name to Daunn so that
Action, designed to support skills and leadership
her name will better reflect her female identity and
development for state and local activists.
so that she can avoid the harassment and discrimi­
Roey Thorpe, director of state services at
nation that often results when people learn that her
Equality Federation and former executive director
current legal name—a stereotypically male name—
of Basic Rights Oregon, said: “Matt has been in the
is at odds with how she appears.
trenches, working for change on every level from
local to national, and his leadership reflects that.
On July 6, 2007, Turner submitted a petition to
the Will County Court to begin the process of chang­
He understands the power of grassroots organizing
ing her legal name. Included with her petition was
as few others do.”
a request for a waiver of the court fees associated with
Foreman has the distinction of serving as the
the petition based on her status as a low-income,
executive director of a local, statewide and nation­
disabled person. The circuit clerk declined to file her
al queer organization—the New York City Gay &
papers and did not open an official court record.
Lesbian Anti-Violence Project, the Empire State
Pride Agenda and NGLTF. When he steps down,
Instead, Turner was directed to submit her paper­
he will have served as NGLTF executive director
work to the offices of the chief judge. Weeks later, the
chief judge rejected her petition in a telephone call,
longer than any prior leader.
telling her that he would not spend county money on
ILLINOIS
her request. He said that a name change was “some­
Trans Woman Fights
thing she wanted” rather than “something she need­
for Name Change
ed.” When asked to consider Turner’s disability and
In papers to be filed Jan. 17 at the Illinois
financial situation, the chief judge refused, telling her
Supreme Court, Lambda Legal asked the state high
that she should ask for money from her friends on her
court to compel the chief judge and the circuit
upcoming birthday to help fund her name change.
JMV
The Law Office of John V. McVea, P.C
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