It's August in Sacramento and we've endured the hottest and deadliest stretch of weather in local history. I don't know about you, but I'm still not ready to think about starting another school year quite yet; my to-do list hasn't been shrinking as quickly as my patio plants. But over the course of the next several weeks, area schools will be welcoming back students to class, and we hope that all students will be made to feel equally welcome and secure. I hope that your school year starts off well and that the excitement of beginning the term stays with you well into the academic year.

Legislative update

The Bias-Free Curriculum Act (Kuehl - SB 1437)

Currently, state education code requires that the historical roles and contributions of traditionally underrepresented groups be included in the curriculum, while prohibiting discrimination against these groups in instructional materials. The Bias-Free Curriculum Act (SB 1437), authored by State Senator Sheila Kuehl, would add the role and contributions of LGBT people, and expand the prohibition of curricular discrimination to include sexual orientation and gender identity. During the spring and early summer, youth have been working hard to ensure that this bill passes and anti-LGBTQ bias is kept out of school textbooks and classroom instruction. Unfortunately, Governor Schwarzenegger announced his intention to veto SB 1437.

Despite emails, phone calls, and letters from all over the state, the Governor has not budged from his initial opposition to the bill's language specifically requiring that the roles and contributions of LGBTQ people be a part of history classes. In an effort to move forward the bill, continue the momentum, and actually get a bill signed, Senator Kuehl—after talking with lawmakers and several LGBTQ organizations—has decided to amend the bill's language. Thus, the bill will again consist of three sections prohibiting discrimination on the bases of sexual orientation and gender identity in textbooks, instructional materials, and classroom instruction. The two sections of the bill mandating curricular inclusion of the roles and contributions of LGBT people will be amended out of the bill for this year.

Senator Kuehl remains committed to the goal of LGBTQ-inclusive curriculum, and believes that the incremental change that could be won from passing a segment of the current bill would be more beneficial to that goal than would be a flat-out veto.

The Governor's office has not yet made it clear whether or not he will support the amended bill. GSAs and youth activists can do a lot to bring attention to the legislation and curriculum issues during the next couple of months. For more information about what youth can do, go to www.gsanetwork.org for more information. You and your GSA members can take easy steps to make sure your voices are heard loud and clear during this campaign!

The Safe Place to Learn Act (Levine - AB 606)

The Safe Place to Learn Act provides clarification and guidance to school districts and the Department of Education regardingwhat steps should be taken to ensure compliance with the California Student Safety and Violence Act of 2000 (AB537). This necessary clarification and the reaffirmation of the State Superintendent's right to withhold funding from schools that are not in compliance with the California Student Safety and Violence Prevention Act of 2000, will help assure that current school safety standards regarding harassment and discrimination are fully and properly implemented.

A hearing date for AB 606 before the Senate Appropriations Committee has not been set.

Tolerance Education Pilot Program (Chu - AB 1056)

AB 1056 would establish a pilot project grant program to be administered by the California State Department of Education to promote the teaching of tolerance and intergroup relations as part of instruction in the history and social science curriculums taught in California schools. If enacted and signed into law, the Department would select ten schools to participate in the pilot program with onetime grants of $25,000 each. Funds would be used to purchase supplemental instructional materials and support professional development opportunities for teachers. There is a requirement that each school selected to participate would submit a report to the Department three years after its initial receipt of funding on the effectiveness and use of program funds by the school.

A hearing date for AB 1056 before the Senate Appropriations Committee has not been set.

Bias-free and Accurate Sex Education (Kuehl - SB 1471)

SB 1471 would require our public schools to provide age appropriate, complete, objective, and unbiased sex education to their students. It says the sex education should not reflect or promote bias against any group, including the LGBTI community.

SB 1471 is currently set for a hearing before the Assembly Appropriations Committee on August 9.

For information on what you can do to have your voice heard on any of these bills, go to The Lambda Letters Project at www.lambdaletters.org. You can learn about all manner of legislation of interest to the LGBT and progressive community, and find out how you can easily contact your legislators and the governor to make your opinion heard. Click on the "E-mail Alerts" link and fill out the information.

2. Our next meeting Wed. August 9, 6:30 pm

Our regular meeting is on the second Wednesday of the month at 6:30 pm at the Lambda Community Center, 1927 L Street in midtown Sacramento. That makes this month's meeting date August 9. Are you interested in helping to make Sacramento area schools safe and affirming places for LGBT people? Then you are welcome to join us for our monthly get-together. Hope to see you there!

3. Rainbow Festival Labor Day Weekend

The annual Labor Day Weekend Rainbow Festival peaks on Sunday September 3rd with a street fair from 10 am to 6 pm around the corner of 20th and K Streets in the heart of Lavender Heights in midtown Sacramento. Lance Bass's boyfriend Reichen will emcee the festivities with greetings from the mayors of Sacramento and West Sacramento (our "own" Chris Cabaldon), Congresswoman Doris Matsui, and music from Jason & Demarco, Tiffany, Deborah Gibson, and more. For more information on the entire weekend's events, go to www.rainbowfestival.com.

4. Announcements

Sacramento Valley AIDS Run Walk Sunday September 17

Registration for the 2006 Sacramento Valley AIDS Run Walk is now available. Help us raise funds for 15 HIV/AIDS Agencies in the Sacramento Valley. Join us as an individual or as a team; you will have access to create a personalized event webpage detailing key information about the Sacramento Valley AIDS Run Walk. Plus, you get web tools that will enable others to join you or your team as well as securely collect donations online.

Go to www.sacvalleyaidsrunwalk.org

Before you know it, you will be emailing everyone in your address book and be one of the top fundraisers helping us to meet this year's goal of $250,000. We look forward to seeing you on September 17, 2006, Sunday for the 5k Run and 5k Walk, at the West Steps of the Capitol.

Sincerely,
Craig Spatola and Jennifer Novak
SVARW Co-Chairs

Uptown Studios: Creating Social Change

Become a member of the Q Crew, Sacramento's grassroots queer/straight alliance activist network. We are about human rights and the struggle for equal rights for all people, with an emphasis on the LGBTQ community. You can sign up at www.uptownstudios.net and click "SIGN UP FOR OUR MAILING LIST" then click the bottom box "Activist" to add your name to the list.

Q-Crew is a group of like-minded liberals that do something about the anti-gay activists in town. Something well planned and positive. Join me and we will change the world. See you on the streets!

Tina Reynolds and the Q-Crew

Gay male couples sought for AIDS prevention survey

The UCSF Center for AIDS Prevention Studies is seeking gay male couples to participate in a study that examines important relationship dynamics associated with HIV. Couples of any HIV status are welcome to participate (e.g., neg-neg, poz-poz, or neg-poz).

Participation involves completing a computerized survey six times over a three-year period.

• Both partners must participate.


• Completing the survey takes about 90 minutes.


• Each partner is compensated $40 for every visit.


• The surveys are conducted at the UCSF/CAPS office, near the Embarcadero Station in downtown San Francisco.

5. GSA Network News

GSA Network Activist Camps! APPLY ONLINE NOW - SPOTS GOING FAST!

The GSA Activist Camps are youth-planned and youth-led intense 3-day events featuring hardcore community building, skill-building, political education, and leadership training for GSA members. All youth who will be involved in a high school or middle school GSA next year are strongly encouraged to apply.

NEW DATE and LOCATION
Northern and Central California Activist Camp - Fresno
August 11th - 13th, 2006

Exciting News!! We have decided to join the Northern California and Central Valley Camps this year to make one large, super fun, networking extravaganza!! This year the Northern California Camp will take place in sunny Fresno, California where we will house you at Fresno State University for three days of trainings, networking and FUN!! Lots of great activities including swimming, ping pong and pool.

APPLY ONLINE AT www.gsanetwork.org.

6. When identity is not a question

The patient never wavered in her quest for a new gender. If only her doctor could be as certain.

July 31 LOS ANGELES (The Los Angeles Times) by Dr. Yolanda "Linda" Reid Chassiakos. The chief complaint written on the young woman's chart was typically vague — "personal concern." It's a catch-all phrase used at check-in with patients who are uncomfortable talking about private issues with reception or nursing staff.

Many patients with such problems — often involving sexual health, proctology, gynecology or urology — feel isolated, reluctant to talk with friends and family for advice or reassurance. Influenced by their own discomfort, they also can fear that their doctors will see their symptoms as unusual or shameful as well.

So I was determined to approach the patient with empathy and sensitivity, acknowledging her hesitation and encouraging open communication. A nonjudgmental, supportive environment would be most likely to lead to effective diagnosis and treatment.

I entered the waiting room and greeted her with a warm smile. The young woman looked like a typical college student of the mid-'90s, dressed in a casual jacket and jeans. Welcoming her into the office, I began with a general question, "How can I help?"

Her direct manner and her answer surprised me — she did not feel like a woman, but a man in a woman's body. She was hoping that I could coordinate her physical transition from female to male with hormone treatments and eventual sex reassignment surgery.

It was I who hesitated, who stammered out a response. Of course, of course, I would be happy to help, but I honestly had little experience or information about her needs. I would have to research the necessary resources before I could be of further assistance.

As I tried to discover the life experiences that had brought her to this decision, I could draw only upon lay articles about famous cases of gender change, such as those of Renee Richards and Christine Jorgensen, not my medical training. Was she sure that this change was what she wanted? Had she talked with someone? Had she considered counseling first?

Again, she answered confidently. An international student, she had explored these questions in her home country and had even begun a short course of hormone treatments at a local clinic until leaving the year before for the United States. Though she was attracted to women, she didn't see herself as a lesbian, but a heterosexual male. She expressed comfort with her decision to transition and a commitment to proceed.

She politely declined my offer to have her consult with a psychologist at our counseling center. I could only assure her that I would try to assist her and find a clinic that could provide the requested services. We ended the visit with a promise to follow up with each other within the week.

I was clearly beyond my depth in terms of medical training and experience and, in those pre-Internet days, I was at a loss how to begin my research.

My textbooks and fellow primary care doctors had little to offer, so I turned to a colleague specializing in men's health and to our local lesbian and gay resource center. Together we were able to locate a clinic in our state that could meet the patient's expectations. We referred her for evaluation and a long-term protocol of hormone therapy and counseling that could culminate in her choice of surgery to reassign her gender.

Still …

As a progressive physician, I had prided myself on being up to date on medical issues for a diverse community. I had worked to build an atmosphere of inclusion in my office, where, for example, my queries about sexual history were not worded to imply only heterosexual possibilities.

Yet despite my commitment to maintain a nonjudgmental perspective, I found myself questioning her decision. My training had taught me to maintain a professional distance and serve as a sounding board and resource for my patients. Now instead, I struggled with doubts as to the wisest course, even as my patient's conviction never wavered — were years of endocrine treatment and elective surgeries a positive choice?

I resolved to learn as much as I could about gender identity issues.

The American Psychiatric Assn. in its DSM-IV (1994) estimated prevalence of male to female transsexuals at 1 in 30,000 and female to male transsexuals at 1 in 100,000, but some recent researchers have argued that the true prevalence of gender identity concerns may be more than 10 times higher.

Over the last 10 years, substantial resources and training have become available that can help make every doctor's office a welcoming environment for patients with gender identity concerns. For many people, the decision is clear — they wish to live as the gender with which they identify. My patient looked like a woman to me, but the image she saw of herself — no, he saw of himself — was a man's.

I came to realize that my patient's chosen path would not bring more pain — but a profound relief.

A few years later, the patient returned to my clinic. The chief complaint once more read "personal concern." But this time the young person who entered my office greeted me with a broad smile and a strong handshake. Still dressed in the student's uniform of jacket and jeans, my former patient now sported a dark beard and firm muscles. He had completed his sexual reassignment surgery and was living comfortably as a male.

I asked about the gold ring I spotted on the fourth finger of his left hand — yes, he told me in a deep voice, he had recently married a woman from his country and was very happy. Close to graduation, he had a job lined up that he hoped would support his plans for a family.

Finally, he asked if I could help him once again. I agreed, and to his delight, was able to provide him with a new resource list — of local adoption agencies.

Dr. Yolanda "Linda" Reid Chassiakos is director of the Klotz Student Health Center at Cal State Northridge and a clinical assistant professor of pediatrics at UCLA.