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PLEASE POST AND REPOST
AND SEND AND RESEND,
WHATEVER IT TAKES TO GET
OUT THE WORD.
1. What do Texas TG folks do with Littleton?
2. Web sites for the full Littleton decision texts
3. LGBT local response possibilities in San Antonio on Littleton decision
4. Meet Mrs. and Mrs. -- this can happen in other states also
5. Apology from Long-time Critic in light of Littleton
6. Littleton ignores results of Humane Genome Project
Phyllis
Phyllis Randolph Frye, aka "the Phyllabuster"
P.S. Check out my web page. If you can get onto the web, (regardless of if you are
AOL or not AOL), then you can find my web page at: http://members.aol.com/prfrye
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1. What do Texas TG folks do with Littleton?
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by Phyllis Randolph Frye
I've been asked that question a lot this past week by many of my clients
and by many who hired other lawyers to get their Texas documents changed. The legal
answer and the personal answer are both the same. I am not sure at this time.
Much depends on other things. Will Ms. Littleton's lawyers request a rehearing
en banc (before the full court of appeals rather than the three judge panel)? As
such is discretionary, will it be granted? Will Ms. Littleton's lawyers request a
review by the Texas Supreme Court? As such is discretionary, will it be granted?
Will Ms. Littleton's attorneys discover and push any 14th amendment Due Process claims
to the U.S. Supreme Court? As such is discretionary, will it be granted? Since I
was neither hired nor consulted by Ms. Littleton's attorneys, I do not know at this
time.
While it was pending, I tried to lay a case with the media of how stupid
such a decision (as the one that actually came through) would be. My hope was that
media coverage would so embarrass the court that the next review would cause the
stupidity to be considered. In my opinion the San Antonio paper has done well, but
media across the state and nation have been mostly silent thus far.
My guess is that anyone that I have taken through to get their identification
sex marker changed along with their name change still has a valid order. That is
because their identification sex marker was argued as a public safety need. What
if my person broke the law? Wouldn't it be easier for law enforcement to look for
the correct gender presentation? They were also argued totally out of the closet
both on paper and before the judge. My orders do not need to be reviewed for any
failures to disclose to the court.
As to correction of birth certificate for both surgical and non-surgical
transsexuals, those who live in the jurisdiction of the 4th Court (Bexar County and
surrounding) are holding orders that do nothing, for now anyway, until we see what
happens later. Do not throw them away. Let us wait and see. For those that I did
in the jurisdiction of the 4th Court (Bexar County and surrounding), but who no longer
live in Texas, the answer is I do not know. It depends upon the jurisdiction where
you live and how they will respect your order. For those who live in or who got their
orders from other parts of Texas, again, I do not know. It depends upon how the Appellate
Courts in those jurisdictions would rule.
WHAT EVERYONE NEEDS TO DO IS GET OUT AND GET ACTIVE!
I can hear it now, "On, great, there she goes again, trying to
shame us into coming out." Yes, that is correct. If you are in the closet, you
just cannot cry and nash your teeth because other people are not protecting your
rights. If you do not like to fight, well guess what. The bigots just brought the
fight to your front door. Grow up! If you do not come out and fight, the bigots are
going to bust down your door and do whatever they legally wish in the name of religion,
morality and conservatism. This has become a political fight. Surely for those of
you still in the closet, you do not think that the two justices had the "law"
in mind when they judicially legislated you out of your genital status. It was politics,
pure and simple. And for each of you who continues to stay IN, to stay uninvolved
and to vote for candidates running under the banner of religion, morality and conservatism,
you just reaped what you have been sowing!
What can we do now?
A. Around the nation, I hope you will take this and the bullets below
and use them to write to your local papers, television and radio stations.
B. Around the nation, I hope you will take this and the bullets below
and use them to contact and come out to your local elected officials for your city,
state and nation. Tell them you are one and that you vote and that you want to talk
to them.
C. If you are in Texas, send an e-mail to TGAIN at rhost@flash.net and
join. TGAIN is the political TG organization for Texas. It is the state organization
of It's Time America. It is headed by Sarah DePalma, a long-time activist and trusted
friend of mine. Sarah was with me when we took the ENDA-inclusion fight to the HRC
in October 1995. She organized the TG-inclusive fight with the Texas LG groups and
won.
D. If you are not in Texas, contact TGAIN at rhost@flash.net and send
money. Then send some more money. No, it is not tax deductible. If you want to protect
your future surgery, then open up your surgery fund and send some money! If you want
to protect your past surgery, then send some money! If you are not TS, but see the
writing on the wall, send money.
We need to present to the non-transgender world just how stupid the decision
is and how it will adversely effect non-transgenders. Yes, that is correct. If we
approach #1 and #2 above with an "oh, poor us transgenders, getting screwed"
we will lose because most folks do not care about us. But if we tell them, "do
you understand how you just got screwed too?" then we get their attention.
I have included the following bulleted articles because they say so much
better than I do, what the ramifications of the Littleton political mindset is to
non-transgenders. They are part and parcel of this letter to you. If you reprint
my letter without the following bullets, you will miss most of the issues.
2. "Web sites for the full Littleton decision texts" is short
and contains what it says.
3. "LGBT local response possibilities in San Antonio on Littleton
decision" has lots of good ideas of taking the new "religious, moral and
conservative" law and CRAMMING IT DOWN THEIR THROATS!
4. "Meet Mrs. and Mrs. -- this can happen in other states also"
is another
observation of how we and the Lambda Legal folks could use "religious, moral
and conservative" law and CRAMMING IT DOWN THEIR THROATS!
5. "Apology from Long-time Critic in light of Littleton" is
from one of the many who have hated me over the years for yelling at them to come
OUT.
6. "Littleton ignores results of Humane Genome Project" is another
excellent presentation of how stupid the decision is.
I wish to say two more things. First: WHERE IS THE LAMBDA LEGAL DEFENSE
AND EDUCATION FUND? Why aren't they getting into this? If they think this applies
to ONLY transgenders, they need to think it out again. (See bullet #4 below.) This
decision can effect us all. I hope that you are giving them hell for their transphobia,
and I hope you raise the pressure up another notch. They belong in this fight!
Second: Before you send me a go-to-hell letter for pushing you OUT, please
note that the Littleton decision does not effect me. I am married to a woman. We
still have a same-sex relationship because I am XY and she is XX. The economic situation
does not effect me either because I am self-employed and have paying clients to whom
I am OUT. My family is fine with me as I am. So are my neighbors and so is my God:
I am OUT to them also. In short, I have nothing to gain or to lose by pushing you
OUT, except to know that I have continued to do what I think will free good people
who deserve to be free.
You deserve to be free. You will NEVER be free if you do not come OUT!
Part Two
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2. Web sites for the full Littleton decision texts
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(NOTE: This was sent to me by our friend Karen Kerin in Vermont.
She was the person who got me into Senator Jim Jeffords office and into the Senate
Hearings on ENDA in July 1994. She an I sat in our conservative lawyer suits with
low heels and listened. We listened to a hate filled man who blasted ENDA (which
intentionally omitted TG and gender variant LGB folks) because it would force employers
to allow a guy to show up for work in 5 inch heels and a sequined dress. So tell
me again, why were we left out? Karen was an ICTLEP original, has completed law school
and has been in the fight a long time. We will hear more from her -- trust me!)
Dear Phyllis,
I got stonewalled by the Fourth Circuit when I tried to get the decision
for the Littleton case, but got it from the internet. I got the decision, the concurring
opinion and the dissenting opinion on the following sites:
http://www.4thcoa.courts.state.tx.us/opinions/9900010.htm
http://www.4thcoa.courts.state.tx.us/opinions/9900010c.htm
http://www.4thcoa.courts.state.tx.us/opinions/9900010d.htm
Please circulate this information to your list so that everyone can
read the court's reasoning and we can begin a real dialogue on how to get a winning
legal attack.
Keep up the fight!
Karen Kerin
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3. LGBT local response possibilities in San Antonio
on Littleton decision
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(NOTE: Tere was another ICTLEP original. She is a paralegal
in San Antonio has been successful in getting the local LGBT group to refute HRC's
call for funding. Tere was one of the group that first went with me in October 1995
to carry the ENDA battle to HRC in Washington, DC. She is one of THE BEST!)
Legal Analysis Article
by Tere Prasse, Paralegal, San Antonio, Texas
Email: tere@amcinet.com
RE: Littleton v. Prange, Tex. 4 Ct. App., 04-99-00010-CV, 10/27/99
http://www.4thcoa.courts.state.tx.us/opinions.htm
"A Hazard When Courts Dabble in Science"
Many followers of the Littleton v. Prange case thought it was
humorous; the Texas 4th Court of Appeals was to rule on the validity of the marriage
of Christie Littleton to her spouse of seven years. Littleton had filed suit in the
Texas 288th Judicial District Court (98-CI-15220) against her spouse's doctor alleging
malpractice resulting in the death of her husband. The defendant's attorney asked
the trial court for summary judgment, maintaining that Littleton could not be legally
married to her spouse under Texas Family Code; therefore, she had no right to bring
suit as next-of-kin. Based on one document entered in evidence (Littleton's original
Texas birth certificate), the court granted the defendant's request. Littleton appealed.
Littleton's original birth certificate listed her gender as *male*. Subsequently,
Littleton had undergone extensive medical therapy and treatment at University of
Texas Health Sciences Center to alter her physical characteristics and social role
to that commonly accepted by society for females. All accepted standards of medical
care and treatment protocols were followed. Eventually, a Texas District Court issued
an order declaring her gender to be *female* under the guidance of the Texas Health
and Safety Codefor amendment of gender marker on her original birth certificate.
The Texas Courts had declared her legal status and social role as female, and thus
entitled to be legally treated as female under all Texas law. This is quite common
procedure in Texas. Each pleading includes a medical affidavit stating that the pleadant
meets standards of medical protocol for amendment of gender marker in accordance
with Texas code. Historically, the courts have deferred to medical protocols rather
than attempt to rule on the validity of scientific complexities of gender determination.
The status quo of gender determination in Texas was dramatically changed
with the Texas 288th Judicial District Court's granting of summary judgment and subsequent
affirmation by the Texas 4th Court of Appeals. The 4th Court's Chief Justice Phil
Hardberger ranged far afield in his opinion concerning determination of gender, oddly
twisting his rationale to fit into the context of the federal Defense of Marriage
Act. He stated that since Littleton's original birth certificate indicated *male*
gender determined by our Creator is immutable. Chief Justice Hardberger acknowledged
various factors which contribute to a scientific determination of gender. He actually
named four but missed three others commonly accepted by medical science. Finally,
he concluded based on assumption, since there is no evidence cited of Littleton's
actual genetic makeup, that Littleton's chromosomal configuration was XY, and therefore,
Littleton's marriage was illegal under Texas Family Code, again presuming that Littleton's
spouse also had an XY chromosomal configuration, despite no evidence substantiating
the assumption cited. Chief Justice Hardberger's entire opinion seems based on assumption
and consideration of only one factor of determination of gender.
The 4th Court's ruling and content of opinion is dangerous because it
draws the courts into unstable ground dabbling with medical science, ruling what
is valid in science and what is not valid in science. We've seen it all before. It
dates back to the "Scopes Monkey Trial" and ranges through the science
ofwhen life begins. It becomes even shakier when the court creates new law based
on its interpretation of just what is scientifically valid and what is not, and also
includes reference in a religious context that a "Creator" hasdeemed our
gender to be immutable. Two justices of the Texas 4th Court of Appeals have overturned
existing Texas code and procedure in favor of their interpretation of science combined
with an unknown, unproven religious assumption.
Many people responded to the Littleton case with a shrug and a "so
what, it doesn't affect me." Well, this ruling affects everyone in Texas. The
4th Court has stated that marriage is only valid between an *XX* person and an *XY*
person. The effect is that the 4th Court has mandated new law which now requires
all county clerks to validate chromosomal makeup of individuals seeking marriage
licenses before the clerks can legally grant a license. Failure to require the chromosomal
check would place county clerks in contempt if a license were granted to couples
with any other chromosomal configuration than one individual *XX* and one *XY*. Additionally,
the 4th Court substantively annulled Littleton's marriage of seven years. If the
courts are to annul one marriage based on the new law of chromosomal determinations,
then all marriages under licenses granted in Texas must be examined for legality.
This is a clear extrapolation Chief Justice Hardberger cites for compliance with
the federal Defense of Marriage Act.
Thousands of marriages in Texas will have to be dissolved since not all
will meet the strict *XX* married to *XY* criterion. Medical science has identified
many chromosomal combinations, yet the 4th Court has only identified two chromosomal
combinations which constitute a valid marriage in Texas. Chief Justice Hardberger
interpreted the Texas Family Code to infer that man equates to *XY* and woman equates
to *XX* making those two the only valid chromosomal combinations for marriage.
As we begin to examine the 4th Court's new determination of gender and
its further ramifications, it becomes rather alarming. Marriage is not the only thing
affected. Any official document generated in Texas must now rationally follow the
4th Court's methodology for gender determination. This includes birth certificates,
death certificates, driver's licenses, identifications, employment forms, agency
tracking of gender demographics, and on and on. Potential impacts boggle the mind.
We will have to have entirely new law governing virtually all aspects of our lives
even remotely relating to our gender. Insurance law, family code, and even criminal
code will have to be amended. Not only is the legal impact formidable, but the final
potential economic impact is astronomical. What the 4th Court has done is move gender
from the simple binary determination of either *female* or *male* to a multiple gender
identification requirement covering all possible chromosomal combinations identified
by medical science. One hates to even think how employment and anti-discrimination
law will be affected.
Did Chief Justice Hardberger and Justice Angelini have any clue whatsoever
when they made their ruling in the Littleton v. Prange case? Justice Lopez in the
final analysis had it right when she entered her dissenting opinion on the ruling.
Oh, I'm sorry, but we'll have to do away with our old beloved binary gender specific
nouns and pronouns in the English language too, they are no longer legally sufficient
or accurate in Texas.
Tere Prasse, email: mailto:tere@amcinet.com
Part Three
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4. Meet Mrs. and Mrs. -- this can happen in other states also
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(NOTE: Although this is a British story, it is the logical conclusion
of the Littleton case in Texas, PLUS what has been available for some time in Ohio
and what is probably possible in New York, Tennessee, and Oregon where birth certificates
cannot be altered. -- Read Arizona Law Review article from Summer 1999 by Julie Greenberg.
-- SO WHERE IS LAMBDA LEGAL with thisfertile ground to push for opposing chromosome
but matching genital marriages as the step towards legalizing gay and lesbian marriages?
IS LAMBDA LEGAL'S TRANSPHOBIA THAT GREAT, so as to sacrifice multiple potential openings
for gays and lesbians with the help of transgender precedents?
I received this from Brenda
Lana Smith
<Brenda-Lana@blsmith.freeserve.co.uk> through penn45@ma.ultranet.com.)
"Meet Mrs. and Mrs."
UK - Woman's Own magazine, Nov 01/99, OCRD' text pages 10-11...
First Josie was a man who wasn't interested in women.
Then she had a sex change and met Sarah. Now they're wife and wife.
Confused?
Read on...
By Angela Carless
It's hard to believe that less than five years ago, Josie Asher was a
good-looking bloke called Timothy with a string of female admirers. But as Josie
will tell you, 'she' wasn't interested in any of them sexually. All she wanted to
do was to try on their clothes when they were out of the house, and fantasies about
what it would be like to be one of them - a real woman with breasts and a lipstick
in her handbag.
In 1996, her wish came true when she finally underwent a sex change operation.
Timothy was transformed into Josie - pretty, feminine, and very definitely a woman.
But there's a twist in this modern day tale of gender swapping. Josie,
to her surprise, discovered she did like women after all. So much so that she recently
'married' lesbian Sarah Green in a civil blessing ceremony in front of 100 friends
and family. It's all the more ironic because legally Josie is still a man, so if
they'd wanted they could even have had a civil wedding.
Josie was born Timothy Asher in Archway, North London - a working-class
boy who never knew his father and was brought up by his mum and grandmother.
'I was dressing up in my mum's clothes from the age of six,' says Josie.
'It wasn't just a game, I really wanted to be a little girl. But whenever Mum and
Gran caught me in their clothes, they said it was disgusting. I just became more
careful about being caught.'
As Timothy grew older he realized he wasn't the same as other boys his
age. 'My first sexual experience with a girl happened when I was 15 and I didn't
enjoy it,' admits Josie. 'My sexual role felt all I wrong - but dressing up as a
woman still felt right.
'I did wonder if I was gay, but the last thing I wanted was to be a gay
man because I knew my mum and my gran would be so disapproving.'
So for years Timothy led a double life - going out with girls at the same
time as secretly wanting to be one of them. But eventually his burden became too
much to bear and he talked to his GP about changing sex.
'I was referred to the Charing Cross Hospital where I began hormone treatment,'
says Josie. 'The effect on my body was dramatic. I gained weight, I began to develop
breasts and my facial hair became more sparse. I even began to get mood swings and
go on chocolate binges one week of every month.'
Four years ago in April 1995, Josie met Sarah in the community cafe and
bookshop in North London where Sarah was teaching an adult literacy class.
Sarah says: 'I was instantly attracted by Josie's personality and her
looks.
Gender didn't come into it. I liked her as a person - and by the way she
flirted, I knew she liked me too.'
By the time Sarah met Josie, she'd been single for two years but had two
children from a previous lesbian relationship which had lasted 10 years. Her son
was conceived after a straight friend agreed to be the father, and her daughter was
conceived by artificial insemination.
'Josie told me that she was a pre-op transsexual the second time we met,
but it didn't put me off,' says Sarah. 'I thought it was really interesting. There
was an instant spark between us, as If we were soul mates.'
Josie and Sarah's relationship progressed rapidly, but there was one major
condition they agreed on from the start. 'We agreed not to have sex like a heterosexual
couple,' stresses Josie. 'You don't have to have penetrative sex to have a good love
life and although it was my first lesbian relationship, it felt very natural.'
On 8 March, 1996 - International Women's Day - Josie was finally admitted
to hospital for her sex-change operation.
'The surgery took all day and when I came round I was dosed up on morphine
to kill the pain,' says Josie. 'I was so relieved it was over. They'd put something
inside me to keep me open. When they pulled it out it looked like the biggest tampon
you've ever seen! It was agony, I couldn't watch as they removed it or look down
afterwards.'
When Sarah came in, Josie asked her to look instead. 'I was amazed,' she
recalls. 'She looked just like any other woman - it really is a miracle of modern
medicine.
Josie was in hospital for 10 days. When she got out the first thing she
did was to go to the pub for a pint - and then buy a handbag.
'At first I couldn't walk properly,' she says. 'There was something missing
between my legs and something new there instead, plus there were other physical changes
I didn't expect.
'If I lift something too heavy, I feel pain where I never used to feel
it before. In becoming a woman I lost my physical strength and became much more emotional.'
All this makes Josie even more appealing to Sarah. 'I like the fact that
she's so very feminine and wears pretty clothes,' Sarah admits. 'And I love having
a beautiful girlfriend by my side.'
In turn, Josie says: 'I like the fact that Sarah's so butch and wears
manly clothes, without being a man. We're a good team.'
Yet their lives have become almost unbearable. 'People gossip about Josie
once being a man,' says Sarah. 'They don't talk about her as a person with feelings.
And I get called things like "dirty lesbian" all the time too.
'Complete strangers react because they don't know what gender we are.
Even some of the lesbian community show prejudice because Josie is not a natural-born
woman.'
Even Josie, who's just launched her own magazine called It's My Decision
aimed at anyone with gender issues, admits that they can't win.
'Everybody gives us such a hard time,' she says, sadly. 'There are constant
threats and abuse. Once, someone even made the sign of a gun and pointed at me saying:
"I would shoot you if I could!" It really scared me. I just don't understand
it. We're not doing any harm.'
But she doesn't have any regrets. 'Our wedding was brilliant,' she remembers.
'Then afterwards we honeymooned in Holland. We visited the dykes because we thought
it was so appropriate! Now I can hardly believe that we've become each others' wives.
It's great. We call each other Mrs. and Mrs.'
The couple both act as mums to Sarah's two children. who live with them.
'I suppose you could say we're like any other family now,' says Sarah happily.
'I just wish other people would see it that way. I don't judge them -
so
why do they have to judge me? At the end of the day we love each other.
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5. Apology from Long-time Critic in light of Littleton
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(NOTE: The following has been heavily edited. I have thanked
the writer, and am not interested in embarrassment or in vindication. What I am interested
in is presenting a case for folks to come OUT and fight. Coming out AFTER being screwed
makes fighting that much harder. Even so, coming out late is better than never coming
out. Her message came in caps. For those of you in Texas who want to join the struggle,
join TGAIN through rhost@flash.net. For those of you who are outside of Texas, send
money to TGAIN. Thanks!)
DEAR PHYLLIS,
I REALLY DO NOT KNOW WHERE TO BEGIN. I HAVE ALWAYSCRITIZED YOU FOR BEING
THE WAY YOU ARE. I MEAN, FOR TRYING TO "OUT" EVERYONE AND FOR SUPPOSEDLY
SHOVING THIS DISCLOSURE STUFF DOWN OUR THROATS. BUT I WAS WRONG. ALL THAT WORK THAT
YOU DO IS FOR ALL OF US. AND NOW THAT SOMETHING AWFUL HAS HAPPENED I REALIZE THE
HARD LABOR YOU ENDURE.
I WENT TO COURT AND GOT MY NAME CHANGE. I HAVE THE COURT ORDER GRANTING
ME ALL THE CHANGES. 1 WEEK AFTER I RECEIVED IT I GET A CALL FROM MY LAWYER SAYING
THAT THE COURT AND THE JUDGE WENT BACK IN TO THE ORDER AND REVOKED IT!!!!! THAT THERE
IS A CASE UP IN THE [appeals] COURT INVOLVING A T.S AND THAT THERE ARE MANY CHANGES
REGARDING T.S'S AND T.G'S THAT ARE GOING TO OCCUR. SO THE COURT ISSUED A NEW ORDER
DENYING ME THE SEX DESIGNATION AND GRANTING ME THE NAME CHANGE. IN OTHER WORDS I
WILL REMAIN WITH A "M" EVEN THOUGH I AM POST OP.!!!!!!!!(M TO F). OH AND
THAT THEY MIGHT GO BACK AND SWITCH EVERYONE BACK TO THEIR PREVIOUS DESIGNATIONS!!!!
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6. Littleton ignores results of Humane Genome Project
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(NOTE: This was sent to the San antonio paper covering the
case. Please respond to unity_in_identity@usa.net.)
I guess that it's safe to mention that you're probably aware of how the
Littleton decision takes our culture down the slippery path of genetic theory, as
applied by legal theory. When you mix that much theory in one room, things are going
to get messy and ugly.
In legal theory, the Littleton decision opens the public policy issue
for chromosomal sex karotype testing, which is the procedure used to determine the
combination of X's and Y's (or any surplus or lack thereof) in an individual. Interpreting
the 4th Circuit's legal opinion would require all heterosexual couples choosing to
marry to undergo a mandatory chromosome blood test to assure that the man really
is sex karotpyed as "XY" and the woman as "XX". And because the
Littleton case is technically interpreted as a retroactive decision, all currently
married couples in the 4th Circuit's jurisdiction would have to submit to the same
test, which would probably be administered at their next annual physical exam.
At face value, this policy would preserve the spirit of the Littleton
decision. However, to enact the procedure on all couples would be cost-prohibitive
to the state (which would provide the test using public funds), as this test isn't
cheap. Furthermore, every 500th individual statistically has a sex karotype other
than what they assumed (like actress Jamie Lee Curtis, who is understood to be genetically
"XY" and insensitive to androgen, the hormone that develops masculine traits),
which could leave a lot of people fuming over their null and voided marriages, since
marriage between two people of the same sex is illegal under DOMA, the so-called
Defense of Marriage Act.
How many? Well, according to Encyclopedia Britannica, the 1994 estimate
population count for Texas was 18,291,000. Being generous, let's assume that half
of the state is married. If every 500th person's sex karotypes aren't kosher with
what they assumed to be true, then there are 18,291 marriages in Texas that could
be legally challenged in probate proceedings, insurance beneficiaries, spousal benefits,
tax credits for married couples, hospital visitation rights and countless other perks
that married couples receive.
At with that many court-annulled marriages, Texas would have over 36,000
(far larger than the size of New Braunfels!) ticked off citizens, to say nothing
for their offspring. This technicality would be used by any insurance company willing
to play hardball to avoid paying out on their policy.
Furthermore, the decision brings into question those people who discover
after testing that their sex karotype isn't "XX" or "XY", but
instead is something like "XXY" (Klinefelter's Syndrome), "X0"
(Turner's Syndrome), "XYY", "XXX", "XXXY", "XXYY",
et cetera. There are over 14 sex karotype varieties. For instance, those men who
have Klinefelter's Syndrome sometimes figure this out when their sterility keeps
them from having children.
If the Littleton case is interpreted to decide who a person is allowed
to marry based on their chromosomes, with whom can these people--remember, 1 out
of every 500 people--legally consummate a marriage? If the court decides to discriminate
who can marry whom on basis of chromosomes, what other ways can the law legally decide
policy based on segregation of one's genes? Could people predisposed to have, say,
Alzheimer's Disease, be banned from seeking executive decision-making professions?
It's a scary--but conceivable--prospect.
These matters will have to be addressed in detail as we catch up with
the revolutionary advancements in genetic theory and parse the findings of the Human
Genome Project, which has almost finished mapping out our genes.
All things considered, give Christie Littleton a break. After all, do
we know what her sex karotype is?
All the best,
juli goins-maclean
at unity_in_identity@usa.net,
Minneapolis, MN |