Victory condemns effort to fire trans official
Wed, Feb 28th 2007, 09:40
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Denis Dison (202) 842-7308, denis.dison@victoryfund.org
WASHINGTON, D.C.—February 28, 2007—The Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund today called on the city of Largo, Fla., to cease its efforts to fire longtime City Manager Steve Stanton, who recently acknowledged he is transgender and will transition to female over the next year. Stanton is widely recognized as an exemplary public servant, serving as a top official in Largo for the past 14 years. Despite his many years of responsible and accountable management, the city commission voted last night to begin the process of firing him. Commissioners cited the disclosure of his gender identity as the reason for their actions.
“The decision to fire Steve Stanton is discrimination in its purest form. The Largo City Commission is succumbing to the laziness of fear, bias and ignorance. Hundreds of openly lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender elected and appointed officials serve their communities with the same distinction Steve has for years. These public servants deserve to be judged on their performance in office, not their gender identity or sexual orientation. The Largo City Commission could take lessons in courage and leadership from Steve Stanton,” said Chuck Wolfe, president and CEO of the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund.
The Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund provides strategic, technical and financial support to openly LGBT candidates and officials. It’s the only national organization solely committed to increasing the number of openly LGBT public officials at federal, state and local levels of government. Victory is the nation’s largest LGBT political action committee and one of the nation’s largest non-connected PACs. In 16 years, Victory has helped the number of openly LGBT officials grow from 49 to more than 370. Roughly 22% of all Americans are represented by an openly LGBT elected or appointed official.
For more information, visit www.victoryfund.org.
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