Communist
29th March 2010, 23:48
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SEPTA is a DRAG:
March 30th, 4:45-5:45 pm
“Clothespin” Plaza Across from City Hall
(between Market & Chestnut on 15th Street (http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&safe=off&client=firefox-a&hs=LJO&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&q=Market%20%26%20%20Chestnut%20on%2015th%20Street% 20philadelphia&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wl))
Join Riders Against Gender Exclusion (http://septarage.blogspot.com/) (RAGE) for a drag show style action. This public performance will show SEPTA that its transgender/genderqueer riders demand respect and attention, we will not... stay quiet while SEPTA ignores its promises for a safer transit system.
SEPTA continues to insist on the use of M/F gender stickers on it’s fare cards, subjecting transgender, genderqueer and other gender non-conforming riders to questioning and harassment when their sticker doesn’t match their perceived gender
SEPTA says that they don’t want their riders experiencing unnecessary discrimination due to their gender. In October, SEPTA committed to taking steps to set up a way for riders to report incidents resulting from the gender sticker policy, promising that they would address these complaints to ensure more safety and respect for transgender riders.
It’s been five months and SEPTA has not taken a single step to follow through on what they promised. At this action we will show SEPTA we plan to keep them accountable to the promises they made. We will launch the start of our own system that riders can use to report incidents with SEPTA because of the M/F stickers. We want other transgender/genderqueer riders to know we’re looking out for them, even if SEPTA is not.
Bring your friends, feather boas, fedoras and high heels to this action! We are still looking for performers and people who would like to help out, if you’re interested, contact RAGE at nogenderstickers(AT)gmail.com ([email protected]).
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Riders Against Gender Exclusion (RAGE (http://septarage.blogspot.com/)) calls on SEPTA to eliminate the use of gender stickers immediately. We are a grassroots group of Philadelphians committed to ending SEPTA's use of (M/F) stickers on transpasses and trailpasses for the following reasons.
Many Philadelphians face harassment, economic hardship, and lack of access to public transportation due to this policy.
For example:
* People whose gender appearance doesn't fit expectations are questioned about the validity of their passes, forced to pay more expensive cash fares, or refused access to transportation. People who present as different genders at different times (for example, transgender people who are not out to coworkers, and so present differently when traveling to and from work than at other times) only sometimes look like the gender on their pass, and so face similar experiences on SEPTA.
* People who don't identify as male or female are forced to choose a sticker in order to ride SEPTA at the deeply discounted rate.
* SEPTA employees are required to become "gender police" as part of their job.
* All Philadelphians are forced to pay - through fares and taxes - for this wasteful, pointless, and discriminatory practice.
In addition:
* Using gender stickers does not prevent pass sharing.
* No other major metropolitan non-commuter transit system in the United States uses gender stickers. ("City to probe transit rider's gender ID complaint," Philadelphia Inquirer, p. B01, September 20, 2008)
* Ending the use of gender stickers would reduce costs and lines.
.
SEPTA is a DRAG:
March 30th, 4:45-5:45 pm
“Clothespin” Plaza Across from City Hall
(between Market & Chestnut on 15th Street (http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&safe=off&client=firefox-a&hs=LJO&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&q=Market%20%26%20%20Chestnut%20on%2015th%20Street% 20philadelphia&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wl))
Join Riders Against Gender Exclusion (http://septarage.blogspot.com/) (RAGE) for a drag show style action. This public performance will show SEPTA that its transgender/genderqueer riders demand respect and attention, we will not... stay quiet while SEPTA ignores its promises for a safer transit system.
SEPTA continues to insist on the use of M/F gender stickers on it’s fare cards, subjecting transgender, genderqueer and other gender non-conforming riders to questioning and harassment when their sticker doesn’t match their perceived gender
SEPTA says that they don’t want their riders experiencing unnecessary discrimination due to their gender. In October, SEPTA committed to taking steps to set up a way for riders to report incidents resulting from the gender sticker policy, promising that they would address these complaints to ensure more safety and respect for transgender riders.
It’s been five months and SEPTA has not taken a single step to follow through on what they promised. At this action we will show SEPTA we plan to keep them accountable to the promises they made. We will launch the start of our own system that riders can use to report incidents with SEPTA because of the M/F stickers. We want other transgender/genderqueer riders to know we’re looking out for them, even if SEPTA is not.
Bring your friends, feather boas, fedoras and high heels to this action! We are still looking for performers and people who would like to help out, if you’re interested, contact RAGE at nogenderstickers(AT)gmail.com ([email protected]).
////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Riders Against Gender Exclusion (RAGE (http://septarage.blogspot.com/)) calls on SEPTA to eliminate the use of gender stickers immediately. We are a grassroots group of Philadelphians committed to ending SEPTA's use of (M/F) stickers on transpasses and trailpasses for the following reasons.
Many Philadelphians face harassment, economic hardship, and lack of access to public transportation due to this policy.
For example:
* People whose gender appearance doesn't fit expectations are questioned about the validity of their passes, forced to pay more expensive cash fares, or refused access to transportation. People who present as different genders at different times (for example, transgender people who are not out to coworkers, and so present differently when traveling to and from work than at other times) only sometimes look like the gender on their pass, and so face similar experiences on SEPTA.
* People who don't identify as male or female are forced to choose a sticker in order to ride SEPTA at the deeply discounted rate.
* SEPTA employees are required to become "gender police" as part of their job.
* All Philadelphians are forced to pay - through fares and taxes - for this wasteful, pointless, and discriminatory practice.
In addition:
* Using gender stickers does not prevent pass sharing.
* No other major metropolitan non-commuter transit system in the United States uses gender stickers. ("City to probe transit rider's gender ID complaint," Philadelphia Inquirer, p. B01, September 20, 2008)
* Ending the use of gender stickers would reduce costs and lines.
.