Washington Blade - September 16, 2005
Andrew Keegan

Gay organizations stepped in to help last week after a transsexual evacuee spent five days in jail for using a women's shower at a Texas shelter and a gay man suffered vandalism of his personal belongings at a shelter in Shreveport, La.

The majority of people experiencing discrimination from relief agencies are transgendered, according to Ann Robison, executive director of the Montrose Counseling Center in Houston.

The non-profit agency, which provides services to those dealing with sexual orientation, gender identity and HIV issues, now offers twice-weekly support groups for the many gay and transgendered hurricane victims relocated to the area.

"While they are isolated cases, when it does happen it's bad," Robison said. "We plan to talk with the Red Cross when this settles down. We have reports of transgender individuals not being allowed to take donated female clothes. That's ridiculous."

New Orleans evacuee Sharli'e Dominique, a preoperative transsexual, was arrested Sept. 4 by police at Texas A&M University in College Station after using the women's shower at Reed Arena, a temporary relief shelter for storm victims.

Dominique, 20, said her 16-year-old cousin, also a preoperative transsexual, was detained for using the women's shower but eventually released to the care of an older sister who was staying at the shelter.

Dominique, a middle school substitute teacher who is undergoing hormone treatment, arrived at the shelter Sept. 3. It wasn't until the third shower that a problem arose, she said.

"I asked the volunteer posted at the shower if I could use it," Dominique said. "She said, æsure.'"

When campus security arrived to arrest Dominique for criminal trespass, she said she thought it was a joke, until police handcuffed and booked her.

"They didn't tell me anything in jail except that the court system was backed up for six months to a year and I should expect to be there that long," Dominique said.

Texas A&M police, who booked Dominique under her legal name of Arpollo Dominique, did not respond to interview requests.

John Van Alstyne, corps of cadets commander for Texas A&M, was in charge of the shelter and declined to comment on the arrest.

"All decisions were mine and I have no comment," he stated via e-mail.

Dominique' story became public only by chance. A reporter for the College Station Eagle stumbled upon her arrest record while looking for another case, according to Dominique.

The Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest gay rights group, and Mara Keisling, president of the National Center for Transgender Equality, then contacted the university demanding charges against Dominique be dropped.

"We were made aware of the situation on [Sept. 8], after business hours," said David Smith, HRC's vice president of policy. "I contacted the detention center that evening and got nowhere after speaking with an extremely homophobic sergeant."

Texas A&M Vice-Provost Bill Perry contacted Smith on Sept. 9 indicating all charges against Dominique were being dropped.

The Montrose Counseling Center relocated and arranged housing for Dominique and her relatives, Smith said.

Gay man harassed

A gay man housed at the Louisiana State University Shreveport relief shelter experienced harassment from other evacuees, according to Ken Beatty, director of the Philadelphia Center, Shreveport's AIDS service agency.

Beatty said he received a call from a nurse working at the shelter expressing concern for the man's safety. The nurse indicated that everything the man brought to the shelter had been covered in shaving cream.

"The housing stock is almost gone in our area," Beatty said. "I, personally, along with a few friends, am helping the gay person in the shelter return to New York."

Officials at the LSUS shelter did not respond to phone calls for comment.

Anticipating further cases of discrimination, the Lambda Legal Defense & Education Fund posted a toll-free number, 1-866-542-8336, for gay men and lesbians affected by Katrina to report problems.

The gay legal group offers legal assistance for evacuees denied relief services based on sexual orientation; denied access to HIV medication; asked to provide documents to prove a relationship; or denied the right to handle the affairs of a deceased loved one.

The agency has not received any complaints from gay evacuees to date, according to the group's national headquarters in New York.

Rumors circulating on the Internet about relief agencies refusing to assist gay men and lesbians asking for assistance in locating their domestic partners could not be confirmed.

Calls to the Federal Emergency Management Agency and Louisiana Homeland Security & Emergency Preparedness were not returned.

Money trail

In addition to helping individual hurricane victims, national and local gay groups have joined in the deluge of relief funds created to aid those hurt by the disaster.

But the gay-specific funds take two decidedly different tacks when determining how to distribute what they raise: Some, like the Rainbow World Fund, forward the money to general relief agencies, while others plan to give their funds directly to gay groups.

The Rainbow World Fund, a gay humanitarian agency, has raised more than $250,000 to feed evacuees, according to Jeff Cotter, the group's director.

Rainbow World Fund then gives the money to America's Second Harvest, the nation's largest food bank network, to provide food to the survivors of Katrina.

By giving through the Rainbow group, instead of directly to America's Second Harvest, gay donors show a positive face to the general public, Cotter said.

"It's important our efforts are public and people see we contribute positively to the world, regardless of sexual orientation," he said.

Last week Rainbow World Fund faced criticism from Equality Mississippi, a gay rights group, which expressed concern money raised would not go toward local recovery efforts.

At press time, Equality Mississippi had received about $2,000 in donations, according to its director, Jody Renaldo.

"Most people are informing us they have already given to another agency," Renaldo said. "We've paid for a lot of supplies - from drink and food to clothing and bedding."

Long-term assistance

The Montrose Counseling Center has received about $3,000 in donations, according to Robison. Two additional organizations, Pride Houston, which raised $29,000, and the National Youth Advocacy Coalition are also collecting donations for the center, she said.

Coors Brewing Company and Steamworks, a national chain of bathhouses, each donated $10,000, Robison said. Donations are being used to provide housing, clothing and food vouchers for around 50 people, she said.

"We anticipate this being long-term assistance, which is why we encourage all evacuees to get their fare share from FEMA and the Red Cross, and we'll fill in the rest," she said.

Robison said whether to give to a local agency or a national charity comes down to the individual preference of each gay donor.

"I'm certainly not going to tell people how to give," she said. "What I will say is that we do business in the community and give our money to the community. Personally, I see it as a way to promote unity and pride in our community."

The Hurricane Katrina LGBT Relief Fund, promoted by a coalition of national gay rights groups, generated approximately $50,000 as of Sept. 13, according to Craig Bowman, executive director of the National Youth Advocacy Coalition,

The funds have not been distributed, Bowman said.

"We want this money to be targeted to the people who need it," he said. "We are waiting for the federal response to die down so we can see exactly what people need."

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