I wanted to forward this newsstory to the list, partially in the hopes of
helping the family concerned and partly to spark (although I guess more
sparks are not what are needed right now on the list) a discussion of the
relation between issues around transgender and disability. Are transgender
activists engaged in the same battle as disability activists?
Subject: Re: Ohio Court Removes Child From Parents Because of Her Gender (fw
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> Date: Tue, 29 Aug 2000 17:50:33 EDT
> From: [log in to unmask]
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Ohio Court Removes Child From Parents Because of Her Gender
>
> GenderPAC
> 212-645-2686
> [log in to unmask]
> www.gpac.org
>
> Action@GPAC
> Special Online Edition: August 29, 2000
>
> ======================================
> TAKE ACTION! TAKE ACTION! TAKE ACTION!
> ======================================
>
> OHIO COURT REMOVES CHILD FROM PARENTS
> BECAUSE OF HER GENDER
>
> [Columbus, OH: 26 Aug 00] A six-year-old child, Aurora Lipscomb, was taken
> from her parents, Paul and Sherry Lipscomb, by the Franklin County (Ohio)
> Children's Services (FCCS) citing concern for the child's welfare. The
> parents say the county took their child because they refuse to force her
> to conform to narrow gender stereotypes.
>
> 'Zachary' Lipscomb was born physically male, but has identified as a girl,
> Aurora,
> for four years - since she was two years old. Her parents have raised her
> since that
> time as a girl. Last November she was "diagnosed" with gender-identity
> disorder (GID) after being hospitalized at Cincinnati Children's Medical
> Center.
>
> The County acted less than two weeks after the Lipscombs enrolled
> Aurora in the first grade as a girl. Acting on an anonymous call expressing
> concern for the child, the FCCS sought and obtained an emergency order
> for custody from a Franklin County judge. Although the County refuses to
> list the caller's concerns, court documents reveal that school employees
> and Children Services officials question the gender-identity diagnosis as
> well as the parents' refusal to force their daughter into out-dated gender
> stereotypes.
>
> An FCCS spokesman said that Zachary is doing well and has been
> appointed an independent guardian who will act on the child's best
> interests.
>
> The Lipscombs say they will file a federal sex-discrimination
> lawsuit against the Westerville school district and Children's Service.
> "We have no idea what they are doing to her," said her mother, Sherry.
> "She's not getting her medication... She's never even had an outside baby
> sitter-not even family. She can't be fine. She's petrified. I know it."
>
> Attorneys for the Lipscombs have filed an Objection to the Court's
> order taking Aurora the parents' home. A hearing will be held on their
> appeal on 12 September.
>
> "They want us to change Aurora to be male," says Paul Lipscomb.
> "We are having conflict with physicians, Childrens services in both Franklin
> and Hamilton counties in Ohio. They are talking about residential care,
which
> removes us as the parents. They are beginning to say we are unfit parents,
> because we allow Aurora to exist."
>
> GenderPAC has been working since 1998 with a broad coalition of
> national gay and feminist groups to reform GID so it cannot be used to
> "treat" infants and children. Said GPAC's Executive Director Riki
Wilchins,
> "No child should ever be taken from her parents and forced to conform to
> narrow, out-dated gender stereotypes. American Psychiatric Association
> President Dr. Alan Tasman and the G/L/B Subcommittee of the APA have
> been totally inert on reforming GID as a mental illness. It's past time
> gender was removed as a basis for psychiatric and state mistreatment
> and terrorizing of little children like Aurora."
>
> -------------------------------------------------
>
> Contact those involved and tell them what you think about Aurora Lipscomb
> being taken from her parents and forced to conform to out-dated gender
> stereotypes.
>
> Call the American Psychiatric Association's Dr. Alan Tasman and the
Committee
> on GLB issues of the American Psychological Association and tell them to
> remove gender as a basis for mental illness in little children like Aurora
> Lipscomb.
>
> Dr. Alan Tasman
> President, American Psychiatric Association
> 502-852-1126 (Louisville, KY)
> 202-682-6000 (Washington, DC Headquarters)
>
> Committee on GLB issues of the American Psychological Association:
>
> Clinton Anderson, Ph D, Officer
> 202-336-6037
> [log in to unmask]
>
> Janice Taylor
> 202-682-6092
> [log in to unmask]
>
> Aurora is reportedly in the custody of:
>
> John Sorro
> Executive Director
> Franklin County Children's Services
> 614-275-2650
>
> Officials at Aurora's School:
>
> Ms. Michele Klein
> McVay Elementary School
> 614-895-5921
>
> Reene Sterling
> Executive Director of Student Service
> McVay Elemenatry School
> 614-895-6080
>
> ----------------------------------------------
> An Open letter from Paul, Sherry and Aurora Lipscomb:
>
> My wife Sherry and I notice our son Zachary at the age of two years old
> preferring all feminine toys, clothes, shoes, and activities. We first
> thought it as nothing to be concerned about. As Zach progressed in age
> to kindergarten, there was always the preoccupation to be a girl. Zach
> would emphatically state the she was a girl, and announced that her name
> was Aurora. After several years of therapy, which we found out that
> behavior modification was being used. We finally came upon a physician
> who diagnosed our child with Gender Identity Dysphoria. There have been
> four inpatient stays, the third one last fall was when Aurora was
> diagnosed as GID. On the fourth inpatient stay the physicians totally
> flipped the diagnosis as strictly being psychological. We had to make a
> child conform to the male gender. Prior to this stay we had informed
> them and the school that we were going to have her ears pierced for her
> birthday, and support her in her female gender, by doing home schooling,
> until she was able to mainstream.
>
> She took an immense amount of harassment, behavior modification, and
> bulling. Over all we need help and support They want us to change
> Aurora to be male. We are having conflict with physicians, Childrens
> services in both Franklin and Hamilton counties in Ohio. They are
> talking about residential care, which removes us as the parents to
> having custody, because we are to be firm that our child has to live in
> a male gender. They are beginning to say we are unfit parents, because
> we allow Aurora to exist. We are definitely afraid that they may take
> our Aurora away from us at any given moment without notice. If anyone
> can give us support it is: NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
>
> We Love our beautiful and creative Daughter. Please let us know how you
> feel about our circumstances.
>
> Paul, Sherry, and Aurora Lipscomb
>
Best,
Lennard J. Davis
Professor and Head
Department of English (MC 162)
Professor, Department of Disability and Human Development
University of Illinois at Chicago
601 South Morgan Street
Chicago, Illinois 60607-7120
(312) 413-2200 Fax: 413-1005
E-Mail: [log in to unmask]
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