Activists Stage Protest on Steps of State House

LGBT activists staged a protest on the steps of the State House on Tuesday, Sept. 20, but overcast weather and a general lack of interest from passersby kept attendance fewer than two dozen people.

Activists from GetEQUAL Massachusetts and JoinTheImpact gathered on Beacon Hill to speak out against the lack of transgender protections in the workforce-especially in the military. The repeal of 'don't ask, don't tell' officially took effect earlier on Tuesday. And activists pointed out that trans soldiers remain in the closet.

"We should only celebrate for so long," said Sasha Kauffman of GetEQUAL Massachusetts.

Specifically planned to coincide with the official end of DADT, other GetEQUAL chapters around the country staged similar protests.

"We're calling it a 'Day of Dissatisfaction," Kauffman explained to EDGE. She added that the goal of the event was to highlight the need for politicians to pass non-discrimination laws that include gender identity and expression.

Protest organizers had hoped the Tuesday action would have given trans activists the chance to raise concerns over the injustices that continue to occur against the LGBT community and share their stories with Massachusetts residents. Only 15 people showed up in support-and not all at the same time. A few people walking along Beacon Street briefly stopped to listen or share their opinion.

Bruce Jacobson said that he "wasn't surprised" trans people were left out of the DADT repeal. When asked who should be blamed, he suggested that the LGBT community was at fault. "The 'T' seems to get forgotten quite often," said Jacobson.

It was a sentiment reflected just a few yards away where only 10 people stood in support of trans equality.

The most personal testimony came from an inactive member of the armed forces who identified himself as a cross-gender. After serving for 8 years in Iraq, the soldier retired in 2010 as a protest against DADT.

"We've been here a while," said the retired soldier, laughing. "[There is] no reason we [should] have to face the injustices"

Activists Thomas Bergendahl successfully stopped several passersby, but getting them to stay for more than a few seconds was a challenge.

"This is not a day to celebrate," the 19-year old told EDGE. "We need to stop taking baby steps... and get the youth involved."

He angrily shouted that he was upset over the protest's turnout, but others seemed uninterested. One man shouted 'It's over and done!' in response to a speaker who requested him to join the protest.

With a bill that would add gender identity and expression to Massachusetts' non-discrimination act pending in the Legislature, activists stressed it is important that they pay more attention to trans Bay Staters.

"It's just a matter of time," exclaimed Ian Struthers from JoinTheImpact. "I'm very optimistic."