Newest articles on The Sacramento Press tagged as "transgender"

January 1: New Year, new laws in effect in California

2012-01-03T07:25:31Z

As of Jan. 1, laws affecting child booster seats, LGBT rights, handgun open-carry and liquor sales will be among many going into effect in California. Here are some of the highlights of what Californians – and Sacramentans – have in store for them in 2012.

BOOSTER SEATS: Previously, children had to ride in approved child restraint devices – booster seats – until they turned 6 years old or weighed 60 pounds. As of Jan. 1, children must ride in booster seats until they are 8 years old or at least 4 feet 9 inches tall. Kids under 8 years who are taller than 4 feet 9 inches are allowed to use a safety belt instead of a booster seat.

HANDGUN OPEN CARRY: Bans citizens from openly carrying handguns – but Californians can still get permits for concealed weapons. Violators of the new law will be subject to $1,000 fines and six months in jail. Previously, it was allowable to carry an unloaded handgun in a visible holster.

LIQUOR SALES: SB 39 prohibits the production or sale of beer with caffeine added. AB 183 prohibits grocery stores from allowing liquor sales at self-checkout stations.

VEHICLE IMPOUNDS: Police officers will no longer be able to impound a vehicle from a sobriety checkpoint if the only offense by the driver is failing to hold a valid driver license (AB 353).

DUI CONVICTIONS: A new section was added to the California Vehicle Code that allows courts to revoke a driver license for 10 years if a person is convicted of three or more DUIs.

COPPER THEFT: AB 316 makes “stealing, taking, or carrying away copper materials” that value more than $950 a grand theft felony. Criminals are subject to fines up to $2,500 and one year in jail on the first offense, and two or three years in jail and a fine up to $10,000 for repeat offenders.

KINDERGARTEN ENTRANCE: SB 1381 pushes back the 5-year-old birthday for kindergarten eligibility from Dec. 1 to Nov. 1 for the 2012–13 school year. That date pushes back to Oct. 1 for the 2013–14 school year, and then to Sept. 1 for the 2014–15 school year and beyond.

LGBT RIGHTS/HISTORY: Gov. Jerry Brown signed into law the Gay History Act, which requires schools to include the contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans in history and social studies lessons and textbooks.

Another law that went on the books in 2011 – the Transgender Non-Discrimination Law – adds “gender identity and gender expression” to the list of characteristics that require equal rights protections in the state.

FOOD HANDLER CARDS: Beginning Jan. 1, health departments will begin enforcing a new law which requires food handlers to complete a training course and assessment.

EMPLOYEE RIGHTS: AB 22 prevents employers from running credit checks on prospective employees or using credit information in a hiring decision. Exceptions are allowed for law enforcement positions and positions that require access to bank and credit information or access to confidential information.

Not every new law charts new ground this year, though – some are simply no-brainers:

AB 688: Bans California stores from selling expired infant food and formula.

AB 25: Requires schools to remove athletes suspected of having a concussion or head injury from athletic activity until a doctor or health care provider gives clearance.

SB 746: Prohibits minors under 18 from using tanning beds without a parent’s permission.

With more than 40,000 new laws going into effect across the nation in 2012, people will want to do their research to make sure they don’t inadvertently run afoul of a law that they didn’t even know existed.

Start with the list of new California laws here.

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

Sacramento International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival

2011-10-20T16:50:22Z

This past weekend marked the 20th anniversary of the Sacramento International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival (SIGLFF) at the Crest Theatre. The festival ran selected film series each evening from Thursday to Saturday.

Founder Alan Cole started the project in 1992 as a student-run film festival that received support from Sacramento State University, Gay and Lesbian Alliance students with grant funding from Associated Students Inc. , which is a official governing body which operates the sponsorship of programs and services to CSUS students.

A bevy of sponsors and volunteers support the board of directors, programming and gala committees to prepare and organize the annual festival that takes place in October to celebrate National Coming Out Day. The festival showcases handpicked films by the committee that are created by filmmakers of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. The festival serves as a vehicle for LBGT talent such as actors, writers, producers and directors from around the world to showcase their abilities.

Thursday evening kicked off the festival with two works: one 18-minute film called "The Rescue" by director Phillippe Gosselin and an 88-minute film called "Morgan," directed by Michael Akers.

Board of directors president J. Todd Lohse explained that each night centered around a theme. Thursday evening was films directed toward men , Friday evening was ladies night with films based around lesbians, and Saturday was a series of short films that touched on subjects such as sexual identity, race and struggling relationships.

The large crowd at Friday’s screening was mixed with people of all ages from all walks of life, but it was apparent that the female population dominated the night’s attendance.

Well before the films started, members of the public, LGBT community, volunteers and workers were busily flurrying around the Crest Theatre concessions stands for popcorn, drinks and snacks, grabbing a cocktail and mingling with other filmgoers. Even after the lights flickered to warn everyone the film was starting soon, people were still falling behind with cocktails finishing a great conversation or in line for last-minute snacks.

Cole and Lohse introduced the films, speaking of their love and commitment to the organization. They thanked their sponsors, such as Fred Palmer from Outword Magazine, who has been a sponsor for the last 14 years.

The first film was "Lesbian Cliche Song" by director Bob Koherr. At five minutes long, the film served almost as a satirical music video of all the typical lesbian cliches perceived by society, which the audience seemed to agree with as they responded with laughter.

The second was a feature film, "Jamie and Jessie Are Not Together" directed by Wendy Jo Carlton. The dramedy musical focuses on two best friends who blur the line of friendship and romance.

Afterward, one of the film’s stars, Fawzia Mirza, took the stage to answer questions from the audience.

"Are you single?" was the very first question asked. (The answer was yes.)

After her Q&A, she encouraged everyone to carry the party over to Headhunters nightclub for the after-party.

"We are loving the idea that gays and lesbians are receiving recognition not only for their filmmaking but that stories about the private struggles of being gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender are being artistically told,” said one woman who wished to remain anonymous, standing hand-in-hand with her partner outside the theater.

Visit siglff.org for updates, volunteer information and details for 2012's festival.

See you next year!

Gay community forms redistricting group

2011-03-17T01:10:57Z

Gay leaders in Sacramento are organizing an effort for their community to be considered in the city’s redistricting process.

The gay community has formed a redistricting committee through the Sacramento Rainbow Chamber of Commerce’s foundation.

Rosanna Herber, chair of the new committee, said the center of the city’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community is in Midtown and downtown.

“We would like to see those areas in one district,” Herber said.

The LGBT population wants to be considered a “community of interest,” which is one of the elements the City Council will use to redesign its districts, Herber said.

Steve Hansen, a member of the city’s advisory redistricting committee who is also active in the gay community’s redistricting effort, said the LGBT vote is now split between three City Council districts in the city’s urban core. Because three council districts represent the area, the gay community’s vote is weakened, he said.

“And we’ve never had a LGBT official on the City Council or on the County Board of Supervisors. Our electoral power has been diluted,” he said.

Specific numbers on how many people identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender in the city are unclear at this point.

The group is using statistics from city voters’ positions on Proposition 8 to show that LGBT community members and supporters are concentrated in the city’s urban core, Hansen said.

In the 2010 U.S. Census, people had the option of filling out information on whether they are married to or living with a same-sex partner.

The data on same-sex couples is expected to be released later this year or early next year, according to Hansen.

Scot Mende, the city’s new growth manager, confirmed that the city has not yet received any Census data on same-sex couples.

If the data is released after September, it may not assist the gay community’s effort with the redistricting process, as the city must complete the process by September, according to the city charter.

Mende said the city doesn’t have Census data to back up a strict geographic boundary for the LGBT community. Still, the city is open to the idea of an LGBT community of interest, he said.

“We are open to anecdotal evidence if someone can explain reasonably well where that community resides,” he said.

View the Sacramento Rainbow Chamber Redistricting Committee's map of Proposition 8 votes in Sacramento County:

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

DISTRICT COURT JUDGE ISSUES IMMEDIATE SUSPENSION OF “DON’T ASK, DON’T TELL

2010-10-13T18:14:21Z

SACRAMENTO , CALIFORNIA - Yesterday, U.S. District Court Judge Virginia Phillips issued a three-page worldwide injunction calling for the Department of Defense (DoD) to suspend all investigations and discharges related to the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT) policy. This development comes weeks after Phillips’ ruling that the policy is unconstitutional, going against the First and Fifth Amendments. The Department of Justice (DOJ) is expected to appeal the decision which will carry the case up the Court of Appeals of the Ninth Circuit.

Sacramento Valley Veterans (SVV) member, Anthony Loverde, provided testimony in the bench trial held in southern California in July this year. The Log Cabin Republicans filed the lawsuit back in 2004. Loverde recently released “A Silent Force” which visually documents the impact of DADT on servicemembers.

SVV Vice President and retired Army veteran Tina Stidman provided the following statement upon hearing the news: “We’re extremely pleased with the judge’s decision; however, we have to keep in mind that this is a step in the lengthy process towards repealing this policy.”

“Judge Phillips’ decision is certainly welcome and needed,” said SVV President Tyson Redhouse, “this policy has taxed the nation and cut short the livelihoods of brave men and women who have willingly taken the oath to defend this nation. We cannot let our leaders take the easy way out on this issue. The thousands of silent serving need to hear that there is progress being made. Phillips’ injunction is one of the many important steps needed to bring this policy down.”

Sacramento Valley Veterans (SVV) is urging servicemembers currently serving not to come out but to wait until DADT is repealed.

Sacramento Valley Veterans is a chapter of the American Veterans for Equal Rights (AVER), a nationwide association of active, reserve and veteran servicemembers dedicated to full and equal rights and equitable treatment for all present and former members of the U.S. Armed Forces. For more information on the Sacramento Valley Veterans, visit www.saclgbtveterans.org.

Dyke Night kicks off PRIDE

2010-06-19T06:08:03Z

Sacramento's PRIDE 2010 kicked off with Dyke Night, an evening of music and entertainment on the west Capitol steps to lead into the new location of this year's festivities on Sacramento’s Capitol Mall near between the Tower Bridge and the Capitol building.

Here are some moments:

Two women in the audience respond to the performers on stage.

Allyn Pharo and her dog Sterling.

The crowd filled the lawn in front of the west Capitol steps.

Aurora (top and bottom) played to the crowd.

Emcee and Organizer Hilary Hodge keep the pace going throughout the evening.

Tina Reynolds, Equality Action Now, gave folks an update on Prop.8.

Dancers from Hot Pot Studios (above) moved their bodies slowly to the music and react after falling down (below).

Dean Brian Baker, Trinity Church participated with C. Foster and Jovi Radtke’s “Spoken Word”.

Jace and Brando performed with the Kings of Drag.

Other performers included Der Spazm and Sappho’s Serenaders.

For a copy of the official Sacramento PRIDE program:sacramentopride.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/sac-pride-program-only.pdf

The Sacramento Pride Festival will be held Saturday, June 19, from 10 am to 5 pm along the Capitol Mall Avenue.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Sacramento Pride Grows Up to Role as California's Capital Pride!

2010-06-18T07:46:57Z

With an iconic new location--Sacramento's scenic Capitol Mall, expanded marketing efforts and a growing roster of prestigious corporate sponsors and exhibitors, the 26-year-old Sacramento Pride Festival is expected to break attendance records on Saturday.

The June 19 Festival will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., attracting an estimated 10,000 visitors and bringing hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of economic benefit to Sacramento’s downtown area. Festival admission is $10.

After a number of years at South Side Park, the Festival will move to Capitol Mall in 2010, where a street-festival layout sandwiched between the Tower Bridge and the State Capitol dome is expected to add novelty and cachet to “California’s Capital Pride.” Adding to the buzz are headline entertainers from New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles, a new high-energy Amtrak Dance Pavilion featuring popular regional DJs, and give-aways including $50 in free play at Jackson Rancheria Casino & Hotel, California State Fair and Village People concert tickets, music downloads from Masterbeat and more.

Featured on two live stages will be “Ru-Paul’s Drag Race” winner Bebe Zahara Benet, singer-songwriter and LOGO Channel star Joel Evan; musical comedy duo That’s What She Said (TWSS); and Kaylah Marin, whose dance remix single “On the Floor (Oh Baby Please)” hit #4 on the Billboard Club Play Charts. Local favorites include songstress Gwen McMillin, folk singer Joshua Macrae, and punk-soul-hip hop band RCWB (Rendezvous w/Cool Beans). A complete entertainment schedule is attached.

The Sacramento Pride Festival will kick off with a Pride Parade at 10 a.m., featuring State Assembly Speaker John Pérez as Grand Marshall. The parade will begin at the intersection of 7th and T streets and proceed on 7th Street to the Festival entrance at 7th Street and Capitol Mall.

An Opening Ceremony and ribbon-cutting will follow the parade at 11 a.m. on the Festival 4th Street Stage, featuring Assembly Speaker Pérez, Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson and other dignitaries.

Sacramento Pride would not be possible without the support of its generous corporate sponsors, including Title Sponsor Jackson Rancheria Casino & Hotel, Wells Fargo, Outword Magazine, Rainbow Chamber of Commerce, HP, Rainbow Pages, Regional Transit, Faces Nightclub, Barefoot Wine, Bud Light, JetBlue, WriteAway Communications Services, Infinite Entertainment, Uptown Studios, SMUD, Amtrak, CARES, Cheer SF, California State Fair, Power of Two Promotions, Lumens Light + Living, Safeway, IKEA, Sacramento News & Review, Curve Magazine and SF Weekly.

Sacramento Pride is produced by the volunteers and staff of the Sacramento Gay & Lesbian Center and proceeds support Center programs and services, including youth services, adult discussion groups, HIV support services, transgender support services, a free weekly legal clinic, gathering space for local community organizations and more. For more information about Sacramento Pride, visit www.sacramentopride.org.

$10 Buys Big Value at Sacramento Pride

2010-06-06T23:01:29Z

Let’s face it—a sawbuck just doesn’t go very far these days. But thanks to generous corporate sponsorships and a year's worth of robust volunteer effort to build the event, Sacramento Pride is shaping up to be the best value of the region's summer festival season!

Sacramento Pride Festival, Saturday, June 19, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., will be held at Sacramento’s scenic Capitol Mall for the first time this year. To go along with its exciting new location, Pride's volunteer organizers are bringing in new attractions, star-power entertainment, and excellent swag--all for the price of a $10 admission ticket.

Here is a list of the top 10 added values for guests attending Sacramento Pride:

1) $50 Casino Bucks from Sacramento Pride Title Sponsor Jackson Rancheria Casino and Hotel
Don’t throw that Pride Festival ticket away! Printed on the reverse side is your coupon for $50 in free casino play at Jackson Rancheria. (Offer only applies to new customers, who are not currently members of Jackson’s Dreamcatcher Club®. However, Jackson Rancheria has been so touched by the support of the LGBTQI community that EXISTING club members may submit their tickets for $25 in free Casino Bucks!)

2) 10 Free Music Downloads from Masterbeat
Look for volunteers wearing Masterbeat T-shirts at our new high-energy Amtrak Dance Pavilion. They’ll be handing out Masterbeat cards good for 10 free music downloads at https://www.masterbeat.com to the first 1,500 visitors!

3) Free California State Fair and Village People Concert Tickets
Hightail it over to the Amtrak Dance Pavilion anytime you hear the DJ spin a Village People tune. Pride Sponsor California State Fair staff will be handing out free passes to the Fair and to The Village People (Y-M-C-A!), in concert at Cal Expo Tuesday, July 27.

4) FREE Logo Goodie Bags to the First 5,000 Guests
Collect your reusable, souvenir Pride Goodie Bag at the gate, and use it to collect your SWAG from our fabulous array of Festival sponsors and exhibitors.

5) Star Entertainment Line-up at 2 Live Stages
“Ru-Paul’s Drag Race” winner Bebe Zahara Benet. Musical comedy duo That’s What She Said (U-Haul: The Music Video). LOGO Channel star singer-songwriter Joel Evan. Billboard Club Dance Chart recording artist Kaylah Marin. Dreamy sister duo Karmina. Cast members from Steve Silver’s “Beach Blanket Babylon.” And lots of local favorites, including Cheer SF, Sacramento Sirens Cheer Elite, Cheer Sacramento, and Folsom Cheer Elite; vocalist/activist Cooper Rae; singer-songwriter Gwen McMillin; folk singer Joshua Macrae; A Church For All Gospel Choir; Sacramento Gay Men’s Chorus; Downtown Diva Danielle; Taryn Thru U; Rusty Nails… we could just go on and on. Check out the official Sacramento Pride Program in the June 10 issue of Outword Magazine for a complete entertainment listing, or visit http://sacramentopride.org.

6) Amtrak Dance Pavilion
You asked for more fun, more excitement, more chance to dance the day away! We heard you! Sacramento Pride Sponsors Amtrak and Infinite Entertainment, along with One DJ Nation, will provide you with a diverse mix of high-energy dance music all day long. Our line-up of guest DJs includes DJ Gabriel, DJ Lurid, DJ Clay and Sacramento’s own Jammin’ Jo.

7) Kidzone and Carnival
Bounce houses! Face painting! Arts, crafts, games and family-friendly fun! Staffed as usual by the wonderful folks at Sierra Forever Families.

8) Entertainer Meet-&-Greets and Merchandise Signing Opportunities
Several of our performers will be on hand after their stage performances to mix and mingle with our Pride guests. Have your picture taken with Bebe or Joel. Or purchase a TWSS CD or Pride T-shirt to have the girls sign! Celebrity signing areas will be announced from the 4th Street and 6th Street Stages.

9) Skip the Lines!
For the first time this year, you can purchase your Sacramento Pride Festival admission tickets and drink tickets online. Just go to http://sacramentopride.org and click on the Store link. Buy four tickets online, and you will receive a free 24 x 36-inch collectible poster, mailed to you with your tix in a tube.

10) The Priceless Opportunity to Make a Difference in Your Community
Sacramento Pride is produced by the staff and volunteers of the Sacramento Gay & Lesbian Center, and your $10 Pride Festival admission is the primary source of funding for Center programs and services throughout the year. Those include youth programming, HIV support services, transgender support services, adult men’s and women’s discussion groups, free weekly legal clinic, free or low-cost meeting space for community organizations and much more. Many Center services are not available anywhere else in Northern California outside the Bay Area. Your attendance on June 19 is a contribution that will make a difference in our community, all year long!

Sacramento Pride Reinvented

2010-05-09T00:45:50Z

This is not your daddy’s Sacramento Pride!

Sacramento Pride is making big changes in 2010, all aimed at transforming the annual regional celebration of LGBT culture and accomplishments into an event worthy of its new tagline, California’s Capital Pride.

The list of changes begins with the day-long Pride Festival’s move this year to Sacramento’s Capitol Mall. The Festival will be held Saturday, June 19, from 10 am to 5 pm. Sandwiched between the State Capitol dome on the east and the golden spans of the Tower Bridge on the west, the Festival’s move to the scenic city gateway is intended to raise visibility and emphasize the important role of the LGBT community in Sacramento and statewide.

The Festival’s move from Southside Park, where the festival has been held for the past several years, to Capitol Mall has been warmly received by city officials, who awarded the event an $8,100 City of Festivals Grant for the first time this year. “Sacramento’s LGBT community is essential to making this city a great place to live, work and play,” said Councilmember Ray Tretheway. “The State Capitol and Tower Bridge will be the perfect backdrop as thousands of people from throughout the state and nation gather to celebrate our capital’s annual pride festival.”

Also new in 2010:

An amped-up entertainment line-up, featuring several nationally-known acts as well as a robust slate of local talent at two stage locations. Entertainers confirmed to date include:
-- Season 1 winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race, Bebe Zahara Benet
-- Recording artist Kaylah Marin, whose dance remix hit “On the Floor (Oh Baby Please)” currently is #4 on the Billboard Club Play Charts
-- TWSS, or That’s What She Said, an L.A. musical comedy duo perhaps best known for the YouTube sensation, “U-Haul: The Music Video”
-- Singer/Songwriter Joel Evan, whose new hit single "Storm" is taking the dance clubs by storm.
A new Sacramento Pride Parade route, featuring a symbolic route reversal, beginning at 10 am at Southside Park (where it used to end)and ending at the entrance to the new Capitol Mall Festival grounds.
The high-energy Amtrak Dance Stage, made possible by a generous sponsorship from Amtrak.
An all-new Dyke Celebration. Scheduled for Friday evening, June 18, at the State Capitol West Steps, the event will feature a twist on the traditional “Dyke March” with a festive line-up of musical, dance, Drag King and spoken-word performances. Participants of all genders are invited to join the celebration of unity and equality.

Sacramento Pride 2010 will have the support of the largest number of corporate and non-profit sponsors in the history of the event, beginning with Title Sponsor Jackson Rancheria Hotel & Casino, Outword Magazine, Wells Fargo, The Hewlett Packard Company, Regional Transit, JetBlue, Barefoot Cellars, Safeway, Rainbow Chamber of Commerce of Sacramento, Rainbow Pages, SMUD, Amtrak, California State Fair, Uptown Studios, IKEA, BudLight, Lumens Light + Living, Infinite Entertainment, WriteAway Communications Services, Power of Two Promotions, CARES, Sacramento News & Review, and Cheer San Francisco. Outword Magazine publisher Fred Palmer, sales and marketing agent for Sacramento Pride, has been instrumental in attaining most of the event sponsors.

As always, Sacramento Pride is produced by volunteers and staff of the Sacramento Gay & Lesbian Center, and proceeds support Center youth services, HIV support services, programs for transgender individuals, gay men and lesbians, a free weekly legal clinic and other services critical to the health and wellbeing of the LGBT community.

For more information, visit http://sacramentopride.org, or follow Sacramento Pride on Facebook, Twitter and MySpace.

Rainbow Chamber Donates $10,000 to Sacramento Gay & Lesbian Center

2009-12-18T00:56:08Z

Chamber donates additional $500 to national gay youth suicide prevention organization

The Rainbow Chamber of Commerce of Sacramento, a networking and advocacy organization for lesbian, bisexual, bisexual and transgender and LGBT-friendly businesses, has pledged a $10,000 contribution to the Sacramento Gay & Lesbian Center. The donation will be made in quarterly installments, with an initial $2,500 installment to be paid immediately.

Established in 1986, the non-profit Sacramento Gay & Lesbian Center provides programs and services for at-risk lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) youth, mental health services and support groups for LGBT youth and adults, a free weekly legal clinic and numerous other services and produces annual community events such as Sacramento Pride and Lambda Awards.

“The Sacramento Gay & Lesbian Center provides critically important services to those in our community who are most vulnerable,” said Rainbow Chamber President Fred Palmer. “The Center provides a central place for grass roots organizing and civil rights advocacy and for celebrating our achievements. The members of the Rainbow Chamber of Commerce realize how important it is that Sacramento have a healthy, vibrant gay and lesbian community center. We hope other organizations and individuals will follow our lead in supporting the Center, particularly now, when so many non-profit organizations are struggling.”

“On behalf of the Center board of directors and staff, we are grateful for the support of the Rainbow Chamber of Commerce,” said Bill Otton, interim executive director at the Center. “We regard the Chamber’s financial support as a vote of confidence that the organization is moving in a positive direction, as we work to increase community involvement with a new membership program and support for groups who address political, social, health, cultural and business issues facing our community.”

For more information about the Sacramento Gay & Lesbian Center, visit http://www.saccenter.org.

The Chamber donated an additional $500 to the Trevor Project (http://www.thetrevorproject.org), the leading national suicide prevention organization LGBT and questioning youth. The Trevor Project operates the only accredited, nationwide, around-the-clock crisis and suicide prevention helpline for LGBT and questioning youth (866-4-U-TREVOR).

The purpose of the Sacramento Rainbow Chamber of Commerce is to promote networking among the gay and lesbian business community and its supporters; to enhance awareness of political and social issues; and to encourage involvement in charitable causes. For more information about the Sacramento Rainbow Chamber of Commerce, visit http://www.rainbowchamber.com.

98Rock Morning Show Apologizes For Transgender, Child Abuse Comments

2009-06-11T17:59:22Z

Following nearly a week's worth of silence and with over a dozen advertisers lost, a Sacramento-based radio program returned to the airwaves with an apology in response to some off-color comments that drew national attention and criticism.

Rob Williams and Arnie States, two-thirds of KRXQ's "Rob, Arnie & Dawn Show," apologized Thursday morning for comments they made two weeks ago in which they referred to members of the transgender community as "freaks," "fruits" and as experiencing "mental defects" meant to "draw attention to themselves."

The comments made during the May 28th broadcast angered child advocacy and transgender groups, the effect of which was the withdrawing or cancellation of agreement to financially support KRXQ by Chipotle, Snapple, Sonic, Bank of America, Verizon Wireless, Carl's Jr., Nissan North America, AT&T, McDonald's, Sleep Train and Guitar World.

However, Rob Williams say it was the show's fans who made the presenters realize they had pushed the line too far.

"We are here today to make things right with the people who give us our free speech -- our audience," Williams said at the beginning of today's program. "Our audience made it clear that our initial comments were over the line, that they expected us to make things right."

"My ignorance prevented me from understanding how hard a transgender's life is day to day...and I am very sorry for that," States said today during KRXQ's two-and-a-half-hour, commercial-free broadcast. "I ignorantly thought that name-calling was just that. Due to my ignorance, I was wrong."

Thursday's show aired following Williams and States' initial response to their May 28th comments on June 3rd in which Williams and States defended their comments and refused to apologize.

"I think it's ridiculous to think that I'm advocating violence against kids," States responded on the program June 3rd. "I know a lot of people don't understand this, that's a joke. Maybe you find that to be a tasteless joke, but I have never advocated for parents to beat their children."

States also pointed out that the show has held 29-hour broadcasts benefitting the U.C. Davis Children's Hospital Network annually since 2007. In a letter to station management on June 8th, Dr. Claire Pomeroy announced U.C. Davis Children's Hospital Network was severing their ties with KRXQ over the controversial comments.

"The events of May 28th and the station's lack of a publicly articulated response to those events are inconsistent with UC Davis' values and mission," the letter read. "We are, first and foremost, an institution of learning and teaching, committed to advancing health and well-being for all. We affirm the right of freedom of expression, within the bounds of courtesy, sensitivity and respect. The statements made by [Williams and States] were outside those bounds."

U.C. Davis Children's Network said they will re-evaluate their relationship with the station at the end of 2009.

Thursday morning's program solicited phone calls from the community and featured transgender advocates Autumn Sandeen and Kim Pearson. The show was heavily promoted by the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) organization, which encouraged supporters to listen and call in to this morning's program. The organization had previously encouraged supporters to write to the station's advertisers.

A statement by GLAAD regarding this morning's program on KRXQ was not available as of 11AM Thursday.

The Rob, Arnie and Dawn Show, which is owned and produced by Williams, continues to air weekday mornings on KRXQ 98.5 FM, known on-air as "98Rock" in Sacramento, and in syndication on KDOT 104.5 FM in Reno.

98Rock's Rob Williams To Fans: "We Have Failed You"

2009-06-07T22:10:28Z

Amid a sleugh of advertiser withdrawals and facing heat from the GLBT community, Rob Williams, one-third of KRXQ's "Rob, Arnie & Dawn" morning show, posted a statement on the show's website that can be summed up in four words: "We have failed you."

"We presented our opinions on a very sensitive subject in a hateful, childish and crude fashion," Williams wrote on his website, RobArnieAndDawn.com in a letter to listeners, "and then, given the chance to retract those remarks, we defended them."

The response comes nearly two weeks following an on-air segment in which Williams and co-host Arnie States called members of the transgendered community "freaks," "fruits" and describing them as having a "mental disorder" in which transgenders "bring attention to themselves."

"God forbid if my son put on a pair of high heels, I would probably hit him with one of my shoes," States quipped during the May 28th segment.

Since then, nine advertisers -- Chipotle, Snapple, Sonic, Bank of America, Verizon Wireless, Carl's Jr., Nissan North America, AT&T and McDonald's -- announced through the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) that they were withdrawing support from KRXQ. A tenth advertiser, Wells Fargo Bank, issued a statement saying they were not advertisers of KRXQ's breakfast program and had no intention of advertising with the station in the future.

On June 3rd, Williams and States, along with co-host Dawn Rossi, addressed the May 28th segment following an outcry of opposition from listeners throughout the United States and as far away as the United Kingdom. Williams and States appeared to defend their right to an opinion on the show and clarified that they, in no way, advocated violence toward children.

"They never meant to advocate any form of abuse," station manager Jim Fox told The Sacramento Bee's 21Q blog.

Williams went on to say in his statement posted on June 7th that no new "Rob, Arnie & Dawn" shows will air on KRXQ until Thursday, June 11th, at which time the breakfast show presenters will "say what needs to be said."

"Apologizing in a written, posted statement is a form of cowardice," Williams wrote.

The Rob, Arnie and Dawn Show, which is owned and produced by Williams, airs weekday mornings on KRXQ 98.5 FM in Sacramento, known on-air as "98Rock," and in syndication on KDOT 104.5 FM in Reno. The 12-year radio program has been no stranger to controversy in the past; in 2004, the show was fined $55,000 by the Federal Communications Counsel for "on-air indecency" following a complaint filed by James Peak.

98Rocked: Ten Advertisers Withdraw Over Transgender Comments

2009-06-07T01:13:55Z

In the wake of controversial comments made by morning show presenters Rob Williams and Arnie States on KRXQ 98.5 FM, nine companies have responded by either discontinuing or agreeing not to renew advertisement support on Sacramento's rock station.

The nine companies -- Chipotle, Snapple, Sonic, Bank of America, Verizon Wireless, Carl's Jr., Nissan North America, AT&T and McDonald's -- all announced through the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) that they were withdrawing support from KRXQ, known on-air as "98Rock," which is the flagship station for the popular "Rob, Arnie & Dawn Show."

"McDonald's has a proud legacy of diversity and inclusion," read a statement prepared by McDonald's USA LLC. "The views expressed by (Williams and States) are not consistent with our core values. As such, we are in the process of withdrawing advertising from KRXQ until further notice."

Wells Fargo Bank, whose logo was removed from the KRXQ website shortly after May 28th, issued a statement saying it was not an advertiser of the May 28th broadcast and had not advertised on the station for more than a year.

The withdrawal of support comes nearly two weeks after Williams and States made controversial comments regarding transgender children, referring to them as "freaks," "fruits" and claimed that transgendered people suffered from "medical conditions" in which they felt the need to "bring attention to themselves."

"God forbid if my son put on a pair of high heels, I would probably hit him with one of my shoes," States quipped.

Williams and States addressed, but did not apologize for, their comments in a follow-up segment on June 3rd. They also expressed disinterest in commenting to the media on the current controversy.

So far, the withdrawal of advertisement does not appear to affect station KDOT 104.5 FM in Reno, which syndicates the "Rob, Arnie & Dawn Show" along with KRXQ 98.5 FM in Sacramento.

Local Radio Show Takes Heat, Loses Advertisers Over Transgender Comments

2009-06-05T07:12:30Z

Three companies have decided to pull their advertisement support from KRXQ 98.5, better known on-air as "98Rock," following a controversial discussion about transgendered children on the station's breakfast show "Rob, Arnie & Dawn."

During the May 28th discussion, show presenters Rob Williams and Arnie States read from a news article describing a male child in another state as being permitted to enroll in school as a female.

"God forbid if my son put on a pair of high heels, I would probably hit him with one of my shoes," States quipped.

Williams and States then took turns receiving listener phone calls, during which they called transgendered people "freaks," "fruits" and claimed that transgendered people suffered from "medical conditions" in which they felt the need to "bring attention to themselves." The shows third presenter, Dawn Rossi, appeared distressed during the segment.

"Those that really have this, it is a struggle for them! It is heart-wrenching for them! They have always felt like a different sex! And they've never felt like themselves."

In response to the May 28th discussion, the organization GLAAD (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) issued a statement on its blog, saying it was working with the organization Trans Youth Family Allies to bring attention to the segment and solicit a response and apology from station management.

"GLAAD has reached out to KRXQ management to communicate our serious concerns and demand an apology. We are waiting for their reply," the blog read on June 1st.

"They never meant to advocate any form of abuse," station manager Jim Fox told The Sacramento Bee's 21Q blog.

States also pointed out that the show has held 29-hour broadcasts benefitting the U.C. Davis Children's Hospital network annually since 2007.

The presenters went on to defend their controversial dialogue, stating that opinions should be freely expressed regardless of how they're interpreted.

"That's what makes this country great," Rossi said in defense of Willams and States. "The minute we start telling Arnie he can't say that, then somebody's going to tell me I can't defend transgender people."

"You guys imply that all you have to do is...whack my non-existant child with a shoe if he goes clopping around the house in high heels," commented a listener who identified herself as a male-to-female transgender who previously had served in the US armed forces for 22 years. "Don't you think that all the abuse that I took in school would have changed that basic nature in me?"

"Thank you for your service, but let me just say this right now," quipped an angered States. "You fought (in the armed forces) for nothing! With the opinions that you have right there, you fought for absolutely nothing!"

Anyone who expected an apology from two-parts of the breakfast show trio were left with only points of clarification for the controversial dialogue, and that didn't sit well with gay and lesbian organizations.

"While it was heartening for us to hear that Rob Williams and Arnie States did not advocate for violence against children," GLAAD reported on their blog, "they also did not hold themselves accountable for their dehumanizing and defamatory words used to describe transgender children in last week’s show."

That didn't sit well with advertisers either. Shortly after Wednesday's show aired, the Dr. Pepper Snapple Group wrote an e-mail to GLAAD announcing they were pulling their advertisement-based support for KRXQ.

"We found the segment to be offensive," a statement released by the Dr. Pepper Snapple Group read, "and as a result, we are pulling our Snapple advertising from the station."

Chipotle Mexican Grill and Sonic Corporation also announced that day they, too, were pulling advertisement support for the station in response to the offensive comments.

"SONIC in no way condones violence toward children and does not wish to be associated with media content that condones or promotes such activity in any way"

The Rob, Arnie and Dawn Show, which is owned and produced by Williams, continues to air weekday mornings on KRXQ 98.5 FM in Sacramento and in syndication on KDOT 104.5 FM in Reno. The 12-year radio program has been no stranger to controversy in the past; in 2004, the show was fined $55,000 by the Federal Communications Counsel for "on-air indecency" following a complaint filed by James Peak.

Link: Listen to the original May 28th conversation

Link: Rob, Arnie & Dawn's response on June 3rd (part 1) (part 2)

Link: Local Radio Morning Program Upset Some Over Transgender Comments (FOX40, June 2nd)