Largo, FL, City Of "Progress", Votes To Dismiss Transgender City Manager

[Ian David]

Largo City Manager Steve Stanton served his community for 14 years, doing his job well and receiving both praise and a 9% pay raise from his city's commissioners last December. But when Stanton's plans to undergo a sex-change operation became public, the same commission voted to fire him (my bolds):

LARGO - City commissioners ended one of the most tumultuous weeks in Largo history Tuesday night by moving to fire City Manager Steve Stanton following his disclosure that he will have a sex-change operation.



A total of 480 people packed City Hall for a four-hour meeting during which one activist was arrested after police told her not to hand out fliers.

After listening to about 60 speakers, mostly from Largo, a majority of commissioners said they had lost confidence in Stanton's ability to lead.

"His brain is the same today as it was last week," Commissioner Gay Gentry said. "He may be even able to be a better city manager. But I sense that he's lost his standing as a leader among the employees of the city.

That's it right there, lawyers and gentlemen: a clear admission of wrongdoing. Which is to say, the City of Largo regards a person of equal or better capabilities as being inferior--as having "lost his standing as a leader"--based solely on his gender identity and the private medical procedures related thereto. And this admission was made on record by an agent of the City of Largo--a commissioner, in fact.

To his credit, Mayor Mayor Pat Gerard, voting in dissent along with Commissioner Rodney Woods, stood firm with Stanton:

More:
http://shakespearessister.blogspot.com/2007/03/largo-fl-city-of-progress-votes-to.html

[Marnieworld]

1. Wow

I don't know why I am still amazed when I encounter such ignorant cruelty. It happens all of the time but still? How do these people justify this to themselves and eachother? It's clear that they were happy with this person before their decision was revealed.

Ignorance plus hatred and the need to feel superior.

Just so sick.

[struggle4progress]

2. Florida city official fired over planned sex change

From Associated Press
5:13 PM PST, March 1, 2007

... At the end of the 3½-hour meeting, the City Commission voted 5-2 to begin the legal process of firing Stanton, who went public about his sex-change plans after learning that a local newspaper was about to reveal his secret. The 48-year-old married man and father of a teenage boy can appeal his dismissal, and the commission must vote again to formally fire him from the job he has held for 14 years ...

Stanton listened with hands clasped throughout the meeting.

''It's just real painful to know that seven days ago I was a good guy and now I have no integrity, I have no trust and, most painful, I have no followers,'' Stanton told the crowd before the vote ...

In a memo to city employees last week, Stanton said he intends to live as a woman for a year to learn whether he is ready for the operation. He said he has gone out in public as a woman only a few times in cities far from Largo ...

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-030107largo,0,7395417.story?coll=la-home-headlines

[NMMNG]

3. I'm so weary of all the hatred and bigotry

Sigh. :-(

[atranssexualgirl]

4. You can do something about it

Tell the commissioners exactly what you think !

[email protected]


That's what I did. Will you?

[cdeca2005]

5. Point of correction.

Mayor Pat Gerard is the WOMAN seated on the right in the above photo. Commissioner Rodney Woods, the only other dissenting vote, is the first African American on the "City of Progress's" city commission.

[tonekat]

6. Here is the link to a petition protesting this bigotry!

http://nsrc.sfsu.edu/petition.cfm

Please sign it, and forward to anyone you may know who would sign it!

[atranssexualgirl]

7. I signed it

And i am spreading it around!