Featured Editorials

How much could her life have been worth anyhow?

Submitted by Robyn on Wed, 09/16/2015 - 2:29pm

photo Tovar_zps2xutybhn.jpgJanette Tovar was a 43-year-old transgender woman. She was said to be a popular nightclub promoter.

Tovar had been in a relationship with Jonathan Stuart Kenney, 29, for over a year and were living together in October of 2012. From all reports, however, it was a "very turbulent relationship." According to the apartment manager, who dived on the floor below their apartment, the couple were always fighting and were at it again between 8am and 9am on October 15, when he heard Tovar yell, "Get off me." The couple left the apartment at that time...still fighting.

Kenney now admits to slamming Tovar's head into the pavement before they returned to the apartment. Kenney then beat Tovar again.

Around 4pm Kenney called 911 to report that Tovar was unconscious and unresponsive...but not before he posted the following on the Book of Face:

I love you my baby Janette, your my love my everything and I will miss you so much. Your the best thing that ever happened to me girl kisses!!!!!! I hope you can see me down here even though I can’t see you I feel your spirit still living in me. Rest in peace mi amor mi vida.

Tovar was determined to have died from blunt force trauma.

Time to lobby for transgender rights in Massachusetts

Submitted by Robyn on Tue, 09/15/2015 - 1:35pm

More than 50 businesses, including Google, Harvard Pilgrim Health, and Eastern Bank, as well as the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, the Massachusetts Hospital Association, and the YWCA of Boston have thrown their support behind a bill aimed at protecting transgender people from discrimination in public accommodations.

On the opposing side are Governor Charlie Baker and the Massachusetts Family Institute.

In 2011 the Massachusetts legislature passed a bill protecting transgender people from discimination in housing, employment, and credit and added gender identity to the state's hate crimes law.

Though hailed at the time as a "major victory," it was not a total success.

The bill did not include language to protect transgender people in public accommodations, which advocates had sought. They will continue to fight to expand transgender protections to include public accommodations, such as hotels, restaurants, and clubs, she said. Opponents had decried those proposals as “the bathroom bill,’’ arguing that they would enable biological men to demand access to women’s restrooms and locker rooms.

Anti-discrimination protection in public accommodations was just perceived as going a bridge too far.

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