Windy City Media Group Frontpage News

THE VOICE OF CHICAGO'S GAY, LESBIAN, BI, TRANS AND QUEER COMMUNITY SINCE 1985

home search facebook twitter join
Gay News Sponsor Windy City Times 2023-02-22
DOWNLOAD ISSUE
Donate

Sponsor
Sponsor
Sponsor

  WINDY CITY TIMES

LGBT attorneys talk of experiences
by Andrew Davis
2009-08-05

This article shared 8773 times since Wed Aug 5, 2009
facebook twitter pin it google +1 reddit email


From left: Allen Orr, Brent Adams and M. Dru Levasseur. Photo by All Events Photography

Lawyers talked about their experiences in school and work in "The Gay Bar: LGBT Attorneys in the Profession," a forum held July 31 at the Hotel Intercontinental, 505 N. Michigan, as part of the American Bar Association's annual meeting.

The attorneys spoke as the ABA's Commission on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity, chaired by San Francisco attorney Jeffrey G. Gibson, presided over the event and listened intently to the experiences. ( Among the other commissioners present was the National Center for Lesbian Rights' Shannon Minter, who argued against Proposition 8 in front of the California Supreme Court. )

Immigration-law attorney Allen Orr of Baker & McKenzie talked about being African-American and gay. Orr, who went to historically black institutions Morehouse College and Howard School of Law, said that he learned that being Black and gay "are two separate minorities." In a testimonial, Orr wrote, "While the administration and professors were always available and wiling to lend support, I felt marginalized among the law students and the greater Howard community."

Orr talked about working with an investment bank in Virginia—a place where he did not feel welcome. "They started off each day with a prayer," he said. When he eventually ended up with the Washington, D.C., office of Baker & McKenzie, he said, " [ the firm ] didn't know what they were getting," as the audience laughed. Orr indicated that he made it quite clear from the start that he was gay.

He admitted that the firm has its challenges: "In order to have a breakthrough ... firms need to understand what diversity means."

Brent Adams, acting secretary of the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, talked about attending the New York School University of Law as well as working at the Chicago law firm Katten Muchin Roseman ( then known as Katten Muchin Zavis ) . Adams said that he was very out in law school and at work, serving as chair of the Bisexual Gay & Lesbian Law Students Association—commonly referred to as "Big Lisa." He received only one callback when he applied with ( mostly ) Chicago firms—from Katten—although he had no evidence that homophobia was involved in the lack of positive responses.

When he was at Katten, a hiring partner asked me where he was from, and Adams responded, "Oklahoma." He laughed and said, "Well you know they only raise two things in Oklahoma." ( For those who don't know, the answer to that saying is "steers and queers." ) Adams informed his own mentor about what happened, and the partner visited him the next day "to see how he was doing."

Adams said during the forum that his experience at the firm was very positive, overall. He added that " [ b ] eing out is one of the biggest political statements a person can make."

M. Dru Levasseur, staff attorney for Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund, Inc., excelled in high school athletically ( as a star female competitor ) and academically. Levasseur came out as lesbian in college and "nine years and four schools later, I graduated cum laude from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst," he said.

It was in law school that Levasseur realized his true gender identity, he said. "I started class presenting as a masculine-looking female—a butch lesbian—with the knowledge that my process was only beginning," he said. However, the road to the transition was not smooth. "When I came out to the lesbian and gay law students as transgender, I was not met with the welcome atmosphere that I had anticipated," Levasseur continued. "One student asked me invasive and inappropriate questions about my genitals. Another said, 'I just don't get it.' ... I quickly realized that the community that had once been my support no longer included me. I didn't know where to turn."

A particular low point occurred when "during my first year, as I walked from the parking lot towards the law school building, an SUV sped up towards me as if to hit me," he said. "I jumped out of the way just in time and turned to see three of my classmates, future attorneys, in the car, laughing. At the time, I was not immune to threats on my life based on my gender expression. I just didn't expect it at my law school." As one can imagine, the process of interviewing for a summer-associate position at a law firm was no bed of roses for Levasseur, either, as he related how one law-firm partner laughed at him while Levasseur explained what "transgender" meant.

Although Levasseur said that he loves his job, there were mixed feelings: "In the end, I took a position with an organization doing transgender civil-rights work. I enjoy the opportunity to do the work that is my passion, but I did feel like my career options were limited based on my gender identity and expression."

A question-and-answer session yielded interesting and honest replies. When a commissioner mentioned a lesbian co-worker who considers herself "Black, then a woman, then lesbian," Orr responded, "She got it right," and emphasized that a cultural divide still exists that calls for this hierarchy. When asked about the challenges of being in the public sector, Adams said that Illinoisans have many different viewpoints, and that even though he is successful at his job, he knows that some view him as the "openly gay guy." However, Adams added, he hasn't encountered workplace discrimination in terms of getting things done.


This article shared 8773 times since Wed Aug 5, 2009
facebook twitter pin it google +1 reddit email

  ARTICLES YOU MIGHT LIKE

Gay News

NATIONAL Google Doodle, drag laureate, Nebraska bill, NYC AIDS Walk 2023-05-26
- D.C. poet/activist/journalist Ivy Young passed away at age 75, per a press release. Among other things, Young worked at Chicago's VISTA; the Center for Black Education and Drum and Spear Book Store in D.C.; the ...


Gay News

Illinois Healthcare Cultural Competency Coalition applauds passage of HB 2450 2023-05-25
--From a press release - The Illinois Healthcare Cultural Competency Coalition applauds passage by the Illinois General Assembly of legislation that will ensure cultural competency is part of continuing medical education for a range of healthcare providers in Illinois. "We are ...


Gay News

Board of Commissioners unanimously passes Bodily Autonomy Ordinance Amendment with support of Equality Illinois, ACLU Illinois 2023-05-25
--From a press release - Chicago, Ill. — May 25th 2023 — Today, the Cook County Board of Commissioners unanimously passed an amendment to the Human Rights Ordinance ensuring the protection of all individual's right to their own bodily autonomy. The ...


Gay News

Louisiana Senate committee kills anti-trans bill aimed at minors 2023-05-24
- The Louisiana Senate Health & Welfare Committee has stopped an anti-trans bill aimed at minors, WBRZ News 2 in Baton Rouge has reported. Republican committee chairman Fred Mills joined Democrats on May 24 to kill Louisiana House Bill 648—a bill tha ...


Gay News

Louisiana Senate Health & Welfare Committee kills bans on gender affirming care, HRC responds 2023-05-24
--From a press release - Baton Rouge, Louisiana — Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) civil rights organization, thanks members of the Louisiana Senate Health ...


Gay News

HRC condemns Ohio state senate for passing education censorship bill 2023-05-24
--From a press release - Columbus, Ohio — The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) — the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) civil rights organization — condemned the Ohio State Senate for passing ...


Gay News

Attorney general concludes Illinois Catholic clergy sex-abuse investigation 2023-05-24
- Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul released a comprehensive report detailing decades of child sex abuse by members of the Catholic clergy in the state. The report concludes a multi-year investigation into child sex abuse by members ...


Gay News

Sodomy laws repealed in Minnesota and Maryland 2023-05-23
- Sodomy laws are no longer on the books in Minnesota and Maryland. According to The Los Angeles Blade, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz signed a public-safety bill into law on May 19 that repeals several anti-LGBTQ+ sections ...


Gay News

Lambda Legal marks 50 years with Bon Foster Civil Rights Celebration 2023-05-20
- Lambda Legal marked its 50th anniversary with The Bon Foster Civil Rights Celebration May 19 at the Art Institute of Chicago. The event honored Windy City Times Owner and Co-Founder Tracy Baim. The celebration was named ...


Gay News

Advocates applaud Illinois General Assembly passage of House Bill 1286 for gender-neutral multiple-occupancy restrooms 2023-05-19
--From a press release - CHICAGO — Advocates celebrated passage by the Illinois General Assembly of House Bill 1286, legislation that will reduce barriers for businesses serving their communities and customers by allowing for the ...


Gay News

Gay lawyer appointed as Cook County judge 2023-05-19
- On May 18, Justice Joy V. Cunningham and the Illinois Supreme Court announced the appointment of Edward J. Underhill as an at-large Cook County Circuit judge, according to a press release. Underhill was appointed to fill ...


Gay News

HB 1286 would allow gender-inclusive multi-occupancy restrooms, Chicago groups respond 2023-05-19
--From a press release - Statement from AIDS Foundation Chicago, Equality Illinois, and Pride Action Tank regarding HB 1286 to allow gender-inclusive multi-occupancy restrooms: We applaud the Illinois Senate for passing HB 1286 and urge the Illinois House to act expeditiously ...


Gay News

General Assembly moves closer to passing optional all-gender bathroom bill 2023-05-19
- On May 18, the Illinois Senate passed an amended version of a bill that would allow businesses and public institutions to provide multi-occupant all-gender bathrooms if they so choose, The Daily Herald reported. House Bill 1286 ...


Gay News

Florida Gov. DeSantis signs four anti-LGBTQ bills into law; parents file for an Emergency Order to Block SB 254 2023-05-17
--From press releases - (Miami, Florida - May 17) Today, on International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed into law four anti-LGBTQ+ bills at a signing ceremony at a private Christian school. The bills signed ...


Gay News

Missouri Attorney General issues order terminating anti-transgender rule 2023-05-17
--From a Lambda Legal press release - Jefferson City, Mo. — Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey has issued an order terminating his anti-transgender emergency rule challenged in Southampton Community Healthcare v. Bailey, the lawsuit filed by Lambda Legal, ACLU of Missouri and Brya ...


 


Copyright © 2023 Windy City Media Group. All rights reserved.
Reprint by permission only. PDFs for back issues are downloadable from
our online archives. Single copies of back issues in print form are
available for $4 per issue, older than one month for $6 if available,
by check to the mailing address listed below.

Return postage must accompany all manuscripts, drawings, and
photographs submitted if they are to be returned, and no
responsibility may be assumed for unsolicited materials.
All rights to letters, art and photos sent to Nightspots
(Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago
Gay and Lesbian News and Feature Publication) will be treated
as unconditionally assigned for publication purposes and as such,
subject to editing and comment. The opinions expressed by the
columnists, cartoonists, letter writers, and commentators are
their own and do not necessarily reflect the position of Nightspots
(Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago Gay,
Lesbian, Bisexual and Transegender News and Feature Publication).

The appearance of a name, image or photo of a person or group in
Nightspots (Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times
(a Chicago Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender News and Feature
Publication) does not indicate the sexual orientation of such
individuals or groups. While we encourage readers to support the
advertisers who make this newspaper possible, Nightspots (Chicago
GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago Gay, Lesbian
News and Feature Publication) cannot accept responsibility for
any advertising claims or promotions.

 
 

TRENDINGBREAKINGPHOTOS






Donate


About WCMG      Contact Us      Online Front  Page      Windy City  Times      Nightspots
Identity      BLACKlines      En La Vida      Archives      Advanced Search     
Windy City Queercast      Queercast Archives     
Press  Releases      Join WCMG  Email List      Email Blast      Blogs     
Upcoming Events      Todays Events      Ongoing Events      Bar Guide      Community Groups      In Memoriam     
Privacy Policy     

Windy City Media Group publishes Windy City Times,
The Bi-Weekly Voice of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Trans Community.
5315 N. Clark St. #192, Chicago, IL 60640-2113 • PH (773) 871-7610 • FAX (773) 871-7609.