[Editor’s Note: the following letter was received in response to a story that ran in Gay and Lesbian Times issue # 814, 7/31/03, “City adds protection for transgender citizens.” The story discusses how a group working to add an amendment to the city’s Human Dignity Ordinance banning discrimination against transgender people sought to keep their efforts “low key.”]

Dear Editor,

The idea of an anti-discrimination ordinance to protect transgender people may sound like a good idea, but how many who support that new law would be screaming bloody murder had the Christian Reich got some legislation passed on the QT. In an open society with a representative government, everyone should and is supposed to have a right to voice their opinions — even those we don’t like. So, instead of celebrating this great achievement, I will mourn that as a society we have devolved into using subterfuge to get legislation we like passed and short circuit the system that is supposed to give ALL a voice. I won’t be surprised when the Christian Reich retaliates by pulling the same kind of shady deal or we wind up paying for a new stadium for the Chargers — no matter what the people of this city think.

Ricki J.

San Diego

Dear Editor,

On behalf of our clients, volunteers and board of directors, I personally thank the community for supporting Special Delivery so generously at our ninth annual cookout at the Park Manor Suites on Pride Saturday, July 26.

Through the generosity of so many we were able to clear over $5,000 — more than twice as much as last year. Special thanks to Larry, Ed and Michael for allowing us to use the space and making us feel comfortable and at home! Special thanks to Don Guterwill, who won the 50/50 raffle and gave his share back to Special Delivery. Also, thanks to Tom Norman and John McConnell for their generosity. We are deeply grateful for the community’s overwhelming support.

Ruth Henricks, Executive Director

Special Delivery San Diego

Dear Editor,

In response to the letter regarding Nicole Murray-Ramirez from a John Murphy [Gay and Lesbian Times issue # 813, 8/26/03], this is the first letter I’ve ever written to the editor of any magazine. I’ve known Nicole for over 35 years, 25 in San Diego and 10 in Palm Springs. Yes, many times I was mad at Nicole for some of the things that he did that I didn’t agree with, but there have been many more things he has done that I did agree with, and admired him for doing them. Such things include: chaining himself to the convention center in Mission Valley when Senator Briggs was lecturing on not letting gay school teachers teach in our schools; and when he handcuffed himself to a telephone pole in front of the sheriff’s office to protest how gays were being treated in county jail. In both cases, he was in full drag and brought major media attention to our cause.

How many fundraisers has he been responsible for that benefited the AIDS Assistance Fund and the AIDS food bank? How soon people forget. True, Nicole doesn’t sell your newspaper, but on the other hand, your paper is a free publication.

If Nicole sees something unjust and puts it in his column, I personally think that it’s a public service announcement. Why doesn’t Mr. Murphy list all the things he’s done for this community, instead of bitching about Nicole.

Bob Smith

Cathedral City

Dear Editor,

You’re kidding, right? — Nicole is going to take someone to court for writing something mean or untrue about him/her? Can I suggest that everyone who has ever been slandered by Nicole line up to counter-claim on her petition to the court? Imagine the cast of characters in his/her trial — his/her character witnesses would be porn shop owners and bartenders; Court TV could cover the trial by opening with what dress and tiara Nicole chose for opening statements. Then one has to wonder if he/she will get mad when the judge doesn’t address him/her as Empress or some other made up title.

Nicole has spent the better part of her life writing columns that do nothing but insult restaurants that don’t get him/her free food, those who disagree with his/her political point of view, and people who dare to point out the hypocrisy of his/her participation in questionable charitable schemes (like the March on Washington, for starters). I wonder what they’d find if they opened the books on the Imperial Court.

Please let this trial happen — it would be a comedy better than any on must-see TV. I have a suggestion for the cover of the GLT — HEADLINE: How the Mighty Have Fallen — PHOTO: Nicole’s Mugshot from his/her earlier arrest. Please go to court — please, please, please! The discovery process would yield what many of us who have been the target of Nicole’s vitriolic rants have been waiting for — the truth about this cross-dressing opportunist who has never held a real job, but lives like, well, a queen.

Steve Yuhas

San Diego

Dear Editor,

I am writing you in regard to the July 26 Pride parade.

I have to say that this year’s gay pride parade was one of the best I have seen, not only here in San Diego, but anywhere else. All of the floats and entries in the parade were great. This year’s parade did not seem to drag along with large gaps between the entries. The day went perfect, well almost — there was one little thing that really put a damper on the day.

Every year, my friends, my lover and I get up early on Saturday morning, fix a nice breakfast and head for the parade to claim our favorite place to watch the festivities. We usually get to that spot, which is on 6th Ave., near the ’76 gas station, under a couple of palm trees. Everything was going fine until one of my friends and I needed to go to the restroom. We quickly noticed that this year there were no port-a-potties along 6th Ave. like there had been previous years. “No problem,” we thought. We would just go to the ’76 gas station, but we quickly discovered that their restroom was “out of order.” Hmm … okay, off we go to the Starbucks on the corner of 5th and Robinson to find that their restroom was also “out of order.” After going to every business that would have a restroom, and finding that all of them where “out of order,” we ended up walking to the park to take care of business.

I find it interesting that there were port-a-potties on the University stretch of the parade route. What happened this year that there could not be the same on 6th Ave.? Did the parade organizers forget about that route or run out of money? My friends and I were nice enough to walk to the park, but others were not so nice and took care of “business” in other not-so-nice places. This lack of facilities shows very poor judgment and lack of planning on the organizers’ part.

Maybe next year this can be avoided. With so many people that come to San Diego for Pride weekend, we should all do our best to make them want to come back.

Sincerely,

Shane Haggard

Normal Heights