2012 US General Election Discussions: Start to Finish

[Rockinonahigh]

I just got back from voteing,while I was in line wating to have them check my ID I was ask by the person in line behind me if I knew what I was voteing for cause I didnt look like in was in the right place.I didnt even give them anser just handed the official at the desk my licence then went on a voted.

[Martina]

What did he mean?

Was he harrassing you in some way?

Originally Posted by Rockinonahigh

I just got back from voteing,while I was in line wating to have them check my ID I was ask by the person in line behind me if I knew what I was voteing for cause I didnt look like in was in the right place.I didnt even give them anser just handed the official at the desk my licence then went on a voted.

[Corkey]

We voted #'s 571 and 572 in our precinct.
Ami is now off to work and I'm in front of the boobtube watching MSNBC. I can talk and yell if necessary and she doesn't have to hear me LOL

[Daywalker]

I'm going to share something that sadly represents an
experience similar to what Rockinonahigh described.

Originally Posted by Day's Facebook Status

I'm sharing a Community Members' Status, because it's important for folks to hear. She was treated unfairly, there's no two ways about it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(To be mailed out today)

Dear Ms. Elizabeth Warren and Senator Sonia Chang-Diaz:

Hello. My name is Stephanie Bonvissuto. I am a resident of a small neighborhood just outside of metropolitan Boston. Today is Tuesday, November 6th, Election Day. The time is 7:45 a.m. and I have just left my designated polling place. As a firm believer in the sanctity of the voting booth I will not reveal who I voted for. All I will say is, You’re Welcome.

One little detail I left out is that I am a woman in gender transition. In case you were wondering what this means, I regularly take hormones (just as many women who are not transitioning do), I live and express who I am as a woman every minute of every hour of every day of the year (and have done so for many years).
Importantly for the sake of this letter, I have also had my name legally changed to reflect this. I have gone through the courts, have had to have this change publicly announced in local newspapers, and have changed all that government and personal documents that I am allowed to by law. This includes, but is not limited to, my Social Security card, academic records, medical records, bank accounts, and my driver’s license.

I would like to reiterate this for sake of clarity: my driver’s license, which includes my photo and address and name, and which as a government issued document identifies me as female. (Of course, I do not need the government to validate who I am. Please do not take that personally.)

So imagine my surprise – along with my mortification, my humiliation, my fear and my hurt – when an election official at my designated polling place by the name of Oscar said that I needed to provide proof of identification. Just outside of Boston, in the state of Massachusetts, on Election Day morning, on a voting line five feet from the voting booth.

Speaking of that line - no one else on my queue was asked to provide identification. Other voters were dutifully logged in and given ballots as Oscar hung onto my license. He did not explain to me why I had been called out. He did not say what he intended to do with my license. After a few busy minutes he took it to another election official to discuss what he should do next – and in the course of that conversation proceeded to repeatedly misgender me, all the while holding onto my license which clearly stated my correct gender. He finally returned to the check-in table and, still not speaking to me, continued to check in other voters. Concerned neighbors and curious strangers moved around us. I had to finally ask Oscar for my license back. Only then was I given my ballots, allowing me to vote.

Ms. Warren and Senator Chang-Diaz, you should know that one of the reasons I moved from New York to The Bay State was because of what I saw were a passion for progressive politics and courageous stances taken in the name of civil rights issues in the present day. The passage of the Massachusetts Trans Equality Bill earlier this year, and the passage of the far-reaching Marriage Equality Bill in 2004 clearly indicate I made the right decision.

Whether you are victorious at the end of this day or not, I hope that you in your capacities as state leaders with a national voice continue this trend towards basic human rights for all – including having all election officials in Massachusetts trained to sensitivity so that no other voter will ever have to undergo what I did this morning just to be able to exercise her constitutional right as a proud citizen of this great state.

Thank you.

Stephanie Bonvissuto, Student Coordinator
Queer Student Center
University of Massachusetts Boston
QSC@umb.edu
617 287-7983

Although appalling, it's not gonna get better if folks keep silent.
I'm glad she will not remain invisible on this matter.

Some of you know Stephanie.
She's ok with us sharing her story.

[Rockinonahigh]

Originally Posted by Martina

What did he mean?

Was he harrassing you in some way?

I was in line minding my own buisness,not discusing a thing with anyone while theire was a general discusion about some of the things to vote on.I definatly don't look like the average man or woman wich gets me comments and looks I just dont pay any atintion to anymore so they get the silent treatment from me.

It was a woman that said that to my surprise,I live in a neighbor hood that is sort of anti gay by 50/50.Obviously this person has no idea how many of our family do live in this place,also she is ultra right wing religious nut case that thinks if anyone isnt with her on her views they arent human.One of the older women who works the polls gave her a look that would have and did shut her up.Most times I get this crap from men so I just ignore them like I did this person and went about my own buisness,the less crediblity you give then the smaller they look.

[Rockinonahigh]

I am one of the fue people I know who go about this life not careing what others think about my outside aperence,many times I get the sir yes sir thing more times than I can count,in reality I could care less if i'm calle sir or m'am.I have a visable moustash,enough hair on my face even tho its fair and fine to have to shave ,my voice is deep,i'm always going to walk like John Wayne.This is who I am and will always be,if it makes someone uncomfortable it's not my issue unless they make it so.When I dont reply to crap from some people it's not that I don't care to,I just will not give them validation by takeing the bait of an argument.I dont stop what i'm doing,I don't go away,I don't stop being myself,I also will not disapeer.But,the first time one of them puts a hand on me or harms my family all bets are off.

[Allison W]

Just voted. I was #41.

Also, a little somethin' somethin' for you folks. Nate Silver, as of 10:10 a.m. ET today, projected Obama's chances of victory at 90.9%. http://fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes...r/nate-silver/

[Martina]

Originally Posted by Allison W

Just voted. I was #41.

Also, a little somethin' somethin' for you folks. Nate Silver, as of 10:10 a.m. ET today, projected Obama's chances of victory at 90.9%. http://fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes...r/nate-silver/

I think that's down a little from yesterday.

[Allison W]

Yeah, and it's still 91%. Chill out.