International Church Group
Expresses Support for Largo, Florida
Transgender City Manager Steve Stanton

by Rev. Nancy L. Wilson, Moderator
Metropolitan Community Churches
Mar 1, 2007

Based on "Largo Officials Vote To Dismiss Stanton". Please click link and read.


Note from Mary: Scott has made some comments with which I totally agree:


"City of Largo Florida fires city manager of 14 years because he wants a sex change.

I hope this gets taken to court. UNBELIEVABLE! Do your job well and announce you are transgender and all of a sudden you are not fit for the job you successfully did for the last 14 years.

My "favorite" comment at the meeting:

"I don't want that man in office," she said. "I don't think we should be paying him $150,000 a year when he's not been truthful. We have to speak up. Of course, we don't believe in sex changes or lesbianism. They have their rights, but we do, too."

IF he was "truthful" 14 years ago then they would have said he was flaunting his sexuality in their face. Not to mention 14 years is a long time. This (gender reassignment) is NOT an overnight decision. It is something people struggle with for years.

The scariest comment:

"If Jesus was here tonight, I can guarantee you he'd want him terminated. Make no mistake about it." - Ron Sanders Pastor Lighthouse Baptist Church

Wow! He GUARANTEES that Jesus would terminate him? Apparently "Pastor" Sanders knows a totally different Jesus than I do.

I say BRAVO Steve Stanton. I admire your courage!"

PRESS RELEASE FROM MCC IN RESPONSE TO STORY:

On behalf of the friends and members of Metropolitan Community Churches, I call upon the City of Largo, Florida, to provide full legal and employment protections to transgender City Manager Steve Stanton.

On Tuesday (Feb. 24), a news tip was passed to a reporter at the St. Petersburg Times that Largo, Florida City Manager Steve Stanton would begin the final stages of gender transition this year. In response, five of seven City Commissioners adopted a resolution to suspend her from her job, as a first step in terminating Stanton's employment

Steve Stanton has served Largo for 17 years,14 of those as City Manager. She has received overwhelmingly positive reviews in managing the city's more than one thousand employees. It was Ms. Stanton's intention and desire to continue to serve the city of Largo during her gender transition, and to do so openly and honestly, with the support of the Mayor and the city's Human Resources Department.

In light of the city's actions against Steve Stanton:

-- I call on all people of goodwill everywhere to join me in applauding the courage and leadership of Steve Stanton, and in expressing outrage at the discrimination and transphobia shown by the City of Largo, which bills itself as "City of Progress."

-- I encourage all people of faith to offer prayers of support for Steve, her spouse, and their son.

-- I join the growing chorus of voices asking the city officials of Largo, Florida to demonstrate a commitment to diversity and exhibit leadership that is ethical, just and compassionate.

-- And I encourage the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities, along with our friends and allies, to contact the Largo City Commissioners at Commission@largo.com to express support for Steve Stanton and to request that she be reinstated immediately to her position as City Manager.

Today, I embrace the words of Largo Mayor Pat Gerard, who said, "We have a choice to make: We can go back to intolerance or we can be the city of progress."

Decades ago, Rev. Troy Perry, founder of Metropolitan Community Churches, set a powerful example by standing for the dignity, value and worth of all life, even in the face of societal bigotry, misunderstanding, and personal sacrifice. Rev. Perry's example, along with his vision to live our faith through a commitment to social justice, birthed a revolution in faith communities around the globe. That spiritual revolution continues to grow far beyond the doors of the church to the seats of leadership in our world. "As leaders," wrote Stanton on a city hall website, "we all spend time in the arena, fighting the good fight and trying to do what is right."

I am proud that Metropolitan Community Churches, too, has a long and distinguished history of "fighting the good fight." In this spirit, I applaud Steve Stanton and her courage, and pray that each of us might follow her example in standing for that which is right and just.