James AnastosA story on Staten Island, N.Y., Live focuses on the better acceptance of the GBLT community is beginning to receive in society, or at least the gay, bisexual, and lesbian people in the acronym. It says transgender people still face much discrimination and profiled James Anastos, whose used to be a woman named Amy, and is also a person with a disability. (Thanks to Mik for the tip about this story.)
The article says, "Born female and raised as Amy, every day was a challenge to behave like a girl -- a struggle compounded by learning disabilities and placement in a group home where women residents were instructed to wear bras, skirts and other trappings of femininity."
Now a disability services agency is figuring out the nuances of providing services for someone who developmentally disabled and transgender. The story explains Anastos' case:
Anastos left the group home around the time he traded Amy for James and lighted out briefly on his own. He landed briefly in a homeless shelter then returned to live with his mother in their small apartment in Rossville.
Now, unable to work because of difficulties with reading, telling time and other basic tasks, Anastos said he wants to get into a day program. But he said he has been placed on a waiting list and that he overheard talk it was because his presence as James would make others uncomfortable.
"I have friends there from before who know me as Amy," he said. "I wouldn't want to upset them. I would want them to get to know me again and I hope they would accept me."
Agency officials declined under privacy laws to discuss the particulars of Anastos' case, saying only there needs to be first a determination whether he is eligible for services, and that his gender expression would absolutely be accommodated. But they admitted the question of how best to serve disabled, transgender clients has rarely come up in the past.
"We do not have a deep history of dealing with people who are transgender," said Dr. David Booth, director of the Staten Island Developmental Disabilities Service Office. "Developmentally disabled people are everything you and I can be, including transgender. This is new territory for us and we're going to have to figure it out."
