Digital Transgender Archive

The International Conference on Transgender Law and Employment Policy

Phyllis Randolph Frye introduces ICTLEP speaker Martine Aliana Rothblatt at the 1993 conferenceWe recently added a collection of 121 objects from an annual transgender law conference that took place in the 1990s. The first openly transgender judge in the United States, Phyllis Randolph Frye, created and hosted the annual International Conference on Transgender Law and Employment Policy (ICTLEP) in Houston, Texas between 1992 and 1997.

 

Frye writes: "ICTLEP has held six annual conferences...dealing with issues of transgender law and employment policy. Each year (except year six) many of the reports and presentations are transcribed by court reporters and are published along with other relevant documents to become that year’s printed and bound Proceedings book. These are "THE" REFERENCE BOOKS to begin serious study of transgender legal issues and of progressive strategies for legal changes!"

 

These legal articles, court cases, and transcribed speeches reflect on the numerous types of discrimination that trans people face, and address legal rights of trans people in terms of health care, marriage, child custody, imprisonment, military service, housing, and employment.

 

Many speeches given at the conferences work to inspire others by describing how coming out as trans and how actively participating in the movement for trans rights gave them a sense of empowerment.  

 

Read more about the history of ICTLEP here: https://www.digitaltransgenderarchive.net/files/wd375w32h

 

Check out the ICTLEP collection here: https://www.digitaltransgenderarchive.net/col/44558d285