Susan Stanton News

Susan Stanton is one of the finalist for the Sarasota City Manager job. She received a surprising endorsement from the Unitarian Universalist Church.

Stanton met with Republican Congressman Bill Young.

As Stanton and other transgender advocates walked into Young's office about 11:30 a.m., Young told Stanton, "You need to realize that this may be a little awkward for me. I've never dealt with anyone in this situation before."

"This is a little awkward for me, too," Stanton replied.

Young appreciated the candor: "That broke the ice, and we had a nice conversation," Young, R-Indian Shores, said later.

He said he spoke with Stanton mostly about the nondiscrimination bill sponsored by Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., who is openly gay. Young said he told Stanton he hadn't read the bill but would discuss it with Frank.

"We talked about a lot of things, frankly very personal, about her experience and the things that have been in the newspaper already," Young said.

Young has not said whether he will support Frank's bill. But he said he signed a commitment that a person's sexual orientation and gender identity would not be a consideration in employment decisions for his congressional office.

I will give Young credit for handling the situation with grace and meeting with someone Christian conservatives, in his own party, have contempt for. We should encourage members of the GOP to follow Young's lead.

Stanton also met with Kathy Castor, Mel Martinez, Bill Nelson and Ted Kennedy.

In other news: the hatemongers are trying to get Stanton's few supporters on the Largo City Commission fired. The commission has asked Pinellas County Sheriff Jim Coats to investigate whether any city officials hid Stanton's possible misconduct. The investigation was launched after a petition was signed by 200 people and delivered to the City of Largo.

These Christian conservatives need to understand the meaning of blowback. They wished to cast out Stanton. The results were making her into a media celebrity who is now lobbying Congress for gay rights. I would hardly call that a victory for the Christian Right.