Paula Schonaur is a 39 year old post operative transsexual. She was a veteran of the nineties gulf war. She later joined the Oklahoma City police department as a police officer. The Paul decided to have sex reassignment surgery in Trinidad,Colorado under Dr. Stanley Biber. Paula has suffered much discrimination with the Oklahoma police force. Threatened and had obscene things said to her. Her career has been devestated by the discrimination. She is now suing the Oklahoma police force. When she was a beat cop she couldn't even get backup in dangerous situations. All because of her transsexualism. What do you folks thinnk abou this? I see few discussions of issues like this on here. I'm not transssexual myself but I'm againt discrimination. If Paul/Paula wants to alter the body then I could care less. I am more interested in her job performance which by all accounts is excellent.

Talk about life imitating art.

There was an episode on Law and Order where a gay cop could not get backp-up (the other cops sat in their car a block away) and was killed. The other cops used gay panic defense and were acquitted.

I had a similar discussion with another gay cop I know. (He is on a big city dept - not a suburb,where people would tend to be more open you would think .)He claimed the guys were giving him a hard time because he is gay, whereas I have very little problem, mostly occasional good natured teasing .
I told him - "its not because you are gay,-its because you wear 2 loop earrings in each ear and have your hair all blond streaks & tipped. You don't look masculine." If he was STRAIGHT & looked like that he would get mocked out.
On the other hand I know a handsome openly-gay Sgt, on a big city dept in TEXAS who has the respect of his men because he acts masculine. Thats the key to the cops world, being able to handle yourself and acting tough & masculine.
I know - It shouldn't matter - blah, blah, blah BUT to cops it DOES matter! :cool:
Of course everyone deserves backup - no matter who they are - goes without saying.

[ June 16, 2005, 11:08 PM: Message edited by: copman ]

I really feel sorry for any transexual. I don't mean to sound condesending when I say that, but I can't even imagine the pain and confusion involved with an issue such as that. I always thought it was tough being gay, but there are so many more deep psychological issues involved with transgender folks. It is disgusting these "men" in blue can't back up one of their own. Someday, they may need her to back them up. I'll bet my last dollar she would be there for them.