P.O. Box 3932
Oak Park, IL 60303
**********************************************

Union, IL --- November 19, 1999 ---- Julie Ann Johnson, known nationally for
her work with GenderPAC and the International Foundation for Gender
Education, was forced to resign from her position as President of the
Illinois Railway Museum in Union, Illinois because of her gender. She
officially tendered her resignation at the Museum Board of Directors meeting
on November 13.

Johnson, a 35 year veteran volunteer at the museum, was asked to resign when
she came out to the Board as a transgender woman. In addition to serving as
President for many years, Johnson was also the museum's single largest
financial contributor. The Illinois Railway Museum is the largest museum of
its kind in the nation.

The forced resignation was quite unexpected. Johnson continued to present
herself at the museum in her male role, and had no plans to do otherwise. In
addition, Johnson's personal struggles with her gender identity were well
known to many of the members and directors of the museum.

Johnson is active in the transgender community both locally and nationally.
She has been a member, activist and benefactor of It's Time, Illinois for
many years. Nationally, she is on the Board of Directors of GenderPAC, and
Vice-Chair of the International Foundation for Gender Education.

Miranda Stevens-Miller, Chair of It's Time, Illinois said, "Julie Ann is one
of the most generous and gracious individuals I know. She opened her home
and her heart to the transgender community, and became a friend and mother to
many of us. The greatest tragedy is that the Museum Board does not even
recognize the unique and wonderful person they lost by their prejudicial act."

In a resignation letter to the Museum Board, Johnson criticized the directors
for the forced resignation. "That some of you are uncomfortable with me I
cannot help. Nor can I help that you are not possessed with enough tolerance
for individual differences or respect for me as a person to judge me on the
merits of my performance rather than on my gender."

Johnson's letter goes on to state that those who "allowed prejudice…to be our
guide in judging whether an African-American or a woman or a gay man ought to
hold some public office…have since looked back with shame… The Board has
today given in to the basest kind of undiluted prejudice."

Johnson's letter was followed by five minutes of silence. At that point, one
of the directors left the meeting saying, "Looks like we threw the baby out
with the bath water."

Complete copy of Johnson's letter of resignation is attached below.

It's Time, Illinois works to educate and lobby for inclusion of gender
variant people in local human rights laws. The anti-discrimination bill
currently before the Illinois House of Representatives (HB474) would provide
protection to gender variant people in situations such as that faced by
Johnson.

end

______________________________
Letter to Illinois Railway Museum Board

November 13, 1999

To: IRM Minutes
Directors McCabe, Howell, McCutchen, Nauer, Jones and Garen:

Gentlemen,

You have asked me to resign as President of the Illinois Railway
Museum. You ask this, not because of my performance, but simply
because of how I express my gender. Let me spare you any
suspense by acknowledging from the outset that I will resign as
you ask, but not before I take a moment to share with you what
is in my heart.

I have dedicated the past 35 years of my life to this Museum. I
did so, like you, out of a profound love for the culture and
magic of the rails. It was in all senses a labor of love, one
that remains undiminished even today. I know we speak a common
language when I tell you that certain things move us, not for
moments, or weeks or even years, but for decades and for hidden
reasons we can only guess. The Railway Museum is one of those
things.

For me, strange as you may find it, so is gender. I have
struggled as honestly and privately with this as I could for
even longer than I've been committed to this institution. I
took the steps I have taken, not to cause you or this Museum any
embarrassment, but to be true to myself and the deepest things I
feel inside. I did it, in short, out of a fundamental sense of
honesty and a need to finally be who and what I am.

I know that I am a far better person for these actions I have
taken recently in my life. I have worked hard to bring my life
to a state where I now feel at peace with myself. In doing so,
I have striven to avoid situations at the museum where I would
be presenting anything other than my traditional identity. In
fact, it was not until I shared my private life with you that
some of you became concerned.

That some of you are uncomfortable with me I cannot help. Nor
can I help that you are not possessed with enough tolerance for
individual differences or respect for me as a person to judge me
on the merits of my performance rather than on my gender.

One of the things we Americans hold most dear is freedom of
expression. As a cultural institution, this museum's policies
should reflect that. What a shame we do not choose to extend
that freedom to our members and our board.

I will share with you something in closing. There have been
numerous revolutions in this country. Many people thought the
railway would be but a passing thing. Yet it rose to take over
the country from one coast to the other.

On the human side, others thought that black civil rights would
be a passing thing. The idea of a black man on the board of a
cultural institution such as this would have been deeply
embarrassing in many states until only a few years ago.
Virtually the same can be said of women's rights, and, more
recently, gay rights as well.

In each case, we experienced the newness of cultural revolutions
and the emergence of a new and hitherto silent minority as
different and foreign as those that preceded it. Some of us rose
to the challenge. We put aside our biases and the small voice of
intolerance and tried to see the person and to judge them on
their merits, not what they were or how we felt about them.

Others of us buckled under. We allowed prejudice instead of
performance to be our guide in judging whether an
African-American or a woman or a gay man ought to hold some
public position. Those of us who did so -- and who among us has
not given in to that momentary reign of prejudice -- know we
have since looked back with shame.

Gentlemen, there is going to be a gender revolution in this
country. It is going to change what you and I can feel or say or
do. It is going to mean that a woman will no longer routinely
be fired, harassed or assaulted for acting or dressing "too
mannish", or verbally assaulted or raped for acting or dressing
"too sexual." It will mean that a man will not be harassed or
humiliated for crying, or for dressing or acting "too feminine."
It will mean that our daughters will not starve themselves each
night with anorexia because "real women" are supposed to be
supernaturally thin, and it will mean we will not have to fear
that our sons will be humiliated each day because they want to
play with dolls instead of guns, or play piano instead of Rambo.

And yes, it will even mean that transsexuals like me will not
routinely lose our jobs, our families, the safety to walk our
streets at night or the positions we hold in society simply
because of who and what we are. One day a person will be judged,
not because of their clothes or sex or gender, but because of
how they do the job.

Because in the last analysis, that's what counts: it's about the
job. I do this job, gentlemen. I do it very well. You agreed to
that when you voted me into it for yet another term. Because
it's what I bring to this job, what I put into it, the time and
experience and vision and business acumen I bring to it that
make me the best person to hold it.

So I leave, not with my head held down but with pride in what I
have contributed and in the sure and certain knowledge that I
have followed the dictates of my heart and my conscience. I hope
you all will be able to look back and say the same. For I am
convinced that your cowardice in refusing to stand by me does
this organization and this institution which we all love no
service. I am convinced that this day will not be remembered
favorably in our history nor reflect well upon us when it is
recalled. The Board has today given in to the basest kind of
undiluted prejudice, that kind which always expresses itself at
the expense of one socially inconvenient minority or another,
and in doing so it has betrayed our commitment to honor the
principles upon which this organization depends and which it is
obligated to uphold.

I do resign my position as President, effective this Board of
Directors meeting. I also resign immediately my position as
budget director, along with any formal or informal work on
financial matters and supervision. I will be available to train
others at convenient times to take over my previous duties in
the financial analysis and budget areas. In addition, I will
remain on the Board until my term is served out. It is also my
intent to continue as manager of track, manager of signals, and
in other duties.

Thank you,

Jim Johnson