And the ultimate statement. Jennifer Gale was a force for good in Austin, Texas. Running for Mayor, championing the causes of the homeless, the transgendered and those society chooses to marginalize. Follow me below the fold, not so much for an obituary as a celebration, albeit too late, to a truly extraordinary human being.
It is an ironic novelty of our culture, the fact that an individual is valued far more once they are dead than when they are alive.
Hi, my name is Jennifer Gale and I am the conscience of Austin. As the only Mayoral candidate with proven leadership in the United States Marine Corps, I believe I am the best choice to guide our city forward. My priorities in office are public health, affordability and environmental protection. Please join my team and give me your vote on election day!
The 48-year-old Gale on Tuesday night serenaded the Austin public health and human services subcommittee with the holiday song: "Silent Night."
Her body was found Wednesday morning outside an Austin church where she had been known to sleep. Emergency personnel were unable to revive her, on a day when temperatures dipped to the 30s.
What the Houston Chronicle article doesn't tell you.
"Jennifer most nights slept outdoors," said Austin Mayor Will Wynn. "Jennifer, we believe, is the 136th person who has died sleeping on the streets (of Austin) over the last 12 months."
Marti Bier, policy aide for Austin City Council Member Randi Shade, said the following regarding Ms. Gale's death: Something Jennifer would never talk about, but was a reality for her, is that she is a transwoman living in a transphobic society. Homelessness in the trans-community is a really big problem, and one that goes ignored. There are no laws in Texas protecting transgender people, whether from job discrimination, housing discrimination or hate crimes.
This begs the question, why if knowing shelter space is limited are the churches not opening their doors on these nights. Why isn't the city opening lobbies of city buildings to provide warm floor space. Why isn't their emergencies services director (certainly they have one) asking the police to keep their eye out for people who need to come in out of the cold. Why do they not have a list of at risk people and where they usually bed down for the night, or why no traveling warming stations. There are so many questions, there is plenty of blame to go around starting with the city who has the responsibility to the homeless in Austin.
* KUVE Video:
Jennifer Gale remembered
Jennifer Lauren Gale was born 1961 in Madison, Wisconsin, was a Democrat, served as a Marine and started running for public office in Austin in 1997. Her platform was always progressive and often took on issues no one else would address. Her political heroes were JFK and FDR, she loved to talk to people and campaign one on one.
Jennifer Gale's Platform for Austin
Healthcare, Dental, full physical and eye exam every year by paying in monthly.
Representation through weekly meetings at Reagan, Crockett, Anderson and Travis High School.
Widespread Single-Stream Recycling and an Austin MRF.
Recognition of Lesbian and Gay Relationships.
Our pets want a "No Kill" policy, spay and neuter.
Children's education in law, physics, chemistry, calculus.
Expanded bus routes
Bike avenues, Bike Lane removals
Drug Rehabilitation
Work for the homeless and incarcerated.
Rebates for solar power and hybrid cars
Maintain aquifer and park areas.
Promote farming and animal husbandry
Voter Choice
Neighborhood Integrity
She came very close to winning her school board president election garnering 40% of the votes against the incumbent. Something that came as a real surprise. She addressed the Austin City Council every week, the last was this past Tuesday, always on the social issues politicians like to duck. She was an Austin fixture, a great many people knew her or of her. Eccentric, a bit scattered sometimes, but always with a smile and a generosity of spirit rarely found these days.
“She’s always been an incredibly sweet person,” said Council Member Brewster McCracken, who recalled sitting with Gale for about 30 minutes not that long ago and asking about her life story. She told him about living in the Carolinas, about serving in the Marines, about working at a Stuckey’s.
The outpouring for such an unusual person, McCracken said, ” is a reminder of the better angels of all of us as Austinites. But the idea that she died alone on a park bench on a cold night is a reminder that we have not lived up to our better angels as a community.”
By paige
December 18, 2008 3:58 PM | Link to this
“Her favorite memory, Morrison said, was a Real Estate Council of Austin election forum when Gale “led about 500 suits and their guests at the Four Season’s ballroom in a rendition of “You’ve lost that lovin’ feeling.””
That is one of my favorite memories, as well. Jennifer not only crossed gender lines. S/he successfully crossed economic lines to put the communities needs and issues in front of EVERYONE who is involved in the community. No one was too good or too bad to be considered worthy of a seat at the table. That is why s/he is so well recognized and so well loved.
By AmelieWannabe
December 18, 2008 4:31 PM | Link to this
My husband, at the time 10-year-old son and I were eating in the Texas Union 3 summers ago. We were casually discussing some blunder Bush had made and Ms. Gale overheard us. She immediately joined the conversation and was completely up to date on everything political related. As spot-on as she was with the government, honestly I was more impressed with how she handled by son’s first encounter with a transgendered individual. She recognized his confusion and openly, honestly, and compassionately answered his questions. I was deeply impressed with Jennifer and have no doubt she’s already on a ballot somewhere in the afterlife, running the good race.
By Austin Devil Dog
December 18, 2008 4:37 PM | Link to this
As an aside, if she did indeed serve as a United States Marine, then she (while “she” was still a “he”) at some point in her life VOLUNTEERED to step up to the plate and serve to protect and defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic. The vast, VAST majority of our citizens in this selfish, self-centered, consumeristic society never make that commitment. She did. So to all you folks out there who want to take cheap shots about the way she lived her life, to use some Old Corps verbage, “Shut your cakeholes!” Yes, she clearly marched to her own drummer, but for a period of her life, she actually sacrificed of herself to make sure you could too. Acknowledge and respect at least that.
Semper Fi and Farewell.
By scobar
December 18, 2008 5:12 PM | Link to this
Jennifer truly did care, and she really tried to make a differance in this city. Think about how much courage it sometimes takes for someone to do what they feel is right - especially if it does not always conform to society’s definition of “normal”. She had a right to be treated with dignity and respect: in both life and in death. Thank you, City Council, for acknowledging this.
By ncooty
December 18, 2008 9:42 PM | Link to this
Goodbye to a fellow Marine who had the guts to be herself in the face of so much hate, the compassion to work tirelessly on behalf of others, and the integrity to stand up for her beliefs.
Of course, it is hard to escape the irony that she died on the doorstep of a church that serves a faith that rejects so much about people like her… a church that opens its arms to murderers, rapists, and everyday fiends of all kinds, but not to someone sexually non-conformist. Whether a he or a she, Jennifer Gale was a good human being.
Godspeed and Semper Fidelis.
Yes, Godspeed Jennifer Lauren Gale you have touched us all with your generous and loving spirit.