City Manager of Largo Florida

[Danielle La Belle]

Hi Girls:

Perhaps I am just being a little adventurous here but I have a strong feeling on how this is all going to turn out. Susan will eventually apply for and land a job in the academic world at best.

The previous profession of "City Manager" is far to political in this country and of course it is a very high profile position in any local community. Living in a small town (about 25,000) on comparison, I have learned a great deal after living for several years in the Washington, D.C. area.

Small town America is often "small mind America!" A handful of local people with family history in the area run things most of the time. When you find 25 "Hockum's" in the County employment roles, you get the mesage fast. Local name, local game, local control!

Local politics in Florida is about the "name game." Yes we do hire outside the local families but that has only really been happening since about 1990. Each County and City vary a great deal when it comes to their political soup.

I of course am still optimistic that Susan can have an impact on society even if it is at a small college town level. From there, people go on vacation and carry with them their new levels of acceptance to be spread around like a small virus. Eventually, enough are infected by the idea and come to accept TG people as not only a minority group, but as a respected element in our culture.

Hugs

Danielle Marie

[DonnaT]

I hope she finds something, and I hope she has more hooks in the water other than City Manager.

Otherwise, we may be reading about her suicide.

[DeeDee]

A small update on Susan.....copied here since the Herald is a registration site

Wife of fired transsexual city manager wants divorce
Posted on Wed, Apr. 09, 2008Digg del.icio.us AIM print email
The Associated Press

CLEARWATER, Fla. -- The wife of the Largo city manager fired after his sex change plans became public now wants a divorce.

Donna Stanton filed for divorce in February, about a year after her husband revealed his plans to become a woman. The news made national headlines and led to his firing from the top post in the city of Largo, west of Tampa.

Steve Stanton is now living as a woman named Susan while preparing for a sex-change operation this spring.

Both sides say the split was expected and negotiations are amicable. They've been married 17 years.

Susan Stanton has since applied for more than 100 positions in city management, and interviewed for top jobs in several cities.


DeeDee

[Danielle La Belle]

Thank You Dee Dee.

St. Pete Times:

Susan Stanton's wife files for divorce
By Lorri Helfand, Times staff writer

Published Tuesday, April 8, 2008 5:19 PM
________________________________________
The wife of former Largo city manager Susan Stanton has filed for divorce.
Donna Stanton is seeking an equitable distribution of marital assets, child support and alimony.
"The parties are at this moment in amicable negotiations," said Donna Stanton's attorney, Cherie Parker of Clearwater.
Donna Stanton, who declined comment through her lawyer, filed her petition for dissolution of marriage on Feb. 20. That was almost a year to the day after Stanton — then known as Steve Stanton — publicly revealed plans to become a woman. Largo city commissioners voted 5-2 to fire Stanton on March 24.
Parker said Susan Stanton, who is currently representing herself in the divorce, knew all about the pending petition.
"They're in communication," Parker said. "There are no surprises here."
Susan Stanton declined comment Tuesday.
"I don't think it's anybody's business," said Susan Stanton, 49. "It's a personal matter."
Shortly after Stanton's plans became public, the couple, who were married on Aug. 4, 1990, made it clear that they didn't plan to stay together long-term.
Susan moved out last summer, soon settling in Sarasota. The two, however, have maintained a close relationship. They have regularly dined together and spent time at their home in Largo with their son, Travis, who turns 15 next month.
In the petition, Donna Stanton, who requested exclusive ownership of the house, also asked that Susan Stanton maintain a life insurance policy to secure alimony and child support. She also requested that Travis live primarily with her and that Susan Stanton have frequent and liberal visitation.
Parker said she anticipated a marital settlement agreement outlining custody, child support and other issues would be filed by early June.
Stanton, who made $140,234 a year, received a year's severance pay. Her salary and benefits from the city of Largo ended last month.
Since her departure from Largo, Stanton has lobbied Congress for transgender equality and was featured on the Montel Williams Show and Larry King Live. CNN is doing a documentary on her, and she plans to have gender reassignment surgery this spring.
Stanton has applied for more than 100 positions in city management, and interviewed for top jobs in several cities.
She was a finalist for Sarasota's city manager shortly after her firing. And in February, Stanton, who is still vying for a job in city management, was on the short list for city manager jobs in Iowa City, Iowa, and Brooklyn Park, Minn.


Hugs

Danielle Marie

[Danielle La Belle]

Hi Girls:

I am reading the newly released book by Helen Boyd, "She's Not the Man I Married."

Helen is always authentic in my opinion, she points out in her years or research that the Stanton story is really not all that unique when it comes to friends and family. TG people in general that decide to acknowledge themselves in public, with family, or both/either, stand to lose everything that they have worked for up to that point.

It seems to be a tradition of sorts that one must pass the right of "outing" and that means nothing but total loss for many. True, some have had better results as we know by those that are members here, but, it does seem logical that it is risky at best when one decides to acknowledge one's fem self in any form to anyone.

Just an observation...

Hugs

Danielle Marie

[Jeannie]

Hi Danielle
You look great in your lastest cover photo. Buy that outfit Hon. It is a little risky telling others about yourself but I look on the bright side. Most of those people who don't have any contact with me anymore where just a pain in the backside anyway. Good riddence!
It's strange that the people who you worry about telling seem to be the most accepting.
Mini's niece, Faith is a PHd in chemistry and work for Revlon making cosmetics. Of course she never talks to me anymore nor does Mini's brother and sister in law but her husband Thor always still calls and asks me how I'm doing and stops in to have a few brewskis.
He is an Ex Marine and a BMW mechanic and a real macho guy. I was worried about telling him about me because I always liked Thor. He speaks his mind and is a real person.
He just stopped in my shop on wednesday to show me his new car. Because he works at a BMW dealership he gets great lease deals. He leased a silver,convertible Z4 for only $168 bucks a month!
He let me take it out for a spin. It's a freakin' rocket Danielle. Six speed manual and 255 hp six cylinder. Knowing Thor it will be the death of him.
His last car was a Mitsubisi Evolution that he tricked out to 425 hp on a dynamometer. He wraped it around an exit sign on the highway.
Life is carnival so enjoy the ride Hon. If people throw you under the bus it's their lose not yours. You are a thoughtful,intelligent person who would make a great friend or partner.
There is something to be said about people who are born blind. They like you for the person you are and not how you look. Marley is same. He loves me no matter what outfit I have on.
Just read all the posts on this forum. We are just like everyone else but just happen to look and feel different inside. I think of the movie "A few good men" where Jack Nickleson says " You can't handle the truth!"
Have a fabulous weekend Danielle. I have to go back down the saltmine to do some die cutting. Big hug and smooch Beautiful.

Love
Auntie Jeannie

[Danielle La Belle]

Hi Girls:

It looks like Susan Stanton has gone MIA. After the announcement by her current spouse to file for divorce, Susan has removed her web pages and is "running silent" for now.

It takes more than a political position to ride out the storm of "sex" changing in the USA. We still rely on "Western Christianity" to generate our social morals and ethics even if we pick and choose which ones and when we are to abide by them. Circumstances being what they are, Susan may well have to go "underground" for a time, lick her wounds, and find other areas of social life to tide her over.

Most unfortunate indeed as one can see, we had high hopes for Susan to ride into Washington, D.C., and be elevated to a political position of power both inside of the TG community and the political network of the Washington beltway machine.

Not an easy road to go as Susan has found out. I wish her well if she happens upon this forum thread. I am sure she will recover to go on as a forceful woman, ...I am woman, hear me roar!

Hugs

Danielle Marie

[DonnaT]

Actually, she need to go underground and keep out of the lime-light. Her published remarks weren't helpful to the trans community at al. Especially with respect to ENDA.

She may have been a good city manager, but her politicing left something to be desired.

[Stephanie]

"He's not going to be a man, and he's not going to be a female," said Lighthouse Baptist Church Pastor Ron Sanders, who leads a 30-member congregation. "He's going to be an 'it'. It's going to be the most sorrowful decision he has ever made."

I doubt it very much.

Yet another reason why Americans must be fools for allowing religion to rule their society.

[SilverLady(SO)]

. . . Yet another reason why Americans must be fools for allowing religion to rule their society.

More correctly, Stephanie . . . it's a human trait to 'allow' religion to rule society.

Don't be so quick to cast dispersions on Americans, as every country is ruled, to one degree or another, by religion . . . even those in the UK.

- SL

[Jeannie]

Hi ladies
"Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions. It is the opium of the people"

That was the quote in context of German Philosopher Karl Marx. Religion will ultimately destroy all of mankind. Armegedon is a self fulling prophcey. Think about it.
The Catholics hate the Protestants in Ireland, the Shias hate the Sunnis and everyone seems to hate the Jews. The Evangelicals think the world is only 12,000 years old and dinosaur fossils where put here by God to test our faith!
Mark my words ladies,the animals ,insects and plants will again inheirit the earth after our demise and be so glad that we are gone. Humans were a big mistake and upset the natural order of the universe. It's called Natural selection.

"Natural selection is the process by which favorable heritable traits become more common in successive generations of a population of reproducing organisms, and unfavorable heritable traits become less common. Natural selection acts on the phenotype, or the observable characteristics of an organism, such that individuals with favorable phenotypes are more likely to survive and reproduce than those with less favorable phenotypes."
Animals,insects,viruses,bacteria and plants survive no matter what we we do to try to kill them. Humans get more and more diseases every year and never adapt. It a heads up people. You're doomed.
Oh. I forgot. You can always count on prayer and hope. I pray I wake up tomorrow and look like Audrey Hepburn. I hope if I get real sick my Doctor didn't graduate in the bottom half of his class.
Religion was created by man for man to promote their personal agendas.
My favorite song is by Randy Newman. To me, it says it all.
If you don't like it,give Jesus a call and let me know what he says. Hugs.

Love
Jeannie the damned.

"God's song"

Cain slew Abel, Seth knew not why
For if the children of Israel were to multiply
Why must any of the children die?
So he asked the Lord
And the Lord said:

Man means nothing ,he means less to me
Than the lowliest cactus flower
Or the humblest Yucca tree
He chases round this desert
'Cause he thinks that's where I'll be
That's why I love mankind

I recoil in horror from the foulness of thee
From the squalor and the filth and the misery
How we laugh up here in heaven at the prayers you offer me
That's why I love mankind

The Christians and the Jews were having a jamboree
The Buddhists and the Hindus joined on satellite TV
They picked their four greatest priests
And they began to speak

They said, "Lord, a plague is on the world
Lord, no man is free
The temples that we built to you
Have tumbled into the sea
Lord, if you won't take care of us
Won't you please, please let us be?"
And the Lord said
And the Lord said

I burn down your cities,how blind you must be
I take from you your children and you say how blessed are we
You all must be crazy to put your faith in me
That's why I love mankind
You really need me
That's why I love mankind

[CJ]

Okaaayyyyy... going back to Susan Stanton.....

[Danielle La Belle]

The Largo city manager fired after revealing plans to become a woman has ended her 18-year marriage.

Susan Stanton, who served Largo for 17 years as Steve Stanton, has agreed to pay alimony and child support to her ex-wife, Donna Stanton, according to court documents filed this month.

Since leaving her post, Stanton, who turns 50 next month, has changed her name to Susan Ashley Stanton and has undergone gender reassignment surgery.

She also has taken part in a CNN documentary about her journey. A 10-minute cut of the film was screened by about 50 people at the National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association national convention Friday, said Bud Bultman, CNN managing editor. The segment showed who Susan was before she became Susan, Bultman said.

Stanton declined comment for this report. But she told the convention group in Washington, D.C., that she participated in the project because she wanted people to "see the transition — not the physical transition on the Discovery Channel — but the psychological, spiritual, social transition, the impact on friends, family and community," according to a posting on the convention Web site.

A CNN crew plans to finish the project this fall, but no broadcast date has been set, Bultman said.

Stanton said she has a good relationship with her ex-wife, but she has lost most of her friends. Stanton agreed to pay Donna Stanton $4,756 a month in alimony and $800 a month in child support for their son, Travis, 15, according to their marital settlement agreement. Because Susan Stanton has been unable to find work, she agreed to pay a lump sum of $50,000 to cover alimony and child support from April through the end of the year. The money will come from one of her International City/County Management Association retirement plans.

Donna Stanton, 57, will get their Largo home and primary custody of Travis. Susan Stanton will retain 42 percent equity in the home, share parental responsibility and have liberal visitation. Susan Stanton moved to Sarasota but plans to leave the state

end.....
Reported by SP Times
August 26, 2008
Lori Helfand - Staff Writer
lorri@sptimes.com

Hugs

Danielle Marie
"Better late than never"

[Danielle La Belle]

Film lets Susan tell her story
by Laura Simmons - NLGJA

After six months of public silence, Susan Stanton once again braved the microphone in front of a room full of journalists - only this time, none of them was writing a story.

About 50 people turned up to hear Stanton speak about the upcoming documentary "Her Name Was Steven" at the 2008 NLGJA national convention.

Stanton appeared with producers from CNN to screen the beginning of the documentary, which follows Stanton through her transition from male to female. It's scheduled to be finished in the fall, but no date is set for broadcast.

Stanton's story first made national headlines in 2007 after Steve Stanton lost his job as the city manager of Largo, Fla. He had decided to transition from Steven to Susan, but the St. Petersburg Times broke the story before he had told his co-workers and city officials.

"A Salem witch trial environment" was how Rose Arce, senior producer for CNN and moderator of the event, described the public hearings that ensued and led to Stanton's dismissal.

After the introduction, lights dimmed and the crowd was privy to about 10 minutes of footage from the beginning of the documentary.

The film paints Steve Stanton as a "man's man" and a "guy's guy," showing him driving heavy machinery as an adult and playing in the dirt as a boy. But it also shows him as a family man. He's often pictured with his ex-wife Donna and their 15-year-old son, Travis.

When the lights came back, Stanton was wiping tears from her eyes.

"I've only seen it once before. This is still real time, real time, and seeing Steve is kind of weird," she said.

Afterward, Stanton took questions from the audience for about an hour. They ranged from how she felt about media coverage of the firing of Steve Stanton to why she decided to let CNN follow her through her transition.

"There's nothing like having your first mammogram with a whole TV crew," Stanton said, laughing.

"It was fun for us, too," Arce said, drawing more laughter from the crowd.
Then Stanton turned serious.

She said she wanted people to "see the transition — not the physical transition on the Discovery Channel — but the psychological, spiritual, social transition, the impact on friends, family and community."

Stanton said she was nervous about the documentary being broadcast but was committed to seeing it through.

"I do ask myself, 'What was I thinking?' but I don't regret it," she said. "There's a lot of misunderstanding (about transgender issues)."

Another person asked whether Stanton would consider turning her extensive journal collection into a book. Stanton has been keeping a journal since she was 8. She actually kept two between 1978 and 2008, one for Steven and one for Susan.

Stanton said she had tried once but was turned down by publishers. But that might change after the documentary comes out, she said.

Stanton said it was her journals that got her through the difficult times in her transition. Although she maintains a healthy relationship with her ex-wife and they raise their son together, she lost all of her friends "except for two or three really good ones," and all of her professional relationships.

An audience member asked if Stanton knew who had leaked her plans to transition to the St. Petersburg Times. She didn't know.

"Whoever violated that trust, that would hurt to know," Stanton said, tearing up. "It's best not to know."

end....

Hugs

Danielle Marie

[DeeDee]

Susan is alive and kicking, good for her!!!! I certainly wish her the best of luck in her latest job search. Here's the link http://www.sun-sentinel.com/community/n ... 9885.story
Lake Worth is about 40 miles north of Fort Lauderdale...just for reference.
Hugs
DeeDee