Title: Handling differences over sex and gender

Sponsors: Matthew Andrews, David Keil

Floor Manager: Matthew Andrews

Background: The GRP has encountered sharp differences over sex and gender issues. In order to prevent these differences from splitting or paralyzing the party, an explicit expression of unity is necessary.

Proposal: "The Green-Rainbow Party welcomes members of diverse demographics and with diverse ideas. Specifically, we welcome trans members and members with divergent views on sex and gender."

Implementation: Members will continue to hold their particular opinions without trying to impose them on other individuals or the entire party.

GRP iChapters Proposal by Maha Visnu Gray (July 27, 2021)

TITLE: THE GRP iCHAPTERS

PROPOSAL SPONSORS: Maha Visnu Gray Eileen Sheehan

VETTING COMMITTEES: Adcom

FLOOR MANAGER: Maha Visnu Gray

SHEPHERDS: • GRP Co-chair (Maha Visnu Gray) • iCHOC Director

SUMMARY: Instituting the GRP iChapters program in our Party will enable the GRP to grow faster and more effectively across all demographics, particularly the younger generations.

BACKGROUND: The GRP iChapters Program is critical to both the expansion of the GRP itself and the fulfillment of the Party’s purpose, which is to get GRP candidates elected to office. Listed are the current challenges the Party faces which the GRP iChapters Program is uniquely suited to solving.

Current GRP Challenges:

a) Bureaucratic processes that stifle expansion.
b) Bureaucratic processes that stifle active engagement.
c) Bureaucratic processes that are cumbersome and ponderous.
d) Bureaucratic processes that establish an unnecessarily high bar for entry.
e) Inability to engage younger generations where they congregate (online) and in their comfort spaces (tech/social media/internet).
f) The complete lack of growth in the number of Chapters across the state and the membership in those chapters.
g) The inability of the GRP to function as a truly grassroots organization.
h) The inability of the GRP to be truly diverse in relation to gender, ethnicity, age, socio-economic status etc.
i) The inability to operate based on the 10 Key Value of Decentralization.
j) The inability to identify and recruit potential candidates.
k) The inability to give candidates a credible platform to immediately and effectively begin developing a local grassroots organization for their campaign.

How the GRP iChapters Program will tackle these challenges:

a) Provide an organizational space suitable for young generations to immediately and effortlessly engage with the GRP in a manner that is suitable to them.
b) Will enable the GRP to more easily take root anywhere in the state of Massachusetts.
c) Will be the obvious and natural precursor (the “step one”) to the development of a physical Chapter anywhere in the state.
d) Will enable members of the GRP to actively participate and even lead in both local and Statewide GRP initiatives from anywhere in the State.
e) It will create a method for easy, immediate and credible entry into the GRP.
f) It is inherently, by its very definition, a grassroots organization.
g) It will cut the many unnecessary and daunting bureaucratic hurdles to active GRP engagement and inclusion.
h) It is, while still being credible, inherently decentralized.
i) It will give prospective candidates an immediate and credible GRP platform to begin their campaigns.
j) Facilitates the easy formation of miniature “Caucuses” within the GRP.

TEXT OF PROPOSAL:

The GRP should immediately begin implementing the iChapters programs.

iChapter Basic Structure & Requirements:

1) A single individual can start (and maintain) a GRP iChapter.
2) The individual who starts a GRP iChapter can be known as its President/Director.
3) The GRP iChapter President must:
     a. Be/become an enrolled member of the GRP. (This must be an essential requirement for GRP iChapter Presidents).
4) The GRP iChapter must:
     a. Pay $50 annual Recertification Fee.
     b. Pay monthly $10 iChapter dues.
     c. Have an internet presence on any two of the following platforms or media.
        i. Facebook
        ii. Dedicated website
        iii. Twitter
        iv. Instagram
        v. Youtube
        vi. Linkedin
        vii. TikTok
        viii. Blog/Vlog
        ix. Newsletter
     d. Regularly post/share the GRP newsletter to its online sites/pages/media.
     e. Regularly post/share GRP announcements and Co-chair statements to its online sites/pages/media.
5) If a GRP iChapter has more than one individual it must meet monthly (online/onsite).
6) A GRP iChapter can exist anywhere in the state whether or not there is a physical GRP chapter in the region.
7) GRP iChapters are fully and wholly independent of the local GRP Chapter.
8) GRP iChapters must be certified by iCHOC.
9) GRP iChapters must be recertified by iCHOC annually.
10) If a GRP iChapter is decertified by iCHOC it can appeal to AdCom. If AdCom upholds the decertification then an appeal is automatically put on the agenda for the next StateCom meeting. If StateCom upholds the ruling of the iCHOC then the decertification holds.
11) Definition of Decertification:
     a. The iChapter President is ineligible to lead a GRP iChapter for the period of a year.
     b. Individual members of that particular iChapter remain eligible to lead a GRP iChapter.
12) iChapter Oversight Committee (iCHOC) Basic Function and Structure:
     a. iCHOC must have a minimum of three members.
     b. The Directorship of iCHOC is an elected position, has a seat on AdCom and has the same rights and privileges of other Directors (i.e. Communications, Fundraising).
     c. iCHOC is responsible for overseeing and monitoring whether or not each GRP iChapter is following the requirements.

IMPLEMENTATION:

1) Adopt the GRP iChapters Proposal.
2) Task ComCom with disseminating information on the GRP iChapters Program.
3) Task ComCom with sending out an Email blast encouraging people to apply for the Directorship of iCHOC.
4) Elect the first Director of iCHOC at the upcoming State Convention.
5) New iCHOC Director staffs iCHOC.
6) iCHOC, in conjunction with MemCom and ComCom, begins promoting the GRP iChapter program.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: Depends on the nature/method of the promotional campaign.

(Date Submitted: 7-29-21 at 9:18pm & 2nd attempt at website on 7-30-21 To: StateCom Business & Discuss lists due to tech issues w/website)

Title: Strengthening our Understanding of Feminism within the Ten Key Values 

Sponsor:Jamie Guerin; Lisa Anne Richards

Co-sponsors:Elizabeth Humphrey; Carole Oyler; Mike Heichman; Juan Sanchez; Danny Factor; Richard Vaillette; Jordan Hodges (AKA – J. Stewart); Roni Beal; Lois Gagnon; Richard Purcell; Manny Pintado; Dan Kontoff; Tom Grzybowski

Vetting Committees: AdCom; StateCom; Policy & ProcedureCom

Floor Manager: Sean Connell

Summary: 

The first wave of feminism in the US (after the suffrage movement) created a framework to address the patriarchy that mostly accounted for affluent white women shaking traditional gender roles.

The second and third waves of feminism focused on intersectionality; it brought people of color and global feminist movements into the fold while also understanding gender as more of a spectrum. Creating these connections between gender and race strengthened the legitimacy of both movements. 

The fourth wave of feminism, that is being spearheaded by young people, is not only intersectional but also cross generational. This new wave of feminism is intertwined and identifies with the struggle that our trans siblings are facing; the same heteronormative patriarchy that the first few waves addressed. Bringing trans women and trans men into traditionally “male” and “female” spaces strengthens the feminist movements of our past and the 4th wave feminist movement as it has evolved with society's understanding of Human Rights and Feminism. 

In no way does our affirmation of the more inclusive and broad reaching 4th wave of the feminist movement, diminish cis women's hard won rights in our historical feminist movements. 

Background: 

The Green Rainbow Party has been in a tough place with trans rights recently.  There exists a minority of members who still defer to the less evolved historical waves of the feminist movement &/or right wing talking points when speaking about trans rights issues in sports, bathroom access, and transitioning.  Example- Instead of calling trans women ‘women’, they are referred to as “men with female gender identity” 

Young people are absolutely leading the way on this issue. The GRP stands to lose youth, LGBTQIA+ and other diverse, marginalized &/or oppressed identity memberships without addressing this core value and affirming in absolute terms that trans rights are human rights and our evolved understanding of the feminist movement.

Text of Proposal:

The GRP affirms that TRANS RIGHTS ARE HUMAN RIGHTS 

The GRP understands Human Rights extend to ALL human beings; ESPECIALLY to marginalized and oppressed identity groups.

The GRP affirms our Human Rights position is not up for debate or discussion, unless it is to discuss future evolved feminists waves to include newly recognized marginalized or oppressed identity groups, with the discussion for the purposes of advancing the GRP's understanding & affirmation of a future evolved feminist movement that is inclusive of newly recognized marginalized or oppressed identity groups.

We understand that the feminist movement of the 1960s and 70s is not the same or as broad reaching and inclusive as the coalition-based 4th wave feminism we see today.

The GRP recognizes that gender identity is, and should be, a protected class along with sex; that trans men are men and that trans women are women.

Implementation:

The GRP will use text within this document to create a trans affirmative platform item and add the language affirming 4th wave feminism as an amendment or addendum to our 10 Key Values  which will ensure the GRP maintains a safe space for young and upcoming trans and LGBTQIA+ youth and adults.  Without implementing this proposal, youth and more diverse new membership outreach will continue to be hampered as well as diminish current youth, diverse and LGBTQIA+ membership. 

Financial Implications:  None