[OutVoice] Human Rights Campaign sells out the Trans Community -again

Joanne Lynn Benjamin garfield25_tg at yahoo.com
Wed Nov 7 07:30:27 CST 2007


                                                     Solidarity On ENDA Trans Inclusion Unravels
by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff

Posted: November 6, 2007 - 11:00 am ET
Updated 11:50 am ET

(Washington) Some of the nation's largest civil rights groups, including the Human Rights Campaign, said Tuesday that Congress should pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act even if it does not include protections for trans-workers.

The decision has divided the LGBT community and angered a large number of rights groups.

The act, known as ENDA, was to have come to a vote on Tuesday but was pushed off the agenda at the last minute. The vote now is expected either Wednesday or Thursday.

ENDA originally included all members of the LGBT community, but its sponsor, Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) one of only two openly gay members of Congress, removed gender identity fearing the legislation might not get out of committee.

ENDA, as currently worded, would make it illegal for employers to discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation in hiring, firing, promoting or paying an employee.

The move to remove gender identity from the bill infuriated a large number of rights groups and several committee Democrats, including presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich refused to support the measure without the inclusion of protections for trans people.

Following the vote Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) proposed an amendment that would reinstate gender identity and secured the support of House leadership to introduce it when ENDA reaches the floor. (story)

Tuesday, however, it appeared there are not the votes to pass an all inclusive version of ENDA and in an open letter to members of Congress, HRC, the NAACP, the National Education Association, the National Employment Lawyers Association, the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, the American Federation of State, County, Municipal Employees and a number of other groups said they would support ENDA without gender identity.

The letter says that it is "beyond dispute that transgender employees are particularly in need of those protections. They face far more pervasive and severe bias in the workplace and society as a whole."

But it goes on to say: "As civil rights organizations, however, we are no strangers to painful compromise in the quest for equal protection of the law for all Americans. From the Civil Rights Act of 1957 through the almost-passed District of Columbia House Voting Rights Act of 2007, legislative progress in the area of civil and human rights has almost always been incremental in nature. With each significant step toward progress, the civil rights community has also faced difficult and sometimes even agonizing tradeoffs. We have always recognized, however, that each legislative breakthrough has paved the way for additional progress in the future. 

"With respect to ENDA, we take the same view.

"While we are greatly disappointed that the current version of ENDA is not fully inclusive, our sense of frustration in this case is directed at those who would clearly prefer to see no one from the gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender community protected at all."

The United Auto Workers and the AFL-CIO have sent their own letters supporting ENDA as it is now worded. 

The decision to support ENDA without the mention of gender identity pits the Human Rights Campaign against most other LGBT civil rights groups.

"There still are 360 organizations on record in their support of a bill that includes sexual orientation and gender identity," John Mable, spokesperson for National Stonewall Democrats told 365Gay.com.

"We have always matched our public rhetoric with our private actions over the past month and we will continue to maintain our focus on an inclusive ENDA.

HRC president Joe Solmonese nevertheless defends signing the letter, calling it a "pragmatic and strategic decision."

Solmonese pointed to a poll taken by HRC showing that more than two thirds of LGBT Americans support passing ENDA even if it does not include trans-workers.

The decision has the support of the group's board Solmonese told 365Gay.com, adding that passing ENDA "is the first step in a long march" that eventually will include gender identity. 

Gay rights groups have been trying to get a version of ENDA passed since the 1970s when then NY Rep Bella Abzug introduced the first bill.

The current version is the only one to make it to a vote on the floor of the House.

The Rules Committee Monday night voted to send ENDA to a vote, along with three amendments. 

The first would add sexual identity to the bill. The amendment was put forward by Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) the other openly gay member of Congress.

The other two amendments are aimed at countering claims by President Bush that ENDA would violate existing laws. The White House said the bill is likely unconstitutional and that if it passes in Congress the president's senior aides would recommend vetoing it. (story) 

One amendment would say that ENDA does not alter the religious exemption under the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The other would specifically state that ENDA does not change the federal Defense of Marriage Act, which bars the government from recognizing same-sex relationships.

Under House rules any of the amendments could be pulled before an actual vote.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is said to be under intense pressure to cancel a vote on adding sexual identity. Some Democrats in conservative districts fear the issue could harm them next November in the polls.

Source: http://365gay.com/Newscon07/11/110607enda.htm

----Joannes Rant -----

If your a supporter of Human Rights Campaign and care about the trans community, than stop donating to their causes and donate to organizations that will take a stand !!!!


Organizations like these

National Transgender Advocacy Coalition -http://ntac.org/

Equality Advocates Pennsylvania - http://www.equalitypa.org/


and many more...


NOTE : WKJCE has stopped running HRC PSA's a year ago on the station, and dont plan to air anymore of their promos, we will and have taken a stand on these Issues.


-Joanne Lynn 
http://www.freewebtown.com/joanne_lynn/
  
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    WKJCE TLGB RADIO
http://www.wkjce.org/
  http://www.myspace.com/wkjce
      
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   Northwest PA Trans Group
  http://www.freewebtown.com/northwestpatrans/
    
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" I reject your reality and substitute my own" - Adam Savage (MythBusters) 






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