My Thoughts On The ENDA Mess

I have been actively commenting on the politics of ENDA on The Bilerico Project, Pam's House Blend and Bloggernista so I thought I should finally drop some knowledge at my own spot:

I am one of the people who thinks that Barney Frank should be given the benefit of the doubt and allowed to bring forward a GLB-only ENDA but it should not be brought up without ALSO a vote on a GLBT-inclusive ENDA.

I don't really understand why it is so difficult to have a vote on both the bills. It should also be noted that ALL of the Democratic Presidential candidates are in favor of a trans-inclusive ENDA, so if they were to become President and a trans-inclusive bill were to pass, it could actually be passed into law. I predict now that once this bill will actually be likely to becvome a reality the politics will get even more vicious, not less, although right now that is hard to imagine.

I would also like to point out that the notion of civil rights laws actually including gender identity is something which is something VERY recent (in the last 5-10 years or so) and that the thought that this would be easy to do with the first Democratic majority congress in 10 years was wishful thinking at best.

I would say I completely support the notion of a federal civil rights bill inclusive of gender identity and sexual orientation, in fact I think we should have a REAL civil rights bill that includes public accomodations, housing, employment and education as covered areas as well.

This is the text of a comment I left at Bloggernista in response to the post on the topic ("Moving Forward on an Inclusive ENDA"). Pam Spaulding has posted the text of a letter which has been signed by all the major LGBT and progresssive civil rights organizations (including HRC, the largest LGBT group and the organization most closely identified with ENDA on Capitol Hill) decrying Rep. Barney Frank's announced strategy to strip ENDA of "gender identity and expression" protections last week.

Interestingly, my position is to the RIGHT of many organizations and people that I respect, who have released a letter (signed by over 90 civil rights organizations) urging their members to OPPOSE any substitute legislation for the orginal ENDA (H.R. 2015). I do not support such a move and feel that a letter was unnecessary although I understand tat in order to communicate seriousness about the desire to move forward with a trans-inclusive ENDA (which I support) these organizations felt that meant that they had to oppose any substitutes. I don't see why both measures can't be supported. It's a sad day when progressive organizations are urging their members to vote NO on a civil rights bill.

October 1, 2007

Dear Madam Speaker and Representatives:
The undersigned represent the vast and celebrated diversity of the LGBT community in this country. Some of us are national leaders of organizations with tens of thousands of members and constituents, some of us run the only local organization in our state. But we are united in a common cause: We ask you to keep working with us on an Employment Non-Discrimination Act that protects everyone in our community, and to oppose any substitute legislation that leaves some of us behind.

We ask and hope that in this moment of truth, you will stand for the courage real leadership sometimes demands. You each command enormous respect from all of us and we do appreciate the difficulty of balancing a variety of competing demands. But the correct course in this case and on this legislation is strikingly clear. We oppose legislation that leaves part of our community without protections and basic security that the rest of us are provided.

You told us you supported a fully inclusive ENDA and would bring it up for a vote this year. We expect that you will honor that commitment and we look forward to working together to pass a bill that we can all be proud to support.

Sincerely,

National Organizations
National Association of LGBT Community Centers
National Black Justice Coalition
National Center for Lesbian Rights
National Center for Transgender Equality
National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs
National Coalition for LGBT Health
National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, Inc.
National Stonewall Democrats
National Transgender Advocacy Coalition
National Youth Advocacy Coalition
ALEPH: Alliance for Jewish Renewal
American Institute of Bisexuality
BiNet USA
Bi Mental Health Professionals Association
Bisexual Resource Center
Bi Writers Association
COLAGE (Children of Lesbians And Gays Everywhere)
DignityUSA
Equality Federation
Equality Project Investor Advocates
Faith In America
Family Pride Coalition
Freedom to Marry
Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders
GLSEN – the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network
The Gender Public Gender Public Advocacy Coalition (GenderPAC)
Immigration Equality
International Federation of Black Prides
Keshet
Lambda Legal
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Rights Program at Human Rights Watch
Matthew Shepard Foundation
Metropolitan Community Churches
Mautner Project: the National Lesbian Health Organization
New Ways Ministry
Out & Equal Workplace Advocates
Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays
Pride At Work, AFL-CIO
Reconciling Ministries Network (United Methodists)
Transgender American Veterans Association
Transgender Law and Policy Institute
Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund
TransYouth Family Advocates
Unid@s, the National Latin@ LGBT Human Rights Organization

State Organizations (grouped by state, alphabetically)
Equality Alabama
Equality Arizona
Equality California
Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Center
Transgender Law Center (California)
AMBI (California)
Equal Rights Colorado
Love Makes A Family (Connecticut)
Gay and Lesbian Activists Alliance of Washington, D.C.
Equality Florida
MEGA Family Project (Georgia)
Idaho Equality Committee of Your Family Friends and Neighbors
Equality Illinois
Indiana Equality
One Iowa
Kentucky Fairness Alliance
Equality Maine
Equality Maryland
Triangle Foundation (Michigan)
OutFront Minnesota
Equality Mississippi
PROMO (Missouri)
Montana Human Rights Network
Forward Montana
Citizens For Equal Protection (Nebraska)
Garden State Equality (New Jersey)
New Jersey Lesbian & Gay Coalition
New Hampshire Freedom to Marry Coalition
Concord Outright (New Hampshire)
Seacoast Outright (New Hampshire)
PFLAG-New Hampshire
Equality New Mexico
Empire State Pride Agenda (New York)
New York Association for Gender Rights Advocacy (NYAGRA)
Equality North Carolina
Equality Ohio
EqualityToledo Community Action
Kaleidoscope Youth Center (Columbus, OH)
TransOhio
Basic Rights Oregon
Equality Advocates Pennsylvania
PA Diversity Network
Northeastern PA Rainbow Alliance
Marriage Equality Rhode Island
Alliance For Full Acceptance – South Carolina
SC Gay & Lesbian Pride Movement
Trans Carolina (South and North Carolina)
Equality South Dakota
Tennessee Equality Project
Tennessee Transgender Political Coalition
Equality Texas
Equality Utah
R.U.1.2? Community Center (Vermont)
Equality Virginia
Equal Rights Washington
Center Advocates (Milwaukee, Wisconsin)

Again, I believe that many organizations feel free to take such aposition because there is no way this bill will become law in this Congress. In 2009, when we have a new President the politics of ENDA will be even more dramatic.