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From the New York Times‘ New Impetus for Bill Banning Anti-Gay Bias at Work:
Momentum is building for Congress to pass the first major civil rights act protecting gays and transsexuals, supporters say, and one of the stars in the debate is a barrier-breaking transgender staffer on Capitol Hill.The Employment Non-Discrimination Act, or ENDA, would prohibit workplace discrimination — including decisions about hiring, firing and wages — based on sexual orientation or gender identity. It would exempt religious organizations, the military and businesses with less than 15 workers.
The driving force behind the bill has been Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., the longest-serving of the three openly gay members of Congress. He expects hearings on the measure to be held this fall…
The transgender staffer is Diego Sanchez, Rep. Barney Frank’s Legislative aide…
…Diego Sanchez is the first transgender person hired for a senior congressional staff position on Capitol Hill…
More of us are contacting our congressmembers; and we’re letting them know when we call that we want a fully inclusive ENDA. That President Obama has indicated he’ll sign a fully inclusive ENDA too, and that doesn’t hurt either.
And probably as importantly, everyone remembers how the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) activist community rose in anger in 2007 when ENDA became less than fully inclusive of the entire LGBT community. My sources have told me how Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) was personally unsettled that trans people and their allies protested outside her office round-the-clock in 2007 because ENDA wasn’t fully inclusive.
It would be a guess on my part, but my guess would be that Diego Sanchez was hired by Rep. Frank, and Allyson Robinson was hired by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) because of the 2007 ENDA revolt. Whether my guess is accurate or not, I can’t say I’m displeased with trans identified staffers now being visibly included in places they weren’t visible before. I’m definitely not displeased about the good that Mr. Sanchez in not only doing for trans people, but for the broader LGBT community as well.
23 Comments
Great News and The Moment is RipeThanks Autumn for posting this good news. I am happy to see Congressional staff members identified as transgendered and no doubt HRC felt the heat two years ago. It takes a while, but the time has come–the momemt is ripe. I am very, very pleased. Let’s see if this Congress can deliver. I always worry about the Senate…so everyone should definitely contact not only their House member, but keep pressure on their Senators. They can be so conservative over there, which includes a number of blue dog Democrats. Nothing is to be taken for granted. The House is much easier to obtain for this vote.
Another Reason Why A Fully Inclusive ENDA is more likelyAside from having a President that will sign it….
The campaign to garner Senate votes – often posted by blogger DrJillianTWeiss here and elsewhere.
Check out the google document and contact your US Senator. Sealing up the 60 votes needed in the US Senate will push the bill through
http://bit.ly/14TDll
Inclusive Enda on FacebookU.S. Legislator of the Day (EVENT)
http://www.new.facebook.com/ho…
“Register for this event to receive, in your Facebook inbox, a daily link to the U.S. Legislator of the Day.
This link will allow you to email the legislator and tell him or her of your support for an inclusive ENDA. I’ll also include, with a bit of a humorous flair, a snippet about the legislator you’re emailing.
By the October recess, we’ll have educated over 100 Members of Congress!
I’m not going to give you a script, because otherwise these letters will be disregarded as astroturf. You just tell ‘em in your own words why HR 3017 is important to you and yours.
The U.S. Representative or Senator chosen will be someone who is unconfirmed in their support of ENDA. It will not be those who have confirmed their support, or lack of support. It will strictly be those who need education about why ENDA is important to you.
I am doing this as an “event” because it is the only vehicle available on Facebook to email a large list without violating the terms of service. I also recognize that not everyone who has joined our group wants a daily email, and it will allow me to keep the volume low for those who prefer less email.
So join today!”
Inclusive ENDA (GROUP)
http://www.new.facebook.com/ho…
Thanks for posting this AutumnI wonder if Representative Carter and his comms director “John” have seen this…
Was thinking about her for sure……and it’s why we keep highlighting her work.
Thanks for a hopeful storyThis story of transgender people included in high ranking positions, are the seats at the table that are earned and deserved. It reminds me of the inclusiveness that LGBT organizations still hasn’t accomplished with LGBTs of color.It also shows what is needed to remedy the situation.
Why?And why, exactly, is the military excluded from this proposed law?
Is it that living without the pleasures of bigotry is just too much to bear for the delicate souls of our brave young fighting men?
Is it that this law might offend the moral sensibilities of the men who have been indoctrinated in right-wing evangelical Christianity at the United States Air Force Academy?
CrumblyI can almost understand exempting religious businesses and the military, but I work at a company with less than 15 people. Why are they exempt? It’s not a religious company and certainly not associated with the military.
I guess I shouldn’t complain. ENDA should be passed, and only with trans protection included. But I have a feeling there’s alot of people that will fall through the cracks of the exemptions.
I’m just tired of settling. I want my full complete 100% equal rights as an American citizen. Reguardless of who I’m working for and who I’m in love with.
APIt’s really an AP article posted on the NYT.
Yes, yes, I know it’s not important.
I also didn’t understand the rationale for small businesses being exemptedMOST new jobs are created by small businesses, that leaves us out of too many oppurtunities…IMO.
Maybe we have to except a good inclusive ENDA and build on itThis is infinitely better than a non inclusive ENDA.
What the bill does not cover…there is no references in the bill about insurance coverage nor about accommodations (bathrooms, lockers, showers, etc.). Are we still going to be denied medical coverage that both the AMA and the APA say is a medical necessity? Will we have to sit with our legs crossed all day?
Incremental progressOf sorts.
This was the same ‘compromise’ that had to be made to get the Civil Rights Act passed in 1964.
And its why state laws will still be necessary even if ENDA becomes law; some, but not all, state LGBT rights laws have much lower emploee-number thresholds.
The Pelosi ReactionI will now term this the Pelosi Reaction. It is when a group (number 10 or more)shows up at a congressman or senators office. It has the flavor of a flash-mob but with much more serious intent.
It’s good that Pelosi got rattled.
.I wish I had the money to fly out to D.C. and rattle my “representatives.”
AP Stories Are ImportantAP is important because it will be distributed much further around the country than a story by a NYT writer. This is what I do for my work. Yes, we always try to place in the NYT, but getting it on the wires wide and far is always at the front of any effective media strategy…when you get a story on the wires, it gets picked up by TV, radio and newspapers around the country immediately—so I disagree respectively. The fact the NYT decided to print an AP story is also important to acknowledge.
ENDA, now and then (2007)It’s good to hear that things are looking good for an ENDA that includes gender identity.
Does anyone have a roll call vote on who’s on the fence and who’s “opposed”?
With regards to the protests outside of Pelosi’s office: The reason that ENDA in 2007 did not include gender identity was that the votes were not there for passage. And that happened because not enough trans people stepped forward to educate lawmakers on the importance of including gender identity, hence the hysterical action alerts by the national nonprofits in September-October 2007.
The protesters showed their inexperience and wanted an all-or-nothing strategy– never a pragmatic strategy in Washington.
The protests at that time were because ENDA moved forward, in its original form, with protections based on sexual orientation. The protesters– most of whom have no idea how the legislative process works in Washington– actually expected House leaders to kill federal legislation that protected millions of people based on sexual orientation.
That didn’t happen, thankfully.
It’s good to see that more people are better educated on the legislative process and are now educating their lawmakers on gender identity and expression. Let’s keep our fingers crossed.
Then write……and write some more. We have written many many senators regarding EDNA and asked for their support for the repeal of DADT when it comes to the Senate. Hate Crimes and EDNA must pass and WE must make sure they do. So, come on people, get busy!! Contact your reps!!!!
*twitches*bites tongue
The rationale is constitutional (sorta)Congress’ power here comes from trade, and they don’t have the power, officially, to affect those business which do not operate across or have an impact across State lines. Were it not for FDR’s fight with the Supreme court, where he had control of the house and senate (hmmm…) and threatened to expand the Supreme court if they didn’t rule his way on commerce clause expansion, we wouldn’t even have that much.
Most federal legislation is similarly limited. ADA, Title 9, etc.
The other reason is that small businesses cannot afford the cost of such, traditionally (whether you believe that or not is another matter, lol)
This is why my personal efforts are now so heavily focused locally, instead of nationally — and why I pay far more attention to local efforts (municipality and state) than I do national ones.
This is also something our opponents have been aware of for thirty years — and why they put so much of their effort into the local efforts (with commensurate results).
um, no.It would offend the men (and very, very few women) who command them.
IT also shows that *we*…Need to engage in that effort of sacrificing ourselves for the greater good and running for office in massive numbers.
If we want to effect change in law, that’s the way we are going to do it.
We are watching you….Yay! It’s good to know that we, me and my trans peers, are out there everywhere and more visible by the day. A lot has changed and so quickly it seems. I’m no legislative aid, but I am out and proud in public, work, and school. Keep it up girls and boys!