ENDA vote postponed again

ENDA vote postponed again

Trans amendment divides Dems; some say bill in trouble

LOU CHIBBARO JR
Friday, November 02, 2007

House Democratic leaders this week put off a vote on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act for the second week in a row, raising questions about whether the bill is in jeopardy over a dispute about a proposed transgender amendment.

Democratic leaders were scrambling to reconcile competing concerns by moderate to conservative Democratic House members, who do not want to vote on an amendment to add transgender protections to the bill, and liberal Democrats, who have threatened to vote against ENDA if it does not include trans protections, according to Capitol Hill sources.

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The uncertainty over the gay-only version follows reports late last week that the Democratic leadership had decided not to allow gay Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.) to introduce an amendment to restore transgender protections to ENDA, reversing an earlier decision to allow the amendment.

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The decision to remove the trans provision prompted more than 300 gay and transgender advocacy groups from across the country to call on Congress to oppose any form of ENDA that does not include trans protections.

http://washingtonblade.com/2007/11-2/news/national/11485.cfm

I agree that it should not be passed if they leave anyone out. What in the hell are they thinking? OK, we will let some of you work without fear but the rest of you? Nah. I don't like it.

Or don't vote for it's passage until it does

The transgender have been the ones that have suffered the most violence. The Oscar winning film "Boys Don't Cry" had Hillary Swank playing a trans man that was raped and murdered when it was found that he was a biological female. And there is the film "Soldier Boy" about the GI that was beaten to death by his comrades because he was dating a trans woman. There are many other well-publicized murder cases involving trans persons, in which they were brutally tortured before being killed.

We also have the case of that city supervisor in Florida that was fired after he announced that he was going to transition into a woman.

ENDA must include the entire LGBT community!

Sadly, the Senate passed a version of ENDA that was all-inclusive. I don't know why the House is so squeemish, unless they only voted for ENDA when they knew the Senate wasn't going along with it. They really don't want to pass laws to protect LGBTs, they only want to vote for things that will never pass, but that will help them raise campaign money from LGBT community.

but I agree with you.

I have several good friends who are transgendered at various stages and they go through hell every single day. Maybe they get used to some of it, I don't know because I do not ask them but even a simple trip to a Quik Trip or out to dinner people just stare and stare and that is only a teeny tiny bit of what they experience. I am amazed at the nerve of people who stare like that. It is as if they think they have the right to be really rude. They don't stare like that at other people. I wish that was the end of it for them but the violence and discrimination leveled at them is beyond anything I can even imagine, this is only the tiny bit I have experienced with them. I don't get it at all but then apparently I don't get a lot. (I have more friends that way :))

My role in all of this is to find out what the GLBT community (I don't like that term, anyone got a better one?) wants and then do everything I can to support that. My own opinion I will state and even defend but if I am out voted I will put that aside. I wish I really knew what others wanted on this issue, I see two sides given to me. So for now I am with you, there should be no one left out especially those who are the most discriminated against however if the larger determination of the group says go for it anyway that is what I must work for.