ENDA - Time to make some phone calls

Last night a friend and I were talking on the phone about ENDA. Realizing we might be among those at risk we wondered if GLAD was going to weigh in on this issue? It was encouraging to see that they too felt that removal of support for the transgender in ENDA was wrong…..It was nice getting this in my email late today….

	Dear Rebecca, GLAD is concerned about a recent step taken by Congressional leaders that threatens to undermine passage of a full and trans-inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA). The LGBT movement has been unified in its commitment to an inclusive ENDA that outlaws workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. This recent effort to put forth a version of the bill excluding gender identity is out of touch with what the community has clearly stated it supports. We need your help today to ensure that no member of our community is left behind. Contact your Representative, and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi at 202-224-3121 and let them know that you oppose legislation that is not fully inclusive. Our Massachusetts supporters have a unique opportunity to impact the course of this legislation by contacting the bill’s sponsor, Representative Barney Frank. Urge Representative Frank and Speaker Pelosi to let Congress vote on the original version of ENDA, HR 2015, the version that was asked for, worked on, and supported by the community. We at GLAD know that a strong and successful movement depends on unity and mutual support. We don’t compromise on essential civil rights. Thank you for doing your part to ensure equal protections for all Americans, Lee Swislow Executive Director gladlaw@glad.org Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (GLAD) is New England’s leading legal rights organization dedicated to ending discrimination based on sexual orientation, HIV status and gender identity and expression. Since 1978, through impact litigation and public education, GLAD has worked to create a better world for lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender individuals and people living with HIV. To learn more about GLAD and be added to our e-mail list, please visit our website. To help GLAD fund the fight for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality, please make a donation today - visit our Donation Page at www.glad.org/Donate_to_GLAD. If you would like to be removed from our email list please send a message from the address where you received this message to unsubscribe@glad.org. Thank you for getting involved and for supporting GLAD.

We downed an espresso shot then called Pelosi’s office and got a recording so we could register what we at Beck’s Cafe felt about the removal of transgender protections from ENDA. It was surprising they had space to record what we wanted to say. We then rang up our congressman, Ed Markey, and found out he was indeed supporting ENDA!! How nice We asked would he pretty please call up Mr. Frank and ask that he, perhaps, change his mind? You have to wonder how fruitful any of this effort is, but, who knows. Still the whole course of events is disappointing in the extreme.

Ms. Pelosi’s part in all this is especially troubling since we had written how helpful she had been to the transgender community. Please see our previous article on her at Beck’s Cafe, entitled, “Nancy Pelosi, what to expect for the transgender“.

(For past coverage of ENDA at Beck’s Cafe, please visit these stories, “Continued Coverage on ENDA - Sean Hannity, ADA and James Byrd“, “Continued Coverage on ENDA - Robyn’s Story“, “Petition Drive to Support a Complete ENDA“, “Transgender Rights Hail Storm“ )