Spring Break
Questioning Slanted Equality
Courtney, Panel Discuss Incomplete Non-Discrimination Act
Heather Murdock
Issue date: 12/3/07 Section: News
In response to the amendment, over 300 GLBT organizations banned together in opposition to the bill and formed a synthesis group called ENDA United. The HRC, the largest and most powerful GLBT activist organization in the country, initially remained neutral. On the day before the vote, however, the HRC joined a group of leading activist organizations to express its support for the bill, infuriating GLBT activists across the country.
All of the panel members and the congressman supported the original ENDA, and they all agreed that the old bill was better than the one Congress passed. Some of the speakers, and many members of the UConn community, however, said that the bill in its current form, which protects people based on sexual orientation only, should not have been put to a vote.
According to panelist Holly Ryan, the Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition co-chair, the change in the legislation was akin to offering the right to marry to lesbians, but not to gay men. She said that the transgender community faces discrimination more often than gays, lesbians or bisexuals, and it is the group most in need of protection.
Rachel Goldberg, the co-chair of the Board of Directors of the Gender Public Advocacy Coalition, said that when Congress changed the bill, which she had personally worked on, and then the HRC expressed its support for the amended bill, "the feeling of betrayal from the trans-community was complete."
Goldberg also said that ENDA United would need a public apology from HRC if the two organizations were to resume the productive relationship they had in the past. She challenged HRC Deputy Field Director Jeremy Pittman with the question, "If the bill protected gay people, and not lesbians, where would the HRC have been?"
"We can agree that the vast majority of the people in this room support a fully inclusive bill," said Pittman, "[but] the movement of ENDA to this point is a complex path. The question is: What is possible?" Pittman said that the HRC believes that passing an imperfect bill is preferable to passing no bill at all and, "a way to move forward for all of our community."
All of the panel members and the congressman supported the original ENDA, and they all agreed that the old bill was better than the one Congress passed. Some of the speakers, and many members of the UConn community, however, said that the bill in its current form, which protects people based on sexual orientation only, should not have been put to a vote.
According to panelist Holly Ryan, the Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition co-chair, the change in the legislation was akin to offering the right to marry to lesbians, but not to gay men. She said that the transgender community faces discrimination more often than gays, lesbians or bisexuals, and it is the group most in need of protection.
Rachel Goldberg, the co-chair of the Board of Directors of the Gender Public Advocacy Coalition, said that when Congress changed the bill, which she had personally worked on, and then the HRC expressed its support for the amended bill, "the feeling of betrayal from the trans-community was complete."
Goldberg also said that ENDA United would need a public apology from HRC if the two organizations were to resume the productive relationship they had in the past. She challenged HRC Deputy Field Director Jeremy Pittman with the question, "If the bill protected gay people, and not lesbians, where would the HRC have been?"
"We can agree that the vast majority of the people in this room support a fully inclusive bill," said Pittman, "[but] the movement of ENDA to this point is a complex path. The question is: What is possible?" Pittman said that the HRC believes that passing an imperfect bill is preferable to passing no bill at all and, "a way to move forward for all of our community."
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 3
Diana
posted 12/03/07 @ 2:38 PM EST
It will take a very long time for the HRC to rebuild trust in the trans-community.
This is what got the us so angry with the HRC...
* In March 2000, the HRC added Gender to its Mission Statement. (Continued…)
Joni Christian
posted 12/04/07 @ 9:46 AM EST
"An injury to one is an injury to all."
"United ENDA coalition continues to expand, and we intend to harness the passion, grassroots activism and local, state and national organization leadership. (Continued…)
Richard Nelson
posted 12/04/07 @ 11:43 AM EST
Sorry Heather, members of Ct. TransAdvocacy and Queers Without Borders who protested outside did not and let me repeat did not go into the the panel at the Dodd Center. (Continued…)
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