United We Stand, ENDA for All!

On September 7, 2007, President of the Human Rights Campaign, Joe Solmonese attended the Southern Comfort conference and stood before a group of nearly one thousand transgender people and allies and proclaimed that not only would HRC not support legislation but in fact oppose legislation that was not fully inclusive and they have taken that message loud and clear to the Hill. see video:

This is IFGE’s Summary:
2007 April 24: ENDA (H.R. 2015) is introduced in House of Representatives, Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity are included.

May 3: Hate Crimes Bill (LLEEA) passes in House of Representatives, Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity are included.

May 11: The Washington Blade’s Peter Rosenstein reports that Gender Identity might be stripped out of the Hate Crimes bill in the Senate, and HRC is debating support of non-inclusive version despite their 2004 resolution.

May 14 – 18: NCTE, NTAC, & GPAC hold “Lobby Days” in Washington DC.

May 17: Blogger Marti Abernathy cites lobbying reports that Gender Identity will be removed from ENDA in the Senate.

September 17: Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Executive Director, Joe Solomonese, giving an address at the Southern Comfort Conference states HRC will oppose any legislation that does not include protections for Transgender people.

September 27: Barney Frank Introduces 2 more versions of ENDA: HR 3685 (Sexual Orientation only) & HR 3686 (Gender Identity only). HRC does not oppose the non-inclusive bill, but issues a misleading press release implying that it does. Hate Crimes Bill (LLEEA) passes in Senate.

September 28: Leaders from IFGE, NCTE, NGLTF, GLAD, NCLR and a rapidly growing coalition of organizations sign onto a letter requesting HRC oppose the non-inclusive ENDA. Many of them are attending the Out & Equal Conference in DC, and immediately start organizing a cohesive strategy.

October 3: Donna Rose, the only transgender person on HRC’s Board of Directors, resigns effective as of October 8th.

October 7: NTAC organizes a protest outside the HRC banquet in Washington DC.

October 16: Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) announces an amendment to H.R. 3685 that would restore gender identity protections to ENDA.

October 18: Non-Inclusive ENDA (3685) passed by Markup Committee. Several Democrats vote against it, protesting the lack of protections for Gender Identity.

November 7: The Baldwin amendment is introduced and then withdrawn. HR 3685 passed 235 to 184, 14 not voting. 35 Republicans vote for the bill, 7 Democrats voted against bill because Gender Identity was removed. Now: ENDA has not been introduced in the current Senate in any form.

(For a more in depth look at the history of our community and HRC )

HRC Gala Protest, Washington, D.C.

Since the D.C. Protest event, other protests have taken place in Philadelphia, New York City, Houston and Austin TX, New Orleans LA and even more protests are being planned in San Fransisco, Boston and Dallas.

We need to keep the momentum going! Look for more information on protest tips and organizing as well as information on a protest/Boycott event in your area.

Please post to this blog with any information and useful comments. All negative comments will be deleted. We are only interested in moving our community forward! Thanks to you, our LGBT community has continued our fight on the grass roots level and are making a difference!

“If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor.”
—Archbishop Desmond Tutu