Jennifer’s Bloggallery

Please join the chorus of those outraged by the exclusionary version of the Employee Non Discrinination Act, HR 3685. Write your Congressman/woman and ask their support for the Baldwin amendment!!

The following is a letter written to Congressman Adam Schiff urging his support for the passage of the inclusive bill, HR 2015, followed by some reasons why HR 3685, (as it stands), is a flawed piece of legislation.

October 7, 2007

Dear Rep. Schiff,

I am one of your constituents and I voted for you in the last election. I am urging you to vote yes on HR 2015.
Passage of the inclusive ENDA will improve the quality of life for multitudes of people who are forced to live in fear of losing their livelihoods just because of being who they are.
I underwent Sexual Reassignment Surgery in 2001 and was appalled to hear that Rep. Barney Frank had changed the language of the bill in order to exclude transgender individuals. I understand that people under the LGBT umbrella are a very diverse group, but we all suffer from similar civil rights issues.
There is no choice for someone who is born with a brain that is in conflict with their birth genitalia. Fortunately in this day and age there is counseling and treatment available for those dealing with this condition. Most who seek treatment go on to live happy, productive lives.
Unfortunately most media depictions of transgender subjects are reminiscent of the Hollywood depiction of gorillas in the first “King Kong” movie. It hardly ever rings true.
The public and the government are sorely misinformed and tend to paint us all with a biased brush, hence the rampant discrimination in the workplace.
Please vote for passage of the transgender inclusive version of HR 2015, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act

Thank you,
Sincerely,
Jennifer Leitham

P.S.:
The non inclusive version of the ENDA is beginning it’s path through Congress as House Resolution 3685. Dr. Marisa Richmond, President of the Tennessee Transgender Political Coalition, points out the following faults in the legislation:

* It is unprecedented for Congress to pass civil rights legislation that is not supported by a single organization in the community the law is supposed to protect. According to Richmond, over 300 LGBT organizations representing over 2 million Americans actively oppose any employment nondiscrimination legislation that does not include gender identity.

* HR 3685 does NOT provide sufficient protection against discrimination for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Americans. Richmond states that not only does this bill completely fail to protect transgender people, but it also fails to protect lesbians, gay men, bisexual, and straight people who do not conform to gender stereotypes.

* HR 3685 is morally and strategically wrong. Not only is it morally wrong to leave part of the LGBT community out of this bill, but it is also strategically wrong. We have learned from our work in the states that it is far easier to include gender identity in civil rights legislation the first time it is passed than it is to try to go back and add it in later.