ERW backs Transgender inclusive ENDA

ERW backs Transgender inclusive ENDA

Equal Rights Washington supports, and has worked tirelessly for, an employment nondiscrimination bill and a hate crimes prevention bill that are inclusive of gender identity. ERW will continue to work with Gay and non-Gay organizations and elected leaders in Washington and across the country to ensure the passage and enactment of these laws. We applaud the House and Senate on their recent action on the Matthew Shepard Act and call on the President to sign this bill into law when the Senate takes final action. But passage of hate crimes prevention act does not represent equality for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender individuals and families. There is much to be done. Congress should move to pass the Employment Nondiscrimination Act. Passage of a version of this bill that leaves Transgender people unprotected or allows for discrimination based on gender identity violates the basic principle that people should be judged on the basis of their performance, not on an immutable characteristic like, race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender or gender identity. We have reached a point in our society where to support a version of ENDA without gender identity is to tacitly, if not actively, suggest that discrimination against Transgender people is acceptable behavior. ENDA must include gender identity. While politics is the art of compromise, there can be no compromise on matters of basic civil rights. Representative Barney Frank and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi are long time civil rights heroes. It pained us greatly when they suggested that an employment nondiscrimination bill stripped of protections based on gender identity should move forward instead of an inclusive bill. This "compromise" bill was unacceptable to a unified Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender community. The LGBT civil rights movement moved forward quickly to make its position known, each part of the movement playing its role with great authenticity. We are deeply gratified that rather than digging their heels in, Democratic leaders heard our robust call and postponed action. But postponement is a reprieve not a victory. Equal Rights Washington now commits itself to working with all individuals and organizations that support an ENDA that is inclusive of gender identity. We will work tirelessly to educate legislators and the public about the need for this law and the lives of Transgender people. We understand that our goal is not merely the passage of laws but ensuring the dignity or Transgender people as they (we) go about the activities of our daily lives. At the state level ERW is working to add gender identity and expression to the State's hate crimes prevention law that already includes sexual orientation. Look for legislation to be filed for the 2008 legislative session. We will build off our success last year of passing a state-wide anti-discrimination law that included gender identity. ERW will continue to work with Transgender advocates in Washington state to ensure that Transgender residents can easily get drivers licenses that are in conformity with their gender identity. At different points in any civil rights movement different individuals and/or organizations step to the plate to provide critical leadership. At this moment in time Equal Rights Washington wishes to call out for particular recognition the Equality Federation, the Task Force (NGLTF) and the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR). ERW'S WORK ON TRANSGENDER RIGHTS In December of 2006 ERW mobilized 968 advocates to submit comment to retain Medicaid coverage for sex reassignment surgery in Washington State. During the 2007 State legislative session, ERW worked with coalition partners to pass a law blocking the implementation of the Real ID Act in Washington State. Since May, ERW has directly engaged over 4,075 individuals in grassroots lobbying of federal elected officials in support of ENDA and the Matthew Sheppard Act. Together these individuals have generated over 16,300 e-mails calling for the passage of the Matthew Shepard Act and ENDA. Included in these numbers are specific campaigns to encourage legislators to sign on as co-sponsors of ENDA. A Labor Day letter to the editor campaign in support of ENDA resulted in at least 28 letters to the editor being sent to Washington papers. Equal Rights Washington joined with over 100 other organizations demanding that only a version of ENDA inclusive of gender identity be moved out of committee. At meetings and presentations across Washington State ERW discusses the importance of passing the Matthew Sheppard Act and ENDA that are gender identity inclusive. Equal rights Washington participates in a number of coalitions and keeps these coalitions informed about what they can do to help pass these laws. We housed a staff person from HRC for two weeks while she worked to firm up votes on ENDA and we helped facilitate constituent meetings. ERW worked with the Equality Federation to provide LGBT organizations in other states action alerts they could send to their members in support of the Matthew Shepard Act and ENDA. ERW is in active participant in UnitedEnda.org. An ERW press release