Wednesday, November 22, 2023

ENDA…

… Or why many trans people are not fans of the HRC (Human Rights Campaign), we have a pain in the middle of our backs from the knife.

I was warned but didn’t listen.

I went down to lobby for the federal Employment Non-Discrimination Act or as it was know ENDA with a friend and the NCTE (National Center for Transgender Equality) held their lobby days kickoff meeting at the HRC headquarters. But it all started way before then.

A few of my friends protested the HRC headquarters a few years before I went down to lobby for ENDA, the HRC was know as “GAY Inc.” it was made up of gay men (a few lesbians but mostly men) who were “grass tops.”

So my story begins at the HRC headquarters and the NCTE Lobby Days. The HRC promised us the stars, they were 100% in favor of the trans inclusive ENDA!

These are my slides that I used why I did workshops at the True Colors conference on Trans History. The animosity between the trans community goes way back to...




These are the trailblazers who lead the movement for our rights.

In 2004 a number of my friends with the Transexual Menace protested at the HRC headquarters.

Then we come the ENDA lobbying in 2007…
The times have changed... "Transgendered" is no longer acceptable.
(I’m in the back on the left with my pocket book strap over my shoulder.)







I wasn’t a believer, but now I’m a believer!

Even though they say they support us they still are a “Gay Inc.” their bread and butter still comes from the gay community (and just slightly the lesbian community) their big bucks come from rich gays.

That does not make them against us but what it does do is keep them under the microscope. They have added trans people to their Board of Directors and they do seem more diverse than they were back in the 2000s, the 2010s. Back in 2007 the HRC had a trans walkout over ENDA. In 2009 the HRC sent Allyson Robinson to testify on our non-discrimination bill and I was interning back then and I escorted here around during her stay here.

But watch out, they have stabbed us in the back once and I am very leery of them doing it again.

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