No ENDA without "T"
Yesterday, BiNet USA signed a coalition note calling for the continued inclusion of gender identity in the Employee Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), due to be reintroduced into The House later this year.
When The Task Force asked it's round table members to add their names to the growing body of support of this letter, it was an easy decision.
The trans community is part of the bi "net." Unlike other national groups, we will not discard "inconvenient" parts of our community in order to win a political victory. Likewise, we would never consider tossing out the polyamourous, the monogamous, the pagan, or the christians; our diversity makes us strong.
Since the beginning of our organization, the trans community has been our closest ally. They were excluded from the same organizations as the bisexual community. We fought along side each other to forge a LGBT community. We have benefited from their hard work (as they us). Now is not the time to look the other way.
The people who wish to "shave off" gender identity and the same people who, when necessary, will remove bisexuals from marriage, military, or any other civil rights actions. We're too complicated. We distract from the "core" issue.
Back in the 90's, BiNet's membership body voted via consensus to direct board members to support trans causes and stand with them - even when difficult. We are continuing the battle to this day.
Sure, I'd love to live in a country where I couldn't be fired for being out. But not if I had to look a transgender friend in the eye and tell them they weren't convenient.. that it's not their time.
It's not about "those people" making things difficult (unless by those people, you mean the ones willing to ditch gender identity and divide the BLTG community). This is an attack on the bi community directly. Whether it's about your gender identity, (one of) your partner's, or your future partner - it all comes down to the right to be employed should not be given based on any one's gender.
A wise person once said "United we stand, divided we fall". There was no mention of when it's "convenient."
When The Task Force asked it's round table members to add their names to the growing body of support of this letter, it was an easy decision.
The trans community is part of the bi "net." Unlike other national groups, we will not discard "inconvenient" parts of our community in order to win a political victory. Likewise, we would never consider tossing out the polyamourous, the monogamous, the pagan, or the christians; our diversity makes us strong.
Since the beginning of our organization, the trans community has been our closest ally. They were excluded from the same organizations as the bisexual community. We fought along side each other to forge a LGBT community. We have benefited from their hard work (as they us). Now is not the time to look the other way.
The people who wish to "shave off" gender identity and the same people who, when necessary, will remove bisexuals from marriage, military, or any other civil rights actions. We're too complicated. We distract from the "core" issue.
Back in the 90's, BiNet's membership body voted via consensus to direct board members to support trans causes and stand with them - even when difficult. We are continuing the battle to this day.
Sure, I'd love to live in a country where I couldn't be fired for being out. But not if I had to look a transgender friend in the eye and tell them they weren't convenient.. that it's not their time.
It's not about "those people" making things difficult (unless by those people, you mean the ones willing to ditch gender identity and divide the BLTG community). This is an attack on the bi community directly. Whether it's about your gender identity, (one of) your partner's, or your future partner - it all comes down to the right to be employed should not be given based on any one's gender.
A wise person once said "United we stand, divided we fall". There was no mention of when it's "convenient."