ENDA first, restrooms last

[Shana A]

Fri Aug 03, 2012 at 06:45 PM PDT
ENDA first, restrooms last

by cordgrass


http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/08/03/1116575/-ENDA-first-restrooms-last

The right for a transgendered person to use a gender-appropriate restroom is an important right, but freedom from job discrimination is a more important right, and fighting for restroom rights will slow down the fight for ENDA.  It will also slow down the fight for other basic rights:  being able to enter restaurants, clubs and shops without discrimination, stronger hate crime legislation, better treatment within the judicial system, and the right to have medical procedures covered under health insurance. It is my opinion that putting the matter of restroom rights first delays the progress on the other rights.  Trans women using women's restrooms is a hot button issue that many people have a visceral reaction to.  I acknowledge and agree that it's unfair, but I think this reaction will change over time as the other rights are gained and more transsexuals, crossdressers, queer folk and other people on the transgendered spectrum are out in society.  In the case of equal rights, familiarity is what has helped the progress in gay rights, and I have high hopes that it will do the same for transgendered rights.  Putting the main focus on restroom rights causes a strong reaction, a line in the sand for many people who would think rights against job discrimination and protecting the transgendered from hate crimes are perfectly reasonable.     From a personal point of view, I'm cranky.  I am especially invested in seeing ENDA passing, and more general tolerance of transgendered people being out in society.  I know I don't have a right to complain.  Transsexuals must face discrimination every day, 24x7.  Crossdressers have a choice.  But I'm tired of the ones in my life always making the same choice, from fear of society's disapproval and fear of job recriminations.  I want to go out to a dinner and a movie with my girlfriend, goddamnit, without it being such a big fricking ordeal!

[Michelle-G]

This article makes an excellent point and I don't want to dilute that but it's not a matter of bathrooms FIRST, it's bathrooms ALSO, at the same time as ENDA, health care, fair treatment and freedom from discrimination and hate and everything else that we as transgender folks deal with every day.


We don't have to pick and choose and rank order our issues unless we think we can be more effective in just a few select areas.  We ought to fight for equality on all fronts at all times.

[peky]

ENDA is about protecting TG folks from discrimination at work or on the process of gaining a job. It does not protect the Tg folks from hate crimes, neither would give you any bathroom rights in public or private setting unless it is your place of employment.  ENDA lost its preeminence with the ruling that tile VII covers "gender identity" and/or "gender expression."

What we need is a law in the CFR prohibiting and penalizing crimes and discrimination of any kind against TG folks.

See:
http://www.aclu.org/hiv-aids_lgbt-rights/know-your-rights-transgender-people-and-law