ENDA: Some People Just Don't Get It

[Julie Marie]

There's a group in the Chicago area that consists mainly of crossdressers but is open to anyone in or friendly with the TG community.  I joined it several years ago and for me it served as a step in coming out.  Although I have maintained my membership I rarely participate in their activities, mostly because I no longer need them to be me.  I live every day as me.

They have a Yahoo group and I get emails of the postings on their forum.  A discussion about ENDA was begun and to no one's surprise it created some strong emotions.  The other day one of the members posted a message saying she was sick of this ENDA talk and that "this is not a political site" so let's end the discussion.  That feeling was later seconded by another member.  I found this disturbing, not because I felt discussion should continue (they have a no politics discussion policy) but to encourage people to shut up about ENDA was like burying your head in the sand.

I know one of the members who posted this sentiment.  She's a crossdresser who sometimes attends meetings as male.  Maybe she sees ENDA as unimportant to her because she'll never come out at work or anywhere else for that matter.  I posted a reply pointing out the fact that many members have no other means of obtaining information about what's happening in the TG world.  I also mentioned that there's a great big world outside the safety of their meeting place where many of us live full time.  Many of the members have never ventured outside their meeting place dressed as women.  It's too frightening to them. 

There are a lot of trans people out there who never leave the safety of their closet and many of them may not see the importance of what's happening now with ENDA.  They miss the fact that passage on a non-trans inclusive bill will send the message to mainstream America that our government supports discrimination against us.  And mainstream America will then feel justified in continuing their discrimination, intolerance, prejudice and hatred against us.  They miss the fact that this will translate into their having to continue to live in the closet, continuing to live in shame, continuing to live in fear.

There are no accurate figures as to how many trans people there really are because so many live with this fear and shame and never tell anyone how they feel inside.  That's very sad.  Bills like a trans inclusive ENDA can become big steps in educating the public that we are human beings and we deserve to be treated as such.  Those trans people who are indifferent or don't care about what's happening with ENDA just don't get it.  And when the time comes that they are outed and are faced with humiliation, rejection and hatred I hope they come to realize it was their indifference that helped create that scenario for them.

We're still a long way from total acceptance.  Some day it will happen.  But it will take a lot longer if those who stick their head in the sand keep it there.

Julie

[elena]

I've just started reading up on the rights bills, and it's admittedly a bit scary to me how the transgender population gets left out of having basic human rights. 

[Shana A]

They need to get their heads out of the sand, even a closeted CD isn't safe from discrimination. There was a high profile case, Peter Oiler was fired from a job at Winn Dixie for being a CD. He never cross dressed during work hours, only on off time, and was still fired.

Zythyra

[Steph]

...Maybe she sees ENDA as unimportant to her because she'll never come out at work or anywhere else for that matter.

And I think the here lies the crux of the matter.  Not to take anything away from out Cross-dressing friends, I simply can't see where this issue would be of their concern, but then I'm up here in Canada and not privy to the overall implications of ENDA.  Fortunately with have the "Charter of Rights and Freedoms"

Steph 

[Sheila]

Its like what Zythra had said in her posting. You don't have to be an out CD, all you have to be is seen by someone from your work. You could be fired just by going to one of your meetings and that is all you ever do when you dress. I know of a couple of people who have been fired for dressing. They have said that they never did anything at work and they only went to the meetings that were held once a month on Saturday.
I don't like that some of the people who pushed ENDA through had said that the GLB people have worked and fought for their rights. Well, the trans people have been right along side of them all through this for just as many years. The ENDA that has passed will not protect a maculine looking woman or a fem. looking guy. If it doesn't suit their ideas of what constitutes a male or a female they could be fired.
Steph, you said that you were lucky that you live in Canada. Well, you are right but if you happened to come to the States you might get a little back lash. What happens in the States will affect what happens in Canada too. It's a small world but we are getting better at human rights.
Sheila

[SusanK]

...There are no accurate figures as to how many trans people there really are because so many live with this fear and shame and never tell anyone how they feel inside.  That's very sad.  Bills like a trans inclusive ENDA can become big steps in educating the public that we are human beings and we deserve to be treated as such.  Those trans people who are indifferent or don't care about what's happening with ENDA just don't get it.  And when the time comes that they are outed and are faced with humiliation, rejection and hatred I hope they come to realize it was their indifference that helped create that scenario for them.

This is the point I think that is missed by those that don't get it. They keep talking that the reason trans/gender identity wasn't included was the lack of education and information by the transcommunity. Huh? We've been there all along, and while the separation from the CD and LGB communities is more recent, it hasn't changed the fact of our pubic existence. Gee, how have folks forgotten the transpeople who came out in the 1950 and 60's?

This is why the argument is backwards. With inclusion comes education, and that's the point. It's not about education anymore, that's simply the expedient political excuse, it's about people's perception and fears. We're not fighting education any more but morality and values for inclusion. People are arguing against inclusion because of personal opinion and beliefs, not reality and understanding.

I think we should turn the argument around and stand in front of the LGB community and ask them directly, "So, why don't you think transpeople should't be protected? Why don't you think we're not equal to you?" Not because of history, our minority status within a minority, our public perception, and so on. And ask, "If you agree we should be protected, who don't you fight for us as we have fought for you all these decades?"

We, meaning inclusion in ENDA, weren't defeated because of who we are, but what the LGB community failed to do, treat us as equals. They, but not all since many did support us, discriminated against us. And isn't that grounds for inclusion, protection from other minorities?

What doesn't the LGB community understand about the hundreds of top 500 corporations, many LGBT groups, and all the state and local government which have passed an all-inclusive law protecting everyone in the LGBT and CD communities? When the train left the station, only then did we discover our car wasn't connected to their mainstream agenda.

And when Bush vetos the bill and we start over in 2009, it will be interesting to see how long people's memories are. I for one will remind the LGBer's about 2007 and being left at the station. This time our car won't be the caboose (which aren't really there anymore anyway).

And we should remember those, like Rep. Baldwin, who did stand their ground for all-inclusion and thank them now. While it's good to be angry at those who left us, let's be gracious to those who didn't. They stood there with us and lost as we did.

Just my view.

--Susan--

[Sheila]

Susan, I agree with you 100%. I don't think it's about education. Look around and you can see education all around us. There are 1st person books on the subject, there are articles in the newspaper, there are people in the news and politics, we have documentaries on this subject, we are on TV series programs, take a trip on the Internet and anyone can find out something about Trans issues and who we are. I could go on about the morality here, but might step on some peoples toes.
Sheila

[Enigma]

Susan, I agree with you 100%. I don't think it's about education. Look around and you can see education all around us. There are 1st person books on the subject, there are articles in the newspaper, there are people in the news and politics, we have documentaries on this subject, we are on TV series programs, take a trip on the Internet and anyone can find out something about Trans issues and who we are. I could go on about the morality here, but might step on some peoples toes.
Sheila

I think cruising the internet, on the surface, only dredges up the dark underbelly of the T community.  Do a websearch for transsexual or crossdresser and the first thing you see is >-bleeped-< porn and fettish websites.  Transgender is a little more advanced term for most people and it does produce some useable research, but given the fact that the majority of terms generate nothing but porn, etc I think that colors most peoples perceptions of transgender issues.

Further is the fact that many people prefer to live out their lives in their, for lack of a better phrase, target gender and disappear off the T scene.  There again reinforces the fettish aspect of all things T.  Maybe its not right, maybe its not fair, but its the way life is.

Finally, in all this talk about being excluded from ENDA, what about all the other groups that were excluded as well?  A close friend of mine, probably the closest friend I have, waited years before he admitted to me he was a "Furry" - he was terrified of my rejection.  See if this sounds familiar, outside of work he's very happy to express himself as a furry, has plenty of friends, fur and non-fur that love and accept him for who he is.  He is beyond terrified of his employer finding out and yet he got left out of ENDA too.  And that's just one group that could have used the protections of ENDA.

[Kate]

And mainstream America will then feel justified in continuing their discrimination, intolerance, prejudice and hatred against us.

I wouldn't be so quick to demonize mainstream america. THEY don't seem to give a darn about us. It's the pockets of fundamentalism that give mainstream america a bad rep, IMHO.

I owe Mainstream America my life. They encouraged me, supported me, and welcomed me into their world... even with me whining and complaining constantly about how "I can't do this! Everyone will hate me!" Considering how poorly I thought of them, I *deserved* to get abuse back. But THEY were bigger people than I, and patiently waited for one of their children to grow up.

Bills like a trans inclusive ENDA can become big steps in educating the public that we are human beings and we deserve to be treated as such...

If anyone needs that sort of education, they're not going to change their minds because a law tells them to. AND, I still say that some people who DO "get it" and support us already will resent being told they MUST support us.

Those trans people who are indifferent or don't care about what's happening with ENDA just don't get it.  And when the time comes that they are outed and are faced with humiliation, rejection and hatred I hope they come to realize it was their indifference that helped create that scenario for them.

Oh, I get it. ENDA would legislate me as a deviant, separate and different third-gender in need of special protections in the eyes of Mainstream America. Right now, I work as me. Kate. A woman, if not legally female yet. ENDA passes, and I'm suddenly a "transsexual" with special protections for "my type of people." That just seriously rubs me the wrong way.

I want to be accepted because I AM Mainstream America, not because a law forced people to "tolerate" me as someone different from themselves.

~Kate~

[BeverlyAnn]

They need to get their heads out of the sand, even a closeted CD isn't safe from discrimination. There was a high profile case, Peter Oiler was fired from a job at Winn Dixie for being a CD. He never cross dressed during work hours, only on off time, and was still fired.

Zythyra

Yep, I haven't set foot in a Winn Dixie since and we used to have a protest in front of Winn Dixie's Jacksonville headquarters every year.  What most people may not remember about this case, which the US Supreme Court refused to hear, is that there was a rumor going around in the warehouse that he was gay.  Peter went to his supervisor and asked for his help in quelling the rumor and actually told the supervisor he was a CD, not gay.  Later after repeatedly refusing to resign, he was told that crossdressing off the job could reflect badly on the company and he was fired after 23 years of employment. 

Read more about Peter Oiler here.

Beverly

[Lisbeth]

I know one of the members who posted this sentiment.  She's a crossdresser who sometimes attends meetings as male.  Maybe she sees ENDA as unimportant to her because she'll never come out at work or anywhere else for that matter.

Peter Euler never expected to come out at work either.  There is no such thing as a safe closet.