Is the United States Finally Going to Pass Federal Civil Rights Laws for Transpe

[Hazumu]

Is the United States Finally Going to Pass Federal Civil Rights Laws for Transpeople?

By Feature Writer Monica Roberts

We've also had opposition to our inclusion in proposed civil rights legislation such as ENDA (the Employment and Non Discrimination Act) from our supposed gay and lesbian allies, with the most egregiously blatant example of it being cut out of ENDA in 2007 with the weak excuse that the bill wouldn't pass with transgender people in it.

What made the betrayal more galling was the Human Rights Campaign's President Joe Solmonese reneged on a promise made at our largest transgender convention, the Southern Comfort Conference, to fight any non-inclusive ENDA bill.

The US transgender community has been over the last 50 plus years in the uncomfortable position of fighting a multifront war just to be respected. The anti-transgender religious rhetoric combined with superstitious ignorance of transgender issues has contributed to an alarming rise in anti-transgender hate crimes, with almost 70% of the victims being transgender persons of color.

[Janet_Girl]

It would be nice to finally have federal rights.  But we shall see.  And i the end it will take enforcement.

Janet

[ambientdischord]

ugh, solomnese really bugs me.  I'm going to SoCo this year, I hope.  After all, I live in Atlanta...  As for our rights, well, I don't know.  It is true that most of the violence against trans folks is perpetrated against people of color.  I've been wondering why this is for a while, any insights?

We do need legal protection, but I highly doubt there will be enforcement.  For that to happen the mainstream's feelings on transgendered people would have to change drastically.  As Eric Holder pointed out about race- we are a nation of cowards when it comes to discussing any dynamic where people are oppressed.  I think there is work to be done on the discursive front, we have to undermine gender, to a degree.