Reid pledges vote on bill to protect gay, transgender employment rights
Kasie Hunt and Andrew Rafferty, October 28th
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said Monday that the Senate will vote on a bill to expand gay rights in the workplace before the Thanksgiving holiday.
Reid said the upper chamber would consider the Employment Nondiscrimination Act, which would "work against discrimination on gender identity."
The bill is unlikely to gain much traction in the Republican controlled House, but could provide Democrats with another opportunity to paint the GOP as out of step with most Americans by obstructing a bill aimed at ending workplace discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.
There is currently no federal law protecting the employment rights of the LGBT community. The Human Rights Campaign highlights that 29 states have no laws protecting against employment discrimination based on sexual orientation and 33 states have no job protections for transgender people.
http://nbcpolitics.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/10/28/21215439-reid-pledges-vote-on-bill-to-protect-gay-transgender-employment-rights?lite (http://nbcpolitics.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/10/28/21215439-reid-pledges-vote-on-bill-to-protect-gay-transgender-employment-rights?lite)
:/ I feel strangely discouraged about ENDA going up for a vote because I doubt it will pass the house. I have some hope that it just might, too, because some republicans were on the panel this time. But I have a feeling when (or even if) it's brought up in the house, it just won't get passed ... and honestly, that's going to be like a punch to the gut, because employment is probably my biggest fear when it comes to transitioning.
Currently I have quit working and am going to school full time. I'm doing very well. I'm in honor societies (3 of them!). I have people willing to get me references. I have a high GPA. I have a ton of work I can use to back up that I can, in fact, do what I have chosen to do. I'm friendly, honest, and work hard. But I'm afraid to transition because even if I pass perfectly ... I won't be able to hide it because I can't change my gender on my Texas birth certificate. So any job that requires me to present my birth certificate after I transition, until Texas changes its laws (FAT CHANCE!), my employers will know no matter what I do. (For that matter, I won't be able to vote in the state of Kansas and other states for the same reason, because if I change my license to reflect my new name and gender ... because my birth certificate doesn't match, I can't register to vote, but that's a different story...).
Even when if it does pass, I still worry. I can see how it will help us keep a job, but I worry that that there's little to nothing to keep people from highering trans and LGB people when they apply for jobs.
American politics makes me shake my head :-\
Agreed, Gwynne....it's an abomination. This poor country that I still love so much is so very broken :(
It stands a good chance, at least. This time I think we benefit in being included under the LGBT flag... and LGB rights are unstoppable right now.
My big question... does this mean that companies also can't discriminate in their insurance policies? I'm fed employed, so that affects me directly. Everything here is by policy... and Congress makes the policies.
I doubt very much that Reid acually cares about LGBT people. I think we're just being used as pawns in the so-called "culture war" that serves no other purpose than to keep those in power in power. Reid is a corrupt, wealthy man and simply wants to keep it that way.
Quote from: Jill F on October 29, 2013, 02:44:58 PM
I doubt very much that Reid acually cares about LGBT people. I think we're just being used as pawns in the so-called "culture war" that serves no other purpose than to keep those in power in power. Reid is a corrupt, wealthy man and simply wants to keep it that way.
This....
If the Dems & Obama wanted to get it through they would. They got the ACA passed against overwhelming opposition(GOP & DEM). They stopped the "anti ACA" powers to be from defunding it! They allowed the Government to be shut down to show they mean business. If they want to add Trans to the Feds list of protected, they could. As usual, we will get kicked to the curb!