Columbia advocate shares transgender experience with U.S. Senate
Monday, June 25, 2012
BY Teresa Avila

http://www.columbiamissourian.com/stories/2012/06/25/columbia-man-first-transgender-speak-us-senate/

Broadus spoke in support of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which would prohibit workplace discrimination based on sexual and gender orientation. The House of Representatives has had hearings, but this was the first full hearing the act has seen from the Senate.

In the process, Broadus made history by being the first openly transgender person to speak before the U.S. Senate. He shared his experience with workplace discrimination: How he'd been dismissed from his job in the 1990s when he officially transitioned from a woman to a man.

"You could see it had a powerful effect," said Minter, a San Francisco lawyer who has been Broadus' friend for about 15 years and was seated behind him as his "support person." "I think it was more emotional than he expected it to be."