Transgender Advocates React To HRC Statement On ENDA

This week, the Human Rights Campaign's Board of Directors released the following statement clarifying their position to support a fully inclusive ENDA (Employment Non-Discrimination Act).

It’s the policy of HRC that the organization will only support an inclusive ENDA. In 2007 House leadership informed us that there were insufficient votes to pass an inclusive bill, so they decided to vote on a sexual orientation only bill. We made a one time exception to our policy in 2007 because we strongly believed that supporting this vote would do more to advance inclusive legislation. We will not support such a strategy again. We look forward to Congress sending President Obama a fully inclusive ENDA for his signature.

Donna Rose, former HRC Business Council Member

As for HRC's "renewed" commitment to only a fully-inclusive ENDA I and many other trans-people have only two words: Prove it. We've all heard these exact same promises before only to see them broken when tested. As a board member I warned them that to reneg on their similar previous commiitment would be selling its soul for the sake of a symbolic victory. What has happened since? They've used their congressional scorecard to penalize supportive legislators whose standard for equality is higher than their own. They've done little to re-establish any sort of relationship with the broader transgender community. They've positioned themselves to take credit for achievements that are not theirs to own.

I happen to believe that how you achieve something is as important as achieving it at all. A supposed leader for human rights needs to set high standards. HRC has proven that they're good at making promises, but terrible at actually keeping them. Here we go again. In short - many of us consider this "new" promise not as some newfound commitment to broader community or higher ideals of equality for all, but as continued arrogance.

Jamison Green, former HRC Business Council Member

HRC only adopted a trans-inclusive stance on ENDA in 2004; prior to that, HRC opposed a trans-inclusive ENDA. It is heartening to know that HRC considers their 2007 stance an aberration and has made a commitment to themselves and to the community not to repeat that strategic error. By excluding gender-variant LGBT community members, HRC ignored the very principles of diversity and inclusion that we know make our organizations vital and strong. I look forward to HRC’s renewed participation in efforts to achieve equality for all.