You Can Be Fired From 29 States for Being Gay

From my pal, Ivan's blog

Rep. Louie Gohmer says ENDA will force Christian schools to hire Homosexuals - LISTEN

Kylar Broadus, founder of the Trans People of Color Coalition, speaks out for ENDA - WATCH

Kylar Broadus makes history as the 1st transgender person to testify as a witness in the Senate today.

Please watch

Remember when Romney supported ENDA and wanted to end DADT?

At one time Mittens supported ENDA and wanted to end DADT.

Don't believe me?

Read the letter to the Log Cabin Republicans in 1994

Flip Flop!

Activists are mad at President Obama for not signing Anti-Discrimination Executive Order - WATCH

We get it. They're mad. However, they are doing a lot of assuming and speculating. Tico wants to believe it's political, but if it was, why is he so surprised. It gets me how activists are so surprised at the game of politics.

They come off so naive about the process. And speaking on the process, they are not looking at the bigger picture. As I have said before, executive orders are quick fixes. They do not erase or kill a situation. EOs are like hair dye. They cover up and change the look, but in time the real look or deal returns. Let Obama's administration do this the right way, through ENDA. I'm tired of activists seeing and reacting in short term stances. Get off your asses and ensure that ENDA passes with flying colors.

And stop going on every talk show to bitch. Use that energy to bitch at the federal contractors and lawmakers. For once, activists... Be activists.

The White House will not use an Executive Order for Federal Contractor Nondiscrimination... Right Now

Today the Obama Administration decided to not use an executive order against workplace discrimination. Instead, they will use other tactics to seal the deal.
 
Metro Weekly has the story:

The White House, which has endorsed the Employment Non-Discrimination Act -- a bill to prohibit sexual orientation or gender identity-based workplace discrimination for most private employers -- had refused to comment publicly on the executive order proposal.

Today, however, a senior administration official tells Metro Weekly, "While it is not our usual practice to discuss Executive Orders that may or may not be under consideration, we do not expect that an Executive Order on LGBT non-discrimination for federal contractors will be issued at this time. We support legislation that has been introduced and we will continue to work with congressional sponsors to build support for it."

Of the White House effort, Stachelberg says, "The White House will instead launch a multipronged effort to better address workplace discrimination against gay and transgender Americans. However, just as Congress should pass ENDA now, the President should now use his executive authority to extend existing nondiscrimination requirements of federal contractors to include sexual orientation and gender identity."

While many activists are screaming bloody murder, I actually see the bright side. An executive order doesn't guarantee a done job. It can be easily overturn and removed, Clinton did it to Reagan. Executive orders are not completely long term, if anything, it's kind of a quick fix.

If the OA has a plan to pull the weed and the root, let them. Why are we, no, some activists in doubt? The last time I checked, Obama delivered on his promises to us. I really don't know why they are all up in arms, ready to storm the White House. Yes, people can still lose their jobs, but I trust that the OA will get this done.

I wish activists will stop jumping to conclusions. All of this unnecessary rage just gives you gas and wrinkles.

 

Gay Couple plan to confront the President at the White House Easter Egg Hunt

Something interesting may happen at the White House's annual Easter Egg roll. Jarrod Scarbrough and Les Sewell plan on confronting President Obama about employment discrimination.

According to The Advocate, the gay couple wants to press the President into signing an executive order banning workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

While I applaud the gay couple for taking a stand; I'm not so sure the Easter Egg roll is the best place to do this. What is their plan? How will they have a solid conversation during a high profile event? Was it wise to go public about this confrontation?

I'm afraid this will come off like a bad publicity stunt that will undermine the overall message. I used this same post over at Bilerico and most of the commentators (who are Get Equal activists) said this is  great idea.

But, I think it's not the best laid plan. I mean what do they expect? This is not the best way to get the President's attention. And I wish that activists would just stop thinking in the clouds sometimes. Maybe that's why I'm not a complete activist; I'm too much of a critical thinker.

Anywho, I'm curious to hear what y'all think about this.

ENDA Reintroduced in Senate

Today, ENDA was reintroduced in Senate. A press release from the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force explains some details.

The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force applauds today's U.S. Senate reintroduction of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), which would protect against workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The measure was introduced by Sens. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Mark Kirk (R-Ill.), Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) and Susan Collins (R-Maine). National Gay and Lesbian Task Force staff was on hand for today's press conference announcing the bill's introduction. The Task Force was the first national organization to advocate for federal nondiscrimination protections when it worked with then-U.S. Reps. Bella Abzug and Ed Koch to introduce a sweeping bill in 1974. It has played a leading role in ensuring ENDA is explicitly inclusive of transgender people.

I hoping for better luck with ENDA this time, especially including our Trans family.

hat tip to Mad Professah

Barney Frank Plans to Introduce ENDA the Week

Word on the street is ENDA will on the table this week. Metro Weekly has the details:

Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) plans to introduce the Employment Non-Discrimination Act in the House on Wednesday, according to two LGBT equality advocates with direct knowledge of the congressman's plans. Frank's communications director, Harry Gural, confirmed that the plans are "to formally announce ENDA this week," although he added over the weekend that specifics are not yet nailed down and were expected to be so by this afternoon.


The bill, which Gural says will be the same exact bill as that introduced in the 111th Congress, would prohibit most employers from discriminating in hiring and promotions on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.


Although the bill is not expected to move forward in the House under the leadership of Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio), Frank, talking with Metro Weekly on Sunday, March 27, says, "It's an organizing tool. Obviously, with the Republicans in power, you're not going to get the bill even considered."

But, Frank -- the longest-serving out member of Congress -- says, "I'm going to be urging people to spend their time talking to those who have voted in the past for ENDA and are supportive of ENDA but where we're not certain they're still with us on the transgender issue."

Hopefully, they will add the Transgender piece in the bill. Our fam has to be represented! 

Chris Geidnder's "State of Play" provides much needed Real Talk about LGBT advocacy

Chris Geidner from Metro Weekly produced a "Real Talk" article about LGBT orgs., Obama and the state of LGBT advocacy.

I was glad to read this part from Mara Keisling, the executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality.

''Congress and the president have lots of priorities, they really do. They have to be working on the economy, they have to be working on health care, they have to be working on the environment – and they have to be working on LGBT rights,'' she says. ''Their job is to work all those priorities together. Our job is to make sure they put our rights in their priorities. … And you know what? We weren't able to do that this year.

''We had a colossal fail this year. But it is simplistic and unhelpful to say that any particular person failed, because every single one of us failed.

''The community failed. The movement failed. The organizations failed. Congress failed. The president failed,'' she says. ''Government failed – part of why government failed is because they didn't prioritize us. Partially that's because we didn't make them, partially it's because the Republicans were just obstructing everything, partially it's because our community didn't step up enough, partially it was because our community was scattered in what they wanted. But we failed together.''

Despite that, Keisling says the community has to be ''realistic'' about the past two years.

''We still made a lot of progress, we really did. We still got more done in the last two years than we've ever gotten done in two years before.''

Keisling's comments are harsh but not altogether negative and reflect the current reality as assessed by the leaders of many LGBT organizations looking back over the past two years.

I would encourage you to take a look at this piece. Chris is (I believe) one of the few LGBT journalists who tries to be unbiased in his work.

pic from Metro Weekly