The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, PFLAG National, Trans People of Color Coalition, Trans-Latin@ Coalition, Black Transwomen, Inc., Black Transmen, Inc., and the National Center for Transgender Equality will be co-hosting a Transgender Policy Conference on Monday, July 14 and a Transgender Lobby Day with members of Congress on Tuesday, July 15.
The goal of Lobby Day is to push members of Congress to move forward on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act and Student Non-Discrimination Act, as well as to educate as many members of Congress as possible on transgender issues.
The link below is a way to register to participate in the Transgender Lobby Day in DC, and I want to encourage everyone to participate. Efforts are underway to get an inclusive ENDA passed which would provide Federal protections in employment against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity and expression. The last time ENDA got close to a vote, a deal was struck to remove trans* protections in exchange for moving the bill forward. At the time the belief was that some rights were better than nothing and the inclusion of trans could hinder support of the bill. WE can never allow such a deal or compromise to happen. If we (and by we, I mean everyone) truly believe in equality regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, we cannot allow our diverse collection of communities to be split off from one another.
Gay, lesbian, and bisexuality are far better understood by the general public than transgender, and the recent upsurge in support for marriage equality demonstrates the success which has happened when it comes to acceptance based sexual orientation. But transgender is still less well understood. Lobby days and conferences like this are a prime way to increase the visibility for the transgender part of our rainbow coalition. In other words we are selfish pricks if we pay lip service to a notion of equality but really only care about equality for gays and lesbians. We are really all in this together and anyone responsible for trying to split out patty of the community is a part of the problem and not a part of the solution.
I say this with a little reluctance to be honest. I’ve felt devastated by the attacks by some within the transgender community against members of the drag community. Drag is the best illustration of the notion of gender expression, while transgender speaks to gender identity. But even this squabble is an example of trying to split our community and it grows at least in part because the trans community has been left behind and thrown under the bus on numerous occasions.
In the end, gay, lesbian, bi, trans, and queer persons are all persons who are gender non-conforming in one way, shape or form. Any homophobia, discrimination and othering happen because LGBTQ persons choose to risk being visible as the whole persons that we are. Consider how many gays and lesbians have always been out there, and no one cares as long as we stay hidden in the closet. Our “crime” as it were- the thing that prompts our oppressors is our visibility and in that way, we are all alike, no matter how we understand our sexual orientation, or gender identity or expression.
Stand up for the transgender persons who are a part of the rainbow coalition. See in their struggle parts that are alike to your own struggle and open your eyes,ears and hearts to understand how their experiences are different from your own.
via Fighting for transgender rights in DC | Equality Pennsylvania.