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NOVEMBER 22, 2009


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Washington Blade - Trans rights supporters picketed the HRC National Dinner earlier this month, urging attendees to oppose a gay-only version of ENDA. (Blade photo by Henry Linser)

Trans rights supporters picketed the HRC National Dinner earlier this month, urging attendees to oppose a gay-only version of ENDA. (Blade photo by Henry Linser)

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Kevin Naff is editor of the Washington Blade and can be reached at knaff@washblade.com

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The ENDA divide
Supporting gay-only bill became the opinion that dare not speak its name.

HOME > VIEWPOINT > EDITORIAL

Oct 26, 2007 | By: KEVIN NAFF | COMMENTS

SUPPORTING GAY-ONLY ENDA has quickly become the opinion that dare not speak its name.

At several cocktail parties and other events over the last few weeks, friends, colleagues and acquaintances have been anxious to chat about the ENDA fight and most seem bewildered by all the controversy.

Of course we should support a landmark gay rights bill pending before Congress, even if it’s not perfect, right? A vocal minority says we should not.

The debate over whether to embrace an all-or-nothing position on ENDA or an incremental approach to new rights has exposed a rift among gays and lesbians, many of whom don’t like to be grouped with transgender people. It’s not a popular topic, but those sentiments are far more common than many would like to admit. Many gays and lesbians simply don’t identify with the plight of trans people or believe that the trans movement hasn’t progressed as far as the gay rights movement has in 40 years.

Some bloggers, including John Aravosis, have broached the subject in recent weeks and incurred the inevitable politically correct backlash. I have been on the receiving end of nasty e-mails and insults from self-identified “trans activists” unhappy with any suggestion that ENDA proceed without a trans provision.

But taking the extreme position of “all or nothing” ignores the practical realties of passing federal legislation. Some recommend yanking ENDA this year, with the hope of bringing back an inclusive version in 2009. That approach assumes too much — that Democrats retain control of both houses of Congress and even expand their majorities and that Hillary Clinton wins the White House.

And what of ENDA if those assumptions do not come to pass? It would be frozen for at least another two years under a Republican House or Senate. Yes, four GOP lawmakers deserve credit for salvaging ENDA last week in committee, but the rest of the vote fell along party lines, illustrating just how much education remains to be done in local districts regarding employment discrimination, especially among Republicans.

Passage of ENDA in any form would make history and no one in the “community” should be rooting for its demise. Politics has never been about “all or nothing” — it’s about the art of the compromise. Gay-only ENDA may not be the perfect bill, but it would bring immediate relief to millions of gays and lesbians hiding in the closet at work, fearful of losing their livelihood if their sexual orientation were exposed.

As someone who has experienced overt workplace discrimination because of my sexual orientation, I find it unconscionable that a few would advocate for the defeat of a bill that stands to benefit so many.

COMMENTS

Please review and follow Washington Blade’s current Comment and Discussion Policy. Guidelines updated as of August 22nd, 2009. You are fully responsible for the content that you post.

ARV

0

Those speaking against the rights of others receiving a "backlash" and other "nasty emails," painting the true victims of a Gay-only ENDA (i.e., the transsexual community) as the attackers, while dismissing them as a "vocal minority." You know what? The religious "right" claims the exact same about us when they seek to quash our rights. You should be ashamed of yourself, Kevin. Only a coward would happily take a gay-only ENDA while the most vulnerable among us are left out in the cold.

Posted 10/25/07 - 9:29 PM

Brilettt

0

Ah - one does love unintended self parody. Kev - you do realise that the whole "discussing this at DC cocktail parties" nonsense is the exact phrase most of the country uses to mock how distant from the real world you beltway boys are? As Atrios would say - High Broderism at its best! But - the self pity is most unbecoming. You have the Speaker of the House, Barney Frank - and your bosses - who own - what 5? community newspapers on your side? And your scared to express your opinion. That's why you've written all those artiles expressing it. OK - I'll give you the benefit of the doubt that you're quaking in your tassle loafers as you look over your shoulder typing. If so - I have some advice for you. You're in the wrong business if your such a twink. Perhaps you should consider going back to school for a career change. I hear hairdressing can be less frightening.

Posted 10/26/07 - 10:03 AM

jeri_hughes

0

kevin, you are so gay! LOL from the JK Rowling innuendo to your bewildered friends at cocktail parties! of course "WE" support a gay only enda? but kevin, who exactly is "WE?" your privileged friends at cocktail parties? how about the "we" who are not members of the privileged class? are they as willing as you to leave behind the "vocal minority"? there is a term for those who seek the differences in others, rather than embracing the humanity that is common. you have used the term recently yourself. the word is bigot. it might easily be applied to those who do not identify with the plight of those less fortunate than your aquaintances at cocktail parties.

Posted 10/26/07 - 10:51 AM

ZoeB

0

I find it uncomfortable that the many would get a slightly quicker gain for themselves at the expense of permanently disadvantaging others. And then try to feel moral and good about it, by denigrating the victims of their betrayal. T's have been waiting for over 20 years since GLBs had rights in Wisconsin, and their rights there are fewer now than they were in the 70's.

Posted 10/26/07 - 11:43 AM

dc-20008
New Orleans, La

0

What is it that the Trans folks have spent so much of their time trying to latch on to ENDA, rather than spending this time getting legislation that is specific to their needs? We should NOT kill ENDA for the sake of a small group who while their cause is right, is not the cause of the gay community. The Trans group can certainly organize and mobilize, as their recent campaigns for inclusion have indicated. So why not take that momentum and craft YOUR legislation? You are wasting your own time.

Posted 10/26/07 - 11:58 AM

jeri_hughes

0

dc 20008, who are you speaking for? who is your group? the "trans folk" - would that be anything like the "colored" folk? the "small group" has been mobilized and openly pushing for a GLBT inclusive ENDA while the closeted members of our community that naff wants to benefit have been busy getting paid. trans activists are and will be out and about. we are queer and we are here. ENDA is OUR legislation. stop trying to divide the community.

Posted 10/26/07 - 12:19 PM

THB

0

Thank God for Kevin Naff. Your willingness to speak the truth on this issue is refreshing. This idea that anyone who is being pragmatic about the progress of an all inclusive ENDA is somehow a bigot is not only unwarranted but it also smacks of the real intolerance of this whole debate. ENDA with the T attached to the GLB is a political pipe dream at the present. It does not have the votes. So the GLBT community can spend its time demonizing our allies in Congress and calling each other names or we can press on with a GLB ENDA that has a chance to pass both Houses of Congress. We are a community that specializes in all or nothing scenarios. That's not how the real world works. Face up to it.

Posted 10/26/07 - 10:59 PM

stephenclark
Washington, DC

0

Kudos to Kevin Naff! It is an excruitiatingly painful choice, but politics requires compromise and a willingness to acknowledge what is achievable - and what is not. Leaders of groups like Lambda Legal have demonstrated their inability even to acknowledge the tough choice, let alone summon the leadership required to make it. It appears that Lambda's year-end report will lead with "Successfully killed the first gay-rights bill that ever had a realistic chance of passing Congress." That is appalling.

Posted 10/27/07 - 3:40 AM

jeri_hughes

0

Thank God and kudos for he who is refreshing, pragmatic, and speaks the truth! LOL it must be happy hour at that cocktail lounge! The girls are praising you Kevin, but let us get real, ladies. ENDA is not going to “pass” as law in any form as long as W is in office, so accept that as the real world and face up it. So why all of the controversy? There is controversy because certain frightened – not pragmatic – individuals are willing to give up the fight for our rights as a community, as long as it only affects certain portions of our community. This stance is morally repugnant and cowardly all by itself, but when it is justified by bigotry it is an outrage. And if Kevin doesn’t like the term, he shouldn’t justify that ignorance with phrases like “an incremental approach to new rights has exposed a rift among gays and lesbians, many of whom don’t like to be grouped with transgender people. “ Are the “transgender people” not worthy in some way? Just what is Kevin implying here? If these supposed “gays and lesbians” don’t want to be associated with “transgender people”, perhaps they should advocate strictly for gay rights or lesbian rights. Perhaps they should truly create a gay agenda or a lesbian agenda and stop muddying up the human rights agenda. Our enemies will promptly forget the “trannys” and start targeting “fist f***g and boy lovers - some part of our respective communities will always be singled out and ridiculed. There will always be an excuse to deny us our humanity. We cannot allow ourselves to be divided in any way. The wisdom is very old, and very real. United we stand, divided we fall. It isn’t rhetoric.

Posted 10/27/07 - 9:47 AM

Brilettt

0

What gay media types cocktail parties look like to those of us outside your little world Kevin - it ain't pretty. ======================================================== This weekend I attended a small, intimate house party in Manhattan of mostly gay men in the media. I was sitting in the kitchen talking about Men's Vogue and Lisa Kudrow's The Comeback with my friend Mark when in walks: ANN COULTER. It was shocking to see America's deplorable scion of extreme right-wing fanaticism pour herself a glass of wine in a casual white tank top and jeans (no black cocktail dress) and effusively greet the liberal media that she's made a career crusading. The gays squealed with delight. They all shelved their political beliefs and giggled to one another about the famous guest, cooing over how skinny she is and hovering around her waiting for an introduction. The "female Rush Limbaugh" was received with the fanfare normally reserved for Liza, Beyonce, and Tammy Faye (RIP). When she walked in the room, Mark turned from a typical limousine liberal to a giddy NRA fanboy. http://jezebel.com/gossip/the-jezegay/ann-coulter-is-nothing-but-an-awesome-fag-hag-305720.php

Posted 10/27/07 - 12:52 PM

Ridgerider

0

Down here we're about as far outside the Beltway as you can get and not be in some other major urban area. Down here it isnt as cool and easy to be gay or lesbian. Down here you can get fired for not being 'Christian" enough if you happen to work for a "Christian" owned business never mind being fired for being gay or lesbian. Down here there is no such thing as a local or state gay rights ordinance to protect gay men or lesbians. Down here we need a federal law. ENDA is and has in all its previous incarnations going back to its first introduction in 1974 been about employment protections for gay men and lesbians. We down here and out there in all the small towns and small and medium sized cities spread across the great nothingness between Boswash and Sanangeles have written letters to our congress members, attended meetings, donated millions and millions of dollars to HRC and NGLTF and a score of other organizations for more than 30-years in hopes of getting ENDA or something like it passed and we are TIRED OF THE BULL*?&@!! Get it done.

Posted 10/27/07 - 3:56 PM

jeri_hughes

0

Up here in the heart of the beltway many of the members of the transgender community remain unemployed or even worse. Even though there are laws in place protecting against discrimination based on gender identity and a large affluent gay community exists here, many trans individuals are forced to survive by resorting to petty crime or prostitution. Those who manage to find gainful employment are often under paid and live below the poverty level. The real problem is that even within the GLBT community, those who identify as transgender face discrimination. In the midst of the ENDA controversy, transgender activists are being blamed for “holding back” gay rights - even though transgender individuals are the queerest of the queer. Members of the GLB community now claim that they don’t want to be associated with those who are transgender. Well, that is the problem, isn’t it? We have met the enemy and he is us. Even though unemployed, I dutifully sent in contributions to HRC. By failing to oppose legislation that was not trans-inclusive they broke their word and their commitment to our community, but they did not refund the contributions that I have made over the years. Enough is indeed enough. Manners are more important than laws. Stop your whining and stand by your allies. stop the BULLS&*T exclusion and discrimination.- united ENDA

Posted 10/29/07 - 5:12 PM

Truth Monger

0

I agree with Kevin Naff. You queers always end up getting nothing because you insist on having it all at once when life doesn't work that way! The Transgender activists are selfish and I for one demand a vote on a non-trans inclusive ENDA if that is the best we can get! It was bottled up for a decade under the GOP majority in Congress. We can't afford to squander this opportunity with the uncertainty of the makeup of Congress and the White House in the future. It doesn't matter if Bush's advisors say to veto it. We can try and attach it to another bill Bush doesn't want to veto like Hate Crimes was. I resent a self-proclaimed majority saying they speak for me when the oppose ENDA. That's a lie. You loud mouth transgenders won't silence me on this. You act like spoiled brats taking a tantrum, bullying and harassing those that oppose you!

Posted 10/30/07 - 12:19 PM

jeri_hughes

0

hatemonger, is your first name barney? why do you claim that it is the transgender activists opposing your position to factionalize the GLBT community? evan wolfson from freedom to marry isn't transgender. tammy baldwin isn't transgender. steve goldstein from garden state equality isn't transgender. matt wolfson isn't transgender. the gay community’s greatest advocates and most talented minds see the folly in factionalizing our community. the sad truth is the GLBT movement is now in a NO WIN situation solely because we are NOT united. and I don’t blame that on the gay community. it is loudmouth and ignorant bigots like yourself responsible for that.

Posted 10/30/07 - 12:57 PM

ErikDC
Bowie, Md

0

Jeri - The rule here is simple: You do not choose to help no one because you can not help everyone. Myself, I am completely supportive of a trans inclusive ENDA. If I were a Congressman, I'd vote for it. However, if adherence to that means gay Americans get no employment protection from the federal government for many years to come, then that is the wrong position. Yes, it is important to help all those in need. But at the end of the day, it is more important to have at least helped someone. Disallowing employment protection for gays and lesbians today, in order to allow for transgender inclusion at a later date, simply helps no one.

Posted 11/1/07 - 4:38 PM