A little something political

[kelliem]

This is important to me for very personal reasons-- not only is one of my good friends transgendered, but (and not many of you know this, since he just recently came out and I have not talked about it here out of respect for his privacy) my kidunit is also transgendered (F2M).

My friend just alerted me to a problem with The Employment Nondiscrimination Act (search on HR 2015)-- a piece of legislation currently proposed in the US House banning workplace discrimination against Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual or Transgendered people. The bill is currently stalled because apparently, even though no one seems to have a problem with the idea of protecting the G, L, and B populations, the T population is not so lucky, so they are thinking about taking them out of the bill in order to get it passed. See this article for more information.

I urge you to write your legislators asking them to support the inclusion in the bill of individuals who are transgendered. They deserve protection as much as anyone else does. And yes, I know that technically discrimination of any kind is already barred, but we all know how well that has worked out.

Comments

[grian-ruadh.livejournal.com]

Your kidunit is very fortunate to have such an awesome mom.

[kelliem.livejournal.com]

Awww ::blush:: Thanks.

[dinahmt.livejournal.com]

I agree, your kidunit is really lucky to have such a cool mum as you - I can relate because one of my sons is gay and I get incandescent with rage at those stupid people who think it's a lifestyle choice! Grr!

Interestingly, years ago, in the early sixties I think it was, my father, who was a civil servant, had a colleague who was transgendered, I think M2F. I wonder what the attitude of people in the workplace was then.

[kelliem.livejournal.com]

Grr is right.

As for your father's colleague, I bet it was a real nightmare. It was very unusual then. I still remember my parents talking about Christine Jorgensen and how startling it was to realize that such a thing even existed. And M2F usually have a harder time of it-- it's harder to 'pass' as your new gender. It's a little bit easier the other direction from what I understand.

[silme.livejournal.com]

Hey, I didn't know that about the kidunit. Please pass on a big supportive hug from Aunt Ellen, okay?

It's been said that the transgender movement is back where the queer movement was about 20 or so years ago. But it's getting there if Colorado will have a state-wide law come January. The state finally is catching up to Boulder, huh?

I still get to vote in federal elections out of Boulder, as that's where I last resided and was last registered. I could write to Udall, but I suspect he's in our corner already. If it gets through the House, I definitely will write to the US Senators in Colorado. Do you think Udall still needs convincing?

[kelliem.livejournal.com]

Thanks, Ellen, I will. :D

And yes, I think that's about right-- transgender issues are about 20 years behind. I will admit to being surprised that the law passed here in Colorado. The Amendment 2 debacle wasn't that long ago.

I honestly don't know where Udall stands-- I suspect you're right, that he would support the bill, but I did not see any reference to his stance on his website. I did send an email asking about it.

[frau-flora.livejournal.com]

Unfortunately there's little I can do from Germany but I'd like to let kidunit know that we all support him. I used to know an m2f person, so I'm aware of their problems.

[kelliem.livejournal.com]

Thank you, I will.

[shiningmoon.livejournal.com]

Supportive!hugs to Kidunit. I think it goes without saying that you rock--then again, you always have. :)

I'm not sure if you know this, but Canadian artist/musician Meryn Cadell ([Unknown site tag]) is F2M. Meryn is perhaps best known for the spoken-word cult hit "The Sweater", which is I think from the early 90s.

Thanks for the political heads-up too. =)

Unknown tag

[shiningmoon.livejournal.com]

Gr, should have been meryncadell. Silly comments.

[kelliem.livejournal.com]

Thanks. :) And I did not know that. Very interesting.

[imkalena.livejournal.com]

I admit, I can't understand why the transgendered should be singled out! It seems kind of crazy. But I guess there's a lot I just don't get about the way people think. *hugs* to kidunit. He's a brave one.

[kelliem.livejournal.com]

guess there's a lot I just don't get about the way people think

Same here.

I'll pass on the hugs. :)