The Obama administration is today convening a group of nonprofit, government and private sector leaders for a jobs summit to consider how to reverse the growing unemployment rolls and the deteriorating state of the U.S. workforce. As these leaders meet, we call upon them to ensure that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people are not left behind — and to recognize and ensure that our community is no longer relegated to the "breadline" due to anti-LGBT bias.
The breadline is clearly not the picture Americans have in their heads of LGBT people when they consider widespread unemployment, but a forthcoming national study by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) demonstrates that transgender people, for example, face double the unemployment rate of the general population. So, as the nation reels at spiraling layoffs and near double-digit unemployment, transgender workers are likely to be facing unemployment at the rate of 20 percent or higher.
For months now, Congress has been inching its way toward passage of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), historic legislation that would protect LGBT workers for being fired due to bias, regardless of job performance. In the past few weeks, efforts to bring the House version of the bill to mark-up have stalled, and this is deeply concerning.
Discrimination against LGBT people has been well documented over the past several decades. And far too many people still know the pain and stress of hiding who they are at work, of pretending to be straight, in order to keep their job. For transgender people, the Task Force/NCTE study also uncovered widespread, ill treatment at the hands of co-workers and supervisors. Everything from verbal abuse to physical and sexual violence was reported, with fully 97 percent of the 6,500 respondents reporting some level of discrimination, disrespect, harassment or abuse.
As leaders in business, labor and government gather to consider how best to create a bedrock of stability for our faltering economy through jobs, Congress and the Obama administration must demonstrate resolve toward making the work force safe and accessible to all jobseekers. LGBT people don’t want any "extras" in the effort to rebuild our economy — we simply want a fair shot at bringing our talents to bear in workplaces across the country. We also expect leaders in government, industry and nonprofit organizations to support our right to feed and shelter our families alongside all of our other fellow workers — no more, no less. Passing ENDA immediately is a critical step toward fulfilling that collective responsibility.
You can do your part to help put an end to this continuing injustice. Call the U.S. Capitol switchboard at 202.224.3121. Provide your zip code and ask to be connected to your representative, and let them know that people in their district want ENDA to pass this year, with no more delays.
Here’s a sample comment: My name is ___ and I am a resident of (your city, state). I am calling in support of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (H.R. 3017), to protect lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people from job discrimination. Nondiscrimination is an American value. Please pass ENDA before the end of the year with no more delays. I can be reached at _____ (give your phone number and street address). Thank you.
And, thank you for helping to make a difference!