The Democrats in Congress have lost their minds. They are completely out of touch on some issues and they don't see it. They don't even realize how helpless we feel. The latest is ENDA. They keep telling us the House votes are there. They'll vote on it this year. Now, they're telling us that Republicans might introduce a "motion to recommit" adding anti-transgender language to the bill.
Once again, protections for transgender people and anyone who doesn't "look" and dress exactly like their gender role entails are up for debate. As if we can just settle for throwing part of our community under the bus.
After the slow DADT repeal process - it might not get placed in the defense reauthorization bill, its only realistic chance of passage anytime soon - and after the compromising and everything else, this is just more news telling us that it's up to a bunch of old conservative bureaucrats to decide they feel like voting on our rights.
The promises made by Congress and the President about GLBT issues have thus far not been kept, or have been slow walked or compromised away. We've seen this over and over. And while that's going on, the DoJ is defending DADT and DOMA in court with horrendous arguments. I feel helpless and powerless. A lot of us in the GLBT community feel like we have no choice but to just wait. No way to get our message across.
OFA won't touch gay issues, even though some of us have written or called them specifically asking for their help. Speaker Pelosi's strategy on our issues is "we'll get to it when we have the votes."
So, given all that, here is Congress' advice for us if we don't want so-called transgender provisions (that will adversely affect a lot of people) stripped:
"The LGBT community should be doing everything they can to both pass ENDA and kill a motion to recommit — making sure their members are on board with both votes."
Bite. Me.
You do everything YOU CAN, Congress. Do your fucking jobs for once. Stand up and DEFEND GLBT people against horrendous attacks. Don't send your aides out to tell us we're just not doing enough work if we want our bills passed. You want votes or money? Pass our bills. How the fuck do you like THAT? We are the only ones raising awareness on our issues. And even with us, there's an enormous group of rich successful GLBT "activists" that have the White House's ear but won't do anything to advance our agenda.
It's hard. We are doing everything we fucking can to get you to just pass basic civil rights legislation. Basic ANTI-HARASSMENT PROTECTIONS and to repeal discriminatory bills keeping us from getting married and keeping us out of the military. I'm not gonna play this fucking game with you. Do your damn jobs. If you just don't care about GLBT equality, say so. We'll primary you and raise money for candidates who give a shit.
Do not blame us, after all our setbacks this year, for YOUR inaction. We are not trying to convince you of anything other than the fact that we are people and we deserve the same human rights as everyone else. If you're not getting that, the problem lies with you, not with us. And you don't deserve re-election.
It really is that simple.
So, Congress, my advice to YOU would be: make Democratic senators vote against the Republican motion to recommit. Make Democrats stand up for human and civil rights and roll back decades of government-enforced discrimination on GLBT Americans. Make Democrats stand up for job protections in the middle of a recession in which Americans need jobs.
Stop pointing out different enemies that prevent you from taking basic actions for us and just do your jobs. We get it. Republicans are in opposition. That's why we elected YOU to DO YOUR JOBS and to IGNORE THEM. Do your jobs. Vote against the motion to recommit, and keep transgender protections in the bill. Pass ENDA now.
Otherwise, you can kindly bite me.