Queer Community United For One ENDA: Bay Windows Editor On The Wrong Side!

Once again Susan Ryan-Vollmar has sided with the conservative wing of our movement. Dare I say the transphobic side?

From Today's BayWindows editorial entitled "Barney Frank is Right"

"LGBT organizations from the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force to the Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund to the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network are demanding that either a trans-inclusive ENDA be put forward or none at all.

This is madness."

She goes on to defend HRC's relative neutrality, and insinuate that anyone fighting for one ENDA is divisive. Wake up Susan! HRC has a long history of shaky relations with the trans community. And the fact that in 2007 they have lost their first and only trans board member speaks for itself! As the editor of an LGBT newspaper you should be better informed about how gender identity and expression protections are the most important for all of us.

So far, over 150 of the leading LGBT organizations have signed the letter of opposition to any ENDA that does not include trans people. The inspiring story here, is that the vast majority of our community is united in support of one, trans-inclusive ENDA!

William Henderson, the editor of InNewsWeekly had a different take than Ryan-Vollmar. This is one of several recent pro-trans rights articles Henderson has written for the paper.

"The freedom to express ourselves and be ourselves is at stake when any one of us is punished and persecuted for stepping outside the rigid rules of gender conformity. Lesbians, gay men and bisexual people historically engage a whole range of dress and behaviors that challenge the traditional gender code."