Main | Monday, April 23, 2007

ENDA To Be Re-Introduced Tomorrow

This just in...

WASHINGTON — On Tuesday, April 24, at 1:00 p.m., Reps. Barney Frank, D-Mass.; Deborah Pryce, R-Ohio; Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis.; and Chris Shays, R-Conn., will introduce the bipartisan Employment Non-Discrimination Act in the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill addresses discrimination in the workplace by making it illegal to fire, refuse to hire or refuse to promote an employee based on the person's sexual orientation or gender identity.
Tomorrow's event has been long in the works. In 33 states it is still legal to fire someone for being gay and in 42 states you can be fired for being transgender. This is the first version of ENDA to be introduced that will include gender identity among its protections, long a sticking point for some gay rights orgs that refused to work on the bill until transgender folks were added. I would love to be in the gallery tomorrow when this historic event takes place. With the Matthew Sheppard Act introduced last week, and now ENDA on the table once more, 2007 truly promises to be the most meaningful year in the history of gay rights. More on this tomorrow, of course.

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