ENDA Gets Through Senate Committee A Historic First. So What Now?

Mara Keisling of the NCTE was kind enough to invite me to a media conference call this morning regarding the forthcoming ENDA S815 committee vote. Pretty much as she predicted ENDA was marked up this morning with the bipartisan support of Republicans Orrin Hatch (R-UT), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), and Mark Kirk (R-IL).

Source Thomas Library of Congress S.815 -- Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 2013 (Introduced in Senate - IS) full text and status.

SEC. 4. EMPLOYMENT DISCRIMINATION PROHIBITED.

(a) Employer Practices- It shall be an unlawful employment practice for an employer--

(1) to fail or refuse to hire or to discharge any individual, or otherwise discriminate against any individual with respect to the compensation, terms, conditions, or privileges of employment of the individual, because of such individual's actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity; or
(2) to limit, segregate, or classify the employees or applicants for employment of the employer in any way that would deprive or tend to deprive any individual of employment or otherwise adversely affect the status of the individual as an employee, because of such individual's actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity.

I think I could speak for every trans person on the planet when I say WE NEED this to become law, and for myself especially number 2.
I can't tell you how many times since finally going full time post transition that I have watched new hires zip past me to a better paying job for doing the same OR less than what I do. That sucks. Seriously, the cotton ceiling Sucks because it comes at you from all directions, cisgender woman and men. Bosses. Co Workers alike. Talk about posses.

So now ENDA is making history by making it to the Senate Floor, but will it even get voted on their? Mara believes the chances are it will but when I posted on Facebook that it faces a dysfunctional death march in the republican controlled House Mara simply agreed at least in part, by 'liking' the status. In any case huge thanks go out to Mara and crew for riding herd on this.

We are making progress? Of sorts and sometimes that's a goal. But mostly, this was a opportunity to post this really cool picture I saw on Glaad blog.

So why are Republicans house members so opposed to ENDA which essentially guarantees the most religiously biased constituents exception in cases of discrimination? They are afraid that young tea party peons will take their jobs. That and plain old hate. Can't fix hate with nothing. Not with love. Not with money. And evidently, not even with exceptions.
Read what ENDA is and what it ain't at Media Matters.