Today, the House passed their version of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA). It should be a time of rejoicing but it's not. The act passed without transgender inclusion, meaning that even if this bill becomes law, transgender people will not be protected from discrimination in the workplace. The people who are most marginalized, most at risk are not protected. The UUA is one of the only non-BGLT exclusive groups that opposed a non transgender inclusive bill, and for that I am very proud of us.

But I am baffled by our partners who did support non-inclusivity, particularly groups such as the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) whose stated mission it is to advocate on behalf of BGL and T. The bill is unlikely to move in the Senate this year and President Bush has already promised veto it. There was no real hope of getting it signed into law. I could understand the temptation to sell-out one group in order to move others ahead. I don't approve of such tactics, mind you, but I can understand them. But in this particular case what's happened is that transgender people have been hurt and betrayed by the people who are supposed to represent them. And for nothing. For a symbolic gain.