Equality Can’t Wait: Pass ENDA Now!
had a total of 26 years of professional work experience, most of it at a management level. As a computer technology consultant, I’d dedicated over 10 years of my life to a company whose primary customer was the federal government.
Yet with just one moment of discrimination, my world was turned upside down. I lost my job, all because I made the courageous decision to be true to myself and come out to my employer as a transgender woman in transition.
I’m writing to you today on behalf of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force because I know that my story, while unjust and infuriating, is sadly not uncommon. It’s time to end the injustice — and now’s our chance.
The Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) is moving in Congress again — will you join me and the Task Force and make a short phone call to your legislators to keep the pressure on? Even if you’ve done so before, please call again and forward this message on to your friends and family and ask them to call. Congress needs to hear from as many of us as possible to keep the momentum going.
Just follow these three steps:
1) Call the Capitol Switchboard at 202.224.3121 and ask to speak to your representative. (If you’re not sure who your representative is, simply give the operator your zip code and they will connect you.)
2) Follow this script: My name is _____ and I live at (say your street address) in (say your city and state). I am calling to ask that you please pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (H.R. 3017/S. 1584) now! Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people can’t wait any longer for protection from job discrimination. So, please — no more delays. Pass ENDA right away. Thank you for your time.
3) Go back to step 1 and call at least one of your senators — we need to make our voice for equality as loud as possible.
After 10 years with my former employer, I considered myself a committed part of the team. And when I decided to transition, I even planned to do so between assignments to keep the process as smooth as possible for my employer, my coworkers and our clients.
But instead of supporting me in my transition, I was laid off.
I know I’m not alone in my story — right now, people can be fired in 29 states for being lesbian, gay or bisexual and in 38 states for being transgender. If you’re as angry as I am, please call your legislators and tell them it’s time to pass ENDA.
Thank you so much for taking action with the Task Force today to help change the story for LGBT employees everywhere!
Sincerely, JACQUI CHARVET FORT LAUDERDALE
Sklba to quick to play the homophone card
Editorial writer John Sklba seems all to eager to play the “homophobe card” in analyzing the widespread Catholic Church sex scandal against minors. He condemns the Vatican for blaming the scandal on homosexuality — as if homosexuality has nothing to do with these contemptible crimes against adolescents?
Approximately 80 percent or more of all reported molestation incidents were made by male priests forcing their sexual proclivities upon underage male adolescents.
Wiser gay men know that homophobia is not the problem; it is unethical sexual behavior as opposed to ethical behavior that has so sorely discredited many gay men in the Catholic clergy.
The gay community cannot be taken seriously when a potentially intelligent person like young Mr. Sklba inflates a specious smoke screen, suggesting that it is Vatican homophobia that led to the most horrible Church-related sex crimes ever committed in the history of Christianity or humankind.
Mr. Sklba needs to admit the culpability of thousands of gay priests who masqueraded as “instruments of God” while privately misbehaving like sex monsters, exploiting the most innocent and vulnerable among us.
Moreover, it is despicable that these same priests lied for decades and swore that they were celibate ministers of the Truth.
To blame this dark and demented behavior on homophobia shows enormous insensitivity toward evil in the ranks of the Catholic clergy and those who trivialize, find humor in, or cover up such evil.
Mr. Sklba would do better to point out that the criminal behavior of these gay priests makes life all the more difficult for the great number of well-behaved gay priests.
While playing the homophobe card may be all the rage for many gays, homophobia is not the reason for unlawful behavior among gay priests.
Respectfully submitted,
MATTHEW TSIEN – FORMER MARYLAND LOG CABIN PRESIDENT, FORMER BROWARD LOG CABIN BOARD MEMBER FORT LAUDERDALE
