Take Action: Demand LGBT Employment Rights Today: The Bilerico Project is leading a new media call to action today with Daily Kos, Open Left, Towleroad, Pam’s House Blend, Joe My God, Michelangelo Signorile, David Mixner, Daily Gotham, Culture Kitchen, Taylor Marsh, Page One Q, and Dan Savage, among others. We’re asking our readers to contact Speaker Nancy Pelosi and ask that she move the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (HR 3017) to a floor vote.
This is about the Employment Non-Discrimination Act. I’m proud to participate in some small way with the others, because I simply cannot imagine getting harassed in the workplace just because of who I am as a human being. It’s un-American.
We’re better than this.
Bilerico has the details, but here’s the bottom line:
A clue to the inaction: Speaker Nancy Pelosi publicly told Democrats that she would not move controversial bills. Meanwhile, the House Committee has stated its readiness to move, but is waiting for a signal from Speaker Pelosi.
That signal has not come. Meanwhile, LGBT Americans continue to suffer discrimination and harassment with no recourse.
President Obama famously said in a campaign speech that “Power concedes nothing without a fight.”
We demand that LGBT people receive the same job rights as other people: to be able to get and keep a job based only on relevant factors, like job performance, and not on irrelevant criteria, like sexual orientation or gender identity.
There is a majority in both Houses of Congress in favor of ENDA. Now is the time to move it.
In 30 states across America, there is no law against firing someone based on his or her sexual orientation, and the same is true in 38 states for gender identity.
Will you join with us in asking that gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people be protected from job discrimination?
Click here to contact Speaker Pelosi.
Please call Speaker Nancy Pelosi at 202-225-4965. Ask that the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, HR 3017, move to a vote. Please be polite, but firm.
After you call, please tell us how the call went by clicking here. If you get a busy signal or hang up, let us know that too.
If you want more information on Speaker Pelosi’s position, you can find it here
The Bilerico Project is leading this call to action today with:
Towleroad,
Pam’s House Blend,
Joe My God,
Michelangelo Signorile,
Daily Kos,
Open Left,
David Mixner,
Daily Gotham,
Culture Kitchen,
Good As You,
Taylor Marsh,
PageOneQ,
Dan Savage
Americablog, and others.
We’re asking our anyone who can to contact Speaker Nancy Pelosi and ask that she move the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (HR 3017) to a floor vote. Again, Bilerico has the details.
Thanks to everyone who can jump in and help.
People don’t get fired for being straight.
Thanks, Taylor,for taking part in this. I’ve contacted Pelosi, again.
By coincidence, I’ve been talking with someone whose job is in jeopardy because of gender identity “issues.” Whether based on sexual orientation or gender identity, job discrimination — from being fired to not getting a job to harassment — remains a reality. My friend now going through his own hell joins many of us who have gone, or are going, through similar experiences. Everyone who can, please contact Pelosi.
Taylor – I called Pelosi’s office. It took me 20 minutes to get through and then I got the voice mail asking that I leave a message which I did. There has to be another way to swarm her office. I know I signed a petition or something a few weeks ago on this but I don’t know if they are presenting these petitions to Pelosi.
I left the above message over Bilerico site.
Great post again Taylor.
But again, the burning question is: Why should we have to FIGHT for this?
As Democrats, these are our core principles. We should not have to lobby Pelosi to do this. We have to fight for the obvious.
WHY do we even elect these people?
Jane,it took me several attempts to get pass a busy signal, too. Then to voice mail. I know some people who talked with a real live person, but it seems most are then asked to leave a voice message. Not the easiest or quickest process, but the message is getting to Pelos’s office, nevertheless.
Ramsgate, we shouldn’t have to do this, I agree, but political reality makes it necessary. Yet again. And very carefully thinking about our future votes seems like a very good idea.
Joyce – I think the reason they use the voice mail is so they don’t seem inundated with a dirge of phone calls. This way they don’t have to listen to the voice mail until later. It’s interesting that the Speaker has only one phone for citizens to call.
Terrific, thanks for supporting this, everyone.
Well, Ramsgate, because the Democratic Party does not represent the people’s interests. Neither party does.
I also want to thank everyone for hanging in there w/ our site challenges this week. The team working on it almost has it solved. It’s been harrowing for me all week long. Appreciate your patience.
Yeah – I got on today!!!!!
I heard yesterday that most phone calls are ignored by Congress people. They disregard anything that comes outside of their districts and any “coordinated” calling.
Don’t know if it’s true, but if so I am not surprised.
Jane, I wondered about the same thing — it does seem they use the voice mail as a way to avoid talking. Still, they know the calls come in, and while I’m not brimming with confidence and hope, it is a step. I’ve been writing and calling and talking about ENDA for so many years I’ll probably need a reminder to stop, should it actually become law.
Taylor – for what it’s worth — I’ve had the feeling for a very long time that neither party represents the American people. Sad to say I think they represent only the money interests. I think you wrote in one of your pieces that “money talks” (if it wasn’t you I apologize). If that is the case then the American people are screwed because they will never get anything that the corporate interests feel goes against their interests.
Taylor:
Thanks for doing this but I have to tell you that based on everything else I’ve seen the problem isn’t in the House its in the White House.
The House won’t move the bill forward till the White House says OK and that won’t happen.
If we waited for the jackasses in Congress and the White House to do things I wouldn’t have a job.
Causes drive me to work to make this country better, because people like the ones around here deserve better.
I’ve been doing this for decades and won’t stop because our elected officials are cowards.
What a wonderful thing to do. Its so sad that its 2010 and people can get fired because of who they are. This is such a great thing to do. Gay Americans donate and vote for there representatives and they expect their voices to be heard too.