ENDA and LGB without the T

Bob,

Thank you for calling me a “militant.” I’ve never had the honor of being called that before.

Actually, I’m far from being a militant. I’m a mainstream politician and retired surgeon, and most of my friends and colleagues would never fit under the rubric of “militant.”

I don’t think it’s militant that the LGBT community should take the “T” seriously; they would never think of dropping any other group. I don’t think Congress should drop the “T,” because in working for the LGBT community you should leave no one behind.

I personally do not find moral action difficult, though I fully understand how problematic it is for Congress. I also know that while as many Americans, based on polling, support trans-inclusion as gay inclusion, and what while no one has ever lost an election for voting for a trans-inclusive bill, and while nearly as much of America is already covered by inclusive state and local laws as by non-inclusive laws, we have never had such a passionate discussion on this issue. Yes, this has been the 800 lb gorilla in the room, and it has been very touchy because of the reasons that I’ve mentioned before — that homophobia is rooted in misogyny and gender- nonconformity.

Straight-looking gay guys want to pass, and believe they are more likely to be accepted if the public is not reminded about sexual differences. I understand that, and I’m sympathetic, because trans women want to pass, too, and most of us have always wanted nothing more than to be ourselves, just like everyone else.

There is a pragmatic issue here, which is votes. I cannot tell you if the votes are there for inclusion, because you just never know. There are lots of scare tactics being used, a great deal of maneuvering and manipulation — politics as usual. Tammy Baldwin is comfortable lobbying for inclusion; Barney Frank is not. I am not a Congresswoman — yet — so I can only have a limited impact. But I do know from my local political experience that this can be accomplished.