SFGate.com – Carolyn Lochhead
The decision by House Democratic leaders yesterday to dump transgender people from a civil rights law protecting gays and lesbians from workplace discrimination has put the Human Rights Campaign in a terribly awkward position.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco is to be the guest of honor at the HRC’s big national dinner Oct. 6, where she is to be feted for her accomplishments on behalf of gay people.
The HRC gala could help explain the sudden rush to push the long-languishing Employment Non-Discrimination Act, known as ENDA, through the House next week — even if it means throwing transgender people off the bus.
The move has generated outrage in the gay rights community — with the notable exception of HRC, which so far remains silent, refusing to return repeated phone calls. Sources say HRC has scheduled and cancelled at least two emergency board meetings over threats by some board members to quit if HRC endorses the new ENDA bill, sans gender identity protections.