SFBayTimes.com – By Dennis McMillan
“This is a divide that we cannot afford,” says Masen Davis, executive director of San Francisco’s Transgender Law Center. “LGBT organizations and allies have been working for years to pass a bill that protects gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender employees alike.”
“It is almost inconceivable that the House of Representatives would treat employment discrimination based on sexual orientation different from gender identity,” adds Cecilia Chung, TLC deputy director. Chung cited the recent passage of the Matthew Shepard Act, saying, “The recent Federal Hate Crimes bill passage is owed largely to grassroots transgender activists throughout the country. Increasingly, these activists are no longer fighting alone – coalitions are being built with dedicated lesbian, gay, and bisexual activists.” TLC has joined the many national organizations opposing the ENDA split and urges the lawmakers in D.C. to reconsider and introduce an all-inclusive bill that is non-divisive.