I did my one “Father’s Day” radio interview this morning on WOCM 98.1 “The Rude Awakening” show with hosts Bulldog, The Dude, and Dice. Despite how dubious that might sound I felt it was a worthwhile conversation. Although it wasn’t on par with NPR and certainly won’t win any awards it didn’t go down the toilet, either. Sometimes, that’s a victory in and of itself.
I haven’t written about HRC in quite a while, not out of any intentional decision to stand down so much as just not having anything new to say. That ends today, as I feel compelled to comment about a current event:
It should come as no surprise to many that San Francisco, long known as ground zero for the queer community, has also been an epicenter to the ongoing fallout from last fall’s HRC decision to support a non-inclusive ENDA. The fracture that it has caused in the community was acutely felt there and continues to cause aftershocks.
Those who hoped (mostly HRC leadership) that last fall’s debacle would become quietly forgotten find themselves jerked back to actions-speak-louder-than words reality time and time again there. It has been beautiful to behold.
First, when the HRC Damage Control tour stopped in San Francisco in early January they got a face-full of fire and fury from the local community. Theresa Sparks, an HRC Award winner, took the opportunity to express her disgust by returning her award (details here). This photo is one I’ll never forget as it symbolizes so much of how I feel.
A couple of months later HRC was nominated for a “Pink Brick” award by the San Francisco Pride Committee (details here). The Pink Brick is given annually to a group or individual who has run afoul of the broader community or pushed for anti-gay measures. For the first time, an LGBT organization was nominated this year, and although Bill O’Reilly eventually won it the fact that HRC was in the running made a significant statement.
The most recent salvo comes from the Alice B. Toklas Democratic Club. In an open letter dated June 12 (printed here in its entirity) they say:
An open letter to the LGBT community & our allies, from the Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club
June 12, 2008
After much consideration by our board and members, it is with regret that we write this letter announcing our decision to forgo this year’s Human Rights Campaign (HRC) dinner in San Francisco, scheduled for July 16, 2008. We also encourage others in the LGBT community and our allies to forgo HRC’s gala event this year, due to HRC’s ongoing refusal to advocate for federal legislation that protects all Americans from discrimination based on gender identity and expression – as well as sexual orientation.
At the end of the last century, the LGBT community arrived at a consensus: that the full membership of the LGBT community would be honored and embraced, regardless of differences among us, be they based upon race, class, gender, gender identity and expression, or other factors. What was once called a “gay” community in the past, now self-defines, and is known internationally, as the LGBT community. United, the LGBT community works diligently to ensure that all LGBT community members are protected from discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, and/or gender expression.
It is especially important that our leading civil rights institutions, like HRC, uphold our shared commitment to diversity and inclusion, and lead our movement in a responsible and forward-looking manner.
Unfortunately, last Fall HRC betrayed its own legacy and values, and betrayed the LGBT community, when the organization’s leadership reversed its long-standing commitment to inclusive legislation, suddenly advocating passage of a federal Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) that, for sake of expediency, deliberately excluded gender identity and expression protections. This cynical move left millions of Americans vulnerable to gender discrimination in employment, and implied that, while discrimination based on sexual orientation was unacceptable, bias and intolerance based on gender identity or expression were negotiable. Even worse, HRC’s leadership made its decision in secret, breaching its collaboration with every other national LGBT organization, including PFLAG, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, the National Center for Lesbian Rights, the Stonewall Democrats, the National Center for Transgender Equality, the Transgender Law Center, and over 350 other national, state, and local LGBT organizations – including the Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club.
Since that time, HRC has made little effort to reverse course on this issue. HRC’s Executive Director, Joe Solomonese, now asserts that his prior statements about HRC’s unwavering commitment to inclusion were simply “misstatements”. In fact, even to this day, HRC remains uncommitted to introduction of an inclusive employment non-discrimination bill – even though Congress must introduce an entirely new bill during its next session in January 2009.
As the nation’s oldest LGBT Democratic club, Alice and its members are deeply committed to inclusion within our community, and expect other LGBT organizations to uphold this commitment as well. While we have supported HRC in the past and look forward to doing so in the future, in light of the above we cannot in good conscience support this year’s HRC gala fund raiser and, regrettably, feel compelled to ask our fellow San Franciscans, also, to forgo the HRC gala this year – until such time as HRC reaffirms its commitment to inclusion, especially with respect to introduction and passage of an inclusive employment non-discrimination bill.
Particularly at this point in time, it is important that we support LGBT organizations working actively, on all of our behalf, against non-discrimination and for full equality – and especially those organizations working for passage of an inclusive ENDA. Instead of attending this year’s HRC event, we kindly ask that you consider investing in an explicitly trans inclusive organization, such as the Transgender Law Center, or any of the 350+ other local, state, and national organizations working toward this end (listed at http://www.unitedENDA.org).
Many thanks for your time, attention, and continued commitment to diversity and inclusion in our community.
Sincerely,
Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club
I really don’t have anything more to add. They’ve said it all.
The point of commenting on this isn’t to fan the fires of dissatisfaction that many continue to feel towards HRC. It’s to highlight that the broader community will NOT forget and will continue to hold the organization (and Congressional leaders) responsible for their actions until such time as the right things happen. We will not be divided.
That said: get ready for HRC’s role in the upcoming Congressional Hearing on Transgender Workplace Discrimination (still scheduled for next week). I’m told they’ve lined up Dana Beyer to blog for them about the event. I hope they’ve planned this very carefully and play well with others because it could very easily end up becoming very messy. I hope not, because it has so much promise if done right. Unfortunately I can’t provide any “insider” information because I have no active role. I do know, however, that the lineup has changed because of the delay and that NCLR Attorney Shannon Minter is now expected to be a witness.
The American Medical Association made a significant statement today when the AMA House of Delegates passed a resolution in support of Transgender Health Care. A report in today’s New England Blade:
The House of Delegates of the American Medical Association, meeting in Chicago today, June 16, passed a resolution for “Removing Barriers to Care for Transgender Patients,” which states “Resolved, that our American Medical Association support public and private health insurance coverage for treatment of gender identity disorder as recommended by the patient’s physician.”
Getting appropriate medical care, from psychotherapy to hormone therapy to any range of surgeries, is a struggle for most transgender people due to prejudice, ignorance, and simple discrimination, said Jennifer Levi, director of GLAD’s Transgender Rights Project. [See GLAD Launches Transgender Rights Project, Issue 1744, Page 3].
“This resolution is hugely important, coming from the country’s most respected medical organization. Transgender people have to climb over so many barriers in order to get appropriate care, not the least of which is insurance coverage,” said Levi. ” The AMA resolution should help providers, insurers, courts and legislatures put gender identity disorder in its proper context – as a treatable health condition that insurers should cover without discrimination.”
GLAD also released a Fact Sheet on the Resolution titled Removing Barriers to Care for Transgender People. Many people are surprised to learn all the difficulties transgender people face when trying to get simple wellness care, not to mention more significant procedures like surgeries. These kinds of things are important statements of support in respected mainstream forums. Have no doubt – they do make a difference. This resolution provides important ammunition for those approaching their corporate benefits people about incorporating the broader spectrum of transgender wellness benefits into their employee benefits packages.
As I type this I’m on hold for an Obama GLBT Committee Conference call. Senator Obama is scheduled to be a speaker on the call so I’m excited to hear how this plays out.
The big story today, however, isn’t Transgender Workplace Discrimination, or the AMA Resolution, or the most recent dust-up over HRC political money (read it here). It’s Same-Sex marriage in California. Get ready for a blitz of it later today and tomorrow. It’s monumental, it’s historic, and it’s about friggin’ time. I wish I could join in the fun – maybe one of these days. 
I think it is wonderful to see same-sex marriage on both coasts. I wonder if, in CA law that they will accept the MA marriage and will MA accept CA marriage. If they do it will be the first time that a state will accept the marriage (same-sex) of another state. I don’t think NY has done this yet, I have heard they were considering. There are a lot of states that have civil unions, I wonder if both CA and MA will accept the civil unions also? Or, would they accept them as a marriage? I have heard of a few people from Oregon going down to get married and they have all ready had a civil union.
I hope more people and organizations jump on the bandwagon against HRC. All the organization has to do is join in with the rest of the 350 other organizations and try to pull on the ENDA bill for inclusiveness. The leader has to step down or he just needs to leave. He is too stubborn for his own good.
Donna: Thank you for this very important posting.
Re “Removing Barriers to Care for Transgender Patients,” which states “Resolved, that our American Medical Association support public and private health insurance coverage for treatment of gender identity disorder as recommended by the patient’s physician.”
Now, if the IRS, either through regulation change or by Congressioal statute, recognizes this medical procedure as a legitimate medical expense, we may have returned to a pre-2001 world.