Gay Dems 'Come out of the closet'

The National Stonewall Democrats is the national organization representing LGBT Democratic activists throughout the nation. Ever heard of 'em?

They're making a splash with their new NoSubstitutes.org website. It's a direct challenge to the Democratic Leadership in Congress, who has substituted a fully inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act bill with one who leaves an entire class of people behind.

Historically, Stonewall has worked within the Party structure to achieve education, inclusiveness, and progress on behalf of equal rights. That is another way of saying that they've never been willing to rock the boat or oppose the Party.

Now, under a new generation of leadership, New executive Director Jon Hoadley is taking the reins armed with passion and knowledge of the new media and online organizing. Perhaps we should call it Stonewall Dems 2.0!

NoSubstitutes.org is a creative way to highlight the issue. It really does fly in the face of the Leadership, who is used to Stonewall Democrats backing them up as any other loyal constituency might. However, some things are more important than loyalty to Party Leadership -- things like equal justice under the law.

That's why NoSubstitutes.org urges Congress to accept no cheap substitute for employment protections for all Americans. No person should be fired because of the color of their skin, their gender, their religion, their national origin, their ethnicity, their disability.....nor should they be fired based on their sexual orientation or their gender identity.

It's a basic concept of equality for American citizens. Please go to NoSubstitutes.org and sign up to urge Congress to include all people in the Employment Non-Discrimination Act.

Comments

[jandd]

For the record, Stonewall has supported a fully inclusive ENDA since 2004 when Dave Noble, the former ED, signed on to a similar coalition letter.

[Tubby]

So Ol' Stonewall was gay, eh? Sad. Well, he was a good soldier anyway and the South has a right to be still proud of him.

[DANIELLECLARKE]

As a transsexual woman and a vietnam veteran who volunteered and was honorably discharged i thank you for your stance. Many of my sisters live on street corners selling their bodies to pay for their transitioning. Many are murdered doing such. Your strong stance has given them and me hope that this terrible predicament will be stopped and they will find decent work. Many of them don't have voices and so i must speak for them as you have spoken for us.

PS: I haven't been able to find work myself due to my status but i have been able to find a home taking care of an 84 yr old woman and she lets me sleep on her couch and gives me food for helping her.

I want to thank you for supporting an ENDA that includes protections for transgender individuals. Protecting all LGBT people from workplace discrimination is important to me. I believe that workplaces free of discrimination are good for our economy, our state, and all of America.

Americans support workplaces free of discrimination and it is time to include protections for both sexual orientation AND gender identity into our federal laws. Thank you for recognizing the importance of this issue.

Danielle Clarke
USMC vietnam veteran
xxxxxxx drive
xxxxxxxxxx Pa. XXXXX
XXX-XXX-XXXX

http://www.planetout.com/news/article-print.html?2002/05/28/3

Protest targets transgender-less ENDA
Dan Kerman, Gay.com / PlanetOut.com Network
Tuesday, May 28, 2002 / 04:05 PM
SUMMARY: After three weeks, a homeless transgender activist has ended her one-woman vigil for transgender rights in front of the nation's Capitol.

After three weeks, a homeless transgender activist has ended her one-woman vigil in front of the nation's Capitol. Sleeping in a tent by night and making signs by day, Danielle Clarke began her vigil on May 9 as part of an education campaign about the need for legal protections in the transgender community.

etc etc etc

[DaveInWeho]

The National Stonewall Democrats does indeed have yet another executive director (their fifth? sixth? seventh? in six years), but that hardly qualifies as a "new generation of leadership". Their ineffectual board continues to be a bunch of do-nothing resume-padders. If Jon Hoadley is kind-of-sort-of rocking the boat, it may well be the first time in the organization's history. But he's still stuck with that inertial board ("board" as in "dead wood", if you get my drift).

But they do have nifty happy hours. In fact, their unofficial march chant for years has been, "What do we want? Equal rights! When do we want them? After cocktails!"

[dryfactoidobotanoid]

I do not support this. what, can straight men sue hair salons for not hiring more straight male hair dressers? can straight people sue a company for creating an atmosphere of gay-cliquishiness? just imagine the lawsuits. it's ridiculous.

[dryfactoidobotanoid]

I mean, think about it.

drama queens + litigation = never ending cat fights

[EdRosenberg]

I signed the petition, Lane. Everyone's got be included...especially when it comes to job protection.

Take care.

www.everyoneisincluded.us