Obama Transistion Team Bans LGBT Discrimination (Gender Identity Included)

[Hissyspit]

Source: Gayblogger

Obama transition team bans LGBT discrimination

(Washington) The Obama-Biden transition team is telling prospective employees in the new administration it will not discriminate against LGBT workers. “The Obama-Biden Transition Project does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or any other basis of discrimination prohibited by law,” the Transition team says on its official Web site.

Although the commitment pertains only to transition team workers, LGBT civil rights activists say they believe Obama will issue an Executive Order shortly after being sworn in to extend that throughout the administration. “The inclusion of gender identity is a bold departure from the past – and it sends a clear message,” said Christopher E. Anders, ACLU Senior Legislative Counsel.

- snip -

Although President Bill Clinton signed Executive Order 11478, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, there are no explicit federal protections from gender identity bias in government hiring.

During the Bush administration, U.S. Special Counsel Scott Bloch refused to protect LGBT workers. The Office of the Special Counsel is supposed to protect whistleblowers and investigate complaints of discrimination by federal workers. Bloch’s stonewalling of complaints of discrimination by LGBT federal workers dates to February 2004, when he ordered references to sexual orientation removed from the Office of the Special Counsel website.

Read more: http://gaybloger.com/?p=1035

[readmoreoften]

1. Good news.

Good to hear he'll do the decent thing.

[terrya]

2. That's tremendous news.

This is groundbreaking...and very promising for the GLBT community.

[Zhade]

3. WOW! Great step for transpeople - and all of us!

Keep going, Barack. : )

[foxfeet]

4. It's a good start,

considering he's not yet in office.

[terrya]

7. This makes me hopeful that a fully inclusive ENDA will finally become law.

[hlthe2b]

5. Good! I must admit a chuckle fantasizing of the possibility of

putting a transexual on the Supreme Court-- presiding right there with Scalia, Thomas, ALito...LOL What a mind's image... Things are changing, whether some want them to or not.

Let's hear it for diversity and human rights! :toast:

[curse of greyface]

16. ell they are already wearing dresses... hardly a strech. nt

[Bette Noir]

19. Not a problem.

The uniform is the same for men and women.

[Doctor_J]

6. The Log Cabin Repukes are looking stoopdier every day

morans

[yardwork]

20. Oh, they're probably patting themselves on their backs.

The way they see it, they'll get all their rights and their stupid tax breaks for the wealthy.

[heliarc]

8. Excellent...

It's so good to hear good news out of the President's office again...

Ok.. he's still president elect...

[David Zephyr]

9. "Gender Identity": That made my day. They always get left behind.

That just made my day. :bounce:

[sakabatou]

10. Yay!

Now, about Prop 8...

[The Doctor.]

11. No more banning the best and the brightest

merely by orientation/identification.

Love the idea of a return to competence.

[trthnd4jstc]

12. We need to protect all Americans from Unjust Discrimination. Gobama! n/t

[trthnd4jstc]

13. We need to protect all Americans from Unjust Discrimination. Gobama! n/t

[keepCAblue]

14. Good first start. Gives me hope that Obama will undo HRC's...

...horrible and indefensible compromise which threw transgenders under the bus in agreeing to omit them from the federal hate crimes legislation in order to get it passed.

[Dystopian]

15. KandR - justice for humanity....

I'm loving Barack more each day...

President Obama!

peace~

[goclark]

17. Excellent!!

[caseycoon]

18. Great news! K&R

I'm so glad to hear this.
:hi:

[hangman86]

21. I wonder who will be the first transgender elect

Hope I'm still around to see it.

[Truth Teller]

22. He's getting a bad rap on gay marriage

He'll be a friend to gays.

[laconicsax]

23. He's only getting a bad rap because he vocally opposes it.

[Zhade]

25. His view that it's only between a man and a woman is bigoted.

Sorry, it just is.

But he can evolve. I know that much.

[IndianaGreen]

27. It is also at odds with the United Church of Christ which supports marriage equality

Why would Obama distance himself from a position his own denomination has taken?

[customerserviceguy]

31. I guess the answer to your question is

he wanted to get elected in a country that thirty out of thirty times has supported discrimination in marriage.

I know he needed to be practical while running for office, but now, he needs to lead on this subject.

[Dawgs]

35. I think he'll surprise you someday.

I personally don't believe he's actually against it. I think he knows, like Hillary, that being for gay marriage is a position that could have cost him the presidency.

[mondo joe]

41. So what we're left with is: he's telling the truth, or he's lying.

He might be lying - for the reason you gave. It wouldn't be unlikely.

But I don't think we can ASSUME he's lying. And if we do, it's sort of an odd thing to be pleased with.

[LostinVA]

34. No, he isn't -- the rap is deserved

[Truth Teller]

38. Doesn't he oppose the Defense of Marriage Act?

The O.P. is a pretty strong indication of his public position. If I'm not mistaken, he commented that he was "personally" opposed to gay marriage for religous reasons. That's different than supporting a legal ban.

Not unlike Biden being opposed to abortion personally, but advocating folks being allowed choice.

[JonQ]

39. As long as he can do it in a way

that won't possibly cost him any votes, sure.

[mondo joe]

40. It's not a bad rap if it's the accurate rap. He's a better friend to gays than a lot

of other people, but the rap on marriage is of his own choosing.

[Truth Teller]

42. Fair enough

He's probably being pragmatic on the issue, and we can debate the merits of that versus taking a vocal and clear position in favor of it that would have jeopardized his election.

As much as I favor gay marriage, I'd have to prefer the former. Sadly, these things are long processes.

[mondo joe]

43. Please believe me when I say: I get it.

And I don't really disagree.

I also feel I have to take him at his word. It doesn't sit well with me to say "I support him because I'm sure he's lying."

But we're on the same page.

[Truth Teller]

44. We agree, but not all progressives do

Some are upset that he hasn't taken that vocal and public postion and wish he had. They feel it may well have not cost the election and principle demanded it in any case. I disagree with them, but I respect thier view.

"Lying" is kind of a harsh term. At the end of the day, he is a politician and things have to be presented in such a way that we move towrd an ultimate goal.

Peace.

[clspector]

24. This is called leading by example.

What a concept.

[fishwax]

26. good news!

:kick:

[IndianaGreen]

28. Does this mean that a new ENDA will include gender identity protections?

Considering how cowardly our Congressional Dems were last year on this issue, I won't hold my breadth.

[fujiyama]

29. A step in the right direction

[tavalon]

30. Yay!!!!

Wonderful news!

[blue_onyx]

32. That's great to hear

I hope Obama will push for legislation to add sexual orientation and gender identity to the list of protected classes. I know there's a reason they won't push for gay marriage but I think they could get away with protecting gay people from things like being fired from their jobs. I believe there are still 38 states that have no laws to prevent companies from firing people because of sexual orientation....this is unacceptable.

[DU GrovelBot]

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[Coexist]

36. K & R!

[No Elephants]

37. Good on Barack Obama. He is not in office yet and he is improving things.