ΗΠΑ: Άνοιξε ο δρόμος για την trans-inclusive ENDA.

Ευχάριστα τα νέα στις ΗΠΑ για τα διαφυλικά άτομα, καθώς ο Barney Frank έφερε στο Κονγκρέσσο τον νόμο κατά των διακρίσεων στον χώρο εργασίας, την λεγόμενη Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), στην πλήρη της μορφή, ώστε να συμπεριλαμβάνει και τις διακρίσεις για λόγους ταυτότητας φύλου.

Η διαφορά από το 2007, όταν ο ίδιος πάλι είχε φέρει τον νόμο στο Κονγκρέσσο, είναι ότι τότε είχε μόλις 62 υποστηρικτές (και είχε αποτύχει στην trans-inclusive μορφή της), ενώ τώρα έχει 121.

Ο Barney Frank αισιοδοξεί ότι μέχρι το τέλος του χρόνου θα έχει ψηφιστεί. Αντιγράφουμε από το Advocate:
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Frank Introduces Trans-Inclusive ENDA
By Kerry Eleveld, June 24, 2009

Rep. Barney Frank introduced a bill Wednesday to ban workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

“I am encouraged that we are going to be able to do this year what we were not able to do a couple years ago, and that is pass a fully inclusive bill,” Frank said at a press conference preceding the introduction. The House approved an employment nondiscrimination bill in 2007, but it did not include protections for transgender Americans.

The 2009 Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) has 121 original cosponsors, up from 62 cosponsors for the trans-inclusive bill of 2007.

No Senate companion legislation exists, but Frank said he was talking with several senators about it. He said he expected a hearing on the bill would be held in July and a committee markup would take place in September. “We are on track to pass this bill through the House this year,” he said.

Frank also urged people to lobby on behalf of the bill, adding, “You can now take for granted that there will be a vote on the floor of the House of Representatives, almost certainly this calendar year, on a fully inclusive ENDA.”

Rep. Tammy Baldwin noted that the bill held special significance for two reasons. “There are people across the country who live in jurisdictions where there are no protections -- whose very jobs are at risk,” she said. In 30 states people can be fired simply for being gay, while transgender people can be fired in 38 states.

Baldwin also highlighted the fact that ENDA would be the “first piece of major LGBT civil rights legislation ever enacted by this Congress.”

She added that passing the legislation would create “a new day” in which Congress has acknowledged that discrimination against LGBT people exists and has outlawed it. “Once you’ve said that,” she remarked, “it creates the moment and the opportunity for us to take further steps.”

Rep. Jared Polis also attended the briefing, as did representatives from the Human Rights Campaign, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, and the National Center for Transgender Equality.

“We are enthusiastic,” said Mara Keisling, executive director of NCTE, “and if LGBT people focus and eat what’s on their plate, we’re going to get this thing passed this year.”
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Στο παρακάτω βίντεο, βλέπετε την τελική ομιλία του Barney Frank στο Κονγκρέσσο στις 11.07.07, όταν είχε αποτύχει να περάσει ο νόμος πλήρως.

From: CapNewsNet

Επίσης, η Mara Keisling, εκπρόσωπος της National Center for Transgender Equality, μιλά για τα προβλήματα που αντιμετωπίζουν τα διαφυλικά άτομα καθώς και για την σημασία της ENDA.

From: itlmedia