The HRC claims to be
the largest LGBT civil rights organization, but have been criticized for
several years for not being Trans inclusive. In 2008, HRC was the only LGBT
civil rights group that supported a non-trans-inclusive Employment
Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA). This year, during a Marriage Equality Rally in Washington,
DC, they caused an uproar within the Transgender Community, when a trans man
holding a trans flag on the stage, was forced by an HRC staffer
on three different occasions to leave the stage if he was to remain holding the
Transgender Flag, stating that “marriage equality isn’t a transgender issue.”
Marriage equality is very much a Trans issue though rarely discussed as such in
the greater LGBT message.
Many Transgender
writers/bloggers wasted no time calling the foul that HRC has made. In the
popular article on Transgriot, “Why
the Transgender Community Hates HRC”, Monica Roberts, details for us the
long history dating back as far back as the days of Stonewall. The conservative
elders of the gay movement in the early eighties were entrenched with anti-trans
rhetoric.Now the HRC is yet again stating that they are increasing their work on Trans issues. Unfortunately they are not making this more transparent and vocalizing this to the Trans organizations. HRC members have worked most recently on the promotion of including gender identity and the Transgender bill passed in Delaware. The HRC raised money specifically to work on the gender identity bill and hired six additional contract field organizers.
Whether this amount
of attention by the HRC continues or is just a knee jerk reactions due to the press they recieved, remains to be seen. Is this enough fort the average Trans person to feel included by the
HRC? They have a long way to go after recent activities and their past behavior
to build trust among our community. More should be done to let the Trans
Community know what the HRC has and is planning for the Trans Community, in the
light.
Hopefully we will
continue to see the T not being left behind by the major LGB organizations, but
I’d have more faith in contributing my time and money to the leading Trans
Organizations. At least we know we want be let down again.Related topics on Transmuseplanet
Why Trans* should vote for our own self interest
HRC, please practice what you preach
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