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Loading ...Protests Mark HRC Gala
07.28.2008 12:00pm EDT
(San Francisco, Calif.) The cracks that developed in LGBT solidarity over the past year were never more evident than on the weekend when transgender rights supporters picketed a gala in San Francisco hosted by the national Human Rights Campaign.
The gala was organized to raise funds for HRC and to fight a proposed ballot initiative that would ban same-sex marriage in California.Among those writing checks for the campaign against the proposed amendment was Bruce Bastian, the multi-millionaire co-developer of Word Perfect, who donated $1 million. His contribution brings to over $2 million the total amount HRC has available to fight the amendment that would ban marriage in California.
But outside the San Francisco hotel where the gala was being held, a large number of demonstrators protested HRC’s support for a version of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act which adds gays and lesbians to protected classes, but excludes transgendered people.
ENDA, introduced by Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass), originally included transpeople, but Frank removed those protections in committee, saying it would be impossible to pass.
More than a dozen LGBT groups immediately distanced themselves from the legislation, but not HRC. The bill passed the House and a Senate version is pending, but the HRC position has deeply divided LGBT activists.
Frank and HRC have said they would support a future stand-alone bill that would add protections for transsexuals, but many LGBT groups oppose that stand, saying it wouldn’t garner the same strength of support.
Many of the groups angered over HRC’s decision sent representatives to demonstrate at the HRC gala. Among those protesting Saturday night were the Harvey Milk LGBT Democratic Club, Pride at Work and members of the San Francisco Labor Council.
The event’s keynote speaker, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, pulled out at the last minute. A spokesperson said the mayor was reluctant to cross the labor council’s picket line.
The proposed anti-equal marriage amendment supported by the Gala will appear on the November ballot, although public opinion polls suggest the measure is likely to fail.
Gay activists won new support for the failure of the measure last week when the office of the California Secretary of State rewrote the question.
Previously, the amendment said it limited marriage to a union between a man and a woman. It will now say it is a constitutional change to eliminate the right of same sex couples to marry. And it will note that California could lose several tens of millions of dollars in sales taxes if same-sex marriage were banned.
Opponents of the proposed amendment say that the new definition could sway many voters in California, which is facing a huge deficit.
It was the House leadership that made the decision to remove protections for transgendered Americans from ENDA, not HRC. Why isn’t the transgendered community picketing Rep. Frank and other members of the House leadership? Is it working to get an inclusive ENDA passed in the Senate? Has it launched an education program towards the LGB community about their problems and challenges? No. Do transgendered community leaders think they can get an inclusive ENDA passed in Congress without HRC? No.
Does HRC want the help of the transgendered community to get an inclusive ENDA passed in Congress? Yes.
I can understand the anger within the transgendered community, but who benefited from this weekend’s protest? Not the transgendered community. Not HRC. Not ENDA. Not the campaign to stop Prop 8. This action only furthered the wedge between the LGB and T community. It fostered neither communication nor education. Everyone lost something. Except our enemies–I’m sure they loved the specter of our fighting among ourselves.
Robert,
HRC gave the House leadership the OK to remove transgendered persons. They did not protest, voice their concern or even say “No you can’t do that”.
There is a long history of HRC promising to keep the transgendered in the bill but jettisons them when the going gets tough. This is the THIRD time they have done this in ten years after promising not to.
The people sticking up for HRC need to know this and stop deluding themselves into thinking that HRC is trans supportive.
The HRC of today is the same HRC that spent much of the 90’s telling you to “act straight and stop the pride parades” if you wanted to get your rights. There a bunch of conformists and that is the last thing the GLBTIQ community needs.
My trans friends who have been assaulted by rednecks and such all say the attackers were yelling “Die fag die” or “F***you faggot” when they were attacked. Not die tranny die. So, if you think that leaving some behind is a great idea think again.
Everyone knows that HRC is the largest G/L lobbyist group….by far. The House leadership would never have jettisoned trans protections from ENDA without HRC approval….which they received. Why do you think their only transgender board member resigned? I was a member and supporter of HRC until they threw us under the bus. I have not renewed my membership and will not support HRC again. As for protesting….I was just “laid off” from a mega-corporation as retaliation for standing up for my non-existent rights. My only hope for survival is to go stealth as best I can. I am not looking for any help from Barney or his friends at HRC.
Enough with the “under the bus” crowd already — at what point do you not see that “protesting” or “punishing” HRC for not being pure enough in its tactics is simply counter-productive.
I’m not asking HRC to be pure. I just wish they’d stop the phoney BS about being pro-trans. I’m not protesting anything. I just don’t see HRC as an advocate for the t-community. It’s also disturbing that the G/L folks seem so unconconcerned that the people most in need of protections were so casually tossed aside. Staying in the closet was no option for me. I transitioned on the job….everyone knew my sexual-minority status…there was no choice. I was then let go. A trans-inclusive ENDA may have saved my job. This is not ideology to me….this is my life.
One further note…..support of non-inclusive ENDA was also a stupid tactical decision by HRC. This bill had zero chance of being passed by the Senate and zero chance of being signed by the evil W. I cannot comprehend why HRC caused such conflict in the GLBT community for a bill that had zero chance of becoming law. For me it was only a painful reminder of how despised the T in GLBT is. I feel betrayed and the group (of which I was a member) received no benefit from the betrayal. Loss of credibility….conflict….a divided community….no gain….STUPID.
Hmmm…..Since when did “bi” sexuals(whatever the frig THAT means) and hetero wannabes AKA Transexuals become part of OUR movement? Exactly WHO is “they” who tacked those two little extra letters onto the Gay/Lesbian ALLIANCE? I sure as shit don’t ever remember taking a “vote” on the subject.
With such a division among the GLBT community it’s no wonder that we have such a strugle. Then there are some G/L that say it’s their cause leaving out B/T. Christians are promoting religious rule in America by preaching hate, which makes it hard to say “I am proud to be an American”. Then within the gay community bisexuals and transgendered come under attack by gays, which makes it hard to say “I am proud to be a gay man”.
Once again we are faced with disputes within our own communities. Let’s get it together people. Who cares if you are GLBT or Straight? What should matter is the fact that we all deserve to be treated with respect in public and at work. The power we have should be displayed during elections. The power of voting is amazing. Stop blaming each other. We will never overcome these obsticles if we continue to rip each other apart. PRIDE, COMMUNITY AND COMMITTMENT! Let us stand together so that we can all shout out that we are proud.
Barney Frank, Hillary Clinton’s campaign manager, didn’t gut ENDA simply because he’s prejudiced against trans people. He did it because most Democrats wouldn’t vote for it because they’d lose the backing of bigoted business owners and managers. And many of the Congressional Democrats are as bigoted as their Republican cousins, a fact they demonstrated when they overwhelmingly voted for DOMA and DADT.
HRC has only one real base and that’s rich GLBT folk and their toadies. Most of them are in businesses of one kind or another and it’s and logical they’d oppose ENDA and want to see it gutted by Frank and the Republicans.
If HRC can continues raising money it won’t die out quickly, but it’s hard to see how they can do that if the vast bulk of the movement despises them. As the article pointed out the mayor of LA refused because the SF Central Labor Council not only boycotted the event but threw up a picket line. Pride at Work AFL-CIO gets the credit for that excellent move.
The level of anger went up several degrees at their SF fundraiser when a 63 year old lesbian was manhandled by three hired goons and tossed to the ground. Their tactics wouldn’t be out of place during a police riot and apparently they’re perfectly acceptable to rich supporters of HRC, who turned a blind eye – not one of them had the guts to come to her defense.
Jessica, that is not true. HRC did not give the House of Representatives the “ok” to remove transgender protections. The House told HRC – and all others – “this is the strategy we need to pursue.” And there were many reasons for it.
Is it/was it upsetting – absolutely. I certainly was upset by the House’s approach.
But it was their decision.
HRC DID express in a written statement how disappointed it was. What keeps getting twisted is this fact – HRC didn’t “oppose” the bill. That is much different than “driving” the bill.
By opposing, that means the organization would have had to score our few allies in congress negatively on the congressional scorecard.
Would the LGBT community preferred that HRC turn its back on the few leaders we have in Congress – Pelosi, Baldwin, Frank, etc. – who are trying to get protections for all members of the community?
Opposing them would have been a direct slap in the face, cutting HRC and the rest of the community out of the conversation.
Did congress slap the transcommunity in the face with its decision? Yep, unfortunately they did – they don’t “get it” yet.
But taking the approach that some members of the community which HRC had taken would have set our entire community back years – many years.
This is a civil rights struggle. All civil movements from women’s suffrage to the struggle of African Americans has been successfully built and won based on gradual, incremental change, won over time. How was it won – through perserverance, education, communication, and strength of community.
That said – everyone – conversations like these are important, sharing our feelings and opinions is important, and working together is important.
However we have got to stop attacking ourselves and distancing ourselves both within our community, and within the broader community in our country overall.
It gives an incredible amount of ammunition to Focus on the Family and others who are against us.
We have got to begin the healing process, and we have got to come together and stay unified.
Thank you for listening.
Bill, the allegations Catherine Cusic made about her treatment at the San Francisco HRC Gala were unfortunately a complete fabrication. I was there. I recommend the following article for a more fair portrayal of both sides of this issue. At least 7 other individuals who attended the gala have also spoken out against her claims via a variety of blogs as well.
http://www.edgesanfrancisco.com/index.php?ch=news&sc=glbt&sc2=news&sc3=&id=78166