Tell Your Story to Help Pass ENDA!

Marriage, marriage, marriage – sometimes it seems like that’s all folks in the LGBTQ activist world talk about. But it’s clear we’ve got lots of work to do to ensure that LGBTQ individuals are respected, protected members of society. And that’s where ENDA (the Employment NonDiscrimination Act) comes in. Today, in 33 states (but not Rhode Island) it’s perfectly legal to fire someone for being gay. Transgender firings are legal in 42 states – Li’l Rhody was the second state to protect trans workers back in 2001.

So how do we pass this critical legislation? We gather the absolute best stories we can find of discrimination, and we get the people who make decisions to hear them. So, the ACLU, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, and the Human Rights Campaign have teamed up to find these stories and tell them. And who’s better at finding compelling stories than an investigative journalist? So back in 2004, Matt Coles at the ACLU brought award-winning journalist Joel Engardio on staff to help find and tell stories of discrimination. Deb Price at the Detroit Free Press has more on Engardio and the project; just a brief excerpt here:

“If you build into society the notion that this discrimination is wrong, people aren’t going to do it,” Coles predicts.

But lawmakers need to hear why new safeguards are needed.

“You can have the greatest story in the world, but if that person isn’t willing to testify in front of Congress, it’s not going to make an impact,” says Engardio. “Somebody has to speak up.”

Have you faced discrimination on the job because of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression? Don’t take it lying down. Tell the Story Center , or email Joel Engardio. And stay involved as this process moves forward – we need to hold ourselves accountable to providing protections to ALL employees; let’s not sell out the non-traditionally gendered to get protections for the gays.