Employment discrimination on the basis
of sexual orientation and gender identity

Support and opposition to ENDA (2009)

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Background:

The ENDA bills were introduced to the House on 2009-JUN-24, and to the Senate on 2009-AUG-07.

Both are referred to as "inclusive" bills because they prevent discrimination on the basis of gender identity as well as sexual orientation.

Thus, the bills would cover every American in two ways:

	On the basis of their sexual orientation, whether heterosexual, bisexual or homosexual.
	On the basis of their gender identity: cis-gendered or transgendered. The vast majority of adults are cis-gendered; their perceived gender and genetic genders match. A minority is transgendered: their perceived and genetic genders do not match. Sometime the latter describe themselves as having a female mind in a male body, or vice-versa.

Initial support for ENDA from LGBT-positive groups:

HRC President Joe Solmonese, president of the Human Rights Campaign, a LGBT-positive group, said:

"The introduction of an inclusive employment non-discrimination bill in the U.S. Senate is an important and historic step in ending discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. No American, and that includes LGBT Americans, should have to worry about their livelihood being taken away from them simply for being who they are.   The overwhelming majority of the American people are in favor of this legislation and now is the time for our community to visit their representatives in Congress to let them know we need this passed into law."

Meghan Stabler, a HRC Business Council member said:

"Today is a historic day; the first time that an Inclusive ENDA (covering Sexual Orientation AND Gender Identity) has been introduced into the Senate chamber. I know that all of us in the Transgender community applaud the Senate sponsors for taking the lead to provide workplace discrimination protections for all. However, this is only the first step and now we must continue our focus on education and telling of our personal stories to every legislator in the hopes of passing this bill to move it to the President?s desk for signature." ₅

Initial opposition to ENDA from a conservative Christian group:

Robert Knight, writing for the fundamentalist Christian news source OneNewsNow:

	Described the ENDA bill as the "gay quota bill, even though no quota system is covered by the bill
	Describes an ideal political system as a theocracy -- one integrating religion and state -- rather than isolating church and state."
	Describes feelings of sexual attraction, which normally define the three sexual orientations, as changeable -- like religion which is another protected class.
	Described homophobia and transphobia as traditional values.
	Described sexual behavior by sexual minorities to be intrinsically sinful.

He wrote:

"ENDA is profoundly dangerous. It turns private sin into a public right and brings the force of government against morality itself. Any such law is a violation of our unalienable rights as proclaimed in the Declaration of Independence. To put it more simply, a statute that directly contradicts [the Judeo-Christian] God's moral law is illegitimate. Laws embody and reflect morality, or they are not laws. They are tyranny. That's why so-called same-sex "marriage" laws are absurd and treacherous. Forcing citizens to accept a counterfeit as the real thing is an act of despotism."
 
"ENDA adds not only 'sexual orientation' but 'gender identity' to federal workplace anti-discrimination law. Thus, it takes an ax to the idea that sexual behavior has a natural normalcy or any relation to morality. It falsely equates a changeable condition (sexual desire) with race and ethnicity. Worse, it turns traditional values into a form of bigotry punishable under the law. ..."
 
"The Left has long been at war against sexual morals for good reason. People conditioned to think as short-term opportunists instead of as members of the family tree are easy to manipulate. Just give them the false promise of a painless future free from individual responsibility." ₆

We expect more support and opposition in the upcoming months as committee hearings are held.

References used:

The following information sources were used to prepare and update the above essay. The hyperlinks are not necessarily still active today.

1. Michael Cole, "Inclusive ENDA introduced in Sanate for first time," Human Rights Campaign, 2009-AUG-05, at: http://www.hrcbackstory.org/
2. Robert Knight, "The undeclared war to ENDA our liberty,"

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Copyright © 2009 by Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance
First posted: 2009-AUG-07
Latest update: 2009-SEP-23
Author: B.A. Robinson

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