[News] [USA] First trans witness testifies at Senate ENDA hearing

[Stephanie Stevens]

The GA Voice, GA, USA


First trans witness testifies at Senate ENDA hearing

by Dyana Bagby

June 12, 2012 16:13


Getting Congress to pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act is no
easy task, obviously, especially when it comes to the gender identity
part. I mean, the anti-gay bigots are frothing at the mouth thinking
about who will be using what bathroom
<http://americansfortruth.com/issues/bathroom-controversies/> .

But today the Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Committee
held a hearing on ENDA
<http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2012/06/12/498293/enda-trans-witness/>
and included a transgender witness to testify about his experiences.
This is the same Congress that likes to discuss birth control with no
women present, so no doubt this was a major victory for LGBT and ENDA
activists.

Kylar Broadus, founder of the Trans People of Color Coalition
<http://www.transpoc.org/> , testified about the indignities he's
faced as a trans man — from workplace harassment to employment
discrimination and also police abuse. From his testimony today:

To be unemployed is very devastating, also demeaning and demoralizing.
And then the recovery time — there is no limit on it. I still have not
financially recovered. I’m underemployed. When I do talks, I tell
people I’m not employable. I was lucky to be where I am and I’m happy
to be where I am, but I’m one of the fortunate people that is
employed. There are many more people like me that are not employed as
a result of just being who they are — being good workers, but being
transgender or transsexual. So I think it’s extremely important that
this bill be passed to protect workers like me.

Broadus also touched on the bathroom issue, stating, "When I used
female restrooms, police would accost me. I would have to strip and
then they still told me, “Sir, get out of the bathroom,” when I would
use the ladies’ room. It’s just humiliating and dehumanizing to say
the least.[...]"

In 2009, Atlanta's own Vandy Beth Glenn testified before a House
Congressional hearing to share what is was like to be fired from her
state job as a legislative editor after her supervisor learned she
planned to transition on the job. You can watch her full testimony
here.

She sued the state for discrimination and wrongful termination and
last year won her case after taking it all the way to the 11th Circuit
Court of Appeals — and she also got her job back.

Her case was also cited in the historic EEOC's ruling in May
<http://articles.latimes.com/2012/apr/25/local/la-me-transgender-20120425>
that "Title VII, the federal sex discrimination law, protects
employees who are discriminated against because they are transgender."

The ruling states “intentional discrimination against a transgender
individual because that person is transgender is, by definition,
discrimination ‘based on … sex’ and such discrimination … violates
Title VII.”

The EEOC is the federal agency that interprets and enforces federal
employment discrimination law. With its May ruling marks its first
time clearing up what is discrimination against transgender workers.

Watch Broadus' testimony today via Think Progress <http://thinkprogress.org/> :

[Video: <http://youtu.be/conAzL2wCKE> First Trans Congressional Testimony]


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