The first-ever
congressional hearing on transgender issues was held
Thursday in Washington, D.C. The hearing on discrimination
against trans people in the workplace was held by the
House education and labor subcommittee on health,
employment, labor, and pensions, chaired by Democratic
congressman Robert Andrews of New Jersey.
This historic
hearing was a long time coming, said Rea Carey, executive
director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Action
Fund. "For far too long, transgender people have lived
with the fear of losing their job simply because of
who they are," she said. "Today's hearing marks
a critical step in addressing this travesty once and for
all."
American Civil
Liberties Union senior legislative counsel Christopher
Anders echoed Carey's sentiments. "Regardless of our
gender identity, we all deserve a fair shot at job
opportunities and advancement," he said. "In America,
it should be hard work, education, skills, and
experience that determine our success in the job market."
According to Mara
Keisling, executive director of the National Center for
Transgender Equality, the very presence of such a hearing
before Congress is cause for celebration. "The idea of
Congress holding a hearing [on transgender issues] was
a huge long shot," she said. "It shows that Congress
understands that this is a significant problem. It's
progress -- it's not enough progress and it's
not fast enough, but it's progress."
Based on the
testimony of several witnesses, advocacy groups hope
Congress will be compelled to pass legislation protecting
transgender individuals from discrimination on the
job. Among those who testified were Shannon Minter,
legal director of the National Center for Lesbian
Rights, who was one of the attorneys who helped win marriage
equality in California; out congresswoman Tammy
Baldwin of Wisconsin; and retired Army colonel Diane
Schroer, whose job offer to be a terrorism research
analyst at the Library of Congress was rescinded when her
supervisor-to-be learned she had been born male. (The
Advocate)
