Lavender Greens endorse version of Employment Non-Discrimination Act that includes protection on the basis of gender identity

GREEN PARTY OF THE UNITED STATES
http://www.gp.org

For Immediate Release:
Thursday, October 18, 2007

Contacts:
Scott McLarty, Media Coordinator, 202-518-5624, mclarty@greens.org
Starlene Rankin, Media Coordinator, 916-995-3805, starlene@gp.org
Tim Casebolt, Secretary of the National Lavender Green Caucus, 619-584-0322, timc@sdgreens.org

WASHINGTON, DC -- The Lavender Caucus of the Green Party of the United States has joined the United ENDA coalition and has endorsed the passage of House Bill 2015, the fully inclusive version of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA).

"By joining United ENDA, Lavender Greens are expressing their support for ENDA language that includes gender identity along with sexual orientation among the classes protected against job discrimination," said Michelle Kinnucan, Lavender Caucus member and Michigan Green. "Transgender and other Americans who do not conform to gender stereotypes deserve the same rights as all other Americans. ENDA must cover transgender as well as gay, lesbian, bi, and straight people."

The resolution, adopted this past weekend, also urges national Green support for the inclusive version of ENDA.

"We were dismayed that Human Rights Campaign and Congressional leadership were willing to water down the bill by omitting transgender rights," said James Sheldon, Lavender Caucus member and graduate student at San Francisco State University. "We're proud to stand with the National Center for Transgender Equality and other groups in United ENDA that are calling for equal protection on the basis of gender identity to be restored and for passage of the inclusive House bill [HR 2015] instead of the newer version [HR 3685]."

The national platform of the Green Party of the United States embraces full rights and equality regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity, including same-sex marriage rights and support for legislation ending discrimination in employment, housing, civil marriage, medical benefits, and child custody <http://www.gp.org/platform/2004/socjustice.html#999079>. The Lavender Green Caucus <http://www.lavendergreens.us> represents gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and queer members of the Green Party.

MORE INFORMATION

Green Party of the United States
http://www.gp.org
202-319-7191, 866-41GREEN
Fax 202-319-7193

Green Party News Center
http://www.gp.org/newscenter.shtml

Green Party Speakers Bureau
http://www.gp.org/speakers

2007 national Green Party meeting in Reading, Pa.: video footage, blog and media coverage
http://www.gp.org/meeting2007/

Lavender Green Caucus
http://www.lavendergreens.us

United ENDA
http://www.unitedenda.org

The National Center for Transgender Equality
http://www.nctequality.org

Analysis of ENDA by Lambda Legal Defense
http://data.lambdalegal.org/pdf/enda_llanalysis_20071016.pdf

~ END ~