Monday, November 19, 2007

HRC, Keep Your Moneygrubbing Mitts Off Our TDOR


The TDOR is a time for us to memorialize the people we lost to anti-transgender violence. It's a event that's designed as a way for our allies to show support to our community.

In Louisville, the TDOR celebration has been organized by the wonderful people at the Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary. We will celebrate the 5th annual local observance tomorrow night at 7 PM in the Caldwell Chapel on the LPTS campus.

While we deeply appreciate our allies and can't thank you enough for the love, support and help that you have given us over the years, there's one group that in my opinion should NOT be welcome at any TDOR event this year and for the foreseeable future.

In the wake of their odious and morally bankrupt handling of ENDA (which will result in more transgender deaths until we have full civil rights) HRC is co-sponsoring TDOR memorials in Washington DC, Houston, Phoenix and Chicago.

They have revealed themselves to be the Antichrists of civil rights and have no respect for anything but cash, so why should we dishonor the memories of transpeople who died by having an organization that worked to pass a transgender-free ENDA, took $10K-20K of our money at SCC while saying they would oppose a non-inclusive ENDA and has spent a decade opposing our inclusion sign up as the sponsor of TDOR events?

Their opposition to our inclusion in ENDA is a contributing factor along with the anti-transgender hatred to some of the transpeople we memorialize at TDOR's being on that list in the first place.

So until HRC mends its ways, why should we give them the opportunity to keep perpetrating the 'illusion of inclusion' and claim in their fundraising efforts that they are transgender friendly? Their deeds not only speak loudly as to the type of organization they are, it speaks to their moral fiber as well.

3 comments:

Daimeon said...

HRC has cancelled their DC event and instead urged it's staff and members to attend the Whitman Walker Clinic's vigil scheduled at 6pm at the corner of 14th and S streets NW.

They said it was due to basically the sentiments you have (not you specifically, but the community as a whole, wich I totally agree with).

Monica Roberts said...

Daimeon,
Glad to hear that.

HRC knows that the ONLY way they are going to have a shot at getting back in our good graces is to be the lead dog on passing a transgender-inclusive ENDA.

It will take concrete deeds, not symbolic acts that perpetuate 'the illusion of inclusion'.

Polar said...

Well, here we are a year later, and HRC is SPONSORING the Cincinnati and Columbus, Ohio TDORS.

It was wrong in 2007. It's even more wrong in 2008.