Kennedy indicates Democrats would approve transgender rights

Andrew Miga - Associated Press Writer - 4/2/2008 6:30:00 AM

WASHINGTON - Sen. Edward M. Kennedy is jumping into the middle of an uproar within the homosexual community whose causes he has long championed.

The Massachusetts Democrat is leading a push in the Senate for a federal ban on job bias against gays, lesbians and bisexuals - but not transsexuals, cross-dressers and others whose outward appearance doesn't match their gender at birth.

"We will strongly oppose it," said Roberta Sklar of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. "Leaving transgender people out makes that a flawed movement." [What does this do their movement to argue that they are born that way?  I have yet to learn of anyone being born with clothing let alone sexually inappropriate clothing.  This just goes to show the the (emperor) GBLT movement has no clothes to its argument that this is anything other than a group of people making choices.  We all have temptations and desires.  That does not mean that we submit to them and demand others to accept our unacceptable behavior.  I was born a liar does that mean I should be able to perjure myself and demand that others not get upset.  This world is loosing its ability to reason. 2Th 2:11 1Co 2:14 2Co 4:4 Mt 15:14 1Co 1:20 1Co 1:27 1Ti 6:9]

The House in November approved the bill, written by openly gay Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., despite strong protests from many homosexual rights advocates that it didn't cover transgender workers.

"It was made very clear in the fall that most LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) organizations, the vast majority of LGBT organizations, do not want Congress to shove a civil rights bill down our throat that we don't want," said Mara Keisling, executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality.

Some gay rights groups, including the Human Rights Campaign, supported Frank's bill and the decision not to risk its rejection by Congress by insisting on immediate transgender protections as well.

"We will continue this work until all members of our community no longer fear being fired for who they are," said Brad Luna, Human Rights Campaign communications director.

Kennedy said Senate approval of the bill could pave the way for extending protections to transgender workers next year, when he hopes Democrats will increase their numbers in Congress and a Democratic president supporting gay rights will be in the White House.

"The fact is that the House of Representatives has taken action," Kennedy said in an interview Tuesday with The Associated Press. "The best opportunity for progress is ... to follow along on the action of the House of Representatives, and then look down the road to a new day after we have a good Democratic Congress and a Democratic president."

Kennedy expects an "uphill fight" in the narrowly divided Senate, where 60 votes rather than a simple majority would be needed to overcome expected GOP stalling tactics.

Kennedy and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., who supports the bill, are working on the timing for bringing the bill to the floor.

The bill would make it illegal for employers to make decisions about hiring, firing, promoting or paying an employee based on sexual orientation. There are exemptions for churches and the military.

A veto from President Bush is expected if the proposal does pass the Senate. The White House has cited constitutional concerns and said the proposal could trample religious rights.

Conservative critics of the bill say it could undermine the rights of people who oppose homosexuality for religious reasons and lead to a wave of dubious discrimination lawsuits. Some say gay rights advocates are exaggerating the extent of anti-gay discrimination to boost their political agenda.

"It's offering special protection to a group that isn't normally seen as disadvantaged," said Tom McClusky, vice president of government affairs at the socially conservative Family Research Council.