Resolution in Support of ENDA

Whereas the Employment Non-Discrimination Act would prohibit, at the federal level, discrimination on the basis of Sexual Orientation
Whereas only ten states have thus far banned discrimination against lesbians, gays and bisexuals, leaving it perfectly legal in most states for employers to practice anti-gay discrimination
Whereas not one single state has thus far banned discrimination against transgender people, leaving it perfectly legal in every state for employers to practice anti-transgender discrimination
Whereas millions of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual and transgender workers, including many PAW members, face numerous forms of job discrimination, including not being hired, firings, denial of promotion, sexual and verbal harassment, physical and sexual assault, and denial of equal benefits
Whereas lesbian, gay, bisexual, and particularly transsexual and transgender people are abused both physically and mentally, murdered, and denied basic human rights to housing, jobs, and social services
Whereas persons who choose gender identification in which they are most comfortable should be afforded the protection against discrimination along with persons of different sexual orientation
Be It Therefore Resolved that PAW advocates the view that persons identified as transgender and transsexual be included in ENDA, and that all efforts by the labor community and the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender/transsexual community be brought to bear to demand an end to discrimination based on gender identity or gender expression
Be It Further Resolved that PAW demands the immediate passage of ENDA, with the above mentioned additions, and, through participating in Congressional hearings and other political action will continue to make its passage a major priority
Submitted by: Conference Planning Committee PAW/AFL-CIO 1999