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Barney Frank is a U.S. Congressman.

Also, it's unfair to say that without noting that the LGB movement has been working for twenty years or more to pass this piece of legislation, whereas their community leaders (not neccessarily the majority of all homosexuals) just added in transgendered people a few years back.  I'd rather see some progress than none at all.

Excellent snarking, Nicole! Plus, great graphic. Thank you.

Why are people snarking about no progress being made? Unless you've been under a rock for the past ten years, you'd have to be blind not to see the progress made. Is it progress to send a message that community leaders support certain groups that will only advance their agenda. Geez, how selfish.

There is no progress made unless risks are taken. Need I remind people that Coretta Scott King stepped to the forefront of the civil rights movement to further the gay rights movement?

Gotta say, if the LGB ENDA bill can pass, and the LGBT ENDA bill can't, then pass the one you CAN, and start working on the parts that aren't as politically "acceptable" right now.  Why is this so weird?  Do you really think Aravosis or Frank or Pelosi wouldn't LOVE to have the fully inclusive bill pass?  That they secretly hate transgendered persons and are sandbagging them on a viable piece of legislation?  Or is it that you'd rather valiantly fail than succeed with compromise?  Jesus, get over yourself and face the fact that this is a battle that's going to be one a step at a time.

You really ought to give John Aravosis' piece another read.  "Pro-life" conservatives have been quite happy to whittle away abortion rights bit by bit.  They're willing to settle for little victories as long as those victories put them on the right path.  Aravosis' point is that we need to do the same, and realize that if we cannot accept small gains, and at least temporarily put off our larger goals, then we'll never build any momentum.  If we get ENDA passed without the T, and it works and is accepted, then we'll be one step closer to convincing enough people that transgendered employment rights deserve protecting too.  In fact, leaving the T out of ENDA to get ENDA passed could lead to protections for transgendered people sooner rather than later.  

Do transgendered people deserve protection from employment discrimination?  Hell yes.  But, we also need to get out of Iraq, provide universal health care, promote the use of renewable fuels, put more money into the National Endowment for the Arts, and etc.  Should we add provisions covering all of those to ENDA too?  Frankly, I think a lot more people are suffering because we haven't gotten out of Iraq, than because we don't have appropriate workplace anti-discrimination standards for transsexuals.  

The snarking emanates from the same mentality that disdained Al Gore in 2000, leading morons in Florida and New Hampshire to vote for Ralph Nader, giving the election to Bush.  Ya really think there was no difference between them, you ding-dongs?  Like how the guy you elected is running the country?

Politics is the art of the possible.  You can get something good, or you can throw that away because you can't get everything good right now.  What are you, three years old?  Don't ever let the Best become the enemy of the Good.

Barney Frank is not a Senator. He is a congressman. Massachusetts' two senators are two fairly obscure guys named Ted Kennedy and John Kerry. People who follow politics might have heard of these guys. For that matter, people who follow politics might know the difference between a congressman and a senator. And people who can't tell the difference between congressman and a senator probably should learn the difference before they start making self-righteous blog posts criticizing the first openly gay congressman because he actually compromised to get things done for the progressive cause instead of sitting around in the meatpacking district getting a cheek piercing and b****ing  about how the world doesn't come made to order. Here's to you, Barney Frank. Thank you.

Arvosis and Frank are right. Stryker was pretty funny, but missed the point. EDNA would be a huge victory for civil rights and the queer community, and it's foolish to destroy that but not everyone got to play.