Q Of The Day - What's Your "Deal Breaker" Issue?

by: Autumn Sandeen

Wed Jan 16, 2008 at 05:45:00 AM EST

So, he got me thinking about what's the "deal breaker" issue for me. What is the issue that I demand a candidate to have said "magic words" in support of to get my vote?

As y'all might expect, my "deal breaker" issue is the inclusion of transgender people in LGBT civil rights legislation. If a candidate hasn't used the words of "gender identity" or some variant of the term "transgender" in a statement that supports equality for LGBT people, then I'm not going to vote for that candidate in my state's primary. And, I'm scheduled to vote in California's Democratic Primary, which is a "Tsunami Tuesday" (February 5th) primary -- so my primary vote actually may mean something this year.

Let me publicly review, then, what the top tier Democratic Party candidates for president have said with regards to my "deal breaker" issue.

[The top tier presidential candidates' statements on transgender issues, and who I could or couldn't vote for today based on what the candidates have said on transgender issues to this point.]

Barak Obama:

Statement:

Sen. Barack Obama co-sponsored the Matthew Shepard Act (federal anti-hate crimes law) and the Employment Non-Discrimination Act. When asked if he supports transgender inclusion, Obama said, "Absolutely. The transgendered community has to be protected. I just don't have any tolerance for that sort of intolerance. And I think we need to legislate aggressively to protect them."

Expand Hate Crimes Statutes
In 2004, crimes against LGBT Americans constituted the third-highest category of hate crime reported. Obama co-sponsored legislation to expand federal hate crimes law to include crimes perpetrated because of sexual orientation or gender identity.

Fight Workplace Discrimination and Promote Rights
Obama believes the Employment Non-Discrimination Act should be expanded to include sexual orientation and gender identity. Obama sponsored legislation in the Illinois State Senate that would ban employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

ENDA: Supports ENDA; sponsored legislation in the Illinois State Senate which would have banned sexual orientation discrimination in employment.

Transgender Issues: Supported inclusion of gender identity in hate crimes and employment legislation. Though he has recently avoided the transgender issue in his gay position paper, he told a gay reporter in 2004: "The transgendered community has to be protected. I just don't have any tolerance for that sort of intolerance. And I think we need to legislate aggressively to protect them."

John Edwards:

Statement:

"LGBT Americans are entitled to equal respect and dignity under our laws. Discrimination is morally wrong. All Americans should have the same freedoms and the same responsibilities."

Workplace Discrimination
Workers should be judged by the quality of their performance, not their sexual orientation or gender identity. While in the Senate, Edwards cosponsored the Employment Non-Discrimination Act. He also believes that stronger enforcement is necessary to prevent employment discrimination by federal agencies.

Hate Crimes
Everyone is entitled to live in dignity without fear of violence. We should strengthen the ability of law enforcement to investigate and prosecute hate crimes based on race, gender, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, disability or gender identity. While in the Senate, Edwards cosponsored legislation to give law enforcement agencies the tools they need to investigate and prosecute hate crimes.

ENDA: Co-sponsored ENDA when in the Senate; called for stronger federal accountability when it comes to discrimination.

Transgender Issues: Supports the inclusion of gender identity and expression in ENDA and hate crimes legislation.

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Edwards, for his part, pleased the crowd with a set of specific commitments. He said he would favor teaching about gay and lesbian families in public schools, and would personally help a hypothetical transgendered aide to transition to the other sex.

Hilary Clinton:

Statement 1.:

[The Task Force lists no statements where Clinton says the words transgender or gender identity in a statement supporting civil rights for the transgender community in the present tense]

Transgender activist Melissa Sklarz asked Sen. Clinton to keep an eye on one of the few federal measures that could help transgender individuals, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA).

"The way it is written now, it does not include gender identity and gender expression," Sklarz said. "It would mean so much to transgender people, if we could count on some kind of federal protection if ENDA ever gets out of the cave it's been sitting in."

Sen. Clinton noted that trans-inclusion was also a problem in the federal hate-crimes legislation.

"We are aware of that," she said. "Hopefully, the light will come, and we'll see what we can do."

Rodham Clinton told lgny that the campaign had allowed her the chance to meet with advocates for transgender rights, but she discounted the political viability of trying to amend pending legislation before Congress, such as the Employment NonDiscrimination Act, to address issues of gender identity and expression at this time. In fact, she said, "No one who's a leader in the gay and lesbian community has asked me to do that."

Pass ENDA
It is inconceivable to Hillary that people who work hard and do a good job every day can still be fired because of who they are or who they love. It's unfair, it's un-American, and she will put a stop to it.

Supported ENDA
Throughout her Senate career, Hillary has been an original cosponsor of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which would finally end employment discrimination against gays, lesbians, and transgender individuals.

Pass federal hate crimes legislation
Hillary believes that hate crimes undermine the fundamental principle upon which our nation was founded, that all men and women are equal. She will strengthen law enforcement and prosecution against discriminatory acts of violence against gays, lesbians, and transgender individuals by signing the Matthew Shepard Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act into law.

ENDA: Has committed to passing the federal law outlawing employment discrimination based on sexual orientation. She says she will introduce a measure extending benefits to the partners of federal employees.

Transgender Issues: Signed the GenderPac Diversity Statement affirming that they do not discriminate in hiring when it comes to sexual orientation and gender identity and expression. Supports including gender identity and expression in both ENDA and hate crimes legislation, though as late as [fall 2006], she did not support trans inclusion in ENDA.

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Based on my "deal breaker" issue, either Barack Obama or John Edwards could get my vote because they are both very clear in their transgender issue statements (using the "magic words" in their statements), and Hilary Clinton couldn't get my vote because she isn't very clear in her transgender issue statements (no use of the "magic words" in her present tense/future tense statements).  

If Hillary Clinton uses the words "gender identity" or "transgender" in support of a piece of civil rights legislation (like ENDA) in the very near future, then I could change my mind and consider her for my vote in my state's primary.

So, what's your "deal breaker" issue -- and who could you vote for and not vote for based on the candidates public positions on your "deal breaker" issue?

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