LGBT Activists Target Mark Takano on Civil Rights

MEDIA RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Aug. 11, 2014

CONTACT:
Queer Nation: news@queernationny.org

LGBT Activists Target Mark Takano on Civil Rights

Queer Nation Demands Comprehensive Federal Civil Rights Legislation 

New York, NY (Aug. 11, 2014) – In its ongoing effort to pressure Congressional Democrats to advance comprehensive federal civil rights legislation that will give lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) Americans the same rights and protections that all other Americans have, Queer Nation is targeting Rep. Mark Takano in a social media campaign titled “Which Side of Your Mouth Should We Listen To?”

Takano, who is gay, supports the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), which only bars employment discrimination against LGBT people and has a sweeping religious exemption that would let nearly 200,000 religiously affiliated employers fire or deny jobs to LGBT Americans.

Many national and state LGBT groups, including the community’s largest legal organizations, have dumped ENDA over its religious exemption.

Takano said that “[W]e should be doing all we can” to address “bigotry and discrimination” and he said that “comprehensive immigration reform” is among his “top priorities” in recent statements.   

“We agree with Mark Takano on the need for comprehensive immigration reform and for an end to discrimination, but why doesn’t he see that LGBT Americans need comprehensive legislation, not ENDA,” said Ken Kidd, a Queer Nation member. “Mark Takano made history as the first LGBT person of color in Congress. He can make history again by doing all he can for comprehensive federal civil rights legislation.“ 

Kidd continued “We know that LGBT Americans are equal in every way. Mr. Takano, can you say that you do? It’s a simple question and the actions that we see you take will answer it.”

In a July 21 statement, Takano said, “Bigotry and discrimination do not belong in our nation, and we should be doing all we can to ensure that every American receives a basic standard of fairness and is treated with the respect they deserve.”

In a December 5 statement, Takano said, “Comprehensive immigration reform is one of the top priorities for the people of the Inland Empire, and I call on Speaker Boehner to do what’s right and schedule a vote to keep millions of families together.”

Queer Nation’s campaign, which started two weeks ago, earlier targeted House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, who has since endorsed comprehensive federal civil rights legislation for LGBT Americans. Rep. Mark Pocan, Rep. Mike Michaud, Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney, Rep. David Cicilline, and Rep. Jared Polis, all of whom are gay, and Rep. Kyrsten Sinema, who is bisexual, were also targeted. The campaign has received nearly 52,000 views on Facebook. It is also being distributed on Twitter and other social media networks.

Queer Nation demands a comprehensive civil rights law that would ban discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in employment, housing, education, credit, public accommodations, and federally funded programs.

Which side of your mouth should we listen to, Congressman Takano?

In a July 21 statement, Mark Takano said, “We should be doing all we can” to fight “bigotry and discrimination” so why does he support the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), which only bars employment discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) Americans instead of comprehensive civil rights protections for us.

In a December 5 statement, Mark Takano said that “comprehensive immigration reform” is among his “top priorities,” but he supports ENDA’s religious exemption that would let nearly 200,000 religiously affiliated employers fire or deny jobs to LGBT Americans.

Which side of your mouth should we listen to, Congressman Takano?

LGBT Activists Target Mark Pocan on Civil Rights

MEDIA RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Aug. 4, 2014

CONTACT:
Queer Nation: news@queernationny.org

LGBT Activists Target Mark Pocan on Civil Rights

Queer Nation Demands Comprehensive Federal Civil Rights Legislation

New York, NY (Aug. 4, 2014) – In its ongoing effort to pressure Congressional Democrats to advance comprehensive federal civil rights legislation that will give lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) Americans the same rights and protections currently afforded to all other Americans, Queer Nation is targeting Rep. Mark Pocan in a social media campaign titled “Which Side of Your Mouth Should We Listen To?”

Pocan, who is gay, supports the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), which only bars employment discrimination against LGBT people and has a sweeping religious exemption that would let nearly 200,000 religiously affiliated employers fire or deny jobs to LGBT Americans.

Many national and state LGBT groups, including the community’s largest legal organizations, have dumped ENDA over its religious exemption.

Pocan said, “[T]he promise of America is everyone should be treated equally” and that Americans believe in “our ideals of equality before the law” in recent statements.  

“Apparently, Mark Pocan believes that equality before the law means you can discriminate against LGBT people in every way except on the job,” said Alexis Danzig, a Queer Nation member. “LGBT Americans are equal to their fellow Americans in every way. We must be equal under the law as well. ENDA is unacceptable, with or without the religious exemption.“  

In a June 6 statement responding to a favorable federal court ruling on marriage equality, Pocan said, “In ruling after ruling, it has become unmistakable that the promise of America is everyone should be treated equally and with dignity.”

In a November 4 statement on ENDA, Pocan said, "When someone in the United States goes to work afraid they could be fired merely because of who they are, we are not living up to our ideals of equality before the law.”

Queer Nation’s campaign, which started two weeks ago, earlier targeted House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, who has since endorsed comprehensive federal civil rights legislation for LGBT Americans. Rep. Mike Michaud, Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney, Rep. David Cicilline, and Rep. Jared Polis, all of whom are gay, and Rep. Kyrsten Sinema, who is bisexual, were also targeted. The campaign has received just under 51,000 views on Facebook. It is also being distributed on Twitter and other social media networks.

Queer Nation demands a comprehensive civil rights law that would ban discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in employment, housing, education, credit, public accommodations, and federally funded programs.

Which side of your mouth should we listen to, Congressman Pocan?

In a June 6 statement, Mark Pocan said, “The promise of America is everyone should be treated equally” so why does he support the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), which only bars employment discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) Americans instead of comprehensive civil rights protections for us.

In a November 4 statement, Mark Pocan said, Americans believe in “our ideals of equality before the law,” but Pocan supports ENDA’s religious exemption that would let nearly 200,000 religiously affiliated employers fire or deny jobs to LGBT Americans.

Which side of your mouth should we listen to, Congressman Pocan?

LGBT Activists Target Mike Michaud on Civil Rights

MEDIA RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 31, 2014

CONTACT:
Queer Nation: news@queernationny.org

LGBT Activists Target Mike Michaud on Civil Rights

Queer Nation Demands Comprehensive Federal Civil Rights Legislation 

New York, NY (July 31, 2014) – Continuing to pressure Congressional Democrats to advance comprehensive federal civil rights legislation that will give lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) Americans the same legal rights and protections that all other Americans currently have, Queer Nation is targeting Rep. Mike Michaud in a social media campaign titled “Which Side of Your Mouth Should We Listen To?”

Michaud, who is gay and a candidate for governor in Maine, supports the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), which only bars employment discrimination against LGBT people and has a sweeping religious exemption that would let nearly 200,000 religiously affiliated employers fire or deny jobs to LGBT Americans.

Many national and state LGBT groups dumped ENDA over its religious exemption. On other issues, Michaud has called for “real solutions.” He asked Pres. Barack Obama to “follow the example of strong anti-discrimination laws in Maine” and bar discrimination by federal contractors.

“Mike Michaud should take his own advice and support comprehensive LGBT civil rights legislation, not a bill that has been languishing in Congress for 20 years and that gives LGBT Americans far less than half of the rights and protections found in the Civil Rights Act of 1964,” said Alan Klein, a member of Queer Nation. “Mike Michaud’s platitudes on ENDA will not protect LGBT people.”

In the November 2013 editorial in which he came out, Michaud wrote “I plan to run a positive campaign that focuses on finding real solutions to the challenges we face, not just empty platitudes and old ideas repackaged in new rhetoric.”

In a March 6 statement, Michaud urged Pres. Barack Obama to sign an executive order barring discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity by federal contractors saying, “In the absence of Congressional action, the President should follow the example of strong anti-discrimination laws in Maine and other states to ensure that no one in the federal workplace is discriminated against because of who they are or who they love.”

Queer Nation’s campaign earlier targeted House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, who has since endorsed comprehensive federal civil rights legislation for LGBT Americans. Also targeted were Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney, Rep. David Cicilline, and Rep. Jared Polis, who are gay, and Rep. Kyrsten Sinema, who is bisexual.

The campaign has received just over 33,000 views on Facebook. It is also being distributed on Twitter and other social media networks. Queer Nation demands a comprehensive civil rights law that would ban discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in employment, housing, education, credit, public accommodations, and federally funded programs.

Which side of your mouth should we listen to, Congressman Michaud?

In a 2013 editorial, Mike Michaud wrote that his Maine gubernatorial campaign would find “real solutions to the challenges we face, not just empty platitudes and old ideas repackaged in new rhetoric” so why does he support the 20-year-old Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), which only bars employment discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) Americans instead of comprehensive civil rights protections for us.

In a March 6 statement, Mike Michaud told Pres. Barack Obama that his executive order barring anti-LGBT discrimination by federal contractors “should follow the example of strong anti-discrimination laws in Maine and other states,” but Michaud supports ENDA’s religious exemption that would let nearly 200,000 religiously affiliated employers fire or deny jobs to LGBT Americans.

Which side of your mouth should we listen to, Congressman Michaud?

LGBT Activists Target David Cicilline on Civil Rights

MEDIA RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 30, 2014

CONTACT:
Queer Nation: news@queernationny.org

LGBT Activists Target David Cicilline on Civil Rights

Queer Nation Demands Comprehensive Federal Civil Rights Legislation 

New York, NY (July 30, 2014) – Continuing to pressure Congressional Democrats to advance comprehensive federal civil rights legislation that will give lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) Americans the same legal rights and protections that all other Americans currently have, Queer Nation is targeting Rep. David Cicilline in a social media campaign titled “Which Side of Your Mouth Should We Listen To?”

Cicilline, who is gay, supports the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), which only bars employment discrimination against LGBT people and has a sweeping religious exemption that would let nearly 200,000 religiously affiliated employers fire or deny jobs to LGBT Americans. Cicilline’s rhetoric has been expansive. 

“Rep. Cicilline is an expert in lip service,” said Ken Kidd, a member of Queer Nation. “He says he believes in equal rights, yet he supports ENDA, a bill that trades minimal protections for some LGBT Americans for legalized discrimination against many other LGBT Americans.”

Kidd continued, “ENDA gives nearly 200,000 organizations that claim a religious affiliation the right to continue to fire us or refuse to hire us. That’s not equality, Mr. Cicilline. That’s double-talk.”

Many national and state LGBT groups dumped ENDA over its religious exemption. While supporting ENDA, Cicilline has made bold comments about civil rights for LGBT people and endorsed comprehensive legislation on other issues.

In an undated position statement, Cicilline said, “As an openly gay man, I have a deep understanding of the importance of achieving equality for all citizens. Throughout my career in public service, I have consistently stood up for equal rights.”

In a January 15 speech on the House floor on comprehensive immigration reform, Cicilline said, “The American people deserve a vote on this critical legislation, and I urge my colleagues and I urge the Speaker to bring this bill to the floor so we can fix our broken immigration system and enact comprehensive reform that will make a real difference, not only in our economy, but in the lives of millions and millions of people.”

Queer Nation’s campaign earlier targeted House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, who has since endorsed comprehensive federal civil rights legislation for LGBT Americans. Also targeted were Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney and Rep. Jared Polis, who are gay, and Rep. Kyrsten Sinema, who is bisexual. The campaign has received just over 32,600 views on Facebook. It is also being distributed on Twitter and other social media networks.

Queer Nation demands a comprehensive civil rights law that would ban discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in employment, housing, education, credit, public accommodations, and federally funded programs.

Which side of your mouth should we listen to, Congressman Cicilline?

On January 15, David Cicilline said Congress must “fix our broken immigration system and enact comprehensive reform that will make a real difference, not only in our economy, but in the lives of millions and millions of people,” but he sponsors the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), which only bars employment discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) Americans instead of comprehensive civil rights protections for us.

David Cicilline says “As an openly gay man, I have a deep understanding of the importance of achieving equality for all citizens. Throughout my career in public service, I have consistently stood up for equal rights,” but he supports ENDA’s religious exemption that would let nearly 200,000 religiously affiliated employers fire or deny jobs to LGBT Americans.

Which side of your mouth should we listen to, Congressman Cicilline?

LGBT Activists Target Jared Polis on Civil Rights

MEDIA RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 28, 2014

CONTACT:
Queer Nation: news@queernationny.org

LGBT Activists Target Jared Polis on Civil Rights

Queer Nation Demands Comprehensive Federal Civil Rights Legislation

New York, NY (July 28, 2014) – Continuing to pressure Congressional Democrats to advance comprehensive federal civil rights legislation that will give lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) Americans the same legal rights and protections that all other Americans currently have, Queer Nation is targeting Rep. Jared Polis in a social media campaign titled “Which Side of Your Mouth Should We Listen To?”

Polis, who is gay, supports the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), which only bars employment discrimination against LGBT people and has a sweeping religious exemption that would let nearly 200,000 religiously affiliated employers fire or deny jobs to LGBT Americans. On July 22, Polis introduced a second ENDA version with a more limited religious exemption suggesting that earlier Democratic claims that the sweeping religious exemption is needed to pass ENDA are false. 

“Jared Polis and the Democrats are desperately trying to salvage a worthless bill, but a pig wearing lipstick is still a pig,” said Andrew Miller, a member of Queer Nation. “No version of ENDA will make LGBT people equal under the law. Only a comprehensive civil rights law will do that.“

Miller continued, "It’s time the Democrats – and particularly LGBT Democrats – took civil rights for LGBT Americans seriously.”

Many national and state LGBT groups dumped ENDA over the broader religious exemption. While supporting ENDA, Polis has made expansive comments about civil rights for LGBT people.

In an undated position statement, Polis said, “Equality before the law is a basic American value articulated in our constitution.”

In a second undated position statement, Polis said, “As a gay man, and as a Representative of 614,465 Americans in Colorado’s 2nd district, I am strongly committed to ending discrimination of all kinds.”

Queer Nation’s campaign earlier targeted House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney, who is gay, and Rep. Kyrsten Sinema, who is bisexual. The campaign has received just over 30,000 views on Facebook. It is also being distributed on Twitter and other social media networks. Queer Nation demands a comprehensive civil rights law that would ban discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in employment, housing, education, credit, public accommodations, and federally funded programs.

Which side of your mouth should we listen to, Congressman Polis?

Jared Polis says “Equality before the law is a basic American value articulated in our constitution,” but he sponsors the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), which only bars employment discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) Americans instead of comprehensive civil rights protections for us.

Jared Polis says “As a gay man, and as a Representative of 614,465 Americans in Colorado’s 2nd district, I am strongly committed to ending discrimination of all kinds,” but he supports ENDA’s religious exemption that would let nearly 200,000 religiously affiliated employers fire or deny jobs to LGBT Americans.

Which side of your mouth should we listen to, Congressman Polis?