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With ENDA now introduced in both the House and the Senate, it is more important than ever that we take action and educate Congress
about the need to pass a transgender-inclusive ENDA. We hope that you will take
action on at least three of our suggestions this summer ... and all of them if you can. We'll include
how-to information for each one.
Let's make this a summer for transgender equality!
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THIS WEEK
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Gather
support: Collect letters of support from local organizations that you
belong to and forward them to your members of Congress.
One way to show legislators that
there is support for ENDA is to show the commitment to equal rights by members
of the community. This is a great way for allies to make a significant
difference by adding their voices and demonstrating broad based support for
this measure.
Consider the different groups
that you are a part of-such as unions, professional organizations, volunteer
and civic groups, and communities of faith-and ask them to send a letter to
your members of Congress outlining the group's support for ENDA. The letter could state that the group has a
non-discrimination policy that includes gender identity or give other reasons
why that organization is in favor of ENDA. Approach a member of the Board of Directors or
the Executive Director, union steward, or other leader and ask them to write a
letter on behalf of the organization.
Again, as with other letters,
faxing is the most direct way to reach Congress, although you can mail it as
well. Addresses and fax numbers are available on the Senate and House of Representatives websites.
Note: Non-profit organizations
can work for the passage of legislation and contact members of Congress; they
just cannot support particular candidates in an election.
Sample letter:
Date
The Honorable (First and Last name)
United State Senate or House of
Representatives
Washington, DC
Subject: The Employment
Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA)
Dear Senator/Representative (Last name):
Our organization, (name of organization), strongly
supports the passage of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), a vital
piece of legislation to address the discrimination that transgender people
face. We believe, as do the majority of Americans, that discrimination should
never be the basis for employment decisions.
(Include if you can, something specific about your organization, such
as "Our bowling club has had a transgender member for several years and is an
integral part of our group" or "Our union has an anti-discrimination policy
that includes gender identity and we believe that people have the right to work
free from prejudice" or "Our synagogue has a long history of supporting equal
rights for all Americans.")
We hope that you will join us
in supporting ENDA this year.
If you have any questions about
this subject, please feel free to contact me at any time. I would be glad to
talk with you about it.
Sincerely,
/signed/
Name of Contact Person
Organization
Address
City, State and Zip
Phone
E-mail
Need more information about ENDA? Read on ...
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COMING UP
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Here's the full list of action items for a summer of movement towards equality:
- Reach
your members of Congress: Make an appointment TODAY to visit your Representative
and Senators in August
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Spread
the word: Sign the ENDA petition and get the word out to your friends by
phone, email, twitter etc. to do the same; gather signatures at the local
farmers' market, street fair, the student union etc. We'll send you more details next week.
-
Educate
the public: Write a letter-to-the-editor, write a blog or ask local paper
to write an editorial in favor of ENDA
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Communicate
the reasons: Write letters to your members of Congress or, better yet, host
a letter-writing party and invite your friends, family, support group, etc.
-
Gather
support: Collect letters of support from local organizations, clubs,
unions, churches, etc that you belong to and forward them to your members of
Congress
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Be
visible: Attend a town hall meeting or other in district gathering with
your members of Congress
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Make the
work possible: Host a fundraising party for your favorite organization
working on ENDA, either in person or virtually, such as donating to a Facebook
cause.
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Build
relationships: Follow up on your contacts with members of Congress to build
relationships
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Look
ahead: Join us for a conference call about what we've accomplished and what
the next steps are as together we move transgender equality forward.
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About NCTE
The National Center for Transgender Equality is a national social
justice organization devoted to ending discrimination and violence
against transgender people through education and advocacy on national
issues of importance to transgender people. By
empowering transgender people and our allies to educate and influence
policymakers and others, NCTE facilitates a strong and clear voice for
transgender equality in our nation's capital and around the country. The National Center for Transgender Equality is a 501(c)3 organization. |
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