October 12, 2007
ACTION ALERT: SUPPORT TRANS-INCLUSIVE ENDA
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Note to Frank: AIDS advocates won't settle for non-trans inclusive ENDA |
The LGBT and progressive media has been writing all week about the pros and cons of passing Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) of 2007, that protects sexual orientation, but not gender identity, as Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) and his allies in the House propose doing.
And HIV/AIDS advocates, led by the Community HIV/AIDS Mobilization Project (CHAMP), POZ magazine and Housing Works, are sending a letter to every member of Congress to tell them a transgender-inclusive ENDA isn't just a human rights issue—it's an HIV/AIDS issue.
"Discriminating against transgender people in the workplace is counterproductive, as the link between economic instability and the risk of contracting HIV/AIDS has been proven," said POZ editor-in-chief Regan Hofmann. "Omitting transgender people from ENDA impedes prevention efforts because when people fear discrimination, such as in the workplace, they are less likely to get tested, get treated and disclose their HIV status. Discrimination cannot be tolerated in any form."
In addition, discriminating on the basis of gender identity also hurts many gay men who don't conform to the strict gender binary, said Julie Davids, executive director of Community HIV/AIDS Mobilization Project (CHAMP). "There are many reasons this is an issue of front-and-center relevance to HIV/AIDS policy."
Studies about the transgender community are few and far between—just as many men who have sex with men don't identify as gay, many people with varying gender identities don't identify as transgender, making it a difficult population to track. But the existing data is troubling. Multiple studies have shown the link between economic instability and HIV infection.
Research also shows transgender women have an increased risk of being HIV-positive, with a recent CDC study showing 27.8 percent of male-to-female (MTF) people are HIV-positive, with that percentage increasing to an astounding 56.3 percent for black MTFs. Two-thirds of those infected didn't know their status. According to a Surgeon General's Report, "Transgender people face stigma and discrimination, which exacerbates their HIV risk. The stigma of transgender status is associated with lower self-esteem, increased likelihood for substance abuse and survival sex work in MTFs, and lessened likelihood of safer sex practices. Social marginalization can result in the denial of educational, employment and housing opportunities."
To let your Congressional representative know a trans-inclusive ENDA is key to fighting HIV/AIDS, e-mail champ@champnetwork.org to sign on to this letter as an individual or organization by 2 p.m. today.