Sunday, January 29, 2012
LGBT Hundreds Across the State Rally Lawmakers to Add the Words
Posted by April Foster on Sun, Jan 29, 2012 at 12:04 PM
Over 1,000 Idahoans stood on the steps of the State Capitol Saturday to deliver a clear message to state lawmakers: They want Idaho lawmakers to add the words “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” to the Idaho Human Rights Act.
For the last five years, the Idaho Legislature has refused to grant a hearing on the proposed amendment, which would grant LGBT Idahoans basic protections in employment, housing and education. So this year, volunteers with the Add the Words campaign organized a statewide day of action to push for the legislation. Rallies were held in over 10 Idaho cities on Saturday.
“We are completely blown away by the outpouring of support that we received today,” said Mistie Tolman, spokeswoman for Add the Words. “We had at least three times as much people here as we did last year. I don’t know how the legislators can ignore us any longer. I think this will send a really big message that it’s time to add the words.”
Speakers at the event included Marisol Cervantes, the president of Borah High’s Gay-Straight Alliance; local transgender advocate and mentor, Drew Weston; and State Representative Cherie Buckner-Webb, who reminisced on the similarities between Saturday’s event and the rallies held in support of Idaho’s 1969 Civil Rights legislation.
Tolman shared what she said was some positive news to the crowd: On Wednesday, Feb. 8, at 8 a.m., an Add the Words bill will get a print hearing in front of the Senate State Affairs Committee. She called on the audience to fill the committee room so that its standing-room only.
After the speeches, State Sen. Nicole LeFavour invited the large crowd into the Capitol to place sticky notes along the chamber and hallway doors. The audience obliged, and hundreds of LGBT communities members, their friends and family, entered the building and filled its doors with notes calling upon lawmakers to add the words.
Comments (3)
Showing 1-3 of 3
Let me get this straight, it is OK to refuse to hire someone for being fat or not having exactly the right training for the job or for being currently unemployed unless the applicant is a guy wearing a dress who wants to use the woman's bathroom. This puts a new spin on "dress appropriately for the job interview".
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Don,
Because Idaho is a 'right to work' state, it is legal to fire someone for any reason. Because of the Idaho Human Rights Act, you cannot fire a person on the basis of race, religion, gender, ethnic origin, or disability. You also cannot refuse to HIRE a qualified candidate based on the previously mentioned criteria. It is still legal to refuse to hire a person or to fire someone because of their sexual orientation (which includes a person who is gay, straight, lesbian or bi-sexual) and their gender identity because these two groups are not included in the Idaho Human Rights Act. Amending that piece of legislation protects all Idahoans. As the laws are currently written, you can be also be refused a job or be fired for being straight, which seems just as silly as being fired because you are a man who wants to wear a dress or a female who wants to cut her hair short as this falls into the very large spectrum of gender identity.
This amendment would also protect workers from having to worry that their family photo on their desk may get them fired, or talking about what they did with their family over the weekend. It would also bring corporations into Idaho that have more LGBT friendly employment policies because the state laws would be in line with their private policies, making human resource needs less expensive. Bottom line, corporations moving into Idaho means more jobs for all Idahoans.
We should consider the overall picture of proposed legislation and how it can help our entire community, rather than getting stuck on a possible perceived "ick" factor. This legislation would not give an advantage to gay or transgender individuals when looking for a job, it only makes the field more equal for them and other candidates.
This is a hard note to write, but I think it necessary for others (albeit a few) to read. I feel that people shouldn't worry about their housing nor employment based on their sexual orientation nor gender identity. I did volunteer and gather names for this petition. I almost feel as though I regret it now. Why? I'm sick of helping people who discriminate against me because of their own closed minded and stubborned minds.
Dear certain gays and lesbians,
Not every straight gives a shit what you do in bed, and not all of us are as closed minded as you think. Your routine bitchiness and delusional self aggrandizement is off-putting. I wouldn't want to tell you to not be yourself, but so many of you are a caricature of Divine or Paul Lynde that it is really hard to get to know you to give a rat's ass about your plight. Your rudeness is disrespectful to the people who try to help you. Good luck.
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