Hooray! The HRC has bared its teeth and shown that it knows how to bite. As this backstory article explains, "the HRC" and 200 equal-rights supporters gathered together on March 7th for a spring lobbying day. The HRC staff and advocates stood up for their rights in the lobby of capitol hill and raised their voices about critical concerns facing the LGBT community. As they explain, these included, "HIV/AIDS Funding, Anti-Bullying legislation, The Employment Non-Discrimination Act and the Tax Equity for Health Plan Beneficiaries Act". Obviously this was a big day for LGBT rights and equality.
One of the most interesting things that I found in the article was the statement that these lobbyists were, "Armed with the knowledge that nearly 90 percent of Americans believe that lesbians and gays should have equal rights in job opportunities..." Now, while I am ECSTATIC with this statistic, I have to wonder where it came from. I know and am so happy that America is becoming increasingly supportive of gay rights and equality. Simultaneously, I have been to many regions of this country of ours, and I have to admit that this statistic seems a bit...emboldened...to even the most staunch gay rights advocate. It worries me that the HRC might be getting all of its statistical data from Greenwich Village street corners, as falsely representing data might give gay rights opponents access to a detrimental opening for attack.
All skeptics aside, it makes me thrilled to see the HRC out in the community working for gay rights. I do think that lobbying is only one facet of the many areas that these seemingly clean-cut gays should be infiltrating, but it is definitely one that deserves significant attention. I am excited and hopeful to see how the lobbying strategies translate into real action and change in the government.
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