THE VOTES ARE IN THE COUNTRY, WHY AREN'T THEY IN THE CONGRESS?
It's now well recognized that the U.S. Federal Government has fallen years behind the rest of the world - and even the country - on workplace discrimination issues.
The time is ripe for catch-up, but it has some people giddy.
The major advocacy groups for LGBT have been polling for quite some time on issues related to workplace discrimination.
In 2006, NGLTF released the results of a field poll that showed numbers that indicate that the current Congress is far behind the public.
A solid majority - 59 percent - of those surveyed support trans inclusive non-discrimination laws. The support stayed strong even after pollsters used transphobic language in their questions.
-June, 2006
Their work also includes two focus groups.
Four years earlier the HRC Foundation had found the same, by engaging an independent firm to run the poll:
Most Americans, 61 percent, believe there should be workplace laws protecting transgender people, according to a poll administered in 2002 by Lake Snell Perry & Associates for the HRC Foundation. Additionally, most say they could work with a transgender person: 48 percent of respondents said they would have no problem working with a transgender person, while 26 percent said they could despite minor discomfort. Only 8 percent of respondents said they would not be willing to work with a transgender person.
Lake Snell is a research-based strategy firm in Washington, DC, working with a wide range of clients that require high-quality research. Lake is one of the Democratic Party's leading political strategists, and has worked with a number of progressive organizations, including EMILY's List,
The White House Project, Planned Parenthood, The Unmarried Women's Project, and SEIU. Lake is one of the nation's foremost experts on electing women candidates and on framing issues to women voters. Lake has also been partner and vice president at Greenberg-Lake and has served as political director of the Women's Campaign Fund.
The
Other key findings included:
· 61 percent of those polled believed the country needed laws to protect transgender people from discrimination.
· 57 percent incorrectly believed that it was not legal to fire people just because they were transgender.
· 67 percent agreed that it was possible for a person to be born as one sex, but inside feel like another sex.
· 77 percent believed that transgender students should be allowed to attend public schools.
In September 2004, HRC polled again on two of these questions and found that:
· 66 percent of those polled incorrectly believed that it was not legal to fire people just because they were transgender
· 65 percent believed it should "definitely be illegal" to make hiring decisions just because a person was transgender and 13 percent believed it "probably should be illegal."
· 57 percent incorrectly believed that it was not legal to fire people just because they were transgender.
· 67 percent agreed that it was possible for a person to be born as one sex, but inside feel like another sex.
· 77 percent believed that transgender students should be allowed to attend public schools.
In September 2004, HRC polled again on two of these questions and found that:
· 66 percent of those polled incorrectly believed that it was not legal to fire people just because they were transgender
· 65 percent believed it should "definitely be illegal" to make hiring decisions just because a person was transgender and 13 percent believed it "probably should be illegal."
Confirming Cheryl Jacques' 2004 estimate, the WaBlade published the following results of their online poll:
Washington Blade
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2007
Should gay rights groups support ENDA if transgender protections are removed?
–
a. Yes, we need to win rights incrementally. 12%
b. No, we should stick together. 85%
c. Who cares? Bush is going to veto it anyway. 1%
–
Check back regularly for updated polling questions concerning your community!
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2007
Should gay rights groups support ENDA if transgender protections are removed?
–
a. Yes, we need to win rights incrementally. 12%
b. No, we should stick together. 85%
c. Who cares? Bush is going to veto it anyway. 1%
–
Check back regularly for updated polling questions concerning your community!
