What a Difference It Makes
What a difference it makes to have supporters of LGBT equality call and write their legislators. Today, a New Hampshire House Judiciary Subcommittee voted to recommend that two LGBT equality bills “ought to pass” out of the committee: House Bill 415, which would add anti-discrimination protections for transgender individuals, and House Bill 436, which would end the discriminatory exclusion of same-sex couples from marriage. The vote was 3-2 down party lines (with Democrats in support) and was the first hurdle to passing these important bills in New Hampshire.
What was even more extraordinary were the statements of support that I heard by the three Democrats on the subcommittee. Quite simply, they got it.
In response to arguments by their colleagues opposed to transgender protections, one representative noted that he had heard these same scare tactics advanced in the past against equality for African-Americans and gays and lesbians, and that we should be beyond that by now. Another representative commented on how persuasive the testimony by transgender individuals at the hearing was, and how we should protect this most vulnerable segment of our population.
And in the heated discussion around the marriage equality bill, one Democratic representative put it quite simply: “I cannot think of one logical reason why this should not pass.”
These three legislators got it because people in support of marriage and transgender equality testified, called, wrote and shared their personal stories in support of these bills.
However, this subcommittee victory is only the first hurdle. Both bills go to a vote by the entire Judiciary Committee next week. We know that opponents of these bills have already been bombarding legislators with emails, letters and phone calls. It is now more important than ever that we contact every member of that committee and show our support for the bills. Don’t wait – do it now.
You can find out more on how to support both bills here.
With your help, hopefully one day in the future, we can say, in a different context, “These same scare tactics were made against marriage equality and transgender equality, and we should simply be beyond that by now.”