Question proposed to me today:
What do you think of the HRC speech?
My Answer:
First off you have to understand my complete and deep rooted hate and dissatisfaction with the Human Rights Campaign. In the last 5 years the HRC has pulled all funding and support for the transgender community. This started with pulling their only trans board member out of public policy and agenda making. She retaliated by defaulting her contract and leaving the campaign. Since then the HRC has be unresponsive to trans policy and non-discrimination acts based on gender. I would go as far to say that they actively are hurting the trans gender movement. They would much rather focus on big ticket policy that will make them money, instead of "grassroots" activism which has no place in public policy.
HRC started as a grassroots organization and has since grown into the largest Gay and Lesbian supported organization working on policy and rights in the United States. Unfortunately, they do only focus on gay and lesbian rights, pushing many more marginal groups into nearly helpless situations.
I was happy that they invited President Obama to speak, but I also see it as one more big ticket buy that the HRC is pulling. It saddens me that something like human rights can become so politically driven that the less desirable and marginal groups within the movement are forgotten. To me this seems like a deconstruction of community and the larger queer movement. I hope that Obama can change the "don't ask don't tell" policy but I think it will do very little for the movement entirely. I also am very happy to see the president moving on this front so quickly seeing as it was the only "queer" promise in his entire campaign (which I still find disheartening). I hope that things continue to change and that human rights can be exhibited throughout ever aspect of life and politics. I understand the President's reasoning to speak for the HRC, but I can't support them because I can not support the HRC in any form. Also the fetishizing of Matthew Shepherd continues to upset me because so many more queer and even trans people have died since that time that no one ever cares to mention. I can not help but hate the way media is played and in turn used against us. Also Obama is focusing mostly on the gay and lesbian issue, including maybe some more queers because of new hate crime legislation. This legislation, though, still only focuses on sexual orientation. The whole gender and trans issue is left out of the game. I can not support change until it supports me.
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I also refuse to support the Human Rights Campaign. It actually caused a little bit of a shock and awe with one of my really close friends when we were getting to know each other because he's an active supporter of the organization. I explained to him what you've said above, and he took a step back. He still supports the organization and is able to attend some of their functions, however definitely understands the opposition I have to the "grassroots" organization which is supposedly there to help all LGBT people.
Quite frankly, as you said, they're not. They're totally OK with trying to pass a non-inclusive ENDA. They pander only to gay white men (I would say even lesbians are ignored). They seem to only get involved in the fights when the media is around them. It's all about the glamor and show of activism and nothing about the passion it takes to fight for what you believe in. Quite frankly, having the HRC around, I feel, is a threat to the LGBT people because HRC is so willing to settle for anything its given.
With the amount of money and support it gets, it can easily be a powerful lobbying body in Washington and yet it chooses to embrace mediocrity. The President of HRC introduces the President as if the Change We Can Believe In has already started to happen. It hasn't and he's kidding himself, lying to his people and doing it to applause.
Why isn't HRC involved in getting the 50 state marriage strategy? Why isn't HRC doing anything aside from issuing weakly issued statements about stuff that happens that effects LGBT people?
HRC, to me, represents a kind of bravado and cowardice that really hurts any movement.
I, like you jamesonn, steadfastly refuse to support such an organization that fights for "human rights" but only if they're white collar, gay male and white-oriented. Human Rights are for all, not just for some.