In this exclusive audio interview Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson Host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ talks with Dr. Dana Beyer, a well-known advocate for public health, coherent government and an activist for women’s and gender rights. Currently Dr. Beyer is a candidate for Maryland State Delegate in District 18 in the upcoming elections.
The federal Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) is again being considered in Washington D.C. When asked what her feelings are about finally having a transgender inclusive bill being presented, Beyer stated, “This is something we worked for. Again it points out how the political process works. It doesn’t happen overnight. We didn’t get civil rights in 1964 overnight. That took over 300 years of American history and people fighting and dying until we got to that point. We moved a little faster on gay rights and we’ve moved a lot faster on trans rights…The vast majority of Americans that are covered today, I think we’re up to 41% of the population, have been covered in laws that were passed in the last decade. So we’ve made huge progress in the most aggressive administration in American history for the most part. So we’ve done a lot of good. We’ve had the (ENDA) battle in 2007, it was a worthwhile battle, it was very educational, it was hard to go through. Some of it was very painful. Some of the language was hurtful and cruel but we got through it. We’re going to get a bill, it will not be perfect. It will have some language that might be better not having in it. I would imagine as for the trans part of this bill goes, to the best of my knowledge and this is an ongoing issue, it hasn’t been marked up yet so I can’t say for sure, but there will be nothing in this bill that will make anyone’s life more difficult and it will for the most part improve the lives of the LGBT community.”
Beyer is Vice President of Equality Maryland, former Executive Vice President of Maryland NOW, she's a founding member of Maryland’s Progressive Working Group and an HRC Governor. Dana recently co-authored The Dallas Principles. She is currently on leave from her post as Senior Adviser to Councilmember Duchy Trachtenberg of the Montgomery County Council.
She lives with her two sons in Chevy Chase, Maryland.
For More Info: danabeyer.com
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