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| Dear pearle, What's in a name? Most of us read and discuss that question from "Romeo and Juliet" before we're out of high school. A name, we're supposed to learn, isn't all that important. What if the name is "f***ing f**got?" It's another phrase most of us will have some contact with before we leave school. It's more than a name. Sometimes it's part of a pattern of bullying; sometimes it's said out of thoughtless ignorance. It always hurts. It always will. Ask today's young LGBT people, and they'll tell you that it's still part of their experience. This week, Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant yelled "f***ing f**got" at a basketball official while on camera. For LGBT people and those who support us, his words stung. Too many of us are bullied and denied jobs. None of our families have equal rights. That name represents something to us. But fortunately, that incident also showed that things are getting better. The NBA swiftly fined Kobe for his outburst, and Kobe apologized for his actions, expressing a sincere understanding of the harm that his words inflicted. We're at a crossroads: Americans understand at a fundamental level that LGBT people are not getting a fair shake and overwhelmingly believe that we should be treated more fairly. But our laws, policies, and many people's subconscious biases have not yet caught up. For example, it's clear that Americans support legal protections for LGBT people: According to an ABC News/Washington Post poll last year, 77 percent of Americans supported allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly in the military. According to a November 2010 Pew Research Center Poll, 63 percent of moderate Republicans and 47 percent of Republicans overall supported open service. A May 2010 Gallup poll found that 53% of conservatives supported open service. An ABC News/Washington Post poll found that 53 percent of Americans support marriage equality. Yet recently the RNC created a website that attacked President Obama's support for many LGBT civil rights priorities. Apparently believing that playing politics with our lives still scores political points, the GOP will apparently continue fighting against protections that their constituents actually support. Although the site was taken down, it is clear from their hearings on the Defense of Marriage Act that some Republicans are sticking with this strategy. It is going to hurt them politically and it's not going to stop us. We have an opportunity to make the law catch up with public opinion. This week, the Senate introduced the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which will protect the entire LGBT community from workplace discrimination. The Uniting American Families Act was introduced in the House. UAFA provides a path to immigration for same-sex partners. Under current law, only different-sex married partners can be sponsored for permanent residence or citizenship. In Delaware, the House passed a civil unions bill that would provide important legal protections to same-sex couples in the First State. And in Hawaii, the state Senate passed a bill codifying prohibitions against discrimination in employment on the basis of gender identity. Together, we're going to build support for our community.  Joe Solmonese President, Human Rights Campaign P.S. Happy holiday to all of who are celebrating Passover this week. | ||||
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