I asked that question in December 2009, and a comment Katrina Rose made on my Facebook page last night got me thinking about employment issues and the sorry record of Gay Inc. advocacy organizations in terms of hiring trans people.

Sadly the question I posed in that 2009 TransGriot post is not only relevant today, but is even more appropriate if I aim it at the Gay Inc. advocacy organizations. This inquiring TransGriot mind and my readers would love to know how many trans people they have on their staffs and they write paychecks to?

And don’t even get me started about the leadership ranks and staffs in these organizations being so overwhelmingly monoracial. They look like a Republican Party convention.

There were probably more Black delegates at last year’s GOP convention (47) than the number of trans people gainfully employed in all the Gay Inc. advocacy organizations combined.

That lack of transfolks on your staffs is not only problematic, but creates a ‘things that make you go hmm’ moment in transworld. It makes us wonder just how committed you are to getting the trans-inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) passed and adding non-discrimination language on the basis of gender identity and expression to state and local non-discrimination employment laws.

It would also be wise, especially if you as a Gay Inc. advocacy organization claiming to be speaking for the entire community, to have diverse, talented people from all letters of the TBLGIQ rainbow putting together policies that positively move our community forward.

The United States is going to be a majority-minority country by 2050. Trans people have long considered gainful employment as a non-negotiable bedrock trans human rights issue. It’s past time the people you employ and hire to lead your organizations reflect the reality of a multicultural America.

It would also be nice that trans POC’s be increasingly included in that candidate mix as you strive to make Gay Inc. advocacy organizations look more like America.

And one other thing to consider. By doing so, you not only send a message to the rest of the world that you’re putting your money where your mouths are in terms of hiring and retaining qualified trans people for your own organizations, you’re making a dent in the horrific trans unemployment numbers.

You’re also giving that person good, stable employment at good wages and the opportunity with the money they earn to give back to the TBLG community.

You can either do that willingly Gay Inc. advocacy organizations or suffer the embarrassment and fiscal consequences of being called out on this issue or even hauled into court for your pitifully sorry hiring record.

So Gay Inc. advocacy organizations, when are you going to start hiring more trans people to work for you?

- Monica Roberts

Monica Roberts, aka the TransGriot, is a native Houstonian and a trailblazing award winning trans community leader. In addition to participating in a long list of panel discussions and speaking engagements to various colleges, groups and conferences over the years, in January 2006 she founded the award winning blog TransGriot.

*Originally posted on TransGriot. Cross-posted with permission.

Category: Feature