Gay Politics Through the Looking Glass. First off, let me say that there are some good libertarian arguments for why private-sector anti-discrimination laws aren't such a wonderful idea after all -- from infringing on the basic liberty of employers to hire and fire as they so choose (hey, it's their business), to creating a disincentive to hiring anyone in a protected category (for fear of frivolous, but expensive, litigation). I"m not sure I buy into the libertarian view, but it does suggest that countering discrimination by our government in the area of government employment (including military service) and government-granted benefits (including the ability to legally marry) should at least be a higher priority.
That being said, I think it's revealing what's just happened in New York State, where on Thursday the GOP-controlled state senate passed a statewide gay rights bill to protect gays and lesbians from private-sector discrimination. The bill had previously passed the Democratic-controlled assembly, and will now be signed by a GOP governor. But, as I previously noted, not everyone is happy; transgender advocates and their gay supporters called for the bill's defeat because of its focus on gay, but not transgender, protections.
The New York Times reports that a last-minute amendment to add protections for transgenders -- ranging from heterosexual cross-dressers to people undergoing sex-change procedures -- failed 19-41. Yet when the bill, minus the amendment, came to a vote, Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno, a Rensselaer County Republican, voted for passage, as did 12 other Republican senators. "The time has come to move on in our lives put this behind us," Bruno said before the vote. "People can live their lives the way they see fit."
But, the Times continues:
opponents included both religious organizations and transgenders, who argued a nondiscrimination bill was also needed to protect them. "I think it would be an absolute and utter tragedy if this passes" without protecting transgender rights, said Charles King, co-president of Housing Works. New York City resident Melissa Sklarz accused Empire State Pride Agenda [the state's main gay rights lobby] of abandoning transgenders. "They have closed the door on us time and time again," she said.
Matt Foreman, executive director of the Empire State Pride
Agenda,
said he had doubts about its passage less than an hour before debate started. On Sunday, he counted only eight Republicans in support of it. He credited behind-the-scenes lobbying by [Gov. George] Pataki and Bruno with swaying enough Republicans to win passage of the measure.
So those on cultural left wanted to see the measure defeated
rather than having to endure an incrementalist approach to their
agenda, while Republican leaders twisted arms to ensure the bill's
passage -- politics through the looking glass indeed!
--Stephen H. Miller