Pelosi cites hate crimes and employment protection as priorities

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The Speaker of the US House of Representatives has said that three gay equality issues will be tackled. The Democrats control both Houses of Congress as well as the White House.

Nancy Pelosi spoke to journalists and bloggers yesterday

“The priorities have been hate crimes and ENDA, fully inclusive legislation in those two areas, so we’ll have to have our strategy work around on how we can get those passed, as well as move forward on ‘don’t ask, don’t tell,” she said, according to PageOneQ.com.

Attempts by the US Congress to pass a federal law protecting gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans Americans from workplace discrimination fell apart amid acrimonious claims and counter-claims over trans rights.

In November 2007 the Employment Non-Discrimination Act was passed by the House by 235 to 184.

ENDA was originally designed to make it illegal to fire, refuse to hire or promote a person based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

The decision to remove trans people from the scope of the legislation caused anger among the LGBT community in the US, with many demanding an “all or nothing” stance.

Some House Democrats did not want ENDA to include protections for trans people, fearful of a backlash from conservatives.

President Barack Obama supports the legislation.

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