A Letter To One Of My Senators

[Guest Joanna Phipps]

Dear Senator Udall

Thank you for taking the time to keep us all updated on the goings on in Washington.

I am truly glad that every day brings health care reform closer to fruition. As a member of the LGBT community I would like to know what your stand is on a couple of other crucial issues. Those are the fully inclusive ENDA bill, the repeal of DOMA and an end to the draconian practice of Don’t ask Don’t tell (It took 21 years but by the end of the 1990’s Canadian gay and lesbian soldiers were able to serve openly).

ENDA is critical for the employment stability of many members of the LGBT community since it will put an end to the discriminatory practices that happen in several states, that is where a person can be fired from his or her employment simply for being gay or trans, or even the suspicion of them being gay or trans. This loop hole in the human rights code has to be plugged and fast. I know of Transgendered people who have lost jobs solely because of their gender status, life is hard enough for those who are gender variant without having to worry about whether or not we can be who we need to be and still be employed.

While I understand the reasons for the previous administration passing DOMA, its provisions are discriminatory. Marriage as an institution along with all of the attendant societal protections should not be denied to a couple simply because they are both the same gender. DOMA smacks of the Christian Doctrine of marriage, the policy of the separation of church and state should dictate that such an act is unconstitutional as a former Canadian Prime Minister, Pierre Trudeau, said “There is no place for the government in the bedrooms of the nation”. I fully support the right of religious institutions to conduct marriages based on their own belief systems and theocratic law.

I ask you set aside your personal religious and spiritual concerns for a time and objectively examine exactly what purpose DOMA serves except to deny societal protections to people based on who they happen to love. To many members of the LGBT community DOMA seems to be one of those pieces of legislation that is designed to keep outmoded and outdated ideas in place long after most of society has decided that those ideas need to change. If the government was to survey the general populace I think it would find that the majority of the population either doesn’t care or is supportive of the Gay and Lesbian request to be allowed to marry.

The recent defeats of same sex marriage bills in several states, may not be indicative of the actual will of the people. From what I have seen they more represent the ability of one side to organize and use tactics that speak to fears that people have when LGBT concerns are up for votes.

If I had to prioritize the list I would have to say that my list would look just the way it does in the subject:

1. Health Care

2. ENDA

3. Repeal of DOMA

4. End to DADT

Thank you for taking the time to read this letter and thank you for paying attention to the concerns of your constituents.

Joanna Phipps

Socorro, NM

If we all wrote out senators and representaives they might get the message that there is a solid constituency out here that requires these bills be passed

[Guest julia_d]

One little comment reading through what is a pretty strong letter..

Trans .. think it needs a little clarification. It's something we use within the community that gets rather blank looks outside it.. I wouldn't for instance use it or gd/tg/ts/gv in a letter either. It assumes foreknowledge of a term which (as far as my husband goes) isn't widely known or understood. It's taken me 12 months and more to teach him some of these shortcuts and we still stumble over things like GV ..

Just a thought Hun.. I did a bit of time in politics.

[Carolyn Marie]

Nice piece of writing, Joanna. Very well done.

Please let us know if you get a response (that isn't a form letter).

HUGS

Carolyn Marie

[Guest Joanna Phipps]

Nice piece of writing, Joanna. Very well done.

Please let us know if you get a response (that isn't a form letter).

HUGS

Carolyn Marie

Its all original Carolyn, and I will post the answer if I get it.

@julia, I understand that Transgendered may not be well known as a title outside of our community but I really couldnt come up with something better. If you have a better one, except for that string of initials(which I agree can be confusing even for us) I would be willing to hear it

[Carolyn Marie]

Its all original Carolyn, and I will post the answer if I get it.

Joanna, I wasn't referring to your letter, I was anticipating that you would get a

form letter from the Senator in return. Sorry for the confusion.

Carolyn Marie

[Guest Joanna Phipps]

Joanna, I wasn't referring to your letter, I was anticipating that you would get a

form letter from the Senator in return. Sorry for the confusion.

Carolyn Marie

Probly oh well, maybe one day I can get an original from one of them. One day I might be important enough to warrant that. Time to consider what I want to say in my letter to the President and his president of the vice .

[Guest Eth]

I've written letters to senators in my own state and in others in some cases. Almost every time I've received an original response, so I wouldn't say it's unlikely.

愛 Eth

[Guest Joanna Phipps]

Here is the reply, it reads like a form letter

Dear Friend:

Thank you for contacting me regarding gay marriage. I appreciate your taking the time to write and share your views with me.

I believe that government should work to promote policies that encourage a culture of tolerance regardless of race, religion, or sexual orientation, and I remain committed to supporting legislation that protects all individuals from bias and discrimination. I do not support the proposed amendment to the U.S. Constitution to define marriage as being between a man and a woman, and voted against it on June 7, 2006. I believe that states should be allowed to determine their own laws on this subject and that the people of New Mexico should be afforded the opportunity to determine their own legal standard for what constitutes marriage.

Again, thank you for writing. I hope you will continue to keep me informed of issues of importance to you and your community.

Sincerely,

JEFF BINGAMAN

United States Senator

[Guest Donna Jean]

Well, that's a good reply, Joanna!

Lets see what comes of it!

But do you think that the good citizens of NM would vote it in?

Huggs!

Donna Jean

[Guest Joanna Phipps]

He is one of our Washington crew, state wise we already have some pretty good rights.

[Guest ChalenAustin]

Could I borrow that letter ad just twik it slightly to send to my reps and senators?

One comment though- I think you should have said peolpe of the same sex opposed to same gender in the one paragraph.

Very nice work!

[Guest Joanna Phipps]

feel free to do so, If any one wants to make use of the wording of this letter or us it as a template, I here by release it to the public domain

[Guest Donna Jean]

feel free to do so, If any one wants to make use of the wording of this letter or us it as a template, I here by release it to the public domain

Thanks, Joanna.....that'll work!

Donna Jean