Letter to the Editor, Southern Voice (2002)

©2002, 2013 by Dallas Denny

Source: Denny, Dallas. (2002, 1 October). Letter to the Editor. Southern Voice.

I’m not sure if this letter was printed.

 

 

 

 

Dear Editor:

 

Results of HRC’s recent poll of the American Public’s attitude toward transgendered people are astonishingly similar to results of similar polls of attitudes about gay men and lesbians. Yet in their remarks in Jennifer Smith’s article in the September 27 SoVo, HRC mouthpieces David Smith and Mara Keisling call for caution in the use of these data in the move toward transgender inclusion and civil rights protections.

No one is arguing that a significant portion of the American public has problems with transgendered people; indeed, Smith and Keisling insult the intelligence and political acumen of transgender activists by suggesting we have drawn this conclusion.

The results show great similarities in attitudes toward transgendered people and gay men and lesbians. In plain language, the same people who dislike you also dislike us, and your supporters are our supporters. These results significantly weaken arguments that the transgendered are a political liability for the movement. It would be an injustice to ignore them.

Sadly, it’s possible HRC commissioned the poll to show the transgendered are a liability, thus sparing HRC embarrassment in its ongoing opposition to trans inclusion in ENDA. The remarks of Keisling and Smith support this interpretation.

 

Thank you.

 

Dallas Denny

 

Reference

 

Smith, J.J. (2002, 27 September). New survey changes trans politics, activists say. Southern Voice, 4.