Over 70 people showed up last night for a vigil in front of the Human Rights Campaign store. For those living under a rock, HRC actively scuttled trans inclusive ENDA legislation last week. According to people in the room, HRC told those in the room that the gay and lesbian community would be okay with going forward without gender identity. Two people in the room challenged this but were assured by HRC that they had a finger on the pulse of the community. Since that day, over 220 national, state, and local organizations have signed on to a letter penned by Shannon Mintor, legal director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights, telling the leadership of Congress that they will only support HR 2015 which includes both sexual orientation and gender identity and that they will oppose any bill that excludes gender identity. Over the last week and a half, the gay and lesbian community has stood up for the trans community in a way that I would never have anticipated. I am incredibly moved by the outpouring of support and proud to be a member of a community that rejects divide and conquer tactics.

HRC has proven itself to be a morally bankrupt organization that takes SF money but not SF values. In their moment of truth, they failed the test. That said, over the last ten years, statewide and local organizations have grown enormously and developed their own independent relationships with legislators bypassing HRC. They are showing true leadership.

While we held a vigil in San Francisco, activists on the East Coast picketed the HRC annual dinner, asking participants to hold HRC accountable for their moral bankruptcy and cowardice.
According to Mara Kiesling, from the National Center for Transgender Equality and Shannon Mintor, from the National Center for Lesbian Rights, they held an active picket with over 100 people participating. The House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was the keynote speaker for the dinner, and according to those inside, spent a great deal of time speaking to the need to protect transgender people from discrimination. Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on how you look at it, no trans people were inside to hear it.

The Queer Youth Organizing Project of Pride at Work, And Castro for All, the Harvey Milk LGBT Democratic Club, and the Transgender Law Center all sponsored the vigil. A big thanks must go out to John Newsome. Yesterday he called me up and offered support. Since I was trying to pull it together in two days, I gratefully took him up on it. (To say I was nervous was an understatement.) I couldn’t have done it without him…

We started out with “We shall not be moved,” and heard from two elected officials, State Senator Carole Migden and Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi. The Peaceniks sang an original song, Reuben Zellman, a rabbinical intern spoke, then Rebecca Prozan, co-chair of the Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club, Debra Walker, former President of the Harvey Milk LGBT Democratic Club, John Newsome, founder of And Castro for All, and Ben Lunine, attorney for the Transgender Law Center, all came out in support of HR 2015 and against introducing a bill that does not include gender identity. Nathan Purkiss, former staffer of Assemblymember Mark Leno, shared his support and read a statement from the Assemblymember.

At the end of the vigil, Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi committed to introducing a resolution at the San Francisco Board of Supervisors expressing support for HR 2015 only. (Supervisors Bevan Dufty and Tom Ammiano were out of town for the weekend, as was Assemblymember Mark Leno.) I committed to introducing a resolution at the next SF Democratic Party meeting and asked folks to get their friends to call the Congressional leadership.

Oh, and how could I forget? Peace Activist and Candidate for Congress Cindy Sheehan showed up to also express her support for a HR 2015 strategy only.

By the way, HRC closed early. The person behind the counter told us that she was “troubled” by HRC’s actions as she closed the store.

Pictures by Andy Blud

Picture of HRC store in SF. Their symbol seems unfortunate in light of their actions.

Picture of the Peaceniks singing “We shall not be moved.” Tommi also sang it in Spanish.


Robert and Tommi look as as elected officials weigh in.

The Queer Youth Organizing Project of Pride at Work was there.

Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi and transgender leader Allison Laureano


John Newsom, Founder of And Castro for All


Rafael Mandelman and Tab Buckner hold up the Harvey Milk banner


Rabbinical intern Reuben Zellman speaks. Milk club leaders Tim Durning and Terrrie Frye, and Ben Lunine, from the Transgender Law Center, look on.


Transgender and Tenant leader Jazzie Collins came equipped with her own sign.

Cindy Sheehan at a peace rally with Reverend Jesse Jackson