Hey Sean — Chad Griffin from the Human Rights Campaign here.
Caught your response to our statement during yesterday’s briefing. I’m sure you’ll likely face more questions about this today, so there were a few things I was hoping to correct before you do. If you don’t mind, I’ve BCC’d many of the WH press corps that have been asking these questions.
1. You might want to have a few good lawyers look at your legal claims. Five circuit courts have determined that our nation’s civil rights law prohibiting sex discrimination protect transgender people. The EEOC agrees as have numerous district courts. The legal trend is clear, robust, and well reasoned.
2. Whether or not transgender people were discussed when Title IX was enacted in 1972, you really need to stop pretending like the transgender movement just got started. I refer you to this wikipedia page. You’ll notice there’s a long section on the 70s…and decades before! Another fun fact, Minneapolis passed an ordinance protecting transgender people way back in 1975. Literally almost every major city in America has followed suit.
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
2a. Also, when Title VII of the Civil Rights Act became law in 1964, sexual harassment wasn’t part of the conversation. That didn’t stop the Supreme Court from ruling that Title VII prohibits sexual harassment. Because, duh. Does this White House also think that’s wrong?
3. Rather than answering whether or not this was a civil rights issue, you continued to say that this was better left to the states. You’ll recall that this is the same argument cynically used by opponents of civil rights to allow state sanctioned discrimination to continue for decades. Your boss loves tweets, so check out the list I sent out the first time you trotted out this argument:
The fact of the matter is that there are hundreds of thousands of trans kids across the country right now who are deeply, incredibly afraid of going to school because their government is no longer unequivocally standing with them. It doesn’t matter if they live in New York City or Idaho, kids deserve protection. Don’t you agree?
4. You said the President cares about the troubles transgender kids face in schools. Did he see this report that shows nearly 50 percent of transgender people attempt suicide at least once in their lifetime? Did he know that since the election, 70 percent of LGBTQ teens reported feelings of hopelessness and worthlessness? In that same survey, 36 percent had been personally bullied or harassed, and 56 percent had changed their self-expression or future plans because of the election.
And if he cares so much, will he commit to meeting with the families that this devastating decision will affect? You may have seen that they’ve requested a meeting with your boss Donald Trump, Jeff Sessions, and Betsy Devos — after more than 1,000 of them pleaded with the administration not to do this last week. We would love nothing more for him to explain to a transgender teen or their parents why they shouldn’t be worried about why they shouldn’t be alarmed by this devastating decision.
We would greatly appreciate your prompt response.
Thanks
-Chad
As of Queerty’s press time, Spicer had not responded to HRC
DCguy
Chad Griffin? Oh wait, that’s right, the guy who endorsed anti-lgbt Republican Mark Kirk over pro-lgbt Democrat Tammie Baldwin.
The guy who had a book written that gave himself credit for gay marriage by erasing the fact of the Eddie Windsor case.
And the guy who got paid $500,000 a year by HRC to do that.
How about putting HRC’s budget to use for the next two years, and then you can pretend you give a crap.
porque_loco
Ah, so he endorsed an R from Illinois over a D from Wisconsin?
Which election had them running against each other?
davidkohl
The issue here is not about Mr.Griffin – all of us do things that we come to regret and we should not let the extreme right wing divide us. The real issue is about yet more repulsive discrimination emanating from The Odious Man and his brainless minions and Mr. Griffins questions are spot on. Clueless Spicer has not answered because he has no answers that would convince a 5 year old – which is about the emotional and mental age of The Odious Man and his most of his ‘advisers’.
Time and time again this uneducated rabble have demonstrated their lack of knowledge and understanding of not just issues of gender and sexuality, but also of the basic laws and court rulings in their country. Don’t expect any understanding or sympathy from this lot of gangsters unless you are white, male, rich, dumb, racist, sexist, homophobic, a pretend Christian and a thorough hypocrite.
Alan down in Florida
And in the interest of piling on on a troll, it was the Edie Windsor case not the Eddie Windsor case.
DCguy
Duckworth, not Baldwin, and yes, Edie, But yet the point is the same. HRC endorsed an anti-lgbt republican over a pro-lgbt Democrat. We’ve seen what they do. They take money, throw parties, and then excuse endorsing anti-lgbt politicians by claiming thats what they have to do in DC.
Gian85
By the way, if more people had voted for Hillary ,then Trump would have won the popular vote and he would have endorsed the lgbt community.
davidkohl
not sure how that works @Gian85 – if more people voted for Hilary The Odious Man would have won the popular vote? She already won the popular vote – so more votes would not mean she lost it – or am I missing something? And why would that that have meant The Odious Man being less homophobic anyway?
davidkohl
ok get it now – its an ‘alternative fact’ .
captainburrito
What was wrong with endorsing Mark Kirk? He was the incumbent and other than opposing DADT he supported gay marriage and was co-sponsor of ENDA. He scored quite highly afaik on gay rights. When you have endorsed a pro-lgbt candidate who has supported your causes you don’t easily switch to someone else. That sends a message that we are uncomfortable with Republicans supporting our causes and will abandon them.
They did abandon him when he made a xenophobic comment regarding Tammy Baldwin. But even after he lost and was serving the remainder of his term he became the first Republican co-sponsor of the equality act. For a Republican that is a pretty damn good record.
DCguy
@captainburrito What’s wrong with endorsing Mark Kirk? Is this a joke?
Let’s play a little game. You are a group whose sole reason for existence and fundraising is supposedly fighting for LGBT rights. And you are asking what is wrong with endorsing somebody opposed to those rights over somebody who is fully 100% in support of them?
I’ll let you sit there for a second so you can look in a mirror and think about what you just said.
Dave in Northridge
About time HRC got off its centrist ass and did something like this. I’ll forgive them the endorsements and that wonderfully self-serving book if they keep doing stuff that actually HELPS people. Heck, I might even contribute, the way I do to the ACLU, but I’m waiting for their 2018 endorsements..
blackout_boycott
Where is Bruce Jenner the trader to the Democratic party for now being Republican? He/She should fight for the future of Transgenders rights.
Oh he was to busy going pee in the Ladies room of the Trump Towers!
GayEGO
I don’t know if Spicer will be able to reply to Chad Griffin, Trump will intervened and order Spicer to declare this as fake news.
captainburrito
Melissa McCarthy can do a sketch and show us what it would have been like.
BriBri
Won’t that be cute, chix with dix in the high school showers showering with chix with nodix.