Various bits of news

The United Methodist Church is supporting the Employee Nondiscrimination Act, which would prohibit discrimination throughout the US based on sexual orientation, and hopefully gender identity. Predictably,the IRD is protesting. The three main denominations that the IRD is targeting are the Episcopalians, the Methodists, and the Presbyterians.

Currently, according to Wikipedia, 13 US states have protections for both sexual orientation and gender identity; 7 more protect only sexual orientation, and 15 have laws that are sometimes interpreted to protect transgendered persons. A move is being considered in the US House of Representatives to strip protections for gender identity, which could increase the chances of the bill passing with a veto-proof majority. A large number of LGBT organizations oppose this, although the Human Rights Campaign, one of the largest, does not. Barney Frank, one of the sponsors, was hesitant in the first place whether the bill would be able to survive an expected veto (despite bipartisan support), and is one of the originators of the amendment to remove gender identity protections.

For the record, I oppose attempts to delete the above protections. You can take action on the ACLU's site, but I intend to call my representative.



PS, churches will, unfortunately, be exempt from the bill, whatever form it passes in.

South Africa is getting a new Archbishop, Thabo Makgoba. At age 47, he is the youngest South African Archbishop yet. Like his predecessors, Tutu and Ndungane, he grew up under apartheid. I've heard one prominent feminist scholar remark that she was getting a number of African-American men in her class, because growing up under one form of oppression can sometimes make you sensitive to other forms. He seems to be at least neutral on homosexuality and positive on gender equity, and is expected to be a voice of conscience to the government, much like Desmond Tutu was. Prayers for Thabo and his nation as they continue to grow out from apartheid.