This Seems as Good a Time as Any to Talk about ENDA…

Long and short of it from NPR’s story:

“The Justice Department’s inspector general is investigating whether a career attorney in the department was dismissed from her job because of rumors that she is a lesbian. The case grew out of a larger inquiry into the firings of U.S. attorneys and politicization at Justice under former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.”

Obviously, this story might spark wide interest because of its connection to Monica Goodling and the scandal over the firing of the US attorneys, but the fact that this was front page on NPR’s website is testament to how egregious it must seem to many readers that a lawyer with an “outstanding” performance would be dismissed based on sexual orientation.

Yet, currently, there is actually no federal protection for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender workers who are dismissed from their jobs because of their sexuality. Right now, a weakened Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) has passed in the House and will soon face a fight in the Senate.

All I can say is: it’s 2008 and it’s been a long time coming… Of course, the act will still have to face Bush’s pen, which has threatened to slam down a big old veto on the legislation. Oh, also, by “weakened” I mean the transgendered are out of luck.