The Cynical Girl: Michelle Obama and ENDA

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Michelle Obama and ENDA Posted: 11 Jun 2013 03:45 AM PDT I liked Michelle Obama’s bangs. There. I said it. I also like that Mrs. Obama was heckled at a fundraiser, last week. You know why? She was heckled over a Human Resources issue: the Employment Non-Discrimination Act. HR is Political. Ellen Sturtz, a retired public servant and an advocate for LGBT equality, was hoping that President Obama would sign an executive order providing workplace protections by federal contractors in his first term. That hasn’t happened. And she wants him to keep his promise and pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), ending workplace discrimination by all employers. Ms. Sturtz is still waiting. My colleagues in Human Resources hate it when I write political blog posts. They tell me that I am not pro-business. They say that businesses should be able to hire freely and that the government should mimic the private sector and hire more selectively. And HR consultants and practitioners still say things like this: If you force companies to hire and employe gay people, you have to force them to hire pedophiles, sexual perverts and rapists. People still say that. This is true. And I’ve had to jump in and say — Being pro-business doesn’t mean you have to be stupid. Rapists and pedophiles are criminals. Our LGBT colleagues and friends are not criminals. It’s immoral to fire people for being gay. And discrimination is bad for business, whether that’s the private sector or the business of running this country. HR Should Know Better. You don’t have to be Martin Niemöller to know that a company that can discriminate against a gay person might one day discriminate against Jews, Mormons or Muslims. And an organization with consolidated power might change the terms and conditions of our employment and start firing people who worship Jesus, Allah, and Buddha — and then start hiring people who believe in Cernunnos, Pan, Atho or Karnayna. And what about companies run by atheists, the Triumvirate or George Soros? I hear that if you give them enough power and black helicopters, they might they discriminate against Evangelical Christians. Bottom Line? Human Resources professionals know that discrimination against one is discrimination against all. Checks and balances are a pain-in-the ass for most companies, but they exist for a reason. ENDA is a check and balance on a system that still discriminates against law-abiding LGBT citizens. And if Michelle Obama is a friend to the gay community, which I think she is, this incident should be a wake-up call. Gay marriage isn’t enough. Equal protection under the law matters. Great HR people know that, as well.

These things I believe. Posted: 10 Jun 2013 06:45 AM PDT Joe Gerstandt told me (and you) the things he believes. I was inspired and wrote my list. Much of it is co-opted from things I have read and witnessed. And my list reveals some truths about me that are cringeworthy, contradictory and weird. But it’s an honest list . . . . even if I’m not an honest woman. Life is hard work. Nobody escapes without experiencing sadness and pain. Then you die. Imprint memories of happiness and joy. Hold on to them for dear life. Yes, they are lying to you. The are out to get you. They want you to fail. Forgive them, anyway. Empathy softens the blow of life. Your religion doesn’t matter. Your actions matter. Even in your own story, you are not the main character. Addiction is an insidious beast. Fight like hell even when the battle feels lost. At some point, you will hurt the ones you love. Failure to try will haunt you. There are some accomplishments that will never be recognized. They still matter. A job is just a job despite what people tell you. Leadership is what happens when most of us aren’t looking. A majority opinion is just a collective compromise. The biggest threat to freedom is consolidated and privatized power. Consumerism oppresses creativity and kills the heart and soul of humankind. You are just like everyone else at the moment when you feel unique and special. Birthdays matter. It is the beginning of everything great and possible. There should be tenderness underneath truth. The greatest legacy is soft and unspoken. Without love, none of this matters. What you are waiting for? Write your list.

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