Transgender Group ‘Perplexed’ At Why Hillary Clinton Won’t Fill Out Questionnaire. Sanders has.

[imagine2015]

Transgender Group ‘Perplexed’ At Why Clinton Won’t Fill Out Questionnaire
by Kevin Gosztola
May 25, 2016

A national group for trans people in the United States is waiting for Hillary Clinton to complete a survey on where she stands on issues. On the other hand, the group is not waiting for Bernie Sanders. He followed through on his commitment to fill out the questionnaire.

The Trans United Fund (TUF) expressed disappointment with Clinton. “We know personally what’s on the line for us and our nation, and we fervently believe it is crucial to seek a bold and unambiguous commitment to our community from all candidates that seek our support,” Monica Roberts of the TUF presidential endorsement committee declared.

According to The Washington Blade’s Chris Johnson, Sanders affirmed support for trans rights when it comes to employment in addition to “transition-related health care, education, and housing.” He supported President Barack Obama’s executive order to require “all federal employees to have access to workplace facilities” regardless of their gender identity (and would issue an additional executive order to renew protection).

Sanders also answered questions related to HIV/AIDS. He pledged to “reform state HIV criminalization laws, which to varying degrees penalize the transfer of HIV.” He highlighted the role he played in ensuring the Affordable Health Care Act had $11 billion to “expand” a “network of federally qualified health centers to assist minority communities like transgender people.”

Sanders has a long history of supporting the LGBTQ community that goes all the way back to when he first ran for office in Vermont in the 1970s. He supported the abolition of discriminatory laws, which targeted sexual orientation. As mayor of Burlington, he backed the city’s first pride parade

TUF indicated in a press release, “[The] Sanders campaign replied with an enthusiastic commitment to complete this questionnaire. Trans United Fund received a call from a Clinton campaign representative a full two weeks after the campaign had committed to complete the survey, explaining that the survey was ‘too long’ and the campaign did not have the appropriate resources to complete it in a timely manner. The Sanders campaign completed the questionnaire completely and on time.”

For a “frontrunner” Democratic presidential candidate, who has cast herself as the inevitable nominee, it’s hard to comprehend how the campaign could not have found time to answer some questions important to trans people.

Read the full article at:
http://www.commondreams.org/views/2016/05/25/transgender-group-perplexed-why-clinton-wont-fill-out-questionnaire

[LondonReign2]

1. Just like same sax marriage, Clinton will support it if, and only if,

it ever becomes politically advantageous for her to do so

[dsc]

2. that was exactly what Bernie did

He opposed, as in didn't favor, marriage equality (that is the proper term BTW) until after his state had enacted it.

[imagine2015]

4. Not so. Sanders voted against the Defense of Marriage Act in 1996. William Clinton sponsored it!

He voted against the Defense of Marriage Act in 1996, which few representatives opposed. He is the co-sponsor of legislation called the Uniting Families Act, which would make it possible for the partner of any U.S. citizen or resident to “obtain lawful permanent residency,” just as heterosexual partners are able to do.

[TwilightZone]

7. "same sax marriage"

Well, Bill does like the sax.

[reddread]

12. as "sacred bonds" go

what balls.

[arcane1]

3. Filling it out might make it difficult for her to pander to right-wingers.

She can't afford taking a chance and actually stating where she stands on an issue. Good Heavens no!

[felix_numinous]

5. ^^^This^^^

[nilram]

6. I'm sure she's looking into it and we'll get it

right after we get the transcripts of her speeches to wall street banks.

[imagine2015]

8. I hope she does so before she withdraws her candidacy.

[oberliner]

9. Have you read the questionnaire?

if not, check it out here:

http://nebula.wsimg.com/2f6b8000935be669bb5748dac53800f8?AccessKeyId=DCE2B6B98D4F85F921BC&disposition=0&alloworigin=1

[imagine2015]

10. It was sent to Clinton and Bernie. She'll get around to it along with releasing the transcripts.

Clinton's very busy fund raising and speaking to grouplets now.

I will look it over tonight.

[oberliner]

11. Let me know what you think when you look it over

Some of the short-answer questions are pretty challenging. I would love to read Bernie's responses, but I don't think they are publicly available.

[imagine2015]

13. It's very long. And Bernie didn't answer all of the questions. I think he handled the major ones.

I did see some of his answers and I try to locate them.

[imagine2015]

14. Here's an article published in the Washington Blade on Tuesday regarding the questionnaire.

The Washington Blade is the oldest LGBT newspaper in the United States and third largest by circulation.




Sanders responds to trans group questionnaire — but not Clinton
May 24, 2016

A newly formed pro-transgender political action committee has sent out a questionnaire to each of the major 2016 presidential candidates — but only Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders has responded.

Monica Roberts, a Houston-based advisory member of the Trans United Fund presidential endorsement committee, chided Clinton for neglecting to respond to the survey, saying off-the-record commitments from political candidates on trans rights are no longer sufficient.

The 15-page questionnaire prepared for the candidates covers a range of transgender issues, seeking candidate’s positions on transgender employment as well as access to transition-related health care, education and housing.

In his responses, Sanders affirms support for trans rights in each of these areas. Additionally, he volunteers a proposed executive order requiring all federal employees to have access to workplace facilities consistent with their gender identity and to establish an interagency working group to increase opportunities for the trans community.

The candidate also recommits himself to fighting HIV/AIDS in response to questions on the epidemic and pledges to work to reform state HIV criminalization laws, which to varying degree penalize the transfer of HIV.

Sanders identifies as his greatest achievement for transgender people his role in enacting the Affordable Care Act, which he says secured $11 billion to expand the network of Federally Qualified Health Centers to assist minority communities like transgender people.

But Sanders didn’t respond to all of the questions. One on whether he has employed a transgender person to work for him in a government and business context, and another on whether he supports the legalization of sex work were left unanswered.

Many of Sanders’ answers reflect his responses during an interview last year with the Washington Blade in which he promised to make transgender people visible in his administration and became the first presidential candidate to endorse openly transgender military service.

The complete article can be found at:

https://www.washingtonblade.com/2016/05/24/sanders-but-not-clinton-responds-to-trans-group-questionnaire/