No thanks................

We have enough professional "Spokespeople" already for the trans community these days who are either the token celebrity in corporate America, knew the right people at HRC, greased palms with the right politicians or most importantly were "Hand- Selected" by the GLBT media crony club to go to Washington...........

If you want this to be a true trans effort for Obama, then you all need to think of a plan that is collaboratively INCLUSIVE of many trans people's opinions rather than the "business as usual" approach of sending the corporate trans sacrificial lamb to have a meeting with leaders on how to exploit trans folks by governmental agencies and corporations which solely benefit THEM (aka "Best Practices").

The people who you really need to be meeting with now are those corrupt HRC leaders who are selling everyone else down the river so that they can ensure that their elitist paychecks and those of their straight corporate "allies" remains secure. Of course no one wants to talk about that !!!

So Ms. Kiesling, please remember when talking to Obama that when you "represent" the trans community, in reality you are expressing YOUR opinion and experience, which does not necessarily reflect the opinions of ALL trans folks.........

Do we need an inclusive ENDA ??? Sure. Do we need extended healthcare to include trans people ?? Absolutely !! Do we need to hold corporations accountable for not doing what they say.............well, I suppose that depends of which side of the trans corporate / political/HRC table you sit doesn't it ???

The fact is, regardless of past tradition and business etiquette, Obama and congress just might be more inclined to believe the needs of trans folks or even GLBT people altogether if he and others in Washington meet with real, tangible examples of disenfranchised and oppressed trans folks rather than the usual elitist "GLBT Inc." club who have no problem worrying about where their next meal is coming from or certainly if they can buy a designer business suit so they can visit Washington and get their picture on the front cover of The Advocate or Echelon..........

So, in closing I say don't screw this up from the start like some previous trans "activists" have done, which in my opinion helped lay the groundwork for the mess we are currently in. Apparently over-inflated egos, opportunism and pride was more important at that time than actually bringing about some sort of tangible change...

Collaborative community effort, or just more of the same ???

"The fact is, regardless of past tradition and business etiquette, Obama and congress just might be more inclined to believe the needs of trans folks or even GLBT people altogether if he and others in Washington meet with real, tangible examples of disenfranchised and oppressed trans folks rather than the usual elitist "GLBT Inc." "

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You just make me feel tired all over, car girl.

I've gone to lobby many times - always on my own dime - when I was un & underemployed - as were most off those people you're complaining about. People who showed up, rolled up their sleeves and did some work. And the really odd thing (at least it seems to appears odd to you) is that everyone was welcome, everyone was invited, and everyone was encouraged - hell pushed - to come. And if they couldn't come - they were encouraged to lobby at home.

Sadly very few actually got off their asses and did so. So - maybe you can actually show up this time and join the rest of us everyday people trying to do an extraordinary thing. It sure doesn't seem as if what you've been doing has been working out well for you.

And most people don't give much weight to the opinions of those who don't even try.

"People who showed up, rolled up their sleeves and did some work."

Well, obviously you didn't roll up your sleeves far enough, because the last time I checked, we are no further along as a GLBT community than we were a few years ago........

And how about that senate hearing last year where those trans PhDs and people who had a half-million in 401k savings were the ONLY ones "invited" to testify.....I certainly didn't see any underemployed folks on that panel.

Concerning past lobbyist "invitees", just who was invited ???? I certainly didn't know about such an event, nor did anyone I know from the community........Perhaps that was just another "by invitation only" event. And since I don't favor lobbying anyway, I wouldn't find it useful for change.

Lastly you assert very clearly:

"And most people don't give much weight to the opinions of those who don't even try."

Well gee, I guess not if they are already going to form a biased opinion about them based on the badmouthing they may have heard from the influential activist clique.

After all, you all seem to have already made up your minds based on a limited amount of facts, so why bother trying at this point ???

"Well, obviously you didn't roll up your sleeves far enough, because the last time I checked, we are no further along as a GLBT community than we were a few years ago........"

You haven't shown you've rolled up your sleeves at all kiddo. Yet.

But - feel free to correct me. Share your experience, contributions & wisdom. Please.

And if you haven't yet - will you?

So instead of putting down everything everyone else says and does why don't you spend your energy organizing alternative efforts? I mean really, is your negativity all you have to add to the conversation?

Come up with a better plan. Take to the people. Organize it and follow through...walk the walk.