Thirteen LGBT Protesters Arrested Outside Sen. Durbin's Office
By Joseph Erbentraut in News on May 21, 2010 6:00PM
Thirteen Chicago LGBT activists were arrested yesterday during a sit-in demonstration in Sen. Dick Durbin's office. The activists demanded passage of the LGBT job protections bill known as the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) and entered the office at noon with the hope of having Durbin, a co-sponsor of the bill, sign a pledge of commitment to its passage, but Durbin was not in the office. His staffers further denied the activists a chance to speak with him via phone and said he "does not sign pledges." The demonstrators were arrested when they refused to leave the office lobby.
While activists acknowledge Durbin has shown support for the bill, they feel he could be advocating more actively for the law's passage. They also point to the senator's votes in support of the military's Don't Ask Don't Tell policy in 1993 and the Defense of Marriage Act in 1996 as proof of his wishy-washy record on LGBT rights. "I am here because we can no longer sit around and wait for our rights to be handed to us by politicians, we must demand our rights from them," said activist Lindsey Dietzler in a statement. "We have to be here to fight for those who are forced to remain invisible and deny who they are just to make a living. I want Senator Durbin to know that until there is full federal equality for every queer citizen, no one in this country is free."
During the Chicago demonstration, organized by a coalition of groups in recognition of the city's Harvey Milk Week of Action activities, protesters in Washington D.C. also staged a rally pressing Congress to pass the legislation. If passed, ENDA would protect workers from discrimination and harassment based on their sexual orientation and gender identity at the federal level. While Illinois currently prohibits such discrimination, it is currently legal in 29 states to fire an employee for being gay, 38 if you're transgender.
Harvey Milk Week of Action continues in Chicago with "Queer Noise," a gay-oriented open mic tonight at 8 p.m. at New Wave Coffee, 2557 N. Milwaukee, and a rally and march down Michigan Ave. Saturday at 1 p.m. Click here for more information.