When you're part of a marginalized community, which party control the government at the local, state and federal level when one party pushes civil rights and the other is hell bent on rolling them back is of ginormous importance.
Ohio Governor Ted Strickland (D) issued an executive order in 2007 that banned discrimination in state employment for TBLG people. The order declared that no state employee could be fired from or denied a state job on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.
Fast forward to 2010 and GOP control of the Ohio state government. Governor John Kasich (R) let that executive order expire despite a campaign promise to the contrary. But after getting major flack over it issued a revised executive order that left out guess who?
The list of protected groups in the revised anti-discrimination order is a bit lengthy, protecting state employees or job candidates from discrimination based on race, color, religion, gender, national origin, military status, disability, age, genetic information or sexual orientation.
“The governor is opposed to discrimination in state employment and has made that clear in this executive order in the way that he feels is most appropriate,” said spokesman Scott Milburn in a statement to reporters.
Umm hmm. Yep, screw the transpeeps..
So for all you Ohio transpeople who voted GOP or didn't vote at all on November 2, elections have consequences. It's also past time for you to realize that the Republican Party, when it comes to civil rights issues, is not your friend.
