THE PAREENINGTON POST

March 28, 2013

Somebody please explain to me everything wrong with the HRC.

There is nothing really wrong with the HRC. It’s a lobbying group with a very large mandate and base so no one is ever particularly satisfied with it.
HRC’s money though typically comes from gay white males, so they are typically seen as most responsive to their needs, especially at the national level.
For instance, through the 1990’s, the HRC, being not powerful or flush with cash tried desperately to avoid discussion of same sex marriage- because it was something it couldn’t win. Instead they focused on ENDA, employment non-discrimination, something that even in the 90’s most gay whites didn’t fret much over- but today is something minority trans people do. in the 2000’s the fight shifted as more white money went to the HRC, which took up the marriage fight (really started though by Republicans banning SS marriage in the states).
So one grievance against the HRC is they dropped a worthwhile social good, ENDA, in favor of Marriage, something to put bluntly, a thing that poor, minority, disabled, trans, orphaned people look at quizzically (you are fighting so two wealthy gay dudes with jobs can file jointly?)
From another angle, the HRC is seen as conformist. they want to make LGBT people fit into the straight circle of society’s venn diagram. Marriage, military service, employment etc., instead of removing circles. a sort of queer dislike for the group.
Another, because it’s a lobbying group, it raises money for supporting politicians, even those who aren’t perfect. this means lots of money to Democrats- so groups like the Log Cabin Republicans (who truthfully have a dismal job lobbying closed doors) hate the HRC for making gays appear to be partisan Democrats. Jack asses like Andrew Sullivan basically hate it for this reason (though he wouldn’t admit it).
Generally though Lobbyists are easy people to hate. they require a lot of money and not till very recently have had little progress to show for it. Very few people at HRC actually make any money of note and they work like dogs.

useful and comprehensive

(via jasencomstock-deactivated201306)

5:44pm | URL: https://tmblr.co/Z56IbyhLlPaL

(Notes: 115)