I Think I Fell for the Girl on TV

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Last week, I was a little famous.

OK, that is a blatant lie. But I was on CSPAN, if that counts for anything. And webcast on the House Education & Labor Committee's website. How's that for the big time?

What, you don't watch CSPAN or Congressional webcasts? What do you people do for fun?!

Last Wednesday, the Ed & Labor Committee held a hearing on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (H.R. 3017), also known as ENDA, a civil rights bill that would make it illegal for employers to discriminate in hiring firing & promotions on the basis of employees' real or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity.

Sound complicated? It's not. I spent a large chunk of my first year out of college working toward the passage of this bill, including teaching high schoolers about it & guiding them as they lobbied their members of Congress in support of it (which you can do, too!). What I'm saying is that ENDA is pretty dear to my heart.

As a result of some sweet hookups at my big-kid job (look, Ma! I'm an adult!), I had the privilege of being up close & personal in the hearing - & being broadcast live behind one of the witnesses, Camille Olson, throughout the duration of her anti-ENDA testimony. Here I am, in the background of a photo posted on the Ed & Labor's Flickr site, sitting behind Vandy Beth Glenn, who was fired from her job when she revealed she'd be transitioning from male to female.



Yes, I'm on my phone. How embarrassing. But hey, I had to respond to the deluge of "I see you!" texts I got from friends & coworkers as soon as I made my glamorous webcast debut! Also, you know, I had to tweet about it. A lot. And also, it's sort of like my body is now hard-wired to check my iPhone every 30 seconds. Oh, I'm so DC.


PS: If you like me that much, you can even watch me on video, starting at the 1:18:56 marker. I estimate that this five-minute testimony means I have at least 10 more minutes of pseudo-fame headed my way.

PPS: I'm serious. Tell your Members of Congress to pass ENDA.

PPPS(?!): CSPAN. I meant it.

13 comments:

  1. Why are you pulling an Eric Cantor in that first screencap????? :(

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  2. You are SO CLOSE. Also, you are seated in the Jewish Coalition, I think.

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  3. PS. I am K.Peebs. My Google account doesn't do an accurate job of conveying that.

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  4. PPS. Vandy Beth Glenn's testimony is SO SAD. I cried.

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  5. Next time look happy, you are in a hearing! So exciting!

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  6. You're a STAR! Go get some new bling or something. You deserve it for being so famous. And yes, I love this bill. Gay Boyfriend faces alot of discrimination here on the righty-right prairie.

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  7. an A-D-U-L-T. Really & truly, I'm so very proud of you not only because you're an awesome adult but because of your convictions & perseverance. look, Ma!

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  8. The girl in the front row is always famous; whether it's a hearing, concert, whatever.

    (Plus, I am a moron. When her mic wasn't working, I thought it was my sound and I kept hitting mute and play; all the while, wondering why you smile-laughed.)

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  9. Just letting you know (in case no-one else mentions it) that Vandy Beth posted a link to this blog from her Facebook profile. ;-)

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  10. Oh, and the blonde woman in the background on the other side of Vandy Beth was also tweeting on her phone during most of the hearing, hence the identical head angles of the two of you. That's Allyson Robinson, and I was following along with her tweets during the whole thing.

    So, you were not alone in your iPhone'ing!

    Oh, and here's hoping ENDA has a resounding victory!

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  11. Vandy Beth is my hero. I also happen to have known her for a billion years. We're all very proud of her.

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