Read Baldwin's amendment to ENDA at the Equality Foundation's Web Page.

Want to take action in passing ENDA?  Here are some action tips from the National Gay and Lesbian Task force.

Here are some reasons to oppose ENDA, according to Focus on the Family.

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Non-discrimination bill has large effect on civil rights

Audio version of this story    U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin, one of the original sponsors of ENDA. (Photo taken from from Tammy Baldwin's official Web page)

It was only last year, just around this time when Wisconsin voters passed a controversial amendment to the state's Constitution. The amendment, which officially defined marriage in Wisconsin as between one man and one woman, was a striking blow to supporters of gay rights.

Flash forward to 2007. A highly debated bill heads to Congress this week that could have a profound effect on gay rights in the United States.

The Employment Non-Discrimination Act would prohibit employers from discriminating against an employee or potential employee due to his/her sexual orientation.

The bill hasn’t come without its share of debate. ENDA called for protection against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity when it was first introduced in early 2007.

But, a new version of the bill was introduced a few months later by U.S. Rep. Barney Frank. Gender identity was left out of it.

U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin, who represents the 2nd District of Wisconsin, is one of the authors of the original bill.  Baldwin, a longtime advocate of gay and transgender rights, recently introduced an amendment to Frank’s bill that would include gender identity.

“We are one community,” said Eva Shiffrim of Fair Wisconsin.  “We are happy that she is standing up for transgender inclusion.”

“These federal protections send a strong message that we will not tolerate discrimination because of sexual orientation or gender identity,” said Jerilyn Goodman, Baldwin's press secretary.

But what exactly defines gender identity? Essentially, gender identity is a person's sense of being male or female, regardless of their gender.

Ry Carpenter says he feels strongly about the passing ENDA.  "No where in the hiring of employees should sexual orientation or gender identity come up as something that should hinder them from getting that job," Carpenter said.  "Those are not things that should ever be a hindrance to one's possible employment."

The history of ENDA can be traced back to 1974 when a similar bill was first introduced in Congress.  The bill did not include gender identity. It did not pass.

Carpenter says he feels strongly about gender identity being included in the bill.  "If one thing is protected, then so should the other things," Carpenter said.   

Baldwin will be up for re-election in 2008. Currently, no one has stepped up to run against her.  She continues to fight for an all-inclusive version of the bill, while setting her sights on re-election.

ENDA is scheduled for a vote this week in the U.S. House of Representatives.  The inclusion of gender identity will be discussed before the vote happens.