There remains plenty to do — in fact, Keisling's organization was on a retreat last week to plan its lobbying agenda. ENDA, which at least for now includes gender identification in the bill's language, remains the top concern. There is a need for policy on the treatment of transgender veterans at VA centers, and of transgender immigrants in ICE detention. And recommendations from a major report on prison rape, which detailed the particular danger for transgender inmates, have yet to be implemented.
Advocates are hopeful that the Obama administration is on a path to accomplish much of that agenda.
One reason for their optimism: the lack of uproar or political blowback for what he's done so far.
All of the "firsts" and changes mentioned above have passed by with little notice, and virtually no mainstream criticism. Stronger negative reaction might have prompted the administration to slow down — but the silence seems to have freed them to keep up the pace.
To read the "Talking Politics" blog, go to thePhoenix.com/talkingpolitics. David S. Bernstein can be reached at dbernstein@phx.com.
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