National Transgender Advocacy Coalition
Encyclopedia
The National Transgender Advocacy Coalition is a lobbying
and advocacy
organization in the United States
dedicated to protecting the civil rights
of transgender
and gender variant
people. Its reports and spokespersons are widely cited in the media on transgender issues.
NTAC was founded in 1999, by a group of experienced transgender lobbyists, who discovered after lobbying the United States Congress
in May 1999 that other organizations that were ostensibly supportive of rights for transgender people had been lobbying against the interests of the transgender community. This was documented in a report, circulated within the transgender community, called the 'transflakes' report.
NTAC was founded as a 501(c)(4) political lobbying organization in Virginia
in 2000. NTAC hosted its first lobbying event in 2001, and has organized lobbying events in 2001, 2004, 2005, 2007, and 2009. NTAC keeps detailed description and statistics of what is said to its lobbyists, for future reference by activists.
Philosophically, NTAC differs from other transgender advocacy organizations in that its board is a working board of experienced lobbyists and activists, has no paid employees, has no paid office space, has not taken any money from any other organization, and remains independent and transparent in its activities, goals, and work.
The board has undergone many changes of personnel
over the years, as board members have had a high turnover rate. This has been balanced by the activists who joined the board who grew in knowledge and stature during their board terms. However, from its beginning, each lobbying visit to Washington, D.C.
that NTAC has planned and executed has been very effective, netting useful information on the changing points of view of elected officials, building a database of useful information on the Congress, and training more citizen-lobbyists.
Lobbying
Lobbying is the act of attempting to influence decisions made by officials in the government, most often legislators or members of regulatory agencies. Lobbying is done by various people or groups, from private-sector individuals or corporations, fellow legislators or government officials, or...
and advocacy
Advocacy
Advocacy is a political process by an individual or a large group which normally aims to influence public-policy and resource allocation decisions within political, economic, and social systems and institutions; it may be motivated from moral, ethical or faith principles or simply to protect an...
organization in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
dedicated to protecting the civil rights
Civil rights
Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations, and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression.Civil rights include...
of transgender
Transgender
Transgender is a general term applied to a variety of individuals, behaviors, and groups involving tendencies to vary from culturally conventional gender roles....
and gender variant
Gender variance
Gender variance, or gender nonconformity, is behaviour or gender expression that does not conform to dominant gender norms of male and female...
people. Its reports and spokespersons are widely cited in the media on transgender issues.
NTAC was founded in 1999, by a group of experienced transgender lobbyists, who discovered after lobbying the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
in May 1999 that other organizations that were ostensibly supportive of rights for transgender people had been lobbying against the interests of the transgender community. This was documented in a report, circulated within the transgender community, called the 'transflakes' report.
NTAC was founded as a 501(c)(4) political lobbying organization in Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
in 2000. NTAC hosted its first lobbying event in 2001, and has organized lobbying events in 2001, 2004, 2005, 2007, and 2009. NTAC keeps detailed description and statistics of what is said to its lobbyists, for future reference by activists.
Philosophically, NTAC differs from other transgender advocacy organizations in that its board is a working board of experienced lobbyists and activists, has no paid employees, has no paid office space, has not taken any money from any other organization, and remains independent and transparent in its activities, goals, and work.
The board has undergone many changes of personnel
over the years, as board members have had a high turnover rate. This has been balanced by the activists who joined the board who grew in knowledge and stature during their board terms. However, from its beginning, each lobbying visit to Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
that NTAC has planned and executed has been very effective, netting useful information on the changing points of view of elected officials, building a database of useful information on the Congress, and training more citizen-lobbyists.