by Serving your country doesn’t cover Pride travel
Lines at Washington D.C. area food banks have swelled with an unexpected demographic: LGBTQ+ federal employees who discovered that “serving your country with pride” is a cute slogan but not an actual compensation strategy. The surge comes after the latest government efficiency initiative resulted in wage freezes, reduced benefits, and what officials are calling “patriotic financial sacrifice”which sounds noble until you’re choosing between groceries and prescription hormones.
“I process discrimination complaints at the EEOC,” said Department of Labor worker Jamie Mitchell, a trans federal employee waiting for donated pasta while wearing a faded “Love is Love” t-shirt. “I literally help people fight workplace discrimination, including LGBTQ+ discrimination. Now I can’t afford groceries or my HRT prescription. The irony isn’t lost on me. Actually, irony is one of the few things I can still afford, and it tastes like shit.”
Food bank coordinator Maria Santos reports seeing queer federal employees she recognizes from Pride events now seeking food assistance. “Last June, I saw some of these same people marching in the Pride parade,” Santos explained. “Now they’re in line for donated canned goods because their government job doesn’t pay enough to cover rent in D.C. One person has a master’s degree in public policy and was choosing between electricity and buying insulin. This is America treating its LGBTQ+ workforce.”
The situation has sparked conversation about how federal compensation particularly impacts queer workers, who statistically face higher rates of poverty and housing discrimination. “The assumption is that federal jobs are stable and middle-class,” noted queer labor organizer Derek Thompson. “But when you’re making $45,000 in D.C., you’re already struggling. Add in LGBTQ+ discrimination in housing, healthcare costs for transition-related care, or supporting chosen family because your biological family disowned you, and suddenly that ‘stable government job’ means food banks.”
Administration officials defended the wage freeze during a press conference held at a steakhouse where the cheapest cocktail costs $22. Senator Bradley Thompson, who’s never met an LGBTQ+ person he didn’t patronize, explained: “Federal workers knew what they were signing up for. Public service requires sacrifice, including financial sacrifice. That’s part of serving your country.” When asked if he’d take a similar pay cut from his $174,000 salary, Thompson clutched his bourbon and said “that’s differentI have constituents to represent,” apparently forgetting that federal workers are also constituents.
Queer federal employees have responded by organizing “Hunger Games: Congressional Edition,” a campaign highlighting the gap between legislative salaries and federal worker wages. “Members of Congress make $174,000, get automatic cost-of-living adjustments, and receive benefits most Americans can only dream about,” noted Treasury Department analyst Rachel Foster, a lesbian who makes $48,000 and shares an apartment with two roommates. “Meanwhile, I’m literally at a food bank, but sure, we’re all serving together. Someone tell me how we’re in this together when they’re at steakhouses and I’m rationing ramen.”
The food bank visits have created awkward community. “I ran into my coworker here last week,” Mitchell shared. “We’re both trans, both federal employees, both can’t afford basic necessities. We just looked at each other, grabbed our boxes of donated food, and had an unspoken agreement not to mention it at work. It’s like fight club for queer povertyfirst rule is we don’t talk about how the government that claims to support LGBTQ+ rights is starving its queer workforce.”
When asked if his agency would address the crisis, one official suggested queer federal employees could “seek support from LGBTQ+ community organizations,” apparently unaware that many of those organizations are staffed by the same underpaid queer people now using food banks. The official also recommended “budgeting more carefully” and “considering roommates,” which several employees noted they already do”I have three roommates and we’re still broke. What’s next, suggesting we all share a bunk bed?”
Government efficiency experts called the situation “federal employees finding innovative solutions to budget constraints,” suggesting workers could reduce expenses by “skipping Pride events that cost money” and “accepting that authentic self-expression is a luxury.” When asked if they’d accept similar austerity, the experts said their work is “specialized,” unlike federal employees who only do things like ensure civil rights protections and process discrimination complaints while being discriminated against economically.
SOURCE: https://bohiney.com/federal-workers-line-up-at-food-banks/
SOURCE: Federal Workers Line Up at Food Banks (https://bohiney.com/federal-workers-line-up-at-food-banks/)
