More located below the beautiful orange fold.
Well, now that we have secured Nationwide Marriage Equality (despite the fact that some states, county clerks, etc. are still resisting) what is next for LGBT people you might ask?
Well, in a single all-encompassing sentence it is:
Full Equality under the law at the Federal level so that states are left with no choice but to treat all LGBT people equally all areas such as housing, employment, public accommodation and other non-discrimination laws.
As the opening graphic illustrates there are still many areas where LGBT people are not protected by law and can still be
legally discriminated against!
Let’s review.
- Over 50% of LGBT Americans live in states where they risk being fired, denied housing or refused service because of who they are or whom they love.
- Nearly two-thirds of LGBT Americans report having experienced discrimination in their personal lives.
- Only 19 states + D.C. explicitly prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity and 3 additional states prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation only.
- Of the LGBT Americans who have experienced discrimination, 47% report experiencing it in the workplace.
- Services and Public Spaces – No Federal protection = in many states LGBT Americans can be denied service at restaurants, shops and hotels.
- Education – only 14 states + D.C. explicitly address discrimination against students based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
- Credit – Creditworthy LGBT Americans are still at risk of being denied home or school loans, car leases or credit cards based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
- Jury Service – No explicit protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity at the Federal level.
- Federal Funding – LGBT people trying to access Federally funded services risk discrimination or being denied service altogether.
The goal is clear: Full LGBT Equality under the law, controlled at the Federal level so that we no longer have the patchwork set of laws resulting in protections in one state disappearing as soon as your cross the wrong state line!
I am still blown away sometimes when I talk to people who honestly don’t realize that LGBT people can be fired in some states or denied housing based solely on their sexual orientation. Many truly do not realize that this is the reality still being faced by many LGBT people in America.
The Equality Act
The Equality Act, which was introduced by Senators Jeff Merkley, Tammy Baldwin, and Cory Booker, and Representatives David Cicilline and John Lewis, establishes explicit, permanent protections against discrimination based on an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity in matters of employment, housing, access to public places, federal funding, credit, education and jury service. In addition, it would prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex in federal funding and access to public places.
Most of us were aware, before the recent Supreme Court Marriage Equality Ruling that the majority of Americans support our right to marry.
But, not only that but recent polls also indicate that support for Federal non-discrimination protections even exceeds that of support for Marriage Equality!
Support the LGBT Equality Act!
To quote HRC:
Before the Equality Act’s introduction, HRC released new polling that shows support for federal non-discrimination protections exceeds even marriage equality. Likely voters support workplace non-discrimination protections by a massive 78 percent to 16 percent margin. This includes support from 90 percent of likely Democratic voters, two-thirds (64 percent) of likely Republican voters, and 70 percent of observant Christians. Moreover, nearly 60 percent of voters are less likely to support a candidate who doesn’t support such protections for LGBT people, including 61 percent of Independent voters and 58 percent of Catholic voters.
So according to this, among even Republican voters roughly 64% support Federal non-discrimination laws AND 70% of observant Christians + 58% of Catholics!!
So the questions I have are: When are the Republican voters, observant Christians and Catholics going to DEMAND change? When are they going to demand that LGBT people be treated equally under the law in ALL respects?!?
The time for talk is over and the time for action is NOW!
So please: Support the LGBT Equality Act!
Apple Support for the LGBT Equality Act