Labor Day is always bittersweet for our LGBT community. With marriage equality now the law of the land it’s time to push for a comprehensive LGBT Non-Discrimination Act. In 28 states gay & lesbian couples can now legally marry but are still at risk of being fired from their job, evicted from their apartment or denied a hotel room simply for who they are or whom they love. A majority of states as well as the federal government, still lack protections from discrimination based on sexual orientation & gender identity in employment, housing, public accommodations, credit & education. The effort to pass nationwide non-discrimination protections promises to be the next major priority of the LGBT movement following the Supreme Court’s historic marriage equality decision. Our LGBT community is still faced with the alarming facts that 1 in 10 lesbian, gay & bisexual workers report being fired because of their sexual orientation while 1 in 4 transgender workers reported being fired because of their gender identity. Nearly 1 in 3 transgender Americans reported being denied equal treatment in a retail store. Also 1 in 4 gay & lesbian couples experienced discrimination when trying to buy a home. Now with the beginning of the new school year more than half of LGBT students from kindergarten to high school seniors report feeling unsafe at school as a result of their sexual orientation & more than a third reported feeling unsafe because of how they express their gender.
So enjoy your Labor Day Holiday but remember there’s still much more work to be done.
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ReplyDeleteIn Caitlin's ESPY speech she told the world that she can handle the harshness of some of the reactions to her change, but said that young people are not equipped nor should they have to deal with this. We need to protect everyone equally.