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White House supports amending Civil Rights Act to include LGBTI protections
The White House has announced its ‘strong support’ of an effort to amend the 1964 Civil Rights Act so that it will ban discrimination against someone on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest called the Equality Act ‘historic legislation that would advance the cause of equality for millions of Americans.’
Earnest also said during a press briefing: ‘We look forward to working with Congress to ensure that the legislative process produces a result that balances both the bedrock principles of civil rights . . . with the religious liberty that we hold dear in this country.’
The Obama administration’s endorsement of the proposed legislation comes a week after the high-profile defeat of Houston’s Equal Right’s Ordinance.
The federal amendment was introduced in the US Senate by Democratic senators Jeff Merkley, Tammy Baldwin and Cory Booker and in the US House of Representatives by Democratic representative David N. Cicilline.
While it remains to be seen if there is enough legislative support to move the amendment forward, The Human Right Campaign stated Tuesday that there is clear public support.
HRC polled 950 American voters on the subject over the summer and 78 percent were in support compared to 16 percent against.
States HRC President Chad Griffin: ‘The unfortunate reality is that, while LGBT Americans can legally get married, millions remain at risk of being fired or denied services for who they are or who they love because the majority of states still lack explicit, comprehensive non-discrimination protections.
‘By endorsing the Equality Act, the White House sent a strong message that it’s time to put the politics of discrimination behind us once and for all. Now it’s time for Congress to act. Everyone should be able to live free from fear of discrimination and have a fair chance to earn a living and provide for their families, including people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender.’
The American Civil Liberties Union points out that LGBTI Americans in more than half the 50 US states can be turned away from jobs, housing and services with no clear, explicit protections under the law.
‘Women and communities of color still do not have protection against discrimination in all instances of federal funding or public accommodations,’ said the ACLU’s National Political Director Karin Johanson.
‘We hope that Congress will follow the President’s lead by giving the Equality Act a fair hearing and consideration in this Congress.’
The post White House supports amending Civil Rights Act to include LGBTI protections appeared first on Gay Star News.
Greg Hernandez
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