Washington, D.C. — Center for American Progress President Neera Tanden issued the following statement today in support of the Equality Act, re-introduced today by Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Rep. David Cicilline (D-RI). The historic legislation provides protections from discrimination for LGBT people in all aspects of life, including housing, employment, public accommodations, credit, and education. Today, the Center for American Progress released new research showing that a staggering one in four LGBT people experienced discrimination in 2016 alone.
The Equality Act provides clear, vital, and overdue protections from discrimination for LGBT people from the workplace to the public square. Despite all our progress, discrimination remains a looming threat to LGBT people and their families, many of whom live in fear of being kept out of a classroom, losing their jobs, or getting thrown out of a restaurant because of who they are and who they love. The progressive cause in this country has always been about ensuring people can learn, work, participate in public life, and live free from fear. Achieving that would be impossible without comprehensive federal LGBT nondiscrimination protections. This bill may no longer have the support of the White House, but it has the far more powerful support of the American people. We won’t stop fighting until it is law. CAP applauds Sen. Merkley and Rep. Cicilline, on behalf of all Americans, for their leadership and enduring commitment to this fight.
Related resources:
For more information on this topic or to speak with an expert, contact Tom Caiazza at tcaiazza@americanprogress.org or 202.481.7141.