GELC Vows to Fight for the Rights of LGBTQ Workers and Service Members

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Gender Equality Law Center

540 President Street, 3rd Floor

Brooklyn, NY 11215

(347) 844-9003

info@genderequalitylaw.org

Brooklyn, NY, Thursday, July 27, 2017 – The Gender Equality Law Center rejects the discriminatory and pernicious treatment of LGBTQ people by the Trump-Pence Administration, culminating yesterday in two far-reaching anti-LGBTQ policy changes.

First, going against all traditional military protocol policies, President Trump announced that transgender individuals will no longer be welcome or allowed to serve in the U.S. Armed Forces. Later that same day, the Department of Justice filed an amicus brief arguing that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act does not protect lesbian, gay, or bisexual people from workplace discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. These harmful decisions coming from the highest levels of government, undermines our courts’ continued findings that discrimination on the basis of LGBTQ status is unlawful discrimination under federal law.

GELC unequivocally opposes laws and policies that treat LGBTQ people as second class citizens. We pledge to continue – and increase our efforts – to fight for the equal treatment and protection of all LGBTQ persons in both the private and public sectors.

“Discrimination against anyone based on race, gender, gender identity or sexual orientation erodes the very fabric of our society,” said Allegra Fishel, Founder and Executive Director of GELC. “Excluding transgender individuals from the U.S. military and permitting employers to discriminate against LGBTQ workers on the basis of their sexual orientation is not based on facts nor precedent, it is based on bigotry. Rarely has a President so pointedly revoked the civil rights gains of an oppressed community.”

GELC is a Brooklyn based non-profit law and advocacy center. GELC’s mission is to advance laws and policies that break down barriers to gender equality in all spheres of public and private life. We believe in equal opportunity regardless of gender, gender identity, gender expression and/or sexual orientation and offer free legal services to low-income women, LGBTQ and gender non-confirming individuals to advance these causes.

info@genderequalitylaw.org; (347) 844-9003; www.genderequalitylaw.org