LGBTQ+ rights are now recognized as civil rights in the USA. Nearly 56 years after the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was enacted, the US Supreme Court has ruled that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people are federally protected from discrimination in the workplace. We can no longer be fired from our jobs or not hired simply because of who we are and who we love.
Julia Bryan, Chair of Democrats Abroad noted, "Let's celebrate a victory in the courts, and then continue the work to create a more just society where every individual is honored and respected. A world that works for everyone, with no one and nothing left out. Today would be a very good day to register to vote, request an absentee ballot and ask the people in your life to vote."
Martha McDevitt-Pugh, Co-Chair of the Democrats Abroad LGBT+ Caucus, also noted, "Until today, it was perfectly legal to not hire or to fire someone from their job in many US states, simply because they are LGBT. Any protections were only at the local or state level, meaning that moving across a state border could mean you lose access to fundamental civil rights.
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. Recent events in the US show that were are only free and equal to live our lives when government and institutions respect and protect the rights and dignity of all people at all levels.
Protection under the law is the start. It is not the end of the road."