Comprehensive Federal LGBT Legal Protections

The Equality Act, which was introduced by Senators Jeff Merkley, Tammy Baldwin, and Cory Booker, and Representatives David Cicilline and John Lewis, establishes explicit protections against discrimination based on an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity in matters of employment, housing, access to public places, federal funding, credit, education and jury service. In addition, it would prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex in federal funding and access to public places.

“We applaud and enthusiastically endorse the Equality Act — the strongest LGBT bill ever written,” said Tico Almeida of Freedom to Work.  ”But LGBT Americans should not wait for Congress to pass this bill when today victims of LGBT discrimination can and should file claims under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the Fair Housing Act, and other federal laws that ban sex discrimination.”