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EQUALITY GOALS
FOR
FEDERAL LEGAL EQUALITY
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EQUALITY AS IT SHOULD BE
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LEGALIZED DISCRIMINATION AS OF INAGURATION DAY
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LGBT EQUALITY
DAYS AFTER INAUGURATION
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Hate Crimes Protection
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"We will pass the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act."
2008 Democratic Party Platform |
Every year, 1,500 people are victims of hate crimes due to their real or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity or expression and they are not protected by federal legislation. |
VICTORY!
The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act was signed into law by President Obama on October 28, 2009 (282 days after Inauguration).
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| Non-Discrimination |
Non discrimination in employment, including the federal government, housing, public accommodations, shared facilities, and credit should be expanded to include sexual orientation and gender identity. Also, non-discrimination in federally funded programs or activities.
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There are no protections at the federal level and in most states for non discrimination in employment based on sexual orientation.
In addition, at the federal level and in most states there is no protection for discrimination in housing, public accomoodations, and credit based on sexual orientation and gender identity or expression. |
NO
CHANGE
YET
IN FEDERAL LAW BUT THE EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION RULED THAT DISCRIMINATION IN EMPLOYMENT BASED ON GENDER IDENTITY IS ILLEGAL.
ALSO PRESIDENT OBAMA SIGNED A NON DISCRIMINATION EXECUTIVE ORDER IN JULY 2014.
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Gays in the Military
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"Should the law [DADT] change, the military will carry that out too."
Adm. M. Mullen
Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman |
More than $364M wasted implementing the ban.
More than 14,346 service members discharged because of DADT, inluding at least 80 Arabic linguists. |
The Don't Ask Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010 was signed into law by President Obama on December 22,
2010 (702 days after his Inauguration). It took effect on Sept. 20, 2011 (974 days after his Inauguration).
It allows LGB servicemembers to serve openly, but they are not equal under the law and trans members cannot serve openly.
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Marriage Equality
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"When any society says that I cannot marry a certain person,
that society has cut off a segment of my freedom."
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, 1958
"I favor legalizing same-sex marriages, and would fight efforts to prohibit such marriages."
President Obama, 1996 [source]
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In 47 states, same sex couples were denied the right to marry, when Obama took office in 2009.
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VICTORY!
Part of the Defense of Marriage Act was ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court on June 26, 2013. Two years later to the date, the Supreme Court ruled that there was a constitutional right for same-gender couples to get married in all states and territories and that every state had to recognized valid same-gender marriages from other jurisdictions.
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Freedom of Gender
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Add gender identity and expression to non discrimination and Hate Crimes laws.
Allow individuals the freedom to change their gender on official records.
Require medical insurance to cover both routine healthcare and specialized medical care for transgender people as recommended by their physicians. |
Hundreds of thousands of Americans are denied basic protections and are discriminated because of their choice of gender. |
EMPLOYMENT DISCRIMINATION BASED ON GENDER IDENTITY IS NOW FORBIDDEN BY THE EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION.
THERE ARE NEW AND SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS IN POLICY PROTECTING GENDER IDENTITY.
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Protecting Youth
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"We need to do more in our schools to foster tolerance and an acceptance of diversity."
President Obama |
Because of the portray of homosexuality, many youth battle for self acceptance, leading to three times the rates of suicide. |
NO
CHANGE
YET
IN FEDERAL LAW
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Same Gender Parenting Rights
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"I believe there are too many children who need loving parents to deny one group of people adoption rights. A child will benefit from a healthy, loving home, whether the parents are gay or not."
President Obama
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Foster parents lose their children because of their sexual orientation.
Adoption needs to be determined by the suitability of the parents, nor their sexual orientation or gender identity.
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With the Supreme Court recognizing the constitutional right of same-sex couples to marry, parenting rights are likely to follow in most states. It will take a few months to ascertain that this goal has been fully achieved.
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