Rep. Takano Statement on Court Ruling in LGBT Workplace Discrimination Case
Washington, D.C. – Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.), the first openly gay Member of Congress elected in the state of California, released the following statement regarding a ruling by the Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit in Zarda v. Altitude Express, Inc. The court found that LGBT workplace discrimination violates the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
“In spite of the progress we’ve made toward LGBT equality, it is still possible for LGBT employees to get married on Saturday, post pictures on Sunday, and be fired on Monday because of who they love. This ruling addresses a major blind spot in our anti-discrimination laws and it recognizes that the cause of LGBT equality belongs in the same category as the broader civil rights movement.
“There is a growing consensus in the legal community that anti-gay discrimination violates the Civil Rights Act, but LGBT employees will never be fully protected until we take action in Congress. The dissenting opinion in this case, the contradictory ruling in the 11th Circuit last year, and the Trump administration’s position all reflect the uncertainty facing the LGBT community. I will continue to push my colleagues to pass the Equality Act, which ensures that every LGBT employee is guaranteed equal protection under the law.”
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