Media Contact:  Denise Spivak, CEO 

CenterLink: The Community of LGBT Centers 

Phone: 954-765-6024 

Email: Denise@lgbtcenters.org

 

CenterLink Calls on Congress to Pass the Equality Act

 

Ft. Lauderdale - As lawmakers reintroduce the Equality Act into Congress today, CenterLink along with LGBTQ community centers across the country are working to bring awareness to the importance of having federal nondiscrimination protections in place. 

While many assume that LGBTQ-inclusive laws already exist, the reality is that the patchwork of protections is unsustainable and leaves many people behind. LGBTQ people continue to experience high rates of discrimination in housing, employment, health care, and public spaces.  Legal protections vary from state to state, with 29 states still lacking comprehensive nondiscrimination laws. 

For most people in the United States, these protections make sense and are long overdue.  A 2020 poll found that 8 out of 10 people support the passage of nondiscrimination laws. The Equality Act is common-sense bipartisan legislation that will update federal law to include enduring protections for over 13 million LGBTQ Americans across every aspect of their lives. 

“Protecting people from discrimination, including people who identify as LGBTQ, is about treating others as we want to, and deserve to be treated. Nobody should have to live in fear of discrimination simply because of who they are,” said CenterLink CEO Denise Spivak.  “LGBTQ people are part of every aspect of our lives – our friends, neighbors, family, coworkers… They should be entitled to the same benefits that every other citizen is – whether it’s having access to a place to live, being served by a business or government office, or earning a living.  Discrimination of any kind has no place in our society, and we must work to ensure that it is neither sanctioned nor ignored.” 

Passing the Equality Act will help to ensure that all Americans can provide for themselves and their families, meet their obligations, and build a better life. 

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CenterLink strengthens, supports, and connects LGBTQ community centers. Founded in 1994, CenterLink plays an important role in addressing the challenges centers face by helping them to improve their organizational and service delivery.