Media Contact: Denise Spivak, CEO
CenterLink: The Community of LGBT Centers
Phone: 954-765-6024
Email: Denise@lgbtcenters.org
Equality Act Passes in House with Strong Bipartisan Support
Senators Must Now Prioritize LGBTQ Nondiscrimination Protections
Ft. Lauderdale - CenterLink: The Community of LGBT Centers applauds the U.S. House of Representatives’ quick passage today of the Equality Act, a landmark federal law that would protect LGBTQ Americans in virtually all areas of daily life.
The bill would amend existing civil rights laws to explicitly ban LGBTQ discrimination in employment, housing, education, credit, jury service, and other areas, and explicitly extend sex discrimination protections to public accommodations and federally funded programs.
A companion bill was introduced into the Senate on February 23rd.
“Strong bipartisan support of nondiscrimination protections is yet another sign that America is ready for comprehensive LGBTQ protections,” said Denise Spivak, CenterLink CEO. “We are one step closer to getting this important piece of legislation signed into law.”
LGBTQ people continue to face discrimination in their daily lives. A recent study found one in three LGBTQ Americans facing discrimination in the previous year, including three in five transgender Americans. Currently, half of all LGBTQ people live in the 29 states that still lack comprehensive statewide laws.
The Equality Act would ensure that all LGBTQ Americans can live, work, and access public spaces free from discrimination, no matter what state they call home. It has broad and deep support across lines of political party, faith traditions, and geography, with 83 percent of Americans saying they favor LGBTQ nondiscrimination protections, including 68 percent of Republicans and a majority in every state in the country.
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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.