LGBT Exclusion in Anti-Discrimination Laws
More than half of the states in the United States exclude the LGBT community in their anti-discrimination laws. This needs to change.
Dear Future President:
Twenty-nine of the U.S. states allow employees to be fired simply because of their sexual orientation or identity. Discrimination against the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, or Transgender (LGBT) community has not been included in these state’s anti-discrimination laws, despite the multitude of gay rights advocates and movements over the years. Even though these LGBT employees may be talented and hardworking, they can simply be dismissed if their employer disapproves of their sexual orientation. This also applies to landlords who evict them out of their houses or apartments.
Research from the William Institute found that 16% to 68% of people surveyed who identified as LGBT reported experiencing employment discrimination. They found that 8 to 17 percent were fired or denied employment, 10 to 28 percent were denied a promotion or given a negative performance review, 7 to 41 percent faced verbal or physical harassment or vandalization of their workspace, and 10 to 19 percent reported unequal pay. Percentages for transgender people are even worse at 13 to 56 percent fired and 13 to 47 percent denied a job. My point is that there are multiple statistics of LGBT who have been discriminated against in some way or form, and that is morally wrong. They work just as diligently as their other co-workers but are seen differently because of who they are attracted to or who they identify as.
The LGBT community has been discriminated against for years, yet they still haven’t been included in these twenty-nine states’ anti-discrimination laws. A huge reason for this is because of the negative stigma that being LGBT is a disease or a sin; conservative religions condemn the LGBT community. Because of these views, LGBT citizens are labeled unnatural and are rejected. Without recognition and protection from their own state, people think it is perfectly okay to harass LGBT people. They have been bullied or subjected to years of self-hate. They have committed suicide, and in the most violent cases, murdered.
LGBT discrimination is wrong and they need to be included not only in their state’s anti-discrimination laws, but also in a nationwide federal law. People need to be educated about the LGBT community, as well. The first step to promoting a safer environment for the LGBT community is through state laws.
Sincerely,
Christina Le