ACLU Comment on President Obama’s Support of the Equality Act

WASHINGTON — Today, President Obama endorsed the federal Equality Act, a bill that would prohibit discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans and expand protections for women and communities of color.

The comprehensive federal bill would expand the existing Civil Rights Act passed more than 50 years ago to include sexual orientation and gender identity as explicitly protected classes and adds prohibitions against discrimination in public accommodations and using federal funding — much-needed protections that will guarantee women and communities of color in addition to LGBT people are treated equally in a number of important areas.

Karin Johanson, National Political Director of the American Civil Liberties Union, said:

"President Obama’s continued leadership on equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans, women, and communities of color is manifest today in his endorsement of the federal Equality Act. Even today, LGBT Americans in more than half the states can be turned away from jobs, housing and services with no clear, explicit protections under the law. Women and communities of color still do not have protection against discrimination in all instances of federal funding or public accommodations. We hope that Congress will follow the President’s lead by giving the Equality Act a fair hearing and consideration in this Congress.”