President Signs Executive Order Protecting LGBTQIA Employees

On Monday, President Obama signed an executive order today protecting LGBTQIA federal contractors and employees.

With the signing of this order, employees who work for federal contractors will be protected from discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.  In addition, bias against federal employees based on gender identity will be prohibited, as sexual orientation has been protected since 1998.

“It doesn’t make much sense, but today in America millions of our fellow citizens wake up and go to work with the awareness that they could lose their job, not because of anything they do or fail to do but because of who they are,” said President Obama.

What makes this executive order unique is that it does not include a religious exemption. The only religious specification that remains on this order is the one put in place by President George W. Bush, stating that religiously affiliated contractors may favor employees of a certain religion when hiring.

This executive order illustrates the progress being made toward conquering the injustices LGBTQIA individuals face.

“We’re on the right side of history,” said  President Obama. I couldn’t agree more.

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