President will sign Executive Order Protecting Trans Federal Workers
Washington, DC - Tonight, at the White House LGBT Pride Reception, President Barack Obama announced that he will sign an executive order barring gender identity discrimination for federal employees. Earlier this month, President Obama said he would sign an executive order to prohibit all anti-LGBT bias for federal contractors, which would apply to private entities that contract with the federal government. The newly announced order would build on the executive order signed by President Bill Clinton banning employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation for federal workers.
NCTE Executive Director Mara Keisling celebrated the announcement saying:
"It was with great honor to be able to witness President Obama announce this order from the White House Pride reception tonight. In addition to the federal contractors nondiscrimination order, President Obama's action to ban gender identity discrimination stands to protect countless numbers of transgender federal employees who have, for too long, had to hide who they are at work. Though this administration has previously interpreted existing law to cover transgender federal employees, updating the language of this executive order makes it 100% clear that transgender federal employees must be treated equally at work.
While this Administration has been second to none on transgender rights in education, health care, and housing—this executive order provides concrete protections for the transgender federal workers who have been on the front lines implementing these changes, and the many more transgender public servants who are working daily to improve the lives of all Americans.
Significantly, this new order gives transgender advocates new tools to advocate for further protections in the face of a gridlocked U.S. House of Representatives that refuses to pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act. While NCTE welcomes and celebrates this federal workers executive order, we also call on Congress to heed the demand of a majority of Americans who are pressing for these protections nationwide."
Tonight's announcement creates additional momentum for passage of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) just as over a hundred transgender advocates prepare to descend on Congress for the 2014 Transgender Lobby Day on June 14th-15th. The National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE), alongside our partners at the Transgender People of Color Coalition, the Trans Latin@ Coalition, Black Transmen Inc., Black Transwomen Inc., the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, and PFLAG National will continue to advocate on ENDA's passage in Congress.
