by Jaime Grant, Policy Institute Director, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force | The Hill
The state of the U.S. workplace for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people — transgender Americans in particular — is absolutely shameful. Thankfully, our nation is on the cusp of seriously addressing this injustice: Congress is currently considering the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), which would prohibit workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee held a hearing on the legislation today, and got an earful about the dire need to enact these fundamental protections.
There is a growing and widespread feeling of economic vulnerability among people from all backgrounds and all parts of our country. Unemployment is high; folks are having a tough time finding work. Those who do have jobs are fearful of losing them. A few weeks ago, my son’s former teacher — a 20-year veteran who wrestled more productivity from his color-outside-the-lines nature than any previous teacher — was laid off. These stories are no longer rare. Virtually everyone knows someone who has been pink-slipped in the past year. Accomplished people. Go-getters. People who seemed exempt from the unpredictability of sudden job loss.
