SPLC: Trump Administration Attempting to Roll Back Civil Rights of LGBT Community

MONTGOMERY, Ala. - July 27, 2017 – The following statement, regarding a brief filed by the Department of Justice Wednesday night claiming that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 does not protect LGBT people from employment discrimination, is by David Dinielli, deputy legal director at the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC):

"A majority of Americans believe that LGBT people should be protected from discrimination in the workplace. But last night, President Trump's Justice Department filed a brief arguing the opposite – that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act provides no such protections, despite the growing consensus that discrimination 'on the basis of sex' encompasses discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. 

"President Trump, who touted himself as a 'friend' of the LGBT community on the campaign trail, has instead proven his hostility to this community since taking office. This brief demonstrates that his administration is determined to impose retrograde policies that roll back the civil rights of our most marginalized populations. In doing so, the administration is pandering to anti-LGBT extremists who are far outside the mainstream."


The Southern Poverty Law Center, based in Alabama with offices in Florida, Georgia, Louisiana and Mississippi, is a nonprofit civil rights organization dedicated to fighting hate and bigotry, and to seeking justice for the most vulnerable members of society. For more information, see www.splcenter.org.

Connect with us