Sanders Campaign Rejects Attempts to Discriminate Against LGBTQ People

BURLINGTON, Vt. - March 29, 2016– Sarah Scanlon, director of LGBTQ outreach for U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders' presidential campaign, issued the following statement on Friday about state-based, legislative efforts to discriminate against LGBTQ people:

"After the Supreme Court's historic decision last year in favor of marriage equality and continued actions to decrease the marginalization of LGBTQ people across the country, we're seeing major backlash from those who believe that discrimination should be legal in our country. That is unacceptable.

"North Carolina's H.B. 2, Mississippi's H.B. 1523 and Missouri's S.J.R. 39 are extreme and discriminatory. Every American deserves equal treatment under the law and every transgender person should be able to use the bathroom that matches their identity. The sole intent of these bills, and those like them, is to allow people to discriminate against LGBTQ people. We stand in solidarity with all of the local LGBTQ advocates and their allies who have worked tirelessly against these measures. This country has made remarkable progress on LGBTQ rights in the fifty years since Stonewall, and we are not turning back now.

“As mayor, Sen. Sanders was one of the first in America to sign a local anti-discrimination housing ordinance. Sexual orientation and gender identity should not be the basis for employment or housing decisions. As president, Sen. Sanders will work to ensure protections under our civil rights laws are extended to all LGBTQ people."