Statement of GLAD Executive Director Janson Wu on the Reintroduction of the Equality Act

May 2, 2017 – LGBTQ people live in every state, city and town in the U.S. We are part of families, workplaces, and communities. And like everyone else, LGBTQ Americans want and deserve to work, be safe in public spaces, and live our lives free from discrimination.

But the reality is that one in four LGBTQ people reported experiencing discrimination in the last year, and fully 97% of transgender people continue to report harassment or discrimination at work. Yet thirty states still provide no explicit non-discrimination protections for LGBTQ people.

Passing the Equality Act will provide critical, clear non-discrimination protections for LGBTQ people under federal law, and will make America more fair and more just for everyone.

Through strategic litigation, public policy advocacy, and education, GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders works in New England and nationally to create a just society free of discrimination based on gender identity and expression, HIV status, and sexual orientation.