Source+3

http://www.aclu.org/lgbt-rights/lgbt-discrimination


 * We advocate for local and federal non-discrimination laws and insist that religious beliefs cannot be used to justify bias.
 * The repeal of the discriminatory military policy of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT) was a major victory against LGBT discrimination.
 * North Carolina state law does not bar discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity in employment, housing or public accommodations.
 * South Carolina state law does not bar discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity in employment, housing or public accommodations.
 * Virginia prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation in public employment. The state does not bar discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity in private employment, housing or public accommodations.
 * The District of Columbia bars discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in employment, housing and public accommodations.
 * In addition, those who wish to enlist and join the armed forces will no longer need to lie about their sexual orientation in order to do so.
 * The demise of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ demonstrates that we should not write discrimination into our laws.
 * “‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ has been a discriminatory distraction for far too long, and we welcome its repeal once and for all,” said James D. Esseks, director of the ACLU’s LGBT Project. “But significant as this is, the Department of Defense still has serious work to do in terms of implementing the repeal.
 * Department of Defense policy states that anyone honorably discharged for “homosexuality” is entitled to only half the separation pay given to other honorably discharged service members to ease their transition to civilian life.
 * **It violates core American values of fairness and equality by discriminating against qualified individuals based on characteristics unrelated to the job.**
 * When Congress has found such discrimination, it passed laws to restore civil rights by ensuring arbitrary considerations do not determine access to employment.
 * The bill protects workers from discriminatory hiring, firing, promotion or compensation practices, as well as retaliation for reporting such practices.
 * The fight for LGBT rights is a central ACLU concern because the fight for LGBT rights is a core civil liberties issue.
 * It's not about 'special rights'—it's about fundamental rights.