Transcript Sexual Orientation Discrimination

Sexual Orientation Discrimination
Supervisor: Svetlana V. Titova
Project work done by:
Fira Ismailova and Marina Yurovskaya
Important Events
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The gay community is an especially
important part of San Francisco, CA
and Greenwich Village, NY life. The
Village has many gay bars, and each
year there is a Gay Pride march.
Each year in June gays and lesbians
prance and parade to celebrate Gay
Pride Month.
Who is affected by
Sexual Orientation Discrimination?
1) Lesbians
3) Bisexuals
2) Gays
4) Transgender
Major employment discrimination
issues:
Since 1996, Americans could be
legally fired from jobs in 41 states
simply because of their sexual
orientation.
This number was unchanged as of
May 2000.
Among all full-time employed men ages 25-54, the median
earnings of partnered gay men are $3,000 below the income of
men partnered with women (married and unmarried). Thirty-six
states do not prohibit employment discrimination based on sexual
orientation.
"Employment discrimination strikes at the
fundamental American value - the right of
each qualified, hardworking individual to
do his or her job and contribute to society
without facing discrimination or being fired
simply for who they are," said HRC
(Human Rights Campaign)
President Joe Solmonese.
With the recent change in the makeup of
both the House and Senate, the advocacy
groups believe that they now have a real
opportunity to pass the ENDA
(Employment Non-Discrimination Act).
The bill would protect individuals against
workplace discrimination based on both
sexual orientation and gender identity.
National Organizations
The American Civil Liberties Union, the Human
Rights Campaign and the National Gay and
Lesbian Task Force are working together to
engage more gay, lesbian, bisexual and
transgender Americans in the national campaign
to end workplace discrimination for LGBT
workers. The campaign, which urges LGBT people
who have faced job discrimination to share their
story, will be used to boost lobbying efforts for
the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, a
federal bill which would protect LGBT people
against workplace discrimination, and for similar
state proposals.
Boy Scouts of America and
Monmouth Council, et al.,
Petitioners v. James Dale
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Dale, an Eagle Scout, filed suit in the New Jersey
Superior Court, alleging, among other things,
that the Boy Scouts had violated the state statute
prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual
orientation in places of public accommodation.
The case went to the New Jersey Supreme Court
which ruled against the Boy Scouts, saying that
they violated the State's public accommodations
law by revoking Dale's membership based on his
homosexuality.
The Boy Scouts appealed to the United States
Supreme Court, which granted certiorari to
determine whether the application of New
Jersey's public accommodations law violated the
First Amendment.
Urvashi Vaid
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Indian-born American citizen
who is best-known for her 25
years dedicated to promoting
civil rights to homosexuals.
She is an attorney and political
activist who staged numerous
protests.
She wrote an award-winning
book “A Virtual Equality: the
main streaming of gay and
lesbian liberation.”
Coretta Scott King
She is a widow of
Martin Luther King, Jr.
She was a civil rights’
activist who continued
her husband’s legacy
and fought against
discrimination based on
race, gender and sexual
orientation.
Civil Rights Laws
Title VII guaranteed protection
against discrimination in employment
on the basis of race, religion, gender,
national origin, and disability. This
applies to all companies with more
than 15 employees.
But the Civil Rights Act gave no
protection for people on the basis of
their sexual orientation.
State Law
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As of October 1998, only 12 states in the
USA have passed civil rights legislation
protecting homosexual workers. They are
CA, CN, District of Columbia, HI, MA, MN,
NV, NH, NJ, RI, VT, and WI.
But, in 80% of the states, employers are
perfectly within their rights to fire (or
refuse to hire, or refuse to promote) an
employee solely because of their sexual
orientation. Heterosexuals, homosexuals,
and bisexuals are all at risk of being fired.
Where we found
the information
Internet references:
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The ACLU has a list of horror stories of employees who
have been fired because they were perceived as being
homosexual.
See: http://www.aclu.org/issues/gay/gaystor.html The
ACLU has a list of municipalities which protect gay and
lesbian employment.
See: http://www.aclu.org/issues/gay/gaylaws.html
Other References:
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Associated Press, "Shays Brings Back Legislation to Ban
Anti-Gay Discrimination", 1997-JUN-10 (PM)
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J.E. Rigdon, "Overcoming a Deep-Rooted Reluctance, More
Firms Advertise to Gay Community,", Wall Street Journal,
1991-JUL-18, Page 1B
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Press Release, Boy Scouts v. Dale: Case History , Lambda
Legal Defense & Education Fund (on file with the author)
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Sarah Kershaw, "New Wal-Mart Policy Protects Gay
Workers," New York Times, 2003-JUL-2. at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/07/02/national/02WALM.ht
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Thanks
No words can express our
appreciation to all of you,
our fearless leader and our
partners in crime.