Gay Rights activists racked up another victory in the fight for tolerance in the workplace. On July 11th, President Obama signed an executive order strengthening a law already in place designed to protect gay, lesbian and transgender employees working for a federal contractor.
Furthering the resolve to spread equality into all facets of the federal workplace, the bill offers no exemptions based on religious beliefs. Christian, Jewish, or Islamic federal contractors cannot fire an employee merely for having different sexual or moral beliefs than their own. That said, there is a loophole in the law which allows for contractors to “prefer” working with morally aligned employees — they are not allowed to fire a gay employee, but they don’t have to hire one either.
Obviously, many would have liked for Obama to sign federal legislation demanding LGBT rights in all workplaces, not just federal. But this particular law should help an estimated 20 percent of the total population, which isn’t too shabby. Furthermore, it keeps the national conversation on anti-discrimination and gay rights moving forward, and since public opinion is firmly in favor of LGBT rights, keeping the pressure on can only help the cause.
Gay rights activists have had several victories so far in 2014, with several states adopting same-sex marriage proposals, and major legislation pushed through by Obama and Congressional Democrats (the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell being the most impressive). Unfortunately, a stubborn and antiquated view of equality plagues the GOP, and since there is incessant political gridlock between the two parties, it looks like a series of small victories is the best activists can hope for right now.
