if you can be fired for being gay, then you should also be fired for shacking up with someone your not married to; committing adultery, neglecting your responsibility as a father for neglecting to pay child support and most importantly, you should be fired for divorcing someone you promised to have and to hold until death do you part. The hypocrisy of those who stand in moral judgement over others while glossing over their own sexual immorality, reminds me of the words Christ spoke concerning the woman brought to him for committing adultery when he told the crowd, "let those among you without sin cast the first stone".
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Last year, Lambda Legal reported nearly 700 phone calls in 2001 with complaints related to sexual-orientation discrimination at work-second only to calls related to family matters. And Davidson says that number is just a fraction of the actual cases out there, as many people don't report incidences of harassment or discrimination against them, feeling that filing a complaint would be futile.
"One of the needs for a national law is that in the states where discrimination is most prevalent, you are least likely to get an antidiscrimination law passed," adds Davidson. "Right now, we have a patchwork of protections, and it's not right that people could be subjected to discrimination in some parts of the country without any redress. We need a national law that protects all workers-no employee should be denied equal treatment at work because of whom they love."
Most Americans seem to agree. In a NEWSWEEK poll last week, 85 percent of Americans said there should be equal rights for gays and lesbians in terms of job opportunities-up from 59 percent in a NEWSWEEK poll conducted in 1982. And a nationwide Harris Interactive poll taken in June 2001 found that 61 percent of Americans favored a federal law prohibiting job discrimination based on sexual orientation. The 2001 survey also found that 42 percent of adults surveyed believe that such a law currently exists.
Despite increasing public support, the bill still faces a tough fight. Lawmakers who oppose its passage argue that enacting a federal law could mean more litigation. Alabama RepublicanSen. Jeff Sessions said last week that the measure would also make it more difficult for those employers trying to terminate an employee with just cause. Indeed, there have been some cases in which courts dismissed claims of sexual-orientation discrimination against employers or ex-employers as baseless.
But advocates of the bill point to studies within the 12 states that have similar laws on the books that found little increase, if any, in the number of job-discrimination lawsuits based on sexual orientation. Despite opposition voiced by some lawmakers, its supporters remain optimistic about its prospects for passage. "Passing the bill won't be easy but the chances of it passing have never been better," says Winnie Statchelberg, political director for the Human Rights Campaign, the largest national lesbian and gay political organization.
"Even if the measure doesn't pass the House this year, passing the Senate is significant. It will be that much easier the next time. It means we've gotten over that hurdle," adds Lambda's Davidson. "It is a struggle, but I think we are finally making significant progress."
© 2002
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