President Obama signed an executive order Monday, July 21, to ban workplace discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees of federal contractors and the federal government.
“America’s federal contracts should not subsidize discrimination against the American people. I’m going to do what I can with the authority I have to act,” Obama said in a speech before signing the order.
According to the Huffington Post, the executive order makes two things illegal: firing or harassing LGBT employees because of their sexual orientation or gender identity and discriminating against transgender workers of the federal government. The first part of the order affects 24,000 companies and approximately 28 million workers.
“In too many states and in too many workplaces, simply being gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender can still be a fireable offense,” Obama said. “So I firmly believe that it’s time to address this injustice for every American.”
Obama’s order specifically mentioned transgender workers because protection for gays and lesbians is already in place. USA Today reported that President Bill Clinton banned workplace discrimination against gays and lesbians in the federal government, and Obama expanded the protection to transgenders.
Some religious leaders asked the President to include an exception for religion-tied companies that discriminate LGBT employees based on religious beliefs, but President Obama only kept in place President George W. Bush’s 2002 amended order, which allows federal contractors to prioritize hiring based on religion.
