RIGHTS: A bill to prevent discrimination against employees because of their sexual orientation or gender identity passed in the Senate and now faces the House of Representatives.
By Chance Ornelas-Skarin, Staff Writer
The new bill, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), went through the Senate on Monday by a vote of 61 to 39. This act prohibits employers from discriminating against their employees due to employees’ sexual orientation or gender identity. Created in 1994, the bill is now on its way to becoming a federal law. According to the Washington Post, 21 states already do not allow discrimination in the workplace based on sexual orientation, and 17 do not allow discrimination based on gender identity. The current bill needs to become a federal law so that the United States can become a place where people are free to be themselves, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.
This legislation will greatly impact “approximately 9 million Americans” who are lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender, collectively known as the LGBT community. UCLA surveyed that these groups make up a very large portion of the United States population. If they are allowed to work without the pressures of discrimination, they will be able to contribute to national prosperity and economic recovery. All discrimination, whether based on sexual orientation or gender identity, is wrong.
We already have legislation against discrimination at the workplace based on race, religion, gender, age and disability. Why? Because this social issue stops people from being successful working citizens. The LGBT community is essential to our country’s well-being, and according to a poll by the Public Religion Research Institute, 73 percent of Americans agree that these people should be protected from discrimination in the workplace. We do not need more speed bumps for people trying to work hard to improve the economy—not with a national debt of 17 trillion and climbing (as can be seen at usdebtclock.org).
Even though ENDA is a great step in the right direction, it still has limits. It allows discrimination in certain places like universities and religious establishments, but almost everywhere else will be discrimination-free. These two exemptions are necessary to pass the bill. Not everyone is open to change, whether it is through the end of racial segregation or accepting people with different sexual orientations. ENDA’s exemptions are a necessary compromise with people who do not respect the LGBT community.
We may not ever eliminate all discrimination, but eliminating it piece by piece is certainly better than not eliminating it all. In the years to come, hopefully our society will learn to accept people for who they are and allow them to contribute without being hindered.