Sun Nov 18, 2012 at 01:30 PM PST
Eyes turn to Federal LGBT employment non-discrimination protection
by Scott WooledgeFollow for Daily Kos
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/11/18/1162314/-Federal-eyes-turn-to-LGBT-employment-non-discrimination-protectionThe LGBT constituency, like any, has been conducting a post-election debrief on the ramifications for the 2012 election, in D.C. and across the nation.
There seems to be very little reality-based objections that 2012 will be logged in history as a very decisive year for LGBT rights. Pick your cliche—watershed, milestone—but by any metric, the LGBT community won. They historically won ballot measures, not once but four times. They've claimed more seats at the state and federal legislative tables than ever before and elected the first out senator.
[...]
So. How to move forward?
Aside from the Supreme Court cases, marriage equality is an issue that is most likely to move forward primarily at the state level. And the ballot wins are sure to deliver some courage to political leaders in cusp states like Hawaii, Rhode Island, Delaware, Illinois and others.
Many eyes are turning to how the federal government can address the issue of LGBT employment discrimination.
Seen as a key component is reigniting the call for Obama to issue an executive order requiring companies to have LGBT inclusive non-discrimination policies to qualify for consideration for a federal contractor. (There has long been such a requirement covering race, gender and religion dating since first initiated by the Truman administration.)
