Obama backs changing Civil Rights Act to ban LGBT Discrimination

On Tuesday, the White House endorsed legislation which would amend the 1964 Civil Rights Act to prohibit discrimination based on gender identity or sexual orientation. In an interview with the Washington Post, White House press secretary said the Obama administration had reviewed the bill for “several weeks.” He added, “We look forward to working with Congress to ensure that the legislative process produces a result that balances both the bedrock principles of civil rights . . . with the religious liberty that we hold dear in this country.”

The chances of this Congress approving the legislation are slim but the national discussion whether the LGBT community needs greater safeguards is now on the forefront thanks to Obama’s support. Many view the legislation not only as groundbreaking but vital. Chad Griffin explains, “The unfortunate reality is that, while LGBT Americans can legally get married, millions remain at risk of being fired or denied services for who they are or who they love because the majority of states still lack explicit, comprehensive non-discrimination protections.”