Sexual Orientation
Discrimination
in the USA
Presented by
Grebenyuk Vasilissa
and Simonenko Kate
What is discrimination?
 Discrimination - the prejudicial treatment
of different groups of people based on
certain characteristics.
What is sexual orientation?
Each state defines this term in its own way.
E.g.,
• California:
“Heterosexuality, homosexuality, and
bisexuality”, including “perception that the
person has (any of these characteristics).”
Cal. Gov. Code § 12926(q)
• Maryland:
“The identification of an individual as to male
or female homosexuality, heterosexuality, or
bisexuality.” Md. Ann. Code art. 49B, § 15(j)
What is sexual orientation?
According to the Employment NonDiscrimination Act of 2001 (ENDA),
Sexual orientation - homosexuality,
bisexuality, or heterosexuality, whether the
orientation is real or perceived. (sec. 3(9))
*ENDA - a bill that would make
discrimination a violation of federal law
Whom does it concern?
 Gay
 Lesbian
 Bisexual
 Transsexual/Transgender
etc.
LGTB
Areas of discrimination
 Employment
 Accommodation
 Access to public places
 Education
etc.
Laws
FEDERAL LAWS
 The Employment Non-Discrimination
Act (ENDA)
STATE LAWS
 15 states and the District of
Columbia have laws that currently
prohibit sexual orientation
discrimination in both public and
private jobs
 Over 180 cities and counties
prohibit discrimination on the basis
of sexual orientation in at least
some workplaces.
National organizations
 The National Gay and Lesbian Task
Force Foundation (NGLTF) (1973)
 The Human Rights Campaign
(Washington, D.C.)
 Gays and Lesbians Everywhere in
Education (GLEE)
 Parents, Families & Friends of
Lesbians & Gays (PFLAG)
The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Foundation
Foundation: 1973
Mission: building the grassroot political power of
the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender
community to win complete equality.
Actions: training activists, equipping state and local
organizations with the skills needed to organize
broad-based campaigns to defeat anti-LGBT
referenda and advance pro-LGBT legislation, and
building the organizational capacity of the
movement.
Offices: Washington, DC; New York, NY;
Cambridge, MA; Los Angeles, CA; Miami, FL;
Minneapolis, MN.
Issues:
•Aging
•Anti-Gay Industry
•Bisexuality
•Campus
•Elections & Politics
•Faith
•Hate Crimes
•Health & HIV/AIDS
•Marriage/Partner Recognition
•Nondiscrimination
•Parenting & Family
•Racial & Economic Justice
•Transgender
•Youth
How do they maintain their
rights?
 Gay Pride Parades
“Everyone else has a chance to express their affection
freely, and for one day in New York, you can be free and
not feel ashamed or embarrassed.”
Roberto Hermosilla
References
 United States General Accounting Office
“Sexual Orientation-Based Employment
Discrimination”
http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d02878r.pdf
 Employment Non-Discrimination Act 2007
Action Center
http://www.thetaskforce.org/enda07/enda07.
html
 Gay Pride Parades Held Across US
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/world/200606/26/content_625738.htm
 The Gay Parades of the 70s
http://thecastro.net/parade/parade/parade.ht
ml
 PFLAG http://www.pflag.org/
References
 Discrimination in These United States
http://www.loveisloveislove.com/discriminatio
n_in_US.htm
 NGLTF http://www.thetaskforce.org/
 GLEE http://www.glee.com/